Hebrews 8:1-7

Hebrews 8:1-7 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5:33-34 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all.

Matthew 5:38-39 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

How righteous are you? Jesus settled this question long ago: not righteous at all. The Pharisees and Sadducees who followed Jesus around thought themselves very righteous. They thought they pleased God by their outward appearances and actions. But the Sermon on the Mount shows Jesus digging beneath the surface to the motivations of the heart. Since the Jewish people hated Romans, asking them to love their enemies asked the impossible. When Jesus told sexually-motivated creatures to be pure in heart at all times, did He not stretch his point beyond people's biological tendencies and capabilities? At the core of our biological centers are we not programed to resist an evil person? When someone pushes pointed sticks under our fingernails or inflicts some other pain or torture in an attempt to destroy us, will we not naturally resist? Why then did Jesus offer such strict demands? He was pointing out the difference between our sinful nature and God's holiness by revealing attitudes and behaviors we many times fail to recognize as sin. In our imperfection, we are not like God, and we usually do not say, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." As humans, we resist God's plan as we lust, hate, falsify, and commit unfaithfulness. We might even get angry with our mate, implying that he or she is a fool. Many of our thoughts and behaviors are not like God, yet He still loves us and has made a way for us through Christ's sacrifice for sin.

In the Old Testament, God commanded the high priest once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to enter the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. The Jews became acceptable to God on that day, for the blood of slain animals paid the price for their sins. On that Day of Atonement, God forgave the people of the sins they knew they had committed, and the sacrifice also covered their sins of omission, the behaviors they may not have recognized as sin. On that day, through the actions of the high priest in the Holy of Holies, the Jewish people became acceptable to God. The Day of Atonement was the day of righteousness; however, this day could never provide a complete or lasting absolution from sin. Every year the high priest had to enter into the Holy of Holies to once again offer up sacrifices for the people's sins. The Bible says people's hearts are continuously wicked: unholy, unacceptable to God, sinning overtly, covertly, and in ignorance. The Law and all it components revealed our sinful nature but could not change the hearts of men and women.

But Jesus came as the complete and totally efficacious sacrifice to deal with every kind of sin. He is our continuous Day of Atonement, THE DAY OF REST. By faith in his finished work at the cross, we enter into the kingdom of God, the Promised Land. Since Jesus has set us free from sin and death, we are no longer captives to sin, under the shame of God's constant judgment. Christ won the victory for us, making us acceptable to God because we are in him and He in us. Today, one of us might commit a sin, one we do not even recognize, but praise God, our high priest will present us holy before the Father because He paid the price for every sin we will ever commit. Our works or our good intentions cannot make peace with God. Christ alone makes us righteous: acceptable to God. We put our faith and trust in him, believing what John wrote: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7 KJV) That means He cleansed me yesterday, He is cleansing me today, and He will cleanse me tomorrow.

What a great salvation we have! Does this mean we should go on sinning? No! If you love Jesus, you will desire to please him with all your heart, soul, and might. If you fail to love him fervently, you will break your word to him and compromise your relationship with him with your fleshly and faithless attitudes and behavior. One of reasons the Holy Spirit is so important in our lives is that he reveals Jesus Christ and the love Jesus has for us. The Spirit teaches us all things concerning our elder brother, Jesus, and how He gave up everything for us. When we truly understand God's love, our hearts and mind will bow in contrition when we know the great price Christ paid for us: the bright and Morning Star of Heaven yielded himself as the perfect sacrifice for our redemption. We will realize that in our imperfection, we are very much dependent on God's goodness, mercy and grace. Praise God, little children, He does change us as He works in us, perfecting us and removing our weaknesses. As we walk in the Holy Spirit, He leads us into all truth and changes us from glory to glory. Rejoice in the Lord today! CHRIST won the victory over sin, assuring your salvation as sons and daughters of your Father in heaven.