The Final Sacrifice

          "...and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
          Hebrews 9:22b



          In the Old Testament, priests offered sacrifices of bulls and goats day
     after day, not to remove the sins of the people, but as a reminder of their
     lack of fellowship with God because of their sinful ways.

          These sacrifices were preparing them for the final sacrifice, the one Jesus
     would make on behalf of the people for whom He was sent to save and
     intercede.

          The blood of animals could not take away the sins of the people.  Only the
     Messiah could do that with His perfect sacrifice of Himself on the cross.

          "But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.  For it is im-
     possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."  Hebrews 10:3-4

           "Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties;  again
     and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But
     when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat
     down at the right hand of God." 
           "Since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool, because
     by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
     Hebrews 10:11-14

          After His death and ascension, Jesus sat down at the right hand of God the
     Father, indicating His mission, obtaining salvation for His people, was
     accomplished.

          "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, having obtained eternal re-
     demption."  Hebrews 9:12

          He did not obtain eternal redemption for Himself.  There was no need for that,
     as He was sinless.  Jesus secured eternal redemption for His people!

                       *****************************************

                                      
          Jesus is a perfect Savior and intercessor.

          "...but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood (unlike all
     the others who eventually died).  Therefore He is able to save completely those
     who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them."
     Hebrews 7:24-25

                                 *************************************


          Jesus' death removed His people's sins so we can serve God, something ani-
     mal sacrifices could not do.  He ransomed "the called" to set them free from sin.

          "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."
          "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."
     Hebrews 9:14-15

                                  
                              ***************************************

          "Such is the marvel, the splendor, the wonder of Christ's sacrifice, that one
     sacrifice for all time achieved what centuries and millenia of every other ritual
     and effort could never accomplish."

          "A Man of infinite worth, offering a soul of infinite worth, to a God of in-
     finite holiness, for rebels with infinite guilt - and bang! just like that, they are
     saved and reconciled and set apart to God by that one sacrifice."
                                     
                                                Dan Phillips 'The World tilting Gospel'


          "But now He has appeared once for all, at the end of the ages to do away with
     sin by the sacrifice of Himself.  Just as man is destined to die once, and after that
     to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many
     people;  and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation
     to those who are waiting for Him."  Hebrews 9:26b-28

                                 *************************************


          God accomplished His will (the salvation of His people) perfectly, through
     Jesus' death on the cross.