Jesus is Greater Than Your Best
Notes
Transcript
Announcements:
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Worship:
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Introduction:
Have you ever found yourself caught in a cycle of doing your best, only to realize it’s never quite enough? Maybe you’ve tried to fix a problem in your life, only to see it resurface again and again. Or perhaps you've worked hard to be a "good person," but deep down, you still feel like something is missing.
The truth is, no matter how much effort we put in, our best will always fall short when it comes to dealing with sin. The Old Testament sacrificial system was a reminder of this—it was never meant to be a permanent solution. They only covered it up for a time. They were a shadow, pointing to something greater—someone greater. And just like we can fool ourselves into thinking we’re managing our sin by sweeping it under the rug, the reality is that sin doesn’t go away on its own. It only grows, making things worse.
So where do you find yourself today? Are you searching for a way to fill the emptiness inside? Or have you been a believer for years, yet still hiding things in your life, hoping God’s grace will somehow make it all disappear?
The good news is that God doesn’t just offer us a temporary fix—He offers us something far greater: a cure. Through Jesus, we don’t have to rely on our best anymore. We can embrace God’s best.
As we finish our series on the book of Hebrews, I want to point out some observations from Hebrews 10-13 this morning that I believe will help us have a better overall understanding of what the write of Hebrews has been trying to tell us.
Transition: Let’s dive into His Word together with our first observation:
Body:
I. Our best
1 Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year.
2 Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, purified once and for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
3 But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year.
4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Illustration: Hemochromatosis diagnosis: no cure but only phlebotomies for the rest of my life. The phlebotomies don’t cure it but manages it. Just like the OT shadow of what was to come. The OT system of sacrifices we have talked about throughout this whole series was just a way to remind humanity our need for a savior. It was a reminder every year that we are sinners and the blood of bulls only covered them up (like under a rug). It was a shadow of what was to come.
We tend to do this still. We may have been going to church for years and living for God for years but we have a habit of sweeping sin under the rug and justifying it with God’s grace, etc. until we become numb to it. No matter what we do or how we address our sin, it doesn’t go away and often makes it worse.
Questions:
Where do you see yourself this morning?
Two groups:
Not a believer and trying to figure out how to address the empty feeling you have and no matter what you do it doesn’t satisfy?
Been a believer for years and have just swept up areas of your life you don’t line up with a disciple of Jesus under the rug hoping God’s grace will take it away?
Transition: But here’s the good news: God didn’t leave us with just a shadow—He provided something far greater. Let’s look at God’s best.
II. God’s best
8 After he says above, You did not desire or delight in sacrifices and offerings, whole burnt offerings and sin offerings (which are offered according to the law),
9 he then says, See, I have come to do your will. He takes away the first to establish the second.
10 By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
11 Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins.
12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.
Jesus came to fulfill the first covenant of sacrifice for sin to establish a new covenant of being righteous through Jesus Christ alone!
Jesus’ sacrifice didn’t cover our sins but paid for them and they are gone! To the point the stuff under the rug has been swept up, the rug has been taken out and cleaned and put back! Completely finished!
Look at the comparisons:
Priest: stands and offers the same sacrifices day after day
Jesus: sits at the right hand of the Father.and offered himself as a sacrifice once and for all
Transition: So, if Jesus has done this for us, what should our response be? Let’s talk about that next.
III. Our response
1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
All we are required to do is to respond by faith in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for our sins! Chapter 11 talks about the many individuals who walked by faith (Hall of Faith or the Faith Hall of Fame) and did many great things for the kingdom of God as a result.
Faith is what is going to help us to persevere and endure especially in times of uncertainty and frustration and heartache. Hebrews 12 talks about enduring and remembering that we have the saints that have gone before cheering us on! It also talks about faith getting us through when we have to go through times of discipline as well which no one enjoys.
1 Let brotherly love continue.
2 Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.
3 Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.
4 Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
5 Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.
6 Therefore, we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
A person that has trusted in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for their sin, will not only walk in faith but also it will be seen in showing love to others, protecting marriage as God has created it to be, and being kept from envy.
Transition: Faith isn’t just an internal belief; it changes how we live. So, what do we do with this now?
Conclusion:
As we get ready for communion, I want to take some time and ask the following questions:
Is there anyone here who has never trusted in what Jesus Christ did for them on the cross for their sin? You have done everything you can to feel better and make life better but it has always results in frustration and worse outcomes? Jesus is the only one who can give you life and life to the fullest!
Is there someone here who needs to confess an area of their life to God and ask for forgiveness for trying to sweep it under the rug when you know it doesn’t line up with what the Word of God says?
That’s like the me doing the phlebotomies thinking it will cure my hemochromatosis which in reality it won’t.
Communion:
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
