Sacrifice
Commentary
There are those who get all tangled up in incorrect understandings of the sacrificial system of Judaism and are offended, I think, mostly by their own conclusions.
Of course there are representations of the sacrificial system that on the surface of it all seem to say that there is a God who wishes to be paid off, or wishes for our sins to cost us something, so sacrifices are made so that he will be "satisfied" and all will be well for us.
I suggest that for beginners you take time to re-read the story of Abraham's near sacrifice of Isaac. Read the story carefully. Think what you will about what drove Abraham to this act, the preacher has his own ideas. But, I suggest that you pay particular attention to the end of the story.
The wood is prepared, Isaac is bound, the knife is raised, and then the voice and the raised hand is stopped. Suddenly a ram appears in the bushes and takes Isaac's place. Then note what Abraham names that place ... God will provide.
In this story we have the heart of the meaning of sacrifice. Whether it is the provision of a ram, or naming the correct sacrifices for certain sins, or the death of Jesus on the cross, the meaning is the same, God provides, God makes a way
It is not we who make sacrifice so that God will be satisfled Rather it is God who makes sacrifice on our behalf No other religion even comes close to that proclamation. So, when you run into someone who turns up their nose when sacrifice is mentioned, be sure to remind them that in the Hebrew-Christian tradition this matter takes on special significance. Little wonder that Paul can write of the "unspeakable gift." One hardly knows how such a thing can be said. It is not just said. It is lived. Remember? "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us John 1:14."
OUTLINE I
The New Covenant
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Introduction: Be reminded that Jeremiah is the prophet who is left behind when the people are carried off into exile by Nebuchadnezzar in 597-586 B.C. Ezekiel goes with the Exiles. Jeremiah has a tough assignment. He has to stay in Jerusalem and deal with a bunch of people who think that all of this is a mistake and that soon God will intervene and all will be well. Little wonder he is called the "weeping prophet." He had lots to cry about. Just read the book. No matter, even though Jeremiah has lots of bad news to share, he also knows the good news. Like Isaiah he seems to know that the purpose of the exile is to make a ne,w people and to offer new opportunities. Listen to what he has to say.
A. The New Covenant. This is the covenant making God. He is always coming to us and making us an offer we cannot refuse. We are always taking him up on his offers and then not keeping our side of the bargain. That was what Israel had done. She had received freedom from bondage, she had received the covenant made in the wilderness, and she had received a new home. Still she was ungrateful and took matters into her own hands, sought to shape her own destiny and not listen to God's voice as it came through the prophets.
B. So. Listen to the prophets. There is no doubt in their minds that Israel has brought the house down on her own head. Even so, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
C. God has a plan. Again and again he comes to offer new covenants. It would be worth your while to trace the covenant story through the Old Testament and the New. You will discover that God never drops a stitch. That covenant goes from Adam and Eve, to Noah, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph, etc., etc., etc.
Conclusion: Remind your hearers that no matter what is going on in their lives God is in the midst of it trying to get their attention. Whether in judgment, or in dark moments, or in moments of success and joy, while we are distracted and looking off in all directions, God is there at center stage waying and trying to get our attention. This God never gives up on us.
OUTLINE II
The new high priest
Hebrews 5:7-10
Introduction: The letter to the Hebrews is not easy reading. Most of us prefer the gospel stories. Here we find a writer who is apparently steeped in the meanings of the Jewish sacrificial system and tries to bring that meaning to the story of salvation. Some of his language makes him sound like an adoptionist but don't let that worry you. The early church was seeking a way to say what they thought was meant by all that had happened and at this point it is important to listen to their witness and not get all tangled up in words.
A. The days of flesh. Right away the church had a problem trying to speak of the humanity and divinity of Christ. One has to remember that in the background of all that is going on here is a controversy with the Gnostics who have declared that Jesus was not real, that he only "seemed" to be real. Do some study of gnosticism and learn what a threat it became for the early church.
B. A Son. You can turn to Paul's letter to Philippi and hear the same message. See Philippians 2:5ff.
C. A High Priest. Note that in this letter Jesus is both the sacrifice and the one who enters God's presence and makes the sacrifice. In this paradoxical statement the writer seeks to convince the reader that it is through the Christ that God comes to us. His mention of the order of Melchizedek reminds us that this is not something new. Remember, Melchizedek is that strange person Abraham meets in Genesis 14. Abraham began the matter of tithing then. The writer's purpose is to drive Jesus' priesthood back to the earliest form of contact with this gracious God. This God is not doing what this God has always been doing.
Conclusion: It is the contention that just as the old Israel had a high priest who entered the presence of God on behalf of the people so does the new Israel. Listen to the meanings, don't get tangled up in difficult words.
OUTLINE III
An early-warning system
John 12:20-33
Introduction: The reported occasion of a group of Greeks wanting to see Jesus offers the writer of the Gospel of John an opportunity to set out for his Greek readers some understanding of the meaning of Jesus as Messiah. He cannot use the word Messiah since that is a Jewish word and makes no sense to the Greek. He has already begun with the Stoic concept of Logos which comes as close to Messiah as he needs. Now he moves into other Greek pictures and words to seek to convey to them the meaning of what God has done in Christ.
A. The axioms of verses 23ff would be easily understood by his audience. Here he sets out a high challenge. It is something more than a call to some philosophy or some pattern of thought which has been their fare before. Now he makes discipleship personal and calls them to follow after him.
B. A voice from heaven. Can it be that here John seeks to validate Jesus with that voice from heaven just as Mark did it at Jesus' baptism? It is clear that they were impressed. The event gives Jesus opportunity to speak of his coming death. Here is a curious circumstance. Jesus dealt with Jews all his life. Here he is pictured as speaking to Greeks. It is clear that John is reinterpreting the gospel for a Greek audience. That interpretation is a combination of Jewish and Greek understandings.
C. The light. This concept was clear for the Greek and surely could be connected with creation by the Jew. Light and dark were important Greek concepts which were parallel to good and evil for the Jew.
Conclusion: What is given here is an attempt to explain the death of Jesus in a way that will make sense to the Greeks. We can be grateful for this explanation since it avoids all the difficulties of the Jewish sacrificial system and comes to the point. Just a brief commentary on the many gathered sentences here will be helpful for your hearers.
Of course there are representations of the sacrificial system that on the surface of it all seem to say that there is a God who wishes to be paid off, or wishes for our sins to cost us something, so sacrifices are made so that he will be "satisfied" and all will be well for us.
I suggest that for beginners you take time to re-read the story of Abraham's near sacrifice of Isaac. Read the story carefully. Think what you will about what drove Abraham to this act, the preacher has his own ideas. But, I suggest that you pay particular attention to the end of the story.
The wood is prepared, Isaac is bound, the knife is raised, and then the voice and the raised hand is stopped. Suddenly a ram appears in the bushes and takes Isaac's place. Then note what Abraham names that place ... God will provide.
In this story we have the heart of the meaning of sacrifice. Whether it is the provision of a ram, or naming the correct sacrifices for certain sins, or the death of Jesus on the cross, the meaning is the same, God provides, God makes a way
It is not we who make sacrifice so that God will be satisfled Rather it is God who makes sacrifice on our behalf No other religion even comes close to that proclamation. So, when you run into someone who turns up their nose when sacrifice is mentioned, be sure to remind them that in the Hebrew-Christian tradition this matter takes on special significance. Little wonder that Paul can write of the "unspeakable gift." One hardly knows how such a thing can be said. It is not just said. It is lived. Remember? "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us John 1:14."
OUTLINE I
The New Covenant
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Introduction: Be reminded that Jeremiah is the prophet who is left behind when the people are carried off into exile by Nebuchadnezzar in 597-586 B.C. Ezekiel goes with the Exiles. Jeremiah has a tough assignment. He has to stay in Jerusalem and deal with a bunch of people who think that all of this is a mistake and that soon God will intervene and all will be well. Little wonder he is called the "weeping prophet." He had lots to cry about. Just read the book. No matter, even though Jeremiah has lots of bad news to share, he also knows the good news. Like Isaiah he seems to know that the purpose of the exile is to make a ne,w people and to offer new opportunities. Listen to what he has to say.
A. The New Covenant. This is the covenant making God. He is always coming to us and making us an offer we cannot refuse. We are always taking him up on his offers and then not keeping our side of the bargain. That was what Israel had done. She had received freedom from bondage, she had received the covenant made in the wilderness, and she had received a new home. Still she was ungrateful and took matters into her own hands, sought to shape her own destiny and not listen to God's voice as it came through the prophets.
B. So. Listen to the prophets. There is no doubt in their minds that Israel has brought the house down on her own head. Even so, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
C. God has a plan. Again and again he comes to offer new covenants. It would be worth your while to trace the covenant story through the Old Testament and the New. You will discover that God never drops a stitch. That covenant goes from Adam and Eve, to Noah, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph, etc., etc., etc.
Conclusion: Remind your hearers that no matter what is going on in their lives God is in the midst of it trying to get their attention. Whether in judgment, or in dark moments, or in moments of success and joy, while we are distracted and looking off in all directions, God is there at center stage waying and trying to get our attention. This God never gives up on us.
OUTLINE II
The new high priest
Hebrews 5:7-10
Introduction: The letter to the Hebrews is not easy reading. Most of us prefer the gospel stories. Here we find a writer who is apparently steeped in the meanings of the Jewish sacrificial system and tries to bring that meaning to the story of salvation. Some of his language makes him sound like an adoptionist but don't let that worry you. The early church was seeking a way to say what they thought was meant by all that had happened and at this point it is important to listen to their witness and not get all tangled up in words.
A. The days of flesh. Right away the church had a problem trying to speak of the humanity and divinity of Christ. One has to remember that in the background of all that is going on here is a controversy with the Gnostics who have declared that Jesus was not real, that he only "seemed" to be real. Do some study of gnosticism and learn what a threat it became for the early church.
B. A Son. You can turn to Paul's letter to Philippi and hear the same message. See Philippians 2:5ff.
C. A High Priest. Note that in this letter Jesus is both the sacrifice and the one who enters God's presence and makes the sacrifice. In this paradoxical statement the writer seeks to convince the reader that it is through the Christ that God comes to us. His mention of the order of Melchizedek reminds us that this is not something new. Remember, Melchizedek is that strange person Abraham meets in Genesis 14. Abraham began the matter of tithing then. The writer's purpose is to drive Jesus' priesthood back to the earliest form of contact with this gracious God. This God is not doing what this God has always been doing.
Conclusion: It is the contention that just as the old Israel had a high priest who entered the presence of God on behalf of the people so does the new Israel. Listen to the meanings, don't get tangled up in difficult words.
OUTLINE III
An early-warning system
John 12:20-33
Introduction: The reported occasion of a group of Greeks wanting to see Jesus offers the writer of the Gospel of John an opportunity to set out for his Greek readers some understanding of the meaning of Jesus as Messiah. He cannot use the word Messiah since that is a Jewish word and makes no sense to the Greek. He has already begun with the Stoic concept of Logos which comes as close to Messiah as he needs. Now he moves into other Greek pictures and words to seek to convey to them the meaning of what God has done in Christ.
A. The axioms of verses 23ff would be easily understood by his audience. Here he sets out a high challenge. It is something more than a call to some philosophy or some pattern of thought which has been their fare before. Now he makes discipleship personal and calls them to follow after him.
B. A voice from heaven. Can it be that here John seeks to validate Jesus with that voice from heaven just as Mark did it at Jesus' baptism? It is clear that they were impressed. The event gives Jesus opportunity to speak of his coming death. Here is a curious circumstance. Jesus dealt with Jews all his life. Here he is pictured as speaking to Greeks. It is clear that John is reinterpreting the gospel for a Greek audience. That interpretation is a combination of Jewish and Greek understandings.
C. The light. This concept was clear for the Greek and surely could be connected with creation by the Jew. Light and dark were important Greek concepts which were parallel to good and evil for the Jew.
Conclusion: What is given here is an attempt to explain the death of Jesus in a way that will make sense to the Greeks. We can be grateful for this explanation since it avoids all the difficulties of the Jewish sacrificial system and comes to the point. Just a brief commentary on the many gathered sentences here will be helpful for your hearers.
