Hebrews 9:24-28, the Second Reading appointed for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost, makes an astonishing claim: Jesus entered into heaven itself to stand before the presence of God on our behalf! This is good news beyond imagining. What kind of Savior do we have? One, who has been tempted in every way we have, yet without sin, and One who is able to stand in the presence of the God of all gods. This great news will be the preacher's privilege to proclaim.
(The following questions have been developed as part of a method which has as its goal showing the way the Word functions in the text. Being fully aware of the function of the Word is crucial to the preacher as it will inform him or her of the function of their sermon. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com and amazon.)
1. How does the Word function in the text? The Word functions here primarily as Gospel. In other words, it tells us what God in Christ has done on our behalf. The details are laid out: Christ enters heaven itself, appearing once for all "to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself."
2. How is the Word not functioning in the text? If we understand the Law as showing us our need for a Savior and calling us to repentance, there is little of that here. The only line that even mentions our need is verse 27, reminding us of our mortality and the judgment that follows our death. This is no small aside, yet it does not function as a call to repentance.
3. With whom are you identifying in the text? We are the ones addressed here. We will die once and be judged. We are those whom Christ has in mind when he appears before the Godhead. We are those who must rejoice at this great sacrifice.
4. What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text? There is no call to obedience here, no invitation to live in a particular way in response to God's love in Christ. That call will need to come from other sources.
5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? Using the terminology in the text we could imagine several couplets: sinful/forgiven; dead/alive; lost/saved.
6. Exegetical work: I like how Tom Long summarizes so succinctly the point of this passage: "No longer is it true that 'It is appointed that a human being dies once and faces the judgment.' Now the truth is, 'It is appointed by God that Jesus died once for all, and then comes the saving mercy.'" (Interpretation series, Hebrews, p. 101). This is the good news summarized. Jesus has changed the trajectory of human destiny: not judgment, but mercy. The Reformer, Heinrich Bullinger, testifies to the vastness of this mercy: "For [Christ] bore in himself the sins not only of those who had put their hope of salvation in him many years before but also of those who would believe in his gospel many ages later." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XIII, p. 130).
7. How does the Crossings Community model work with this text? Bruce Martin, in his analysis, reaches back into the context of this writing, reminding readers that the sacrifices previously offered were simply unable to do what humanity needed done. Christ's death alone is sufficient. See his whole analysis, archived under its reference at crossings.org/text-study.
Blessings on your proclamation!
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