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A Guys Guide to Hebrews: Once and For All (10:1-39)  The problem with technology is that in this day and age it is outdated so quickly. Every year new editions of Microsoft Windows, of Apple’s Iphones, and of Adobe’s Photoshop come out with new and better bells and whistles. The best you can hope for is to be one top of the game for a few months. The fact that this post was typed on a dinosaur computer that is nearly 3 years old is nearly a miracle in the technological community. It is the nature of the world in which we live that today’s next big thing becomes a thing of the past almost instantly. Our word, and the culture that it breeds, is one of temporary satisfaction. This has led to a society that is increasing built on the temporary. Everything is disposable. Cameras, computers, software, cars, almost everything is easier to repair than replace these days. The temporary nature of our world is vastly different than the world of the writer of Hebrews, and it is even far from our own world just a few decades ago. One thing, however, that is very similar is that the writer of Hebrews was encountering a society that had been built on the temporary in at least one aspect – sacrifices. The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament had to be constantly offered. The Day of Atonement happened every year, and on top of that ceremony, individual Israelites would often have to take sacrifices to the Temple to atone for their sins. If you thought keeping updated on technology was bad, you should have tried to keep up with your own sins. Not even Apple can update that fast. Imagine living an entire lifetime, feeling like you were always having to offer another animal for sins. This was, however, just meant to be a temporary situation. The sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ on the cross was what all those animal sacrifices were picturing. The blood of animals was never anything more than a picture of what was to come. The blood of Christ was actually able to cleanse. The blood of animals was an expression of faith and obedience on the part of the sacrificer, but it could never actually remove their sins, no matter how big or little they might seem to be. After His sacrifice there would never be another need to sacrifice ever again. So the next time you have to upgrade something remember this; Christ 1.0 is all you will ever need. Questions for Discussion/Reflection 1. What do you think it would have felt like to constantly need to offer a sacrifice for your own sins? 2. Even though the Scriptures tell us that Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient, we have a hard time believing that. Why do you think that is? 3. How should it change your life to know that Christ’s work on behalf of your sins is finished? Staff Writer: Aaron Sharp |
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