manna

Good Morning Devo for 9.15.2021: What Does God Covering Our Sins Mean?

/ Matthew R. Perry / Leave a comment

Good morning! How wonderful to know that God will cover all of our sins based on the atoning work of Christ. This motif originates from the understanding of the Ark of the Covenant mentioned several times in the Old Testament.

The ark contained two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments inscribed upon them. Its located was eventually placed in the Holy of Holies. Along with the tablets were a golden pot of manna (food that God provided in the wilderness–see Exodus 16) and Aaron’s almost rod (Numbers 17). The ark possessed a lid that laid on top called the mercy seat. Here was a visible symbol of God’s divine presence. Here also was where God was to be seated and to give mercy to His people when the blood of the atoning sacrifice was sprinkled there. Thus, this is where we get this covenant understanding of our sins being covered by His blood.

Jesus’ blood from His sacrifice covers our sins as a propitiation, in which the wrath and penalty of our sin was removed and put upon Himself. Jesus is also the Great High Priest who offers the sacrifice and provides that priestly intercession. Romans 3:24-25 gives the needed insight for our New Testament perspective:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The Apostle Paul, Romans 3:21-26

Are you relying on the mercy of God to cover your sins? This is the only way to find forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. It’s only through Christ.

Matthew Perry, Ph.D. is Lead Pastor of Arapahoe Road Baptist Church, Centennial, CO

Advertisement

Good Morning Devo for 9.6.2021: “A Sustenance That Truly Sustains”

/ Matthew R. Perry / Leave a comment
September 06 (JPG)

Good morning! The Gospel of John presents seven “I AM” statements describing Jesus’ nature and work. Here, Jesus connects the bread that came down from heaven to sustain God’s people as they sojourned in the wilderness (manna), but that only sustained them for the day. The manna was a shadow of the reality to come.

In the previous paragraph, Jesus had this encounter with the Jewish leaders:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

John 6:25-29

When the leaders noted that Moses provided a sign in the wilderness (manna), they asked for a sign from Jesus, who then told them about a bread that comes down from heaven that will give life to the world. A promising prospect to the Jewish leaders!

The Son of Man would give them this bread–He Himself was that bread. Christ gave of Himself to provide the spiritual sustenance needed both here and in the hereafter. Christ is our everlasting manna!

No material item can bring any sort of sustaining satisfaction. Jesus is enough to bring that sustaining sustenance! Look to the cross and the empty tomb for that promise!