Living in the Spirit
November 11, 2015

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:11-14

And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, ‘he sat down at the right hand of God’, and since then has been waiting ‘until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.’ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

This is a curious scripture, exactly who is Jesus expecting to make his enemies a footstool for his feet? Jesus came to earth God incarnate, demonstrated the way of God, taught those who chose to follow his way how to show others the way, and in so doing sacrificed his own live to make God’s kingdom a reality. So, who were those enemies that were getting in the way blocking it from being followed by all?

Some of the religious leaders of the day were so caught up in their own self-importance that they were identified by Jesus as stumbling blocks for others. Some like the rich young ruler wanted the benefits of the way but did not what to make the investment of himself necessary to attain them. Some, within the disciples, jostled for roles of importance rather than being servants to all. Sounds a lot like today doesn’t it.

Loving God and loving one another is a lot harder than it sounds. It takes our getting out of the way of other people’s progress toward God. It takes the investment of our whole being: body, mind, and soul. It takes humility and hunger for righteousness. Jesus left us with all the tools all the resources we need to bring about the Kingdom of God including his abiding presence and guidance but it will only happen when it is the most important thing in our collective lives.

Prayer: Lord remold and make us not your enemies but your disciples, guide the work of our hands and the love of our hearts toward the fulfillment of your Kingdom. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized  
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.