Post by Les on Jun 25, 2023 12:11:52 GMT -5
On His Head By: Chris Wale
Click here for the Audio Message
We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:10
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Hebrews 10:1–14
Back in 1779, Charles Simeon’s interests were horses, games and fashion. But an upcoming communion service at his Cambridge college would lead to him considering God’s Word.
He discovered in the Old Testament that God’s people had placed their hands on sacrificial animals’ heads to transfer the guilt of their sin (see Leviticus 4:15; 16:21). The Holy Spirit showed him the connection between this action and Christ’s sacrifice. "May I transfer all my guilt to another?” he wondered. “Has God provided an offering for me, that I may lay my sins on his head?" That day he laid his sins “upon the sacred head of Jesus”.
The writer of Hebrews wants us to make this connection too. The sacrificial system was “only a shadow” of the salvation Christ would bring (Hebrews 10:1). In reality, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (v. 4). But Jesus was born in a body prepared to bear the weight of our sin and guilt (vv. 5–7). “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (v. 10).
Real freedom from sin is found in laying every shameful thought, word and deed on the bowed head of Jesus hanging upon the cross. He did what no animal or human can do: He “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins” (v. 12).
Reflect & Pray
How do you respond to the image of Christ bowing His head on the cross for you to lay your sin upon Him? Will you offer Him humble thanks and praise today?
Jesus, I humble myself before You in trembling awe. How incredible that You are not only my King, but my sacrifice for sin too.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Because of severe persecution, Jewish believers in Jesus felt pressured to abandon their faith and revert to Judaism (Hebrews 10:32–36). The unnamed writer of the book of Hebrews encourages them to persevere, and affirms the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus as Saviour. He’s superior to the angels (chs. 1–2), to Moses (chs. 3–4), and to the Aaronic priesthood (chs. 5–7).
Chapters 8–10 describe Him as the perfect High Priest. The backdrop for this is the annual blood sacrifices offered by the high priest on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). The writer compares the old covenant initiated by Moses requiring animal sacrifices (Hebrews 9:1–23) with the new covenant initiated by Jesus (v. 15; 9:24–10:18). As the perfect High Priest, Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice for sin—Himself ( 9:12–14; 10:11–12). “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (10:14).
K. T. Sim
Hebrews 10:1-14
King James Version
10 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Click here for the Audio Message
We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:10
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Hebrews 10:1–14
Back in 1779, Charles Simeon’s interests were horses, games and fashion. But an upcoming communion service at his Cambridge college would lead to him considering God’s Word.
He discovered in the Old Testament that God’s people had placed their hands on sacrificial animals’ heads to transfer the guilt of their sin (see Leviticus 4:15; 16:21). The Holy Spirit showed him the connection between this action and Christ’s sacrifice. "May I transfer all my guilt to another?” he wondered. “Has God provided an offering for me, that I may lay my sins on his head?" That day he laid his sins “upon the sacred head of Jesus”.
The writer of Hebrews wants us to make this connection too. The sacrificial system was “only a shadow” of the salvation Christ would bring (Hebrews 10:1). In reality, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (v. 4). But Jesus was born in a body prepared to bear the weight of our sin and guilt (vv. 5–7). “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (v. 10).
Real freedom from sin is found in laying every shameful thought, word and deed on the bowed head of Jesus hanging upon the cross. He did what no animal or human can do: He “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins” (v. 12).
Reflect & Pray
How do you respond to the image of Christ bowing His head on the cross for you to lay your sin upon Him? Will you offer Him humble thanks and praise today?
Jesus, I humble myself before You in trembling awe. How incredible that You are not only my King, but my sacrifice for sin too.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Because of severe persecution, Jewish believers in Jesus felt pressured to abandon their faith and revert to Judaism (Hebrews 10:32–36). The unnamed writer of the book of Hebrews encourages them to persevere, and affirms the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus as Saviour. He’s superior to the angels (chs. 1–2), to Moses (chs. 3–4), and to the Aaronic priesthood (chs. 5–7).
Chapters 8–10 describe Him as the perfect High Priest. The backdrop for this is the annual blood sacrifices offered by the high priest on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). The writer compares the old covenant initiated by Moses requiring animal sacrifices (Hebrews 9:1–23) with the new covenant initiated by Jesus (v. 15; 9:24–10:18). As the perfect High Priest, Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice for sin—Himself ( 9:12–14; 10:11–12). “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (10:14).
K. T. Sim
Hebrews 10:1-14
King James Version
10 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.