Last Sunday, I was out of town visiting my daughter
and her family and I attended Sunday School
and church with them.
Normally, I love their Sunday School class.
I love hearing what their Sunday School
teacher, Dan, presents to us.
It always seems to be thought provoking and
either relevant to what I have been studying myself, or
it's something I need to hear. And I'm meaning something I
need to hear - as in - something that speaks to my heart
and convicts me of an area in which I need
to change, not something that soothes me and makes
me comfortable exactly where I am.
Last Sunday was different.
Dan was not there.
There was a substitute.
This substitute was a very sharply dressed man.
His suit looked to be custom made, his shoes were shiny
and his shirt was professionally pressed. He was sharp!
He looked sharp! And when he spoke it was
obvious that his message was well prepared and
he knew what he was talking about.
He talked about Jesus as our
high priest and how he was an advocate who
could speak to God on our behalf.
The man was an eloquent speaker and the
message was well delivered.
But - I was disappointed!
Why?
Because, as a mere human being if I were
to go and speak to a priest, I would
feel the need to get up, get dressed, fix my
hair and put some make up on.
I would have to make myself presentable!
And I see Jesus as much more than that.
Jesus - the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords,
is sooooo much more than our high priest!
Yes - he is our high priest and our advocate.
But - he is also our BROTHER and FRIEND.
When we become children of God,
we become joint heirs with Jesus.
He's our BROTHER.
Our BROTHER is THE KING!
We can be comfortable talking to him,
as our brother, while wearing pajamas.
We are SIBLINGS!
Siblings are often required to
work together..... to clean a room....
to muck a stall.... to clean the yard.....
clean the garage.... or even
to minister to those in need!
As they work together, they get dirty.
They sweat! They become unpresentable.
AND
Jesus is much more approachable than
a high priest. He's a FRIEND. And as our
friend, we can come to him AS WE ARE
and he will help us become who we
were meant to be.
This eloquent speaker.... this important,
well dressed man, failed to present
that part of the message.
However, had Dan been teaching,
that is exactly what I would have
expected to hear.
Because Dan doesn't just teach us about
what he knows. He teaches us
about who he knows.
And it's WHO you know
that matters.
And while this is a true story about my own experience, Dan could
be anybody. I actually cannot even remember what Dan looks like. I don't know
if he wears jeans or slacks or if his shirt is wrinkled or pressed. I can't even tell you
the color of his hair..... or if he has hair!
All I know is that when I walk away from that classroom after
hearing Dan teach - I am thinking of Jesus.
And I think that's how it should be.
