February 28
Lev 22:17-23:44 | PS 44:1-8 | Prov 10:19 | Mark 9:30-10:12
We all try so hard to be good enough. Good enough to be noticed in school, to be noticed by our employer, to be recognized by our peers. But in the end, we fail. We recognize our own flaws in ourselves. Even if we are recognized by others, we know the truth about ourselves, deep inside. Praise from others also doesn't last, as often our next mess up is only a day away. But this is okay. Seeking self-perfection is not only frustrating but will never come to fruition. It is in this honest self-appraisal that we look outside ourselves and fasten our eyes on the only One who is perfect, Jesus Christ. His perfection means that we don't have to be. We never have to worry about being good enough, because Jesus is good enough. This means that rather than placing our hopes on ourselves: our education, our jobs, our position, etc., we place all of our hopes on Jesus Christ, our Living Hope.
We read in Leviticus 22:18-20, "“Speak to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, who offers his sacrifice for any of his vows or for any of his freewill offerings, which they offer to the Lord as a burnt offering— you shall offer of your own free will a male without blemish from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats. Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your behalf." Sorry, but that rules out all of us. We are all blemished and defected. So, if that is what you plan on bringing before God, the Judge, as your acceptable sacrifice, you will come up short and lacking. Leviticus 23 then reviews the various feasts. Realize that these feasts were actually dress rehearsals for the real thing. Jesus was the sacrifice which fulfilled each of the four spring feasts, accomplished in His death, resurrection, and then baptizing the believers with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The three fall feasts will be fulfilled eventually, also by Jesus, but surrounding future events when He comes again. Jesus is seen throughout Scripture, both in the Old and the New Testament. He is the central figure of Scripture.
We read in Mark 9:33-36, about an argument among the disciples as to who would be the greatest. They still did not get it. Focused on themselves, they couldn't see that it was always about Jesus, and not about themselves. This is not an easy thing to comprehend. It argues against everything that we are taught and what is emphasized in our lives as we grow up. This is why Jesus began His revolutionary message of the Sermon on the Mount with these words in Matthew 5:3, "“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Emptied of pride and self, only then are we in a position to see Jesus. From there the remainder of the Beatitudes serve as a blueprint, a map, to finding our relationship with the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. If we want to experience joy in our lives, it will only come by getting our attention off of ourselves and onto Jesus Christ.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: