Hebrews 8:6-13
When the Lord saves a sinner, he changes his heart. What was once hateful to him he now loves. David McWilliams, in his commentary on Hebrews, notes that “one great theme of this passage is the way in which the Lord writes his law on the heart in fulfilment of his covenant promise.” To highlight this theme, McWilliams recounts an interesting story which Spurgeon once told.
“A friend of Spurgeon’s gave him an expensive walking stick. Made of ebony with a gold head and California quartz worked into it, the gift must have been costly. One night a thief broke into Mr. Spurgeon’s home and stole the precious gift which meant much to Spurgeon because it was a gift from his dear friend. The thief took a portion of the stolen item to the pawn broker; he had broken the head off and battered it, but all of his hammering could not hide the word Spurgeon. The thief got away, but the shop owner returned the gold to Pastor Spurgeon who said: ‘though the man hammered it, there was my name, and the gold was bound to come back to me, and so it did.’ Spurgeon then pressed the point of the illustration:
‘Now, when the Lord once writes his name in your heart, he writes his law within you; and though the devil may batter you, God will claim you as his own. Temptation and sin may assail you, but if the law of the Lord is in your heart, you shall not give way to sin, you shall resist it, you shall be preserved, you shall be kept, for you are the Lord’s.’” (Recounted in David McWilliams, Lectio Continua Commentary, Hebrews, pp. 198-9.)
This is a summary of the theme of our text this week. Jesus is the true and final Mediator. “The covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises” (8:6). Our Mediator and high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, has brought God and elect sinner together by bearing the legal obligations of God’s chosen people.
This coming Lord’s Day we will look more closely at why a new covenant was needed in order that the law could be written on our hearts. We will compare the covenants to note where there is continuity and contrast where there is discontinuity. I hope you can join us this Sunday as we learn how it is that we can now come boldly to the throne of grace as the writer has encouraged us to do in Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (see also 4:14-15).
It is that time of year when families are celebrating a milestone in their young person’s life, graduation. We want to join them during this time and recognize our high school and college graduates on Sunday morning May 19.
For His Glory,
Pastor Wayne
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