TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 9:1-14
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. - Mark 15:37-38
TODAY IN THE WORD
During the presidency of John F. Kennedy, it was not unusual for someone at the State Department or other government agency to receive a memo from the president, complete with the doodlings of his young daughter Caroline. She and her brother John often played in the Oval Office while their father attended to the nation's business.

People are fascinated by the idea of a small child with that kind of unhindered access to the world's most powerful leader. But that's what happens when your father is the president.

Actually, we as Christians should not be surprised by this picture. It mirrors the free access we have to our heavenly Father, the Ruler of the universe. Jesus Christ secured this access into God's presence for us when He died on the cross and tore open the curtain that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple.

This curtain, as we have learned, was the barrier that sealed off the inner portion of the sanctuary. Israel's high priest could only go behind the curtain once a year, and then only with the prescribed sacrifice.

But when Jesus drew His last breath on the cross, crying out, ""It is finished!"" (John 19:30), that curtain was torn away, both literally and figuratively. The link between Old and New Testaments is clear when the writer of Hebrews says the sacrificial system was ""an illustration"" pointing ahead to Christ (v. 9).

Hebrews explains all of this by arguing from the lesser to the greater. Every year on the Day of Atonement, Israel's high priest had to repeat the sacrifice. Why? Because ""it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins"" (Heb. 10:4). The blood of these sacrifices could not give the worshipper a clear conscience (v. 9).

But the blood of Jesus, applied in the Most Holy Place in the heavenly temple, did what no amount of animal blood could ever do. His sacrifice satisfied God's demands against sinners, opening the way for us to approach God as His forgiven and cleansed children.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Income tax day is the perfect time to recall that our security is in Christ, not in the numbers we add up on a calculator.

If you're feeling a little deflated today, turn back to Hebrews 6:19-20 and read about the hope you have in Christ. Your security isn't anchored to anything on earth, but in heaven where the ""forever"" work of Jesus Christ will never be undone. You are as secure in Christ today as you will be after a million years in heaven. This calls for praise, wouldn't you agree?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Leviticus 23:33-44; John 7:37-44
If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. - John 7:37
TODAY IN THE WORD
At the beginning of the month we suggested several reasons for learning about the Jewish feasts and their importance for our faith.

One reason is that the feasts on Israel's calendar were very important to Jesus Christ. That is apparent in today's study on the Feast of Tabernacles, the last great feast of the Jewish year and the last of the three feasts requiring every Jewish man to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The description of this feast shows that it was a time of celebration, a harvest festival with some elements similar to our holiday of Thanksgiving. Some interpreters believe that our Pilgrim forefathers may have modeled their celebration, at least in part, after the Feast of Tabernacles.

This feast is also known as the Feast of Booths, because the Israelites left their regular dwellings and lived in homemade ""thatched huts"" for seven days to remind themselves that God had brought their ancestors through the wilderness.

The mood of the event was festive. As the throngs of Jewish pilgrims made their way up to Jerusalem, they sang the songs of ascent (Ps. 120-134). Steven Ger of Sojourner Ministries calls the Feast of Tabernacles ""one amazing city-wide block party.""

One highlight of this feast was the daily procession by priests and musicians and crowds of people to the Pool of Siloam, where a golden pitcher was filled with water. The high priest would then pour the water into a silver basin at the altar in the temple. This act symbolized the prayer for winter rains, and also the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that was to come on the people of Israel.

Jesus found the Feast Tabernacles to be so important that He went to Jerusalem, despite much danger. It was in the midst of the water-pouring ceremony, which captured everyone's attention, that Jesus made His offer of living water. John explains that Jesus was speaking of the Holy Spirit, who had not yet been poured out in fullness as He would be at Pentecost.

Jesus' statement was startling, and it fueled the controversy about Him once more. But for those of us who have accepted His offer of living water, there is no argument. Jesus is the Savior and promised Messiah of Israel.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like the fresh water that flows from a spring, the Holy Spirit living within us should be our ever-flowing source of life, refreshment, and renewal.

If a flowing spring describes your spiritual life these days, we encourage you to continue drinking from the ""streams of living water"" the Lord provides. But if your relationship with the Lord has been dry, maybe you could benefit from a weekend walk alone to spend time in prayer and communion with Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 3:13-15; John 8:12-19, 48-59
God said to Moses, ""I am who I am....This is my name forever."" - Exodus 3:14-15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Radio Bible teacher Steve Brown tells the story of a man in civilian clothes who rode up to a group of soldiers repairing a defensive barrier during the Revolutionary War. The leader was shouting instructions at the men, but making no attempt to help them. When the rider asked why, the leader said with great dignity, ""Sir, I am a corporal!"" The stranger apologized, dismounted, and helped the weary soldiers complete the job. That stranger was President George Washington. He said to the corporal, ""If you need any more help, son, let me know,"" and rode off.

There are some titles that make others pale by comparison. And then there is one title that is beyond comparison or comprehension--the name of the eternal, self-existing God who revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush. ""I am who I am"" is Yahweh, the name considered so awesome and holy that the Jews would not speak it.

But God did not reveal this all-encompassing name to Moses just for effect. The name Yahweh signified God's relationship with His people. It was by the name Yahweh that the Lord would redeem His people from Egypt and bring them to the land of promise (see Exod. 6:2-8).

Given this history as the backdrop for John 8, it's not surprising that the Jews reacted so strongly when Jesus claimed the title of the self-existent God whom they claimed to worship. It would be worth your time to read all of John 8 and see how Jesus built His case and challenged His listeners to make a decision. Their decision was tragically wrong. They tried to kill Him (v. 59).

Before this point the people who were arguing with Jesus tried a little ""name dropping"" of their own. ""Abraham is our father"" (v. 39). Then they claimed God as their Father (v. 41). But they could not answer Jesus' declaration ""I am!"" (v. 58).

When He made this statement, Jesus bridged the gap between the two testaments and filled His person and work with all the fullness of the God who appeared to Moses. For believers, Exodus 3 is not just history, or a story told on a movie screen, but part of the root system of our living faith.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's amazing, when you think about it. The awe-inspiring, self-existing God of the universe wants to draw us close to His heart!

Paul says God has adopted us as His children and brought us into such an intimate relationship with Himself that we can call Him Father--even ""Daddy,"" an appropriate translation of ""Abba"" (Rom. 8:15).

So when you step into God's presence today, begin by thanking Him for who He is, and for the incredible privilege of being His child.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Acts 3:22-26
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet.... You must listen to him. - Deuteronomy 18:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
How would you like to try to fill the sandals of Moses? Talk about a tough act to follow. Moses was the first and greatest of the prophets, the liberator of Israel, the one person in his generation of whom God said, ""With him I speak face to face"" (Num. 12:. Moses stood before the Lord and received His commandments when the rest of the people were so terrified by God's voice and presence that they begged Him to speak to them only through Moses (Deut. 5:23-27).

If that isn't enough, the final verses of Deuteronomy say that no one has ever done what Moses did (Deut. 34:10-12). So it was an amazing prophecy when Moses himself predicted that God would raise up another prophet like him.

The Jewish people eagerly looked for this one who became known simply as ""the Prophet"" (John 1:21). And when Jesus of Nazareth came on the scene fourteen hundred years after Moses, the Jews were still awaiting this mighty figure.

It's interesting that Israel's religious leaders thought ""the Prophet"" might be John the Baptist. When they asked him if this was the case, and he denied it. John was a mighty prophet, but Moses had said that the prophet like him would speak the words of God in a way no other prophet had ever spoken them (Deut. 18:18-19).

After Jesus began performing miracles and, the consensus among the crowd was, ""Surely this is the Prophet"" (John 6:14). But before the next day was over, the crowd had deserted Jesus, leaving Him alone with the Twelve (John 6:66-67).

Jesus was, in fact, the Prophet like Moses--greater even than Moses (Heb. 3:3), but the nation of Israel was blinded to this truth. So after Jesus' resurrection, Peter quoted the prophecy to support his claim that Jesus was Israel's Messiah.

The debate that erupted over Jesus in John 7:40-41 shows that the Jews expected the Prophet and the Messiah to be two different people. But Jesus united these two great streams of prophecy in Himself, and in this fulfillment we can trace another root of our Old Testament heritage.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Did you notice the authority this Prophet carried? Anyone who did not listen to Him--that is, obey Him--would answer to God.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have heard Him in the sense of hearing and obeying the gospel. But we still have the daily responsibility and privilege of listening to Jesus. We hear His voice in the Word, and He speaks to us in prayer.

But God's voice is a ""gentle whisper"" we must listen for (1 Kings 19:12). He will not shout over the noise of the distractions that fill our lives. Today, on the Lord's day, give Him your undivided attention.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 31:31-37
I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. - Jeremiah 31:34
TODAY IN THE WORD
Whenever we read in the Bible that God is making a covenant with human beings, we need to sit up and take notice. God has been dealing with His people by means of covenants since the days when Noah and his family left the ark (Gen. 9:12). Every rainbow is a reminder that God's first covenant is still in effect.

Because God's covenants are so crucial, we need to know what God was saying when He promised to make a new covenant ""with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah"" (v. 31), the two kingdoms that make up the chosen people.

One reason for studying the new covenant is to deepen our understanding of Scripture. But as Christians, we also have a direct tie to this new covenant because its blessings extend to us, too. We are living today under the provisions of this wonderful gift from God, even though its full benefits are still in the future for Israel.

Many Bible teachers believe the new covenant will come into effect for Israel during Christ's millennial kingdom, when the nation's unbelief will be purged away and ""all Israel will be saved"" (Rom. 11:26-27). In Jeremiah 31:35-37 God offered Israel an ironclad promise that the nation would not only survive, but live to see the day of His spiritual and physical blessings upon them.

But in the intervening days, we share in Israel's future blessing. Jesus inaugurated the new covenant with His blood (Matt. 26:27-29), and Paul called his apostleship a ministry of the new covenant (2 Cor. 3:6).

It was Jesus' sacrifice on the cross that brings us the two primary benefits of this new covenant: the writing of God's law on our hearts instead of on tablets of stone, and a provision for sin that allows God to put our sins behind us forever. When we receive Christ our sins are removed, and we are given the Holy Spirit to live within us and give us the power to obey God.

The new covenant is permanent, as opposed to the covenant of the law, which had two shortcomings. It could not bring internal obedience to God's standards, and it could not take away sin but only cover it through continual animal sacrifices. No wonder the Bible says the new covenant is ""superior"" to the old (Heb. 8:6, which we will discuss tomorrow)!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God has given us everything we need to live the Christian life. All He asks of us in return is our love and obedience.

We can be sure of one thing. God will never ask us to do something He has not already given us the power to do. Maybe you are facing a step of obedience this week that you know God wants you to take. Thanks to the new covenant, you already have His law written in your heart--and the Holy Spirit to enable you to obey. Ask the Lord to help you obey Him fully.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 8:1-13
The covenant of which [Christ] is mediator is superior to the old one. - Hebrews 8:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Last fall something very unusual happened during two separate races of homing pigeons along the East Coast. More than 2겨 of the sleek racing birds failed to return to their home lofts. Birds owners were not sure why so many of the pigeons, whose homing instincts are legendary, failed to find their way home. Altogether, ninety percent of the birds in the competition failed to return home, even though the races should have been no problem for them.

This is a pretty good picture of what happened to Israel after God instituted His covenant with the nation at Mount Sinai. God gave the Israelites His perfect, holy law and a tribe full of priests to administer that law. The people had a clearly marked path to follow. But apart from a few exceptions, the Israelites strayed from God's path and wound up walking around in circles in the wilderness.

The writer of Hebrews was concerned that the readers understand the shortcomings of the old covenant so they would not yield to the pressure to leave Christ and return to Judaism. One problem was that, as we mentioned yesterday, the Mosaic covenant could not give anyone the ability to obey God's law.

Of course, the flaw was with sinful people and not with God's commands. But the fact remains that there was something missing in the old covenant (v. 7), so God initiated a new covenant based on the superior ministry of His Son.

Why did the writer take pains to prove that Jesus Christ was disqualified from serving as a priest under the old covenant? It was to underscore the main point that the ministry of Jesus Christ was something entirely new. We even find the full quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-34 here, which also makes the point that the new covenant Jesus inaugurated is not like the old one.

But a priest needs a sacrifice and a sanctuary, and Jesus had both. He serves in the ""true tabernacle"" in heaven (v. 2).

What does all of this mean for us? Everything! We don't have to bring a lamb or other animal or grain sacrifice to church next Sunday to cover our sins. Further sacrifices for sin are ""obsolete"" (v. 13). Jesus paid it all!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you recognized that last line as the title of an old hymn, you have probably been a Christian for a few years.

Hymnbooks are an important part of our worship, even in this visual age. They're also valuable in our personal devotions as a help in expressing our praise or concerns to the Lord. If you don't have a hymnbook in your personal library, this would be a good time to purchase one at your local bookstore, or even your church.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Galatians 3:10-18
No one is justified before God by the law, because, ""The righteous will live by faith."" - Galatians 3:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
If we are going to appreciate the Old Testament roots of our faith, we need to see how the law of Moses fit into the plan of God, both for God's people yesterday and for us today.

This isn't just an academic question. We believe that posting the Ten Commandments in our homes, schools, and churches is a great way to teach God's holy demands to ourselves and our children. And we believe any generation that is deprived of the knowledge of God's requirements is a morally crippled generation. Unfortunately, the '90s will be remembered for its tolerance of immorality.

The law of God is holy and good (Rom. 7:12). But when you are dealing with an infinitely holy God, there is no such thing as toning down His demands or looking the other way when someone disobeys.

This is why the law could never save anyone. In fact, woven through the law was the sharp sting of a curse for those who failed to obey it completely. After hundreds of years of living under the law, Israel received a guilty verdict from God. What was needed was not a better law, but better people. The reality of human sin, however, made that impossible without God's intervention.

That's exactly what God did, sending Jesus to bear the curse of the law and pay the penalty for us. He is the reason we are not still being judged and condemned by the law of Moses.

Paul makes this argument about the law to prevent the believers in Galatia from allowing anyone to put the yoke of the law around their necks.

But the apostle's argument is not all negative. The positive side of Christ's work is that it activates a principle that was in effect centuries before the law was given, and was never canceled. This is the principle of faith.

The point is that Abraham was justified, or saved, by faith when He believed God's promise (Gen. 15:1-6). Faith in Him has always been God's chosen means of redemption. He sent Christ as the seed of Abraham to fulfill the law and become the object of faith.

We have much to learn from the law of Moses, but we owe our salvation to Jesus.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul leaves no doubt that ""The righteous will live by faith"" has always been the principle by which God intended His people to live.

This is faith for more than just salvation. We live by faith every day. Are you trusting God right now to meet a need in your life, reach a lost friend or family member, or do a new work of His grace in another believer's life? God honors faith; ask Him for the grace to keep trusting.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Galatians 3:19-29
The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. - Galatians 3:24
TODAY IN THE WORD
You have probably read about some of the interesting and unusual laws that are still on the books in many American towns and cities. Many of these ordinances are leftovers from earlier generations, and deal with things such as taking care of your horse when you come into town.

But suppose every hamlet, town, and city in this country decided to enforce every law on the books every day, with equal force and 24-hour-a-day vigilance? Chances are a good portion of the population would eventually wind up in jail or in court.

That's the way God enforced the law given to Moses--except that none of God's ordinances are out-of-date or frivolous, and to be guilty of one violation brings the whole law down on the offender. That's why the Bible can state without fear of contradiction, ""There is no one righteous, not even one"" (Rom. 3:10). Every-one was held prisoner by the law.

As Paul argued against law-keeping as a way of pleasing God, he asked the question that was no doubt on his readers' minds. If the law was not given to save us, what was its purpose? Paul's answer was simple, but it reflects the wisdom of God. The law was our ""child guardian"" to lead us to Christ (v. 24), the way a slave in Bible days might be charged with watching over his master's child.

God knows our hearts, and He knows our human tendency to say, ""Just tell me what I need to do, and I'll do it my way."" The Ten Commandments were God's way of saying, ""That's fine. Here are My requirements.""

Because of the law's purpose as a teaching tool, we could say that it was an evidence of God's grace. God was merciful by teaching people how impossible it is to obey Him perfectly by their own efforts.

Without the law, we wouldn't know how ugly sin is (Rom. 7:13), and how offensive it is to God. A person who has been nabbed by the law, and put under lock and key, is ready to listen when someone comes along talking about a justification by faith that satisfies the law's demand. That's the best ""plea bargain"" ever offered to any guilty sinner!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Every once in a while it's good for us to step back and take another look at the overwhelming load of guilt and condemnation we were set free from when Jesus Christ died for us on the cross.

Paul put our freedom in memorable terms when he wrote, ""There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"" (Rom. 8:1). This is our spiritual ""emancipation proclamation,"" a document we need to keep close at hand and review often. Why not commit this great verse to memory today?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 11:1-16, 39-40
Without faith it is impossible to please God. - Hebrews 11:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
If you feel like a spectator when you're reading the Old Testament, try again. There is more of a continuity between the experiences and the faith of people such as Abraham and New Testament believers than many of us are used to seeing.

The point we have been trying to make this month is that the Old and New Testaments are not two separate, unconnected lines of divine hiwtory, but a continuum along which God is progressively unfolding His eternal plan. We need to read the Old Testament as if it were our family record instead of dusty pages from history.

Hebrews 11:1-12:3 gives us a strong sense of the continuity between the testaments. That's why this study on the roots of our faith would not be complete without these great passages on God's gallery of the faithful. Today we want to consider the first few portraits in this gallery, from Abel and his sacrifice to Abraham and Sarah and the miraculous birth of Isaac.

These accounts don't even get us past the book of Genesis, but that's all right. The writer pauses in verses 13-16 to say something important about these early believers. We get a sense of their tremendous faith in God, yet we also see the unfinished quality of their lives. This is not because their faith was deficient, but because they died without seeing the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises (v. 13).

Their attitude of faith is important to us for at least two reasons. First, we need to imitate their attitude of faith that allowed them not to get hung up on the ""stuff"" of earth. Tent-dwellers such as Abraham knew they were ""aliens and strangers on earth"" (v. 13).

Here's a second reason our spiritual ancestors' faith in God's promises is important to us. We, as the inheritors of the fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus Christ, help to make these ancient believers ""perfect"" (v. 40).

In other words, Old Testament saints looked forward to God's Redeemer. It wasn't until Christ came that God's plan of salvation was fully revealed, bringing completion to their expectations. And by God's grace, we share in that fulfillment.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In 1 Peter 1:10-12, Peter made some amazing statements about the Old Testament prophets, the angels, and us.

According to Peter, the prophets did not always grasp the full importance of what they were reporting as they wrote under the Holy Spirit's inspiration. Peter even says these great men of God were serving us when they wrote of God's salvation--which even the angels don't know about. Does this make you feel privileged, and grateful, to be on the receiving end of so much blessing? Tell the Lord about it!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 12:1-3
Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. - Hebrews 12:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
Andrew Murray, the South-African born pastor, Bible teacher, and author we introduced on April 3, continues to have a powerful impact for Christ even though he died in 1917. Murray's books were widely influential in his day, being translated into a dozen languages and reaching readers around the world. One current publisher reports that Murray's works continue to sell an average of almost 26ꯠ copies a month.

Even though a person's impact can't always be measured by sales figures, it's obvious that Andrew Murray is a modern-day example of the ""cloud of witnesses"" that surround us. Dr. John MacArthur, another influential Bible teacher, helps us understand the imagery here.

According to MacArthur, this is not a stadium-like setting in which the old saints are sitting as spectators, watching us run and cheering us on the way fans cheer at a ballgame. The Bible gives no indication that people who have gone on to heaven are aware of what is happening on earth in the sense that it affects or dilutes their joy.

But the reality of what the Bible is saying about these witnesses is better than anyone's preconceived ideas. The men and women of Hebrews 11, and faithful believers in the days since, are God's witnesses, not ours. Rather than them watching us, we are supposed to look at them as examples of faithfulness that can encourage us tin our own race of faith.

If you're the kind of person who finds inspiration in the stories of other people's trials and triumphs, you ought to feel right at home here. If your ancestors in the walk of faith made it in spite of unbelievable obstacles, you can make it too!

Of course, all of this is only possible because of Jesus Christ, the ultimate focus of our faith.

Hebrews 12 is not telling us to be hero-worshippers, but hero-imitators who worship Christ and live with the same God-honoring determination He showed in persevering over the shame and agony of the cross. When we set our eyes on Christ, we will find the strength to be faithful in our world.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you ever think about the legacy of faith you want to leave behind? That question is worth some of your time this weekend.

Here's an exercise that can help you focus your thoughts. Make three columns on a piece of paper. In the left-hand column, write down the three or four things you want to be remembered for most as a Christian. In the center column, jot down all the things you are doing now to build this legacy. And in the right-hand column, record any changes that may need to be made in your schedule or priorities.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:1-11
If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! - 2 Corinthians 3:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Author C. S. Lewis describes the story of Christianity as ""precisely the story of one grand miracle...that what is beyond all space and time, which is uncreated, eternal, came...into human nature, descended into His own universe, and rose again, bringing nature up with Him.""

As believers in Jesus Christ we find our joy and our hope in what Lewis calls the ""grand miracle"" of Jesus' coming to earth to save us. There is a glory attached to this ministry, which Paul calls the new covenant (v. 6), that can't be matched by any previous revelation of God--including the law of Moses.

Today and tomorrow we will examine the contrast between the old and new covenants from another angle, to help us understand where we fit in God's plan and why He replaced the old with the new. Paul offered the argument of 2 Corinthians 3 in response to those who demanded credentials for his ministry.

These were people who did not want to see the Mosaic system set aside, and may have had a financial stake in helping to perpetuate the old system (see 2:17). In case the Corinthians were liable to be swayed by Paul's opponents, the apostle offered as his ""letter of recommendation"" these believers themselves whose lives had been transformed by Christ.

Paul wasn't bragging when he said that. His confidence was not in himself, but in the fact that God had given him the ministry of the new covenant, which was established by the blood of Christ and made available to anyone who believed in Him. This new way was so superior to the old that Paul had absolute confidence in his message (v. 12).

We've studied our advantages in Christ over those who rely on the law. One advantage is that God's law is now written on our hearts instead of on stone tablets (v. 3). We have a new power to obey God because of the Holy Spirit who is within us.

The law brought death, but the new covenant brings life. And the law was temporary and passing, while ""the ministry of the Spirit"" lasts forever (vv. 8, 11). No wonder the glory of the new covenant outshines even the glory that Moses acquired when he went into God's presence to receive the law.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Did you notice that the believers at Corinth were ""living letters"" whose lives were meant to be ""known and read by everybody"" (v. 2)?

That says a great deal about the kind of Christian example we need to be to people around us. It's really true, as the old saying puts it, that you are the only Bible some people will ever read. With that in mind, we suggest you take some time today to ""proofread"" the letter of your life, editing out anything the Holy Spirit shows you that would detract from your witness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18
The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. - 2 Corinthians 3:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
As the late baseball Hall-of-Famer Mickey Mantle was entering the twilight of his career, the New York Yankees brought up a young player who became Mantle's ""caddy."" The younger man would often take Mantle's place in the outfield for the last few innings of a game, giving Mantle a rest to preserve his strength and gain the maximum benefit from his fading skills.

This kind of arrangement is fairly common in professional sports, because of the inescapable fact that as an athlete's body ages, the ""glory"" of his playing abilities begins to fade.

Moses knew all about fading glory. When he came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments--the old covenant, Moses was not aware that his face was shining. The radiance was so great that Aaron and the rest of the people were afraid to come near him, so Moses had to veil his face (Exod. 34:29-35). He only removed the veil when he was in God's presence, wearing it until the glow faded.

That's pretty spectacular stuff. But according to Paul, the glory Moses experienced couldn't compare to the glory that ordinary people like us have within us because we belong to Christ! We can thank God for the heritage of faithfulness and blessing we have as the spiritual heirs of saints such as Moses, but we don't have to look back and long for the past. Who would want to trade ""ever-increasing glory"" for fading glory?

Paul made his case for the superiority of the new covenant to a group of Christians in Corinth who did not come out of a Jewish background. He used the physical symbol of a veil to explain that the Jews of his day did not see the progression of God's plan from law to grace in Jesus Christ.

The same principle applies today, because by and large the Jewish people reject Jesus as their Messiah. There is a veil of unbelief over their eyes, which can only be taken away in Christ (vv. 14-16). We need to be praying for our Jewish friends.

Gentile Christians should be thankful the law of Moses was not God's final word, because the Gentiles were generally excluded under the old covenant. It was only in the death of Christ that we who were far away have been brought near to God (Eph.2:11-13).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Yesterday we talked about our lives as open letters for the world to read.

The thing that will attract people to us as quickly as anything is when they see something different in our faces. We're not talking about putting on a fake smile, but allowing the Lord to fill us with genuine joy and peace. Pray that your presence will attract people to Christ this week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Colossian 2:16-19
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. - Hebrews 10:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
Writing about the experience of Paul (Acts 9) when he was blinded for three days, Oswald Chambers observed, ""When Paul received his sight, he also received spiritual insight into the person of Jesus Christ. The whole of his subsequent life and preaching was nothing but Jesus Christ....No attraction was ever allowed to hold the mind and soul of Paul except the face of Jesus Christ....Never allow anything to deflect you from insight into Jesus Christ. It is the test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things hold a growing fascination for you.""

Even though Chambers was not commenting on today's verses, you won't find a better summary of Paul's message. This passage is a great summary to what we have been studying this month about the relationship between the old and new covenants, and the incredibly blessed position we have in Jesus Christ. It's one thing to appreciate our heritage, to learn and grow from it. It's another thing to try to resurrect the old ways.

That's what the false teachers in Colossae were trying to do, in a way. The problem is that what they were trying to pass off as God's program was either dead legalism, such as strict Sabbath observance, or even heresy, as in the worship of angels, which the first two commandments forbid (Exod. 20:3-4).

Over the past few days we have seen the old covenant--the system of worship and sacrifice instituted by Moses--compared to the new by the use of several analogies. The old was a form of bondage, for example, while the new brings freedom. The old was fading away, while the new never loses its glow.

Here in Colossians 2 we have one more analogy. The law was only a ""shadow"" of the coming reality in Christ. It was a faithful shadow, since a shadow reflects the shape of the reality it represents. But nevertheless, the law was only the outline of God's new program in Christ.

Why were the writers of the New Testament so adamant about this issue? Because there was so much at stake. Paul said our spiritual growth as believers, and our ""prize"" or reward from Christ, are jeopardized when we settle for anything less than our full identity in him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We've talked a lot this month about our spiritual heritage.

Today, let's bring the idea of heritage forward and focus on the people God used to bring you to Christ, and those He is using to help you stay on track and growing in Him. Take time to thank the Lord for your spiritual parent(s), the pastors and other spiritual leaders He has put in your life, and the Christian friends and family members who have encouraged you along the way.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 11:11-24; 15:25-27
[The Jews] were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant. - Romans 11:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
We have all heard about people who forgot where they came from and who helped them get there, and started acting like they had arrived on their own power.

Arrogance like this is not a pretty sight, because it is a sign of deep ingratitude--and there is nothing that disgraces God more than ungrateful people.

Gratitude is one of the attitudes we need to bring away with us from these studies on our rich heritage of faith. Our first debt of thanks goes to Jesus Christ for saving us. Apart from His grace, we would have no place to stand before God.

The Bible also reminds us of another spiritual debt we owe. It's not just a play on words to say that our roots as Christians can be traced back to the soil of the Old Testament. Paul says we have been nourished by the same root that fed and supported the saints of Israel. This is the same idea Jesus had in mind when He said to the Samaritan woman, ""Salvation is from the Jews"" (John 4:22).

It's hard to imagine that someone could read Romans 11 and then say that God has no future for His people Israel. Paul used several terms to teach that the Jews' unbelief and rejection of Christ is temporary.

Israel stumbled in refusing Christ, but has not fallen ""beyond recovery"" (v. 11). The people rejected the Lord and lost their favored position with God, but someday they will accept their Messiah (v. 15). They have been broken off from the olive tree of God's blessing, but He can graft them in again (v. 24).

Since Israel's rejection resulted in the gospel being preached to the Gentiles, the Jewish people deserve respect. Paul felt this reverence so deeply that he said he could wish himself cut off from God for the sake of his people (Rom. 9:1). Look at verses 2-5 of that same chapter and you'll see some of the blessings that have come from Israel. Not the least of these is ""the human ancestry of Christ.""

Gentile believers are the branches that were brought from the outside and grafted into the tree of God's blessing--children of Abraham by faith. We did nothing to save ourselves. These facts call for gratitude and humility, not pride.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul said that because of the spiritual debt Gentile believers owe to the Jews, they needed to help with the physical needs of the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem.

This principle that spiritual ministry deserves a material return is foundational to the ministry of the gospel (1 Cor. 9:14; Gal. 6:6). It's one way we can express our gratitude to God for our spiritual heritage. Are you a generous giver to your church and to the ministries that are feeding you spiritually?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 13:42-48; Romans 1:16-17
The gospel... is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. - romans 1:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
It takes only a few minutes of reflection to realize that the church of Jesus Christ today is primarily Gentile. It wasn't that way at the beginning. The church was born in Jerusalem, the capital of Judaism, and its earliest converts were Jews.

There are other contrasts between Christianity's early days and today. There is a lively debate going on at this time as to whether Jewish converts to Christ should give up their Jewish practices and observances. But the big debate in the early church was whether Gentile converts should be urged to adopt certain Jewish practices to make themselves acceptable (Acts 15).

However you look at history, it's obvious that a huge shift has occurred in the makeup of the church. The mission to the Gentiles got its start when Peter was called to witness to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:23-48), and Paul was specifically called to be the apostle to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13).

But God's intention that the gospel be offered to His chosen people did not change with this shift in church demographics. Paul himself stated the principle that the gospel is ""first for the Jews"" (v. 16). We saw yesterday why the Jewish people have a special priority in God's plan. They are the natural branches from the tree of God's blessing.

Paul practiced what he preached in his own ministry. Even as God's special envoy to the Gentiles, he made it a habit to seek out the Jews first in any city he entered. At least three times in the book of Acts, including the Scripture for today, he turned to the Gentiles only after the Jews in a particular city had rejected his message (two other occasions are Acts 18:6 and 28:25-28).

Historically, this priority of the Jews first in the presentation of the gospel was fulfilled in the ministry of Paul and the other apostles. And it's true that in Christ, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek because we are all one in Him (Gal. 3:28).

But our commission is to preach Christ to everyone (Mark 16:15). It is our obligation and privilege to share the good news with the Jewish people.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The gospel is still being offered to the Jewish people today. There are a number of faithful ministries that are sharing Christ with God's chosen people. Moody Bible Institute offers students a major in Jewish studies that helps equip them to present the Messiah to the ""lost sheep"" of Israel. Today, let's pray that God will continue to bless the work of Jewish evangelism around the world, especially in light of reports that the response among Jews to Christ is growing stronger.