Take Two: Hebrews 5, Proverbs 16

The uniqueness of Christ as our High Priest is the subject of this chapter. The High Priest is the one who entered into the presence of God on behalf of the people to offer sacrifices for sin. Heb 5:2 tells us that the High Priest can easily relate to and deal gently with the people who sin, since he himself is a sinner.

Heb 5:3 reminds us though, that since the High Priest is a man, before he could offer sacrifices for others, he had to first offer a sacrifice for his own sin.

Heb 5:4 gives the third characteristic that the writer wishes to point out. No High Priest volunteered for the job, but was "called" (selected) by God.

Jesus is the great High Priest. He became as we are in every way (a man) and felt the draw of the flesh toward rebellion against God. However, He did not yield to the draw/temptation to sin. This explains for us what Jesus "learned" in His humanity and how He was "perfected" (Heb 5:8-10). Since Jesus never sinned, He did not need to offer a sacrifice on His own behalf before God. In this way He is unique. He gave Himself as the one sacrifice for all mankind. Also, like the High Priest in the reader's minds, Jesus was called/selected by God for this mission/assignment.

In Heb 5:11-13, the writer tells his audience that they have become "dull of hearing," when it comes to these issues. He charges them that they have become satisfied with the elementary principles of Christianity (Jesus loves me, I am a sinner, Jesus died on the cross for me, etc), and have not developed/moved beyond this point to see the bigger picture.

One of the things I have learned (especially in the last few years) is that everyone has an idea of what it takes to "reach people." Many different ideas exist...but my experience has shown that two things are really necessary. We must engage people where they are, and we must be able to give a real answer to questions people have. As I understand the Bible, Jesus modeled this type of ministry. He met people at their point of need. This is not a geographical location but an emotional/spiritual one. He also answered their questions and responded to their misunderstandings. You and I can do the same. To be good at it, we must become good at it. (Deep huh?) If I wanted to be a good salesman, I would study how. If I wanted to become a good gardener, I would study how. If I wanted to become good at math/accounting/banking, I would study how. What separates people at this point is the desire and passion to do it.

God has allowed me to speak truth into a lot of lives in my ministry. I have led many people to Christ and still counsel many people on how to "fix" issues. My approach is pretty simple. Find where a person is, point them to where God would have them be...and encourage them to go there. I have taken the time to learn the answers to their questions. I have taken the time to learn how to communicate those answers. I have taken the time to build a relationship with them...so that they would be willing to ask. Nothing more.

There is nothing about what God has allowed me to do that is different than what God desires for all of us. Are you willing to become good at what God wants you to do?

Proverbs 16:21 is the takeaway today. This struck me because it spoke of both CONTENT (wisdom of heart) and CONTEXT (sweetness of speech). Both are necessary for maximum impact. Content...without considering context is hardly effective. Context...without content feels good but doesn't challenge or change anything. Both are needed. Say what needs to be said...but say it kindly and considerately. Doing so, will change the world.