Today lesson number 9 is about Jesus the perfect sacrifice. Is there any sacrifice better than the sacrifice of Jesus? The answer is absolutely not. The memory verse for today is from the book of Hebrews chapter 10 verse 14. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. I don’t want you to miss that those who are being sanctified. We have been sanctified, we are being sanctified and we will be sanctified by the eternal aspects we are saved, we are being saved and we will be saved. The beauty of the work of Christ it is not only immediate it’s continual and then it has an eternal and immortal impact on us. I’ve been thinking about this “Why were sacrifices needed? That’s a huge question. Why were sacrifices needed and the short answer is where there is no shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin, and one of our prior lesson the bible says the wages of sin is death. So when you stand before the judge in any court setting. If you are guilty, what do you ask for? And if you are innocent what do you ask for? If you’re guilty don’t ask for justice. (Instead you ask for mercy) buy if you’re innocent what do you ask for? Justice. And so when we look at what the Lord has done the apostle john says love has been perfected in this that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment. (It seems like we could just run to the Lord well in fact that’s exactly what it means.) When the covenant relationship has accomplished the mending of both hearts to one when you and your Father are one and there is no gap between you because you love each other He loves you and provides for you, you love him and are obedient to him then you can run to him for any and everything. Because of the efficacious sacrifice of Jesus we can run to him and know that we are going to be received by an eternal Father and a Lord that keeps us and strengthens us all the way. Hebrews 9 verse 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant,(by means of death) 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. Let’s go ahead to the Mondays’ lesson the Diverse Kinds of Sacrifices. We’re going to look at the five major types of sacrificial offerings, we’re going to look at the meaning of each one of those types what it represented. 1. The burnt offering. The entire animal was to be consumed on the altar everything was to be burned except for the hide or skin of the animal everything else was to be burned of course the person would place their head, their hand on the head of the animal and then that animal was accepted to make atonement for them this is of course looking forward by faith to Jesus the coming messiah. So what’s the representation of the burnt offering? Christ’s entire life was consumed for you and for me. Hebrews 7:27 (unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.) “Jesus gave himself completely entirely his entire life was consumed for our salvation.” 2. The Grain offering. This was not an offering for atonement and this offering had no blood, no flesh there was no death involved in this offering it did not have the purpose of providing atonement. It was actually a gift of gratitude for God’s provision in sustaining his people. “Christ is the one who provides eternal life he is the bread of life.”( John 6:35) I am the bread of life he who comes to me shall never hunger, he who believes in me shall never thirst. The application for us today, is we need to feed on Jesus the word, we need to feed on him and his word. In addition to that I believe we need to walk in recognition of his provision for our lives. (Meaning we need to recognize God every day. He is my creator and my savior.) 3. Peace offering or the fellowship offering. The offerer ate not just the priest so the person bringing the offering would partake of the flesh as well. Now they did not partake of the fat or the blood but they would partake of certain portions. The purpose of the offering was to praise God. This was not an atonement offering. They can bring a male or a female animal which is interesting without blemish to the Lord. This would be a communal meal with friends and family to celebrate the well-being provided by God. The representation of this remember the offer would partake of the meal together. The representation you and I are to spiritually partake of Christ. Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 4. Sin offering or the purification. This is the most definitely an atonement offering of the five offerings three of them were atonement offerings. The burnt offering was for non-defiant type of sins. The sin offering was for non-deliberate sins. The reparation offering was for misusing holy things. The interesting point is that the blood was applied to the outer altar in the courtyard so the blood in this offering is more prominently displayed than in the other offerings. The representation Christ redeemed me, His life was provided his blood redeems us from sin. Matthew 26:28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. The application for you and I today is we are to accept his blood that can cover our sin. 5. The reparation offering. The person who brought the offering was required to make restitution not only did they bring the sacrifice but, they had to pay a penalty of 20 percent to restore what was wrongfully taken it represents that Jesus Christ has paid the debt for my sin. He does not just redeem me by his blood but he paid the debt that I owed and it says that you and I today even though we come to God and we ask for forgiveness there are times when if we have wronged someone else God requires us to make restitution for what we have done and pay that back is the restitution or reparation offering. Let’s go to Tuesdays’ lesson. Jesus the Perfect Sacrifice. Was Jesus the perfect sacrifice? The bible says that Jesus sacrifice is superior to the sacrifice of animals because notice this, Jesus was the son of God he was perfect in and of himself who perfectly fulfilled God’s will according to Hebrews 10 verses 5-10. Wednesdays’ lesson the cross and the cost of forgiveness. We always talk about the free gift of God which is salvation by grace through faith. Grace is free to us but I want you to know it cost God everything he had to become a man and die to shed the precious blood of Jesus Christ that’s the cost of grace but that’s how much God puts a value on your life. Thursdays’ lesson Judgment and the character of God. What does redemption in the cross for the forgiveness of our sins reveal about God? Romans 5:8 says But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful. Why do the cross and the ministry of Jesus in our behalf suggest that we should look confidently, but with humility and repentance, towards the judgment? Romans 3:21,22 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, (Means that there is no difference between believers and those that don’t believe when it comes to God doing what’s right. The Righteousness of God has to do what is right and he does this through the faith of Jesus. (The bible says that Jesus Christ is the author and the finisher of faith and that’s of course Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.) So Jesus Christ has this faith toward us before we have faith back toward him and that faith causes him to be presented for those who are all and for those who believe. (Means that everyone).
