L.Y.F.E. is………
Blessings and greetings L.Y.F.E. family!
Welcome to another edition of “L.Y.F.E. is…”!
We hope and pray that your hearts are encouraged and that you are blessed by this devotional!
Title: Jesus Christ, The Perfect Sacrifice
Scripture: Psalm 40:5-10; Hebrews 10:4-10
Our Lenten Devotional this week leads us to Psalm 40:5-10 where we find David expressing his deep gratitude and appreciation for all that God has done. David has fully dedicated himself to the LORD and has wholeheartedly committed to doing God’s will. However, our scripture text is more than just an expression of David’s thanksgiving; it is a prophecy foretold relating to Jesus Christ, The Perfect Sacrifice.
David’s devotion to God’s will and God’s Word pictures Jesus’ relationship to God and God’s Word. Psalm 40 is connected to the verses cited in Hebrews 10:4-10 which applies this passage to Jesus. The Hebrews reference (10:4-10) teaches us that God’s ultimate intent for our salvation involved a physical body, manifested and fulfilled in that of the life, ministry, death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ(Psalm 40:6-8).
God sent Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for the world’s sins. Jesus was marked for crucifixion. The Bible teaches us in Hebrews 10:12(NLT) that, “But our High Priest (Jesus) offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” The repeated sacrifices of animals, burnt and sin offerings, and the blood of bulls and goats were not enough to vindicate humankind from its sins. Only Christ’s sacrifice was superior to satisfy God’s will and plan for salvation.
Jesus, God in the flesh was not only the perfect sacrifice for the reconciliation of humanity back to God; but Christ made the perfect sacrifice by giving up His life for the sake and salvation of the world. Furthermore, Jesus was obedient to God not just at death but since the moment of His coming into existence. Hebrews 10:7 (NIV) Jesus Christ is God’s Perfect Sacrifice! And marked for crucifixion.
The Lenten Season is a time of reflection, meditation, repentance, and forgiveness in which some people typically “give up” something for the 40 days as a sign of self-sacrifice. Some people might even “take up” something as a symbol of self-discipline to represent Jesus Christ’s sacrifice when He went to the desert to pray and fast for the 40 days on His journey to the Cross. But no form of human self-sacrifice nor form of human self-discipline is greater than Christ’s great sacrifice. God’s offering of Jesus as a sacrifice for the world’s sins was a “once-and-for all” sacrifice. It is superior to all forms of offering or sacrifice.
The point of the matter is that God desires our faithful obedience and commitment to do God’s will and God’s Word. Our response should be to set aside our own selfish needs and temptations and serve God by helping others during this time of pandemic, global wars/rumors of war, and rising inflation.
Both texts should prompt us to ask ourselves, “What shall I render to the LORD for the great and ultimate sacrifice Jesus has made for me?” We offer thanks and praise! Jesus paid it all! Hallelujah!
Let us pray.
Lenten Prayer: O LORD our God, how great thou art! We thank You for the grace that has been bestowed upon us and the love You’ve shown us, while we were yet sinners. We rejoice over the ultimate sacrifice that was made for us. Now may we live our lives by the power of the Resurrection. To the God of our salvation through our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
GOD bless and love you all!
