December 2005 chaplain's corner
The Chaplain's Corner is a monthly message for chaplains.
Chaplain’s Corner – December 9, 2005
Rev. Rich Hines
Tell Your Inmates That Christmas Means
Jesus Came To Save His People From Sin and Death
This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as
their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain in a jail, prison
or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.
All Scripture quotes are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the
Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson,
Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a
text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs ().
These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages,
or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s
culture. ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize a text, or to make
a comment about a biblical text.
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. On that subject I have
some Biblical thoughts for you and your inmates to consider.
Matthew 1:21 says God’s message to Joseph, Mary’s husband - about the
supernaturally conceived Child in her womb, was: “… you shall call His name
Jesus (the actual name means Savior), for He will save HIS PEOPLE from their
sins.”
When God became human and was born as the Child Jesus, the ONLY SAVIOR from sin
entered this world. As Savior of “HIS PEOPLE,” He not only came to purchase
their redemption from sin, but also to deliver them from death.
Sin and death are inseparably linked. In the final analysis, physical death is
not a medical problem. Rather, it’s a spiritual problem. All forms of death are
a reality because of the reality of sin. Jesus, the Lord of Glory, is the only
Savior from sin and death.
2 Timothy 1:10 has a reference to Christmas. It calls Jesus’ arrival on planet Earth
His “appearing.” But the verse also gives us the PURPOSE of His coming to
Earth. Note it:
10 … the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, WHO HAS ABOLISHED DEATH AND
BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL,
He appeared so that He would abolish death and guarantee immortal life –
through HISTORICAL GOSPEL FACTS.
1 Corinthians 15 is all about those facts and their results. The gospel facts
are the historical death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (see 1 Cor. 15:1-4). Part of the results accomplished by Jesus’
death and resurrection are stated in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57:
54 … “Death is swallowed up in VICTORY.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your VICTORY?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us (believers) the
VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ.
These verses stress that Jesus’ gospel accomplished VICTORY over sin and death.
So tell your inmates that Christmas ultimately means Jesus came to save HIS
PEOPLE FROM SIN AND DEATH. But also tell them “His people” are all those and
ONLY those that turn from sin and put their trust in the gospel of His death
and resurrection to save them.
The Bible further describes Jesus’ people as His children. Quoting Jesus, God
the Son, Who became the Christ – Hebrews 2:13 says:
… “Here am I and the CHILDREN (meaning human believers) whom God
(meaning the Father) has given Me.”
Then in verses 14 and 15, the Spirit directed writer picked up on the theme of
Christ and His “CHILDREN.” Again remember, these CHILDREN are “His people.”
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of (have taken part in) FLESH
AND BLOOD, He Himself (Jesus, God the Son) LIKEWISE SHARED (to have together
with or to share in) IN THE SAME,
But, why? Verse 14 continues: …
that (literally, in order that) through death (as a flesh and blood human
being) He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
(the power of death is connected to Satan’s role as tempter to sin, which
always produces death)
15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject
to bondage.
God became a flesh and blood human so that He could die a substitutionary
human death. Through that one death, Jesus both DESTROYED the arch-enemy Satan,
and RELEASED His people. Both of these verbs point to this being a one time
act. In other words at the point of His death, Jesus destroyed the devil’s
power over His people and released them from their greatest fear. Let me go a
bit deeper to explain this.
In verse 14, the actual meaning of the Spirit chosen word translated “DESTROY”
is “to reduce to inactivity,” or “to render inoperative.” Therefore, the
meaning of the verse is that through His one death, Jesus made the tempter
Satan, inoperative in the life of those that would become His people or His
children. Now that’s something to celebrate!
Echoing Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8b says:
8 … For this purpose the Son of God was manifested (made visible and known - or
we could paraphrase it, “this is why Jesus came”), (in order) that He might
destroy the works of the devil.
The word DESTROY here in 1 John 3:8 is a little
different. It means, “to loose, to free from.” So the
testimony of God is that Jesus came to earth to both render the devil inoperative
in His children’s lives AND to free believers from his works. Those works would
include his temptations to sin and his deceptive lies. Remember, the devil is
the father of all lies and was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44).
The sentence that began in Hebrews 2:14 continues in
verse 15. It tells us that Jesus RELEASED those that fully trust Him as their
Lord and Savior, from the fear of death. This word means He FREED them, He broke the chains of their dread of death. As the Scripture teaches in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, He took the
sting out of death for them.
So Jesus, the Christ, came to Earth to save believers from sin’s judgment and
death, even the worst death - eternal death.
With all that in mind I want to briefly comment on what I consider to be a
vital Christmas text. It’s found in Hebrews 10:1-14. It would be good for you
to give this message to the inmates. In this passage, there are three logical
points.
The FIRST POINT is in verses 1-4.
1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very
image of the things can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer
continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once
purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away
sins.
The main point of these first four verses is WHAT RELIGION COULD NOT DO. It
could never “TAKE AWAY SINS.” It could never PURIFY the sinner from the inner
stain and guilt of sin. That being a fact, the NEXT logical POINT is found in
verses 5-9.
5 THEREFORE, when He came (or, was entering) into the world, (or you could say,
‘As Christmas was happening’) HE (Jesus) SAID: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no
pleasure (literally, ‘approval’).
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come – in the volume of the book it is written
of Me – to do Your will, O God.’ ”
8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings
for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered
according to the law),
9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the
first that He may establish the second.
The point of these verses is - WHY JESUS CAME and WHAT HE WAS WILLING TO DO. The WHY question is answered in TWO PARTS.
FIRST, He came because God’s holy justice was not satisfied with animal
sacrifices. That’s the clear meaning of verses 5, 6 and 8. They only pictured
the one death that would totally satisfy the justice of God. That forever and
only is the one death of the true Lamb – the God-Man Jesus.
SECOND, He came to establish a new covenant, a new testament, a new way of
worship. And, if He has established a new sacrificial system, then the old
sacrifices must be done away with. That’s the meaning of verse 9.
And WHAT was Jesus WILLING to do? Verses 7 and 9 stress that
He was willing to do the Father’s eternal will. He was willing to suffer
and die a horrible human death for sinners! In verse 5, He fully understood
that was why the Father prepared Him a human body.
The THIRD and final point in this wonderful text is – WHAT JESUS CAME AND DID.
You could say “WHAT THE FIRST CHRISTMAS SET IN MOTION.”
Make sure the inmates and staff understand He didn’t
come to earth to be celebrated JUST AS A BABE IN A MANGER. Rather, He came to
offer the full and final offering for the sins of His people.
10 By that will we have been sanctified through the OFFERING of the BODY OF
JESUS CHRIST ONCE FOR ALL.
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ( note the echo of verse 4)
12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down
at the right hand of God,
13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.
14 For by one OFFERING He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
According to this last part of our Christmas passage - Jesus’ people, the ones
the Father gave Him, also called His “children,” have been sanctified and are
yet being sanctified by His one offering. Sanctification literally means, “to set apart.” In verses 10 and 14 it speaks of the
separation by God unto salvation from sin.
“We have been sanctified through the OFFERING of the BODY OF JESUS CHRIST ONCE
FOR ALL. …For by one OFFERING He has perfected forever those who are being
sanctified.”
At first reading, that sounds like a contradiction. Are true believers
sanctified and saved or are they not yet fully sanctified and saved? The answer
is, “BOTH!”
LEGALLY, His people have been separated from the righteous judgment on their
sins once and for all. It’s a finished act with ongoing results. That’s in
verse 10. But PRACTICALLY, according to verse 14, His people are in a process
of being removed and set apart from sin - gradually by the work of His Spirit
who dwells within them.
Both of these benefits are forever based on HIS ONE OFFERING, in contrast to
the many repeated offerings of the Old Testament Jewish priests – which could
not in themselves take away any sin. That’s why the sons of Aaron, the Old
Testament Jewish priests, never sat down. Their job was never finished. But
after Jesus offered His single sacrifice, He sat down – forever!
So the clear testimony of the Scripture is that Jesus fully accomplished the
salvation of His people through His one offering at the cross. Christmas – when
it rightly celebrates His entry into the world FOR THIS SALVATION PURPOSE is
therefore, wonderful!
But who, other than a truly saved child of God, could rightly celebrate the
salvation He came to accomplish for believers alone? The obvious answer is “no
one.”
To truly experience the blessing of Christmas, one has to be born into God’s
family through God-given repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Then, and only
then, one can truly say from their heart, “Thanks be
to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15)
Teach this to your inmates. Pray that inmates would be truly drawn to Christ
this Christmas so that they could truly celebrate His appearing – to the glory
of His grace!
Rich Hines,
Minister To