September 11 - Jesus Christ, High Priest 대 제사장, 예수 그리스도

September 11 - Jesus Christ, High Priest

 

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin.” – Hebrews 4:15

 

 

In Hebrews chapter 4, the author refines the theme of chapter 3. An entire generation of Israel lost their inheritance of the Promised Land due to a lack of faith. Here, the author points out that the rest promised by God is still offered through Christ. The razor-sharp truth of the Word of God will separate what is truly spiritual from what is faithless. We should try to obtain our inheritance in Christ, separate from our eternal salvation. We can also be confident, knowing Jesus can uniquely sympathize with our temptations and sufferings.

 

Hebrews 4:14–16 is among the most often quoted passages in the Bible. It is also one of the clearest expressions of Christianity's unique nature. Jesus, the Son of God, has experienced our struggles, temptations, and sufferings. And yet, He did so without succumbing to sin. For this reason, we can look to Him as our perfect example. We can rely on Him as our perfect substitute. We can come to Him as our only High Priest. And we can trust in Him as our source of help and healing. Knowing that Christ fully understands what it means to be human gives us confidence when we bring Him our failures and needs.

 

Our environment tries to control us. Sometimes, the temptations and the ordeals we experience are out of our control. The writers of the Psalms confessed that while they were fighting with despair, God was their only Savior and Comforter. The apostle Paul confessed his faith in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). Sometimes difficulties come because we must understand our mistakes or blunders (1 John 2:15-17). This always causes us despair in our minds. However, the only thing we need to remember in this situation is that we are the beloved children of Jesus Christ, and we need to talk about our problems with Him. 

 

Nowadays, people have very busy lives. People experience a lot of physical and mental stress in their personal and social lives. Our ancestors lived with their calendars, but we live with our watches. This means we live in a busier society than at any other time in history. People also have a lot of physical labor, desperation, and discouragement throughout their lives. All these were caused when people could not have what they planned for their lives. 

 

We plan everything in our minds and ask God to follow our plans. However, when God breaks our plans and shows His plan for us, there is pain and suffering. The book of Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Since Jesus knows our circumstance and situation, he is sympathetic to us (1 Peter 5:7). The only reason why we can lean on God with all our problems in this hectic world is that Jesus Christ, the Priest, knows all our problems. 

 

“If Jesus Christ is God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” - Charles Studd.

 

 

Bible Reading: Proverbs 19-20; 2 Corinthians 3

Today’s Prayer: When your church gathers to worship, ask that members have a taste of the joyful assembly that is heaven.   

Prayer Pointer: Praying for people will bring you to love them. Loving them will lead you to serve them. it will be the open door through which God can move in to save, heal, and make whole. – Maxie Dunnam

 

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9월 11일 - 대 제사장, 예수 그리스도

 

“우리에게 있는 대제사장은 우리 연약함을 체휼하지 아니하는 자가 아니요 모든 일에 우리와 한결같이 시험을 받은 자로되 죄는 없으시니라” - 히4:15

 

 

히브리서 저자는 3장에서 언급한 불신앙에 대한 주제를 다시 4장에서 구체적으로 설명합니다. 이스라엘의 백성들은 그들의 불신앙 때문에 하나님이 주시는 약속의 땅을 상속받지 못했습니다. 그러나 히브리서는 하나님이 약속하신 영원한 안식은 여전히 그리스도를 통해 상속받는다고  말합니다. 확실한 하나님의 진리의 말씀은 영적인 것과 불신앙적인 것을 구분합니다. 우리는 그리스도인들은 예수님 안에서 얻은 영원한 구원과 기업을 위해 모든 노력을 기울여야 합니다. 예수님은 우리의 시험과 연약함과 고난을 체휼해 주시고 도와 주시는 분임을 확신해야 합니다.  

 

히브리서 4:14-16은 성경에서 가장 많이 인용되는 말씀 중에 하나이고 독특하고 유일한 기독교의 본질을 가장 간단 명료하게 표현한 말씀 중에 하나입니다. 하나님의 아들이신 예수님 그리스도는 우리의 모든 어려움과 시험과 고난을 경험하였지만 죄에 굴복하지 않으셨습니다.  그러므로 예수님은 우리의 온전하신 모본이 되시고 우리의 유일한 대제사장이시고, 우리의 완전한 대리자로 의존할 수 있고, 치유외 모든 도움의 근원이 되시는 분으로 신뢰할 수 있습니다. 예수 그리스도가 완전한 인간이라는 진리와 가르침은 예수님께서 우리 인간의 모든 실패가 무엇이고, 우리가 필요한 것이 무엇인지 아신다는 확신을 줍니다.

 

우리는 주어진 환경을 우리의 뜻대로 우리 스스로 통제하고 싶어 합니다. 그러나 우리가 경험하는 시험과 시련은 우리 스스로 통제할 수 없습니다. 시편 기자들은 절망속에서 하나님만이 그들의 유일한 구원자이자 위로자라고 고백합니다. 사도 바울은 절망 속에서 자신의 믿음을 고백합니다(고후 1:8-9). 때때로 우리 자신의 실수나 잘못을 이해하지 못하기 때문에 어려움을 겪는 경유가 있습니다(요일 2:15-17). 이러한 일들은 항상 우리 마음에 실망을 안겨 줍니다. 그러나 이 상황에서  반드시 기억해야 할 것은 우리는 예수 그리스도의 사랑하는 자녀이며 우리의 문제를 예수님께 고해야 한다는 것입니다. 

 

현대 사람들은 매우 분주하게 살아갑니다. 개인 생활과 사회 생활에서 신체적, 정신적으로 많은 스트레스를 받고 삽니다. 우리 조상들은 달력 중심으로 살았다고 하면 현대 우리는 시계와 함께 시간 중심으로 살아갑니다. 역사상 그 어느 때보다 분주한 사회에 살고 있음을 의미하는 말 입니다. 사람들은 평생 육체적 노동과 절망, 그리고 낙담을 경험합니다. 그러나 이러한 일들은 모두 자신의 삶을 위해 계획한 것을 이루지 못할 때 일어나는 일들입니다.   

 

우리 그리스도인들도 스스로 마음으로 계획하고 하나님께서 우리 계획에 맞추도록 요구하는 때가 있습니다. 그러나 하나님께서 우리의 계획을 포기하게 만들고 그의 계획을 보여주실 때, 우리의 삶에 고난과 어려움이 옵니다. 히브리서는 “우리에게 있는 대제사장은 우리 연약함을 체휼하지 아니하는 자가 아니요 모든 일에 우리와 한결같이 시험을 받은 자로되 죄는 없으시니라”(히4:15) 고 말합니다. 예수님은 우리의 입장과 상황을 아시기 때문에 우리를 체휼하시는 분입니다(벧전 5:7). 정신없이 분주한 세상과 모든 문제속에서 하나님을 의지할 수있는 유일한 근거는 대제사장이신 예수님께서 우리의 모든 문제를 알고 있다는 믿음입니다. 

 

"예수 그리스도가 만일 하나님이시고 나를 위해 죽으셨다면, 내가 그를 위해 치르기에 너무 큰 희생은 없습니다." - 찰스 스터드

 

 

오늘의 기도: 당신의 교회가 예배로 모일 때 모든 성도들이 천국의 기쁨의 성회를 맛 볼 수 있도록 기도하십시오. 

기도 지침: 당신이 사람들을 위해 기도하면, 그들을 사랑하게 된다. 당신이 그들을 사랑하게 되면 그들을 섬기게 된다. 당신이 그들을 섬기게 되면 그들을 구원하고, 치유하고, 온전하게 하시기 위해 역사하시는 문을 하나님께서 열어 주신다.– 막스 던만

성경 읽기: 잠언 19-20장; 고린도후서 3장