Hebrews 13:11-13
"11The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore."
When Jesus was crucified on the cross he bore the price for all of our sins, past and present, not one being overlooked. I am not saying that he bore only the sins of those who choose to follow him. He bore all of the sins for each and every person. This gift, by his grace, he gives us freely. All we have to do, is accept it.
In the days of the Old testement, the Jews were required to make offerings as atonement for their sins. This process as described in Leviticus, included one practice that I want to point out. When an animal sacrifice was brought forth, the person making the sacrifce had to physically place his hand on the animals head. This ensured that the person making the sacrifice had a personal relationship with the animal that was becoming your sin. No one else could bring this sacrifice to the altar for you. YOU, had to have that personal relationship.
Today, nothing has changed in regards to that sacrifice. Jesus was our sinful sacrifice. He too seeks our personal relationship. All we have to do is reach out for him. No one else can do that for us, it is all up to us. Your salvation is at hand. It is the perfect Gift from Jesus. Allowed only by his sacrifice and our personal relationship with him.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Galatians 5:19-25 (KJV)
" 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. "
After being threatened by death in the previous verse, in Luke 13:33, Jesus said "Nevertheless, I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following:". An eerie premonition of the mission towards his resurrection that Jesus was on. He was out doing his Father's business and was at that time heading towards Jerusalem for the Passover. At the same time that Jesus was walking towards Jerusalem, so also were many other Jews (the entire Jewish nation) traveling there also for the Passover feast, and to offer their sacrifices at the temple.
Jews came to Jerusalem for the Passover so they could not only Offer the Lamb of the Passover as a sacrifce, but also to make any other necessary sacrifices for atonement and thanks. These sacrifices were brought to the Temple, and then handed over to the Priests for the rituals on the Altar. When any of the "Blood" Sacrifices were made, all of this blood would be spilt upon the altar by the priests. Once the sacrifice was done, either the priests or their helpers would then pour water across the altar, to wash away the blood. According to writings in the bible and other sources, the blood would then flow down into the Kidron (Cedron) Valley below the temple. From there, the Kidron Valley stretches all the way to the Dead Sea. Year after year, the sacificial blood would keep flowing down that valley. Atonement never complete.
After the Last Supper, where the disciples had prepared the Passover Meal, Jesus laid aside his garments and washed his disciples feet. Peter asked Jesus in John 13:9, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." In John 13:10 we read "Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all." (not all referring to Judas). In verse 7, Jesus told them that they wouldn't know what he was doing now, but they would soon enough.
After Jesus had washed the disciples feet, he lfted his eyes to heaven and prayed for us all (John 17). He prayed that God should not yet take us from this world (verse 15-20) but to instead keep us from Evil, to sanctify us through his God's truth. For just a little longer, were we destined to continue in the world. Jesus however would soon be crucified so that we might be able to be saved.
When Jesus had finished his prayer, he walked towards the Garden at Gethsemene at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Now during this walk, Jesus had to cross the Brook Kidron (Cedron) John 18:1. This is just speculation, but I would imagine that when Jesus crossed the Kidron Brook, he would have looked down at the blood stained waters that flowed down the valley. All of that blood. Blood from Sacrifices of Atonement. Blood from countless Passover Lambs/Goats. All flowing down that valley. Staining the rocks and carrying away the sins of the people while it made it's way towards the Dead Sea. Don't think that Jesus didn't know what all off that blood signified. Don't think that Jesus didn't know that all of it was to no avail. Unless he continued to the cross, blood would continue to flow down that valley forever. He walked on to Gethsemene...
After being arrested, Jesus was ultimately led to Ponteus Pilate. In John 19, we read that he was scourged, a crown of thorns placed on his head and then mocked and beaten as he was brought back before the Jews. Now, to be scourged in those days was nothing to take very lightly. The amount of damage done the the human body during a scourging was commonly known to kill a man. That scourging along with the thorns gouging into your head would produce large amounts of blood. Being brought back before the Jews, they finally provoked Pilate to have Jesus Crucified. From that courtyard, Jesus (walking) carried his cross to Calvary. All along the way drops of his blood falling to the ground from the wounds he had already recieved. Then raised up on a cross that Jesus was nailed to, the last of our saviours blood ran out onto that hill.
I find myself standing at the foot of that hill. Looking up at his cross and suddenly realizing that his sacrifice was for every man, even me. All of the sin that I have comitted placed him on that cross. He went there for me.... for me...
I look back behind me and all I see are my bloody footprints from where I trampled (Hebrews 10:29) this man underfoot for so many years. Looking down at my hands I see all of the blood of others on them. The blood of the lost people I have known were lost, and just silently passed by. (Ezekial 3 and 33). Like Peter, I not only want my feet washed, but my hands and head while he is at it. (John 13:9)
Look behind you guys. Are you Walking in God's path, or are you trampling the son underfoot and leaving the bloody prints? That innocent man did nothing to deserve his agony. But thank god that through grace, he did EVERYTHING on account of our inequity to preserve us.
As we have read in Galations 5:25 "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Just like Christ, we too must walk in the way of the Spirit for "today, tomorrow and the day after" and all the way untill our deaths or till our ressurection.
" 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. "
After being threatened by death in the previous verse, in Luke 13:33, Jesus said "Nevertheless, I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following:". An eerie premonition of the mission towards his resurrection that Jesus was on. He was out doing his Father's business and was at that time heading towards Jerusalem for the Passover. At the same time that Jesus was walking towards Jerusalem, so also were many other Jews (the entire Jewish nation) traveling there also for the Passover feast, and to offer their sacrifices at the temple.
Jews came to Jerusalem for the Passover so they could not only Offer the Lamb of the Passover as a sacrifce, but also to make any other necessary sacrifices for atonement and thanks. These sacrifices were brought to the Temple, and then handed over to the Priests for the rituals on the Altar. When any of the "Blood" Sacrifices were made, all of this blood would be spilt upon the altar by the priests. Once the sacrifice was done, either the priests or their helpers would then pour water across the altar, to wash away the blood. According to writings in the bible and other sources, the blood would then flow down into the Kidron (Cedron) Valley below the temple. From there, the Kidron Valley stretches all the way to the Dead Sea. Year after year, the sacificial blood would keep flowing down that valley. Atonement never complete.
After the Last Supper, where the disciples had prepared the Passover Meal, Jesus laid aside his garments and washed his disciples feet. Peter asked Jesus in John 13:9, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." In John 13:10 we read "Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all." (not all referring to Judas). In verse 7, Jesus told them that they wouldn't know what he was doing now, but they would soon enough.
After Jesus had washed the disciples feet, he lfted his eyes to heaven and prayed for us all (John 17). He prayed that God should not yet take us from this world (verse 15-20) but to instead keep us from Evil, to sanctify us through his God's truth. For just a little longer, were we destined to continue in the world. Jesus however would soon be crucified so that we might be able to be saved.
When Jesus had finished his prayer, he walked towards the Garden at Gethsemene at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Now during this walk, Jesus had to cross the Brook Kidron (Cedron) John 18:1. This is just speculation, but I would imagine that when Jesus crossed the Kidron Brook, he would have looked down at the blood stained waters that flowed down the valley. All of that blood. Blood from Sacrifices of Atonement. Blood from countless Passover Lambs/Goats. All flowing down that valley. Staining the rocks and carrying away the sins of the people while it made it's way towards the Dead Sea. Don't think that Jesus didn't know what all off that blood signified. Don't think that Jesus didn't know that all of it was to no avail. Unless he continued to the cross, blood would continue to flow down that valley forever. He walked on to Gethsemene...
After being arrested, Jesus was ultimately led to Ponteus Pilate. In John 19, we read that he was scourged, a crown of thorns placed on his head and then mocked and beaten as he was brought back before the Jews. Now, to be scourged in those days was nothing to take very lightly. The amount of damage done the the human body during a scourging was commonly known to kill a man. That scourging along with the thorns gouging into your head would produce large amounts of blood. Being brought back before the Jews, they finally provoked Pilate to have Jesus Crucified. From that courtyard, Jesus (walking) carried his cross to Calvary. All along the way drops of his blood falling to the ground from the wounds he had already recieved. Then raised up on a cross that Jesus was nailed to, the last of our saviours blood ran out onto that hill.
I find myself standing at the foot of that hill. Looking up at his cross and suddenly realizing that his sacrifice was for every man, even me. All of the sin that I have comitted placed him on that cross. He went there for me.... for me...
I look back behind me and all I see are my bloody footprints from where I trampled (Hebrews 10:29) this man underfoot for so many years. Looking down at my hands I see all of the blood of others on them. The blood of the lost people I have known were lost, and just silently passed by. (Ezekial 3 and 33). Like Peter, I not only want my feet washed, but my hands and head while he is at it. (John 13:9)
Look behind you guys. Are you Walking in God's path, or are you trampling the son underfoot and leaving the bloody prints? That innocent man did nothing to deserve his agony. But thank god that through grace, he did EVERYTHING on account of our inequity to preserve us.
As we have read in Galations 5:25 "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Just like Christ, we too must walk in the way of the Spirit for "today, tomorrow and the day after" and all the way untill our deaths or till our ressurection.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)