The Ultimate One Time Offering

Hebrews 10:12-14 (ESV)
12  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13  waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
14  For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Mankind needed saving. Our rebellion started in the Garden of Eden and has persisted to this day. Through the ages people tried many things to get themselves right. They tried to keep God's law but found it impossible. To make atonement for their sins they needed a blood sacrifice. The blood of countless lambs and goats was shed. These sacrificial offerings were insufficient for they had to be repeated to be effective.

People constructed gods of their own choosing. They crafted and sculpted them but to no avail. No such idols could ever deliver them from sin and the wrath of God no matter how devout people worshipped and trusted. Dead idols could not ever justify a person in the eyes of the one true God.

But then Jesus. The sinless Son of God. The perfect Prince of Heaven. The righteous Redeemer. He made an offering. The ultimate offering of all time. He offered His life in exchange for our pardon. He bore the penalty for our sin while we received the righteousness that He alone could lay claim to. He embraced the cross in a single all satisfying sacrifice to cover for all time.

His offering of Himself is still sufficient today. For all time His sacrifice will cover the sins of generations. For as many as call on the name of the Lord will be saved. We could not offer our lives as a sacrifice and it be sufficient. Our sins would make our sacrifice worthless. The sinless Savior's sacrifice was a one time offering that is still reaping great eternal reward for the repentant.

Jesus' one time ultimate gift is working today to perfect all followers of Jesus. No gift ever touched more people. No sacrifice ever cost more and yet brought greater reward to the masses. Sinners destined for condemnation and the wrath of God have been rescued by Jesus' one time offering of Himself in our place. It is humbling. It is powerful. It is life changing.

We can't repay such an offering. All we can do is love Him, serve Him and devote our lives to following Him. A life offered to Jesus in service should be our ultimate offering.