Coffee With The Lord

So many conflicting voices in the broader culture today! Everyone with advice and a recommendation about how we ought to live our lives and prepare for an uncertain future. Religious options are profuse and conflicting. Leaves the average person who has no commitment to Biblical authority in a quandary.

But Jesus wasn’t in a quandary! He spoke confidently – with authority! …

“Do not let your hearts be troubled! You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas, one of His disciples, said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE!’” (from John 14:1–6 NIV)

Don’t know how many times I’ve heard the phrase, “That’s the house ___________ built.” Sometimes it used of a great sports team or stadium – a successful business or enterprise – It’s even a phrase associated with a great children’s book … I cringe though, whenever I hear it used of a church or ministry! We should have our theology in better shape than that! Jesus is the one who reminded Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it!” (Matthew 16:18) We have an important role to play, but it is His Church (not ours) and He is the one ultimately who is building it!

Thought of that as I read these words from Hebrews 3:1-6 in the Bible during “coffee with the Lord”…

“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, who is faithful to the One who appointed Him, as Moses was also in God’s house… Every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God! Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. We are of His house, if in fact we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we boast.” (from Hebrews 3:1-6)

So here’s the deal… It’s His church not mine! It’s His kingdom, not mine! He is the one of whom the Father testified, “This is my Beloved Son… listen to Him!” Any growth that matters – any success that worth anything can be traced directly back to Him – His provision, His sacrifice, His grace – and the activity of the Holy Spirit who aggressively and consistently exalts Him. Don’t tag my name on it! It’s His church… I’m only one of the living stones graced by his calling and election to be built into it! (Check out 1 Peter 2:4-5). It’s the “House that God built – the House that Christ built!”

When you think about what Jesus did for us when He left heaven’s glory to become a human being, identify with us in our situation, and offer Himself as the sacrifice for our sin, it’s really incredible!  Blows me away!  Here is the way the Bible describes it in Philippians 2:6-8…

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross!”

That incredible act of love – that selfless redemptive act that provided for my salvation, as well as the support and help I depend on every day of my life as a follower of Jesus, was amplified even more this morning for me as I read these words from Hebrews 2:9-18:

“But we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.  In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what He suffered… Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death… For this reason He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people.  And because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted!”

Wow!  All I can say is, “Jesus, I’m grateful!  Forever grateful!  Thank you!  Thank you!!  Thank you!!!