Jesus did not go to God empty-handed

Hebrews 8:3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. The main ministry of every high priest was to offer both gifts and sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. With Jesus, it is no different. To come into God’s presence, He did not come empty-handed. The author contrasted Jesus’ ministry in the heavenly sanctuary with the earthly ministry of the high priests in the tabernacle and temple in the following verses, so I won’t get ahead of the author on this one. Today, what comes to mind as I read this verse is that when Jesus entered the Holy Place with His own blood, He also brought us with Him. Think about this. Jesus offered us to God, so to speak. He presented us to God, holy, blameless, and beyond reproach. That’s how Paul put it in Colossians 1:21-22. “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.” We were given to Jesus by the Father with the command to give us eternal life. Jesus prayed in John 17:1-3, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  There we were, stained, ruined, and dead in our sins, separated from God. Through His blood sacrifice, He washed us, perfected us, and raised us up with Him to eternal life. So when Jesus came into the temple in heaven to worship His Father, He didn’t come empty-handed. He presented a gift to God—His children, beloved and spotless, with eternal life. That’s the love of God poured out to us. The love of God in the life of Jesus, the Son. We have the Son. We have the life. We have His love. We live on earth out of His love experienced in the heavenlies. I hope today your eyes will be opened to the hope of His calling you into eternal life in Jesus Christ.