The Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to
WEEK 26
PRAISING GOD FOR HOW HE HAS
REVEALED HIMSELF
HEBREWS 10:1-14
The Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, "Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me; in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure." Then I said, "Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O God." After saying above, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
OUR FATHER, You have displayed
Your wisdom, Your eternal power, Your deity, and Your goodness in nature.1
All creation proclaims Your glory,
and the heavens declare the works of Your hands. There is no speech or words; no actual voice is heard,
but the message has gone out throughout all the world.2
The proof of Your existence is there in abundance for all to see. Only an utter fool would ever say in his heart,
"There is no God."3
Still, the truth of the gospel is disclosed to us explicitly
only by special revelation in the written Word. The Scriptures are no human invention,
but under the sovereign guidance of Your Spirit the very words You chose were penned4
and have been preserved, translated, published, and multiplied
so that through the ages the promise of
forgiveness and eternal life has likewise gone out throughout all the world.
In nature we see evidence of
Your infinite wisdom, Your vast, eternal power, Your love of beauty,
Your wonderful greatness, and Your sovereign command
of all that You have made.
But it is only through the gospel
that we begin to understand the wonder of Your grace, Your tenderhearted love for sinners like us, and the mysteries of divine wisdom that decreed the entire plan of salvation long ages ago, in eternity past.5
In accord with that perfect design and sovereign decree,
You now grant full and free pardon to sinners
while upholding the inflexible demands
of perfect righteousness. You justify sinners in a way that perfectly vindicates
the spotless perfection of Your own holiness.6
You accomplished this through the sacrifice of Christ,
the spotless lamb of God, who paid the price of sin in full.7
Thank You, Lord, for drawing us to Yourself. You opened our blind eyes to see our desperate need for salvation. You moved our stubborn wills to repent of our sin. You awakened our cold, dead hearts to believe in Christ. As we come now to worship You in prayer, we approach with
profound gratitude, heartfelt contrition, and deep humility. Yet we come with the holy boldness of those who know by faith
that You pardon iniquity and graciously pass over
our rebellious acts. You do not retain your anger forever,
because You delight in unchanging love.8
You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.9
So we come to worship You as those who have been saved,
ever mindful and forever grateful that Christ our Savior
has rescued us from sin, Satan, death, and hell.
You have chosen to magnify Your name in us. You have chosen to favor us. You have poured out Your mercy and grace upon us.
There are no words adequate to express our praise and gratitude,
and we are too weak and sinful to honor You as we should. Therefore we long to be glorified,
so that in the bliss of a heavenly eternity, we will finally be able to praise You
with true and unceasing praise, in a manner that befits Your glory.
Meanwhile, we thank You for patiently loving us with an
undying, unstinting, unbreakable, and inseparable love. We long to love You as You love us. But knowing the feeble infirmities of our own fallen hearts,
we can only look by faith to the once-for-all forgiveness
purchased for us at the cross of Christ, and pledge our eternal love to Christ by faith. Seal that commitment by Your Spirit
even as we worship You now in Your Son's name. Amen.
1. Romans 1:19-20 2. Psalm 1:1-4 3. Psalm 14:1 4. 2 Peter 1:21 5. Titus 1:2 6. Romans 3:26 7. John 1:29 8. Micah 7:18 9. Psalm 86:5