Inauguration Day

By Bill Brandstatter

    I am writing this article the day before Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. It is known as “Inauguration Day.” It is the day of a new administration, a new President and new Vice President. It is also the day of new policies and programs. With the inauguration comes change. This will not be the greatest Inauguration Day however. That day happened over 2000 years ago.
    When Jesus died, a new age  began. Jesus stated, “This is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”(Mt. 26:28). The Hebrews writer gives us some insight as the beginning of this new covenant. In Heb. 8:13 we read, “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,”’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”(NKJV).
    When Jesus died, new policies came into place. The Old Testament was gone. Paul helps us to understand by adding: “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”(Col. 2:14). The Old Testament is therefore no longer binding today. The worship, sacrifices, and are all gone. Now the New Testament is in place.
    When Jesus died, worship changed. In contrasting Old and New Testament worship, the writer of Hebrews illustrates for us in Hebrews chapter 10. There he writes, “For the worshippers , once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin.”(Heb. 10:2-4). Worship matters to God.
    When Jesus died, social, ethnic, and racial barrier were removed. Paul describes it this way: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”(Gal. 3:28).

– Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/