HEBREWS 8:12

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

TO PONDER

Today's reading from Hebrews, chapter 8, is talking about the role of the High Priest in the Old Testament Temple system of giving animal sacrifice for the forgiveness of the people's sins. The writer of Hebrews is explaining how Jesus, by virtue of his sacrifice has become like our High Priest; the main difference being that the sacrifice Jesus made of his own life on the cross was a sufficient once and for all sacrifice. Hebrews 8:12 specifically is a quote from the Old Testament book of the prophet Jeremiah and is about the time when God will establish a 'new covenant'.

This was a hard thing for many Jews at the time of Jesus, and still today, to come to terms with. For generations, their identity had been that of God's chosen people. They were the only ones who had the promise of the Old Testament covenant with Abraham, and the covenant of the Law which God gave to Moses. They were the only ones with the 'correct' ritual processes of temple sacrifice to have their sins forgiven by God, and now God was doing something new. The writer of Hebrews goes as far as to say, in light of the 'new covenant', the old becomes obsolete.

I know our theme this week is forgiveness; however, I can't help but take a moment to reflect on the experience of those who found themselves living through the change from the old to the new and wondering if we are not living through something similar today.

Anyone older than 35 years of age, can probably look back on their life and realise that there was a time not so long ago where a Christian faith and worldview was not looked upon with the same suspicion and disdain. In fact, not that long ago (2016 according to census data), still more than half of the adult Australian population identified as Christian. That is no longer the case. There are things we did as church that made sense when most of our community knew who we were and what we were on about, but that situation has changed. The people we interact with in our wider communities see the world in increasingly different ways than those of us with a Christian worldview and faith. Even the idea of 'sin' is a foreign concept to many people.

That doesn't mean that we stop talking about sin, but we can't just assume that what we used to do is still all that God is asking us to do. Maybe in this new 'Post-Christian' world with it's rapidly shifting ideals, technological advancements, and an ever increasing presence of 'wickedness', God is still saying, "I will forgive their wickedness and forget their sins... but I need you to be my prophet". No longer will I use High Priests or temple worship, not just pastors or professional ministry workers and their Sunday worship services - see I am doing a new thing and I am sending you!"

PRAYER: Lord God, Thank you that you have forgive me and no longer remember my sin. Please help me to remember that this is also true of every person I meet, that in Christ, you have forgiven them and long for them to know your forgiveness and mercy. Help me to see when and where you are calling me to be the means by which you bring your grace and mercy into the lives of those around me. I ask for your forgiveness for the times I have failed to see where you have wanted to work through me. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle