Jesus Our Sacrifice

Scripture: Hebrews 10:5-7 (ESV)

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.’”

 

Devotion:

            In this scripture the author of Hebrews puts the words of David is Psalm 40:6-8 on Jesus’ tongue. The setting of the psalm and of this quotation are similar. These words were clearly not fulfilled in David’s time, so Jesus is the true fulfillment of this poetic prophesy. The author of Hebrews here clearly states that although the sacrifices of the old covenant were required by law, they could never fully accomplish what they were intended to accomplish. Something better was required.

            Jesus knew that his life would end with a terrible death on a cross. Jesus, in being a willing sacrifice, fulfilled the requirement that God had set forth from the beginning of time. The psalmist David foresaw that God would require the death of a willing servant and so he prophesied in Psalm 40 about Jesus’ coming and dying to fulfill God’s requirement. It is a constant source of amazement to me how God works to fulfill all the prophesies written in the Bible. When we consider the prophesies that have not yet been fulfilled if gives us hope for the future.

            Seeing Christ’s sacrifice also gives us encouragement to do as Romans 12:1 says and present our own bodies as living sacrifices to God. Apart from Jesus there has never been anyone who has completely dedicated their life to God’s service. But we must set our goal on those lofty heights because to aim any lower would be to disobey God’s calling on our life. God calls each of his children to not only believe in him, but also to obey him. That is where many in the church fail in these latter days.

            We have confused believing with obeying God’s will as the only requirement of discipleship. Jesus is clear in the gospels that if we would be his disciples, we must pick up our cross daily and follow Him. We must be like our master who picked up his cross and carried it all the way to Golgotha’s hill. Where he gave his life for ours. Took our sin upon his sinless body. The scripture says that the disciple when fully trained will be like his master. Let us look to Jesus and seek to imitate him regardless of the cost.

Prayer:

            Glory be to you God! You have accepted the sacrifice of your son Jesus on the cross to be payment for our sins for this we praise you. May all glory be to your holy name. Thank you for doing what was necessary to cure us of our sinful condition. May we live so that we are prepared to do no less for our fellow Christians. Amen.