I have a coffee mug that someone once gave me. It says: “Old pastors don’t die; they just go out to pastor.” I don’t know if that is true, but I would like to think it could be. I am reminded of my own humanity and the brevity of life every once in a while, and the fact that there is so much I have yet to accomplish with the Lord’s help.
This feeling is why I am drawn to our text. It speaks directly to our Lord Jesus and His omnipotence (all powerful) and eternity (without beginning and without end). He is God Almighty. He is lives forever. He is the personification of perfect love. He offered Himself once for all people of all time as the perfect and absolute sacrifice for all sinners. When He took on human flesh and blood as the babe of Bethlehem, lived a life of poverty and hard work, offered Himself on that Roman cross as the only sacrifice capable of saving sinners from hell, and when He rose victorious even over death and the grave to ascend back into His heavenly home to prepare homes for all who would love and trust in Him for forgiveness of sins, Jesus did what we needed done! This is exactly what the writer to the Hebrew said in chapter seven, verses 23-25:
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Here is why this is so important for us:
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. (Hebrews 7: 26-28)
Jesus did what no mere human could do; and He did it for us!
So we pray: Oh! Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good! His mercy endures forever. Amen.