March 30, 2018 - ONE FINAL SACRIFICE

Day 89 - (Today’s Bible readings: Isaiah 53; Psalm 22; Hebrews 4:14–16, 5:7-9; John 19:17-30)

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:50-51 ESV)

This is Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross in payment for our sins. Matthew records what happened at that moment. There was an earthquake. But even more earthshaking was what happened in the temple.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 

This was a graphic message for Israel. No longer was the curtain necessary. Its purpose was to separate the people from the Holy of Holies where the High Priest would sacrifice for the sins of the people by sprinkling the blood of animals on the Ark of the Covenant. The death of Jesus was the sacrifice to which all of the centuries of animal sacrifices pointed. The hymn writer put it this way:

Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain
Could give the guilty conscience peace
Or wash away the stain.

But Christ, the heav'nly Lamb,
Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler name
And richer blood than they.
(“Not All the Blood of Beasts,”  Lutheran Service Book, CPH 2006, # 431, vv 1-2)

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for shedding Your blood in payment for my sins. Amen. 

“See” you at the Communion rail today.

Pastor David Paape 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings form the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2018 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless you meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!