February - 3
A COSTLY SACRIFICE
“When any of you brings an offering to the LORD . . .” Leviticus 1:2
Notice that God does not say, “If you need to bring a sacrifice . . .” God is not saying, “Let’s talk about it; let’s see if you really need forgiveness.” God says, “When . . .” making clear that everyone needs forgiveness.
And that’s not all. You do not bring an offering because the priest demands it, but because you know you must bring one. Even more, it’s not the priest but you who must place your hand on the sacrificial animal, and then you must slaughter it. In this way God is saying you are intimately and terribly connected to this bloody sacrifice. You know it; you know you need it; you acknowledge it by placing your guilty hands on the sacrifice.
The Bible’s language of sacrifice is not only bloody; it also confronts us with the awful cost of living in God’s presence. An offering from your herd or flock was to be without defect, the best of the lot. It had to be an animal that cost you the most to give up.
Life with God comes at a high price. Long ago one flawless animal would atone for one person contaminated and broken by sin. But such a sacrifice had to be repeated again and again for a lifetime.
Today, however, the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, is more than enough to pay for the sins of all whom God calls. Jesus gave his life, the most costly sacrifice of all, to be the one sacrifice for all time. For you, for me.
PRAYER
“Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon you? It is my treason, Lord, that has undone you. ’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied you; I crucified you.” In your name, Amen.
请留意，神并不是说：「假如你要献祭……」；神也不是说：「我们来谈谈吧，看看你是否真的需要被赦免。」神乃是说：「你们中间……」，清楚表明人人都需要作出献祭得蒙赦免。
不但这样，你不是按祭司的要求才献上供物，而是因为你知道，你必须献上供物。还有，你（而不是祭司）必须按手在所献的祭牲上，并要由你亲自宰杀。这样，神便会认为，你确实参与这次血淋淋的献祭。你知道你需要这样作，所以你把犯罪的手按在祭牲之上，以表示你认同这个献祭与赦免的过程。
圣经中所说的献祭，不单是指流血的事；也是挑战我们，若要与神一同生活，便要付上极大的代价。你要从牛群羊群中拣选一只无残疾的、最完美的牲畜作为供物，它是你最舍不得放弃的，你要作最大的牺牲。
与神同在的生活，是要付上极重代价的。许久以前，一只无残疾的牲畜，可以为一个被罪玷污和败坏的人赎罪，但却要一辈子不断重复献上这种供物才行。
今天，神完全的羔羊耶稣，已足够为一切神所呼召的人偿还罪债。耶稣献上祂的生命，这是最昂贵的献祭，亦成为一次过永远的献祭。而这个祭是为你为我献上的。
祷告
谁是罪人？谁要祢承受这一切？主啊，是我的叛逆令祢送命。主耶稣，是我摒弃祢，把祢钉在十架上。奉祢名求，阿们。