Perfect Sacrifice

Sacred Gifts and Holy Gatherings
What We Bring to God

Acceptable Offerings

Hebrews 1-1  The Message

1 ^1-3 Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words!

The Son Is Higher than Angels

^3-6 After he finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took his honored place high in the heavens right alongside God, far higher than any angel in rank and rule. Did God ever say to an angel, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you” or “I’m his Father, he’s my Son”? When he presents his honored Son to the world, he says, “All angels must worship him.”

⁷ Regarding angels he says,

The messengers are winds,
    the servants are tongues of fire.

^8-9 But he says to the Son,

You’re God, and on the throne for good;
    your rule makes everything right.
You love it when things are right;
    you hate it when things are wrong.
That is why God, your God,
    poured fragrant oil on your head,
Marking you out as king,
    far above your dear companions.

^10-12 And again to the Son,

You, Master, started it all, laid earth’s foundations,
    then crafted the stars in the sky.
Earth and sky will wear out, but not you;
    they become threadbare like an old coat;
You’ll fold them up like a worn-out cloak,
    and lay them away on the shelf.
But you’ll stay the same, year after year;
    you’ll never fade, you’ll never wear out.

¹³ And did he ever say anything like this to an angel?

Sit alongside me here on my throne
Until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.

¹⁴ Isn’t it obvious that all angels are sent to help out with those lined up to receive salvation?

For Reflection 

Look around you.  Who are the "angels" in your life?  Who is there to help?  Who is there to comfort you?  What comes to you as an unexpected blessing?  Are you prepared to see salvation or are you so mired in self pity, self determination or unjustified pride that you cannot see grace?  

Look around you.  To whom can you be an "angel?" Who can you help?  To whom can you offer comfort?  Who can you help to recognize unexpected blessings? 

Change dark glasses for bright ones.  Look for the opportunities for hope.  Ignore opportunities for rumination and hopelessness.

Pray

that you will see grace in your life.  Pray that you will look for opportunities to escape the prison of hopelessness.  Look for Gods blessings and thank God for them.