"The Sufficiency of Christ"

My daughter and wife bought this cook book several years ago and it really does have some amazing recipes of meals to make. What is extremely awesome is the actual pictures of the food that you make. In fact every recipe that you look at just leaves you more hungry. But, trying to be fed by just the recipe on these pages is not enough because these recipes here in this cook book are pointing us to something far better and that is the actual food itself.

Here in Hebrews chapter 10 the author shows us that just like this cookbook the Old Testament Law and ritual are pointing to something far superior, and that is the reality of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for sin. The Law made people spiritually hungry for something of real substance, something that would last, something that would truly take away their guilty conscience and bring with that mercy and grace. Here is how the author of Hebrews puts it in verse 1.

Hebrews 10:1 ESV

1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

So, the law was a shadow of good things to come. As we dive into chapter 10 of Hebrews today we need to see and understand the contrast between the old and new covenant. I think it can be so easy when we as Christians look at the differences between these two different covenants to think and even talk that the old covenant was bad and the new covenant was good. In fact if we are not careful we can have a negative attitude about the old covenant because we realize that it can’t save us. But, this is not the intent of the author of Hebrews here. He is showing us these sharp contrasts for a reason and that reason is that the Old Covenant is pointing us to and finds its fulfillment in the new covenant. In fact, the old Covenant is preparing us for something so much better.

Two benefits of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice.

1. The Sacrifice of Christ takes away sin.

Hebrews 10:2–4 ESV

2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Now it is important to note here that the Old Testament Sacrifices were insufficient as we talked about last week.

But why? What is so interesting here is the fact that these animal sacrifices were ordained by God, and He desired that they be in force for hundreds of years. These sacrifices were offered up year after year but could never save or perfect those drawing near to God. Animal sacrifices could never completely deal with human guilt. The Day of Atonement did not accomplish a remission of sin but a reminder of sin. Remember that every year the priest would go into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat for his sin and the people’s sin, so this annual ceremony was evidence that the previous years sacrifices had not done the job. Of course, the people’s sin were covered but they were not cleansed. So, there was this desperate need for something better and something sufficient.

Notice the phrase here in verse one, “the good things to come.” This sums up everything Christ has done for us. Christ humbly came to this earth and gave us his life, and died on the cross for our sin and three days later rose from the grave. But the greatest of all of this is the forgiveness of sins. Through the forgiveness of sins Christ offers us salvation which is this term “perfect” that is used repeatedly in Hebrews.

The eternal redemption that was accomplished by Christ is the key contrast here between the new and old covenant. The New Covenant brought a permanent redemption through Christ and the old covenant only temporarily suspended the judgment of God. In fact, Romans tells us that the sacrifices in the Old Testament just held back the wrath of God for a time.

Romans 3:21–26 ESV

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 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. 26 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.

God would delay his justice and judgment on account of the sacrifice that was offered in faith. So, all of the sacrifices and all of the animals that died were just shadows pointing to the reality that Jesus came and accomplished on the cross what sacrifices never could accomplish. God the Father was and is satisfied with the sacrifice of His Son. Only the sacrifice of Jesus was able to truly suffice for sin. Only Jesus can bring atonement for sin and secure eternal redemption.

In verse 2 here the author asks this rhetorical question to help us see the insufficiency of these old covenant sacrifices. The Consciousness of sin points us to the part of the human person that remained unchanged or unaffected by the old covenant sacrifices. After the priest would make the sacrifice for the people’s sin they could go right back out and sin after the sacrifice. For many this was just a symbolic or ritualistic thing which shows that the law could do nothing to alleviate the guilt of the human conscience.

The Sacrifices in Israel were made daily, weekly, and yearly. They were made constantly, but Israel’s sacrifices could not keep up with all of the people’s sinfulness. Verse 3 tells us that these served as reminders of sin. The point of all of this comes in verse 4 which established this essential gospel point. It is impossible for the blood of animals to wash away sin. Only the sacrifice of Jesus can take away sin.

You may be here today and are dealing with a guilty conscience. You may be struggling with guilt and shame for something you have done that you know is not right. You may struggle with guilt and shame because of something someone else has done to you. I want you to know that you don’t have to carry that around any longer. You can be set free and you can be the one the one who forgives the person who has hurt you but that can only come thru trusting in the forgiveness of Christ. Knowing that Christ has forgiven you can change everything.

In Galatians chapter 5 Paul tells the believers to the churches of Galatia some life changing news. He tells them in chapter 5 that Christ has set them free.

(Read 5:16-25)

2. The Sacrifice of Christ is definitive!

Hebrews 10:6–10 ESV

6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ” 8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The author of Hebrews continues to show us the distinctions between the Sacrifice of Jesus and the sacrifices of the Old Covenant. The important thing here that I want you to see it that it was God who provided the sacrifice and not man.

The author now quotes from Psalm 40:6-8. This is applied to Jesus Christ and his incarnation, when he came to this world from heaven. This quotation from Psalms makes it clear that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the old covenant sacrifices. Jesus came into the world not to do whatever he wanted or to live for his pleasure but to do his Father’s will. This required laying down his life as a sacrifice for sin.

Notice here in verse 5 when Christ came into the world, he said, Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired. God was not pleased with sacrifices given by a person who did not give them out of a sincere heart. Some of these people like some of us do today are just going through the motions. So, to make sacrifices that were just a ritual was worse than no sacrifice at all.

The Father did not ask for the Son to offer sacrifices. He prepared a body for Him and asked him to be the sacrifice. This is where we see the obedience of Christ. Here is how Paul puts it in the book of Philippians.

Philippians 2:8 ESV

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

As we come to verse 9, we see that Christ did away with the old covenant in order to establish a new one. This is what Jesus is saying here when he proclaims, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” Jesus has come to fulfill the law and take care of it once and for all. He is why we no longer need to sacrifice bulls and goats or any other animal. This is the good news of the gospel.

As believers we have been set apart. The author of Hebrews uses the word sanctified here. We have been sanctified by the offering of Christ’s body once and for all. We as new covenant saints have been set apart to live for Christ. The sacrifice of Christ is definitive and it is sufficient. No sacrifice ever needs to be made again.

Response: As believers we today can have confidence in the sacrifice that Christ has made for us. Why? Because Jesus has perfected, purified, and sanctified us, removing our sin from our consciences and allowing us to draw near to God in worship. The Old Covenant could never do what Jesus has done fully for us on the cross. The preacher of Hebrews was pleading for his audience the Hebrews not to turn away from Jesus and go back to the old way of things. This message is not so different for us today. Don’t turn away from Christ when things get difficult, don’t turn away from Christ when you are tempted to sin. Don’t turn away from Christ and turn to how you want to live.

Finally, we need to trust in Jesus by being obedient to His Word. Jesus came into this world to do His Father’s will and He was obedient to what the Father had assigned him to do (go to the cross)

We need to be reminded of this wonderful new covenant response that God will remember our sins no more. (Hebrews 8:12) As we are reminded today, that because we can have full forgiveness, it should draw us closer to God and cause us to desire to be more and more obedient to the Lord.

-Are you obeying Christ with your mind? (Purity)

-Are you obeying Christ with your words?

-Are you obeying Christ in your devotion to Him?

-Are you obeying Christ with your finances?

-Are you obeying Christ as his witness? Sharing your faith.

(Pray and lead into Communion)

Related Media

Related Sermons