PPic: Oberon Golf Course - Links Pro Am 2006

PGA Chaplain Bible Studies

Weekly Bible Study - Study 3 - The Book of Hebrews

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “you are my son; today I have become your Father” or again, “I will be a Father to him and he will be my son”. And again when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him”. In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, his servant’s flames of fire”. But about the Son he says, “Your throne O God will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” (Hebrews Chapter 1 verse 5 to 9 NIV).

The Majors

I am running a Trainee Pro-Am this week at Oberon. Not surprisingly, we have limited players due to be played in the country and the relative small amount of prize-money. In golf there is clearly a hierarchy from the Pro-Ams at the bottom to the majors that include the US Masters, PGA, Open and the “Open”.

Every professional who is serious about reaching his full potential as a player is seeking to make his or her way up the ladder to the US Tour. And then to win a major is the hope and goal of every professional. This is how our world of golf puts value on certain tournaments. To win a major is to collect a lot of money, sponsorship, exceptions and recognition. Depending on your ability as a player and your capacity to handle pressure determines how far up the ladder you go.

The same is true of almost every human endeavour whether it is the corporate business, cooking, entertainment or whatever. We have this inbuilt drive to succeed and be the best we can, thus the competition.

In our reading this week, the writer is seeking to establish the uniqueness of the Son in respect to angels. Jesus is the “Majors” in our analogy while angels are like the lesser tours that feed into the majors.  Angels were mediators in the time prior to Jesus’ coming who brought God’s message to the world.  But now that Jesus has come, the old gives way to the new just like the old black and white TV’s gave way to colour. While angels are called messengers, Jesus is the Son and has a superior status because of this.

There is no higher status of a Father and Son in human terms of the one who receives the inheritance. Most parents leave their assets to their children because they naturally come from them. In the same way God has given his rule and way of life to his son who bears the exact likeness of his being.

Both in the first century during the time of Jesus and in our time as well, there is an interest in angels as part of the spiritual quest. Many people talk about having guardian angels and angels feature prominently in new age type religions today. In the end though, unfortunately angels become an end in themselves rather than the servants and messengers they were created for. This is clearly a mistake and dishonours Jesus.
According to our writer, the unique exaltation of Jesus to a position of authority requires us to look beyond angels to Jesus.  The reason for this is we are accountable for our response to Jesus, not the angels.

Prayer, Lord God, help us to see Jesus in his unique relationship with God and to submit to his rule. Amen.

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