Hebrews 13:20-21 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
And all God’s people said, Amen! Yes Friends, what a beautiful benediction! Though the authorship of Hebrews is in doubt, whoever wrote it was well versed in the Jewish traditions and possessed great writing skills in Greek. Some say it’s Bruh Paul, others disagree. I’d like to think it’s Bruh Paul because it sounds so much like him; zealous and long winded, but very articulate. And he concludes the penultimate chapter of his letter to the Roman church, this way: ‘Now the God of peace, be with you all. Amen.’ (15:33) But who knows, that might just have been a popular blessing back then. However, he does clarify it earlier. ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Rom.5:1) Yes people, it’s the same ‘God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.’ And it’s so amazing Friends, when we study the Good Book, how we find it all intertwined from beginning to end; the prophecies and stuff mentioned centuries before in the Old Testament, how they keep coming true in the New. And that’s no coincidence. It was obviously well thought out and planned by some ingenious Being. This quote from the prophet Hosea is a perfect example: ‘Come let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.’ (Hos.6:1-2) Oh Friends, only the Lord could have put that idea about resurrection in three days in Hosea’s mind. Even before that, Bruh David declared: ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell: neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy: at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more.’ (Ps.16:8-11) That’s for sure Friends! And won’t we all like to enjoy some of those pleasures? (smile) And we will, someday, when we go to be with the Lord. So long before Jesus was even conceived, the faithful knew of His coming, along with the ideas of heaven, hell and resurrection. And Bruh Paul obviously has something to say on the subject. ‘Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, (Abraham’s righteousness) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised for our justification.’ (Rom.4:23-25) Meaning people, that righteousness will also be laid at our doorstep, if we believe on the Lord, who sacrificed the ‘Holy One’ for our sins, then resurrected Him to prove that we’d been cleansed and made whole in His Name. Oh Friends, what a marvellous and merciful God we worship! Let’s give Him eternal thanks and everlasting praise for all the wonderful things He’s done for us; the patience, forgiveness, mercy, unconditional LOVE He’s bestowed on us from the day of creation. Who else would have so patiently put up with our sinful disobedience, then sacrifice His Only Son, and through ‘that great shepherd of the sheep,’ bring us back to the fold, having, like lost and senseless sheep gone astray for so long. Ah people, the analogy of the good shepherd and the brain-dead sheep is not only appropriate because the early Israelites were shepherds, but because the whole scenario of a powerful, LOVING caregiver, overseeing a babbling group of fearful, insecure, aimless and wandering animals superbly fits our relationship with the Lord. Isaiah puts it all into perfect context. ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God…Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ (Is.40:1,11-12) Oh Friends, no other deity can even dare to make such a touching, caring promise, much less keep it. Only our God; the Most High God Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has the parts and the power to undertake and successfully accomplish such a magnanimous task. Let’s show Him some much deserved and long overdue appreciation and gratitude nuh. Much LOVE!…heaven…or …hell…your choice… To be continued.
And all God’s people said, Amen! Yes Friends, what a beautiful benediction! Though the authorship of Hebrews is in doubt, whoever wrote it was well versed in the Jewish traditions and possessed great writing skills in Greek. Some say it’s Bruh Paul, others disagree. I’d like to think it’s Bruh Paul because it sounds so much like him; zealous and long winded, but very articulate. And he concludes the penultimate chapter of his letter to the Roman church, this way: ‘Now the God of peace, be with you all. Amen.’ (15:33) But who knows, that might just have been a popular blessing back then. However, he does clarify it earlier. ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Rom.5:1) Yes people, it’s the same ‘God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.’ And it’s so amazing Friends, when we study the Good Book, how we find it all intertwined from beginning to end; the prophecies and stuff mentioned centuries before in the Old Testament, how they keep coming true in the New. And that’s no coincidence. It was obviously well thought out and planned by some ingenious Being. This quote from the prophet Hosea is a perfect example: ‘Come let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.’ (Hos.6:1-2) Oh Friends, only the Lord could have put that idea about resurrection in three days in Hosea’s mind. Even before that, Bruh David declared: ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell: neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy: at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more.’ (Ps.16:8-11) That’s for sure Friends! And won’t we all like to enjoy some of those pleasures? (smile) And we will, someday, when we go to be with the Lord. So long before Jesus was even conceived, the faithful knew of His coming, along with the ideas of heaven, hell and resurrection. And Bruh Paul obviously has something to say on the subject. ‘Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, (Abraham’s righteousness) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised for our justification.’ (Rom.4:23-25) Meaning people, that righteousness will also be laid at our doorstep, if we believe on the Lord, who sacrificed the ‘Holy One’ for our sins, then resurrected Him to prove that we’d been cleansed and made whole in His Name. Oh Friends, what a marvellous and merciful God we worship! Let’s give Him eternal thanks and everlasting praise for all the wonderful things He’s done for us; the patience, forgiveness, mercy, unconditional LOVE He’s bestowed on us from the day of creation. Who else would have so patiently put up with our sinful disobedience, then sacrifice His Only Son, and through ‘that great shepherd of the sheep,’ bring us back to the fold, having, like lost and senseless sheep gone astray for so long. Ah people, the analogy of the good shepherd and the brain-dead sheep is not only appropriate because the early Israelites were shepherds, but because the whole scenario of a powerful, LOVING caregiver, overseeing a babbling group of fearful, insecure, aimless and wandering animals superbly fits our relationship with the Lord. Isaiah puts it all into perfect context. ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God…Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ (Is.40:1,11-12) Oh Friends, no other deity can even dare to make such a touching, caring promise, much less keep it. Only our God; the Most High God Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has the parts and the power to undertake and successfully accomplish such a magnanimous task. Let’s show Him some much deserved and long overdue appreciation and gratitude nuh. Much LOVE!…heaven…or …hell…your choice… To be continued.
SCRIP-BITS 