FPC Hallock

A Priestly Function

Hebrews 5:1-10

During my first year of seminary a famous theologian came to campus to give series of lectures on theology. He had written many books — one I would be assigned the next year — given hundreds of talks, and published dozens of articles. A professor at one of the foremost seminaries in the nation, this speaker was big stuff. So I eagerly anticipated his lecture, and got there in plenty of time because I knew the hall would be packed.

During the speaker’s introduction I got even more excited, as the professor introducing the professor expounded on all his amazing accomplishments and accolades. I couldn’t wait for the talk to begin. And then, finally, the speaker took the podium and began his lecture. I think I was lost after paragraph two of his address. After five minutes, I had utterly no idea what he was talking about. After fifteen minutes, I just wanted the whole thing to be over.

This experience came to mind, I confess, after reading the book of Hebrews in worship for a few weeks now. I don’t know about you, but after several weeks of Hebrews readings my basic reaction still is, “Huh?” I hear the words, they are vaguely familiar — priest, sacrifice, Melchizedek, and of course Jesus — but it’s so easy to get lost in the writer’s fancy argument.

I suppose that’s because, the writer of Hebrews did not have First Pres Hallock in 2009 in mind when he wrote the letter (or, actually, most folks think of it more as a sermon than a letter). Scholars believe the writer of Hebrews is addressing an audience in the second phase of the early church. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the apostles had spread the good news about Jesus around the middle east. Paul took the message of Christ all over the place and, after a time of excitement and eagerness, believers started to have more doubts. The new Christian communities of faith turned out to be just as troublesome as the old Jewish synagogues. And many abused the new Christians. So after a time, it got pretty hard to take. The writer’s audience is a bit disheveled and lacking much direction or energy — sort of like what happens to any opponent who faces Kittson County’s Bearcats football team. So the writer of Hebrews explains, one more time, what this Jesus guy was all about. And he does so in terms particular to his community: he speaks of Jesus as high priest.

Nobody really knows why the writer of Hebrews harps on the priest metaphor so much. (Hebrews is unique in the New Testament for it.) But the point is clear: just like a first century Jewish priest, Jesus makes a sacrifice of atonement for sin, shows compassion toward the weak, and intercedes for people before God. [see http://www.enterthebible.org/Bible.aspx?rid=58 ] Now, Jesus isn’t just some normal high priest but the big kahuna high priest, the holy one chosen by God. But, in a lot of ways the writer says, Jesus functions just like a priest. So in this morning’s reading from Hebrews 5, the writer is explaining just what kind of high priest Jesus is. The reading is about Jesus’ priestly status, but, it’s also about us.

If we are to follow Jesus and be Christ-like, if we are to be Christ-bearers in the world, if we are Christ-ians, Hebrews 5 is about about us as well about Jesus. Now it’s important to always keep things clear: Jesus is Jesus, we are not. We are not the high priest extraordinaire; Jesus is. It’s like those “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelets that were really popular a few years back. On the face of it, that’s a great question to ask. But, ultimately, we’re not Jesus. We can’t heal people by touch or raise folk from the dead. We’re not Jesus, but we are to be Christ-like. So, when the writer of Hebrews describes Jesus, we can take very careful notes about how to act ourselves.

First, Hebrews explains, Jesus is chosen. “Every high priest is chosen from among mortals” he writes. And a bit further, “And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.”

Jesus did not wake up one morning and say, “Hey, pops, why don’t you make me savior of the world, that sounds like fun.” Not at all. Jesus was chosen and appointed by God. As many of us have noted over the years, you don’t choose your parents, it doesn’t work like that. Jesus is chosen.

So, if Jesus is chosen, what does that say about us trying to be Christ-like? Well: God chooses us first. We can respond, but God’s love beat us to the punch. Love chooses us and God’s grace chooses us, and God’s spirit chases us until we cannot escape it. As another biblical writer puts it: “We love because God first loved us.” The only appropriate response to being chosen by God is loving and serving God in return.

On November 22, our congregation will hold its annual congregational meeting for the purpose of electing church officers. At that time, the nominating committee will present a slate of officers for the session, board of deacons, and endowment committee. As a congregation, you will vote as to whether you believe these would-be officers are chosen by. Do these members have the gifts and graces to serve God and the congregation, and is that God’s will? That’s why Presbyterians vote not on who they like best, or even on their own opinion, believe it or not. Presbyterians are to vote on Christ’s will for the church. Who have we discerned that God has chosen to serve?

So, Jesus is chosen, and we’re chosen too. Second, the writer of Hebrews tells us: Jesus serves with great humility and is eager to learn. Verse 2, “He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness” and later, “Jesus was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.”

We often think of Jesus as all-knowing, with supernatural powers and forget Jesus’ humanness. Jesus did not know all. In fact, Luke says, “Jesus grew both in wisdom and in stature.” He grew up as a boy and had to learn the ways of the world as any child. That’s the point, says Hebrews, Jesus was our high priest, the savior of the world, and yet he himself was subject to weakness. As Susan Andrews puts it, “[Jesus] is also the humble slave, who endures and experiences every weakness, every testing that human experience can offer. And he suffers with us, not for us–not rescuing us, but strengthening us for the cruciform living that rests at the heart of our own baptized, ‘priesthood’.” [Feasting on the Word, pg. ]

Following Jesus in humility isn’t easy. We’re bombarded these days with exactly the opposite of humility: sports stars seeking the big buz for the big contract, celebrities basking in the spotlight just because they can, politicians watching their back first and caring about others a distant second–and even those who would fake their child set adrift on an spacecraft for the “fame” and publicity. Humility, true humility, is a scare commodity these days.

Humility is more about listening than speaking. It’s about learning from those with whom you deeply disagree. It’s about honoring one another because each person bears the image of God, just as much as you. About admitting you don’t have a corner on the truth, and that’s ok. Humility isn’t easy, that’s for sure, but if we’re to be Christ-bearers part of what we must bear is a humble disposition.

So, the writer of Hebrews says Jesus (1) is chosen by God, (2) humble/willing to learn, and (3) … obedient. “Although he was a Son,” Hebrews says, “he learned obedience through what he suffered.” Jesus was about as obedient to God’s demands as anyone ever can be: he followed God in life, obeyed God’s commandments without sin, and was obedient even to the point of death, death on a cross. How in the world are we supposed to follow that example?

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I think obedience I think about obedience training for, well, dogs. I was a deprived child and never had a dog growing up, but I was around them plenty and once watched with amazement how the behavior of a friend’s dog improved after obedience training. (Well, for this dog “improved” isn’t saying much, but the dog’s behavior did get a little better.)

I heard a story last week about whether dogs can tell right from wrong and therefore feel ashamed when they make a mistake. The piece included a bunch of interviews with dog owners who swore, if their dog did something wrong or got in trouble, and the owner scolded the dog, then the dog felt ashamed afterwards. You’ve seen a dog like that, I’m sure. Looking ashamed for a while, and timid. I, and all the owners in this story, were sure that their dogs understood they had made a mistake and were sorry for it.

Well, after a bunch of experiments, these scientists said they were pretty certain that wasn’t happening at all. The study showed that dogs can’t actually determine right from wrong, but what they can do incredibly well is respond to their owners. It doesn’t take long for dogs to figure out that when their owner makes some scolding noises and says “bad dog” then the best response for the dog is to act timid and sorry. The study said that’s not your dog apologizing, that’s your dog realizing it’s best to act apologetic for a while.

I hope to goodness, our obedience to God’s commands is quite a ways different from anything that study found about dogs. We do have the ability to distinguish right from wrong, and we have the call from God to respond in obedience to God’s ways. So what does obedience to God look like? Well, when we sense a call from God, we can answer it. When we have an opportunity to show our humility, we can seize it. We can follow God’s commands and stick up for the powerless, the poor, the oppressed. And when we don’t do any of that, we can confess our falling short, and try to be obedient once more.

Hebrews is a pretty difficult book, written with another audience in mind, but there’s still holy wisdom in those holy words. For Jesus is our high priest, interceding for us. Chosen by God, Jesus responded to the call. Showing humility and a willingness to learn, Jesus teaches us the way. Living in full obedience even unto death, Jesus sets us free to follow God now and forever. Now that’s a high priest we can all be thankful for. Amen.