Text:
Jesus offered one sacrifice
for sins that
is effective for ever (Hebrews 10.12)
There is a place that is often
spoken about in the Gospels. And it has fascinated readers over the years. It
is not a city, nor a house, not a mountain top, or an olive grove - it is a
room. The upper room in
We
know that Jesus and His disciples ate together here. And it was in the
Upper Room that Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, took a towel and dried them
and taught them of servant life in following Him. But, now, the years lived in healing, and
teaching, in a life of perfect communion with the living God, years uniquely
significant for human life and human history are coming to their moment of
fulfilment. In the great unfolding
moments and hours of the Father’s loving purposes, Jesus and the disciples
gathered in the Upper Room on the night of the Last Supper. Jesus knew that all
things were nearing
fullness and completion. Jesus knew, the gospel tells us, that He was now returning to the
Father. Those moments, then, with the
disciples in the Upper Room, are moments of greatest intensity and deepest
significance.
Matthew’s
gospel allows us a glimpse into those moments, and tells us what happened.
While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread,gave
a prayer of thanks, broke it and gave it to His disciples “Take and eat it, “
He said, “this is my body”. Then He took a cup, gave thanks to God, and gave it
to them. “Drink it, all of you, “ He said, “this is my
blood...poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins...........”
For here He is speaking about
His own death, the following day, hidden from the disciples at that moment. And
here Jesus reveals here the central significance of the Cross. In His words,
‘my blood... poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’ Jesus declares
that His death is a sacrifice, for us. The Cross, according to our Lord Jesus,
is first and foremost a sacrifice, opening a new relationship with the living
God.
We pause here, looking into
the Upper Room, hearing the words of Jesus. We pause here and ask, What do
these mysterious words mean ? You might have noticed last
week, that
sometimes you could see the tops of the Pentlands, other times they were
covered in mist or cloud. So we pause
before the mystery of Jesus’ words about His sacrifice, waiting for them to
become clear for us..................
The sacrifice of Jesus - what is this ? this strange language. Though what Jesus says may mean nothing for the passer by outside, in this strange language is hidden the mystery of our salvation............. and they may come mean everything for us as life goes on.
Someone once asked David Livingstone, the great Scottish explorer,
about
the great sacrifices he had made in crossing
In his answer David Livingstone gave something of the key to his own life, and faith. He said:
“People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my
life in
There, we touch on the great motivating power and inner strength of David Livingstone.
the great sacrifice which Jesus made...........
What does this mean ?
Well, the sacrifices described
in the book of Leviticus give us some clues. Here, person who had sinned would go to the
This was a sign that the sin had been laid on the lamb,
and when the lamb was offered, the sin was removed, gone,
taken away.................. the lamb in place of the one who had sinned.........
Now, at the beginning of John’s gospel, we are told, John the Baptist pointed to Jesus
and
said: “There, there is the lamb of God”
the whole of the New Testament, in one way or another, from end to end,
witnesses to this..............
and the prophet Isaiah who declares........
he
was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone
astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:5-6
Jesus, the lamb of God has taken our sin on Himself, and in His death on the Cross, He has taken our sin far from us........ and so the way is open, clear, into the presence of God
Jesus, says Hebrews 10.12
offered one sacrifice for sins that is effective for ever
so hear
this - the burden of our sin and
guilt......... is lifted forever............
So often we still carry the burden of our sin and our guilt.
In low moments we look back through our lives and go over our past sins, and our guilt, the things we should have done, but didn’t, things we could have done but, if only we had known, were left too late, we look past on our failures, and judge ourselves and our lives and keep carrying it all as a burden.
Instead of looking to Jesus, the lamb of God
who has taken our sin on Himself, and in His death on the Cross, has taken our
sin far from us........
and so the way is clear and open for us clear, into
the presence of the living God and the
life that Jesus offers us free from sin and guilt.
Here, at the Cross, Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins that is
effective for ever
Here, at the Cross, in the sacrifice of Jesus, who gave Himself for us..............
we find the welcoming love of Jesus - who has done everything for us !
Here at the Cross, Here, we find the peace of forgiveness.
Here at the Cross we find healing, relief from our burdens.
all of this through the wonderful, everlasting, welcoming love of God
Who declares.................
For the mountains may
depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10.