HEBREWS 9:26-28

Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

TO PONDER

It’s the day after what we call Reformation Day, the day after the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the church door, the day after 506 years ago, dare I say, the 95 Theses hit the fan to reform Christendom once again. 

So what, what now?  

In today’s verses, Paul reminds us that Jesus, once for all ended religion through His death and resurrection. Jesus’s last words on the cross “It is finished!’ announced religion was done away with, through His life, death and resurrection He reformed how we relate to God. We no longer have to live the right way, do the right things (good works), follow the correct procedures (sacrifices) to earn our way into a loving relationship with God because it was finished through Jesus but that ending was the beginning of a new way of life, the resurrection life.

The “so what” of the 95 Theses nailed to the church door was a call to ongoing reformation of the church (that’s us, you and me), it didn’t end on the day after Reformation Sunday 506 years ago but was the beginning.

The “what now” is a daily call to reformation of our lives, and of our churches as we live, and share the resurrection life.

PRAYER:  Saviour Jesus, I thank you for sacrificing yourself once for all so that we could live in your resurrection life as your family.  Amen.

Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside