Deep Forgiveness

Welcome Psalm 136:1–3 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;”

Announcements

†CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 34:1-3

Austin Prince, Pastor

Minister: I will bless the Lord at all times;

Congregation: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Minister: My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

Congregation: let the humble hear and be glad.

Minister: Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

Congregation: and let us exalt his name together!

†PRAYER OF ADORATION AND INVOCATION

God, our resurrection and life, the promise of new life in Christ is like cool, sweet water in a dry and thirsty land. We have gathered as believers and as those seeking your truth, which is truth. Guide our worship this hour; speak to us, touching not just our intellects but also our affections–the yearnings of the soul. We bring our daily concerns and our eternal questions. Send your Holy Spirit to us that we may be welcomed into your presence. By His work in us today may you shed light upon our walk and unite us forever with you.

†OPENING HYMN OF PRAISE #281

“Rejoice, the Lord is King”

†CONFESSION OF SIN AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Austin Prince, Pastor

“The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” “For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” (Psalm 11:4–5, 7 ESV)

Minister: O King and Father, your son died and was raised up in power. Now enable us to die to our sin in repentance so we may rise to new life in him. We confess to you:

Congregation: Lord, though you should guide us, we inform ourselves;

Though you should rule us, we control ourselves;

Though you should fulfill us, we console ourselves.

We think your truth too high, your will too hard,

Your power too remote, your love too free. But they are not,

and without them, we are of all people most miserable.

Heal our confused minds with your word,

heal our divided wills with your law.

Heal our troubled consciences with your love

and our anxious hearts with your presence.

All for the sake of your son, who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:17–18, ESV)

CONTINUAL READING OF SCRIPTURE Numbers 25

THE OFFERING OF TITHES AND OUR GIFTS

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

†PSALM OF PREPARATION #1B

“How Blest the Man”

SERMON Hebrews 10:1-18 // Deep Forgiveness

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

Almighty, eternal and merciful God, whose Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path — open and illuminate our minds, that we may purely and perfectly understand your Word and that our lives may be conformed to what we have rightly understood, that in nothing we may be displeasing to your Majesty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

TEXT Hebrews 10:1-18

Hebrews 10:1–18 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. 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. 5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; 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. 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.

AFTER SCRIPTURE

Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

Intro

This text describes three ways in which the Christian should now live, or can now live. Ways that have a particular effect on our daily lives.

Because of the supremacy of Christ and the finality of His work,

Christians can live with a conscience that is clean and unburdened

They have been made perfect

And their sins are remembered no more

These are remarkable statements about life now in Christ, but they also may come with a measure of confusion.

For example, let’s say that you got into an argument with someone yesterday, and you blew your top - [I had a pastor who used to say that he and his wife didn’t have fights they had ‘intense times of fellowship’]. But maybe you said some hurtful words or swore. Or, and this probably doesn’t happen to anyone here, but your journey out of the house to church is less than pleasant and you end up barking people into the car.

Anyway, you come here to church this morning and you begin to hear me preach on how Christ takes away your consciousness of sins, has made you perfect, and remembers your sins no more.

And all of those are true, but you sit there thinking, but I do have a consciousness of my sins. I feel terrible. I definitely don’t feel perfect.

What do you do with that? That’s a pretty significant pastoral issue: the tension between some things that are declared to be true of us in light of Christ, and the way we sometimes can feel in our sin.

That’s what we want to take a close look at this morning. Those three things and how it is that the gospel (the good news) applies these marvelous truths to our lives.

Outline:

The writer of Hebrews holds out three life-changing truths:

our conscience is unburdened,

our relationship with God is made perfect,

and our sins are remembered no more.

Let’s take each one in turn.”

Unburdened conscience

Our text paints a contrast between how someone would have tried to deal with the burden of sin under the law and the sacrificial system and someone who is dealing with the same burden as a Christian.

“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?” (Hebrews 10:1–2, ESV)

The law here is described the same way that the tabernacle was — a mere shadow but Christ is the substance.

Remember, it’s like the difference between a picture and the thing itself. A picture of someone that you love versus wrapping your arms and having communion with the person itself.

But when that burden comes to the conscience of our sins, the person under the law would have experienced this differently than you should.

They would have seen their sin and felt the burden, and they would have needed to do something about it. They were made clean by the weighty sacrifice for their sins, but then the burden would come again and they would have needed to do something about it again. Essentially, the testimony that kept coming back to them was “I’m not OK. There needs to be blood to recon with my sin. I need a Savior. I need a Savior”.

Now, the law is a tutor, and this is exactly what they were supposed to think under that system. It was to drive them to see their need for a full and final reckoning. The law was a highlighter, not eraser. But until that final reckoning came in Christ, our text says that their consciences were never truly cleansed.

But for the Christian who lives in light of Christ’s work, we must not live as if that’s the case for us.

What is meant by clean conscience here is not that there is no awareness of our sins — as if we are never troubled by guilt or shame. That’s not what’s in view here. We have an awareness of our sins, but it’s where we go in light of that awareness that is in view.

For those under the law, it’s that they were in trouble. They were in need.

But when that burden comes for the Christian, that awareness leads us to the cross.

Instead of living like “I need a Savior. I need a Savior” Our burdens lead us to “I have a Savior. I have a Savior”.

When the subjective feelings of our guilt and shame stir in us a desire to move into a more comfortable place, we aren’t to move toward hiding out and trying to cover ourselves (there is no comfort there), nor are we to move away from God by thinking that our standing before Him has changed. In light of Christ, the Christian must know and live in light of the objective work of Christ on their behalf. Objectively, because of Christ, you are not guilty. That’s how we live with an unburdened conscience.

We still have an awareness of sins, but it’s where that leads us that matters.

So, when you are feeling that burden…When the accuser comes to bring the charge against you… When you wake up burdened from having yelled and fought with your spouse or friend the day before, where does the awareness of that sin take you? Where does it tell you to go and lay that burden down? In Christ, it’s I have a Savior, I have a Savior, I have a Savior. The blood has been shed. Go there and confess your sins and remember that for those who trust in Christ, there is nothing left for Him to do. It has been dealt with once and for all. And be at rest.

Made Perfect

Now, when we’re are talking about being made perfect here we are not saying it in the modern way which means, there’s nothing wrong with you, you don’t need to change a thing, you are perfect the way you are.

It’s not saying that we are perfect and never in need of confession sin or repentance or to change. It’s saying that “ by Jesus’ sacrifice, he has made us completely qualified for a relationship with God. We have arrived at the end that God desired to accomplish via Christ’s death on the cross. His work to put us in right relationship with himself has been made complete. In Him, that work is done perfectly.

Look with me at how the text explains it:

“For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 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.’ ”” (Hebrews 10:4–7, ESV)

“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14, ESV)

The law failed to make anyone perfect.

But notice something here. This quote about sacrifices and offerings God has not desired, but obedience, where does that come from? It’s comes from Psalm 40. Here we have an Old Testament reference about the sacrificial system that was setting the right expectation. It was saying, This isn’t sufficient. This isn’t enough. We need help. We are to look forward to that help.

Of course, that’s what we are talking about in this perfection. Christ came and He died for our sins, yes. But God wasn’t just hungry for blood. He’s not barbaric and cruel. His holiness demanded obedience to His will. Our hearts were far from Him. But not Christs. He has perfectly lived in our place, fulfilled God’s will, and died in our place.

So, perfect doesn’t mean no faults or failings, it means complete and whole. We are wholly adequate for a relationship with God. The requirements for us to stand at peace before the throne have been met in Christ. You belong there. Your credentials in Christ are perfect. Your identity in Christ is whole.

Again, the Christian’s inheritance is to live like this, as if there is nothing left to be done by us on this front.

But think for a minute about how hard this would have been, how difficult a change, this might have been for someone who grew up with the sacrificial system. They have spent their life tying to be faithful and go and offer a sacrifice, but now they are told that they don’t need to do that anymore — they have been made perfect.

That would have been a hard habit and construction of mind to escape. I need to perform. I need to do something. I’m not perfect. The score isn’t settled. I need to do this to feel secure.

And here we kind of see a shift in the language regarding the tabernacle and temple. Hebrews has started to use the phrase “made with hands”. This is kind of a shorthand for an idol. You see this elsewhere when the scriptures critique idol worshippers for serving things that are “made with hands”. And in saying this, it’s bringing something to our attention as well.

For them, if the Hebrews don’t leave behind the old system and follow Christ and His finished work, if they try to keep it going on their own, they should know that it has now turned into an idol.

And for us, we shouldn’t live that way, either. There can be numerous good things that we feel that we are doing for God but they are done in a way that is seeking that sense of perfection. It’s the Pharisees that cannot see Christ and His rest behind their sense of needing to work for their own rest. And these are idols that are often harder to see than the obvious sins of lust and greed. These are things like trying to find my peace with God by changing the way I parent for a few days — maybe I’ve been cranky and angry or we have gotten behind in school and now I’ll catch things back up. Or, maybe I’m searching for my peace with God by giving a tithe and tightening the reigns on some sins that are bothering me.

All good things, but that’s not were our perfection comes from. Idols always demand more from you. They always demand more blood. But Christ’s work is done. Hebrews has repeatedly made a big deal about this — that Christ has died once and for all time.

Again, yes, there are times when we are aware of sins and we should deal with them accordingly, but that should not jeopardize our sense of hope and rest. Christ’s work was not insufficient so that it needs more from you, nor can it be improved upon by anything we do. It’s done. What you can do is receive it. You can worship. You can be filled with awe and gratitude. And you can take off the work gloves at home and in your relationships and in the performing of any ritual that might promise more security, as long as you keep feeding it. Christ has brought a perfection of relationship to you.

Not remembering Sins

““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.”” (Hebrews 10:16–17, ESV)

This text today is bringing so much comfort. In our lives, as we move through them with burdens and guilt and questions, the work of Christ as our High Priest continually ministers to us that we have a place of permanence — a home in this life to rest in.

It is said of our sins that they are remembered no more.

But a moments reflection on that reveals more to us than at first glance.

Does this truly mean that God has forgotten our sins? He is omniscient - He knows everything. Is the text saying that God has truly no ability to remember them?

That might give the impression that your sins are not seen or not known. But the language here is descriptive of the way that God forgives our sins in totality. It’s saying that God who does see everything, who knows everything, is so complete in His forgiveness towards us through the blood of Christ, that it is as if He remembers our sins no more. There is nothing to bring back up. There are no charges or accusations that would stick. There is no condemnation.

Think about how we normally would feel if we were completely exposed to others about our thoughts and intentions. Imagine that you had a little sign above your head at all times that told what you were thinking. Imagine wearing that around in Church, or as your parents were speaking to you at home, or you were having ‘intense fellowship’ with a spouse. What is the normal reaction to being completely exposed and known? It is to run away and hide. It is to cringe with guilt.

But because of Christ, the reaction to being completely exposed runs the other direction. Instead of running to hide we are drawn into comfort and consolation and confidence. We are fully known and fully forgiven. Everything is laid bare, but all is forgiven.

And we should live like this is the case, both in our relationship with God as recipients of His forgiveness and in our relationship with others as we give forgiveness.

Satan is an accuser, and when accusations arise that would cause us to cringe and shrivel and want to hide away, when that thing is brought up to your mind that you used to do, or no one knows about, those things that really call into question if all is forgiven, we must remember that for those in Christ, He knows it all. It isn’t hidden to Him. And it is all made right by the blood. We are the ones that must remember that it is as if He forgets.

Those accusations are just a nuisance that must be ignored and rebuffed by the preaching of the good news to yourself.

Now, if this is how God treats us—fully knowing, fully forgiving, never bringing our sins back up—how could we, who have received such grace, turn around and keep a record of wrongs with others? To live as if God remembers no more, but to keep reminding others of their sins, is to step out of line with the gospel. The same grace that frees your conscience is meant to flow outward in how you forgive.

You might think, but I do remember the sins that are committed against me. Yes, and you act like it. Instead of forgiving as you have been forgiven, we display our pride and bitterness in acting more like the accuser than like God.

Of course, I’m not saying that sins in relationships don’t break trust or need no boundaries (especially for safety sometimes), but how many of our relationships are embittered because we keep a record of wrongs? We pick at the scab and make a scar. We take great whiffs of our grievances again and again that tell others we will never forget or forgive.

But just as God sees it all and gives grace, we should as well.

Especially in a relationship where forgiveness has been asked for — we should live with that spouse or that friend or that coworker as if we have forgotten the offense. It isn’t brought up anymore. It is forgiven in full, just as we have been.

Conclusion:

As we are about to sing from ‘Yet Not I’

What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer There is no more for heaven now to give He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace

This is the heart of the gospel. Jesus Christ saves us and saves us to the full. There is no more for heaven now to give.

So when you walk in here with the memory of angry words on your tongue or guilt in your heart, you don’t need to hide. In Christ, your conscience is free, your standing is secure, and your sins are gone forever.

There is no need for another drop of blood — you have been made clean by the blood of the lamb. And your conscience can be rest — there is nothing needed to satisfy for your sins.

You have been made perfect. There is no ritual or striving that you need to protect your standing before the throne.

And your sins are remembered no more.

†HYMN OF RESPONSE

“Yet Not I, but Through Christ In Me”

THE MINISTRY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER Minister: Lift up your hearts!

Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord.

Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

Congregation: It is right for us to give thanks and praise!

Declaration of God’s Promises and Words of Institution

Let us hear the story of how this sacrament began. On the night on which Jesus was betrayed, he sat at supper with his disciples. While they were eating, he took a piece of bread, and after giving thanks to God, he broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, “Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

A little while later, he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink of it, do this in remembrance of me.”

So now, following Jesus’ example and command, we take this bread and this cup, the ordinary things of the world, which Christ will use for extraordinary purposes.

CONFESSION OF FAITH

Minister: Therefore, we proclaim our faith as signed and sealed in this sacrament. This is what we believe about the work of God:

Congregation: We believe that God - who is merciful, yet perfectly just - sent his Son to assume the nature of man, in order to bear the punishment for the sins of his own, by his most bitter passion and death.

Minister: This is what we believe about the work of Jesus Christ:

Congregation: We believe that Jesus Christ presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction, by offering himself on the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted.

Prayer for the Work of the Spirit

Minister: Lord, our God, send your Holy Spirit so that this bread and cup may be for us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we and all your saints be united with Christ and remain faithful in hope and love. Gather your whole church, O Lord, into the glory of your kingdom. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Congregation is seated.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS

INVITATION AND RESPONSE

Minister: Hear the words of our savior: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Come then, for all is ready.

Congregation: We come not because we ought, but because we may, not because we are righteous, but because we are penitent, not because we are strong, but because we are weak, not because we are whole, but because we are broken.

SHARING OF THE SUPPER

Take, eat and drink, remember and believe.

†OUR RESPONSE #567

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

†BENEDICTION: GOD’S BLESSING FOR HIS PEOPLE

The Lord gives strength to his people the Lord blesses his people with peace. Amen.

Grace Notes Reflection

Hebrews 10:1-18 makes wonderfully helpful declarations about our lives in light of Christ’s finished work:

We are given a clean and unburdened conscience

We are made perfect

And our sins are remembered no more

But there is the daily challenge of feeling like these things aren’t true of ourselves. After all, we do indeed feel burdens on our conscience all the time. So how are these truths rectified with our experience in life?

As to the cleansing of our conscience, Hebrews 10 presses the point that while there is an awareness of your sins that you will still see daily, there is no need for any additional payment in blood in order for you to be pardoned. What our sins lead us to is the cross, where the blood of Christ was given once and for all. Our conscience is unburdened in the fact that there cannot be and will never be a burden on us that needs a new payment. It is finished, so we take our burdens there to be laid down and find relief.

We are also made perfect. This doesn’t mean that there are no faults and failures or no need for repentance; it means that we are perfectly suited to stand before the throne. Christ’s work was done perfectly and there is no need nor room for attempted improvement by us. Often unnoticed in us is the temptation to try harder or perform a task (often a good and noble one) in such a way that we believe it will further secure our standing and peace before God. But anything that is promising more rest or perfection by performing a task other than resting in the finished work of Christ is an idol. We “perform” or obey out of gratitude and worship, but it must never be to inch our way closer to security. In Christ, we are perfect and can never be more secure than we are.

What good things might you be doing that are promising this kind of security or rest? How might you change your thinking around them? Can you do them without stress, or do they always demand more from you before you can feel at peace?

We also saw that our sins are remembered no more. God does in fact see all, but being completely exposed before Him doesn’t lead to fear and dread if we trust in Christ’s work. Being fully known and fully forgiven brings a marvelous confidence in that there is nothing to hide. God has so completely forgiven us in Christ, and brings no condemnation to us, that it is as if our sins have been forgotten.

Is there any relationship in your life where you are keeping a record of wrongs and have become embittered? Your charge is to forgive as you have been forgiven. How might you treat someone now in such a way that it is as if you, too, have forgotten their record of offense?