Sept 25 THE GOLDEN LAMP STAND: MORE THAN JUST FRUIT
LIFE WITH JESUS IS HEAVEN ON EARTH.
YOU’RE A WALKING MIRACLE.
A Verse to Remember:
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, …Ephesians 2:6
Gospel Story: What do you do with the light of heaven? Mark 4:21-25
Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 9:16-24
16 Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead.17 The will goes into effect only after the person’s death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect.18 That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal. 19 For after Moses had read each of God’s commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats,[i] along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God’s law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool. 20 Then he said, “This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you.” 21 And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the Tabernacle and on everything used for worship. 22 In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.23 That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.24 For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. 25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age[k] to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
Reflection:
The 7 spirits of God light us up! Often associated with the Golden Lamp Stand in the tabernacle is the seven spirits of God referred to in Isaiah (Isa 11:2) and Revelation (Rev 4:5).
This new covenant is amazing! Not only does life in the Spirit consist of the fruits of the Spirit, but includes the “seven spirits of God” too. It’s all about living in the presence of the Holy Spirit. In addition to “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” the Golden Lampstand with it’s seven flames, represents the “Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of counsel, the Spirit of power, the Spirit of knowledge, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord”—Jesus gives us total access to the fullness of God.This kind of relationship makes you a walking miracle! It’s probably why Jesus said,“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!” Matthew 11:11. In contrast to people in the old covenant we are walking miracles.
So when James 1:5 says, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” The miracle is that we get to do this. Ask for anything that is of God “and he (God) will give it you”. So more than just the “fruit of the Spirit’ we also have access to the “seven spirits of God”! All that God is, is available to us in Christ-the golden lamp stand with its seven flames is a constant reminder of this heavenly reality we get to live in —this reality is “Spirit and Truth