Learner’s Permits and Shadows Pointing to Christ

I’m preaching tomorrow on Colossians 2:16-23, where Paul tells us to reject shadows and hold to Christ, the Substance of our faith. One example of “shadows” is the set of Old Testament regulations, which New Covenant believers are no longer bound by. The book of Hebrews takes pains to show that the Old Covenant was a copy or shadow of the real covenant instituted by Jesus and his completed work. Paul encourages believers in Colossians to hold to Christ as the only Way of access to God.

One illustration of this principle is the learner’s permit for new drivers. Teenagers get these and work under supervision to learn how to drive safely on their own. There are specific restrictions to a learner’s permit – limitations on what hours they can drive, as well as requirements for an adult driver of a certain age to be in the car at all times. Finally, after around a year of the limited learner’s permit, the young person can get the full driver’s license, with all the rights and privileges that go with it. Why, after getting that, would they go back to the learner’s permit? Why would they go back to that which was just a shadow of their full freedom? That’s how nonsensical it is for believers to try to go back to that which was only meant to point to Christ. Christ alone is the Substance of our faith, and he alone provides access to God, forgiveness, and eternal life. Don’t hold to anything instead of Jesus, or in addition to Jesus.

This could illustrate Colossians 2, but also Ephesians 2, Hebrews 4, Hebrews 8, and Hebrews 10.

Finishing Well

Here’s the link for a video and article that are very ripe for illustrative purposes – both for finishing well and for the value of Christian accountability in discipleship.

http://www.runnersworld.com/world-championships/infeld-euphoric-huddle-devastated-after-world-champs-10k

I won’t summarize the whole story because you can read about and watch it at the link.  Clearly, this could illustrate passages about running well, finishing our race, fighting the good fight, and more.  Don’t forget about narrative contexts that this could fit with – like the lives of Saul, Solomon, Uzziah, Judas Iscariot, or Ananias and Sapphira.

But on top of that, notice what Molly Huddle said after losing: “I thought there was no one battling me down the home stretch…”  Do you think she would have taken third place if she knew that Emily Infeld was right behind her?  I’m sure of it.  So, this story could also illustrate the Scriptural principle that we must “stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24).  Molly’s awareness of someone “battling” her down the stretch would actually have caused her to win a medal!  That’s a good kind of battle, like iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17).

 

Tags: Saul, Solomon, Uzziah, Judas Iscariot, Paul, Ananias and Sapphira, Finishing Well, Discipleship, Accountability, Faithfulness, 1 Samuel 13, 1 Samuel 15, 1 Kings 11, 2 Chronicles 26, Proverbs 27, Matthew 26, Matthew 27, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13, John 18, Acts 5, Philippians 1, 2 Timothy 4, Hebrews 4, Hebrews 10, Hebrews 11, Hebrews 12

Alan Stibbs on the Priesthood of Jesus

I found this quote in John Stott’s The Cross of Christ, page 268.  He’s actually quoting from a lesser-known book by Alan Stibbs called The Finished Work of Christ.  The quote includes a helpful illustration on the priesthood of Jesus, especially as this role is discussed in the book of Hebrews.  Jesus offered a one-time sacrifice for all, but His priesthood is eternal.  Contrary to official Catholic theology, this eternal priesthood does not mean that Jesus is continually being sacrificed.  Stibbs writes,

“Admittedly the act of offering was necessary to constitute Christ a priest…just as the act of child-bearing is necessary to constitute a woman a mother.  But that truth does not mean in the case of motherhood that henceforth, to those who resort to her as ‘mother,’ such a woman is always giving them birth.  Her act of child-bearing is for them not only an indispensable but also a finished work.  What they now enjoy are other complementary ministries of motherhood, which lie beyond the child-bearing.  Similarly with Christ’s priesthood His propitiatory offering is not only an indispensable but also a finished work…(Now, however) as with motherhood, beyond such successful discharge of the fundamental function of priesthood there lie other complementary throne ministries of grace, which the Priest fulfills for the benefit of His already reconciled people (in particular, His heavenly intercession)” [p. 30-31 in Stibbs’ book].

You wouldn’t have to read this quote to use the idea of motherhood as an illustration of Jesus’ priesthood.  You could just explain that one act brings about both motherhood and priesthood, yet both lead to ongoing duties and ministries (and give examples of each).  This could illustrate sermons from multiple chapters in Hebrews, as well as the crucifixion passages (especially the statement: “It is finished!”).  You could also use it to illustrate verses like Mark 10:45, where Jesus talks about offering Himself for us.

Tags: Matthew 27, Mark 10, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19, Hebrews 3, Hebrews 4, Hebrews 5, Hebrews 7, Hebrews 8, Hebrews 9, Hebrews 10, Atonement, Priesthood, High Priest, Sacrifice

D-Day and the Benefits of Jesus’ Victory

This past Sunday I preached on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness in Matthew 4.  The big idea of that sermon was that because of Jesus’ victory over temptation (using the same tools we have available to defeat sin), we can have victory over temptation, too.  My closing illustration went this way:

Almost 3 weeks from now, on June 6, is the 71^st anniversary of the D-Day Invasion. When American and other Allied soldiers came ashore on that day and spread throughout France, they weren’t just fighting to keep their own shores safe. They weren’t just fighting to defeat the crazed ambitions of Hitler and the Nazi regime. They were fighting on behalf of the millions of Jewish, and French, and Belgian, and Dutch, and Polish, and other peoples who had been held in bondage to Nazi rule for years. And when those soldiers won a hard-fought and costly victory, all of the millions of civilians who had been living under Nazi brutality received the benefits of that victory, as well. Those civilians shared in the relief and freedom and renewal, even though most of them had never fired a shot against the Nazis.

 At His birth, Jesus invaded in His own, far greater D-Day. He landed on the shores of a land that had been ruled for millennia by a usurper, through the crazed ambitions of Satan and those who followed him. And millions upon millions of people from every nation had been held in bondage to Satan’s rule and to their own powerlessness to resist temptation. But when Jesus won THE costliest victory ever, all of those throughout history who trust in Him received the benefits of that victory, as well.

We share in relief and freedom and renewal brought about by His victory over temptation, even though we didn’t fire a shot against Satan, even though we could do nothing to resist the power of sin. Trust in Jesus, and His victory will be your victory, as well – in eternal life in heaven, but also TODAY, as you face daily temptations.

C. S. Lewis also uses the invasion motif for the Incarnation on p. 46 of Mere Christianity, at the end of his chapter entitled “The Invasion.”  I focused more on the vicarious benefits of His victory (which was fully completed at the cross) for our ability to defeat sin.

This illustration could also be used for passages like Romans 7 that talk about struggling with sin, or with Hebrews passages about Jesus serving as our great High Priest and sympathizing with our struggles in temptation.  It could also work for Gethsemane or the crucifixion passages, especially Jesus’ “It is finished” statement.

 

Tags: Matthew 4, Matthew 26, Matthew 27, Mark 1, Mark 14, Mark 15, Luke 4, Luke 22, Luke 23, John 19, Romans 7, Hebrews 4, Hebrews 5