Perfectly Perfect Savior 绝对完美的救世主
Dexu Xia
We have a great high priest . . . who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:14-15
Today's Scripture Hebrews 4:12-16
Today's Insights
Scripture teaches that Jesus was a perfect priest who offered Himself to God without blemish for the forgiveness of all who accept His sacrifice as payment for their sins (Hebrews 9:12-14). The book of Hebrews is filled with the aroma of this good news! The permanence of Christ’s priesthood is noted in Hebrews 7:23-25. Then the author describes His perfection: “[He] is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever” (vv. 26-28).
Today's Devotional
The interior designer on the home improvement show raved about the handmade ceramic tiles selected for the home’s new shower area. Different from commercially manufactured tiles, which are all identical, these handcrafted pieces were “imperfectly perfect.” The imperfections gave each tile unique beauty, adding to the charm and style of an otherwise practical space. I know little of style or charm, let alone how tiles might contribute positively or negatively to it. Yet while those tiles were imperfectly perfect, Jesus, in the incarnation (His coming to earth as a human being), was perfectly perfect. The writer of Hebrews affirmed, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). At no time during His earthly journey did Jesus speak a sinful word or commit a sinful act. He is perfectly perfect.
The encouragement for us, as Hebrews says, is to “hold firmly to the faith we profess” in Jesus (v. 14) because He understands and empathizes with the struggles we endure. He has been there and done that—but perfectly. Our perfectly perfect Savior can help us with all things.
Reflect & Pray When have you seen your own imperfections on display? How can you give thanks for the perfect Savior who endured all suffering as our perfect high priest before our Father?
Loving Father, I’m thankful for the
incarnate experience of Jesus—that He lived, walked, and worked in our broken
world, yet was without sin. I accept Jesus to be the Lord of my life that I am able to be more and more perfect like him.
我们有一位伟大的大祭司……他也曾凡事受过试探，与我们一样——但他没有犯罪。希伯来书 4:14-15
今日读经 希伯来书 4章12-16节
今日心得 圣经教导我们，耶稣是一位完美的祭司，他将自己毫无瑕疵地献给上帝，赦免所有接受他的牺牲作为他们罪孽代价的人（希伯来书 9:12-14）。希伯来书充满了这个好消息的香气！希伯来书 7:23-25 提到了基督祭司职位的永久性。然后作者描述了他的完美：“[他]圣洁、无瑕疵、纯净、远离罪人、高过诸天。与其他大祭司不同，他不必每天先为自己的罪，然后为人民的罪献祭。耶稣只一次将自己献上，就把担当了多人的罪。因为按律法立为大祭司的本是软弱的人；但是，在律法以后起誓立为大祭司的是儿子，是成全到永远的”（7：26-28节）。
今日灵修 家居装修节目中的室内设计师对为新淋浴区选择的手工瓷砖赞不绝口。与完全相同的商业制造瓷砖不同，这些手工制作的瓷砖“不完美地完美”。这些不完美赋予了每块瓷砖独特的美感，为原本实用的空间增添了魅力和风格。我对风格或魅力知之甚少，更不用说瓷砖对风格或魅力的积极或消极影响了。
虽然这些瓷砖不完美地完美，但耶稣在道成肉身时（他以人的身份来到地球）却是绝对完美。希伯来书的作者肯定地说：“因我们的大祭司并非不能体恤我们的软弱。他也曾凡事受过试探，与我们一样，只是他没有犯罪。”（希伯来书 4:15）耶稣在世上从来没有说过一句恶语，也没有犯过任何罪。他是完美的。 正如希伯来书所说，我们应当“坚守我们所承认的信仰”（14节），因为他理解并同情我们所经历的挣扎。他经历过这一切，而且做得很完美。我们完美的救世主可以帮助我们解决所有问题。
反思与祈祷 你何时发现自己的不完美之处？你如何感谢这位完美的救世主，作为我们天父面前完美的大祭司，祂忍受了一切的苦难？
慈爱的天父，我感谢耶稣道成肉身，在我们这个破碎的世界中生活、行走和工作，但祂没有犯任何罪。我接受耶稣作我生命的主，这样我也会越来越完美。