Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 21
Sunday


JUST THE
RIGHT TIME

READ:
Hebrews 9:11-22
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Christ came as High
Priest of the good
things to come.
__Hebrews 9:11
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The conductor stood on the podium, his eyes scanning the choir and orchestra. The singers arranged the music in their folders, found a comfortable position for standing, and held the folder where they could see the conductor just over the top. Orchestra members positioned their music on the stand, found a comfortable position in their seats, and then sat still. The conductor waited and watched until everyone was ready. Then, with a downbeat of his baton, the sound of Handel's "Overture to Messiah" filled the cathedral.

With the sound swirling around me, I felt I was immersed in Christmas__when God, at just the right moment, signaled the downbeat and set in motion an overture that started with the birth of the Messiah, the "High Priest of the good things to come" (Heb.9:11).

Every Christmas, as we celebrate Christ's first coming with glorious music, I'm reminded that God's people, like choir and orchestra member, are getting ready for the next downbeat of the conductor when Christ will come again. On that day, we will participate with Him in the final movement of God's symphony of redemption__making all things new (Rev. 21:5). In anticipation, we need to keep our eyes on the conductor and make sure we are ready. __Julie Ackerman Link

```````````````````Sound the soul-inspiring anthem,````````````````````
```````````````````Angel hosts, your harps attune;`````````````````````
```````````````````Earth's long night is almost over,```````````````````
`````````````Christ is coming__coming soon! __Macomber``````````````
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The advent of Christ celebrates His birth
and anticipates his return.

***********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Hebrews 9:11-22*************************************

11 But Christ came as high
Priest of the good things to
come, with the greater and
more perfect tabernacle not
made with hands, that is,
not of this creation. 12 Not
with the blood of goats and
calves, but with His own
blood he entered the Most
Holy Place once for all,
having obtained eternal
redemption. 13 For if the
blood of bulls and goats and
the ashes of a heifer,
sprinkling the unclean,
sanctifies for the purifying
of the flesh, 14 how much
more shall the blood of
Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered
Himself without spot to
God, cleanse your
conscience from dead
works to serve the living
God?

15 And for this reason He
is the Mediator of the new
covenant, by means of
death, for the redemption of
the transgressions under the
first covenant, that those
who are called may receive
the promise of the eternal
inheritance.

16 For where there is a
testament, there must also
of necessity be the death of
the testator. 17 For a
testament is in force after
men are dead, since it has
no power at all while the
testator lives. 18 Therefore
not even the first covenant
was dedicated without
blood. 19 For when Moses
had spoken every precept to
all the people according to
the law, he took the blood
of calves and goats, with
water, scarlet wool, and
hyssop, and sprinkled both
the book itself and all the
people, 20 saying, "This is
the blood of the covenant
which God has commanded
you." 21 Then likewise he
sprinkled with blood both
the tabernacle and all the
vessels of the ministry.

22 And according to the law
almost all things are
purified with blood, and
without shedding of blood
there is no remission.