From Flesh to Spirit

By Cal Cook

I just spent the last weekend at Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility for a three day Spiritual Weekend called Epiphany. The 3 days are filled with talks and testimonies and activities intended to reach the young men with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So many broken lives are found there…so many young broken lives. The idea that church people struggle with sin was a surprise to many. They had been told and believed that they are defective in some way. Maybe they weren’t told that directly…but that is the general idea. One young man said the thing that surprised him the most was that everyone deserved to be forgiven…even him. Now some might argue with that premise until you turn it around. Jesus Christ tells us that we are are forgiven as we forgive others. You know, the Lord’s Prayer: Forgive us our sins(trespasses, debts) as we forgive others. Do we really mean it?

I went this Tuesday to lead a Bible study at the Kiawanis Manor so I thought I would share some of what I prepared for our discussion on the scriptures from this week’s readings. What we see is a transition from the old way to a new way. From the ways of the flesh to the way of the Spirit. Micah prophesied of one who would come from Bethlehem, a lowly village…His origins would be from the ancient past and He would be a Shepherd over His people. In the strength of the Lord He would reign…in the majesty of the name of the Lord and He would be their peace! (Micah 5:2-5a)

Elizabeth was the wife of a Priest, from the line of Levi according to the Law given to Moses. Zechariah had been offering sacrifices before the Lord, the one designated to enter The Holy Place that year and offer a sacrifice for all his people, for their unknown and unintentional sins when the Word of the Lord came to him. He was told that he and his wife would have a child in their old age. A prophet of the Lord Most High…in fact Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son would be the last of the prophets of old. He would prepare a way for the Lord, by telling the people to repent of their sins and show that they mean it by cleansing themselves in the Jordan River.

Even before he was born John was a child of wonders, leaping in his mothers womb at the sound of the voice of Mary. Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit proclaims the wonder of the Lord standing before her in lowly little Mary…unwed yet pregnant Mary. Who by the power of the Holy Spirit proclaims what is about to happen in song. (Luke 1:39-55)

1.Do you think Mary is proclaiming a time that is about to come, is coming or has already come?

2.How about Micah? Has his prophecy already come to pass or is it yet to be fulfilled?

3.If we are living in this in between time, between the beginning of fulfillment and yet to be brought to completeness how does that impact our lives?

4.As Christ followers what should we be doing?

The reading from Hebrews 10:5-10 is a bit broken taken from almost mid thought. Verses 1-4 sufficiently set the stage for understanding. The the Holy Spirit tells us through the author that the Law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming. The sacrifices must be offered over and over again and therefore are incomplete. They are made with the flesh of bulls and goats, they foretell of a greater sacrifice. One that would be offered once and for all, never needing to be repeated, the ultimate sacrifice for all sin…the Blood of the Holy One, Jesus the Christ. We see the transition from things done in the strength of man (flesh) to ones done in the strength of the Spirit. We see a transition from earthly kings and rulers being exalted, to the humble being lifted up in the song of Mary. A reversal of the way things are…to the way things are supposed to be! Where those who are proud in their inmost thoughts are scattered and the hungry are filled with good things. From the ways of the flesh, to the way of the Spirit.