Jesus is > OT Sacrifices

Introduction

Message of Hebrews: Jesus is > . . . Jesus is Superior. . . He is greater than the OT Revelation. . . He is Greater than the angels. . . He is greater than Moses. . . He is greater than OT Priesthood. . . and tonight. . . we will learn that he is greater than the OT Sacrifices.

Give example of picture of Ashley vs. Ashley herself.

Key Point: Since Jesus is the superior sacrifice for our sins, we must trust in him alone for our salvation.

Why Sacrifices?

From the very beginning when the first sin was committed, God made clear that people could not do anything to cleanse themselves of their sin.

Adam and Eve tried to do this by covering their nakedness, which represented their sin and shame, with fig leaves.

However, the Lord killed an animal in their place and covered their sin with the animal skins.

This demonstrates that for sin to be forgiven, a substitute must die and blood must be shed.

But why? Why death? Why so much blood?

Because the payment for sin is death

Genesis 2:17 ESV

but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God will not lower his standard and will righteously punish sin because he is Holy and good and hates evil.

Therefore, something must die for forgiveness to take place.

Hebrews 9:22 ESV

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

We continue to see images of this sacrificial substitute throughout the OT. . . specifically in the passover lamb in Exodus and the sacrificial system in Leviticus.

The lambs and goats of these sacrifices had to be perfect, without any spot or blemish, and there was a specific way the priest would have to offer the sacrifice for it to be acceptable.

Yet, these animal sacrifices never removed the stain of sin. . . they never cleansed Israel of their wickedness but was simply a temporary covering.

And this is what brings us to our main text tonight in chapter 10.

Jesus’s Sacrifice Is > The Animal Sacrifices of the OT Law (10:1-10)

Picking up on this theme. . . that animal sacrifices can never cleanse us of our sin and were only a temporary covering. . . Hebrews 10:1-4 says. . .

Hebrews 10:1–4 ESV

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

The law could not make the Hebrews perfect before God because it was only a “shadow” of the things to come.

Paul says in Colossians 2:17 that the rituals and ceremonies of the law were merely a “shadow,” but the substance belongs to Christ.

Hebrews 9:9-10 has already clarified that these sacrifices could not perfect the conscience of the worshipper.

One of the ways we know these sacrifices could not cleanse the worshipper of their sins is because they had to offer the animal sacrifices repeatedly. . . for if these animal sacrifices could cleanse the Israelites from their sin. . . there would be no need to continually offer a sacrifice.

Therefore, these sacrifices for sins through the blood of bulls and goats was a constant reminder of the people’s sins and need for atonement.

Animal sacrifices cannot cleanse men and women of their sin because they are not the one’s who sinned against God. Humanity has sinned against God, therefore, a human must pay the price for sin if it is to be forgiven.

This is why the author said previously in chapter 2 why God the Son had to take on flesh and become a human like us in every way. . . so that he could represent us, destroy death, and defeat the work of the devil.

The author is trying to help the Hebrews see how foolish it would be to go back to the OT sacrifices for the forgiveness of their sins. If these sacrifices cannot cleanse them of their sin. . . why would they go back to them!?!?

So. . . since animal sacrifices according to the OT law cannot cleanse the Hebrews of their sin, the author now tells us what can in verses 5-10. . .

Hebrews 10:5–10 ESV

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 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.’ ” 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), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

To affirm that these yearly sacrifices could not take away sins, the author quotes Psalm 40:6-8, where David says that God does not desire sacrifices and offerings, but rather desires that we trust in God.

Psalm 40:6–8 ESV

In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

Instead of using the word “body” from Heb. 10:5, David says that God has “opened his ears” in verse 6.

For David, he was using this phrase to signify the need to not just offer sacrifices to God but listen to God’s word and obey God’s word. . . for this is what God delights in.

The Hebrew text literally says “ears you have dug for me” and the translators of the Septuagint likened this phrase to the creation of the physical parts of a human body.

The author of Hebrews picks up on this reference of creating physical parts of the human body and sees this psalm pointing ahead to Christ.

The eternal Son of God was given a body to offer the ultimate sacrifice for sin by coming to do the will of God.

Looking back at Hebrews 10:9. . . It was the will of God for the Son to lay down his life for the sins of the world.

It was the delight of the Son to obey and do the will of the Father. . . and this should be our delight as well. . . to joyously obey the Father’s will. . . this is the sacrifice that he is pleased with.

the phrase, “doing away with the first,” refers to doing away with the sacrifices under the old covenant.

These “shadows” are removed so that the will of God (the second) can be established in the sacrifice of Christ’s body for the propitiation of man’s sin.

Through the offering of the body of Jesus, we have “been sanctified.”

This means we have been cleansed of our sin and made holy through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus that was given once and for all.

So, if Jesus’s sacrifice is greater than the sacrifices according to the law, surely it is also greater than the sacrifices that are offered by the OT priests.

This is the argument the author makes in verses 11-18

Jesus’s Sacrifice (New Covenant) is > The Sacrifices of the OT Priests (Old Covenant) (10:11-18).

Hebrews 10:11–14 ESV

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

The author gives a compare and contrast between the sacrifices that the priests offered in the old covenant and what Christ has offered in the new covenant.

Old Covenant sacrifices:

They offer sacrifices in an earthly tent made with hands (Heb. 9:1-10).

Priests are still standing, meaning that they are continuing to work.

They offer sacrifices repeatedly that cannot take away sins (Heb. 9:9-10).

The priests had to offer sacrifices for themselves too because they were sinful.

New Covenant sacrifice:

Jesus entered into the heavenly temple, not made with hands, into the presence of God.

Jesus offered one sacrifice in the sacrifice of himself.

Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, which symbolized that the work is finished.

Refers to Psalm 110:1.

Jesus’s single sacrifice has perfected us, given us eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12), an eternal inheritance (Heb. 9:15), and finally put away sin (Heb. 9:26). . . meaning that sin has been put to death!

Why would the Hebrews. . . or us. . . want to ever go back to the OT sacrifices or look to anything or anyone else for the forgiveness of our sins?!?!?

The author then confirms Christ’s once and for all sacrifice is sufficient for salvation with testimony from the Old Testament from the book of Jeremiah:

Hebrews 10:15–18 ESV

And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “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,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Did you hear that?

Response

Three Truths about Jesus’s Death

Jesus’s Death Provides Forgiveness of Sin.

Since Jesus is the superior sacrifice for our sins, we must trust in him alone for our salvation.

Who are you looking to for your salvation?

Don’t just look at your words. . . look at your life to find the answer.

This passage screams the truth that our only hope is in Jesus and his perfect sacrifice for our sins.

There is nothing that we can do to cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

There is nothing we can bring to the table to make us perfect before a holy God.

It is only through the perfect sacrifice of Christ that has been given to us once and for all that can cleanse of our sin, give us eternal redemption and eternal inheritance, and perfect our conscience to serve the living God!

Jesus is our only hope!

When you are tempted to look to other saviors or try to earn your forgiveness. . . see that Christ is SEATED. . . Tetelestai! The work is finished!

Jesus’s Death Provides Victory Over Sin.

Jesus’s death has put away sin once and for all.

Jesus’s death allows the law to be written on our hearts in the new covenant.

Romans 6:10–11 ESV

For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus’s Death Provides Boldness for Evangelism.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus- Secret disciples.

Do you know and understand what Jesus has done for you on the cross?

“Rock of Ages.”