“Jesus, the Mediator of a New Covenant!” Proverbs 18:22
This morning, we finish our study of the Ten Words with a reminder that this Mountain of Old Covenant Law (Sinai) is not our mountain (Heb 12:18-24). As God’s Law it still speaks truth. It still reveals God. It is still holy and righteous and good (Rom 7:9). But it is not the way we come to God. To put it another way, we do not climb up to God by obeying these commands. Instead, we put our trust in the God-man, Jesus, who came down to us on a different mountain, Calvary, where He laid down His life to pay our debt and bring us to God. So rather than climbing up to God by our own effort to keep these commands (something we could never do), we rest by faith in the One who has finished the work and done all that God demands and all that is necessary to bring us to God. With that in mind, I pray you will draw near with confidence to the throne of grace that you may find grace to help in time of need (See Heb 4:15-16).
Beginning next Sunday, we will return to the New Testament for a series of messages centered on the Transfiguration of Christ (Mt 17; Mk 9, Lk 9). Our study will follow Matthew’s Gospel from Peter’s Confession in Mt 16:13f to Jesus’ declaration of His coming crucifixion in Mt 17:22-23. There will be eight to ten messages in this series. So why the transfiguration? Of all the important events in Jesus’ life, this is the one we tend to forget. We celebrate his incarnation at Christmas. We remember his crucifixion in the Lord’s Supper. We rejoice in his resurrection each Easter (and really every Sunday). But we tend to neglect the transfiguration where Christ’s glory is seen in a way that strengthens and stabilizes the faith of those who must soon face suffering in this world. The transfiguration is about gaining confidence that Jesus really is who He claims to be. I believe that’s something we all need right about now.
Looking to Him by faith alone, let us draw near and be encourage!
Pastor Scott