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Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you!
Just a Word from Scripture. I believe that God's Holy Word will bless all who read this.
Philippians 2:5-6 - "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God."
First, I am going to lift up these two words, "this mind." What a beautiful thought, that we can have the mind-set of Christ Jesus, because Ephesians 1:3 says that God "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ", so that we have the ability to humble ourselves and to be obedient to our Father.
Verse 8 says that, "He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Jesus allowed Himself to be crucified, beat, spat upon and scourged.
Historically, scourging is described as using a whip with 6 to 9 cords of leather that had broken glass and/or sharp metal embedded into the cords so that when it struck the skin, it would invariably tear the skin as no ordinary whip could. But check out Hebrews 10:19-21! "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God..."
You will remember that the temple in Jerusalem had one chamber that was called the Holy Place and it had another chamber that was called the Holiest or the Most Holy Place. These two sections of the temple were separated by a veil. Only the temple high priest could enter this Most Holy Place, and that was once a year, on the Day of Atonement. He would make sacrifices of animal blood not only for the sins committed by the nation/people of Israel, but also for the sins that he had committed. Within the Most Holy Place was the mercy seat, the Ark of the Covenant that contained Aaron's rod that had begun to bud, a jar of manna and the Ten Commandments.
At the time of Jesus' crucifixion, Matthew 27:50-51 states, "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. (51) Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split..." They, agents of evil, thought they had killed the Lamb of God, they thought they had Him right where they wanted Him, but look again at Hebrews 10:19-21. Jesus consecrated, or set apart for God's holy purposes, a new and living way, a New Covenant, through the veil, that is, His flesh - when they tore His flesh, they released the blood of Jesus.
Matthew 26:28, Jesus said, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission (pardon, forgiveness) of sins, No sin exists in which the blood of Jesus cannot wash it away. Praise God! Hebrews 9:22 states, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.” No more animal sacrifices! Good-bye earthly high priest!
We now have forgiveness of sins and a right to eternal life. We now have access to the very throne of God through our Mediator and Advocate, our High Priest who sits at the right hand of God Most High, making intercession for us. Praise God for Jesus Christ who truly made a way out of no way. He and He alone is the ‘way’. So, now we see what the humility and obedience of Christ has accomplished for humankind.
What this means for me is that daily I must pick up my cross, I must be obedient to the Word of God and humble myself in His holy presence.
© 2006 Deacon Bill Reid,
All Nations Baptist Church, Washington, DC
STANICE SIDE-BOARD: The pastor and other people that make up All Nations Baptist Church are always so welcoming and warm toward me. I first visited after accepting an invitation by Deacon Reid to give a talk. Please visit.
The church is located on the corner of North Capitol and Rhode Island Avenue, NE. Our church entrance is on Rhode Island Avenue -- 2001 North Capitol Street, NE; Washington, DC, (202) 832-9591
Incubus
