Hi friends! Not to be too cheeky but today's reading reminds me of those days in school where you would repeat the same argument over and over again in different wording just to try and make requested word count. What I mean to say is you're in for 10 minutes of the author of Hebrews saying "Jesus was the perfect sacrifice to atone for all sins whereas other sacrifices only atone for sins for a day." Therefore, if you're short on time you could probably get away with just reading Hebrews 9.
Scripture to Read
Audio Bible
Question to Consider
The concept of Jesus as a sacrifice is known as atonement which is a difficult topic to consider. For many theologians they find the cross to be a bit of a paradox. The cross represents the boundless love of a God that would go to the point of death in order to forgive us. Yet, why must a God of boundless love result to death to forgive? Couldn't God just...forgive and not kill Jesus? This has been tricky for churches and church leaders for years. How do you make sense of God's love in relation to the sacrifice of Jesus? For an explanation from a Methodist point of view I encourage you to read: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/why-did-jesus-have-to-die)
- Commentary -
I want to share a video we watched a long way back in Leviticus again as its about sacrifice and atonement. I think it will do a better (and more succinct) job at explaining it than I could.
Praying the Hymns
Our prayer for today is from hymn 339 in our hymnal - Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast
1. Come, sinners, to the gospel feast;
let every soul be Jesus' guest.
Ye need not one be left behind,
for God hath bid all humankind.
2. Sent by my Lord, on you I call;
the invitation is to all.
Come, all the world! Come, sinner, thou!
All things in Christ are ready now.
3. Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed,
ye restless wanderers after rest;
ye poor, and maimed, and halt, and blind,
in Christ a hearty welcome find.
4. My message as from God receive;
ye all may come to Christ and live.
O let his love your hearts constrain,
nor suffer him to die in vain.
5. This is the time, no more delay! This is the Lord's accepted day. Come thou, this moment, at his call, and live for him who died for all.