Today's Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16
Daily Lectionary: Genesis 13: 1-18; Mark 5: 1-20
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who was tempted as we are but without sin.”
(Hebrews 4:15)
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. The High Priest in the Old Testament would offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. Because he had sins, he’d offer a sacrifice for himself first and then he’d go into the Holy of Holies and make an offering before God for the sins of the people.
More sin means more sacrifice. Always more bloodshed—and never enough of it, because we never stop sinning. Sacrifices of animal blood only does so much and can only soothe the wrath of God for so long.
Jesus is our High Priest. One eternal Priest, who offered for us an eternal sacrifice–one that lasts once for all time. He gave up His own life for our sins.
You are forgiven. You are redeemed—bought back by the sacrifice of our High Priest. You are cleansed, made holy, and sanctified. You didn’t move toward him or sacrifice for Him. You can’t offer your filth to God. That would not only be unacceptable but insulting to Him.
Christ made the sacrifice of His own life—an acceptable and pleasing sacrifice to Almighty God. God accepts the sacrifice of His Son and you and I are saved in Christ.
That’s all well and good until we get tempted. Then all bets are off, right? It’s just you being drawn to sin like metal to a magnet, isn’t it?
No, it’s not. He is there—right where you are. He’s seen the magnet. He’s experienced it’s pull. He knows. He knows all too well all that the devil, the world, and your flesh pull you toward it.
He endured it. He overcame it. He didn’t fail. He didn’t sin. Not once. Not ever. And He did his enduring, overcoming, not failing, not sinning, not once, not ever, for you and for your salvation.
You are saved by His faithfulness! You are even saved from the slavery to being drawn to your more-than-magnetic attraction to your sins. He has overcome them all. In Him, you can step away from them, too.
Not you, Him. He has saved you—even from your sins. He has raised you from the dead to new life in Him.
Jesus is our rescue from our sins, our temptation, from everything! He alone makes us pleasing to God. He alone is the reason why we can smile in Lent. Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen.
“Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain Could give the guilty conscience peace, Or wash away the stain. But Christ, the heav’n-ly Lamb, Takes all our sins away; A sacrifice of nobler name and richer blood than they.” (LSB #431, verses 1-2)