The covenant with Moses, that relied on works of the law and was broken by Israel, has been replaced. The covenant that relied on God’s faithfulness (with Abraham) has been fulfilled by the new covenant of Jesus Christ. This covenant, mediated by Jesus Christ inscribes God’s laws in our heart by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This covenant brings us into relationship with Him. It puts to death our sinful flesh, washes us of all our sin, and raises us to eternal life. When we are baptised, we declare what God has already done for us. Who should be baptised then?

The book of Hebrews was written just before the Temple in Jerusalem and all the ways people worshipped there were removed by the Romans. It prepares Jewish Christians for change, change that had already happened but that they were not embracing. They were longing to return to how it was before, comfortable and familiar. We’re called in the same way to keep moving with God’s plan for the Church. The Church will never be destroyed, but big changes come from time to time. We can chose to embrace them, or end up clutching the remains of what we grew accustomed to.

The Holy Spirit encourages them in the letter of Hebrews with the truth that God is in control and bringing about change for the better. He shows them that although they may not have had an earthly High Priest to minister to them, intercede for them and mediate for them - they had someone way better. Their High Priest, and ours, is a King as well as a Priest. He rules all priests, and rules all Kingdoms. He is seated at the right had of God, having finished His mission and secured our eternal future through His loving sacrifice. From His throne, right now, Jesus intercedes for us, He mediates between us and God and He rules over all the universe. Embracing this perfect present is far better than longing for an imperfect past.

The Holy Spirit, through the author of Hebrews carefully shows how Jesus is superior to all the messengers and mediators of the Old Covenant recorded in the Scriptures. One by one, the angels, Moses, and Aaron the High Priest are shown to be inferior to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Through detailed argument and reasoning, we are show the stark contrast between the perfection of Jesus and weakness of all other human mediators. The life, teaching and resurrection of Jesus prove that He is indestructible, that His words are indestructible and that His works are indestructible.

What’s the difference between serving and working? Is it that we are paid to work and we serve without reward? When a company surveys it’s customers to evaluate their levels or service, they’re not trying to find out if the job was done, but rather how the job was performed. It seems we can get the job done without serving. Serving implies working for a higher purpose than merely completing the work for payment. When we encounter good service it feels like people have gone above and beyond what’s required - why would anyone go above and beyond what is required?

Jesus warns the Church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) that serving God is built on a loving relationship with Him. When we neglect our personal relationship with God, the foundation of our lives, we begin to lose focus and risk serious spiritual injury. The answer is to continually revisit the basics, and build up our spiritual core in acts of love toward God, for the sake of loving Him. A healthy, disciplined life focused on Scripture, Prayer and meditation on God’s Word aligns our lives and provides a genuine and devoted motivation to serve God and His Church in truth and with love.

The Bible tells us that we’re living in the last days. The last days is the period between when Jesus rose into heaven and will last until He comes again. In his letter to Timothy, Paul warns that in these last days we will experience difficulty. Paul goes on to explain the state of the Church during these times. As we examine the scripture for this week, we can see some of the challenges Paul was warning about, 2,000 years ago! Do they sound familiar to you?

Are we living the way God designed us to, or are we content with a less than He requires of us and desires for us? We are made to be worshippers of God. we were saved by the Lord Jesus Christ to be worshippers, not just to escape punishment. God has created us in His image to love, enjoy and worship Him, not because He needs us to, but because He loves us.

The times we are living in are difficult. Most of us can’t wait to see the end of the restrictions due to the Covid19 virus. But God is faithful, He promises to use all things together for good and He has provided the Church with a great opportunity. We can take a good look at how we compare to the earliest Church whose record has been preserved in God’s perfect Word, The Scriptures.

A couple of years ago, I met an gentle elderly man who was always kind and friendly, but because of his advanced age, it wasn’t always easy to understand him and really appreciate who he was. We had some good conversations and I felt like I was getting to know him. Sadly, age finally claimed his life and I had the privilege of conducting his memorial service. It’s only then that I found out who he really was, an extraordinary man, a real hero of world war II. I wish I had known him better, and I miss the privilege of speaking with him. The topic of worship can be similar. We’re so used to it, we think we know and understand it, but when we really discover what it is we can be left regretting the time and opportunities we wasted.

Have you ever been asked for something that you would have been happy to give, but because of the way you were asked, you struggled to give it? Perhaps you’ve asked for something the wrong way and learned from it? In Matthew 6:8 Jesus makes it clear that God already knows what we need before we ask in prayer. In Romans 8:34 we read that Jesus is seated at God’s right hand and that He is praying for us. Knowing this, it should be clear that How we pray should be at least as important as What we pray. Jesus’ lesson on prayer clearly lays out the most critical things to include in prayer, but it’s entirely possible to ask for the right things in the wrong way.

The buoyancy jacket of a scuba diver should always have a very strong whistle attached to it. When the sea gets rough it’s loud, and it’s difficult to hear cries for help. The Bible uses stormy seas as a metaphor for trials, suffering and chaos. We’ve seen how Jesus walks on those waves and is able to calm them with His powerful word, but have you ever wondered if He hears our cries above the sound of the waves we’re experiencing in life?

Times like ours can leave us anxious and confused. Plans we’ve been working towards all our lives can end in a moment, leaving us lost and questioning our purpose. Knowing God and pleasing Him is our ultimate purpose. It brings an unmatched sense of peace and understanding of our true value. Learning to do this starts with His word, the Holy Scriptures.

Ever felt like you’re being battered by wave after wave? The crashing sounds can terrify us and leave us without direction or hope. How can we find peace and purpose in times like these? The answer is in God’s powerful, pure and perfect Word.

Do you find yourself engrossed in news media? Intrigued by conspiracy theories? Incited by social media? Are you anxious and wondering how we are going to face 2021 with all the chaos of pandemic, lock-down and everything else? In Matthew 24, Jesus prepared His disciples to thrive in suffering and unprecedented catastrophy. It worked for them and it will work for us, we have a solid hope and strategy to go forward boldly.

Matthew 3:13-16 records Jesus baptism and start of His Ministry. God announces His Son and the greatest change the world has ever seen. It's a source of great hope during uncertain times.

Luke 3 shows us the world into which John the baptist and Jesus entered to minister and earn our salvation. They were tough times like we're experiencing right now, but as always, God provides the way for us to joyfully fulfil our purpose for Him.

Isaiah writes about God being our strength and our song, Mary and Joseph demonstrate this hope. We can celebrate Christmas with joy because of what Jesus has done.

Like Simeon, Anna was ready and waiting for Jesus because she had heard from God and was ready for His Messiah. How can we be ready for Jesus' return?