NT Fire Starters – Day 312: Hebrews 9:11-28
READ: Hebrews 9:11-28
THINK: Sin is defiance against God, and the entire human race is guilty of this offense. It’s so serious that it requires the most extreme penalty: death and separation from God. Forgiveness is possible only at the cost of a life. But imperfect lives and sacrifices could never pay the ultimate price to permanently remove sin and guilt. Only God himself could provide a sacrifice that satisfies His perfect justice and pays the penalty for sin once and for all. God’s provision came through the willing sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only one capable and worthy of destroying the sin barrier, bridging the gap between God and people, and reuniting the Creator with His greatest and most beloved creation.
RESPOND: When Jesus went through “the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made” (v. 11), what sacrifice did He provide? (See 9:14 note.) Why was His sacrifice good enough to be made “once for all” (v. 12-14)? What was accomplished and made available to us through “the blood of Christ”? (See 9:14 note.) What does it mean that “Christ is the mediator of a new covenant”? (See 9:15 note and article on The Old Covenant and the New Covenant, p. 1820.) What “eternal inheritance” (v. 15) is available under the new covenant? How has Christ set people “free from the sins committed under the first covenant”? Why does God’s law require “that nearly everything be cleansed with blood” (v. 22), and why is there no forgiveness without the shedding of blood? (See 9:22 note.) Why and how was Jesus blood able to do what no other sacrifice on earth could do (vv. 24-26), and how was it able to deal with our sin problem “once for all”? If you have accepted the sacrifice Jesus made for you the first time He came to earth, what hope do you have for the future? (See 9:28 note.)
PRAY: Thank Jesus for the blood He shed for you when He died on the cross in your place and for your sins. Thank Him for the forgiveness and cleansing available through His perfect sacrifice. Thank Him for the spiritual freedom He provides now and for the “eternal inheritance” He has in store for you beyond this life.
ACT: No one needs another person to go between them and God. Only Jesus could provide us access to the Father. Yet Jesus uses His followers to influence others and lead them to Him, so they too can receive forgiveness and find ultimate purpose. Aim to influence as many as possible today by demonstrating Christlike character, helping others in a practical way or engaging in conversations about spiritual issues. Try to inspire others– Christians and non-Christians–to consider Christ, to grow closer to Him, or to depend on Him for help or healing.