Hebrews 10:8-10 (NIVUK)
8 First he [Jesus] said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them’– though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
A common household scene I’m sure you’re familiar with. Two children are playing and one snatches a toy from the other, who promptly goes crying to complain to a hassled parent. The parent comes ‘to sort things out’, part of which involves getting the snatcher to say ‘I’m sorry’ to the one snatched from. The apology is delivered, and the parent leaves them to play again. Let’s be honest, however, the apology is rarely true, expect as far as I’m sorry that I got caught. The right thing has been done, but it does nothing about the underlying selfishness. That’s a bit like our passage. Here the sacrifices are like the apology, they are the right thing to do, but can be done out of duty without addressing the underlying issue, the lack of faithfulness. Jesus, however, changes all of that. He comes and lives faithfully, and through his actions, makes us holy.
Spirit, fill us not with the desire to do the right thing, but to live faithfully, generously and lovingly. Fill us with your fruitfulness.
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