Living One Digit Off

Jesus Christ is the wisest, and Jesus Christ is the best.  Hebrews 1 makes that clear through twelve hallmarks that lift Jesus ‘head and shoulders’ above the rest.    Why according to Hebrews 1, Jesus is:  the ‘Son of God’ (Hebrews 1:2a, 5);   ‘Heir of All Things’ (Hebrews 1:2b);   ‘Creator of the Word’ (Hebrews 1:3a);‘Radiant Light’ (Hebrews 1:3a); ‘Image of God’ (Hebrews 1:3:b); ‘Sustainer of the Universe’ (Hebrews 1:3c); ‘High Priest of Perfection’ (Hebrews 1:3d);  ‘Superior to the Angels’ (Hebrews 1:4-7; 13-14);  ‘Exalted King’ (Hebrews 1:3-4; 8a); ‘Lord of Righteousness’ (Hebrews 1:8b-9); ‘The Eternal’ (Hebrews 1:11-12); ‘Ultimate Conqueror’ (Hebrews 1:13). 

But what about other religions or belief systems?   If Christ is supreme, is ‘everything else’ inferior?   Well, I’d prefer to say: everything else makes a contribution.  I mean:  Muslims and Hindus and New Agers contribute to our life and community; they simply don’t contribute, the pivotal ‘piece’.

Imagine:  we’re building a house the old fashion way, through a barn-raising.  And so, we’re all there; I mean every part of our community is there:  every belief system, every culture, every religion.  Well everyone works hard and works together.  But in due course folks get frustrated.  “Where’s the cornerstone?”  people ask.  “We’ve got to have a cornerstone, or else the building will collapse!!”    Can you guess who ‘saves the day’?  Why Christ-followers ‘save the day,’ as lovingly, but decisively, we ‘bring in’ the cornerstone, the pivotal piece.  Oh, some laugh; some doubt; some obstruct, but lovingly, decisively, we ‘bring in’ the pivotal piece.

For Ephesians 2:20 is right:  Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.  In fact, as the writer of Hebrews goes on to say, the whole building and structure of life is God’s (Hebrews 3:4).   Moses and every other spiritual figure makes a contribution, but ‘Jesus is landlord’ over the whole shebang. “Therefore holy brothers [and sisters]” – Hebrews 3:1 admonishes – “[all] who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus…”

Lloyd Oglivie tells of being stranded after losing his car-keys.  In due course, Lloyd went to a locksmith but four hours later Lloyd was still immobile.  Why, the locksmith made ‘key after key,’ but nothing worked.  Finally the locksmith discovered the problem:  the key-clerk at the car dealership had been daydreaming, giving the locksmith a key- code, one digit off.   But good news: when the locksmith added that one digit: presto, the key fit, and the car took off!.

Frankly a lot of us are one digit off.   We think we have the key to life, but things aren’t ‘turning over,’ are they?  Well guess what:  we can add the critical digit, fixing on the right thing, the pivotal thing.  We can fix on Jesus.

Fix on Jesus!  Sure there are lots of options, but really only one opinion: the manufacturer's opinion.   And that opinion is crucial.   And so let's stop daydreaming; lets stop living one digit off.  Let's grapple with the core cause of immobility, and fix on Jesus.  For Jesus is the critical digit, the pivotal piece, the chief cornerstone; the core dynamic that moves life along!