29 January 2010
Psalm 40, 54; Gen. 17:15-27; Heb. 10:11-25; John 6:1-15

Abraham is obedient to the covenant provisions in faith. His intercession on behalf of Ishmael speaks well of the man and God hears that intercession and makes promises concerning the fruitfulness of Ishmael but the covenant will be with and through the son with Sarah. This is the first time God has spoken of Sarah as the vessel through which the child will come, and Abraham sees the folly of this idea and laughs. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist had such an encounter with God and heard a word that he could not believe either.

Philip doesn’t answer questions any better than the paralytic in John 5. Jesus asks where they can get food for the multitude and Philip doesn’t answer that question because in his mind that isn’t the primary question. His concern is where the money to buy such a feast would come from. Some commentators, disbelieving in miracles in their rationalism, have said that what really happened here is that Jesus’ faith in offering the little food the boy had spurred the crowd to share what they had and so everyone had enough to eat. That makes no sense of the rest of the story. The people saw the sign and began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’ As the passage ends Jesus sees they are going to make Him king for this sign and withdraws. Could teaching people to share issue forth in these reactions?

The writer ends his argument about Jesus being superior to anything else with the point that Jesus has entered into the rest of God by sitting down at the right hand of the Father after His work was done while earthly priests continue to stand as their work is not done. As he finishes the argument, we find the word, therefore. Since the foregoing is true, it has to have a meaning for us. The implications begin with approaching the throne with confidence, holding fast to the confession, provoking one another to good deeds and continuing to meet together. Our faith in Him is meant to provide us with the strength and hope to live anew and to have community with others who hold the faith. He is our hope, our strength and our confidence. Do we have the faith William Carey spoke of in attempting great things for God and expecting great things from God?

May all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, "Great is the LORD!"