Heb 10:11-18 Life Purpose
Notes
Transcript
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”
17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Our family is traveling next week so we have already started preparing and planning. One of the things that crossed my mind was safety. We all know and have been told that it is safer to fly than to drive. You have probably heard the statistic that the odds of being in an accident during a flight is one in 1.2 million, and the chances of that accident being fatal are one in 11 million. However, your chances of dying in a car crash, are one in 5,000.
However, the more I looked into the statistics and how this number is achieved, there are some very reasonable questions about the method of achieving these probabilities. For starters, these statistics are comparing the number of miles traveled while multiplied by the number of passengers. Clearly, this will quickly skew the results and arguably makes this an unfair comparison. One source using a more fair calculation of the number of trips, instead of miles shows that flying is 10,000 times safer than driving. There is a significant difference between millions and 10 thousand.[1]
In the end, it is statistically safer to fly than to drive. Knowing this bear with me for a minute. A crazy thought crossed my mind; if we crash and die during this trip this would be my last sermon. And I was able to select my last sermon I would actually select these verses here in Hebrews to preach.
Leanna says, let’s hope he’s not prophetic
I’m not afraid of dying, and I’m not afraid of flying at all, it is certainly the fastest way to travel long distances. What I’m saying these verses because they are so important and fundamental for anyone that follows Jesus. They make some excellent “final words”. So let’s start with v11.
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
Similarly to the previous verses in this chapter, now as you read this verse you might say I have heard this before here in Hebrews. You are right, this is an argument that the author of Hebrews has repeated in chapters 7, 9, and 10. The author’s argument from v1-4 is repeated and summarized to a single statement, v11 “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins”
Let’s take a moment to recap what these daily duties and sacrifices were in the Old Testament. The High Priest entered once a year on the day of the atonement into the Holy of Holies, the rest of the year the priests attended to the lampstand and offered incense daily, and then weekly replaced the bread of the Presence. All of this is happening inside the temple. While, outside the temple, there was another altar, the brazen altar or altar of burnt offering in the courtyard. On this altar, priests sacrificed two-year-old lambs each day, one in the morning and another in the evening according to Ex 29:38-46 and Num 28:1-8.
These are the frequent offering of animals that the author of Hebrews is referring to, they were many and not able to take away sins. This tradition of rules and regulations contrasts with Christ’s single sacrifice. There is also another contrast between the priests in the Old Covenant and Jesus.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
The Old Testament priests had to stand, pointing out that their task was an ever-unfinished task, while Jesus sat down because His task is finished.
When Jesus did offer himself on the cross, just before he bowed his head and gave up his spirit, Jesus said “It is finished”. He didn’t have to offer himself again and again because it was a complete and perfect sacrifice for sins from Adam and Eve until the last sinner that will be saved at the end of times.
Right now, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. Beyond just causing our hearts to jump for joy this indicates the exaltation and supremacy of Christ.
This reference to Psalm 110 as Jesus sitting at the right hand of God was already mentioned in Heb 1:3 where it says “After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”
Here in chapter 10 the focus of Jesus sitting down is focused on Jesus’ sufficient sacrifice, He offered himself once for all, then because the work is complete He sat down with great honor, adoration, and supremacy as the only intermediary between God and man.
We know this truth very well, and if you are a true follower of Christ this truth has transformed your heart and your whole being. Because of this reality, you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. However, are we being a faithful Christ witnesses to those that God is and has put in our path?
I don’t know about you, but one of my greatest regrets in life is when the Holy Spirit prompts me to speak to someone and I didn’t listen, or the other times when there was a clear opportunity to speak up about Jesus and out of fear of people, I was silent. If I had a chance to go back in time, those would be the moments that I would wish to change my actions and just be bolder for Christ. Sadly, there are many occasions that our interactions with different people are limited to a short time or just a few years, and before we know it there is no other chance to witness to someone.
I came to faith in Jesus later in life; about the time when I was finishing up college. When I came to faith and looked back, I could see the many people that God brought into my life to be Christ’s witness to me. However, it was also sad to recognize that one of my closest friends in college was a Christian, however he never told me about his faith or what Jesus meant to Him. I’m not sure of all the factors, including my openness or even disregard, but I wonder if he missed opportunities from the Holy Spirit or even if he was at a point of nominal faith himself.
What about you? Do you have someone in your life that you are close to or even an acquaintance that you feel weird sharing your faith with them because you haven’t to this point? It is never too late, I would challenge you to take the time or opportunity to share with this individual or individuals about something Jesus is doing or did in your life the next time you see them. You don’t need to present a tract to them, rather you need to work the ground of their heart. That sharing may lead you to share the salvation message, but often individuals need to see faith lived out first.
I’m not saying that we are going to be perfect. I’m saying we need to take each day as a day that God has given us for a purpose, to be light. Yes, we will struggle with the battles and sufferings of each day, but we should love those around us, we should love our neighbors, those that God puts in our paths.
Let’s imagine for a second that you don’t know Jesus, but you have some Christian friends that never share their faith with you. Because you DON’T know the salvation and freedom in Christ you continue wasting your life and ultimately being condemned for eternity. It is the most unloving thing to not share Christ with others. I’ll say it is impossible to truly love our neighbor as ourselves if we don’t share Christ with them, the only hope, the only way.
We should care much, much less about what others think of us, and lots and lots more about what God thinks and wants us to do and say to others. We should truly love our neighbors, our friends, and family.
I don’t know about you, but every time I get the chance to witness I get nervous, and often it is because I’m thinking “oh no what are they going to think of me”. I can tell you what I do that helps me, in my mind, I just assume that they are already thinking the worst of me, so whatever I actually say cannot make it any worse than what I think they are thinking. Also, when I feel that pressure I just pray “Jesus help me, Jesus help me”
Another thing that helps me is to remember my friend that likely missed opportunities to witness to me, and/or the times when I failed to witness to others and how disappointing it was for me. Another strategy that you are probably familiar with is the use of questions, which is the most relaxed and laid-back option to witness to someone. Just ask someone what you think is going to happen to you after you die, or just ask open-ended questions in general about God or faith or prayer. I don’t think there is a human being who is not eager to talk about what they believe, everyone longs to talk about spiritual things, but everyone is afraid to start to talk about their beliefs.
If you want to take something that you can just give to someone, you can take one of the Who is Jesus books, we as a church have already given away almost 100 of these books. So I purchase some more. If you want to just take it and give it to someone feel free. Most people are very happy to receive a gift. If you want to take any there is a pile of these books on the table in the foyer.
There will be also an opportunity in July to invite friends and family to come for a special Sunday. On this Sunday we will be changing everything. You will hear more about it in the future, so I’ll just give you a teaser, there will not be any singing or preaching. And now that I have you wondering just how one can worship Christ without these… Just know it will be a perfect time to invite neighbors and friends.
Maybe you are still not convinced or you have too much fear to share the gospel with unbelievers. Here is what I encourage you to do. Practice talking about God to other believers. When you meet another believer just tell them what God has been teaching you through life, through the reading of Scripture, through prayer. It is encouraging and life-giving to the body of Christ when we are sharing what God is teaching us. What do you think? Doesn’t it encourage you when you hear others sharing about their walk with Jesus?
I don’t know about you but it is so encouraging to me when another believer tells me what God is teaching them and how they are holding their faith through certain storms in their life. You never know who might be listening in the next booth or cubicle.
Then if God gives you an opportunity to talk about Jesus to nonbelievers, you can just share the same thing as what God has been teaching you recently, you could also just ask what you can be praying for them? I often have seen God answering our prayers for unbelievers, and through a single prayer, God draws people closer to Him.
There are many things we could share as we love our neighbors, most importantly you could share what you believe and what the Scriptures say, just like what it says here in v12.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
If we truly believe this, and we know this is the only way, there is salvation in no one else, only in the name of Jesus every knee will bow and confess that Jesus is Lord. Therefore, if we believe this, we will not be silent, but we will seek every opportunity to be a faithful witness to the glory of Christ.
But, back to our text and what it has to say to us this morning, after saying in v12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God the author adds:
13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
Here in v13 it tells us what Jesus is doing right now. He is waiting. We know that we are eagerly waiting for Christ's return, Rom 8 tells us that even creation is eagerly waiting as well. But now, it says that Jesus is waiting as well.
This truth is exhilarating, as we are eagerly waiting for Christ. Jesus is eagerly waiting for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. He is waiting for all His enemies to be completely under His feet.
This reminded Leanna of Rom 16:20 “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” We just need to ask God for strength to lift our feet because soon Satan will be crushed under our feet.
“Jesus' death has already neutralized the Devil, “who has the power of death” and has freed us from slavery to the fear of death. The blood of the Lamb has deprived the accuser of his right to press charges against us. But both NT Scripture and our experience show that Christ’s archenemy and many lesser enemies still resist his rule and assault his people. Only in the world to come will everything be subjected under Christ’s feet. Even though he is already crowned with glory and honor we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” (Johnson)
We might consider that if Jesus is waiting and that He is Sovereign, that is He is in complete control and He has the power to put an end to this world and to sin, we might ask why doesn’t he do it right now?
Why is Jesus waiting? He has the power to make it happen, if He desires He doesn’t have to wait at all. I’m confident that God has many reasons and purposes for this waiting time. One of the reasons it is revealed to us in His word in 2 Peter 3 which tells us “9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
The waiting time is for the sake of those that will come to salvation. It is because of God’s patience towards sinners. When we see the waiting in this perspective we can rejoice and be glad while we wait. This means that the waiting is also a time of active working. God is working to save sinners while He awaits. This should be our motivation as well as we await, we should be about the business of reaching people with the gospel, until Christ’s return we all have one job in God’s Kingdom, to be witnesses of His grace and mercy.
We are the light of this world because the true light, Jesus came and rescue us. Therefore, if you are saved you are an ambassador for Christ. Ambassadors live in a foreign country, but they belong to another country, and they represent the country or the kingdom that they belong to. So are we, we don’t belong to this world, we belong to the kingdom of Heaven, and we are representing God’s Kingdom in this world.
All of this is possible because
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
It is because of Jesus’ perfect single sacrifice that we can be made perfect, cleanse, and sanctified to draw near to the Holy God. Jesus’ blood cleanses our conscience and consecrates us as holy priests, once for all and for all time.
At the same time, this verse identifies the followers of Jesus as “those who are being sanctified”. The work that God is doing in our hearts and minds is still not complete. The state of sinlessness, or the ability to not be able to sin anymore is going to be reached only after death or at Christ’s return. Until that day we are going to be in continual transformation in the likeness of Christ.
This means as well that during this waiting time, we are growing in our dependency on Jesus, to do what He commanded us to do. To follow Him and to be His witnesses in this world. We need Christ to be with us, to abide in us.
This work of transformation is done by the abiding of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. It is in regard to the work of the Spirit that the author moves next in v15-18.
15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”
17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Here is a quotation of Jeremiah 31:31-34, this text was cited previously in chapter 8 of Hebrews. The point of the author of Hebrews to mention this quote again is to show that the Scriptures confirm and support the fact that it is through Jesus’ single sacrifice He releases all the blessings of the New Covenant.
Because of Jesus, God put his laws into our hearts. It is not that believers merely imagine that they are presently sinless, rather the sin’s defilement has been removed and no longer obstructs our communion with God. Furthermore, it means the Holy Spirit is transforming our motivations, affections, and desires so that our hearts begin to conform to the heart of Jesus.
If you are in Christ, this is who you are. You are forgiven, you have been washed. The Holy Spirit abides in you. God is transforming our hearts to be more and more like His. You are free from slavery to sin.
Therefore, live in accordance with what you already are in Christ. If you do, you will also be longing for Christ's return. But, there is something God commanded us to do while we await, to be His witness to those around us. Be bold, be courageous. The Lord will never leave or forsake, He is going with you. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.