<![CDATA[Living Word Evangelical Free Church 1119 Lake Street - Elmira NY 607.733.7883 - LWCBlog]]>Sat, 27 Apr 2024 03:26:21 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Refresh]]>Tue, 21 Jun 2022 18:43:08 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/refreshWhat to do with brokenness as a believer. How do we handle the heaviness of the burden of this sinful world? What do we do when we feel there is no end in sight or that we can’t stand under the weight any longer?
                Some turn to drugs, some turn to medication, while others distract themselves with entertainment. When fully seeking after God we have only one suitable answer to this question, and it is to turn to Him and seek his presence.  But how do we practically do it.
                One of the greatest parts of my day is after I am finished at the church, and pick up the kids from day care, I settle the kids, kiss my wife, and go take a shower. This might seem odd to some that in the middle of my day I would take another shower, possibly wastefully, but it has an amazing effect. It is almost like washing off the stress of the day, cleansing my self of the worry and anxiety, and being able to be fresh for my family. Its almost a time of renewal.
                There is this amazing interaction between Jesus and the apostle Peter in John 13:1-11. On the eve of Jesus’ betrayal, he sits down with His disciples to enjoy one last Passover feast with them before his passion. During the feast Jesus stoops low and begins to wash his disciple’s feet. In this beautiful expression of humility in service, Jesus teaches another valuable lesson on dependence. Peter abruptly shouts, “You shall never wash my feet” Peters intentions were good, he didn’t understand the symbolism in what Jesus was doing. He would not allow this man he called messiah, this man he revered and loved to perform such a lowly task on him.
                Jesus goes on to explain in verses 8-10 that this continual washing was part of having fellowship with him. In verse 10 he states “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean,”
                The “bathed” that is used here describes the cleansing that Christ does at the moment of our salvation. It never needs to be repeated because our atonement is complete at that point. We are justified by His grace, (Romans 5:1;9) and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, (1 Cor 1:30). However, there is this daily cleansing that does need to happen, this foot cleansing so to speak. We are burdened with the heaviness of this sinful world and our own sinful flesh daily. We need the power and presence of Christ to cleanse us and renew us.
                This is the only solution; the only answer is Christ. We need this foot washing. SO how do I apply this. First and foremost, you need to be attached to the vine. Daily walking in step with the Holy Spirit.  You need to be living a lifestyle of repentance. Confessing and repenting and clinging to our savior.
Here is a list of some helpful ideas:
  1. SHUT EVERYTHING OFF - Find time in your day when you can quiet everything, I know it seems tough especially when you have kids and jobs, but this is such a powerful tool. Find time when you can be alone with no distraction. Spend that time weather you carve out 15 minutes or 45 to just be still in conversation with God. When you find, you mind beginning to wander don’t give up just redirect you attention and focus back to him.
  2. GET IN THE WORD- Devotionals can be a great asset, but nothing compares to spending time in God’s word. Make it a priority to spend intentional, meaningful, prayerful time in the scriptures. God’s word is mirror, it shows us where we need to make adjustment. It also renews our minds; God’s word is the source of our truth. As we prepare to go into the world its important that we calibrate our minds for action. The world, the flesh, and the devil will be hitting us from every direction so its important that you have prepared your mind for action.
  3. KEEP YOUR MIND SET ON GOD- Throughout the course of your day will be many distractions. Its important to train your self to be focused on Christ even in the little tasks you preform. Weather it be data entry or house building, remaining in constant contact is vitally important. The Holy Spirit is with you always, be mindful of that. In your mind acknowledge it and remain focused on the Lord and his will.
  4. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY – The apostle Paul commanded us to always pray in Ephesians 6:18 and 1st Thessalonians 5:17. This means to pray frequently and regularly. This might seem like too much of a burden, but the more you do it the easier and more natural it becomes. As thoughts arise, or after conversations pray. When you remember a loved one or co worker pray. This doesn’t mean you drop to your knees and bow your head all the time, but this does imply regular communication and submission to God and his will. You need to carve out time for private prayer as well, but this type of prayer happens throughout your day.
  5. FINISH REFLECTIVLY- Finish your day reflectively, prayerfully go through your day and do an examination. See where God has blessed you and praise and thank him. See where you fell short and confess, if you have wronged someone set your mind to seek forgiveness. If someone wronged you that day, forgive them.
  6. TRUST GOD AND HIS PROMISES- God has given us so many promises I can not write them all in this blog. The ones I cling to daily is that he will never leave me or forsake me, that he is with me always, and that he has given me his Holy Spirit to be with me. One day he will triumph completely over all this world, and we will be free from sin and its corruption, and until then he is leading me as a gentle Shepard until I am taken home. When I trust God and word it makes my battle a lot easier. I have more confidence and rest more easily. The weight of the world is removed from my shoulders, and I receive the fullness of joy that is found in His presence. 
]]><![CDATA[Hebrews 8]]>Mon, 23 May 2022 18:06:01 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/hebrews-8Hebrews chapter 8 continues the writer's explanation for why Jesus, and the new covenant He brings, is superior to the old covenant. In prior chapters, the writer has explained how the Promised One could not have been an angel, but had to be human. The writer has also shown that Jesus, because of His perfect life, is in a position to be the ultimate high priest for all mankind. This especially involves the example of Melchizedek, who was both priest and king, and who was honored by Abraham (Genesis 14). In the prior chapter, this association with Melchizedek included the idea that God had always intended to replace the Levitical priesthood with something greater. This was demonstrated using various Jewish Scriptures (Psalm 110).

 The end of chapter 7 included a description of a priest who was perfect and sinless. This chapter explains that Jesus is this perfect priest, and that He is currently serving in a greater place than some earthly temple. In order to demonstrate this, the writer explains that earthly objects, such as the tabernacle, are intended to be symbols of the "real" covenant with God. Since the promise of the new covenant is heavenly and eternal, it is far better than the old covenant, which fails due to the weakness of humanity (Hebrews 7:19, 23; Romans 7:12).

A major point in favor of this view is that God has predicted this eventual transition. The writer has already cited passages such as Genesis 14 and Psalm 110. Now another Jewish prophet is added in a quote from Jeremiah 31:31–34. There Jeremiah wrote to predict a time in his own future, when God would create a new covenant with His people. This new covenant would be in the minds and hearts of the people, instead of something external and manmade. Since this prediction was given after the issuing of the Levitical priesthood, it must be a reference to something completely separate.

As the writer of Hebrews reasons, why would God replace the old covenant unless it was flawed (Hebrews 7:11; 8:13)? Since the old covenant was obviously flawed due to a dependence on sinful humans, a better covenant needs to be grounded on better promises. Christ's ultimate, finished, perfect work on our behalf is that very thing. This sets the stage for chapter 9, which will explore the relationship between the earthly tabernacle and the heavenly work performed by Jesus Christ.




]]><![CDATA[Hope Through Access]]>Tue, 26 Apr 2022 14:57:01 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/hope-through-access“But on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:19)
 
It is far too easy in the life of a Christian to do something and have no idea why we are doing it. Things get over complicated. As a church we just concluded Lent. Probably the busiest time of the Christian calendar. Schedules are packed full with a “Maundy Thursday” service, “Good Friday,” community outreach and last but not least Easter Sunday. (Not to mention small groups and prayer meetings.  We corporately take time to observe disciplines, like communion, fasting and fellowship. There is a lot going on!
 
Right after encouraging the readers to “leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity” (6:1), the author of Hebrews brings up Melchizedek again, after already doing so just a couple of chapters prior. Why is he going back to it? Why does this mysterious person need to be talked about again? Afterall in the entire Old Testament, all this king got was a few verses from a narrative in Genesis and a mention in a Psalm of David. After that, centuries go by without another word about him!
 
On the other hand, the scriptures tell us a lot about Abraham. He’s the patriarch of God’s chosen people, followed God faithfully and his descendants would go on to be a great nation. But the text tells he was inferior to Melchizedek (7:8). When Abraham crossed paths with him, he gave him “a tenth of the spoils.” (7:4).  Abraham tithed before the instructions on tithing to the Levitical priests even happened. Before Levitical priests even had the chance to descend from Abraham himself.
 
Melchizedek was given the role as a priest. He was a representative from man to the one true God, the same God Abraham had worshipped. He wasn’t born into this position like all the other Old Testament priests (7:6). But because of his righteousness, he was qualified. God has appointed him to this position (5:5). He was an Old Testament picture of what was yet to come in Christ.
 
This was a big deal to the people of Israel! The priests had the most important responsibility of the entire law. They were representatives of the people to God. They made sacrifices to God on their behalf.  Without the priests there would be no atonement for sins. Without atonement there is no hope. There is no hope, because there is no access to God. Since the very beginning, way back in Genesis, God had made this truth very clear: men need representation to access God, as a result of sin. Yet even with that representation a change had to be made. A change in priesthood and the law was coming, because despite all their effort perfection was still not attainable (7:11).
 
Obeying the commands of God written on stone tablets was expected in Exodus. Following kosher rules and regulations throughout the Pentateuch was very important to their faith. Observing the feasts and worshipping God was essential to Israel’s obedience. And throughout the rest of the Old Testament, it becomes very clear to Israel how serious God is about dealing with sin. All the “stuff” they did was important, but without atonement and representation it would not matter. There sin was still there. The people of Israel would end up suffering in exile and losing everything, because of the consequences of their sin. They may have continued attempting to serve God through rules and laws, but they had forgotten why they had done it. “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me…” (Isaiah 29:13)
 
Jesus is a greater Melchizedek. He is a greater representative to God on our behalf. He offers a greater sacrifice. But for what purpose?
 
“For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduces, through which we draw near to God.” (7:18-19)
 
The author of Hebrews meant for this information to be jaw dropping to his ancient Hebrew audience. Abraham, the father of Judaism, paid tithes to Melchizedek. He was greater than Abraham, and Jesus, who they are now learning about, is far greater than Melchizedek! What makes Him so much better? Because he offers “better hope” and an opportunity to “draw near to God.”
 
Don’t lose sight of the purpose. Christ did not step down from heaven so we can be busy. He did not offer himself as a sacrifice for sin so that we could continue to walk in our sinful ways. The author of Hebrews spends a lot of time establishing Christ as our perfect and final priest for a purpose. The purpose is not to feed us with empty knowledge and make us experts in Christological thoughts. Understanding Jesus’ role as a priest is about hope and being close to Jesus. (7:19)
 
We have eternal hope in the fact that through the sacrifice of Christ we have access to God! No matter what you are going through right now, we have a priest that “always lives to make intercession.” (7:25). Yes! Jesus is interceding for you now! Whatever physical pain you are going through, He is interceding. Whatever sickness you are suffering, He is interceding. Whatever sin you are battling, He is interceding! Whatever emotional turmoil you are feeling, He is interceding. And because He is interceding, you have hope. A hope that can be found nowhere else.
 
So be encouraged. Draw near to God! Through Christ we have access, and through access we have hope. He is the “guarantor of a better covenant.” (7:22). Don’t lose sight of what you are doing and why you are doing it. He is the prize! He is the reward! He is our hope! Go to Him in His word, rely on Him in prayer, surround yourself in the fellowship of His people.  Allow Him to pour on you the everlasting fountain of grace in His presence. Rest in the hope we have in our access to God our Father.
]]><![CDATA[From Milk To Food: What is Christian Maturity?]]>Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:57:02 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/from-milk-to-food-what-is-christian-maturityHebrews 6

“Without faith, proximity to God in the fellowship of His covenant is no blessing, rather it subjects apostates to more sever judgement.” (R.C. Sproul).

What a sobering warning the author of Hebrews is giving his audience in chapter six. Contrary to the popular teachings of Sunday Schools, Children’s Church and Youth Groups across the globe, merely professing faith in Jesus doesn’t automatically result in a person’s change eternal destiny. You do not get to repeat some magic words of a preacher and get an instantaneous change in your judicial standing before the Creator of the universe. There will be plenty of people in hell who at some point in time said with their lips “Jesus is Lord.”

I am in no way suggesting that salvation is earned by works. We are saved by faith alone. The only work that saves is the work completed by Christ on the cross, but Jesus Himself taught us that you can learn a lot about a person by their fruit (Matthew 7:21). There will be plenty of people who stand before Him, professing Him to be their Lord. And His response to them will be “I never knew you; depart from me.” (Matthew 7:23).

The author of Hebrews wants the church to demonstrate the genuineness of their faith through perseverance. Specifically, being a mature Christian. He had a higher expectation for them. They should have been further along than they were. They should have a better understanding of Jesus. They should have understood the priestly ministry of Christ, after the order of Melchizedek, but it has become “hard to explain.” (5:11a). Why? Because “you have become dull of hearing.” (5:11b)

Progressing in our faith, allowing the Holy Spirit the sanctify us and increasing in our knowledge of God is a noble task. In fact, it is a necessary task if you are a disciple of Jesus. Our goal should be maturing in our faith. Moving on from milk to solid food (5:12).

But what does maturity look like in the life of the saints? Is it having some kind of rich understanding of all things theological? Is it being an expert in all areas of apologetics? Does it require stopping everything you are doing in life to go to seminary?

In chapter six, the writer makes it clear. Being a mature Christian means demonstrating patient faith.

“And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:11-12)

He gives us the example of Abraham who “patiently waited” and thus “obtained the promise.”

What does a persevering, patient faith look like in the life of the believer?

It trusts in God’s promises.

God made a promise to Abraham. “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” (6:14) Abraham persevered in the faith because he trusted that if God swore to do something, he could rest in the hope that it will be done. Scripture is full of rich promises from God to His people. Promises of provision, protection, salvation, hope, joy… The list could go on forever! An essential part of demonstrating your perseverance and faith, is to truly rely on His promises. Trust in Him through prayer. Seek His guidance through the word. Rest in knowing that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

It trusts in God’s person.

God reveals to His people the “unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie…” (6:17-18) When God makes a promises, He does through two unchangeable things: His word (promises) and Himself. The value of His oath is found in His being. His character provides for us a reason to be encouraged and hopeful (6:18b) in any and all circumstances. The world around us is always changing. The season of life you find yourself in is always changing. The people around you are always changing. But God Himself does NOT change. That means He never ceases to love you. He never ceases to be sovereign over all matters in your life. He never ceases to be there for you. And He never ceases to be faithful to you. “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6).

It trusts in God’s path.

Jesus is the forerunner through which we get to receive an eternal inheritance. (6:19-20). That means if He does not go before us, it is impossible for us to get the place where He goes. If He goes before you, follow Him! Sometimes that path is difficult. Trials arise. Your faith takes a hit. Loved ones get sick. You experience physical turmoil. You lose your job. Your car breaks down. You experience depression and loneliness. These things are real. And your difficulty to endure them is just as real. But do not let that stop you from following Jesus! “We have this sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.” (6:19). When all else fails, there is one anchor alone worthy to be relied on. Stay close to Jesus.

The mature Christian life is more simple than we often think, it is staying close to Jesus. Be a person of patient faith, waiting on Jesus to deliver you. Trust in all His promises. Trust in the nature of His person. And trust in the path He has set before you in this life. Receive the promise of the complete and perfect work of Christ.

Pastor Liam Grzasko
Living Word Church
Elmira, NY
]]><![CDATA[Fasting, what is it and why should i practice it?]]>Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:10:14 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/fasting-what-is-it-and-why-should-i-practice-it​Fasting: What is it, and why should I practice it?
                First things first, nowhere in the New Testament are we commanded to fast. God does not require of it or demand it from us. At the same time the bible describes is as something profitable, beneficial, and good. In the same way that my car will continue to run if I don’t wash or vacuum it, it will be a more pleasurable experience driving when it is clean and vacuumed. It is not necessary for your salvation however it is extraordinarily profitable for you and your sanctification.
                So, what is fasting? Fasting in scripture is almost always in reference to abstaining from food for a short period of time and turning your attention and devotion during that period completely and totally to God. In its fullness fasting can be anything given up temporarily to focus all our attention on God.  (In first Corinthians 7 we see abstaining from sexual relations with your partner is a type of fast.)
                Fasting should be planned as a limited set time. Too much time without food can be detrimental to your health. Fasting is not about punishing your flesh or your body. It is meant as a time to redirect your focus on God.
                David Mathis explains in his article “Fasting for Beginners” That, “We fast in this life because we believe in the life to come. We don’t have to get it all here and now, because we have a promise that we will have it all in the coming age. We fast from what we can see and taste, because we have tasted and seen the goodness of the invisible and infinite God — and are desperately hungry for more of him.”
                When we take our eyes off the things of this world and the desires of our flesh, we can more totally turn our focus to Christ. We do not fast because it will manipulate God into giving us what we want, because the act of fasting changes us and not God. We do not fast to appear to be more holy or spiritual than others. Fasting needs to be from a place of humility and with a joyful attitude. Matthew 6:16-18 says “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
                Why do we fast? As mentioned before, we fast to turn all of our attention more completely to God. Its not a diet plan or some religious duty. It’s done from a place of recognizing the full sufficiency and supremacy of God.  The purpose of a biblical fast is to gain a deeper fellowship with God.
                Fasting is almost always linked to prayer. In the book of acts we see the believers prayed and fasted before they made any important decision. (Acts 13:2; 14:23). Fasting is not about abstaining rather about drawing close in prayer and worship. It’s important to replace the time you would be eating or enjoying the things of this world with prayer and drawing closer. I am attaching a link to David Mathis’ article that will help you to start fasting!
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners
Blessings In Christ
Pastor Max.
]]><![CDATA[Hebrews 5: Our High Priest]]>Mon, 14 Mar 2022 04:00:00 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/hebrews-5-our-high-priestHebrews chapter 5 continues the thoughts of the end of chapter 4. The end of chapter 4 explains that because Jesus was also human, he was uniquely qualified to sympathize with our human weakness. Since he was tempted and tried like us in every way. In the beginning of chapter 5 the writer explains that priests are chosen from men and need to be able to emphasize with the people so that they can make sacrifices for the sins of themselves and the people. Only because Jesus was fully human was, he qualified to fill this role.

The writer quotes psalm 2 and psalms 110 again in order to show that Jesus did not just take this position as high priest, but that God appointed him to it. While Jesus was in his flesh he prayed, knowing that God was the only source of power and salvation.

The writer also explains the path Christ took and the path we must take as well. Christ learned obedience through what he suffered. Christ did not need to suffer to correct any disobedience in him, but it was just like his temptation. It was to confirm his humanity and to fulfill all righteousness. Through his sufferings he proved to be the perfect sacrifice for all humanity and be able to stand in our place. In his sufferings he could now sympathize with our weakness, yet as he was perfected and sinless, he was able to take the wrath of God in out place and impute his righteousness to us. (Romans 3:24-26).

In his perfection he is able to be the source of salvation to all who obey him.

There is also included a warning about stagnation. As believers we are called to continually be going in our relationship to Christ. Our responsibility is to feast upon God’s word and grow in our understanding. It is very dangerous to be satisfied with just the basics. When we get fundamentals down and just stop learning it is very easy to be led astray by every new wind of teaching.

Chapter 5 Solidifies the end of chapter 4. Jesus as our great high priest. Not only can he save you from damnation, but he can also deal gently with you (vs 2).

The good news is our God can relate to us in every way. He is not some abstract concept that has no concern for his creation, rather he is a personal, relational, loving, empathizing Priest, who lives to make supplications for you.

When you are beset by your own weakness, Jesus is there. He is waiting for you to draw near. He is eager to comfort and help and strengthen you to be victorious.

Pastor Max Myers
Living Word Evangelical Free Church
Elmira, NY

]]><![CDATA[Hebrews 4: Exposed and Unashamed]]>Mon, 07 Mar 2022 05:00:00 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/hebrews-4-exposed-and-unashamedWhen I first started my higher education at Davis College, the ministry training school where I met and became great friends with Pastor Liam, I freely and sorely admit that I had very little interest in reading my bible on my own time. After all, the holy, infallible, fully sufficient word of God was one of my textbooks! The bible became a great source of head information, but not of soul transformation. I loved Jesus, but I certainly didn’t love his Word. It felt like a chore to carve time out of my day to spend reading and meditating on scripture. Maybe you can relate to that.

What changed my walk with Jesus forever was that in my second year of school, I met my future wife, Angelina. Angelina had a sweet, gentle spirit, a beautiful singing voice, and a kind heart. There was really only one problem with her: she knew WAY more about the bible than I did! As a matter of fact, her passion and love and regard for the Word was intimidating to me. As silly as it sounds, it was my desire for her that led me to kickstart my bible reading, because I knew I didn’t have a shot with her if I didn’t.

Sitting down and reading the word of God every morning was a chore at first, but as I continued to read it every single day, this task turned into the greatest treasure of my days. I felt myself being encouraged, challenged, and convicted. I started seeing things in my own heart and mind and actions that were inconsistent with God’s character that I hadn’t seen before. This ancient book was shaping my soul and speaking into my life on a daily basis. Slowly but surely, God was transforming me from the inside out through his word.

Our call as followers of Jesus is to be transformed continually into his likeness. This is not an immediate change that happens upon salvation, but a continual process over the course of our whole lives called sanctification, and our sanctification is one of the greatest proofs that our salvation is genuine. But how can we be transformed if we don’t know what God requires? And if we don’t know what God requires, how will we see the inconsistency in our own lives? And if we can’t see the inconsistency, how will we ever be transformed? The author of Hebrews puts it this way:

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
Hebrews 4:12-13

When you read scripture, something deeper is happening than a cognitive experience. Let’s stop and consider that phrase, “discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,”. When you read the bible, the bible is actually reading you. It exposes our deepest desires, the roots of our actions, the intentions of our hearts. The very next verse takes this idea a step further when it uses the word exposed. In the original language of the book of Hebrews, the word we translate exposed is defined this way:

“to bend back the neck of a victim to be slain”

This invokes an image of someone standing behind us, thrusting our heads upwards to expose our necks, and laying a sword to it. What this ought to invoke in us is a sense of nakedness and vulnerability before God. As we read the word of God, the most vulnerable parts of our souls are laid bare before Him and before ourselves. The Word of God gives you eyes to see what God sees in you. Oftentimes we are blind to our failing, blind to our shortcomings, and yet God sees clearly the most vulnerable, ugly, shameful parts of your soul and heart, and the word of God helps us to see those things in truth. The word exposes the reality of who we truly are without a filter. It was author and pastor A.W. Tozer that once said, “An honest man with an open bible and a pad and pencil is sure to find out what is wrong with him very quickly.” How true this rings.

The problem, then, is that when we are laid bare by the word of God, it can cause us to feel a great deal of guilt and shame. We see the darkness in our lives and our natural reaction is to run like Adam and Eve and cover up our shame with some fig leaves. However, this is not how God has designed for us to live! He has not laid you bare to mock or punish or shame you for your downfalls.

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:14-16

We all have this nasty habit of running as far from the throne of God as we can when we see sin and failure in our lives, but God has called us to draw near. Why? Because the Jesus we serve experienced every temptation you did. My Jesus was tempted with rage, tempted with lust, tempted with pride, tempted with greed, tempted with bitterness, tempted with selfishness, and so when I come to him with my failures, I come to a Jesus that gets it, and has compassion for me. Our Savior is no stranger to our vices. Remember, it is not the great white throne of judgement that we are called to draw near to, but the throne of grace, to receive mercy for our failures, and grace to be overcomers in the future.

My encouragement to you today is this: read God’s word daily with purpose, that purpose being to obey God more fully. Take time to reflect on what you’ve read. Where the word exposes your weakness, bring it to God in prayer. When you fall into sin, approach the throne for mercy. When you feel tempted, approach the throne for grace. The call of Jesus today is for you to confidently step out of the darkness and drag your sin and weakness before Him in the light of his grace.


Jesse Kirkpatrick
Associate Pastor
Christian Church of Estes Park
]]><![CDATA[Hebrews 3: True Rest]]>Mon, 28 Feb 2022 05:00:00 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/hebrews-3-true-rest
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Hebrews 3
There are few things I enjoy more than resting. It allows me time to recharge and relax. Hebrews chapter 3 deals primarily with Jesus, as the rest for the wanderers in the desert that they missed when they were following Moses. It’s the rest that everyone in the world needs. A rest from striving for perfection. A rest from anxiety, fear, and doubt.


The writer of Hebrews now focuses on Jesus’ supremacy to the greatest prophet of Judaism, Moses. Moses was the man who “spoke with God, face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Ex. 33:11). Moses was the one whom the came though to the people, and to the people of Israel the Law and Moses were synonymous. Even as great as Moses was, Jesus is far greater, of infinitely greater importance. Moses was just part of God plan, just a part of the community or house that was being built. (Heb 3:2-5)

The writer now draws the attention of the readers and us to consider Jesus. To give complete and total attention to the superiority of Christ. The law cannot save, religious effort cannot accomplish what Christ has won for us on the cross. Only through Christ can we experience the fullness of Gods plan for us.

Moses was simply a man used by God to point to Christ. He worked in cooperation with God to prepare for Christ coming. Now we can experience the fullness of rest that God has promised. There is a stern warning in this passage to not miss what God has provided by being distracted with something else. God has called you through Jesus to salvation. Don't let your flesh your your worldly mind distract you from this truth. There is no other way except that which goes through Christ.


Matthew 11:28-30 says “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus is callus to find rest from our fruitless and unending effort to save our selves by our own works. Specifically, here in Hebrews, to be saved from the requirements of the law. In our spiritual poverty it is impossible to ever achieve what the law demands, and until you realize your own efforts won’t save you, you will continue to wander with a heavy burden.
The call is to come fully to Christ. To find “rest for our souls”. To permanently rest in God’s grace offered through Christ that is apart from works.

My prayer is that everyone who reads this will truly experience what is taught n this passage. There is a rest for your weary wanderer. Where the outcome is not based on your actions or achievements. You can take the gloves of and stop fighting in your own power and rest in our beautiful savior.

Pastor Max Myers
Living Word Evangelical Free Church
Elmira, NY

]]><![CDATA[Hebrews 2: "You can build a Christian Empire without God"]]>Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:00:00 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/hebrews-2-you-can-build-a-christian-empire-without-godYou Can Build A Christian Empire Without God."
​“Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, let we drift away from it.” Hebrews 2:1

“You can build a Christian empire without God.” (KB, The Art of Drifting.)

That lyric should terrify you. Maybe you don’t classify our small church that has had an average attendance in the 30’s since the pandemic as a “Christian Empire.” Whether or not you realize it, you are part of building something, not just in your local church.

Your life is building something. At your home when you are sitting around the dinner table, you are building something. When you go to work, complete tasks, and converse with coworkers, you are building something. At school, the way you carry yourself from class to class is part of building something. You are building a culture, a reputation, a way of life. Hopefully if you classify yourself as a follower of Christ, whatever it is that you are building you would consider to be “Christian.” This does NOT mean you are doing it with God.

The author of Hebrews thought it very important that his readers have a proper
understanding about the person of Jesus. It was a matter of life or death. He later instructs them to “leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity…” (6:1).

Why does all this information matter? Why does the author find it necessary that we understand Christ’s superiority over angels? Or that we understand something like the personal union of two natures in one person (1:3)? He gives the answer to start chapter 2: that we would not drift away from it. What is “it”? It is the message spoken to us by the Son (1:2) and the angels (2:2). The message that His conquering of death makes purification for sins, that He ascended to heaven and is eternally worthy of your worship (1:3-4). You are doing either one of two things. As you progress throughout your life as a Christian, you can be paying closer attention to the gospel message that saved you, learning to adore and praise Jesus more and more as God reveals more knowledge of Him to you, or you can be drifting away from it. We don't get the sense from the passage that the author believes you could be remaining in the same place.

Time and time again, we have seen teachers, preachers, musicians and “Christians” in all areas of life, fall short of their calling. We have seen it personally, and we have seen it on a large scale. People in the spotlight, selling out stadiums, selling books, etc.… getting caught in sin with an unwillingness to repent. Drifting away from the gospel that saves. The gospel they know and have heard time and time again, even taught to people thousands of times. Yet losing the person of Christ throughout the process, never growing in their knowledge and intimacy of their Savior.

You may have heard this message before. You know about the gospel, about Jesus, even have dozens of verses memorized. You may have been a Christian 40 years, maybe just 4. Hebrews reminds us that we are not safe. You are never safe from temptations to sin. As long as you are in the flesh, temptation and sin is real and we must fight against it.

Jesus is the destroyer of the devil (2:14). He satisfied the wrath of God that we deserve because of our sin by being our propitiation (2:17). Hebrews is teaching us this: how can you expect to escape punishment for your sins if you neglect the message that saves you?

Paying “much closer attention” to the person and work of Jesus should be the highest priority in your life at all times. Having a right thinking about Christ matters. Deepening our understanding of what God reveals to us in scripture matters. We say in Sunday School every week “doctrine matters.” Bobby Jamieson stated, “Sound doctrine isn’t an information archive that serves to preserve facts. Rather, it’s a road map for our pilgrimage from this world to the world to come.” (Sound Doctrine, 18)

So on your pilgrimage to the world to come, what are you building? Are the things you are involved with and doing paying “closer” attention to Jesus? Or are you drifting away from it? You can be drifting and not even notice. You can be building a “Christian empire without God.” That is a terrifying reality in the world we live. Stay close to Him and His message. Preach the gospel to yourself daily. Love and prioritize quality Bible intake. Study the word. Meditate on scripture. Redeem the wasted hours of your days. Repent of your drifting. His person is mysterious, and His works are majestic. He is the source of our sanctification. Stay close to the God who sent His own Son for the sake of drawing you to Himself. Pay closer attention to the gospel today than you did yesterday.

Pastor Liam Grzasko
Living Word Evangelical Free Church
Elmira, NY.]]><![CDATA[Hebrews Chapter 1]]>Mon, 14 Feb 2022 05:00:00 GMThttp://livingwordefc.com/lwcblog/hebrews-chapter-1
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In this series on the Book of Hebrews, we will be surveying through each chapter. Our prayer is that you will find this as a helpful tool to use as your work your way through this book!
 
Hebrews Chapter 1
 
The book as well as this chapter starts by solidifying the fact that God does indeed speak to His creation. God is a personal God who desires not only for his creation to know Him, but also for His creation to know His will. His primary source of His communication was through prophets, but now as the writer establishes the supremacy of Christ, He has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus.
 
The author of Hebrews now transitions into the person of Christ and his supremacy over all created things. We learn 6 unique descriptions of Jesus

  1. He has been appointed heir of all things. Meaning everything that exists will eventually come under the authority and control of Jesus.
  2. Though Jesus God created the world. He was with God in the beginning and was the agent of Gods creation. (John 1:3) Nothing has come into creation without it coming into creation through Christ. (Col 1:15-19)
  3. He is the radiance of Gods glory, literally the shining light of Gods glory. He radiates God’s glory
  4. The exact imprint of his nature. This phrase refers to an engraving of something. Just like George Washington’s depiction on a coin imprint of him, So Jesus is the exact nature and substance as God.  John 14:9 Jesus says “anyone who has seen me has seen the Father”
  5. He upholds the created universe by the word of his power.
  6. He purified our sins through His death and resurrection. Now he sits at the place of authority at Gods right hand.
Vs 4 can be confusing unless you understand the verb being used “having become”. It can make it seem like after Jesus lived, sacrificed, and resurrected, only then did he become superior to angels. However, as John MacArthur explains “The Greek verb used here refers to a change of state, not a change of existence. The Son in his divine essence has eternally existed, but for a while he was made lower than the angles (2:9) and afterward was exalted to an infinitely higher position by virtue of what he had accomplished in his redemptive work.”
 
Verse 5 cites Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14. These verses prove that Jesus is not the same as an angle but is rather named as “the Son of God”.
 
6-7 Teach us that angels are servant beings. They were created to worship and to serve God and act in the way that God commands them to. The angels have no authority of their own.
 
Verses 8 through 14 Jesus is revealed to be eternal and unchanging. Deserving to be worshiped rather than to worship others. The distinction between Christ and angels are clear.

Pastor Max Myers
Living Word Evangelical Free Church
Elmira, NY
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