Jesus' ministry of doing wonders that no man had done from the beginning of time had set him up as someone very special, someone whose words held sway with the people. The people were excited about him at this point because they were beginning to believe that he was possibly the Messiah, the one who would bring deliverance to them, not only spiritually but physically from the Roman occupation. Therefore, they were excited when Jesus would confound the wise religious men of their time. In the above passage Jesus is literally saying that the Messiah is not a man coming from the loins of flesh, for he is even greater than the anointed King David. Peter carries on with this theme in his sermon on the day of Pentecost: "For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah." (Acts 2:34-36) Who is this lord of David? Peter's answer is emphatically: Jesus. In Jesus' question to the teachers of the law, his implication is that David's Lord has to be someone of great stature, someone so powerful that even King David would bow at his feet. Of course, this would be a person of supernatural ability, who could even control the winds and the waves: Jesus. The people who had been following Jesus knew of his miraculous deeds, and now the Bible says: The large crowd listened to him with delight. Their ears were attuned for at least a time to the voice of the Lord.
In the book of Hebrews, we learn that the priest who can redeem souls forever must live forever. The chief priests in the Levitical line could only be a priest as long as they were living. They knew sin was so intractable, so destructive, that a sacrifice of blood had to be presented to God as a curative measure, not a permanent solution. God would always judge sin with death, so they sacrificed animals to prevent this judgement from happening to them. The animal sacrifices kept them safe from God's wrath. However, this safety lasted only for a short time, so many sacrifices were needed. As the Bible says, Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (Hebrews 10:11) These sacrifices were performed in a ritualistic manner, year after year, without hope of a lasting effect. And because the Levitical Chief Priests were human, their time of offering up these sacrifices for the people was limited by their time here on Earth. Therefore, there was a need for a more permanent solution. This solution came in the form of an offering that would be eternal. Of course, Jesus, an eternal being offered himself to God also an eternal being. For we read in Hebrews that Christ is our eternal priest who did not descend through Aaron. No, we read of our Lord: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 7:17) Melchizedek was a priest without beginning or ending. Jesus is that eternal Melchizedek. He is not from the order of the Levites: their time of intervention always ended with their deaths. No, Jesus was out of the order of Melchizedek: his offering would remain forever before God; for He is eternal. His sacrifice is permanent and completely efficacious. We are forever safe in God's presence because Jesus' blood forever covers us.
The efficacy of Jesus' work on the cross not only brought us peace with God but also made us God's perfect children, cleansed by his blood. We are pleasing to God himself because Jesus is totally pleasing to him. We are no more under judgment, but under the blessings of God. Many years ago Dad had a dream about his brother who was an alcoholic. The fruit of his life at that time was troubling. As Dad dreamed about his brother, he began to understand how God was actually in his brother's life and that He was weaving a beautiful tapestry, a beautiful life through everything that had happened and would happen. Dad woke up laughing hysterically about how God took a life so tragically flawed and would make it come out so beautifully. He thought how wonderful and how great the Lord is to answer all the prayers of those who loved his wayward brother. Then the Lord started to talk to Dad in this way: "That is you," the Lord said. Dad was really laughing at his own life, how God worked in his life. No, Dad wasn't an alcoholic, no he wasn't wayward and far from God. In fact, he had served God diligently since the age of 15. But that dream was Dad's life too. God is working in all of our lives in ways that are beyond our imagination. Are there are ups and downs in our lives? Yes, but through it all, God is working his mysteries, weaving his tapestries, using everything for his glory. The heavenly, eternal Priest has his eyes on every one of us. We are never out of his sight. He is working out his will in our lives in the most wonderful and delicate ways. Can you believe that today? Can we believe these words in scripture as something more than a memory verse: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) May you also wake up hysterically laughing because you see something so unbelievable that you are stunned with unrestrained laughter. You will begin to understand the plan of your salvation, the plan of your life, the plan of a life of faith. Peter says this well, Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
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