Hebrews 8:1-6 A Faith that Walks With Us

Observation: The sermon known as "Hebrews" is known for lifting Jesus to the role of "High Priest", which was a very important role in First Century Judaism. Especially after 70AD when the Romans leveled the temple, all Jews (including Jews who proclaimed Jesus as Messiah) had a crisis of faith. If temple worship and temple sacrifice could no longer take place, many Jews felt their connection to God had been cut. In Bible studies I've likened it to if all of a sudden we could no longer do Communion. That's how big a deal this was. But Hebrews makes the case that 1) a heavenly temple, after which the earthly temple was modelled, still stands, and 2) Jesus' sacrifice of himself for us is our new connection to God, no matter whether a new temple is ever built or not.

Application: So, sometimes global political concerns are also theological concerns, and that always makes me uncomfortable. But I made a vow to be a public theologian, so I'm working through it.

Here's the deal. There are Christians whose view of the End Times requires that the Jerusalem temple be rebuilt, or Jesus can't come back. Unfortunately that is a non-starter for Muslims, whose third holiest mosque stands in Jerusalem where the temple was. The efforts of these Christians are damaging to any future peace there.

AND. It is against the witness of the New Testament itself, to say the temple needs to be rebuilt. If that's true, then Jesus' sacrifice was not effective, and he is not our High Priest. Y'all. This is Biblical. And it is not some side issue. It's, "did Jesus' death atone for my sins or not?"

So. If you believe Jesus is in fact your savior and high priest, then you have no dog in the centuries old fight about the Jerusalem temple. The fight you want is the fight for peace in the city over which Jesus wept. Rant over for now.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your all-sufficient sacrifice. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, the city in which you gave your life on the cross. Guide people of all faiths there, into greater wisdom, courage and love. Amen.