The real deal
“He became the source of eternal salvation for all who believe.” (Hebrews 5:9b )
I don’t know how much you follow or are into March Madness. If you’re not familiar “March Madness” is the Division 1 Men’s college basketball tournament which happens every year in March. It is appropriately named because the games are exciting and an underdog team can very easily take out a highly favored team. To survive and advance in the tournament, a team needs to believe in themselves. Sometimes underdog teams that truly believe in themselves and what they can accomplish can pull off the major upsets. On Friday, a #16 seeded team defeated a #1 seeded team. This is the first time in the men’s tournament history this has happened.
So what does that have to do with our devotion and our Christian faith?
It might as well be said that what we are going to focus on for the next two weeks as Christians is “madness” to some people. Many people like to mock and consider us “nuts” those who believe and trust in a man dying an ancient Roman torture death to get them the forgiveness of their sins and their hope of heaven.
The Bible clearly and repeatedly tells us that we will be mocked and ridiculed for our faith. It sometimes might be tempting in the midst of the mocking and ridicule to not speak up about our faith or acknowledge Jesus as our Savior.
Our Bible verse for this week is a reminder of how important what we are going to again see and remember the next two weeks is for our Christian faith. There are three things we need to remember and note from this verse as we prepare for another Holy Week.
The source – The writer to the Hebrews does not say that Jesus is a source or one of many sources of salvation. He tells us that Jesus is the source. Of the 68 teams who started the NCAA tournament, only one will be the champion who is crowned on April 2. 67 other teams will try, but only one will be the best, the champion. Likewise, many try to offer alternative ways or ideas of how you can get right with God or how you can get to heaven, but there is only one – Jesus is the source, the only way.
If you have ever clearly spoken to people about Jesus being the only way to heaven, you have likely been told that “there are many roads and they all lead to heaven” or “God will eventually let everyone in to heaven”. As we head toward another Holy Week make sure that you keep your focus on the cross of Jesus as he gives us the source, the only source of salvation.
Eternal salvation – Have you noticed how so much in our society today is geared toward instantaneous gratification and having things available to us immediately? So much of what goes on around us is focused on the here and now and there is little or no thought given to one’s eternal destiny. Our verse reminds us that Jesus is the only way to get eternal salvation. What exactly is meant by “eternal salvation”? Eternal salvation is having never ending joy and happiness with none of the troubles or pains of this life in the presence of God. It means that never again will we have to face or deal with any of the troubles or problems which sin gives us in this life. That is something which we cannot even begin to understand or comprehend as we live in this sinful world. It is the “reward” of our faith which God promises to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior.
All who believe – Finally the writer to the Hebrews reminds us of how faith is our link to the work of Jesus and the salvation he gives us. If you think back to what we said earlier about the thinking that eventually God will let everyone in to heaven, this is a reminder that only those who believe in Jesus as their Savior will get to heaven. Faith in Jesus is what guarantees us our undeniable connection to the source of eternal salvation. I once heard someone remark that their job was to get safely through this life to heaven and to bring along with them as many people as possible.
In the midst of the madness of this life, how many people are you pointing toward Jesus who is the real deal, the one and only source of salvation?