In a not so distant, yet horrifying future, Avery will be dating. Here’s how I imagine things. “Dad, a boy asked me to go with him to a movie.”  “You’re too young.” She could be 27 and I’d still say that. “Do your friends date?” I ask, not caring if they do. “You know, there is nothing more dangerous in the whole universe that 16 year old boys.” And let’s say that after all this, I say no, she can’t date. While she’d probably have many responses, somewhere in there would be this: you just don’t get it.

To be honest, that’ll be partly true. I have no idea what dating is like today. My last pre-marriage date was in a previous millennium. I have no clue what it is like to be a young girl who is not going on dates when all her friends are. To top it off, I‘m a guy, and we often see things quite differently than ladies do. So in a way, saying I don’t get it is right on track.

Have you heard it before? You, a way pregnant wife, have a husband who hangs out with friends all night. “You don’t get me!” Your boss overlooks your fine work and sees it as childish or unnecessary. He doesn’t get me, you gripe. A friend gives you the ugliest sweater mankind has ever developed as a Christmas gift.  She doesn’t get me, you lament. Often it happens that people don’t or can’t fully understand what we’re going through, our needs and how they can help.

But that thought comes to a screeching halt when we bring Jesus into the picture. He gets us like no one else gets us. He knows our needs more intimately than anyone else.  What we are struggling with is something he can identify with.  What we are looking for, he has.  He gets us. But what does that mean today?  Tomorrow?  20 years from now?  After that?

Our lesson is from Hebrews. As the title hints, this book connects the OT w/the NT. The author wants us to see how all that happened in the past pointed to Christ and a glorious home in heaven w/the Lord. And many times, as in our lesson, to make this connection, he uses Moses, the great hero of Israel. He is the US version of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln all rolled into one – a super stud. So important was Moses that besides Jesus, no one else is talked about more in the Bible.

Our lesson says he was faithful in all God’s house. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he served the Lord. He led Israel out of Egypt, stared down Pharaoh, guided them through the desert and passed on God’s law. He’s nothing less than a hero of faith. And he did get the people. He knew their fears for the future. He had them. He knew their despair when food/water were scarce. He felt it. He knew exactly where they were coming from. Their struggles and concerns were his. He got them.

But did that really help them? Was that really all they needed, one who gets them? Think about this political primary. Each candidate says he gets us and knows where we’re coming from. That’s nice to hear, but he has to follow it up w/action.  “Don’t just say you get me. Show it by doing what I need, helping me out and so on.  Don’t just get me.  Show me.”

That’s where Moses drops off the radar.  When the people needed food, Moses couldn’t snap his fingers. He prayed to God to provide. When they needed water, he didn’t turn his finger into a garden hose. He prayed to God to lead them to water. When enemies attacked, Moses didn’t transform into a 50 foot tall giant and crush all the bad guys. He cried to God to bring relief. Moses got them.  He knew what they needed.  But that was it.  To get what they wanted, God had to act.

And that is especially true in spiritual matters.  When the people sinned and then repented, Moses could not remove their sins.  He could announce it, but those sins weren’t forgiven because of anything he did.  God removed these sins and showered the people with love and compassion.  Moses got that they were sinners because he was one himself.  But he, a man, could do absolutely nothing to take those sins away.  As in all things, God is the doer, the active agent.

Now, shift the focus to all of us. Are we any different?  We have needs – man, do we. We’re very needy.  We need the basic things of life – food, clothes, shelter, air.  We need love, people who care, listen to us, give advice and so on.  And no need is as great as our spiritual needs.  We don’t just need a boost from God or an encouraging word.  We need everything.  

We need to know the reality of forgiveness because we know very well how right our conscience is in making us feel terrible when we sin. We need to know the reality of God’s love, for there is nothing about us, alone, that’s loveable or love worthy.  We need to know our sins have been taken away, for as long as they remain with us, the kingdom of heaven is closed – access denied.  We need to know a home in heaven awaits, for the alternative is too painful to think about.  We need to know peace, hope, confidence, joy and relief. For by ourselves, all we know is our sin, failures and mistakes.

So, do we have someone who not only gets this, as Moses did, but can also do something about it?  The author’s answer?  Absolutely.  In vs. 1 he says to fix our eyes on Jesus.  Fix them, focus them, center them on Christ.  He goes on to say he is worthy of greater honor than Moses. He says he’s super faithful. We are to fix our eyes on that Jesus. But why him?  How is he different than Moses or any other who has walked this earth? How? Well, he not only gets us and knows what we need, he can do something about it as well. If you were king or queen of some country and all you did all day was count money, eat gourmet meals, go to the spa and do that kind of stuff, and, when I called to say I’m broke and they’re shutting the power off in winter, if you said you knew what I was going through, I’d laugh.  You’d not know what I was facing.  Your life is easy. You’ve been coddled since birth.  You would have no idea what it means to live day to day, hand to mouth.

Is that Jesus?  Is he some unfeeling Superman who never struggled, never faced what we face, never dealt with temptation or trials or pain? Not only do we answer with a resounding no, we add the fact that he knows all these things better than we do.  We haven’t had Satan cart us around and offer us the greatest earthly things out there. Jesus did. As far as I know, none of us have faced death for adhering to God’s will. Jesus did. While it happens from at times people want to be rid of us for talking about spiritual matters, this happened most everywhere Jesus went when he preached.

Can we really say he doesn’t get us, he’s distant, aloof and so on?  No way. He gets how often we face attacks.  He gets how powerful temptation is. He gets how tough it is to walk the right road. He is a grizzled war veteran saying to a soldier who just came home from war “I know what you went through.”  Jesus knows. And that is exactly why he acted. The author also says Jesus is the apostle.  An apostle is someone who carries a message, especially God’s message. Who did that better than Jesus? Whether the message was repent or rejoice, your sins are gone, Jesus was perfectly faithful in his duty of sharing it. He’s also called the high priest. He was a go between for God and man. He’d pray to God and offer sacrifices for people and then announce God’s forgiveness. Who’s better at that than Jesus? Who intercedes more for us than Christ?

And he does this because he gets us.  He has no desire that we are lost and every desire that we are saved.  And he knew what was necessary.  He was not a high priest who just offered sacrifices.  He himself was the sacrifice.  He was not an apostle who shared a message about someone else.  He shared a message about himself, that he is the way, the truth and the life.  As the author says, due to this, we are holy brothers, a family of faith joined with our Savior, and people who share in a heavenly calling.  It was Jesus himself who called us, and he did so because he got us and loved us.

But what does that mean to me, to you, now, tomorrow, down the road?  In vs. 6 the author talks about courage and hope. Courage is a precious commodity when facing any attack. And that’s what all that we’ve talked about gives us.  If we were heading into the rest of the day with the thought we’re all alone and no one fights for us, we’d have no courage. We’ve been down that road and it ends badly. But to hear that at our side isn’t just a superhero, but one who knows exactly what we need when we need it, one who’s professed his love for us in the greatest way as he removed our sin at the cross and one who has unlimited power and grace, that gives us courage.  We don’t shrink back. The conqueror is with us.  This is the courage we have because our Savior gets us and loves us.

We also have hope. Every time something sinful happens in us or to us, a piece of hope is chipped away. Satan wants nothing more than confused, doubting, mistrusting people. He wants us to wander, confused and scared. But Jesus, and all we’ve talked about, gives us hope.  And it is a certain hope.  In fact, we can boast about it, not because we are so great but because who know the one who gives us hope will not disappoint. That is what Jesus is all about. He never spoke in wishy-washy terms. He spoke with certainty. We, by God’s grace, are forgiven, citizens of heaven. What could give more hope? This we have because our Savior gets us, loves us and did all to make our salvation an absolute, unshakeable reality.

As hard as I try, I won’t always get my little girl Avery. She won’t always get me. I won’t always get you and you won’t always get me. Jesus does. Jesus will. And because he does and will, whenever we are in need, whenever we struggle, whenever we fear, he is there to protect, to remind of his love, to shower with forgiveness and to lead by the hand.  That’s not just getting us.  That’s doing all we need and more.  And that is the Jesus we have now and will have forever. Amen.



 

In a not so distant, yet horrifying future, Avery will be dating. Here’s how I imagine things. “Dad, a boy asked me to go with him to a movie.”  “You’re too young.” She could be 27 and I’d still say that. “Do your friends date?” I ask, not caring if they do. “You know, there is nothing more dangerous in the whole universe that 16 year old boys.” And let’s say that after all this, I say no, she can’t date. While she’d probably have many responses, somewhere in there would be this: you just don’t get it.

To be honest, that’ll be partly true. I have no idea what dating is like today. My last pre-marriage date was in a previous millennium. I have no clue what it is like to be a young girl who is not going on dates when all her friends are. To top it off, I‘m a guy, and we often see things quite differently than ladies do. So in a way, saying I don’t get it is right on track.

Have you heard it before? You, a way pregnant wife, have a husband who hangs out with friends all night. “You don’t get me!” Your boss overlooks your fine work and sees it as childish or unnecessary. He doesn’t get me, you gripe. A friend gives you the ugliest sweater mankind has ever developed as a Christmas gift.  She doesn’t get me, you lament. Often it happens that people don’t or can’t fully understand what we’re going through, our needs and how they can help.

But that thought comes to a screeching halt when we bring Jesus into the picture. He gets us like no one else gets us. He knows our needs more intimately than anyone else.  What we are struggling with is something he can identify with.  What we are looking for, he has.  He gets us. But what does that mean today?  Tomorrow?  20 years from now?  After that?

Our lesson is from Hebrews. As the title hints, this book connects the OT w/the NT. The author wants us to see how all that happened in the past pointed to Christ and a glorious home in heaven w/the Lord. And many times, as in our lesson, to make this connection, he uses Moses, the great hero of Israel. He is the US version of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln all rolled into one – a super stud. So important was Moses that besides Jesus, no one else is talked about more in the Bible.

Our lesson says he was faithful in all God’s house. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he served the Lord. He led Israel out of Egypt, stared down Pharaoh, guided them through the desert and passed on God’s law. He’s nothing less than a hero of faith. And he did get the people. He knew their fears for the future. He had them. He knew their despair when food/water were scarce. He felt it. He knew exactly where they were coming from. Their struggles and concerns were his. He got them.

But did that really help them? Was that really all they needed, one who gets them? Think about this political primary. Each candidate says he gets us and knows where we’re coming from. That’s nice to hear, but he has to follow it up w/action.  “Don’t just say you get me. Show it by doing what I need, helping me out and so on.  Don’t just get me.  Show me.”

That’s where Moses drops off the radar.  When the people needed food, Moses couldn’t snap his fingers. He prayed to God to provide. When they needed water, he didn’t turn his finger into a garden hose. He prayed to God to lead them to water. When enemies attacked, Moses didn’t transform into a 50 foot tall giant and crush all the bad guys. He cried to God to bring relief. Moses got them.  He knew what they needed.  But that was it.  To get what they wanted, God had to act.

And that is especially true in spiritual matters.  When the people sinned and then repented, Moses could not remove their sins.  He could announce it, but those sins weren’t forgiven because of anything he did.  God removed these sins and showered the people with love and compassion.  Moses got that they were sinners because he was one himself.  But he, a man, could do absolutely nothing to take those sins away.  As in all things, God is the doer, the active agent.

Now, shift the focus to all of us. Are we any different?  We have needs – man, do we. We’re very needy.  We need the basic things of life – food, clothes, shelter, air.  We need love, people who care, listen to us, give advice and so on.  And no need is as great as our spiritual needs.  We don’t just need a boost from God or an encouraging word.  We need everything.  

We need to know the reality of forgiveness because we know very well how right our conscience is in making us feel terrible when we sin. We need to know the reality of God’s love, for there is nothing about us, alone, that’s loveable or love worthy.  We need to know our sins have been taken away, for as long as they remain with us, the kingdom of heaven is closed – access denied.  We need to know a home in heaven awaits, for the alternative is too painful to think about.  We need to know peace, hope, confidence, joy and relief. For by ourselves, all we know is our sin, failures and mistakes.

So, do we have someone who not only gets this, as Moses did, but can also do something about it?  The author’s answer?  Absolutely.  In vs. 1 he says to fix our eyes on Jesus.  Fix them, focus them, center them on Christ.  He goes on to say he is worthy of greater honor than Moses. He says he’s super faithful. We are to fix our eyes on that Jesus. But why him?  How is he different than Moses or any other who has walked this earth? How? Well, he not only gets us and knows what we need, he can do something about it as well. If you were king or queen of some country and all you did all day was count money, eat gourmet meals, go to the spa and do that kind of stuff, and, when I called to say I’m broke and they’re shutting the power off in winter, if you said you knew what I was going through, I’d laugh.  You’d not know what I was facing.  Your life is easy. You’ve been coddled since birth.  You would have no idea what it means to live day to day, hand to mouth.

Is that Jesus?  Is he some unfeeling Superman who never struggled, never faced what we face, never dealt with temptation or trials or pain? Not only do we answer with a resounding no, we add the fact that he knows all these things better than we do.  We haven’t had Satan cart us around and offer us the greatest earthly things out there. Jesus did. As far as I know, none of us have faced death for adhering to God’s will. Jesus did. While it happens from at times people want to be rid of us for talking about spiritual matters, this happened most everywhere Jesus went when he preached.

Can we really say he doesn’t get us, he’s distant, aloof and so on?  No way. He gets how often we face attacks.  He gets how powerful temptation is. He gets how tough it is to walk the right road. He is a grizzled war veteran saying to a soldier who just came home from war “I know what you went through.”  Jesus knows. And that is exactly why he acted. The author also says Jesus is the apostle.  An apostle is someone who carries a message, especially God’s message. Who did that better than Jesus? Whether the message was repent or rejoice, your sins are gone, Jesus was perfectly faithful in his duty of sharing it. He’s also called the high priest. He was a go between for God and man. He’d pray to God and offer sacrifices for people and then announce God’s forgiveness. Who’s better at that than Jesus? Who intercedes more for us than Christ?

And he does this because he gets us.  He has no desire that we are lost and every desire that we are saved.  And he knew what was necessary.  He was not a high priest who just offered sacrifices.  He himself was the sacrifice.  He was not an apostle who shared a message about someone else.  He shared a message about himself, that he is the way, the truth and the life.  As the author says, due to this, we are holy brothers, a family of faith joined with our Savior, and people who share in a heavenly calling.  It was Jesus himself who called us, and he did so because he got us and loved us.

But what does that mean to me, to you, now, tomorrow, down the road?  In vs. 6 the author talks about courage and hope. Courage is a precious commodity when facing any attack. And that’s what all that we’ve talked about gives us.  If we were heading into the rest of the day with the thought we’re all alone and no one fights for us, we’d have no courage. We’ve been down that road and it ends badly. But to hear that at our side isn’t just a superhero, but one who knows exactly what we need when we need it, one who’s professed his love for us in the greatest way as he removed our sin at the cross and one who has unlimited power and grace, that gives us courage.  We don’t shrink back. The conqueror is with us.  This is the courage we have because our Savior gets us and loves us.

We also have hope. Every time something sinful happens in us or to us, a piece of hope is chipped away. Satan wants nothing more than confused, doubting, mistrusting people. He wants us to wander, confused and scared. But Jesus, and all we’ve talked about, gives us hope.  And it is a certain hope.  In fact, we can boast about it, not because we are so great but because who know the one who gives us hope will not disappoint. That is what Jesus is all about. He never spoke in wishy-washy terms. He spoke with certainty. We, by God’s grace, are forgiven, citizens of heaven. What could give more hope? This we have because our Savior gets us, loves us and did all to make our salvation an absolute, unshakeable reality.

As hard as I try, I won’t always get my little girl Avery. She won’t always get me. I won’t always get you and you won’t always get me. Jesus does. Jesus will. And because he does and will, whenever we are in need, whenever we struggle, whenever we fear, he is there to protect, to remind of his love, to shower with forgiveness and to lead by the hand.  That’s not just getting us.  That’s doing all we need and more.  And that is the Jesus we have now and will have forever. Amen.