January 28th - Hebrews 9:27-28

Hebrews 9:27-28 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. The quotation, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes” is attributed to many different people but especially Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain. However, it is such an obvious observation that it actually dates back long before them. The simple truth is that death is a fact of life. Unless the Lord returns first, we will all die. But our death stands in marked contrast to Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. When he died he brought to an end the elaborate sacrificial system that was established in the Old Testament Law. The whole notion of sacrifices is very unfamiliar to us these days, but God established it because of the seriousness of sin and the need to find a way of making things right. The offering of sacrifices was a way of life for the Jews; every single day animals were slaughtered as an integral part of their worship. Every morning and evening a lamb would be killed in the temple and on festival days many other animals would also be slaughtered. The writer to the Hebrews wanted his readers to understand that their Jewish faith had been totally fulfilled in Christ. His death on the cross had opened up a new era because there was no longer any need for sacrifices. He had decisively brought that to an end by offering himself as a perfect sacrifice. Although the sacrificial system is very unfamiliar to us, we need to understand the awful seriousness of our sin and of the need for us to be made right with God. Jesus has done for us what we could never do for ourselves and, unlike the old sacrificial system, his death was once for all. It will never need to be repeated. The death of Christ on the cross is so amazing that it is hard for us to comprehend. None of us have ever been loved more completely than this. As we think of it, we need to turn all our thoughts into ones of gratitude and praise to God. Question What does the death of Jesus mean to you? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, thank you that you were willing to go to the cross out of love for me. Amen