St. Peter Lutheran Church
2929 F.M 972 (at F.M. 1105)
Walburg, Texas 78626
Office: (512) 863-
Worship Services -
Holy Communion -
Contact
Webmaster
Last Updated:
May 6, 2020
St. Peter Lutheran Church at Walburg, Texas
2020 -
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ Texas District
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. -
Often times whenever we read history, we have to ask ourselves, "Would I be able to go through what this person went through?" Reading about challenges has a tendency to focus our attention on what we can and can't do.
In this passage, the author of Hebrews seems to be putting this question forward in a round about way. He looks at all the highest and noblest individuals that Israel has to offer and points out that there was one thing none of them couldn't escape: their mortality. Sure, a couple were carried away before death embraced them, but each of these prophets expected to meet the fate that all people meet. Their jobs as priests come to an end because they are just human beings. With so much of life out of their control, how can we pin our hopes upon them or their teachings?
The author of Hebrews though tells us that Christ gives us a better Covenant than one set up by all these priests who are no longer here but rather one set up by Christ, whom death could not hold. More than this, He has promised to vouch for us because of our faith and not because our measuring up to the old covenant.
These days many of us feel we have a lot to fear. We aren't as busy attempting to pretend we can measure up. The end result is that we realize our attempts to prove ourselves before God have really just been our attempts to prove ourselves to ourselves. We have bought into the world's story that we have to work harder and be good enough to be loved by God.
The promise of the Gospel though is that a new Covenant has been made by a Priest that death cannot contain. His one job was to intercede on our behalf and it was something He chose to do.
History is filled with priests and programs that promise to get us out of an immediate scrape or make our lives a bit more comfortable. But the Gospel tells us of One who promises more than that. We don't have to worry what we will have to say before God. Christ has already promised to intercede for us. What a glorious burden to have lifted from our shoulders!
In Christ,
Pastor Phil
The End is Near(er)