Hebrews 10:1-18
Sin! Our sin breaks God’s heart. And, it breaks our fellowship with God ! In the O.T., God issued details for the people to make amends to pay their due called sacrifices. These details, given by God to Moses, so he could relay them to the Israelites are described in Leviticus (explicitly described). These sacrifices were to restore their broken fellowship with God. Different sins had different kinds of sacrifices with different ways of presenting them to the priests. The sins, sacrifices and presentation were specifically described by God. Unacceptable sacrifices would be a blemished or defected offering; and offering made with not using the first fruits of the income/harvest; and a sacrifice being offered with the wrong attitude of the heart.
The sacrifices were important because they represented repentance and obedience. The Lord really dislikes disobedience!! It breaks His heart, too. His people, the Israelites, gave the sacrifices, but they were not sincere. The old covenant was broken. So, God found a pure and perfect sacrifice for their redemption – His Son, Jesus. God made a new covenant with His people (Hebrews 8:7-13), establishing an intimate fellowship, placing His words and laws in their hearts.
With the new covenant, a one-time-blemish-free sacrifice was presented to God, in His Son, for the shedding of blood to cleanse the wickedness of all who have accepted and follow Jesus. Jesus will present us to God as pure and perfect.
Holy Week concluded in Jerusalem, with the arrest of Jesus. He was beaten, tortured, spit on, found guilty, and hung on a cross. There He died giving His life to bring us free and without sin to His Father in heaven.
Why? John 3:16
Because God and His Son, Jesus, loves us so much. God laid our sins on His Son and sacrificed Him for us. Jesus took those sins and nailed them to the cross as He gave His life for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Dear Father, thank You for Your perfect sacrifice for us. You love us so much and we are special to You. We know this and yet we are so disobedient, abusive, blemished, and unworthy of Your love. Guide and direct us to focus on Your goodness and deny the ‘me first’ attitude. Help us with our attitude and sincerity in response to Your grace and mercy. Thank You, Lord In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Three days after Jesus died on the cross for us, He arose! The tomb was empty! Jesus is alive!! He lives in each of us who have proclaimed Him as our Lord and Savior. So, a one-time-sacrifice and we are pure and perfect, huh? Well, that is the beginning. We have work to do. Continually!
Have you recently examined and evaluated the attitude of your heart? Is the mind pure? Is Jesus top priority in your life? Do you read His word and spend time with Him each day? - - - just a place to start.
Go for it!
