Spiritually Speaking: Fragrance of the future

"After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty in Heaven."

The last of the Hebrew writer's list of Messiah's qualifications is a segue into the following section, concerning His place of honor above the angelic hosts of Heaven. We hope to spend some time, later, discussing the author's claim that Jesus is greater than the Angels. This week, however, I'm more interested in noticing the new beginnings that permeate the passage. We are, after all, on the cusp of a new year and a new decade. It's time to point our noses to the fragrances of the future.

On Thursday of Passion Week, Jesus was burdened with the knowledge of His impending punishment on our behalf. He knew that soon, and very soon, He would be arrested, beaten, humiliated, crucified, dead and encased in the tomb. The sense of foreboding can plainly be seen as He prayed (drenched in blood-laden sweat) to be released from His eternal contract, before giving Himself over to the Father's will. He was able to carry our sins to that cross because He believed the Father's promise that He would rise again on the third day. Something new and amazing was about to come to light. Messiah, in the midst of storm and struggle, could still find the fragrance of the future.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He not only gained a place of honor and eternal authority for Himself, he also provided the way for all of mankind to enter the presence of God. Struggling with our own sins and fear of the unknown, we seek a Savior. We don't need a mythical being with "magic" powers, but a heroic Messiah who has been in our shoes and been elevated from this earthly condition to sit with His Father in heavenly glory.

Paul challenges his Roman readers to embrace Jesus' victory by living up to their own baptism. "As many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death ... just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father, we also may live a new life" (Romans 6).

May the new decade find you drenched in the sweet smell of God's grace. See you Sunday