Christological Hymn
Jeremy D. Goodwyne
He was,
before the world or time began,
enjoying perfect relationship with the Father and the Spirit
distinct in person,
same in being
without even a hint of discord
When the Father spoke light, earth, sea, air, material into being,
The Son was that word
creating, creating, creating
the creative power of God
one with God
All that was made
was made by Him,
through Him
For Him.
The angels of God enjoy an exalted state
But the Son of God has received the Father’s name.
To which none can compare
And He receives the worship of the angels.
At the sound of His name
Some have reviled Him
Some have adored Him
But all will one day confess His limitless Lordship.
He, born of flesh, became a man
and knew the fullness of that state.
There was not a facet of humanity
with which he was not thoroughly acquainted
His heart beat,
blood flowed,
feet hurt,
hands worked,
He grew weary
frustrated
angry
sad
He was loved
rejected
cared for
abandoned
He faced the worst temptation, appealing to his nature, and rights
But he knew no sin. Not once. Not even once.
Being human and without sin,
He assumed the office of High priest,
Unlike his priestly “forebears,”
He needs not atone for His own sins.
Moses acted in a priestly office
But this he did as a type of the coming High Priest.
As great was the glory of Moses,
it was only a shadow
an imitation
For Moses was the house,
And the Builder of the House receives the glory.
He was not of the tribe of Levi,
but of the tribe of Judah
He was not a son of Aaron,
but was a son of David.
But this did not disqualify Him from His priestly role,
for His precedent was established in that of Melchizedek
who was without Father
Mother
Genealogy
Beginning
End
But Father Abraham recognized the priest of God
and offered to him his tithes.
In this Order, our great High Priest is ordained
and because He does not die,
He is a priest forever.
For a sacrifice, our Great High Priest offered
the lamb
which takes away the sins of the world
namely, Himself.
For the system with which our sins were atoned was inadequate.
the priests were themselves sinful and mortal
the sacrifices were themselves types and shadows
But our Great High Priest became that which the whole system represented
a pure, spotless Lamb,
without blemish
a perfect representative of both humanity and divinity
This priest offered himself
the lamb
which takes away the sins of the world
and His blood spoke a better word than the blood of Abel.
His are better promises
a better hope
a better country
a better life
a better possession
His sacrifice finished, completed, fulfilled the Law
the old covenant
And He inaugurated a better covenant
of which He is the Mediator
His blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel
The blood of Able cries “Vengeance!”
but
The blood of Christ cries “Mercy!”
He does not leave His people to find their way,
but is their Shepherd
and His sheep know His voice
He can not lose even one of His own
and will cross land and sea
move heaven and earth
to bring His lost back into His fold
He gently leads His sheep across mountain and through valley
provides food and drink
gives them rest
He asks much,
but all that He asks he provides
He founds and perfects their faith
They keep their eyes on Him
He leads them Home.
©2012 JDGoodwyne
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