INSUFFICIENT TO ERRADICATE
Jenna Worsham
Today’s Scripture: “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” Hebrews 10:11, ESV
Theme: No matter how hard we try or how closely we follow the rules, repeated sacrifices are never enough to eradicate sins.
PASSOVER
In 2025, Passover will be celebrated on April 12. “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you” (Exodus 12:2, ESV). April was deemed the first month of the year. The calendar we use starts in January, when everything is hibernating, dormant, and dark. The calendar God prescribes starts in the springtime when the buds are full to bursting, the weather is warming, and every creature is coming back to life at its fullest. Life started new for the Jewish people when they left slavery in Egypt in search of God’s promised land. Yet, every new year, a new lamb was required, chosen, and sacrificed. Every year the sins of the people piled high and soiled the holiness of God’s people.
OUR OWN SACRIFICES
Whether financial or physical, our modern sacrifices pile up year by year as we persist in following Jesus. An older person who tithed and gave generously might tally up the total value of his contributions over time and find that 10% (or more) of one’s income for 50 years is quite a sum! Try adding up volunteer hours faithfully served. Maybe you chose a different career path. Maybe you let go of some worthy goals in support of others in Jesus’ name. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV). Like the giants of the faith listed in Hebrews 11, we too offer sacrifices by faith, with conviction.
THEY ARE NOT ENOUGH
Neither the temple sacrifices offered prior to Jesus’ coming, nor the sacrifices we may offer today are enough. Without Jesus’ death to atone for our sins, the debt is insurmountable. Rule following won’t save us. Ritual atonement sacrifices didn’t save the Jews. And yet, while we recognize the insufficiency of our sacrifices, we also recognize the way that those sacrifices honor and reflect God’s one perfect and necessary sacrifice of Jesus. Priests sacrificing lambs in the temple and modern-day priests like us still offer our best today. God accepts our first and best offerings, however those offerings don’t take away our sins. “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,” (Hebrews 10:11, ESV).
Make It Personal: What rules seem important to you? What is one way that you are able to remember that rule-following doesn’t save us from sin? Only Jesus does that! Let’s pray for the wisdom to recognize our own inability to eradicate sins and thank Jesus for His selfless and matchless gift.
Pray: Father God, thank You for showing us how difficult it is to meet a standard of holy. This recognition helps me to love people because they are no different from me – we are all lost and unable to save ourselves. Help me not to value my own offerings too much. Thank You for making a way to permanently redeem people from our sins. You love us and care for us so well. Your sacrifice and Your willingness to become like the Passover lamb – a humble, sad, and pitiful position – won our freedom forever. Glory and honor to You, our Savior. Amen.
Read: Hebrews 8
Weekly Memory Verse: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 (ESV)