March 17, 2024 Text: Hebrews 5:1-10
Dear Friends in Christ,
You need the backstory to a God-ordained moment. I pick the hymns and sermon texts a month at a time. This text was chosen at the end of February. Also, on that day I may make little notes of possible themes for the sermon. For this sermon I wrote this, “Come To Jesus Moment.” You will see how it fits momentarily. But what does God do on the week I am going to preach this text? He has President Biden caught on a hot microphone saying, “Netanyahu (the Israeli Prime Minister) and I need to have a Come to Jesus meeting.” Wow!
Ok, now let’s get to the expression – “Come to Jesus Moment.” What is the meaning? In simple terms it can mean a religious conversion. In today’s usage it more often means a “hard talk, wake-up call, seeing the light, facing the facts.” It has become a workplace cliché and in 2013 Forbes magazine listed it as one of many overused buzzwords.
Abram, later to be known as Abraham, had a come to Jesus moment with Melchizedek which sets up our Epistle reading for today. There is a tie-in between Melchizedek and Jesus.
“A PRIEST FOREVER”
Melchizedek only has a few verses in Genesis 14, his 15 minutes of fame were brief. He is mentioned in Psalm 110 and here in our text. He is a strangely significant person.
Melchizedek appears at one of the lowest points of Abram’s journey through life. God has promised him an heir and offspring and a new land and to make his name great. However, after several years, Abram’s situation in life has gotten worse rather than better. He has endured a famine, sought refuge in Egypt and then was deported and he mediated a dispute with his nephew Lot. Then he gets drawn into a war just to save Lot. He has gone through a lot and still has not received the promised heir. He needs a sympathetic ear.
God has something greater. As the dust of the battle settled, this man Melchizedek, the “king of Salem” and priest of God Most High, suddenly appears to Abram – with bread and wine, no less. He blesses Abram, vindicates him, and defends his cause. This is Abram’s come to Jesus moment. Abram is strengthened to continue patiently waiting for the Lord’s promise.
That is all the biblical history of Melchizedek. But you are beginning to see why he is so significant for us today. Christ is our priest just like Melchizedek was for Abram. But Jesus is even more.
Like Melchizedek, Christ enters our life right when we need him, but he never disappears. In Holy Baptism, we, like Abram, have been called by God. It is not to a life of ease or worldly glory. Jesus tells us in the Gospel our call is to be servants, not masters, and to be slaves, not lords. Our worldly situation is not always pretty. We battle the world and our sinful flesh. We sometimes think life is getting worse instead of better. We too need a sympathetic ear.
Our brothers and sisters in Christ are nice for these conversations, but like us they are weak and sinful. Their perspective can be skewed by past experience. We need more. We need a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
This is where Christ is to us as Melchizedek was Abram – and more. Christ intercedes for us. In verse 7 of our text it says, “Jesus offered up prayers and supplications.” Christ Jesus is here for us. Christ is obedient. His obedience took Him to the cross. Christ suffers for us. This Lent we again our reminded of what the Savior went through to pay for our salvation – blood and love flow mingled down. Christ is the source of our eternal salvation. Isn’t great to know where the path ends? The golden streets of heaven. Perfection forever. No more life getting worse, it is all better, positive, uplifting.
These are not our “Come to Jesus Moments.” They are Jesus coming to us moments. That is how we are to see it. He is our priest forever. Like Melchizedek, Christ feeds us. In, with, and under the bread and wine, he gives us his very body and blood to forgive our sin, strengthen our faith, and energize us to press on. Like Melchizedek, Christ blesses us by His Word, and by that Word he vindicates us from our enemies: sin, death, and Satan.
Jesus has come to you – a priest forever. Quite a moment, wouldn’t you say?
Amen.