By David ReayFriday 25 Dec 2015LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read Hebrews 1:1-4
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (NIV)
The following is an excerpt from an old Trade Department regulatory handbook:
In the Nuts (unground), (other than ground nuts) Order, the expression nuts shall have reference to such nuts, other than ground nuts, as would but for this amending Order not qualify as nuts (unground) (other than ground nuts) by reason of their being nuts (unground).
So there you go! Enough to drive you nuts (unground)! Aren’t you glad God doesn’t communicate with us like that? He shuns bureaucratic nonsense and trendy management speak.
As the writer to the Hebrews reminds us, God is in the communication business. He doesn’t dwell sphinx-like in heaven radiating mystery and inviting us to explore him through the realm of philosophy. He takes the initiative. He did so by sending prophets who both spoke his message and wrote it down. But now in this last great epoch of God’s dealings with humankind, he has expressed himself through Jesus his Son. The same little baby Jesus born in Bethlehem. The same little baby Jesus who in a different incarnation was the agent of the world’s creation, and the same little baby Jesus who is the rightful owner of all God has made.
This little baby Jesus who came down to earth from heaven is God’s human self-expression. He shows us what God is like. If we want to know God’s opinions on anything, check out what Jesus says and thinks. He mirrors God in human form because this is the only way human beings can see into the mirror. Little wonder Christians insist that Jesus didn’t stay a baby and existed in glory before his rather inglorious birth.
We were in trouble and God showed up. Not as many expected, but he showed up anyway. Jesus was his one-man rescue mission for lost humankind. His birth was the beginning, his death and resurrection the climax of the mission. And then he returned to the position of pre-eminence (God’s right hand) and sat down. Not because he needed a rest, but because sitting down in this context infers that the job has been finished, mission accomplished. He revealed God’s love and holiness to us. He revealed God’s mercy to us. Jesus is God spelling himself out in a language we can understand.
Blessings
David Reay