Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.
When we consider our Epistle reading from Hebrews 10:4-10, it's easy to focus on the nature of the atonement. Why would the animal sacrifices not be adequate? Were people really atoned for under the Old Covenant? What is pleasing to God?
I'll let everyone else fight with those issues this time. I've done it before and will surely do it again. Today, though, we focus on verse nine. Jesus has come to do the Father's will. He, the perfect man, is uniquely qualified to die in place of you and me. Perfect man, but without sin, he can replace us.
What is the Father's will? This will that God the Son agrees with and considers it a pleasure to accomplish? God's will is that you and I should be forgiven - completely and forever - by his grace. Jesus has come to do God's will and rescue humanity from the curse of sin. We no longer need a constant stream of sacrificial animals. It is the pleasure of the immortal God to lose his very life and impart that life to all who believe.
We, trusting in his mercy, have been sanctified. We are presented holy and blameless to God, by his mercy. We no longer need to fear or try to work out our salvation. He has done it all.
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