Thursday, January 28, 2010

Becoming Aware of the Sacrifice

Imagine what it must have been like to visit the priest at the temple during the days when the sacrificial system was being carried out. I can only imagine what it would have been like to see an animal's blood shed because of my sins. To specifically confess those sins while laying hands on an innocent animal. Then the animal is slaughtered because of you. You’re guilty, but you walk away clean. The animal is dead. It's unfair. God’s grace is not built on pure justice. It is built on pure love.

The power of the cross is so much greater then the sacrifices. Now look at the cross. Talk about unfair. Talk about powerful. Talk about motivating us to live a clean and devout life!

Hebrews 10:1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all

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