Choices - Hebrews 1:9

Hebrews 1:9    “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” (NIV)

            We live in an age of moral ambiguity. There is so much distrust in our society right now that we’ve forgotten how to tell the difference between righteousness and wickedness. Fear and suspicion cause division; only faith and trust can restore the unity that communities and civilizations need to thrive. If we equate righteousness with self-righteousness and excuse wickedness as a means of getting what we want, then we will lose our connection to godliness and one another. And if we think that our society is immune from immoralism, then we have also forgotten the lessons from both History and the Bible.

            In today’s highlighted Bible verse, we read the words of commendation that God gave to Jesus, His Son, for being obedient and authentic. Christ kept His integrity by both loving and living righteousness; He also opposed and condemned wickedness wherever it occurred. Loving righteousness was an act of faith; confronting wickedness was an act of courage. Christ could never have been accused of mendacity or duplicity. He remained loyal to God and spoke the truth, no matter how unpopular or how unacceptable it had become. The world rewarded Christ with a Cross for His integrity; God rewarded Him with a Crown for His loyalty. Jesus loved righteousness and hated wickedness, therefore God anointed Him with the oil of joy.

            If we believe we are followers of Christ and disciples of Jesus, then we must guard righteousness and confront wickedness. It may cost us a great deal and make us unpopular, but to reward wickedness and to follow in its wake is to disregard all that Jesus taught, all that He stood for, and all that He died for. At the end of our days, when we will all stand before God, would we rather receive the oil of joy or the slime of wickedness? The choice, as always, is ours.

Point to ponder

What righteousness does Christ love in our community? What wickedness does He hate in our society?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You never said that having faith in You was going to be easy, or that following Your ways were going to keep us safe. Open our eyes to really see both the righteousness and wickedness in our community. Help us to embrace goodness and to avoid evil. In Your Holy Name, we humbly and earnestly pray. Amen.

If you enjoyed this devotion, you can read more in John's devotional e-books like "The Light of Love" which has forty-two devotions inspired by the Gospel of John. You can find the book at this link: 

"The Light of Love."

Today’s image is one of John’s simple bulletin cover designs called “The Way.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Way.

The Real Jesus - Hebrews 1 v 3

Hebrews 1:3    The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven. (NIV)

            We all think we know Jesus and want Him to be our friend. In our mind’s eye, we probably imagine Jesus to look like the Bible pictures we saw as children. In those drawings, He’s often smiling, looking handsome, and doing something special for someone else. Those are wonderful, reassuring images to have in our heads, especially when we approach Him with our prayers, worries, and concerns. There is, however, a different picture of Christ, which the First Century Christians had of Jesus. To them, He was mighty and powerful, majestic and glorious – attributes that were normally reserved for local kings or even the Emperor of Rome himself.

            The Letter to the Hebrews, which we begin reading today, describes Jesus in these higher and heavenly terms. The Christ that we meet in the pages of this New Testament book is the princely Son that God knows. He sits on a throne in Heaven, on the right hand of God – a placement which symbolizes His position as the Heir to the Universe and the Lord of all Creation. He is probably still smiling and handsome, but He is also majestic and glorious, a divine sovereign with authority, a heavenly king with amazing power.

            One day, we will get to see Jesus like this. For the first time in our existence, we will know Him as He truly is. At that moment, we will understand that the Universe revolves around Christ, so our lives are meant to be devoted to Him. We will finally understand our own role as servants and subjects in His everlasting Kingdom.

Questions for personal reflection

When I pray to Jesus, do I see Him as my helper or king? What images do I have of Jesus, and where did they come from?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the King of all Creation and the Lord of Life. Help us to see You as You are, so we might better serve You each day of our life on Earth, as well as throughout our eternal existence in Heaven. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or make comments about today’s message, please send them to John by email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s images of Christ called “Pop Ikon.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Ikon.