By Pastor Greg...
A Sunday school teacher was discussing
the Ten Commandments with her five and six-year-old
students. After explaining the
commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that
teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."
Yeah,
I know that boy. I think we all know
that boy.
Many parents understand the nature of disobedient
children. There are more of us than most
people realize. It’s the same with
sinful people; there are more of us than you may realize. Oh, we do
far more than merely misbehave. We are
people who disobey God. We sin against
the Lord. “Our sins are piled up
before God and testify against us. Yes, we know what sinners we are.” (Isaiah
59:12).
What is the solution? If we know
we sin against the Lord, what can be done?
A long time ago an old man by the name of Eli said, “If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty
party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” (1 Samuel 2:25). Exactly, Eli; who can intercede for us? Since
we humans sin against God, not just against each other, who would be willing to
stand before God and plead for such a sinner?
Who is even worthy to stand before God?
It’s not that God didn’t look for someone. He did, but, “He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no one to intercede;” (Isaiah 59:16a). So we go back to Eli’s question; who can intercede?
God’s solution was to
solve the problem Himself. “He himself stepped in
to save them with His strong arm”
(Isaiah 59:16b). God made a promise to redeem these people; to
set them free by paying the price. He promised that “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back
those in Israel who have turned from their sins” (Isaiah 59:20). This promise was on the lips and hearts of Israel
for many generations. Father’s told it
to their children. And the children told
it to their children. God would deliver. God would redeem. God would send a Savior; someone to intercede
between Man and God.
Over a thousand years after Eli raised his question, an aged Temple
Priest named Zacharias finally announces the arrival of this Savior.
(Read Luke 1:68-79) 68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he
has visited and redeemed his people. 69 He has sent us a mighty
Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he
promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be
saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. 72 He has been
merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— 73 the
covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. 74 We
have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, 75 in
holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.
76 “And you, my little son, will be called
the prophet of the Most High, because you
will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people
how to find salvation
through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because
of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow
of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” [1]
Zacharias, who was the father of John the Baptist, exclaims that at last
God had sent the One who would redeem and rescue His people; this Messiah would
provide the remission of sin. The Savior
would soon come to earth.
The Angels declared to the shepherds that Jesus was the Savior, the
Redeemer; the Holy One of Israel. “For today in the city of David
This is Christ the King, the One who would redeem His people. “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the
empty life you inherited from your ancestors” writes Peter. “And the ransom he
paid was not mere gold or silver. 19 It was the precious blood
of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him
as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you
in these last days.” (1 Peter 1:18-20). Paul confesses that Jesus “has rescued us from
the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,
who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14). It is Jesus
who has “removed
our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” (Psalm
103:12).
Eli asked who can intercede. God’s
answer was Jesus. This is the Baby we sing about during the Christmas
season. The Child resting on Mary’s lap is
Christ the Lord; the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior and Redeemer of humanity. Yes, even redeeming that boy from Sunday School class; that boy who seemed to live in
his own little world. That boy was
redeemed by the Messiah, and went on to become a pastor.
And his hometown church now believes
in miracles.
[1] Tyndale House Publishers.
(2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 1:68–79). Carol Stream,
IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
No comments:
Post a Comment