Scripture:
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 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, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 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,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
15 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 9:11-15
What’s the deal? It seems like that cliché is heard all the time. How much does my cell service cost? How much is the cable bill? What do I have to do for work? It seems like there’s a “deal” for everything from our relationships with family to our jobs to our volunteer commitments and more. Finding that answer to the question “What’s the deal?” seems to compel our attention daily.
My kids are my focus at this point in my life and it seems like no one can box a parent into a deal like a teenager. Olivia and Christopher are good negotiators, too. They like to know what the deal is about chores, use of their phones and computers, and their free time. It’s a good feeling for them to know that they have done what dad and mom asked, and they are holding up their end of the deal. It makes us proud of them, too.
The early believers that read the passage from Hebrews were really not any different from my children, and from you and me. Written like a “FAQ” for Jewish converts to Christianity who were seeking and had heard all their lives about “the deal,” involving literal sacrifices in blood to seal the relationship between God and His People. The rules and methods for this “deal” were clearly outlined in scripture and the people worked hard to learn the rules and stick to them.
Imagine for a second how surprised they were to learn about how Jesus was the only sacrifice needed. There was a new deal! “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!”
How amazed they must have been!
Prayer: Help me and my family remember and rely on the sufficiency of grace and blood of the one true lamb, Jesus Christ.
Julie George
This is part of a daily devotional series running through the Lenten Season (March 5-April 20th). Please feel free to comment below and share this devotional with your friends and family.
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