Jesus and His Office

Hebrews 9
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

I wish I had written down my thoughts about Jesus before He came into my life as my Lord and Savior. I wish I had written down my thoughts about Jesus before I was quickened, before I started my Bible studies. I have always believed in Jesus, but I did not understand His sacrifice for my transgressions. I did not understand that He was mediator of the Gospel; I did not understand that Jesus was Christ, the reconciler of heaven and of earth.  I did not understand the Offices of Jesus, as prophet, as priest and as king. I just did not give much thought to any of this. I just did not give much thought to Jesus, what He is, what He does, who he is to me. And, I really did not give much thought to his sacrifice for my sins.  And, indeed, I did not give much thought to my sins and my own sinful nature.

In my early years, I did not struggle with atheism or agnosticism.  I did not struggle with the existence of God.  I always believed in Jesus who was somehow divine. But, for so many years, he was distant.   When I started my daily bible study, but before I was saved, I remember just the idea of Jesus being vaguely discomforting.  Jesus and God were over there, beyond the far ridge. And the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit was a warm breeze that would slowly blow past me, comforting, but only once in a while.

Hebrews 8
6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

One thing about those years before I was saved:  they were accompanied by southern gospel music and hymns.  I would listen, sing along, filled with the Spirit. I always had my records, then my cassettes and finally my CD's. And in those songs, one might not quite grasp the sacrifice of Jesus.  In those songs, one might not grasp the need to be born again.  In those songs, one might not feel the need to repent your sins.  But, in those songs, somehow over the years, I could feel the Christian love of the singers and especially I could feel the love of Jesus Christ.

When all of God's singers come home....