There was an old Saturday Night Live skit about Mike Ditka, the iconic coach of the Chicago Bears. For Chicago sports fans, Ditka was larger than life and adored by many. In this skit, there is a rolling discussion about how great Ditka was. They would debate who was greater. Ditka or a train. Ditka or a hurricane. And so on. And the obvious answer regardless of the opponents was Ditka every time. In many ways, this was how the Jewish people felt about Moses. Moses versus anyone or anything and Moses was going to win every time hands down. He was the hero above all other heroes. He was the greatest and best the Old Testament had to offer. He was the one everyone looked up to. But now the author of Hebrews dares to compare Jesus to Moses and the conclusion is that Jesus is like Moses but even greater than Moses. Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses. Jesus is over all of God’s house. Jesus led ALL people out of slavery to sin as opposed to just leading Israel out of slavery in Egypt. Jesus was the One promised by Moses, who was Moses 2.0, even greater than Moses himself.
I remember as a kid getting excited when a new Super Mario Bros. was going to come out or the new baseball game. It was exciting. The anticipation was palpable. You couldn’t wait for the new game that was going to be bigger and better than the last one. Sure there was going to be the same cast of characters and the basic tenets of the game were not going to change that much, but you knew when the next one came out it was going to be bigger and better than the last one. The graphics would be better. The game would be more fun. In the same way, Jesus, we are told, is just like us. He was born of Mary just like we were born from our mothers. He knew what it was to be hungry and thirsty, to grieve and to be happy, to be sought after and to grieve. He was tried and tempted in every way just like we are. Yet there is one key difference: Jesus is God. So, when He was tempted, He never gave in. And yet the author of Hebrews wants to make very clear to us that for Jesus to be the author of salvation, He had to be just like us but better. He had to be one of us to save us. He had to taste death that we might have life. Jesus experienced all the things we experience so that we might be saved by Him.
There is no need for a middleman, for Jesus is God in the flesh. Focus: If you have ever bought a car, you know what a middleman is. The middleman is the person you meet that you are talking to and trying to make a deal with but can’t ever be the one to make any decision. So, you talk to him/her, and they go talk to the manager. Then they talk to the manager then come back to talk to you. You tell them something and the response is, “I’ve got to talk to my manager about this.” After a while you just want to get up and yell, “just bring your manager out here or someone who can actually do something.” Middlemen can be very frustrating. As great and nice and even as responsible as they may be, they are no substitute for the real thing. The book of Hebrews opens by telling us that with Jesus there is no middleman between us and God. Jesus is the real thing. He is God in the flesh. And salvation is ours because of Jesus. Instead of looking for life and salvation in all the wrong places, cut out the middleman and come to Jesus. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
Let’s be honest, we have short memories. We easily forget how good the Lord has been at every step of our journey in life. It is especially easy to forget the blessing of the Lord when death becomes the next step. It is at this moment that we need to be assured that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Join us on as we look to Jesus for assurance when we reach the end of the road.
The modern concept of retirement cannot be found anywhere in Scripture. Instead, God’s Word reveals spiritual gifts that the Lord gives, takes away, and replaces with other gifts. This process continues for our entire life. Whether you are young or old, rich, or poor, healthy or sick, working or retired, how has God gifted you today for His purpose? Join us to be reminded that no matter where you are at in life, God has a plan and purpose for you.
Wealth can be a great blessing, but it can also create significant challenges. The Game of Life teaches us that wealth comes by chance, but in Real Life we often believe the words of Deuteronomy 8:17, “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.” As with every aspect of life, the Lord gives from His abundance to advance His plan and purpose. Join us as we reflect on God’s plan for all that He gives.
If we’re going to consider Real Life issues like, marriage, children, and parenting, we also have to address the Biblical view of sex. Our culture talks about it all of the time and has perverted God’s gift of sex. Join us as we tackle this important topic and find comfort in the truth that, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.”
In Real Life, married couples can, and sometime should, spend their life together without children. In The Game of Life, it is nearly impossible to get through the game without having children. One aspect The Game of Life gets right is that there is no option for divorce. The message is clear, children need two parents – a mother and a father joined in marriage. Mothers and Fathers each have a special role to play. Join us to see what the Word of God says about the special role of parents and grandparents.
What is marriage? What is the purpose of marriage? Is marriage a relationship of convenience or a covenant? One author describes marriage as a man and woman helping each other on their journey to become the persons God designed them to be. Join us as we debunk some myths about marriage and listen to God’s Word express His design and desire for marriage.
In The Game of Life, you start out as single. Then you figure out your career, but before you can continue you must stop to get married. In a similar way, we often view people who are single as not properly playing the game. Why were you never married? You’ll remarry after your spouse passed away, right? The Game of Life does not view singleness as a gift from God, but in Real Life the Bible does view singleness as a gift from God. Join us to discover God’s gift of singleness.