FBC Daily Devotions

Read 1 Peter 2:4-8.

So many names shrouded in metaphor! Jesus is called the living Stone (2:4); a chosen and precious cornerstone (2:6), and the capstone (2:7). What do these mean?

All three names describe certain elements of a stone (i.e. living, corner, and cap). But first, why the use of “stone”? Stones were used everywhere in and before the days Jesus walked this earth. They were the material of choice used in the construction of buildings, and more specifically, the temple. Jesus even referred to Himself as the temple (John 2:18-22). As such, Jesus, is metaphorically the living temple. But so also are His people being built into a “spiritual house” (5:5). That house has as its cornerstone and capstone Jesus Christ, who brings life as the living Stone. Why stone? Because in those days it would create an image of the temple where God dwelled in the Holy of Holies.

As for the description of Jesus as the cornerstone, the cornerstone was the most significant stone in the structure. It determined the orientation and design of the building. According to one source, “A cornerstone is the visible support on which the rest of the building relies for strength and stability.”[1] Another writer has noted:  “Cornerstones have always had a symbolic and sometimes structural importance. They mark. They signify. They help join other stones. A cornerstone is always in the foundation, never on the roof. When the cornerstone is missing below, some identity is likely to be absent above.”[2] Certainly that describes Jesus role in our lives.

The term “capstone” (used in NIV translation) literally means, “head of the corner” – Jesus is the very “head of the corner”. He is not just any cornerstone; He is the head cornerstone or chief cornerstone. Allusions to this phrase in the Old Testament are made to rulers, and as such, Jesus as the “head of the corner” would amount to saying Jesus was Lord of lords and King of kings.

To consider: Jesus is the source of life, the foundation for our lives, and the Lord of our lives. The passage notes that for those who believe, Christ is precious – valuable, priceless – but for those who don’t believe, He is stumbling block causing them to fall. At some point in your life, Jesus was a point of contention for you. Somewhere along the way, though, He became precious to you. How is Christ precious to you? How do you see that reflected in your life?   

[2] Marty, Peter W., Living by the Word Column, April 1996

Read Luke 2:11-12.

While this is not a title or name give to Jesus, with today being Christmas day, it seems appropriate for the occasion. It is the day God stepped into human history to walk among us, to take on humanity’s plight, and to feel firsthand what it is like to live in our shoes (albeit not for His sake, but for ours).  He is born.

We should not confuse the birth of Jesus with His eternality, however. While Jesus was born into this world as man, He Himself was not created. He existed before the foundation of the world. All things were created through Him (Col. 1:16-17). He is eternity in the flesh. He is both the Son of God and the Son of Man. Consequently, He is uniquely qualified to represent man’s sin and God’s purity; man’s guilt and God’s justice. Dwell on that for a minute. It would not be enough for Jesus to be merely a man. It would not be enough for Jesus to remain merely God. Both were essential for connecting a holy and eternal God with a fallen and mortal humanity.

The birth of Jesus was a miracle. That miracle continues on in the world today. You are a miracle. The birth of Jesus brought the miracle of eternal life to you. Take time today to celebrate that miracle. It has been said “He is the reason for the season” but equally true is the fact that we are the reason He came into this world.

Read Hebrews 9:11-15.

Yesterday, we saw Jesus as One who can relate fully to our struggles. He lived with us, felt our joys and struggles, and ultimately as an act of great love, suffered and died for us. He truly is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

Today, we look at Christ, our High Priest, as One who mediates for us – that is, He has mediated a new covenant that secures eternal life for us (9:15). How did He do that? Looking at our passage today, we continue to see Christ as our perfect high priest in that:

9:11        He didn’t have to go through a manmade tabernacle as in the old covenant (OT), but He went through the greater tabernacle that is the very presence of God Himself.

9:12        He did not enter by the blood of animals, but by His own perfect blood.

9:14        His sacrifice was not temporary or external, but permanent and internal. 

Jesus Christ paid the price and mediated a new relationship with the Father. Two things to bear in mind:

First, our consciences are cleansed from “dead works” (the literal translation of “acts that lead to death” in NIV, 9:14).  In this context, “dead works” refers to the sacrifices of the Law which are unable to impart spiritual life. We ought not to feel the need to earn what the perfect work of Christ has already bought for us.

Second, we have been set free from the guilt of sin (9:15). We no longer serve a guilty sentence before God with Jesus as our Mediator. It is as if we were freed from prison. We are free. Free to enjoy all that God has for us. Free to live as God intended. Free to live apart from the power of sin. And according to verse 14, free to serve the living God. That is the purpose of our freedom. Not to live a life of sin, but to live a life of service to God.  

To consider: Do you ever find yourself trying to earn God’s favor? When you have sinned, how do you respond? Do you ever try to clear your conscience by resorting to good works rather than confessing and relying on the cleansing work of Christ? Remember, we have not been set free to work off our guilt. We have been set free to serve the living God!

Read Hebrews 4:14-5:10. While this is a longer passage today, the writer goes to great lengths to show us not only the superior priesthood of Christ over Aaron, but the perfect priesthood of Christ.

As stated in 5:1, a high priest would offer gifts and sacrifices for sins on behalf of the people of Israel. Verse 2 goes on to say that because the priest shares similar weaknesses of the people he represents, he must also offer sacrifices for himself. And for this reason, also, he is able to “deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray.” The high priest is able to offer sacrifices because he can relate to those he represents.

Is that not true of Christ?

As our perfect representative, he can relate to us personally. Take a look:

4:15        He was tempted in every way. And yet He was without sin. (Some have felt that because He didn’t fall to temptation that somehow He can’t relate to our temptations. But in reality, one can experience temptation and not give in, and still feel the heavy weight and enticement that the temptation offers.) 

5:7          He prayed with loud cries and tears. He felt the desperation of forthcoming death.

5:8          He learned obedience through suffering. As noted in the NIV Study Bible: “Though He was the eternal Son of God, it was necessary for him as the incarnate Son to learn obedience – not that he was ever disobedient, but that he was called on to  obey to an extent he had never before experienced… but where Adam failed and fell, Jesus resisted and prevailed.” How many of us have become stronger and more obedient as a result of suffering?

Christ can relate to our own suffering whatever form it may take. Jesus is our perfect high priest. Why? First, because He was without sin. He did not have to offer sacrifices for His own sin because He had none. Consequently, He could and did offer Himself, the perfect sacrifice, on our behalf (more on this tomorrow!). Second, He can relate to our weaknesses and struggles, more than we could ever know.  He conquered the sin of the world – the greatest weakness of man – and not just our own, but the world’s. That means He carried and experienced much more than we will ever carry in our lifetime. That is our perfect High Priest. Not an impersonal “go-between” from us to God, but One who can relate to our struggles so that we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence” (4:16). We can go to Him because He knows what we’re going through with firsthand experience, not with just some hypothetical knowledge. As one person can touch another’s life through similar experiences, so also can Christ touch us.

To consider: Because Jesus is our great high priest, we no longer have to bear the burden of our sin. Jesus comes gently alongside us and gives us strength to persevere. His wisdom and comfort come from a place of empathy. He completely relates to us having lived with us in this sinful world, having bore the weight of our sin, having been tempted in every way. What situations have made you wonder about turning away from Christ? At those times, what advantage is it to you to remember Him as your high priest?

Continuing last week’s look at some of the different titles and names given Jesus, we have much more to learn of Jesus. My hope is that as your understanding of Jesus grows deeper, so also will your love for Him.   –Pastor Mike

Yesterday, with so many people snowed in, we enjoyed a small gathering for our worship service. It availed us to a more intimate time of worship and sharing. One of the questions Pastor Craig asked was “how has Christmas had a special meaning to you this year?” That is a question we could all ask ourselves. I know for me, the fast pace of Christmas has been slowed by the fall of snow – a real blessing. It has caused me to enjoy the simplicity of the Christmas season. And there is more to come…

Take some time today to consider the special meaning of Christmas this year. With Christmas only a few days away, don’t let it sneak by without giving God thanks for the blessings in our lives.