FREED FOR JOYFUL OBEDIENCE
Text: Hebrews 9:11-14
Charles Colson mentioned that whenever questioned by curious people in the media about which of his Watergate perfidies [sins] (deliberate acts of betrayal of trust) made him feel the most remorseful, he replies honestly and invariably with an answer that often puzzles or infuriates the very people who ask this question. He answers that question by saying: "None. My deepest remorse is for the hidden sins of my heart which are far worse". (Charles Colson. Loving God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2002, p. 115). Charles Colson hints at an observation that Mark Twain had made long ago: “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.” (from Pudd’nhead Wilson’s New Calendar). Despite the hidden dark side of sin and its potential in every one of us, our conscience demands two things from us, justification and contrition. Consider Romans 5:1-2: "THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God" (RSV). Until we are justified in our actions, we are separated by sin away from God. That separation causes us to feel guilty and it denies us the feeling of joy that comes from being reconciled to God in and through Jesus Christ!
WE NEED A HIGH PRIEST TO JUSTIFY US
Until we experience justification through Jesus Christ, our conscience imprisons us. One does not have to literally be in prison to be a prisoner imprisoned by his or he own conscience. We have all heard of the legal term bail. Bail is the legal term used for the money that is deposited or credited with the court to liberate an arrested person with the assurance (guarantee) that the person will show up for court at the proper time. It is considered contempt of court for a person whose presence is required not to show up for court. There is a thing called a bench warrant which is an order of a court for the arrest of a person charged with contempt of court.
When I used to be a volunteer chaplain with law enforcement, there was a young man who was stopped for speeding. When they ran check his driver's license, they discovered that he had a bench warrant. His presence was required in court one day and he had failed to show up. As a result, the judge of that court issued a bench warrant for his arrest. Until he got pulled for speeding, he thought that he had gotten by.
When someone is on the run from the law, we call him or her a fugitive. A fugitive usually seek to evade being captured. How many times have you seen the news when an announcement of some crime is brought to the attention of the public by "Crime Stoppers" asking for an anonymous tip from anyone who might have information that will lead to the arrest of the guilty party? The other day I was riding up the interstate when an electronic sign on the side of the road told all of those who were driving by to tune into a certain radio station about an automobile accident. When I tuned in that station, an announcement came on about a hit and run accident where someone was killed. The announcement gave a description of the vehicle that fled the scene. The announcement also asked for tips that would lead to the arrest of that driver.
No sinner can hide from God! There is the story of a boxer who once said something very profound. "Many years ago when Joe Lewis was heavyweight champion of the world, he was challenged by a nimble-footed opponent. When the young challenger was asked how he planned to handle the Brown Bomber, he replied, "I'll outrun him". Louis' answer has been remembered: "He can run but he cannot hide". (Ernest A. Fitzgerald. Keeping Pace: Inspirations In The Air. Greensboro:Pace Communications, 1988, p. 68). When it comes to sin, anyone can run, but no one can hide! Adam and Eve could not hide and neither can we.
Our conscience demands two things, contrition and justification. All of us have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But, none of us can experience the peace of God until we are justified by faith in and through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-2). There is no way we can justify ourselves. If we could have justified ourselves, then Jesus Christ never would have had to come and pay the price for our sins with His own blood for our redemption and reconciliation. We cannot ever do anything that will satisfy the conscience's demand for justification and contrition because of our guilt.
In his days as a Marine Lieutenant, Chuck Colson had experience that would later come back to haunt him. It was years later, after he was in prison that the incident and his actions in it came back to memory. He was stationed on Vieques Island ("a tiny satellite of Puerto Rico). "Officers were instructed to buy nothing from peddlers" (Colson p. 116). One day in the field, Colson spotted an old man leading a donkey loaded with canvas sack of cold drinks. When Colson and his men got to where the man peddling drinks, he ordered his men to take the man prisoner while they seized his goods, and emptied them and then ordered the man released without his merchandise. He was technically trespassing on government property. It never dawned on Colson until later, when he was in prison that those cans of juice might have possibly represented that man's life savings and might have prevented him from being able to put food on his family's table (a paraphrase of Colson's story, pp. 115-117). Apparently, what happened to Colson, happens to everyone---his conscience demanded both contrition and justification. He had been running, but now he was no longer able to hide. Like Colson, we can all experience peace only we are justified in and through Jesus Christ our High Priest!
John Wesley spoke of justification that Jesus gives us as a pardon. To be pardoned means that a person is released from further punishment. Yes, it is true that there are some who seem to escape punishment despite the fact that they have not repented of their sins. But, no one can escape God's judgement. Those who never come to accept the gift of God's grace---God's forgiveness of sins---God's pardon and justification in and through Jesus Christ will experience contrition in the worst way. Their contrition will be too late as they will be permanently separated from God in the lake of fire should they die before they repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
WE NEED A HIGH PRIEST TO SANCTIFY US
The High Priest Jesus Christ sanctifies us with His own blood. When Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant (Hebrews 9:15). When Jesus was sharing the Last Supper with His Disciples He said, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20 RSV). Consider the explanation of Hebrews 9:15-18: "… those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Hence even the first covenant was not ratified without blood" (RSV). "… without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22 RSV). Every time we celebrate Holy Communion, we are celebrating how the blood of our Lord Jesus purifies us from all sin (First John 1:7). Under the Old Covenant, blood was sprinkled on those who were ceremonially unclean to sanctify them and make them outwardly clean (Hebrews 9:13). Every time we celebrate Holy Communion, we are symbolically sprinkling ourselves with Christ's blood on the inside! Jesus sanctifies us on the inside with His own blood that purifies us and makes us holy!
Jesus Christ sets us apart to do two things, to be holy and to serve. To be sanctified meant to be set apart as well as consecrating ourselves for service in God's Kingdom. Jesus sets us free for joyful obedience. Jesus sets us free because He not only justifies us, but He also sanctifies us with his own blood. The same Spirit---the Holy Spirit that empowered Jesus (Matthew 3:16) empowers us. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth so that we stay in harmony with the truth that sets us free (John 8:32). Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Only Jesus Christ can cleanse us on the inside! Only Jesus Christ can cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death (Hebrews 9:14). Those acts are the wages of sin that end in death (Romans 6:23). The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus who sanctifies us (Romans 6:23) and sets us free for joyful obedience.
"A man consulted a doctor. "I've been misbehaving, Doc, and my conscience is troubling me," he complained.
"And you want something that will strengthen your will power?" asked the doctor.
"Well, no," the man said, "I was thinking of something that would weaken my conscience". (Roy B. Zuck. The Speaker's Quote Book. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1997, p. 353). Again, only Jesus Christ can cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death (Hebrews 9:14). Those acts are the wages of sin that end in death (Romans 6:23). The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus who sanctifies us (Romans 6:23), with His own blood and sets us free for joyful obedience.
Wesley said, “There is no such thing as sinless perfection”.
“The peace of God is another means of advancing the image of God in us” (Wesley, p. 36). (4) The Devil strives to shake the foundation of our peace in order to hinder our faith through which we are justified. (5) Whatever weakens our faith obstructs our holiness (p. 36) which is our journey toward Christian perfection (Sanctification).
