Original Entry: April 25, 2008
McMinnville,
OR
Therefore when Christ came into the world, he
said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for
me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am-it is written about
me in the scroll-I have come to do your will, O God.’” First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings,
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with
them” (Although the law required them to be made). Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do
your will.” He sets aside the first to
establish the second. And by that will,
we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all. Hebrews 10:5-10
He himself bore our sins in his body on the
tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds
you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24
Taking the charge in basketball.
Blocking a field goal in football.
Getting hit by the pitcher in baseball.
Being the “wedge buster” on the kickoff team on
football special teams.
Advancing the runner with a bunt.
Each of these statements revolves around one
word-sacrifice. In each situation listed
the athlete taking the charge, blocking the field goal, leaning into the inside
curve ball, busting the wedge, or laying down a bunt has one thing in common. That
one thing is taking one for the team.
These athletes are selfless enough to sacrifice their body for the
greater good of the team.
That greater good is, of course, winning.
They epitomize the old sports cliché, “There’s
no ‘I’ in team.”
Quoting Jesus Hebrews 10:5 says, “Sacrifice
and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.”
A what!
What was that body for? Sacrifice.
“The Word
became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).
He became the last sacrifice for the sins
of men. Today sacrifices and offerings are no longer desired thanks to the
Jesus who took one for the team. The
sacrifices of men were not good enough to cleanse the human race of sin. Only God could do that, and God did for
becoming, “ MT
1:22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord
had said through the prophet: “’Immanuel’-which means,
‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23).”
Hebrews
10:10
confirms that, “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all”
Talk about taking one for the team!
Jesus took the charge.
Jesus broke the wedge.
He blocked the kick.
He leaned into the curve ball. Best of all, he
did it as a “forever” sacrifice on your behalf and mine.
