God Is For Us

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Opening Prayer

Lord, Most Holy and Most High, I come to You in the merits of him who died that I might live.

Read Hebrews 9:11-22

^[11] But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. ^[12] He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. ^[13] The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ^[14] How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! ^[15] For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. ^[16] In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ^[17] because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ^[18] This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. ^[19] When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. ^[20] He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” ^[21] In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ^[22] In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

We find it hard to engage with the cross with the seriousness of the New Testament writers, because “they were worried about their sins, and we are not” (Tom Smail).

Think Further

A central assumption of Hebrews is the awesome holiness of God (Heb. 10:31). His eternal dwelling is called “the Most Holy Place.” God is a moral God, the source of all true morality. Sin is serious because it is an affront to the holy character of God. Christ, the high priest, enters the true holy place, which is “not a part of this creation” (11), the presence of this holy God. Since his life was “unblemished” (14), there was no barrier to prevent his entry. He entered for us, presenting his blood that was shed as our ransom, thus securing our “eternal redemption” (12). Sins can be forgiven (15,22) and consciences can be cleansed (14). Christ is “the mediator of a new covenant” (15) through whom we receive what God has promised in the new covenant. Therefore, we can enter the Most Holy Place without fear.

The message of Hebrews is clear but, unless we have a thorough grasp of the Old Testament, the imagery can be difficult for those whose cultures have no connection to animal sacrifice. Could it be that the real challenge of Hebrews today is that we lack this writer’s grasp of the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin? If so, our understanding of redemption is likely to be cheap. We will take forgiveness for granted, rather than be staggered that it is possible at all.

The good news is that the triune God desires our service (14) despite our sin, and has done everything that is necessary. The Father promised the new covenant (15), the Son offered himself as a ransom (14), sustained in his costly self-giving by the eternal Spirit (14). We need not be afraid to take sin seriously, because the holy God is for us, and has done all that is necessary.

Apply

Western cultures sometimes trivialize sin, ignore moral absolutes, and have no sense of God’s holiness. What is shaping your life: culture or Christ? How?

Closing prayer

Loving Father, oftentimes I have settled down comfortably with sin in my life. Make me so uncomfortable that I will seek Your forgiveness and grace.

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