Remembrance: Sin, Sacrifice and Salvation (Hebrews - Day 26)

Remembrance Day is not about glorifying war.
Remembrance Day is about an act of celebration. Celebrating the peace that came at the end of the 'war to end war' in 1918. That armistice which was commenced on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of that year.

Paul Ayers took up the text for today's reading, Hebrews 9:23-28 (although he didn't have v.23 as part of the Sunday reading), for his sermon yesterday morning, delivered to a packed Pudsey Parish Church. There were representatives from civic bodies, counsellors, and hundreds of armed and uniformed organisations, as well as members of the public who come to church on Remembrance Sunday as a mark of respect.

I think Paul argued persuasively that we must be careful that Remembrance Day does not become it was never intended to be. It was not about patriotism - which it often is now. Consider carefully the truth that petty nationalism was the root of much that flowered during 1914-18. Indeed, we confessed the sin of "evil divisions and hatred" during the service. Remembrance Day is not even a celebration of death...we reflect on the lost lives, the words spoken at the cenotaph reflect this:

"They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn"

Remembrance Day is about remembering the SACRIFICE.

A sacrifice of life - we remember the dead.

And so it is entirely appropriate to use this passage to reflect on the biggest question of all: Why are we here? What happens when we die?

²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Using these verses (27 and 28), we face three facts:

1. SIN

Whether in war or in peace, all men die. Death comes to everyone. Always and inexorably.
But the Bible says we do not go to nothingness, a silent sleep for all eternity. No.
We die to face judgment.
Why judgement - and what is judged? Sin.
The Bible's testimony, and the record of our lives shows that all men sin (Romans 3:23).  I have sinned every day of my life, and this topic of sin preoccupies much of the writer of Hebrews.

But there is great hope in the fact that our sin will be judged.

If there is no judgment, then our misdeeds, and especially the gross sins of humanity - those perpetrated by individuals and nations - will not have mattered. Consider that!
If there is no judgment, then whether I sin or not, whether I live a life marked by goodness or evil...well noone actually cares; noone is going to sit me down and appraise my life.

It would be as though I were an employee of a business who fails to do anything I am paid to do, but gets away with it.

Can you sense the deep injustice in the core of your being, a sense of injustice common to all humans.

Justice. We, You, I deserve justice. And most especially God deserves justice.

Some argue that justice and recompense are to be sought in this life. This is why we hear, so often, the cry for revenge. But time and again we see life is a cruel mistress - those who deserve punishment live and die in contented happiness, while the 'righteous' suffer. Just read Psalms and Job and you face the sobering truth that this has marked mankind's existence since the beginning.

We are hard-wired for justice. And we can have hope that justice will come.

- Do you know your sinfulness?
- Do you ever stop to consider your mortality?

2. SACRIFICE

While the war to end war was a failure - we live with the fact of war today - there was a death to end death - Jesus'.

We celebrate the sacrifice of armed men and women - those who died in wartime and peacetime.

Jesus sacrificed himself for us. Earlier parts of Hebrews have explored the reasons for this sacrifice - the necessity of blood - the role of the High Priest - the once-for-all nature of his sacrifice.

But in the context of JUSTICE his sacrifice takes on an additional meaning. We are enslaved to a cruel master: sin and death. Jesus went to war with sin and death. And by his sacrificial death he won for us victory over sin and death. We are purified from sin; and released from death's power.

We ourselves cannot liberate or redeem our lives - only Jesus can do that.

And unlike the hoped for peace that was looked for after World War I - we have a sure and steadfast peace with Christ (Hebrews 6:19)

- Do you know your need of a Saviour?
- Do you ever think about the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice?

3. SALVATION

By now, "So what?" say most Christians...yes, really!

The truth of God's holiness, our sin, his judgment and salvation are taken for granted on an obscene level. Do you get blase about the truth that God has redeemed you, saved you, forgiven you?? Are you thankful? Many of us are not sufficiently preoccupied with God's great mercy, I'd contend.

But sin and sacrifice is not the whole picture for Hebrews, oh no! Indeed, irrespective of indifference we should all be stirred by the very end of this passage: He is coming back - he is returning. (I've blogged a bit on this theme: here, here, and here)

Jesus' return is not to deal with sin - that's done.

No, His return is to "bring salvation to those who are waiting for him" (v.28)

This is the climax of Hebrews 9...He is coming for those who have waited for him, coming to bring salvation...the promise of life eternal with God...


And so we are forced to ask:
- Are we waiting eagerly for his return? Do you even care that he's coming back?
- Is your life marked by service to this fact?

Courtesy of Mike Wrigglesworth 2012

While stood beside the cenotaph in Pudsey yesterday, looking up at the lone soldier on the plinth, and as I held my toddler, I was moved (as I always am) that these soldiers unknown to me were prepared to lay down their lives...when I was 19 years old I was so selfish...but these men sacrificed so much.

How much more does Jesus deserve in response to his great sacrifice?

I honestly hoped (and continue to pray) that those men and women who heard Paul preach yesterday will have sensed God's call...a call to see the sin that lurks within...our desire for justice....a justice seen on the cross...and to accept Jesus as Saviour.