Living in the In-Between

Living between the 'already' and the 'not yet' defines the Christian experience. This powerful exploration of Hebrews 9:23-28 invites us to consider three pivotal appearings of Christ that frame our entire existence. First, Jesus appeared in history—once for all—to deal with sin through His perfect sacrifice. Unlike the repeated rituals of the Old Covenant that could never fully cleanse, Christ entered heaven itself with His own blood, accomplishing what no earthly priest could achieve. Second, He appears right now in the throne room of heaven as our intercessor, standing in God's presence on our behalf. And third, He will appear again—not to deal with sin, but to bring final salvation to those eagerly waiting for Him. The message challenges us with penetrating questions: Are we truly living as people who believe Jesus is coming back? Would an outside observer conclude we're waiting for another world, or just trying to squeeze everything we can from this one? The 'heavenly things' that needed purifying aren't objects in heaven—they're us. We are the ones being cleansed, built up as living stones into God's spiritual house. This isn't passive theology; it's a call to active, expectant living. We're reminded that death and judgment are appointed realities, but for those in Christ, judgment has already fallen—on Jesus at the cross. We don't wait in terror but in confident anticipation. The invitation is clear: rest in His finished work, draw near through our living priest, and live with both hope and urgency, knowing that our Savior is coming back.