2023/08/26 - Hebrews 10: Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice & Persevere
Jerry Starling
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Online Activity Today
Bible Study…............9:30 a.m...........Live on Facebook.com/central.cofc
Worship…...............10:30 a.m...........Live on Facebook.com/central.cofc
Evening Worship......6:00 p.m...........Live on Facebook.com/central.cofc
Reading: Hebrews 10 – Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice & Call to Persevere
Verses for Today:
And every priest stands day after day at his service offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:11-12)
Daily Devo
The Law Is Only a Shadow
The Law was a shadow of what God planned for His people. The sacrifices offered daily, and yearly are repeated because they cannot perfect those who offer them.
“Would they not cease being offered, if the cleansed worshipers, had any consciousness of sin?” Those sacrifices remind them of sin yearly. “For the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.”
Jesus Christ Is Reality
God had little interest in the sacrifices of His Law. When Christ came, He said “You have not desired Sacrifices, but a body you prepared for me. In burnt offerings You take no pleasure. Then I said, ‘I have come to do Your will, O God.”’ (Ps. 40:6-8) Doing God’s will is far better than the sin offerings of the Law.
He abolished the first to establish the second. “It is by God’s will we have been sanctified through the body of Jesus once for all.”
The Levitical priests kept offering the same sacrifices that cannot forgive sins until the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD. “But Christ offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, sat down at God’s right hand, and waits until His enemies are His footstool.”
“By one offering he perfected for all time the sanctified.” The Holy Spirit testifies: “The covenant I make with them: I will put my laws in their hearts, and write them on their minds, and I will remember their sins no more.”
“Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no offering for sin.” When sins are remembered no more, there is no need for further sacrifice.
A Call to Persevere
Jesus gives us confidence to enter the sanctuary by His blood and the way He opened through the curtain of His flesh. As the Levitical High Priest entered the Holy of Holies once each year, we enter the heavenly sanctuary daily to talk to our Father.
“Come in the assurance of faith, with hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and bodies washed with pure water. Hold fast your hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
Let us encourage one another to love and good works, not neglecting the assembly. We ought to do this more as the Day approaches. There is no sacrifice for sins if we willfully persist in sin.
Anyone violating the laws of Moses dies on the testimony of witnesses. “How much will be deserved by those who spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant, and outraged the Spirit of grace?”
Do not abandon confidence. You need endurance, so when you do God’s will, you receive what was promised. “In a little while, He will come and not delay; my righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in any who shrink back.”
“We are not those who shrink back and are lost, but those who have faith and are saved.”
Will you and I hold fast? Or will we shrink back?
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Pray for Yourself
Father, I pray that I will not shrink back from following Jesus as He calls me. In His name I pray, AMEN!
My Prayer for You (and for me)
Father, I offer this prayer for all who read these words. I pray that each one of us look hard at the above call for perseverance and not fall by the wayside. This is my prayer, in His name, AMEN!
Updates for Central
Our Potluck Fellowship will be today. Bring a dish to share, invite your family, friends, and neighbors, and come find good fellowship, food, and love.
Son Quest is September 1-3. If you are going, get ready for three days of fun mixed with some great Bible teaching. Come back fired up for Jesus!
The Wednesday morning Ladies’ Class will resume at 10:00 am after Labor Day. All ladies are invited to participate.
Our Eastern European Mission “Million Dollar Sunday” contribution will be on September 24. Our contribution that day will go to EEM for Bibles for the former Soviet bloc nations. Last year, EEM distributed 1,960,00 Bibles, up 24% from ‘21. They hope for more this year.
Shut-ins – Our Members
AT HOME: Pat Brennan * Jack Baugh * Gale Harnish * Pam Hatter * Gussie Keeney*, Carl Bolli * Mary Evans * Steve Mayhue * Tom Jenkins * Ruth & Jesse Matthews, Sr * Rose Hostetler *
IN FACILITIES: Wells Joseph * Sarah Hall * Darlene Hughes * Clifford Jarvis * Lisa Jeminez * Bill Leavitt * Debbie Patton Means * Belinda Pate * Annette Ramirez * Sylvester Ross * Christina Shannon *
Note: These lists of shut-ins are in this Devotional listing on SUNDAYS as a reminder of our shut-in members.
Family & Friend’s Long Term Prayer Requests
Jesse Matthews, Sr. is still in the hospital and could be going back to rehab soon, Ruth told me on Sunday. She needs prayers along with Jesse.
Pam Hatter: Son, Lee Miller; Diane Faircloth.
Jesse and Debbi Johnson: Son, Kyle, Kymm, Daughter, Robyn.
Pat Brennan: Her Family: Sons, P.J. & Kyle, Linda & Dennis Lochman; Meredith & Sean; Mary & Mack.
Bill Leavitt: Friend, Brenda Cline, is in the hospital after a stroke. Pray for her & her husband Gene. Bill’s sister, Sherry; friend Sarah in the Philippines
Tom and Becky Jenkins: Daughter & son-in-law, Cathy & Doug Foote, Martha Hovind (Tom’s sister).
Jennifer San Juan: Daughter, Dawn.
Pat Duncan: Friends, Joyce & Michele.
Tom and Tina Phillips: His brother, Joe & nephew, Simon; niece, Mary the daughter of Tina’s sister.
Joanna Turner Father, Bill Berry & Don Knight.
Jay & Kelli Evans: Daughter, Emma Lemon; Mother Mary Evans.
Carl Bolli Niece, Renee Leone-Bolli.
Lisa Knowles: Daughter, Angela Farr & Sister Stephanie.
Lorie Cantrell: Mother, Kathy
Helen Rogers: Cousin Kayla
Robbie Hatter: Niece, Kayla
OTHER PRAYER NEEDS
Carl Bolli asks for prayers, as he fell a couple of weeks ago. Joy Bland, who lives four doors from Carl, has been helping him, putting on pain patches, preparing meals, and taking his dog out. He also asks for prayers for her.
Nancy Gray has been diagnosed as having Covid. Please pray for her as she recovers.
Joan Berry, Joanna Turner’s Mother, needs our prayers.
Belinda Pate is at home and doing much better.
Carol Grandey, Brenda Schmidt’s sister, is home and ready to enter rehab. Keep her in your prayers.
Jesse Matthews, Sr. Ruth said on Saturday he is in rehab. Their daughter is also still recuperating from a broken ankle. She needs prayers as does the whole family.
Kristi Holder was well enough to be at mid-week study on the 16th. It set her back a little, but Jerry says she improves daily – bit by bit.
Joy Bland found she has a broken bone in her foot that requires a boot to help it heal. She will have it for about six weeks, with an MRI (hopefully) coming soon. She recently told me she really needs our prayers to help her through.
Gale Harnish is home, but not well. Keep her in your prayers.
Susan Allen’s sister Debi is not well at all. Please remember her in your prayers.
Please let us know when you have events to publicize, are in the hospital, or are sick and need prayers. If you request prayer for someone, let us know when to take them off the prayer list. You can contact me by text or phone at 407-453-5392.