For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more with the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:13-14 ESV).

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Most of us have trusted brands we like. In my experience, we feel more strongly about some brands we purchase than others. There are several items for which I will use different brands without complaint, but I have a favorite paper towel brand I will not change. Not meaning to advertise, but I must say I really like Viva paper towels. They are super absorbent, durable, and truly provide the ability to clean up messes unlike most paper towel brands I have tried. Have you ever tried an off-brand item, only to be sadly disappointed in its performance? Maybe someone talked you into it because it was cheaper, or they said it was better. Whatever the case may be, there is just nothing like the brand that actually works and your comfort in buying that trusted brand that won’t let you down.  

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As we dive into Hebrews 9 this week, the author is discussing the role of the priests in the temple and the rituals, put in place by God, to pay for their own sin, as well as those of others. The argument being made is that, in offering their sacrifices, none of these priests, no matter how perfectly executed or thoroughly pure their hearts, could provide the lasting coverage that Jesus’ sacrifice provides. At the risk of sounding like a commercial, the priests’ sacrifices are the off-brand that doesn’t really get the job done, because no one cleans up messes better than Jesus.  

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On the flip side, have you ever stubbornly clung to a brand or maybe a practice you are familiar with, even when a trusted friend tells you there is something better? I would argue this happens more often than we like to admit, especially in the Church. Some may attend church because they were taught “that’s just what you do.” Some may even serve in the church or tithe with a similar mentality. The priests offered sacrifices because that is what they knew. That is what they had been taught, but then Jesus came as the far superior sacrifice, which made the repetitive sacrifices obsolete. Doing good things out of habit without the love of God behind it is practicing meaningless rituals. No habit or ritual we practice can bring us into right relationship with God. The problem with the “that’s just what you do” mentality is that soon we’ve done something without purpose for so long that we don’t even know why we do it, and even good habits hold no meaning for us. We trick ourselves into thinking we can somehow earn favor with God by practicing Christian rituals. These rituals, while good, can sometimes hide the reality that we cannot clean ourselves up enough to get to God. The good news is, we don’t have to; Jesus’ sacrifice was complete and final. He came to you.  

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The author of Hebrews lists out all the ways the tabernacle and its practices point to Jesus’ completed work. All our church attendance, serving, and tithing – none of that gets us to God. Only relationship with Jesus makes us right with God. Our gratitude for his mercy as our sacrifice spurs our desire to grow in community, attend church, serve, and tithe. These acts are often done when our heart posture is striving to earn favor or acting out of love for God. On the surface, no one can tell the difference, but one way is smearing around a mess like a bad paper towel, and the latter absorbs all our mess and makes us clean, right, and restored.  

So, which brand of Christianity do you use? If you’re thinking you honestly land in the striving camp, ask yourself, what religious practices are you clinging to instead of Jesus? Jesus is the only “brand” who can truly clean up your mess. Ask God to search your heart and motives, and as you think through the why of all you do, let your love for Jesus be the reason you attend, serve, and tithe, not your striving.  

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God, thank you for Jesus and your love. It can be so tempting to stubbornly cling to our religious practices without evaluating why. Show us where our hearts are far from you and we are striving to earn our salvation. Help us to trust Jesus as our once and for all final sacrifice. Let us regard our “religious practices” as outpourings of love and gratitude for Jesus. Help us to trust that Jesus’ ability to cover our mess won’t let us down. Amen.