Sacrifice and offering you did not desire but

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God. ’ “ Heb. 10: 5 -7 “I understand what the mission is. Sacrifices were never able to cleanse someone from their sin. They pointed to a perfect sacrifice. You have prepared a body for me so that I could be that perfect sacrifice. I have come to do your will. ”

Here’s a side to the Christmas story that isn’t often told: those soft little hands, fashioned by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb, were made so that nails might be driven through them. Those baby feet, pink and unable to walk, would one day walk up a dusty hill to be nailed to a cross. That sweet infant’s head with sparking eyes and eager mouth was formed so that someday men might force a crown of thorns onto it. That tender body, warm and soft, wrapped in swaddling clothes, would one day be ripped open by a spear. [GOD WITH US, Mac. Arthur p. 116]

HE DIED IN OUR PLACE We are told that Jesus “tasted death for everyone” and that “he offered a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the world. ”

It was not that an innocent person was smitten in order that guilty ones might go free, for that would be the height of injustice, but that an innocent Person, voluntarily, out of love, identified Himself with transgressors, and so became answerable for their crimes. How this should endear Him to us!

The death He tasted was the penalty of our sin. He received the full force of all that the devil could throw at Him. More than that, He received the full expression of God’s wrath over sin. In a few hours on that cross, Jesus absorbed the full penalty of sin. If we were to suffer hell for all eternity, we would never pay the full price. But He gathered up an eternity of punishment, paid it all, and walked away from it a risen Savior. That is power! In every possible dimension, Jesus Christ took all the pain and agony of death and tasted every bit of it — for us.

Jesus’ death was SUFFICIENT for the sins of the whole world, but His death was EFFICIENT only those who believe & obey. He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises. ”

We are not just forgiven. . . we are transformed! We are not just paroled. . . we are pardoned. We are not just pardoned. . . we are made a part of the family!

HIS DEATH DEFEATED SATAN AND DEATH’S POWER Our author wrote, “he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. ”

First, in His death He defeats the Evil One. He also defeated the power and the fear of death in the believer.

Christ did not come to give us a birthday to celebrate … He came to bring us eternal life and to free us from the fear of death! HIS DEATH MEANS WE DON’T HAVE TO FACE LIFE ALONE!!

“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. ” His death sets us free from our past, it makes us His brothers, it frees us from the fear and power of death and it sets Christ in a perfect position to help us in our times of difficulty.

If we only see the manger and don’t see the cross… we have missed the point!

Find a quiet place and think about the worst things you have ever done in your life. Make a list of your burdens and lay them on a table and ask God for His help. Finally, evaluate your own spiritual status.