The Permanence of Jesus' Sacrifice
The Book of Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted
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Hebrews 10:1-18
Hebrews 10:1-18
We get into the last chapter of this section from 8-10 that deals with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and key words like covenant, sanctuary especially. This chapter brings everything to a conclusion that the old way was imperfect and a new way was needed.
Verses 5-10 introduce some new thoughts and material but much of the rest is a reminder and restatement of what we’ve learned earlier.
They say that nothing is certain except death and taxes. Well there’s something else that is certain: the permanence of Jesus’ sacrifice.
MAIN IDEA: Because the sacrifice of Christ is continuously effective, it provides people with eternal life, overwhelming grace, and determined commitment to Christ.
1. The Old Covenant was Limited
1. The Old Covenant was Limited
vv. 1-4
We must still understand that sin is man’s greatest problem. Man is a sinner by nature, not by choice.
A. It was Only a Shadow
A. It was Only a Shadow
v. 1
The was only ever meant to prepare people for the New Covenant, that age of grace, that was coming. Therefore it was only a shadow.
By nature the Old Covenant was inadequate.
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Meaning that it was only a copy of what was to come - not the original or true image.
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
This shadow was repeated year after year - seemingly endless. It was impossible that this shadow could provide salvation.
Sins were temporarily covered but not completely cleansed.
B. It Was Only a Reminder
B. It Was Only a Reminder
vv. 2-4
Here he asks a question. Wouldn’t the sacrifices have stopped if the people had been permanently cleansed? Yes. So therefore they must not have been permanent in the cleansing.
34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
In a sense, the old covenant cleansed the outside, but the new covenant cleansed the inside.
Verse 4
Why couldn’t the animal sacrifices of the old covenant not cleanse us?
Animals aren’t of the same nature as human sinners.
Animals sacrifices don’t have sufficient value to satisfy God’s justice.
The animals couldn’t consent to the sacrifice. An atoning sacrifice must involve one who can chose or voluntarily consent to be the substitute.
See God’s reaction to the endless animal sacrifices.
11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
2. The Prophesied Obedience of Jesus
2. The Prophesied Obedience of Jesus
vv. 5-10
Here our writer is going to do some more teaching from the OT and how it points to Jesus Christ. To him, Christ is the key to the OT.
A. The Mission of Jesus Christ
A. The Mission of Jesus Christ
vv. 5-7 - to do the will of the Father.
The writer here begins by quoting a Psalm.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
We just saw God’s ultimate dissatisfaction with the animal sacrifices previously from v. 4.
Here in Psalm 40 we have a Messianic passage - who stresses not sacrifices but obedience. Here we see a fulfillment of another prophecy we saw earlier.
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
A recently licensed pilot was flying his private plane in a cloudy day. He was not very experienced in instrument landing. When the control tower was to bring him in, he began to get panicky. Then a stern voice came over the radio, “You just obey instructions, we’ll take care of the obstructions.”
Jesus’ mission was to do the will of the Father.
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
He said this also in John 5:30 and 6:38. We see that the OT ultimately sees its hope in Jesus Christ. Thus now we see,
B. The Fulfillment Through Jesus Christ.
B. The Fulfillment Through Jesus Christ.
vv. 8-10
These old sacrifices were required, and required by God’s law. But they are not ultimately what God requires. It was supposed to be inadequate all along.
18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Jesus came to do away with the first covenant, to establish the second in verse 9.
v. 10
Now we see the fulfillment of the will of God through Jesus Christ - our sanctification!
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Note the three key allusions to Psalm 40 in v. 10.
Will
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Offering
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Body
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Opened ears here has the idea of a servant read to here, a body provided for the Son who is ready to do the will of the Father.
Therefore the only sacrifice that was freely offered to God out of obedience in the body of Jesus Christ.
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
3. The Finished Work of Jesus
3. The Finished Work of Jesus
vv. 11-18
This is now the final section of the climactic part of Hebrews. We return to the important prophecy in Jeremiah 31:33-34
A. Through One Complete Sacrifice
A. Through One Complete Sacrifice
vv. 11-14
We note again the repeating of the sacrifices and the Levitical priesthood (daily: day after day). Standing = not complete, the task is not finished.
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
v.12 -13
Here we see Christ accomplishing the will of God and then sitting down.
1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Christ has accomplished his mission!
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
v. 14
So was it complete and effective, the verse says yes!
Perfect = complete. Christ reached the goal, he was perfect in his obedience and it lasts forever.
16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
B. The Final Removal of Sin
B. The Final Removal of Sin
vv. 15-18
Now we return more directly to this prophecy.
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
What has happened in Christ is exactly what God prophesied hundreds of years earlier. This ultimately is the work of the HS.
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
This is a new level of forgiveness! This is the final removal of sin.
Therefore there is no need for further sacrifices.
CONCLUSION
So what would your Christian life look like if you woke up each day and fell asleep each night with the confidence in your heart that God will never remember your sins and lawless deeds?
To know without hesitation or qualification or the slightest doubt that when God looks at you and thinks about you and hears your prayers that he refuses to remember your sins or lawless deeds, not because there aren’t any, not because you’ve been especially good this week, but solely because Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice in your place once and for all time, . . . to know this and to experience the joy and power and peace it brings, is simply too marvelous for words.
Do you agonize over your sin? Do you live daily in distress and fear that God will reject and judge you, now and forever? Do you desire that God would never again remember your sins? That can happen today, right now, and it will last forever.