He offered Himself

" Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" - Hebrews 9:12-14

The Old Testament sacrificial system served its purpose. It made us all aware that we are sinners in need of a Saviour. The sacrifice of goats and  calves was grand in picturing the need of a sacrifice. But it fell short – it could not provide redemption. Only the blood of the Son of God could do that. Christ, threw the eternal Holy Spirit offered His spotless self to God in order to give us a clear conscience from serving dead works to serve the living God.

That is a lot is take in from one little sentence.

I only want to focus on a couple of points.

First is the marvellous phrase ‘He offered Himself without spot.’ Though the Jewish and Roman officials thought they had power over Jesus they had nothing. They could have done nothing to Him on their own. If He had not offered Himself no one could have taken Him. He laid down His own life for us a ‘greater love hath no man than this, that he lays down His life for his friends.’

That’s an amazing concept. That the Son of God would lay down His own life for a sinner like me is overwhelming. He offered Himself, knowing what was to come. What an awesome Saviour.

The second part is for me. How do I respond to what He has done? Why did Jesus offer Himself?

He did it to cleanse my conscience from dead works.

He did it so that might serve the living God.

Since I know that I am freed from the binding of a system of works the second step is about what I can do now – serve the living God.

Jesus offered Himself up for us so we can serve Him. Romans 12.1-2 calls on us to offer ourselves up as a living sacrifice for Him. What are we offering in response to His offering?