The purpose of this devotional is to help prepare you for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. You may do this as your own quiet time, but we would encourage you to gather some family or loved ones to go through it together.

In our modern world and in hopes to avoid entering the court system, many people opt to go into a process called “mediation.” The goal of mediation is to resolve a conflict without legal action being taken.

The book of Hebrews talks about such a situation—and more specifically talks of the Mediator as One “being the brightness of God’s glory and the express image” of God’s person. (Hebrews 1:1) The situation in Hebrews in need of mediation is that of the estrangement of God and humankind.

Why is Jesus the Mediator?

Through Hebrews, the Holy Spirit explains: “Jesus is BETTER.”

Jesus is better: than angels; than prophets; than Moses; and even though many of the “greats” (including Abraham) “believed God” and it was “accredited to them as righteousness” chapter 12 makes sure we know WHO the BETTER One is because Jesus IS the author and finisher of our faith. To drive it home, we see Jesus’ priesthood is better than the Levitical priesthood of Aaron; Jesus’ new covenant is better than the old covenant; and—HIS blood is better than the blood of Old Testament sacrifices.

When we look at the details of the actual mediation, we then begin to understand that Jesus is not only the Mediator, He and His blood ARE the resolve to the estrangement, but not only that, He is the Mediator of the new covenant about which God said: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people… they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Jesus is BETTER… and BEST.

-Melissa Soldner, Women’s Counselor