Begin with 2 minutes if stillness and silence before God.

Yesterday, while studying Chapter 9, we learned that God’s people would gather each year on the Day of Atonement and the high priest would enter The Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the nation. When they gathered there’s no doubt that they were reminded of their sins, having to wrestle with guilt and shame over their offenses toward God. What they needed was a permanent, powerful, sin-destroying forgiveness.

Setting aside the first system in order to establish a far better one meant doing away with the system of sacrifices contained in the ceremonial law. The ceremonial law prepared people for Christ’s coming. With Christ’s death and resurrection, that system was no longer needed. And through Christ we can fulfill the moral law as we let Him live in us. Verse 10 states, “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Christ came to offer His body on the cross for us as a sacrifice that is completely acceptable to God. God’s new and living way for us to please Him is not by keeping laws or even by abstaining from sin. It is by coming to Him in faith to be forgiven and then following Him in loving obedience.

“The Holy Spirit testifies…’This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds. Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.” Romans 10:16-18. God remembers our sins no more. Christ forgives completely, so there is no need to confess our past sins repeatedly. As believers, we can be confident that the sins we confess and renounce are forgiven and forgotten.

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” In admitting our sins and receiving Christ’s cleansing, we are agreeing with God that our sin truly is sin and that we are willing to turn from it. We are ensuring that we don’t conceal our sins from Him or from ourselves. We are recognizing our tendency to sin and relying on His power to overcome it.

What a freeing and beautiful gift available to us. We don’t have to make a list of our sins and carry them with us. We don’t have to stand at the Tabernacle doors, forbidden to enter the Presence of God. JESUS made a way and gave us direct access to our Father in Heaven!

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:19-20

Jesus’ death removed the curtain in the temple that sealed The Most Holy Place from view. Now all believers may walk into God’s presence at any time, confess their sins personally, lay them at the foot of the cross, and know His merciful forgiveness once and for all. Amen!

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence

Reflection:

• Are there any sins that you feel compelled to confess repeatedly; possibly not believing that you have been forgiven of them once and for all?
• Humbly ask the Lord to bring clarity to your heart and mind.
• Prayer: Praise You, Emmanuel, for Your permanent, powerful, sin-destroying forgiveness. Thank You for granting us access to You through Your Son, Jesus. Please deepen our knowledge and understanding of who You are as we read Your word and devote time to being in Your Presence daily. All praise and honor to Your Name, Amen.

Family Devo: Hebrews 10

By: Carrie Hobson

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.   

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset  

Head

We’ve spent a lot of time this week talking about the sacrifice of Jesus and how he fulfilled the law. When the priests would enter the holiest place through the veil before Jesus came, they were trembling and scared because if they forgot the smallest thing that the law required, they would die. Now that Jesus shed his blood and the veil has been torn, we can come to God with boldness. We don’t have to be fearful and scared because Jesus gave us a new way of living. In the man-made tent, only the priest could be in the presence of God. Now we can be in His presence forever! Since we have been cleansed perfectly through the blood of Jesus, we can be reminded of God’s faithfulness. As scripture says, “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering”.  

Heart

So, who is our hope? Jesus! When things are hard, we can hold on to Him and never be discouraged because Jesus is faithful. You can think of Him as a life jacket. When the waves are tossing you around, and you’re scared you may go under, a lifejacket holds you up. It keeps you from sinking, Jesus does the same thing! He loves you so much!  

Hands

As you’re talking to God this week, I want you to think about what it must’ve been like for the priests who were trembling and scared in the presence of God. Thank God that through His Son, Jesus, you can directly talk to Him without fear!

Prayer: God, thank You for sending Your Son so that we have hope, and we can approach You with boldness! Amen.