October 27 – Hebrews 7:23-28. Once. For All. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who 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. If you’re like me, you don’t often think about needs in terms of ritual sacrifices. We don’t wake up in the morning and worry about finding a perfect dove or goat or heifer to offer at the Temple for the sins we have committed. And I’m thankful for that. It’s actually quite incredible to think of the difference that has happened in the last 2000 years because of the work of Jesus. Jewish priests lived and died. They did their jobs in the temple as well as possible and when the time came for them to die … they did and someone else took their place. They were quite human. Before the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place, he had to offer a sacrifice not only for the sins of the people, but for his own sins. The threat of burning to death by God’s hand in a room where no one could help you was a bit frightening! Jesus, however, lives forever. He won’t die. He doesn’t have sin that He needs to atone for before He can approach the throne of God on our behalf. He doesn’t even need to sacrifice every day for the sins of the people. He did it once. He did it for all. He offered himself. Can you imagine another two thousand years of sacrificing at the Temple? Of never knowing for sure if a human priest can cover your sins for you? And if you weren’t Jewish or had converted to Judaism, you might be sacrificing to another god or maybe have no faith at all in a supreme being. Jesus changed the world. He did it once. He did it for all. He offered himself.

October 27 – Hebrews 7:23-28. Once. For All.

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 


Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who 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.

If you’re like me, you don’t often think about needs in terms of ritual sacrifices.  We don’t wake up in the morning and worry about finding a perfect dove or goat or heifer to offer at the Temple for the sins we have committed.  And I’m thankful for that.

It’s actually quite incredible to think of the difference that has happened in the last 2000 years because of the work of Jesus.

Jewish priests lived and died.  They did their jobs in the temple as well as possible and when the time came for them to die … they did and someone else took their place.  They were quite human.  Before the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place, he had to offer a sacrifice not only for the sins of the people, but for his own sins.  The threat of burning to death by God’s hand in a room where no one could help you was a bit frightening!

Jesus, however, lives forever.  He won’t die.  He doesn’t have sin that He needs to atone for before He can approach the throne of God on our behalf.  He doesn’t even need to sacrifice every day for the sins of the people.

He did it once.  He did it for all.  He offered himself.

Can you imagine another two thousand years of sacrificing at the Temple?  Of never knowing for sure if a human priest can cover your sins for you? And if you weren’t Jewish or had converted to Judaism, you might be sacrificing to another god or maybe have no faith at all in a supreme being.

Jesus changed the world.  He did it once. He did it for all.  He offered himself.