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The Christ – Week 17 / April 22nd
Hebrews 13:8-15
1. The Glory of Christ
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
He is altogether perfect, righteous, loving, compassionate, caring and saving and never changes. All these qualities of His character are brought into focus by His death on the cross. This finished work, when accepted, puts us into a place where He forgives our sins, is always with us, on our side and trustworthy. He does not change meaning that when we repent of our wickedness and demonstrate through holy living, by His grace, that we are on His side; all of Heaven’s power invested in Him is ours! There is no event, circumstance or trial that is outside of His control and there is no ritual, standard of behavior or food restriction that can replace Him. Blessed are the people who know this.
This is the glory of Christ!
2. The Reproach of Christ
“Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.”
The city rejected Him because His righteousness tormented it and thus collided with its unrighteousness. His light exposed its darkness and, loving this darkness, it could not live with or receive His light. It therefore scorned Him, mocked Him, hated Him and crucified Him; outside the city. Little did they know that by doing this they were creating more light!
We who embrace His light will suffer the same fate. If our message is hated and rejected it is because we have become extensions of His message and will therefore likewise share in His reproach. We cannot and will not avoid this. John Wesley wrote a word of encouragement to a prominent medical doctor, that got saved in one of his meetings, and penned these words, “I hope that by this time next week your name stinketh!”
However, we are all looking for a city wherein His light and righteousness is everything and, like the air, everywhere. Our affliction is only momentary; so let us embrace it recognizing that we cannot serve Jesus in this world and be popular.
3. The Exaltation of Christ
“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”
We were so fashioned by God that when we embrace His salvation restoration plan we begin to function as He designed us to. This means that we begin to worship God. Worship is the atmosphere of the city of God. Christians have a natural desire to praise God and so we begin to give Him the “fruit of our lips.” Christians who cannot or will not praise God verbally need a “spiritual spark plug.” Something needs to be put right in their hearts. What’s going on in your heart?
Malcolm Hedding
©Malcolm Hedding Ministries
2013Devotional Blog