Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:11-25
Can you think of any work you do that is almost immediately undone? Something that you have to do over and over and over again?
That’s an easy one, isn’t it? We keep cleaning the house, but it never stays clean. We keep doing laundry, but there is always more to do. We might even say that we’re “fed up” with making meals, but no matter how much we eat or how good the food is we’re never filled up for good.
The Old Testament priest kept going to the temple every day to offer sacrifices. He kept showing God that the people were sorry for their sins. He kept seeking God’s forgiveness. But no single sacrifice was enough. And in fact all the sacrifices of all the priests over all the centuries could never add up to enough repay the debt owed to God.
But then there came one priest who was different. He was able to offer a very different sort of sacrifice.
We give God offerings, but we can never give God everything. Even the widow in last week’s lesson who gave all the money she had to live on did not give her whole life.
But Jesus, our Great High Priest, offered himself entirely. Like John said, he was the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world, because he became the one total, once-for-all sacrifice.
When we have cause for doubt, when we are worn down by repeated troubles, when our efforts seem like they will never be enough and we wonder if we really can be forgiven, God calls us to look to Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith.” It’s done! Jesus did it! You are safe in him!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, Satan never ever gives up. But he is finished. You have conquered my enemies. Lord, help me to see that victory today in my life. Amen.