10-18-18 Today in the Word

Book of Hebrews: A Call to Faith in Christ REDEMPTION IN CHRIST’S BLOOD Thursday, October 18, 2018 | Hebrews 9:11–15 A military wife waited six months for her husband to return from deployment. Although she could look at photographs of her spouse and even communicate through video chats, those were never fully satisfying. They only built stronger anticipation for the day when he would arrive in person. Scripture tells us that, in a similar way, the old covenant worship really only built anticipation for something more to come. It is Christ who brings those “good things that are now already here” (v. 11). He is a “mediator of a new covenant” (v. 15) which is superior in several important ways. First, unlike the priests of old who entered the earthly tabernacle, Christ “went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands” (v. 11). His work of redemption is made in the very presence of God, not on Earth. Second, Christ’s sacrifice was not made with the repeated blood of bulls and goats; “he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood” (v. 12). His sacrifice is perfect and complete, never to be repeated again. Christ our high priest entered a better tabernacle with a better sacrifice, and secured an “eternal redemption” (v. 12) and “eternal inheritance” (v. 15). Third, Christ’s redemption brought a better cleansing. The blood sacrifices of the old covenant “sanctify [the people] so that they are outwardly clean” (v. 13), but Christ’s self-sacrifice accomplishes something more: it “cleanses our consciences from acts that lead to death” (v. 14). In other words, we are more than simply declared forgiven; we can also receive a change of heart as well, “so that we may serve the living God!” (v. 14). In Christ’s “unblemished” sacrifice of Himself, we now have a redemption that is perfect in every way. APPLY THE WORD Scripture tells us that Christ “has died as a ransom” to set us free from slavery to sin (v. 15). Christ is more powerful than our sin! Are there areas of your life that need Christ’s liberating redemption? Have you tried to fight sin in your own strength? Ask for His grace to empower you; then commit those areas to Him.