So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world. Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ritual defilement. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (Hebrews 9:11-14 NLT)

While two visitors were visiting Annapolis, they noticed several students on their hands and knees assessing the courtyard with pencils and clipboards in hand. “What are they doing?” one of them asked their tour guide.

“Each year,” he replied with a grin, “The upperclassmen ask the freshmen how many bricks it took to finish paving this courtyard.”

“So what’s the answer?” one of the visitors asked the tour guide when they were out of earshot of the freshmen.

The guide replied, “One.”

    That brings up an interesting theological question.

How many sacrifices does it take to finish?

    How many sacrifices does it take to finish paying for our sins, once and for all, finally and completely?

    The Old Covenant people of God would have needed lots of pencils and clipboards to make the calculation. “Let’s see, let’s take all the sin offerings, all the guilt offerings, the bulls, the goats, the lambs, the turtledoves...”

    So what’s the answer? How many sacrifices did it take to finish paying for our sins? Only one.

“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.” (Heb. 10:11-12)

    Love provided that atoning sacrifice that cleanses us from sin, now and forever! After thousands and thousands of sacrificial animals had been sacrificed, Jesus Christ gave his own life on the cross. Only then could it be said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

© 2002, Alan Smith. Used by permission. This devotional was reprinted from Thought for the Day.

Title: "It Is Finished"
Author: Alan Smith
Publication Date: March 30, 2002

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