Jump Start # 3663

Hebrews 9:3 “And behind the second veil, there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies.”

As the writer of Hebrews is describing layers in which Jesus is superior to the Old Testament system, he moves into the concept of the tabernacle and the holy place. Our verse identifies an aspect in which most Jews would have read about and maybe even imagined but hardly anyone ever saw it. Only the high priest, and only once a year, was allowed to cross through those curtains into the holy of holies. A few verses later, the point is made that Jesus also entered into the holies, not one made by hands and not one in which animal blood was sprinkled. And, what is interesting about this is that Jesus Himself would have never walked through those curtains in the temple. He was not allowed. He was not of Levi and not a high priest.

I wonder if anyone asked a high priest what the ark looked like and what it was like to walk behind those curtains. I also wonder if a priest felt that he was being pestered by such questions that he may have thought it was none of their business. He may have concluded, if God wanted you to see what was behind the veil, He would not have placed a veil there in the first place. But He has, and you are not allowed to see.

The death of Jesus and the tearing of that Temple curtain, symbolically showed that all people have access to God. One did not have to go through a priest. One did not have to have a priest sprinkle blood on his behalf. Most of us have seen drawing and models of what the tabernacle and temple looked like. We’ve seen depictions made by artist of what the ark in that holy room would look like. But, so few ever got to actually see it.

All of this made me think of many other things that we benefit from but rarely see. The behind the scenes story of how things came together is often not understood nor appreciated.

One would be the many hymns we sing. Song writing, there are actually two aspects of this. One is the lyrics or the words. The other is the tune or melody. A few gifted people can do both. More often, a tune and a poem or some words from others are put together and it becomes a great hymn. Some songs, this is true in the pop, country and even hymn writing, comes quickly and easily. A hymn comes to one’s mind, and the writer jots down on a napkin or piece of paper some notes. Later he works it out on a piano and fine tunes what he has. Once in a long while, the tune comes to the mind and heart of a writer and it’s nearly completed as fast as he can write it down. For most others, it’s a long and tedious process of playing the same line over and over and over until another line makes sense to him.

The tune and the words are worked out. A publisher is found. And, today, we sing those wonderful songs on a Sunday morning and they fill our hearts with great joy. Few understand and few appreciate the long, long process to birth a song. And, for most, especially in the area of hymns, there is very little compensation other than bringing glory to the Lord.

Sermons are like that as well. We gather on a Sunday and the preacher pours his heart out, hoping to match the right words and the right concepts to help us see the Lord. Some sermons need to knock the shine off of our shoes. Some sermons build us up. Some sermons encourage. Some instruct. Some warn. Some sermons take a lot of time to develop. There are words to chase and understand. There is a structure and a flow that must make sense. Then out an outline for the audience and a powerpoint for the audience and there is just a lot to building a sermon. One summed it this way. Start with an earthquake and go up from there. An introduction. Following a text. Illustrations that make sense. A conclusion to bring the audience to a response. Then the delivery. Not a monotone. Not screaming. Knowing when to pause. Eye contact.

I like writing sermons. It’s a challenge. And, every week the preacher is trying to bring his best. In the audience, we come and we listen but few know how many hours, how much research, how much thought went into making that one sermon. And, when the week is over, the preacher starts all over again.

Salvation is like this. Oh, we’ve read the passages about Jesus coming and dying on the cross. But, to know how hard that would be. To truly understand what all He endured. To see how much He loves us. I’m not sure if we will ever fully understand what all went behind bringing us safely home to the Father.

Heaven is like this. We have word pictures from Revelation about a gold street and gates of pearls. It’s described as a land where there are no tears. There is no mourning. There is no pain. That’s almost fantasy for us. We have no postcard pictures from Heaven. No travel agent has a colorful pamphlet on Heaven. Much like the Holy of Holies, we imagine. We have ideas. But none of us have truly seen it. But, we know by faith God will take care of us.

Behind the scenes…great lessons can be learned from that. And, a greater appreciation ought to come from all of that.

Roger

Jump Start # 3661

Hebrews 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for me to die once and after this comes judgment.”

How many times have we heard this passage. Used in sermons. Used at funerals. Used to remind. Used to warn. Used to bring a response. The appointment with death and the coming judgment—the two inescapable meetings with God.

Here are some thoughts:

First, it is God who makes this appointment. We don’t decide when that appointment with death will be. And, right there is one of the hardest aspects about God’s involvement in our lives. When? Just when do we keep that appointment with death?

For some, it’s a long, long time on this side of things. My mother passed through the door of death when she was 67. For my sweet dad, he was 95. Why are some taken so young, even before they barely had a chance to get going in life? These divine appointments are not passed by our eyes for our approval.

Can you imagine what it would be like if you had to decide when everyone in your dear family was to keep that appointment with death? Why was Stephen taken when he could have had more years to preach? His death caused the disciples to scatter and that expanded the boundaries of the kingdom. There are things that we don’t often see that are connected with the divine appointment with death.

Second, since we do not understand the when and the why of keeping this appointment with death, the fairness or unfairness is not really ours to declare. A baby dies. That sure seems unfair. A rebellious, drunken rock star lives eight decades. That doesn’t seem right. I think if we were running things, we’d have all the good people living a long life and all those who don’t care about anything or anyone but themselves, we’d put them on a fast track to keep that appointment with death. But God doesn’t do it that way. His ways, the prophet tells us, are higher than our ways. So godly people die young. Wicked people live on. And, some wicked die young and some godly live on. There are not statistics that can make sense of all of this. This is something known to God.

Third, we are to live for the Lord as if this was our last day. Some day, it will be. We are to stop kicking the can down the road of what we need to do. We must make a difference each day by shinning our light and living for Jesus.

I wrote earlier this week about the death of a friend named Lee. We are the same age. His journey here is finished. I’m still here. Why him and not me? Why me and not him? We can try to figure things out but most times we simply don’t know. Isaiah reminds us that the clay does not tell the potter what to do.

As one ages and begins to see those around him meeting that appointment with death, it makes one wonder, “Have I done anything worthwhile?” “Have I helped the kingdom in my time?” Whether a short time or a long time, our time needs to be devoted to the Lord.

It is appointed. You cannot miss that appointment. You cannot postpone that appointment. When the Lord declares, that appointment will be met. So, this ought to make us thankful for each day. This ought to compel us to find sunshine even in the storms. This ought to push us to think less of self and more of Him.

You and I have an appointment. It’s coming. We will be there. That can scare you. That can sadden you. That can make you angry. Or, by faith, ‘come Lord Jesus.’

Sobering thoughts to never forget. In all the things on your to do list today and all the appointments you have to keep, remember, God has one with your name on it.

Roger