Sunday, July 18, 2010

Jesus Is

Featured Writer-Ryan Burchett

I was reading over Hebrews 3:1-6 today and I noticed the 'title' of this section...."Jesus Greater than Moses." As I read on through verses 1-6, I came to a particular verse, v. 3, which really stuck out.

Having just graduated from Texas Tech with my Architecture degree, this verse stuck out because it most clearly illustrates the true supremacy of Christ. Well, what do I mean by that? Jesus was always teaching and preaching to the Pharisees, as well as the people of that time, that He was the one and only way. His ways were right and true. His teachings were it. But so many people still worshiped other gods, or they still manipulated Christ's very teachings to fit what THEY BELIEVED or what THEY FELT was right. Then as we look a little closer into that picture, we realize it’s not just a painting illustrating an image of attitudes and beliefs from times past, but rather it is a mirror of how our society is today.

We live in a society that believes in so many things which are foreign to the solid truths which Jesus taught. Society has abandoned what Jesus taught because it doesn't feel or believe that Jesus' teachings are either correct, logical, or relevant today. So how does society, better yet the world, handle this situation? Why, just like they did in Biblical times of course.....my forming a new 'truth' which goes against Christ and His teachings and which states that Christ is NOT the authority and Christ is NOT the truth.

This idea, over time, has slowly begun to creep into our very own churches. Churches which once stood for Christ's teachings are now implementing their own feelings and beliefs because they feel that theirs are right and/or better than the original.

Hebrews 3:3, particularly, suggests otherwise: "Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself."

What does this mean? How does this apply to us today? The answer to that is simple.

Think of famous American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. He is one of the most famous and well-known architects of ALL time and for good reason. His architecture revolutionized the field, no doubt. When we see an old project of Mr. Wright's, even if it's falling apart, we don't call it by a certain name or title, but rather, we identify it and hold it in high regard because it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Or think of Leonardo da Vinci. Archaeologists could uncover some of my old writings and drawings from past architecture studios and simply toss them aside, never to look at them again, because I am the one who did them. However, if those same writings and drawings were done by Leonardo da Vinci, they'd be worth millions. Why? Not because of the content, but simply because they were done by da Vinci.

The point being for this evening, we can try billions of different ways to re-invent Jesus' teachings. We can re-word them; we can remove things to fit our own agendas, beliefs, or feelings. We can do whatever we please....and God will let us, to a point. But who are we to say that OUR way, OUR feelings, and OUR beliefs are superior to Christ's? We're NOT!

Jesus Christ is the originator and His Word is the original truth and authority. Let's be sure we stick with it.