July 15-21, 2019–Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering
Monday, Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering
“It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist” (Hebrews 2:10a).
In the first century CE, when the Letter to the Hebrews was written, there were a variety of gods. There were river gods and mountain gods. Farmers prayed to certain gods, while sailors prayed to others. People had a plethora of gods to pick from when they sought protection or desired blessings.
We’re not very different from the people of the first century. We may not call them gods, but we “worship” different things. We look to possessions, wealth, prestige and power to bring us happiness. Fitness club memberships, vitamin pills and the latest fad diets are gods that are thought to grant us health and long lives. Savings accounts, 401k’s and our net worth protect us from the ravages of our financial enemies. Martin Luther is quoted as saying, “Whatever we place our hope and trust in become of gods.”
The writer of Hebrews wants to be clear which god he is writing about. He’s not making reference to some small, picayune god. His comments are about the God for whom and through whom all things exist. This is the God who deserves our hope and trust much more than bank accounts, career attainments and the latest bobble, bangle or bead. This God truly can transform our lives.
Turn our attention, Lord, away from all the little gods that distract us. Move within us so that we place our hope and trust only in you. Amen.
Tuesday, Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering
“Should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10b).
Carlota walked up to the ship’s bell, which had been mounted on the hospital ward wall and rang it. She had just finished her last chemotherapy treatment. Physicians had diagnosed her cancer almost a year ago. It had taken surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to rid her body of the dreaded disease. The journey toward health and wholeness, which she was still walking, had been a difficult one. It had also been transformative. Carlota believed that her faith was stronger. She had reevaluated and changed the priorities of her life. Her relationships with her family and friends had been strengthened. Though her cancer had been hell, Carlota was thankful for the changes it had brought to her life.
When we read this verse, we are caught off guard. How could Jesus need to be more perfect? Wasn’t Jesus already sinless? Perhaps a better translation of the Greek word telos might be “complete” or “finished.” We understand one of the reasons for the incarnation was for Jesus to dwell with people and experience the totality of being human. Suffering is part of being human. Suffering enabled Jesus to be the savior he was meant to be.
We don’t need to be masochists to be thankful for the hard times of our lives. We can give thanks for the struggles and the suffering because we know that the Holy Spirit can take these situations in our lives and make us more whole.
O Holy Spirit, work your work in us. Amen.
Wednesday, Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering
“For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2:11).
We can have acquaintances, friends, good friends, best friends and BFF’s. In a similar manner, we can have former friends, enemies, and mortal enemies. When it comes to brothers and sisters, something more is involved. We’re family—flesh and blood. We may have our squabbles, but we usually put up with each other’s foibles and idiosyncrasies because we’re family. We have each other’s backs.
What a powerful truth the writer of Hebrews reveals. Jesus doesn’t call us his friends or even his BFF’s. Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters. We are family! We have the same Father, who invites us to address him as “Abba,” “Daddy.” (Romans 8:15). This idea can be transformational in our lives. We do not live in God’s kingdom as God’s subjects. We live with God as God’s sons and daughters and Jesus’ brothers and sisters. Alleluia!
Thank you, Lord, we are yours and you are ours. Amen.
Thursday, Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering
“And free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death” (Hebrews 2:15).
Ernest Becker, in his book Denial of Death, writes the fact that we will die shapes our lives. We strive to do something that will make us immortal—at least allow our name to live on. He attributes some forms of mental illness to our inability to deal with our mortality. Certainly we attempt to stave off death as long as possible with exercise, diets and a billion dollar health care industry. Our attempts to postpone death do not necessarily remove our fear of death and its control over our lives.
We cannot remove the fear of death, only Jesus can. Martin Luther King in his “I Have a Dream” speech quoted an African American spiritual. “Free at last,” he proclaimed. “Free at last. Thank God I’m free at last.” King was referring to the hope that someday there would be racial equality and the end to racism. This would be a day when people who had been enslaved and their descendants could shout, “Free at last.”
The original spiritual refers to the freedom we have from death. Verse two says, “Way down yonder in the graveyard walk/ I thank God I’m free at last/ Me and my Jesus going to meet and talk/I thank God I’m free at last.” Our walk with Jesus and Jesus’ victory over the grave break the chains of death and its control on our lives. With the others we can all sing, “Free at last, Thank God we’re free at last.”
Thank you, Lord, for your victory over death and for giving us the ability to live free. Amen.
Friday, Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering
“For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16).
There were many people in the city pool that hot, humid July day. It was Carrie Davidson, however, who needed help. She had headed into a deeper area of the pool, had tired and was struggling to keep her head above water. The people around Carrie didn’t notice her predicament. They were having too much fun. The lifeguard, though, did. He jumped into the pool and swam to Carrie’s aid, pulling her into the shallower end to safety.
Paul quotes an early Christian hymn, when he writes to the Philippians. He writes:
Who, though he was in the form of God,/ did not regard equality with God/ as something to be exploited,/ but emptied himself,/ taking the form of a slave,/ being born in human likeness./ And being found in human form,/ he humbled himself/ and became obedient to the point of death—/ even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8).
Jesus came to save us and to help us live the abundant life for which we had been created. Jesus came to help us, because we needed help. And Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, continues to do so.
Jesus, thank you for your help. Truly, we need Thee every hour. Amen.
Saturday, Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering
“So that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God” (Hebrews 2:17a).
There are times when other people simply don’t understand us. Sometimes pastors don’t realize that we cannot add another committee assignment to an already hectic schedule, or dig deeper into our depleted pockets to help the congregation get through the summer. Bosses sometimes forget that research and reports take time and can’t be produced by the end of the day. Children don’t understand why parents might need some “down time.” Parents frequently forget what it was like to be a teenager.
Praise the Lord, Jesus understands! He knows what it is like to be us—the ups and downs, the successes and failures—everything. God moves in our lives in an understanding way. When we are down, God lifts us up. God calls the weary to come and rest. When we feel alone and unlovable, God whispers in our hearts, assures us of God’s love and reminds us that we are not alone.
God knows and God understand. These are words of comfort and hope.
Thank you, Lord, for your understanding and loving movement in our lives. Amen.
Sunday, Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering
“To make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people” (Hebrew 2:17b).
The pastor holds up the bread and says, “On the night in which he was betrayed, Our Lord Jesus took bread and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying: ‘Take and eat, this is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” The pastor then takes the cup and says, “Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.’”
We come to the table and receive the bread and wine. They are Jesus’ sacrifice—a gift of thanks to celebrate God’s love and grace. The bread and wine are also a meal—an experience of the relationship that we have with God. We come to the table confessing our sin, which can separate us from God. We leave the table rejoicing after receiving God’s forgiveness that restores us in a relationship with God. All the work of Jesus.
Lord, may your sacrifice be made real in our lives over and over through confession, repentance and forgiveness. Amen.