“Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; HE ENTERED HEAVEN ITSELF, now to appear FOR US in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But He has appeared ONCE FOR ALL at the culmination of the ages TO DO AWAY WITH SIN by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26)
That is why we are taught, “…sin shall NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14) “John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, “Look! The Lamb of God! He TAKES AWAY the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
This is what the Lord has done for us, “…the LORD desired to crush Jesus (instead of crushing us), causing Jesus’ grief; If He gives Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring (that’s His redeemed ones), He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, WILL JUSTIFY THE MANY, For He will BEAR their (our) wrongdoings.” (Isaiah 53:10-11)
Jesus Himself knew from the very beginning that His mission was to die for the sins of His people. The angel had announced at His very birth that “He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21), and Luke tells us that “…when the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). In Matthew 26, as He shared a last supper with His disciples, He took a cup of wine and declared, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is POURED OUT for many for the FORGIVENESS OF SINS” (Matthew 26:27, 28).
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham