An old Disney film, called The Kid, is the story of a successful, high-powered image consultant named Russ (played by Bruce Willis). Russ lives an empty life, but one day, Rusty (played by Spencer Breslin) shows up at his home. Over time Russ comes to realize that this kid is actually Russ himself when he was eight-years-old.
While Russ struggles to figure out what is going on, Rusty begins to explore the house. Take a look (show video: I Grow Up to Be a Loser)
“Chester, Chester. Come here boy,” Rusty calls excitedly.
“Stop that yelling,” says Russ.
“Where's Chester?” Rusty asks.
“Who is Chester?”
“My dog,” Rusty replies. “The dog I'm going to get when I grow up. He's the world's greatest dog.”
“Sorry, no dog here,” answers Russ.
“No dog! I grow up to be a guy with no dog. Why?” the boy says in disgust.
“I don't have time to take care of a dog. I travel all the time for work.”
“I knew it,” says Rusty with renewed zeal. “I grow up to fly jets!”
“No, I'm not a pilot,” Russ answers sadly.
“Then what do you do?”
“I'm an image consultant.”
“Shouldn't there be a lady here,” asks Rusty.
“You mean my wife? No, I'm not married,” replies Russ.
“So, you're almost 40, and you have no dog, you don't fly jets, and you're not married.” The kid flops down on the couch, concluding, “I grow up to be a loser.” (The Kid, Disney, 2000, directed by Jon Turteltaub, written by Audrey Wells, 00:40:13 to 00:42:33; www.PreachingToday.com)
Some people grow old, but they don’t really grow up.
How about you? Do you want to grow up while you grow old? Do you want to go on to maturity? Do you want to become all that God has called you to become?
Well, the key is focusing on Jesus, whom the Bible describes as “a forerunner on our behalf.” That is to say: He goes before us with the expectation that we would follow, that we would become just like Him. If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Hebrews 6, Hebrews 6, where the Bible describes Jesus as “a forerunner.”
Hebrews 6:20 Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (ESV)
Jesus was unlike any high priest with whom his readers were familiar, those in Aaron’s order. Their high priests were NOT forerunners. No one could follow them into the most holy place of the temple without being struck dead. Jesus, however, is a very different kind of High Priest. He is a forerunner with the expectation that others would follow Him not into an earthly temple, but into the most holy place of heaven itself, and into the very presence of God Himself!
But in order to do that, Jesus had to be a High Priest of a different order than the old priests – a priest “after the order of Melchizedek” it says here in verse 20. Now, some of you are saying, “What?” Mel Kissed Who? What is he talking about here? Let’s take a look at the next chapter: Hebrews 7, where the author describes who Melchizedek is and why He is necessary for us to “go on to maturity”, a discussion he began in Hebrews 6:1.
Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him… (ESV)
Genesis 14 tells the story. Four kings and their armies swept into Sodom and Gomorrah to squash a rebellion and ended up capturing Abraham’s nephew, Lot, who had recently moved there. Well, Abraham gathers up 318 of his men and goes after those four armies and defeats them. He rescues Lot and is returning home when Melchizedek meets him and blesses him.
Hebrews 7:2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. (ESV)
Melchizedek literally means “king of righteousness”, who at the time was “king of Shalom”, which is the Hebrew word for peace or wholeness. The city found peace and prosperity, because righteousness ruled. In the same way, you will never find peace or wholeness in your life until you submit to the King of Righteousness.
Hebrews 7:3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. (ESV)
Nothing is said in the Old Testament about Melchizedek’s parents, his ancestors, his birth, or his death. He just appears on the scene like he never had a beginning or an end. Thus, Melchizedek is an Eternal High Priest, or “a priest forever”, like Jesus, the Son of God, Himself. The priests from Aaron’s order died, all of them. The one priest from Melchizedek’s order lives forever, and that priest is Jesus.
So if you want to follow Him as your forerunner, if you want to grow up as you grow old, if you want to go on to maturity, then you need to…
DEPEND ON JESUS, THE PERMANENT PRIEST.
Rely on Christ, the eternal minister. Trust Jesus Christ, the High Priest OF ALL TIME.
For nearly a hundred years, a beautiful mural of Christ held a prominent place on a wall in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church in Borja, Spain. The “Ecce Homo” as it was called, which means “Behold the Man”, was completed by Elias Garcia Martinez in the 1930s.
But in August of 2012, Cecilia Gimenez, an 80-year-old church member, took it upon herself to touch up the painting. After decades of moisture buildup, the painting had started to deteriorate, and the colors had started to fade. So Cecilia initiated her do-it-yourself restoration project.
Despite her good intentions, it didn't turn out well. The New York Times said that it was “probably the worst art restoration project of all time.” A Spanish blog called it “the restoration that turned into destruction.” And a BBC article said, “The once-dignified portrait now resembles a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic.”
In later interviews, Ms. Gimenez defended her decision. At some points, she blamed the parish priest, claiming that he had initiated the project. But on other occasions she took responsibility for her attempt to fix the painting. “We've always fixed everything ourselves in this church,” she said. “We saw everything was falling down, and we fixed it.”
The town council brought in experts to try to repair her work, but since the painting was originally done in oils directly onto a church wall, they faced a nearly impossible task. (Raphael Minder, "Despite Good Intentions, a Fresco in Spain Is Ruined," The New York Times, 8-23-12; www.PreachingToday.com)
That’s what happens when you try to touch up your own life. In an attempt to restore the image of Christ within, you end up creating a “very hairy monkey,” a beast. Please, don’t attempt to do-it-yourself. Instead, bring in the Eternal Expert to do the impossible. If you want to grow up as you grow old, depend on Jesus, the permanent priest, who is always there for you. Furthermore…
DEPEND ON JESUS, THE SUPERIOR PRIEST.
Rely on Christ, the best minister there is. Trust Jesus Christ, the GREATEST High Priest of all time.
The priests in Bible days were all from the tribe of Levi, a descendant of Abraham. However, Jesus is greater than any priest from the tribe of Levi, because as Melchizedek He blessed Abraham and He received tithes from Levi through Abraham. That’s the argument of the next few verses as the author demonstrates the superiority of Christ over any priest.
Hebrews 7:4-5 See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. (ESV)
The Old Testament Law commanded all the people of Israel to give a tenth of their income to the priests.
Hebrews 7:6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils of the battle he had just won to rescue his nephew Lot. Furthermore, Melchizedek blessed Abraham.
Hebrews 7:7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. (ESV)
The one who gives the blessing is greater than the one who receives it. So also is the one who receives the tithe. He is greater than the one who gives it.
Hebrews 7:8-10 In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. (ESV)
Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham; therefore, Melchizedek is greater than Levi! And Jesus, the one and only priest in the order of Melchizedek, is greater than any of the priests from the tribe of Levi.
In fact, Jesus is the Greatest High Priest of all time, so depend on Him, and not some inferior minister, if you want to become all that God has called you to become. Rely on Christ if you want to grow up as you grow old.
Let me switch the metaphor from religion to baseball to help you see it better.
Tony Lucadello was baseball's greatest scout, demonstrated by the fact that the number of his signees making it to the big leagues ranks higher than any other scout. During his career, he signed 52 young men (including two Hall of Famers) who would rise through the minor league ranks and eventually play Major League Baseball.
Amazingly, Lucadello's success came even though he covered the territory of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. In California, Florida, or Texas, the weather allows for year-round play and thus better players with more opportunities to observe them. Lucadello, however, found and trained the best players in the least likely places.
He did it in places and ways that were unique. Mark Winegardner in his book Prophet of the Sandlots, said Lucadello spurned the typical tools of his trade, the radar gun and stopwatch. He also roamed the perimeter of baseball fields instead of sitting behind home plate like most other scouts.
So how did he do it? According to Lucadello, there are four kinds of scouts: Five percent are poor scouts (who seldom plan); five percent are pickers (who just spot weaknesses); eighty-five percent are performance scouts (who look solely based on how players do—against amateur competition); but Lucadello was that rare breed of projector scout. He looked for how coachable a kid was, how a hitch in a swing or a throwing quirk might be corrected. He saw years “down the road” to envision, under the tutelage of better coaching and against stiffer competition, how a player would play. He saw the potential in talent, rather than just the current-state talent. (Jim Gilmore, Look, Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2016, page 100; www.PreachingToday.com)
That’s the kind of scout and coach you need if you’re going to improve and grow through life. You don’t need someone who sees you as you are. You need someone who can see years down the road and help you to get there. That someone is Jesus, the ultimate “scout”, or to switch the metaphors back, He is the greatest high priest of all time.
If you want to grow up as you grow old, if you want to go on to maturity, then depend on Jesus, the permanent priest; depend on Jesus, the superior priest; and finally, …
DEPEND ON JESUS, THE POWERFUL PRIEST.
Rely on Christ, the effective minister. Trust Jesus Christ, the greatest and STRONGEST High Priest of all time.
Plenty of people have a position of authority but are ineffective. Jesus not only has the position; He has the power to change lives.
Hebrews 7:11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? (ESV)
The Old Testament priests were ineffective. They could not make people perfect through the law. I.e., they could not help God’s people become fully mature.
It was a battle. A wrestling match. A test of wills. Every day, at exactly the same time, Margaret would go to the bathroom cabinet, open it, and take out a huge bottle of castor oil. Then she would head to the kitchen to get a tablespoon. At the sound of the drawer opening and the silverware rattling, Patches, her Yorkshire terrier, would run and hide—sometimes under the bed, at other times in the bathtub or behind Margaret's recliner. Patches knew what was coming.
Someone had convinced Margaret that her beloved dog would have strong teeth, a beautiful coat, and a long life if she gave him a spoonful of castor oil every day. So, as an act of love every 24 hours, she cornered Patches, pinned him down, pried open his mouth, and—as he whimpered, squirmed, and fought her with all his strength—poured a tablespoon of castor oil down his little doggie throat. Neither Patches nor Margaret enjoyed their daily wrestling match.
Then one day, in the middle of their battle royal, with one sideways kick, Patches sent the dreaded bottle of castor oil flying across the kitchen floor. It was a momentary victory for the canine, as Margaret let him go so she could run to the pantry and grab a towel to clean up the mess.
When Margaret got back, she was utterly shocked. There was Patches licking up the spilled castor oil with a look of satisfaction only a dog can make. Margaret began to laugh uncontrollably. In one moment, it all made sense. Patches liked castor oil. He just hated being pinned down and having it poured down his throat. (Kevin G. Harney, Seismic Shifts, Zondervan, 2005, p. 23-24; www.PreachingToday.com)
That’s the law and those who try to administer the law. They pin you down and try to pour morality down your throat, but it never works. It doesn’t make you a better person. It only makes you want to rebel even if you happen to like the law or appreciate its benefits.
The Old Testament priests were ineffective. That’s why God made a change from the Levitical priesthood. But in order to do that, He had to change the law, as well.
Hebrews 7:12-14 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. (ESV)
The law required that all priests come from the tribe of Levi. Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, so legally He couldn’t be a priest under the Old Testament, Mosaic Law. But God changed the law!
Hebrews 7:15-17 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” (ESV)
God changed the law in Psalm 110 when He declared that the Messiah would be “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Since the old law and priests were ineffective, God instituted a new law with a new priest, who had the power to change lives forever!
The Old Testament priests were ineffective, but Jesus has the power of an indestructible life! Jesus has the ability to make you perfect and complete. He has the skill to make you fully mature as you depend on Him.
An unknown author wrote: “Greatest man in history, named Jesus. Had no servants, yet they called Him Master. Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime. Yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today (unknown).
You see, unlike the Old Testament Priests, Jesus not only has the position of authority; He has the power to make a real difference. He has the power to change your life if you let Him.
George's Wright's life of crime started in 1962. On that fateful night, George and a buddy walked into Walter Patterson's gas station and demanded money. When he objected they beat the older man, until Walter finally gave up all the cash he had: seventy dollars in crumpled bills. George's buddy shot Walter at point-blank range. After the robbery and shooting, George ate two cheeseburgers and played shuffleboard.
George Wright was arrested and eventually sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison. That was too long for this angry young man, so he connected with a few other cons and broke out, hotwiring the warden's car as the means of escape. He stayed under the radar until July 31, 1972, when he hijacked a plane heading from Detroit to Miami, eventually escaping to Algeria.
From there, he began a worldwide fugitive odyssey that took him to Germany, France, Guinea-Bissau, and finally Portugal. Along the way, George changed his name to Jorge, and by the grace of God became a different man. He committed his life to Christ and says now of his criminal past, “I've asked God to forgive me, and I think God has forgiven me. But the law—the law says other things.” Jorge married, had children, joined a church, and got baptized.
He turned from crime to working with his hands, so he could provide for his family. He cleaned graffiti in Lisbon and helped to renovate an outreach center for HIV-positive children. He served dinners for homeless people. He planted public flower gardens. He raised two healthy, happy kids. He grew into a senior citizen, and in the forty years of his hiding, he didn't do anything to add to his crimes—not even a parking violation.
On September 26, 2011, the law finally caught up with George Wright in the form of six Portuguese policemen acting on an Interpol warrant issued by the United States. They found George Wright, but they arrested José Luis Jorge dos Santos. Portugal eventually denied the United States' attempt to have Jorge extradited, but during the hearings the central issue was not whether they'd arrested the right man but whether they'd arrested the same man. (Make Nappa, God in Slow Motion, Thomas Nelson, 2013, pp. 35-37; www.PreachingToday.com)
George Wright is a different man because of the work of Christ in His life, and Christ has the power to change your life, as well, if you let Him. Just commit your life to Him. Stop trying to change yourself and rely on Jesus to do it for you. Trust Jesus Christ, the greatest and strongest High Priest of all time.
If you want to grow up as you grow old, if you want to go on to maturity, then Depend on Jesus, the permanent priest; depend on Jesus, the superior priest; and finally, depend on Jesus, the powerful priest.
Ruth Bell Graham (1920–2007) once said, “I saw a sign on a strip of highway once that I would like to have copied on my gravestone. It said, "End of construction. Thank you for your patience." (Ruth Bell Graham, A Hearing Heart; www.Preaching Today.com)
Someday, Jesus will finish His construction work on you. Just keep trusting Him.
