Jesus is the true and better...

Ran across this in a Keller talk...

Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.

Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God.

Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, "Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me," now we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, "Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us."

Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.

Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.

Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.

Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God's justice, now gives us water in the desert.

Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.

Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people's victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn't just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn't just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.

Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.

Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He's the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

The Bible's really not about you – it's about him.

a secret

"the obviously well kept secret of the "ordinary" is that it is made to be a receptacle of the divine" -dallas willard

funny (sarcastic) how I can consistently forget the gospel. forget in the sense that I seem to not intersect with it daily, weekly, hourly - while in reality I do, i just have an orientation other than what I desire to have. i forget that a divine footnote lurks after every word on every page in this Story that we are all living in.
reading the story of the harlot in luke 7, i find myself in the pharisees place - thinking I have it "more together" than them over there. As we heard on Sunday night, the Gospel - while for everyone - is not to be thought of as only being needed by my neighbor who doesn't cut their "grass".

HOME GATHERING
if you are new to the gathering (or old), we are so thankful you have been coming around - I hope to see you at the Home Gathering this Thursday night. see our calendar for more info on the event (link is on the right)

Old man

I was praying for some of you this morning, noted no one has been here in a while and thought I might post. This came to mind:

"Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.

Old man look at my life,
Twenty four
And there's so much more
Live alone in a paradise
That makes me think of two.

Love lost, such a cost,
Give me things that don't get lost.
Like a coin that won't get tossed
Rolling home to you.

Old man take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true."

It is at least thirty years since I heard first heard this song. I was about 24 and I thought, "Is he crazy, we are nothing like those old people?!"

Now as I substitute 51 (even though that does not rhyme with 'more') for 24 and sing it, it rings very true. I am alot like an 81 year old. I need someone to love me the whole day through. I need to get things that don't get lost.

I wonder Who could give that to me and give it to those 30 years either side of me? There really are differences and yet much is the same.

If you read this far, first post who guesses the artist gets coffee from me. (No googling though!) Blessings.