Morning Musing: Hebrews 1:1-2

“Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes – and ships – and sealing-wax –
Of cabbages – and kings –
And why the sea is boiling hot –
And whether pigs have wings.”

Lewis Carroll, “The Walrus and the Carpenter”

When I was in Mr. Brock’s eight grade algebra class, those words meant it was time to change up our seating chart. They still stick with me today and ring in my ears anytime I embark on something new. Well, it’s time for something new. The last week was a nice, natural break, but I am ready for a new journey with you. This is actually a journey I’ve been looking forward to for quite some time. Over the next few months, we are going to be slowly making our way through the New Testament letter of Hebrews. Hebrews is one of the most theological rich and pastorally impactful documents in the whole of the Scriptures. It easily rivals Romans on that score, in my opinion. But instead of offering a basic primer on the Gospel, Hebrews takes its readers deeper in an exploration of the preeminence of Christ. As we go, then, we are going to see why Jesus is so great. We’ll also encounter several applications of His greatness that are designed and intended to make us squirm a bit. I’m excited to dive in with you. I hope you’ll come with me for every step of the journey.

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Morning Musing: Proverbs 2:6

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”‬‬ (CSB – Read the chapter

Are you wise? That may be too forward. Do you know someone who is wise? What makes them so? Perhaps it is a way she speaks. She just always has the words to say in every situation. It doesn’t matter what it is, she speaks rightly into it. Perhaps he always knows what to do. In every circumstance, he always seems to know which path forward will be the right one. Regardless of what exactly marks them out as wise, we want to be like people like this. How can we manage that? 

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Morning Musing: 1 Peter 1:3-9

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”‬‬ (ESV – Read the chapter

This is a whole lot bigger a chunk of text than I usually include in these notes, but I couldn’t take this one in piecemeal fashion without spending several days on the whole thing—something I will come back and do at some point in the future. I defy you to find a better, richer, fuller expression of the incredible hope and joy we have in our faith and the salvation that comes from it than what Peter writes here. These words are worth reading several times with some meditative prayer along the way. 

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Digging in Deeper: Psalm 81:8

“Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!  O Israel, if you would but listen to me!”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Do you listen to God?  I don’t know about you, but I can pretty easily find myself in a rut of talking to God a lot, but not stopping to listen very often.  I can get into a pattern of reading God’s word every day because I’m supposed to (especially as a pastor!), but not paying very close attention to what He might want to say to me through it.  Let’s just call it what it is: Listening to God is tough. Read the rest…

Morning Musing: 2 Peter 3:15-16

“And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters.  There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Just a little note here on the defense of the Bible.  Some critics have argued that the writings of the New Testament “became” Scripture gradually.  It was the result of a power play by men seeking power for themselves and these writings were a convenient way to get it through the levers of religion.  But, when they were written no one considered them Scripture.  Except for this… Read the rest…