Behold, I make all things new!
Hebrews 13:7-17
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings; for it is well for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by regulations about food, which have not benefited those who observe them. 10We have an altar from which those who officiate in the tent have no right to eat. 11For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. 13Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured. 14For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls and will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with sighing — for that would be harmful to you.
Nothing but Jesus
If you want to follow Christ, you must come to terms with nothingness. We don’t like nothing. We prefer something. Truthfully, we seem to be steeped in somethings—air, ground, chairs, computers, people, things—things that, in the words of the writer of Hebrews, would be called our city. But life as a Christian begins when we admit that, outside of Jesus, nothingness is all there is. We try to build great towers to heaven, successful careers, wealthy companies, beautiful cities—the problem is, it is we who are trying to do these things. Everything we build is like sand that crumbles at the smallest tide. Jesus, on the other hand, is eternal and mighty. What He makes is of a different sort.
The author of Hebrews writes, “For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city to come.” (Verse 14). With this mindset, we find ourselves living with and as the outsiders – outside the camp – who seem to have nothing. The insiders have food, security, and fancy temples. Yet it is with these who live outside the city gate, so to speak, the ones who have nothing, that Jesus chose to build the city to come.
Nothing is a great thing to be. Jesus makes something out of nothing, and He is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not try to build a life for yourself, for it will pass. Let Jesus do the work. You will forget and start laying city walls that the Holy Spirit will have to knock down, but don’t worry: it is well for the heart to be strengthened by grace (verse 9). When you forget that you are God’s beautiful nothingness, remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you (verse 7), and seek the forgiving community of Beloved nobodies. With them you will begin to see the city to come, the city Jesus sees.
God of all things, turn us toward you when we are tempted to build our lives alone. Orient us to your loving and steadfast foundation. Amen.
Seminarian Ollie Bergh – Associate Chaplain, Providence Alaska Medical Center, Anchorage