DRAWING NEAR
December 10
The Sacrifice and Exaltation of Christ
"When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:3).
Jesus Christ offered one sacrifice for all the sins of mankind, then
sat down with the Father once He had accomplished it.
The Bible makes it perfectly clear that the wages of sin is death
(Rom. 6:23). Jesus Christ went to the cross, died the death we
deserved, and consequently freed us from the penalty of sin by our
faith in Him.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that Christ "does not need
daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His
own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did
once for all when He offered up Himself" (Heb. 7:27). In the Old
Testament, the priests had to make continual sacrifices, but Jesus
made only one. And not only was He the priest, but also the
sacrifice! He made a tremendously potent sacrifice, for He forever
purged our sins--something the Old Testament sacrifices could never
do.
When His sacrifice was complete, "He sat down at the right hand of
the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:3). That is significant because the Old
Testament priests never sat down--there were no seats in the
sanctuary because they offered sacrifices day in and day out. But
Jesus offered one sacrifice, finished it, and then went to the Father
and sat down. What the Old Testament sacrifices couldn't accomplish
Christ's did for all time.
As a result, God exalted Him to His right hand, the seat of honor and
rule and rest. But perhaps most important, it is the place where
Christ intercedes to the Father on our behalf (Rom 8:34).
Don't ever forget what Jesus accomplished for us--and what He still
does for us: "If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1).
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank Jesus for His sacrifice on your behalf. Also thank Him for the
salvation He has given you and the access you now have to God.
For Further Study:
Read Hebrews 9:1--10:18 to gain a deeper understanding of Christ's
ultimate fulfillment of the Old Testament priestly system. In what
specific ways did He fulfill it?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Romans 6:23 (NKJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:34
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is
also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes
intercession for us.
Hebrews 9:1--10:18
1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine
service and the earthly sanctuary.
2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the
lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the
sanctuary;
3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is
called the Holiest of All,
4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid
on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the
manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;
5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy
seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always
went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services.
7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year,
not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's
sins committed in ignorance;
8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of
All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still
standing.
9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and
sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the
service perfect in regard to the conscience;
10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and
fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with
the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is,
not of this creation.
12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He
entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal
redemption.
13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer,
sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by
means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the
first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of
the eternal inheritance.
16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be
the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no
power at all while the testator lives.
18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without
blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people
according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with
water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself
and all the people,
20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has
commanded you."
21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all
the vessels of the ministry.
22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with
blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the
heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which
are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the
presence of God for us;
25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters
the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another;
26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of
the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to
put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the
judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who
eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin,
for salvation.
10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and
not the very image of the things, can never with these same
sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who
approach perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the
worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of
sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could
take away sins.
5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and
offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come; In the volume of the book it is
written of Me; To do Your will, O God.'"
8 Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and
offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them"
(which are offered according to the law),
9 then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He
takes away the first that He may establish the second.
10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly
the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins
forever, sat down at the right hand of God,
13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.
14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being
sanctified.
15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said
before,
16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those
days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in
their minds I will write them,"
17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember
no more."
18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an
offering for sin.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
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In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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