S) "24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
Hebrews 9:24-26 (NASB)
O) The Writer is reasserting the divinity of Jesus, that He is our high priest, but not as the high priests that came before Him. This is essential to know, that the Messiah was not only a man, not as so many of the Hebrews were expecting. Many of them expected Him to come and rule, to fulfill many Scriptural prophesies of freedom, peace, and prosperity. What they didn't see coming, was that His reign and priesthood would be spiritual and eternal, not physical or temporal. Because of this, we have an eternal spiritual peace, knowing that the sacrifice for our sins is perpetual. This means that the phrase "put away sin" really means that He destroyed it, it's gone, it won't be a problem anymore. The sacrifice of Jesus resolved the problem of sin permanently. By putting our faith in Him, confessing and repenting from our sins, we are forgiven forever.
A) There is a problem I have, when I have fallen into sin, that I feel like I want to do... something. Like, to atone for my sin, I need to take some kind of action - this is after I have confessed and repented, asking God to forgive me. That problem really has its roots in a lack of understanding (or remembering, or believing) the perpetually sufficient sacrifice of Jesus. That application of these verses, is simply to remind myself that they are truth. I don't have to do anything in addition to what Jesus did. Even typing that out feels silly, but that's how I feel sometimes. His sacrifice is perpetually, completely, irrevocably sufficient.
P) Father, forgive me for trying to do more. Your plan is perfect, and I have this tendency to want to add to it - as if I have a better idea, or a more complete understanding of what is needed or good. Help me to rest and trust in Your perfect will, Your perfect forgiveness, Your perfect love. Soften my heart, to receive this verse sewn deeply into it, so that when I have fallen to sin I will correctly remember the perpetually sufficient sacrifice of Your son. No further payment is needed; Jesus completed the work on the cross. Let me remember that, and let Your will continue to prevail. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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