July 2010 CONNECTIONS  

Heb 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.  For to which of the angels did God ever say, You are my Son; today I have become your Father’” ? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” ?  And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

July 4 we celebrate the Independence of the forefathers of this country from the rule of English law and a distant ruler.  When this country was just getting started it needed some form of organization and leadership to keep the fragile union together but in 1776 the British0 law had become a burden and was no longer relevant.  A series of events happened which turned the colonists into residents who were now able to determine their own leadership.
 
The Christian church at the time the book of Hebrews was written was also going through a kind of an independence experience too.  The early Christians were composed of Jews and converted gentiles and pagans.   The book of Hebrews is clearly written to the Jewish Christians to remind them that although their forefathers needed the law and the prophets to bind the nation of Israel together, it was no longer the guardian of the faith.  God's son Jesus Christ was now the central object of worship and the voice of the Master.   In the Old testament we read where on many occasions where God talks directly to his people like the way He did to Abraham, He spoke to Moses in the burning bush, to Elijah in a still, small voice.  Why doesn't God talk to anyone today?  Wouldn't it be great if God would talk directly to the world leaders and tell them what to do.  The book of Hebrews reminds the struggling new church that God has chosen a different way to talk to us, not in dreams or visions or with angels as he did with the forefathers but now in a radical new way, he chose to come to us directly in the form of Jesus Christ.  When we read about the life of Jesus in the New Testament we see that worshiping God is not simply following all the rules and regulations blindly without regard for others, no we see modeled for us in the life of Christ that God wants to free us from those things that separate us from Him.  We see in the life of Christ that loving your neighbors trumps all of the other rules.

The American colonists were also being forced to follow rules and regulations blindly and without local representation.   The early Christians and Christians all over the world today point to Jesus as our representative.    One of the freedoms that was gained in 1776 was the freedom to worship God in our own way.  Let us celebrate that freedom by worshiping together in Love.