Seven
Words to Remember
Arthur Brooks, a social scientist and author, wrote a book titled From Strength to Strength, inspired by Psalm 84:7. It’s about finding happiness and deep purpose in the second half of life. In the introduction, Brooks says something honest. Our professional decline is coming much sooner than we think. And when that happens, it’s time to reorder our lives. Then he gives us seven words to remember:
Arthur Brooks, a social scientist and author, wrote a book titled From Strength to Strength, inspired by Psalm 84:7. It’s about finding happiness and deep purpose in the second half of life. In the introduction, Brooks says something honest. Our professional decline is coming much sooner than we think. And when that happens, it’s time to reorder our lives. Then he gives us seven words to remember:
Use things.Love people.Worship the divine.
In
the beginning, God made Adam in his image. God prepared everything for him, days
one through five, just like loving parents prepare a home for a newborn baby.
God provided everything Adam needed. Then God placed him in the garden to be a
steward, to use things wisely and take care of them. Then, God made Eve, a
helper and companion, so they could love each other. And God gave one command:
Do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It was about boundary.
It was about obedience. Adam and God were not equal. This was Creator and
creation. We were made to worship, honor, love and revere God.
But one day, Adam and Eve were tempted. They wanted to be like God. So they ate from the tree. And in that moment, sin entered. Life became disordered:
But one day, Adam and Eve were tempted. They wanted to be like God. So they ate from the tree. And in that moment, sin entered. Life became disordered:
Use God.Love things.Worship people.
They
began to use God to make themselves important. They began to love and cling to
things – land, gold, money. And then heroes and warriors rose up. And people
began to worship them. Life became a mess.
But God
But God did not abandon his people. He kept reaching out in mercy. He sent prophets. He raised judges. He appointed kings. Still, people didn’t listen. They turned to their own selfish, sinful way.
So God, in his grace, gave them a way to deal with sin. In the Old Testament, God established the sacrificial system. When people sinned, they would bring an animal – a lamb, a goat, or a bull – something blameless, something costly. They would place their hands on the head of the animal. It was a confession. A transfer. “My sin… placed on this innocent life.” Then the animal was sacrificed. Blood was shed. It was serious. Because sin is serious. Sin brings death. Every sacrifice was a reminder: “Sin has a cost.” And this happened again and again and again. Day after day. Year after year. The system worked, not because the animal had power, but because God made a promise. God, in His mercy, counted their sins as forgiven.
But this was only a shadow. It pointed to something greater. Even the priests who offered sacrifices were not perfect. They were sinners too. Before they could pray for others, they had to offer sacrifices for themselves. Once a year, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place. It was holy. It was dangerous. Bells were sewn onto his robe so that his movement could be heard as he ministered before the Lord. Everything about this system was saying: “We need a better covenant.” “We need a better priest.”
True and Better
Through the prophets, God gave a promise. A better covenant. A new covenant:
So how does God give us a new heart? How does God put a new spirit within us? Through the blood of Christ. When we look to Jesus crucified and believe in him, we are forgiven, we are cleansed, and we are made new. A new heart. A new spirit. A new life.
Just Because
Let me share a true story. There is a man named Lee Strobel, the author of The Case for Christ. He was a journalist. He believed in science and facts. He was skeptical and resistant to faith. His heart was hard. But God did not give up on him. Again and again, God kept reaching out. God protected his daughter in a life-threatening moment. God began to heal his broken relationship with his father. God showed his utmost patience and steadfast love through his wife. Still, Lee resisted. He doubted. He even tried to disprove Christianity. But the more he investigated, the more he found evidence. God’s love kept coming, like waves upon waves. At one point, Lee asked a question: “If Jesus is the Son of God Almighty, why did he have to die?” The answer was simple: Love. In the end, Lee could not resist anymore. He surrendered. “God, you win.” And in that moment, his heart changed. A new heart. A new spirit.
Sometimes Joyce or my children would ask me, “Do you love me?” “Yes,” I say. Then, they would ask, “Why?” “I love you because I love you.” I learned that from the Bible. As we read Deuteronomy 7:7-8: “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples… But it was because the Lord loved you…” It sounds almost circular. But this is true love. Unconditional love. God does not love us because we earned it. Not because we were good enough. No. Just because he loves.
Look to Jesus
So now, how do we live? The message of Hebrews is simple and strong: Look to Jesus. As Tim Keller once said, “The gospel is not just the ABC of the Christian life; it is the A to Z.” We never move beyond Jesus. We keep coming back to him. Are you suffering? Look to Jesus. Are you feeling stuck, not growing? Look to Jesus. Are you drifting, backsliding, trying to find your way home? Look to Jesus. Are you running the race, but feeling weary and tired? Look to Jesus. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. When we look to Jesus, he reorders our lives. He recalibrates our hearts. So we can live again as we were created: Use things. Love people. Worship God.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the good news of Jesus Christ: Because Jesus is our true and better High Priest, we can come to God fully forgiven and made new. So today and every day, let us look to Jesus and live. Amen.
But God
But God did not abandon his people. He kept reaching out in mercy. He sent prophets. He raised judges. He appointed kings. Still, people didn’t listen. They turned to their own selfish, sinful way.
So God, in his grace, gave them a way to deal with sin. In the Old Testament, God established the sacrificial system. When people sinned, they would bring an animal – a lamb, a goat, or a bull – something blameless, something costly. They would place their hands on the head of the animal. It was a confession. A transfer. “My sin… placed on this innocent life.” Then the animal was sacrificed. Blood was shed. It was serious. Because sin is serious. Sin brings death. Every sacrifice was a reminder: “Sin has a cost.” And this happened again and again and again. Day after day. Year after year. The system worked, not because the animal had power, but because God made a promise. God, in His mercy, counted their sins as forgiven.
But this was only a shadow. It pointed to something greater. Even the priests who offered sacrifices were not perfect. They were sinners too. Before they could pray for others, they had to offer sacrifices for themselves. Once a year, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place. It was holy. It was dangerous. Bells were sewn onto his robe so that his movement could be heard as he ministered before the Lord. Everything about this system was saying: “We need a better covenant.” “We need a better priest.”
True and Better
Through the prophets, God gave a promise. A better covenant. A new covenant:
“The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah… I will put my Instructions within them and engrave them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31, 33, CEB)
“I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT)Not just forgiveness on the outside, but transformation from the inside out. When the time had full come, God sent his Son Jesus Christ, our true and better High Priest. Unlike the priests who died and had to be replaced. Jesus lives forever. And because he lives forever, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him. And here is the good news: Jesus did not bring an animal sacrifice. He gave himself. He is both the priest and the sacrifice. On the cross, there was no lamb brought by human hands. He is the Lamb of God. Our sins were not just symbolically transferred. Jesus truly carried all our sins upon himself and took them away. Once. For all. “It is finished.”
So how does God give us a new heart? How does God put a new spirit within us? Through the blood of Christ. When we look to Jesus crucified and believe in him, we are forgiven, we are cleansed, and we are made new. A new heart. A new spirit. A new life.
Just Because
Let me share a true story. There is a man named Lee Strobel, the author of The Case for Christ. He was a journalist. He believed in science and facts. He was skeptical and resistant to faith. His heart was hard. But God did not give up on him. Again and again, God kept reaching out. God protected his daughter in a life-threatening moment. God began to heal his broken relationship with his father. God showed his utmost patience and steadfast love through his wife. Still, Lee resisted. He doubted. He even tried to disprove Christianity. But the more he investigated, the more he found evidence. God’s love kept coming, like waves upon waves. At one point, Lee asked a question: “If Jesus is the Son of God Almighty, why did he have to die?” The answer was simple: Love. In the end, Lee could not resist anymore. He surrendered. “God, you win.” And in that moment, his heart changed. A new heart. A new spirit.
Sometimes Joyce or my children would ask me, “Do you love me?” “Yes,” I say. Then, they would ask, “Why?” “I love you because I love you.” I learned that from the Bible. As we read Deuteronomy 7:7-8: “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples… But it was because the Lord loved you…” It sounds almost circular. But this is true love. Unconditional love. God does not love us because we earned it. Not because we were good enough. No. Just because he loves.
Look to Jesus
So now, how do we live? The message of Hebrews is simple and strong: Look to Jesus. As Tim Keller once said, “The gospel is not just the ABC of the Christian life; it is the A to Z.” We never move beyond Jesus. We keep coming back to him. Are you suffering? Look to Jesus. Are you feeling stuck, not growing? Look to Jesus. Are you drifting, backsliding, trying to find your way home? Look to Jesus. Are you running the race, but feeling weary and tired? Look to Jesus. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. When we look to Jesus, he reorders our lives. He recalibrates our hearts. So we can live again as we were created: Use things. Love people. Worship God.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the good news of Jesus Christ: Because Jesus is our true and better High Priest, we can come to God fully forgiven and made new. So today and every day, let us look to Jesus and live. Amen.
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