Page 25 - Living Light 86

Wed September 25 - Son of God, priest and king
...appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you... You are a priest for ever...” Hebrews 5:5-6
From the moment the Holy Spirit came upon Mary to begin his earthly existence, until that final agonising breath as he died, Jesus lived a perfect life. The Father sent his Son to proclaim the kingdom of heaven: teaching truth, healing sickness, delivering the demonised and demonstrating God’s power. He gave himself once and for all, the ‘Lamb of God’ sacrificed to free us from sin and death.
Jesus’ sinless high priesthood is of a mysterious kingly order, being fully human yet wholly divine. Colossians 2:9 affirms that ‘in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.’ The man Jesus is ‘the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation’ (Colossians 1:15). ‘The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses his very character... when he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honour at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven’ (Hebrews 1:3).
Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to refresh our hearts and reveal more of Jesus our Saviour’s glory, matchless beauty and tender love. Oh, for even a glimpse of him on heaven’s throne – our perfect High Priest praying for us, and our glorious King who has conquered all wickedness and will one day return to bring justice, wipe away tears and reign forever!
Gracious Spirit, we long to see Jesus more clearly and listen to his voice. Please cleanse and sharpen our spiritual eyesight and hearing as we come into your presence. Amen.
Thursday September 26 - Sacrifice
Jesus... offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to
him who was able to save him from death... Hebrews 5:7
Jesus experienced human emotions. Growing up, enjoying the fun of childhood, then the satisfaction of learning the carpenter’s craft. He knew the happiness of family life, delighted in the companionship of friends, rejoiced when the sick were healed and people began to understand and grow in faith.
Above all Jesus treasured the deep peace of time alone with God the Father. There were darker emotions too – outrage that the temple had become an unruly, corrupt marketplace instead of a house of prayer; condemnation towards anyone who would harm a child; anger towards hypocritical religious leaders who rejected truth and burdened people with pointless rules; weeping with Mary then furiously challenging death at the tomb of her brother Lazarus. Because of his perfect love for others Jesus felt anguish at their pain, but his suffering climaxed at Gethsemane as he faced the reality of the cross, tearfully asking the Father if there was any other way to redeem the world.
Isaiah 53 is one of the Bible’s most moving passages, describing how Jesus took our sin upon himself: despised, rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, smitten by God, afflicted, crushed, oppressed (vv 3-4). Jesus Christ as high priest did not sacrifice an animal, but himself – the Lamb of God. God’s judgement was satisfied so that we could go free! Let’s never neglect thanking and praising him for saving us.
Loving Saviour, thank you for giving your entire life and dying for us. We rejoice that after that you rose again to reign forever! Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY