3/19/12 Bridging the Gap Between God and Man

27- 3/19- HDBG- 16- 19

Q. 16. Why must he be a true and righteous man?

A. Because God’s righteousness requires that man who has sinned

should make reparation for sin, but the man who is himself a sinner cannot pay for others.

Q. 17. Why must he at the same time be true God?

A. So that by the power of his divinity he might bear as a man the burden of God’s wrath, and recover for us and restore to us righteousness and life.

Q. 18. Who is this mediator who is at the same time true God and a true and perfectly righteous man?

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is freely given to us for complete redemption and righteousness.

Q. 19. Whence do you know this?

A. From the holy gospel, which God himself revealed in the beginning in the Garden of Eden, afterward proclaimed through the holy patriarchs and prophets and foreshadowed through the sacrifices and other rites of the Old Covenant, and finally fulfilled through his own wellbeloved Son

¹ Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. ³ This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people… In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” (Hebrews 5)
Thoughts: We need someone who can pull both sides together.  In law, a mediator sits down and listens to both sides of an argument and comes up with a settlement.  Christ is an earthly priest and a heavenly priest.  He is the only expert who can fix the real mess we are in.  He is uniquely qualified to speak to the Father in our behalf, because He is the Son.  He is uniquely qualified to bring us to heaven because He has been on earth- walked our soil, breathed our air, and suffered as we do- even more than we do.  Christ is the great high priest- the great mediator.

Prayer: Lord, the gap is wide and impossible between me and you.  But thank you that nothing is impossible with you.  Thank you for coming to make a way for me to get to your presence and love- now and forever.