Inspirational Message: The Power of the Cross

Jesus Christ shed His blood for the redemption of humanity. We think of Jesus Christ as our intercessor and that He mediates on our behalf before God the Father. Recognition of our sins can create guilt and the need to be forgiven. As we read the scriptures we learn that Jesus Christ gave Himself as the sacrificial offering, once and for all, for our sins. In the beginning of Hebrews 9, the author discusses the worship practices God ordained such as giving the Israelites instructions for building the Tabernacle which traveled with them as they journeyed to the Promised Land. Christ did not take the blood of goats and bulls to offer as the sacrifice; He took His own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us. He became the perfect sacrifice to God. His blood purified our lives from useless rituals so that we may serve God in an acceptable manner.

Christ has come to us as the High Priest; the tent in which He serves is greater and perfect. It is not made by human hands, nor is it a part of this created world. With one sacrificial death on the cross for our sins, we have an offering that is effective forever. Read Hebrews 10:5-7 to learn what Christ said to God before He came to earth as a human body. By Verse 9, Christ offers himself as the sacrifice. Because of His obedience, we are all purified from sin by the offering that He made of His own body once and for all! One main problem was that no animals could have cleansed anyone so Jesus Christ came as the perfect offering for sin (Hebrew 9:11-14) because only Christ was without spot or blemish. He was, and still is, perfect without sin.