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A Real Christmas Requires Remembering Why Christ Came

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(1 Thessalonians 3:9-13)

Although it’s unlikely that Paul had just stuffed himself full of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, too many pieces of pie, and then passed out on the couch while the football games were on the TV. Nonetheless, the sentiments of Thanksgiving certainly are in line with what he wrote in this section to the believers in Thessalonica: “How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of God because of you?” (v.9).

Paul was feeling gratitude. He was grateful for what God had done and had continued doing in the lives of the believers there. He directed his gratitude, his thanks, to God. He was rightly thanking God for the joy that the Thessalonians had brought into his life. And, as is the case with genuine gratitude, Paul was interested in more than just empty words, but backing that gratitude up with action. That’s why he desired to return among the Thessalonians to continue what had been started: keep feeding their faith by supplying what was still lacking (v.10-11). What Paul wrote after that is essentially a prayer.

In that prayer, Paul expressed his desire that  “the Lord make [their] love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else…” (v.12). It’s as if Paul is providing a flow chart for us to see how the Christian life works. It all starts with God, who then funnels his gifts to us through faith. Then, as we grow in our faith, those gifts – like an increase in love as well as the other blessings that will follow, will all increase, too. Do you want a “Real Christmas” this year? Here’s your recipe! Go back to the basics: God and his gift of faith and growing it, which leads to other spiritual gifts spilling over, like the ones Paul continues to pray for. 

Paul’s prayer continues. “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones” (v.13). We know the physical dangers of a weak heart. Not only can it cause complications, but even the slightest physical activity with a weak heart can potentially cause serious damage or even be fatal. 

But a weak heart spiritually is even more dangerous. A spiritually weak heart can lead one to drift from God or depend on some other source for strength and sustenance. That will certainly do damage for this life, but the greater concern of having a weak heart is how it potentially will leave us “in the presence of our God and Father” (v.13).

When will we find ourselves in that situation? Paul is looking way beyond the celebration of Christmas to the most monumental event, the Last Day, “when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones” (v.13). The Gospels in the Bible record Jesus teaching and preaching about this day. Even Paul, in this same letter, speaks of what that day will be like. The Thessalonians believers were someone what confused on the details of that Last Day. It’s worth noting that even that much closer to the life and ministry of Jesus, Paul was already focusing on his return and what its looks like to be ready for that day.

What does being ready for that day look like? It means we “will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God.” The first part of that may grab your attention, as “will be” almost sounds as if that status of being “blameless and holy” is something still to come, something to strive for, something to be attained at some point in the future. 

That view would certainly fit the common ideas people have of good people getting into heaven. It’s based on the idea that good people would do – and keep doing – good things. Then, at the end of the day when their time is up, God would sit down with them for what amounts to a sort of performance review to determine if they’re in or not. So long as they have a strong enough track record, they’ll be fine. It’s no surprise then, that since we all imagine ourselves tending to have a pretty good track record in our own minds, replaying the “best-of’s” and the highlights of our lives, we’re rather confident that we’ve got nothing to fear.

The idea of eventually arriving at being “blameless and holy” might also seem to be supported by Paul’s own words, even in these very verses. After all, a faith that is “lacking,” love that can “increase and overflow,” and hearts that can be “strengthen[ed]” would imply that “holy” hasn’t quite been achieved yet.

So which is it? Are we holy right now, or is holiness a status that is arrived at by putting in the appropriate time and effort? How do we ensure that we’re blameless and holy on that final day?

Both can be true. We can be holy right now, and we can also be becoming holy. Now that doesn’t mean that we’re following in the footsteps of the world that says truth is relative and subjective, and that we can all have our very different truths, even when those contradict each other. There’s a difference between each of our individual constructs of truth as we drum it up in our own respective worlds and what we’d call a paradox in Scripture. Our subjective truths have no backing or support from anything authoritative – they are based purely on our own personal thoughts or feelings. The Bible, however, as the Word of God, is authoritative.

So when the Bible speaks both ways, so do we. And the Bible does. It says that we can grow in our faith. Nearly half of what Paul writes in the New Testament is Paul addressing Christian living and spiritual growth. It lines up with exactly what he is writing in these verses, encouraging growth in our spiritual lives. Moreover, we personally know how necessary it is for us to grow as Christians in all areas of our lives. Yes, we are saints, but on this side of heaven we are saints who still sin and are still a work in progress. We want to grow and mature in our daily responsibilities and vocations, and rightly so!

But the Bible also speaks about our status before God. God calls us holy, and he calls us holy right now, in the present, as we are in this very moment. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).

We notice two things in just these two passages – and we could have mentioned many other passages as well. First, there are no “ifs” in these verses. There is no carrot-on-a-stick holiness that is held out to us if we meet certain conditions or criteria. Holiness isn’t conditional.

Second, the tense of the verbs speaks volumes! We “are” holy because we “have been made” holy. There is no “someday down the road if you play your cards right.” There is no “once this happens, then…” There is only who we are because of what happened to make us that way.

So how does it feel? You are holy right now! And it is because God declares you to be holy right now that you also strive to live holy lives right now as you grow in holiness.

Perhaps one of the clearer Bible passages that ties our status as holy before God with our call to continue growing in holiness is found in Colossians 3:12. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience aren’t the prerequisites to achieving holiness; rather, they are how our holiness is expressed as we grow in them and put them on display in our Christian lives. You are holy right now. And you are growing in holiness right now.

But if this holiness isn’t something we arrive at or achieve on our own, then how does it happen?

The answer is Christmas. Holiness left heaven and entered earth to bring holiness with him. If holiness is required to get into heaven, but holiness cannot be achieved outside of heaven, then holiness had to be brought to us. And to be brought to us, God had to come to us, which is exactly what happened at Christmas.

When you assemble enough things over the years, at some point you’ve experienced the frustration of arriving at a dead end. You can’t move forward because something is missing. You retrace all of the previous steps in the directions to make sure you didn’t use the wrong piece in the wrong place, and confirm that each step was properly followed. Just as you are getting ready either to disassemble everything and return it or contact customer service, convinced a piece was missing, in trots one of your children, caught up in some imaginary game, or possibly pretending to “help” you, and you notice they have in their hand the piece you need to finish the assembly. Now that you have that piece, you finish putting everything together.

Jesus is that piece. Only he is much more than a missing piece to our holiness (as if we were somehow almost there and he just needed to come in and supply what was missing)! He isn’t just a missing piece; he is the whole thing! He IS our holiness, through and through. We cannot have holiness apart from him. 

And for him to be able to be our holiness, he had to provide our holiness by entering a holi-less world and bringing it with him. On Christmas, he was born to bring his holiness into a holi-less world. His perfect life in perfect obedience to God’s perfect law resulted in our holiness.

Therefore, dear friends, because of what Jesus came to do in the past, we know that we already have what we need when he comes again in the future on that Last Day. By faith in Jesus, we have holiness. His holiness. Yes, we have all that we need to be “blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones” (v.13). Christmas can’t get any more real than that!

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Supply What Is Lacking in My Faith

Sanctifying Spirit,
Though faith as small as a mustard seed is sufficient to cling to the work of Jesus for salvation, do not let me be content with a seed-size faith. Rather, provide for me what is lacking in my faith. Where my faith lacks knowledge, provide it through your Word. When my faith doubts and wavers, steady it with the rock-solid certainty of your promises that never fail. When I am reluctant to put my faith into action, place me in situations where I cannot help but do so. While it isn’t the size of my faith that saves, but the object – Jesus – I nevertheless pray for you to continue fanning into flame this gift of faith, so that I may be more deeply rooted in you and never shaken loose by Satan or sin. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Jesus-Centered Worship

Holy Father,
Sundays are sacred. Today I ask you to help me stay focused on what makes worship so special: worship is where you give me Jesus. Where Jesus is, there is peace for troubled hearts and rest for weary souls. Where your Word is present, there also the work of Jesus is present. Therefore, as I hear the Word of God read and preached, as the Word of God is spoken and sung, as I see the promises from the Word of God attached to Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, help me see Jesus and his saving work for me. Refresh and recharge my soul. Let the words and works of our Savior Jesus be proclaimed clearly and considerably in Christian churches everywhere, nurturing and strengthening the faith of many.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be Aware of Those Hurting During the Holidays

Compassionate Savior,
The weeks ahead will be filled with busy activities in homes, at schools, and in the workplace. While these events are generally a source of warmth and happiness as we gather and socialize, this time of year can also be painful for many.

Memories from past painful events that took place during this time of year can resurface and dull the delight of those affected by them. Hearts are made heavy by the remembrance of loved ones who passed away during this season, no matter how long ago. Current career stress and end of the year job responsibilities can also factor into the frustration many experience. 

Enable me to be aware of the hurts of others during the holidays. Grant me sensitivity to engage meaningfully with those who are struggling, so that I am able to provide them with needed support and hope. Make me a bright spot when they feel surrounded by darkness. Through my compassion, help them catch a glimpse of yours, so that they may know how much they are cared for.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Spend Wisely

God of all Good,
We are blessed to have so many solutions when it comes to filling our wants and our needs. We are surrounded by brick and mortar stores that provide more options than we would ever even explore before making a purchase. We have online stores at our fingertips that load more screens and pages than we could ever scroll through. 

Today, as we are hit with sales and deals and once-a-year shopping opportunities, guard me from becoming consumed by commercialism. A thoughtful gift is one thing, but guide me in moderation. Few of us or those we know need more material things in our lives. Let me manage the financial resources you’ve entrusted to me with prudence and reason. Keep me from overspending or racking up debt. While I bring these requests to you on this Black Friday, may they also apply also through the duration of this holiday season and beyond.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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Thank You That I Am a Christian

Gracious Father,
On this Thanksgiving Day, I am filled with gratitude as I reflect on how good you are to me. The countless physical blessings surrounding me are daily reminders that you not only richly provide for my daily bread – my necessities – but also for so many of my wants. Thank you that having to go without basic needs is really an unfamiliar experience for me.

Surpassing the abundance of physical blessings, however, are the spiritual blessings that are also mine daily. These start with and flow from the name, Christian, which I bear solely because of your grace. This title, this name, carries with it a significance that is mine for eternity – to know that I belong to you and am yours! I stand in awe of my underserved status before you as a perfect man of God. Even the faith to grasp this reality is your gift to me! As a Christian, I rest in a daily peace that cannot be found anywhere else, a joy that cannot be filled from anything else, and grace that cannot be fulfilled by anyone else. Thank you that I bear this name: Christian!

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Put My Faith Into Action Daily

Faith-Giving Spirit,
Your Word records many exemplary ways you used believers to carry out your work. We marvel at the trusting obedience of Abraham and the bold Pharaoh-facing confidence of Moses. The daunting threats and unique ministries to which you called your prophets would easily have turned weaker believers away. The determination and resiliency that Paul faced on his missionary journeys and the miracles that your disciples performed in your name were exemplary. 

I easily feel like my life and opportunities to serve you pale by comparison. But you don’t see things that way. Help me to realize that I can glorify you in what appear to be the daily and the mundane and the things which seem small, but which are done in faith and love for you and others. When through the lens of my faith, I consciously carry out my responsibilities as a husband or a father, as a son or a sibling, or as an employee or a neighbor, you do not view my service in your kingdom as big or small, but simply as faithful. Therefore, fill me with a godly desire simply to put my faith into action in many ways daily, so that through me you may build up your church, just as you’ve been doing through believers for generations. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Live While Watchfully Waiting

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(Mark 13:26-37)

While it may make the productivity proponents among us cringe to hear it, there are areas of life in which complacency or indifference isn’t really the end of the world. Deciding where to eat on date night is not a life or death decision – food will be consumed regardless of where it will be. This or that color of paint on the wall will not result in visitors black-listing your home due to poor color choices. The dirty dishes washed before bed or first thing in the morning are still getting washed. It’s pretty harmless to be indifferent or complacent about these kinds of things. 

But that same approach doesn’t work if you’re planning a trip when there are only so many flights on the date or around the time you need to travel. Complacency may result in pretty significant changes to your travel plans or itinerary. The same attitude about a job opening could easily result in someone else jumping on it and getting hired before you. Indifference toward your retirement plans may find you without any actual plan when the time comes, leaving you working right up until the day you die. So there are also areas in life when being indifferent or complacent can leave you reeling.  

If you’re picking up what Jesus is laying down in these verses from Mark 13, one of the areas of life where indifference is not an option is being ready for Jesus’ return on the Last Day. Yes, some of you have been hearing this type of warning for as long as you can remember, having grown up in the church and being used to the ongoing warnings to make sure you’re ready for the last day when Jesus returns. With each passing year, and then decade, it becomes easier and easier to tune out, because Jesus still hasn’t returned.

Of course, this underscores precisely why Jesus gives the warning! He knows that the more time passes as he is patiently waiting for more of the spiritual lost to come to repentance, the more inclined we are toward indifference. So all the more reason – not less – for us to heed his warning. We do well to listen to his words: “What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” (v. 37). The time is coming when Jesus will return, so let us live while watchfully waiting.

To highlight the immanence of Jesus’ return, he gives us a botany lesson. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door” (v.28-29). Jesus could well have used any other type of tree or plant to make his point. When you pay attention to the stages of growth, they indicate what is coming next. A sprout that sports leaves is maturing. A fruit tree that buds is going to blossom, and after it blossoms it’s getting ready to bear fruit. We can see what’s coming next by paying attention to what the signs are showing us right now.

So it is with Jesus’ return. Since he has provided numerous signs that would precede his return on the Last Day, and we’ve seen and continue seeing those signs take place, his return is immanent. So what does it look like for us to live while watchfully waiting in the meantime? It involves working wisely. Working wisely includes 1) focusing on what lasts, 2) guarding against what doesn’t, and 3) staying on task. 

Focus on what lasts

Jesus basically covers one and two with a contrasting statement. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (v.31). Did you catch what lasts from Jesus’ words? Do you see what is never a waste of our time to focus on? If Jesus’ words will never pass away, doesn’t it make sense that they would receive much of our attention?

Not only will his words never waste away, but their power will always be present for us to take advantage of. When your sin’s guilt, shame, and embarrassment have had their way with you and you can’t shake them no matter how hard you try to make it right, turn to the words that will never pass away. The prophet Isaiah provides a beautiful example of such words: “But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail” (Isaiah 51:6).

Do those words from Isaiah help you appreciate why one of the best questions you can ask yourself when facing nearly and struggle is, “What has my time with Jesus in his Word been looking like?” If Jesus’ words will never pass away, and his words point us to who we are and what we have in him because of what he has done for us, why would we possibly start anywhere else? Rather than working backwards through a process of elimination after trying everything else that hasn’t worked and then finally turning to the Word, let me provide you with a helpful cheat code: start with the Word! Start with the powerful words that will never pass away. Focus on what lasts.

Guard against what doesn’t

That Word, which will never pass away, is unlike everything else. “Heaven and earth will pass away…” (v.31). Working wisely isn’t just focusing on what lasts, but also guarding against what doesn’t. To do that successfully, we have to be really honest with ourselves about what so easily gets our attention.

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to do just that. As loved ones gather together and at some point take the time to share what they’re thankful for, take note of how many of the blessings mentioned are physical, temporal blessings that fall under the “will pass away” category. Now, it’s never wrong to be grateful for those things at all! However, when our expressions of gratitude default to what passes away rather than what will never pass away, that may be an indicator of some priorities that need adjusting.

Moreover, if we conclude that an unbalanced and unhealthy focus on what is passing away isn’t really that big a deal, then we have really failed to capture the tone of Jesus’ whole teaching here. For what else does Jesus have in mind by his repetition of warnings like “Be on guard! Be alert” (v.33) and “keep watch” (v.34 & 35) and “do not let him find you sleeping” (v.36) and “Watch!” (v.37)?

Warnings aren’t issued when nothing could go wrong. No one says, “Watch out, your grandkid is coming in for a big hug!” or “Be alert, someone is about to give you a gift!” Warnings are issued when there is potential danger or risk involved. Jesus’ warning is to guard against attachments to and distractions from the “heaven and earth” stuff that is on its way out. So while we’re focusing on what lasts, it’s equally important that we’re guarding against what doesn’t. 

Stay on task

To help us in both of these areas, working wisely also includes staying on task. Jesus compared our watchful waiting to a man leaving his servants in charge while going away for a time. “It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch” (v.34). His absence doesn’t mean an extended break or vacation for his servants; quite the opposite! Instead, they were to take care of things, “each with their assigned task.” You, Christian, have been assigned tasks to tend to until Jesus returns. 

That is to say, the Christian life is not one of spiritual unemployment. When Jesus paid a dear price for you, you were brought into God’s family by his grace. You were hired not for your qualifications, and not because you deserved some amazing compensation package, but by grace. And by grace you were paid salvation and eternity up front. They’ve already been credited to your account. We are saved by grace, not by works

But we are saved for works. As Christians, we are not sluggards. We are not slouches. Just because we don’t run ourselves ragged like much of the world busying itself with chasing after what will pass away doesn’t mean we check out and sit on our thumbs all day. Quite the opposite!

We have every reason to work harder than anyone else who only has this world to live for! Your work matters because you are the lips and the ears of Jesus, you are his hands and feet. You are how he gets his work done in this passing world, so work as hard as you can for him before the owner of the house returns on the Last Day.

Christians often assume the most important work they can do is the work within the church. To be sure, that work matters, too. To have leaders to keep us all moving in the right direction, to manage our finances and pay our bills, to teach in our classrooms, to edify our worship with their musical and creative gifts, to roll out the welcome mats every Sunday, to manage the kitchen and meals, by greeting, by handiwork, through overseeing technology, coordinating events, facilitating Bible studies, etc. Yes, all of this and so much more is essential to the health and growth of any congregation, not just numerically, but more importantly, spiritually. This is all certainly included in the “assigned task(s)” of working wisely. 

Let’s widen our field of view, though. Let’s realize that each of us also has more than our share of assigned tasks to carry out for the kingdom right where we are in our own little station in life. When you clock in at work, you do so as a Christian, so let that be clearly known to others as the light of your faith shines so brightly that it cannot be ignored. As a student, you carry out the assigned task God has given you by studying hard, participating in class, and helping to encourage your classmates and show respect to your teachers whenever possible. As a parent, you have more influence on your child’s spiritual growth than any pastor or teacher ever will have, so carry out your assigned task with intention, highlighting Jesus daily. As a friend, you carry out your assigned task to others by listening patiently, speaking the truth in love, and being deliberate about drawing others – believers and nonbelievers – closer to Jesus. There is no shortage of work to be done ahead of Jesus’ return, so let’s make sure we stay on task.

“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (v.26).

Imagine, for a moment, just how amazing that day will be. Our Savior, arriving once again on the scene, visible for all to see, without question will be the single most spectacular event the world will ever get to witness. And all of that glorious display and all of that fanfare will be… for you.

Knowing all of that is coming, and knowing how supremely superior your eternity will be from that point on, what place does complacency have in our lives? There’s far too much to live for right now as we watchfully wait, so let’s make as much of a difference as we can with the time we have left by working wisely.

Focus on what lasts.

Guard against what doesn’t.

Stay on task. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Guard Against What Doesn’t Last

Blessed Redeemer,
If I want to be ready for you return on the Last Day, it means not only focusing on what lasts – your Word – but also guarding against what doesn’t. There is much in this world that begs for my attention. While much of it may be good, there is so much that is merely fleeting, passing away like the rest of the world. Guard me from being consumed by these distractions, from being overly concerned about what won’t last at the expense of your words and promises that will. See that I am detached from what is temporal and tuned in to what is eternal. Keep me from worry and anxiety over the little things and direct me to be invested in what matters while I watchfully wait for your return. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Live Free from the Fear of Judgment

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(Hebrews 9:24-28)

With the exception of the occasional scary movie, most of us don’t like being afraid. The husband who gets a kick out of surprise scaring his wife because he knows how much she hates it is liable to be on the receiving end of a different kind of kick if he’s not careful. Each of us also has different phobias and fears that can make us anxious just thinking about them. As we age, our fears may have less to do with Hollywood or halloween type scares and more to do with real life realities of what could go wrong for us. Kids getting injured or sick. Losing a job. Going to the doctor to face the symptoms I’ve been dealing with. Not having enough financially to carry me through my later years. 

Lingering somewhere in that list of fears is the fear of judgment. Someone once described it as if we’re all living in our own little courtroom, imagining judgments being rendered against us. We are afraid of being judged for what we wear or who we associate with. We’re afraid of being found out we’re a fake or fraud on some level. We’re afraid of… the list goes on.

But we’re doing those very same things to others. From the first moment you see a person, you make a judgment about them – what they’re wearing, how they speak, how much they weigh, what they eat, etc. We are constantly being scrutinized and judged by others – and doing the same thing right back. 

There’s a different kind of judgment that all of us will also face – one that will determine our eternity. The writer of the book we call Hebrews pointed out that “people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (9:27). His statement is consistent with what we hear in the rest of Scripture: “Christ Jesus… will judge the living and the dead…” (2 Timothy 4:1). “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day” (John 12:48). “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

Judgment will happen. Each of us will face it. The question is, do we have reason to fear it? How can we know if we have to be afraid or not? It depends on whether or not we know the verdict of that judgment.

Would any of the fears mentioned previously exist if you somehow knew the thing you feared wasn’t going to happen? Of course not! If you knew in advance that the outcome you feared wasn’t going to happen, then you’d have no fear! You wouldn’t be restrained by the straightjacket of anxiety or worry. You’d be free to live without those cares or concerns of uncertainty weighing you down. No fear! 

What I’ve just described isn’t a guarantee I can make to you regarding your fit, your friends, or your family, etc., but it’s a 100% guarantee I can make regarding your judgment before God – because God has already revealed the verdict to us: you aren’t guilty! No fear!

The writer to the Hebrews (we don’t know who he is) uses Old Testament (OT) practices and their fulfillment in Jesus to help illustrate how certain we can be when it comes to our judgment. The OT was rich with rites and ceremonies and all sorts of things that served not to accomplish anything in and of themselves, but rather to illustrate or point ahead to what/who would absolutely accomplish something: Jesus. So the writer compares a number of these historical places and practices with their fulfillment in Jesus, so that in him we may have confidence and certainty.

He first points to something very relatable for those who attend church each week. While we are more familiar with just referring to that whole building as “church,” the particular space within a church building where people gather for worship is referred to as the sanctuary. It is where worshipers gather to come into the presence of God. It represents the space where God dwells. This is even reflected by people using the phrase “God’s house” when talking about the church building.

God’s people have been gathering at God’s house, his sanctuary, ever since he gave his people very specific directions for building a tabernacle (essentially a portable church) after he delivered them from slavery in Egypt. As they wandered through the wilderness on their way to the land God had promised them, they repeatedly set up and took down the tabernacle, the physical place depicting God’s dwelling among his people. Eventually, after they arrived in the land God set apart from them, in the area of what is now modern-day Israel, they replaced the temporary tent tabernacle with a beautiful permanent temple (although it would later be completely destroyed by the Romans). 

It is in comparison to this sanctuary that the writer points out how different Jesus was. Jesus didn’t need a sanctuary, because where the sanctuary represented man being in the presence of God, Jesus didn’t need a likeness or a symbol; he literally returned to the place all of those religious spaces represented: the presence of God in heaven. “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence” (v.24). Jesus wasn’t the fake thing or the figurative thing, but the real deal, returning to heaven where he belonged.

And take note of the “why” wrapped up in those verses that is really the author’s whole point: “for us.” Jesus appeared before God not in some building, but in heaven itself, “for us.” What was he doing there for us? The writer goes on to explain.

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself” (v.25-26).

Before Jesus, those who served as priests would take their turns offering sacrifices that illustrated a very important point God was impressing upon his people: sin comes at a cost. In order for sin to be paid for, blood has to be shed. Of course the animal sacrifices of sheep and cattle never paid for a single sin. But, they served as powerful illustrations pointing ahead to the ultimate sacrifice that involved the shedding of blood that would pay for the sins of the world – the sacrifice of Jesus at his crucifixion.

So unlike those priests, who carried out their responsibilities again and again, including the once-a-year entrance into the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary, Jesus didn’t need to repeat his sacrifice. His one-time sacrifice on the cross “for all” (there’s that phrase again) was sufficient to pay for all sin for all sinners of all time. 

Why is that such a big deal? Why does it matter? The news of Jesus dying on the cross is not likely something new to you. And maybe you’ve even heard the reason: to pay for our sins. But it is nonetheless possible that the significance behind all of this and its meaning for you have remained somewhat foggy. So let the writer to the Hebrews clear it up for us.

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (v. 27-28). We all have that in common: we will die and face judgment. We also have something else in common: Jesus was sacrificed to take away the sins that would make us dread judgment.

But you might notice that the writer wrote, “take away the sins of many.” Why not “all?” To be sure, he did take away the sins of all (remember what was written in the verse prior that included everyone!). However, those who through unbelief reject his payment of sins will face a different verdict on that last day. So not “all” will benefit from Christ’s sacrifice, even though it covered all people; only the “many” who believe it can be confident of the “not guilty” verdict.

They know that when Jesus comes a second time, it will be to finalize our salvation and sweep us out of this broken world into the new world waiting for us – one that will not only be without sin or sorrow, but without any judgement, either. So living like we’ll live forever means that we get to live free of the fear of judgment. 

With the holidays coming, you may be looking ahead to visits from certain family members or friends. There may be, though, one or two among them you aren’t looking forward to, or are perhaps are even dreading. The uncle with the off-color comments or offensive jokes. The friend who insists on polarizing political conversations. The ardent atheist or blowhard Christian more interested in arguing than in seeking to under.

Sorry – I can’t do much about those individuals or any judgment coming from them. But I can assure you that you have no need to dread that final visit when Jesus returns on the Last Day. Those who believe the words of the writer to the Hebrews already know what the verdict will be: not guilty. And you know what that means? You have nothing to fear.