(bird flying into glass over and over)
Devotional using scripture, quote from John Calvin and thoughts for the day each day- on the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth.
Hebrews 2:1-9
1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. 5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified: "What are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? 7 You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor 8 and put everything under their feet." In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
CALVIN ABRIDGED: He now compares Christ with angels to give the highest authority to his doctrine. Angels gave the law and the Son of God gave the Gospel. What he is trying to say in this passage is that Christ is much higher than the angels in authority, and so the Gospel is higher in authority than the law. Both should be heard with equal attention, yet in the one he reveals himself more fuller than the other. Our reverence and attention should increase in proportion to the extent of his revelations. It is not that God is in himself less at one time compared to another; but his greatness is not at all times equally made known to us.
Thoughts: Hebrews confirms what the gospel is about. It is about salvation from sin, and Christ’s substituting his death for everyone. This passage says that God is not silent. He has broken the silence through prophets over the years, but speaks in an ultimate way by coming down to earth for us as a human being. One time I had a cardinal fly into its own reflection in my window over and over every day. I tried to communicate with the bird by waving, yelling, buying a shade for the window, and putting ornaments on the window. I wished I could have become a bird and show the bird how foolish it was to keep hitting itself. Jesus Christ became human not just to show us how to live, but to save us from our mistakes and sins (sometimes made over and over). All the apologies of the past months- from Federer to Williams, from Wilson to Sanford leave me a bit numb. The media allows us to see others’ mistakes right away and they also allow us to judge and condemn or forgive others. The media also gives us a taste of what hell is like- bringing up our sins over and over and not forgetting them or forgiving them. This week Tiger Woods gets it. In some ways this is proclaiming from the rooftops what is done in secret! In the end we need to hear a Word from God that our sins are able to be forgiven. Jesus is that ultimate, final word. At present we do not see everything subject to forgiveness (vs. 8). But Jesus was made lower than the angels and suffered the penalty of death so we might not have to continually pay for our sins.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for speaking to us, and not leaving us alone. Thank you for showing us your love and for your sacrifice that ensures our forgiveness. Help us, as we have been forgiven, to forgive others.
