Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
The text for this meditation is written in the 9th Chapter of the Book of Hebrews: Verses 23 – 28:
Thus it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
He walked out of his annual review looking a little upset, and his colleague said, “how did you go”? – He replied “Well, the boss pointed out my two main weaknesses 1). I am not a good listener … and “and what was the second?” asked his colleague ... “Ah... I just can’t remember”.
We as humans really aren’t good listeners. (Genesis 2:17) “but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 3:3) “but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die”. In spite of this, our first parents ate of the fruit, and the sentence of death fell upon them and all future generations.
The writer of our text in Hebrews points us to the one who rescues us from the pending disaster of a broken and lost life due to our sinfulness, a condition that would pollute our lives and plunge us into darkness forever. This of course is Jesus. (Hebrews 9:24-26) "For Christ has entered, not into the holy place made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own... But... he has appeared, (this Jesus) once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself"
The writer is referring to the ancient sacrificial system given by God to the people of Israel. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God they condemned all future generations to be born sinful and unclean, their opposition to the holy and all-powerful God would have resulted in their immediate deaths if God didn't step in. So, instead of their deaths and the deaths of future generations, God set up a system of sacrifices that would pay the price for their sin. The blood of livestock was shed as an ongoing act of repentance and as a merciful lifeline for human beings in relationship with a holy God.
These sacrifices were made by a priest in the tabernacle or temple. The people gathered together once a year for what today is known as "the Day of Atonement" or "Yom Kippur." But this gracious gift of God pointed to something even more permanent, more binding, and that's where the significance of the cross comes in.
Jesus didn't sacrifice the borrowed blood of a goat or bull. He sacrificed His own blood when He was nailed to the cross, carrying our sins upon Himself. He made the ultimate payment to God the Father--an eternal payment--as He suffered our punishment for sin--as He bore the eternal consequences of our rebelling against God. He came in your place and mine. Our Saviour fulfilled the yearly sacrifices with a permanent, once for all, repayment of the debt.
We might wonder, "How could one act in history do that?" Well, it's not just the act, it is the One Who did all things well for us that makes all this possible.
You see, Jesus wasn't just a good Man or a wise Teacher. He was so much more. He didn't simply express quotable statements for Facebook or Pinterest to bless your day for the moment. His word gives people life for eternity. Why, because Jesus is the true Son of God. He is holy and sinless.
And, because He loves us and treasures our lives, because He wants us to experience the complete fulfillment and purpose of eternal life with Him, He came to die for us. That's why He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour, your Lord and mine.
Jesus is unique, He is the only One who could comprehend the full weight of our plight in this world. He is the only One who could enter heaven itself to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Only Jesus had the credentials to save you and me from our lostness. And at a great cost our Saviour did it.
Here is a strange question to ask worshipping Christians; do you know this Jesus? Do we know this Saviour Jesus who suffered and died that we may live?
Sometimes Jesus gets lost in a crowd of very kind and capable people who are lauded and recognised by the world. Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and other self-sacrificial, justice-seeking people, or philanthropic individuals like Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet. People who are sometime mentioned in the same company of Jesus of Nazareth. Some may comment: "These are good people. In fact, these are exceptional people. They served people who were outcasts; they stood for what was right; they displayed wisdom and self-control; and they lift up the human spirit to this day."
That's true. There is a select group of people that exceeds human aspirations and outpaces normal human accomplishments. These people make a difference in this world. They inspire us, teach us, and lead us to do better in life. But if you think that Jesus is just one of those very good and capable people, part of the inspirational subset of human beings who show us a better way to treat others and a higher quality of life, you really haven't captured who Jesus is.
After observing Jesus' last hours of life, the Roman centurion at the foot of the cross, exclaimed, (Matthew 27:54)"Truly this One was the Son of God!". The soldier saw something he had never seen before.
So did the disciples after they were caught in a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee. As the waves threatened to sink their small boat, they woke Jesus as He slept on a cushion in the back of the boat. Thinking they were about to die, they cried out for help. Jesus stood up, rebuked the wind and waves, and everything became miraculously calm. The disciples were in awe and wonder as they said, (Matthew 8:27) "What sort of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him". Is this the Jesus we see?
Jesus was no ordinary Human Being. Yes, He was completely human, but also fully God! He cast out demons and they fled in His presence. He healed the sick with a word or a touch. He fed crowds of people with a boys’ lunch of bread and fish. He raised the dead. He forgave sins. He died and rose again.
Do we know this Jesus? He is much more than a good Man and an able Teacher. Jesus is the Solution to all problems; the Saviour for all sin; the true God who is with us always; Wisdom from on high; Righteousness for the world; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Lamb who sits on the throne; the Prince of Peace; the Wonderful Counsellor; the One who hears our prayers; the Good Shepherd who restores our soul; and the Son of God who opens our way to eternal life. Do we know this Jesus? He is the loving Saviour we need and even today in this moment of our life.
We live in the days of the DIY home renovator. I can think of a least five popular TV programmes that have a lot of people hooked on do-it-yourself ventures. Just stop by your local do-it-yourself home store, pick up a few items, and you'll be ready to go, after all what can go wrong?
But if you've ever tackled a do-it-yourself project, you know what can happen. Bad wiring, termite damage, faulty plumbing, foundation cracks etc. Suddenly costs and time needed skyrocket, and we need some professional help. I mean we aren’t totally incompetent, but we do have limits.
That's also true with the rigors we face each day. It's true when it comes to life. Do-it-yourself doesn't work very well with depression, or grief, or terrible pain, or heartbreak. Do-it-yourself doesn't work at all when God expects you and me to be holy and walk in His ways perfectly. That's why you and I need the expert Saviour, Jesus. Our text in Hebrews tells us: Jesus "has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Jesus didn't ask us to do it ourselves. Instead, God's Word tells us: (Romans 5:8) "God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us".
That was a job only He could do. That's a dirty painful, agonising job that only the perfect Son of God could do in our place for the forgiveness of our sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21) "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God". Do we know this Jesus?
Hebrews 9 is a difficult passage to read, to explain, but it is central to the heart of the good news of the Holy Scriptures. Humankind was seduced by the evil one to exercise their free will and disobey God, and in so doing became eternal sinners under the sentence of death.
Out of pure unadulterated love, God put in place a plan of forgiveness – a plan that was dramatically played out on the first Good Friday and came to fruition on the first Easter Sunday. We are forgiven! A free gift to all who repent and believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour.
We now have access to life into eternity and fullness of life here on earth.
I’m reminded of the incident where a man in a state of acute inebriation became the life of the party and everyone’s lifelong friend at a function that he and his wife were attending. The next morning his wife was angry and embarrassed, and the man was mortified at what actions he could remember. He pledged future sobriety to his wife and begged her forgiveness. Eventually she forgave him. Some months later during a small disagreement the wife reminded the man of the incident. His reply was “I thought you forgave me”, to which she replied, “I did forgive you, but I want to remind you that I did!”
The forgiveness Jesus gives is so complete that humankind sins are literally ‘the sins that God has forgotten’.
On that one day of Atonement each year, in the Old Testament, the High Priest only was permitted to go into the most holy place to approach God with a sacrifice for the sins of the people. When Jesus died on the cross, we are told in (Matt 27:51) “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom”. No longer do we need an intermediary, we are now able to confidently approach the throne of grace with our ills, our worries, our grief. "Come to me," Jesus says, "all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Or (Matthew 7:7)"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you".
Jesus does what none of us can do. He became flesh for us. He walked through the rigors of life in our stead, never failing, never faltering. He bled and died on the cross to carry our sin and brokenness. He walked through the dark shadow of death for you and me so that we can receive a new and eternal life. Do you know this Jesus? That's the main question of the Bible because daily he is reaching out to us personally, He comes to us in the Word of God and through the blessings of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. He hears and answers every prayer of our heart and lips. He willingly forgives the guilt of our sin.
Do you know this Jesus? He knows you. He knows me. He is the Saviour we need. Put your faith in Him, today, always; and in Him be blessed! Amen
The love and peace of our Great Triune God that is beyond all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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