Hebrews 10:1-18 - Once for All - Part 3 - The Perfect Sacrifice
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction:
This is our third and final week in discussing the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Our first part of this three-part series started in Hebrews 9:1-14 where we discussed the desire of God to have us in His presence. Yet, because of our sinfulness, we needed redemption. The Old Covenant provided many preparations and sacrifices. However, these did not give true purity and redemption. Jesus provided that on the cross. He provided us with eternal redemption! Because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we can be presented pure and holy before the Lord.
As we continued last week into Hebrews 9:15-28, the author turned his discussion to eternal life. We discussed our eternal inheritance provided by Christ. The New Covenant was made active by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This covenant, or will, became active through the death of Jesus. And we can all have eternal life because of Christ’s work on the cross.
This week, the author is going to end this subject with one last ‘once for all’ statement. He is going to spend some time discussing the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Namely, he is going to discuss the superior sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Let’s go ahead and read our verses for today…
Read Full Scripture:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Prayer
Today we are going to learn about four aspects of Christ’s perfect sacrifice. The first is…
I. Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Shows Our Superior Savior (1-4)
I. Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Shows Our Superior Savior (1-4)
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.
The Greek word for shadow used here refers to a pale shadow - one that is not sharp or distinct. These shadows of the Old Covenant were without true form or substance. They were helpful in preparing us for the Savior to come. However, they were not the true form as we see here. This true form refers to a complete representation. In other words, the true form is the real deal.
Jesus Christ has provided us with the true form. He is God made flesh. Those who have seen the Savior have seen the Father. Listen to Jesus state this in John 14:9:
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Sadly, despite the fact that Christ had been seen resurrected, testified to, witnessed by far more than 500 before His ascension, and eventually preached to this small, first century church - they were being tempted to go back into the shadows.
Despite the real thing being presented - Christ incarnate - who went into the heavenly places and has made a way for us to enter into the heavenly sanctuary with Him, there were Jews who wanted to return back to the shadows. That is one of the reasons for this letter. The author is reminding this small church in the AD 60’s that they need to be sure they do not return to the shadows - namely the Old Covenant. They need to look to Christ.
R. Kent Hughes gives a wonderful illustration of this concept.
He describes a picture that he was given by his future wife. As they awaited marriage, he kept the picture at his desk and would look at it often. He longed for the day of their marriage. He cherished the picture when they were apart.
However, after they were married, he rarely looked at the picture. Why? It was because it was a shadow of her. He had the real thing!
If Hughes would have started holding the picture of his wife and preferring it to his actual wife, people would have thought him insane! Yet, there were some Jewish converts who were doing just that when it came to Christ. They were going back to the shadow instead of the real thing!
Friends, do you have moments where you seem content with the shadows instead of the substance of Christ?
Are there times where you can get so wrapped up in serving that you forget to relate to your Savior?
We can struggle with this as well brothers and sisters. We must never be satisfied with less than Christ Himself.
As we discussed a couple of weeks ago - God desires to be present with His people. And He desires us to be present with Him. In order to do this we must be regularly in His Word and in prayer. It is a two-way conversation that God desires. It is a relationship He seeks.
Looking at the end of verse 1 we see…
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.
The Old Covenant had no power to make perfect the people.
We have discussed the meaning of perfect in the book of Hebrews a few times - it means complete. We saw this concept with Christ Who was made perfect - not that He had any sin or any deficiency - but instead that His work was made complete.
This is the same concept. People were not able to be in a right relationship with God under the Old Covenant.
Yet, under the New Covenant, we can have a right relationship with God because of the superior sacrifice of our Savior!
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.
Now the author explains why he states that we could not be made perfect through the Old Covenant. There was a continual requirement for repeated sacrifices. Verse 3 alludes to the Day of Atonement that we have mentioned a few times. The one day a year that the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifices for himself and for the people.
Every year this had to happen. And every day there were countless more sacrifices on behalf of the people.
The work was never done.
And then we come to verse 4 which reminds us that the work would have never been complete without Jesus’s sacrifice…
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
No matter how much they sacrificed - it became obvious that their sins were not taken away.
These sacrifices were a covering for their sins.
Consider the first sacrifice done by God Himself for Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:21.
And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
God provided the first animal sacrifice on behalf of Adam and Eve, and He offered them animal skins to cover them.
This sacrifice was for a covering but was not an eternally effective forgiving sacrifice. That would only come through Jesus - prophesied in Genesis 3:15 - referred to as the proto-evangelium - or first Gospel.
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
There would be One that would come through the seed of the woman - one born of man but eternally and truly God - who would crush the head of the serpent - namely the devil. Though His heel would be bruised - namely the cross - Jesus would reign victorious for all eternity.
Praise be to God for our eternal Savior.
In order to come to earth however, Jesus showed His submission to the Father. Which brings us to our next point.
Scripture References: Hebrews 9:1-28, John 14:9, Genesis 3:21, Genesis 3:15
II. Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Showed His Submission (5-10)
II. Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Showed His Submission (5-10)
Verses 5-7 are beautiful to read. They are words of the preincarnate Christ pouring out around 1,000 years before He took on human flesh. Speaking through the Psalmist David in Psalm 40:6-8, he states…
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.’ ”
Did God not desire sacrifices? It is obvious that He did. There were numerous sacrifices. The problem was God desired pure sacrifices.
God desired sacrifices that came from a pure heart of obedience.
He desired sacrifices that were wholly devoted to Him and full of love.
Yet, the sacrifices of Israel were often not from obedience or love or devotion.
This quote likely has an allusion to King Saul, King David’s predecessor.
Listen to 1 Samuel 15:22
And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
Though God had made it clear that King Saul was to kill all of the people and livestock of the Amalekites, Saul brought back both King Agag as well as the livestock. Saul did his own thing. He tried to do what he thought was right instead of what God commanded. And because of this, God judged Saul.
Brothers and sisters, God desires obedience. In fact, Jesus says in John 14:15:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Next we see the author of Hebrews state:
‘but a body you have prepared for me.’
If you actually go back to Psalm 40:6 you see the following:
In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear…
Why the difference? The writer of Hebrews is using the Septuagint or Greek translation of the Old Testament. However, in the original Hebrew, we get what we just read in Psalm 40:6.
At first glance they seem much different. However, they are both actually saying the same thing. Jesus is going to humbly offer His life as a sacrifice. The Hebrew statement about an open ear likely comes from the references found in Exodus 21:6 and Deuteronomy 15:17. In these verses we see a symbol of a willing and obedient servant who loved his master and did not want to be released from his service. He would have his ear bored through with an awl and would forever be the possession of His master.
Jesus did this for the Father. He offered His body as a willing sacrifice. He submitted Himself to the will of the Father as we see in verse 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.’ ”
Jesus made it His priority to always do the will of His Father. Listen to Him even state this personally while walking on this earth…
“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Everything He did was for the Father and for the fulfillment of the Scriptures.
Brothers and sisters - what guides your life?
Are you living to fulfill the will of your Heavenly Father or to fulfill your own will and desires?
Jesus gives us the greatest example of humility in the Scriptures.
He deserved to be served and yet washed His disciple’s feet. He deserved praise and glory and instead was placed upon a cross.
May we follow in our Savior’s footsteps by living for the will of the Father.
Moving forward we come to verses 8-10:
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.
We are reminded here that in fulfilling the will of the Father, Jesus rendered the Old Covenant obsolete. We saw this back in Hebrews 8:13. Jesus has established the New Covenant through His death on the cross.
And in it, we have been offered sanctification through the once for all sacrifice of Jesus.
We will come back to sanctification in our next point. However, here we see this phrase once for all again!
This Greek word translated once for all is ephapax (eff-ah-pox) and is found some 19 times in the Scriptures. This word is used in reference to the once for all sacrifice of Jesus some three times in the book of Hebrews and once in Romans (Romans 6:10). It encompasses an act that does not need any further repetition. It is a one and done.
Our wonderful Savior was submissive to the Father as He offered us the perfect sacrifice that set up our sanctification. Which brings us to our third point…
Scripture References: Psalm 40:6-8, 1 Samuel 15:22, John 14:15, Psalm 40:6, Exodus 21:6, Deuteronomy 15:17, John 5:30, John 6:38, Hebrews 8:13, Romans 6:10
III. Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Set Up Our Sanctification (11-14)
III. Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Set Up Our Sanctification (11-14)
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.
Again, we are reminded that the sacrifices of the priests were unable to take away sins. Consider again Hebrews 10:4 - it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
But Christ offered for all time a single sacrifice - a once for all sacrifice for sins - and then He sat down at the right hand of God.
We have seen this phrase before in this great book. This is the fourth of five distinct times Jesus is pictured seated at the right hand of the Father in the book of Hebrews alone.
When looking at the Old Covenant, there were no chairs in the Tabernacle. Their work was never done. There was always another sacrifice or act of service.
However, this picture of Jesus symbolizes the completion of His redemptive work. His work is complete. No further sacrifices are needed. As we have mentioned before, this imagery of Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father comes from Psalm 110:1 - which is the most quoted Old Testament text in the New Testament. However, here we see the second half of this verse as well as the author mentions the enemies of Christ becoming a footstool for His feet.
We saw back in Hebrews 2:14 the following statement:
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
Jesus has conquered the devil. The war has been one. Victory is sure. It is only a matter of time before Jesus finishes the job. Philippians 2:10 tells us what this final victory will look like:
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Brothers and sisters, know that everyone will bow - all believers and unbelievers, all angels and demons, and even Satan will be forcibly driven to his knees before the great and mighty Savior, Jesus Christ. All of Jesus’s enemies will made His footstool.
And we are now told about one of the beautiful results of this amazing once for all sacrifice for us in verse 14…
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Again, we are reminded of this single offering - this once for all sacrifice.
We are told that Jesus has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Like before, this word perfect speaks of putting us in a right relationship with God the Father.
But now we come to the word sanctified again.
Here we see that believers are being sanctified while in verse 10 we saw that believers have been sanctified.
Which is it?
Both of these in the book of Hebrews are likely referring to our positional sanctification.
Positional sanctification speaks of the imputed righteousness of Christ being applied to the believer upon salvation. Though a believer continues to sin, he or she is always positionally sanctified - or seen as righteous before God. The believer is seen perfect by the Father because of Jesus’s righteousness.
This is why we can approach the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).
This is different than progressive sanctification which speaks of the ongoing spiritual growth in the life of a believer. Progressive sanctification continues until we die and are finally perfected in Christ.
May we praise and thank God our Savior for His wonderful work in making us right with God the Father through His once for all sacrifice. We now are seen as righteous because of His righteousness. And He continues to grow us in holiness day by day through the power of His Holy Spirit, His Word, and the work He continues to do in and through us.
And completing this section, we see that…
Scripture References: Hebrews 10:4, Psalm 110:1, Hebrews 2:14, Philippians 2:10, Hebrews 4:16
IV. Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Stamped Us With a Seal (15-18)
IV. Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Stamped Us With a Seal (15-18)
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.”
If you recall, we saw the writer of Hebrews quote Jeremiah 31:31-34 in its entirety back in Hebrews 8:8-12 where we saw the longest complete quotation of the Old Testament in the New Testament.
Before quoting this, we are told that the Holy Spirit bears witness to us. This speaks of the guarantee or seal placed upon our hearts upon conversion. God Himself indwells us through the Person of the Holy Spirit upon salvation. And this amazing reality provides us with many blessings with two of them mentioned here.
1 - The Law of God Has Been Internalized
Although we are still to read the Word of God, once we are saved God writes His Law on our hearts and minds. He works in and through us to sanctify us and mold us into the image of Jesus Christ. The Law had been written on tablets and scrolls - but now it is written into the heart of the believer.
This internalization of God’s Law changes a believer from the inside out.
Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse spoke of the new affections of the believer when reflecting one Spring day. He was walking along when he saw old leaves falling from the trees. These withered leaves seemed to disintegrate as he would grasp them. These leaves had survived a windy Autumn and a frigid winter. So, why were they now falling?
Then Dr. Barnhouse realized why. The Spring had ignited new life within the tree. The sap started running and the new buds started to push through leading the old leaves to fall. All of the deadness from the tree began to fall off as this new life of Spring seemingly resurrected the tree.
Church, when we come to a saving knowledge of Christ - all of our deadness falls away, and we are filled with new life through Jesus Christ. The old has gone and the new has come - we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Second we see that…
2 -The Forgiveness of God Has Been Fully Realized
God provides the believer with decisive forgiveness. He casts our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
God never forgets. Yet, He chooses to forgive and not bring them back up.
This was albeit imperfectly illustrated by the the founder of the American Red Cross - Clara Barton. She was known as a woman of peace, love, and forgiveness.
On one occasion a friend recalled for her an incident that had taken place some years before, but Clara seemed not to remember. “Don’t you remember the wrong that was done you?” asked her friend. Clara Barton answered calmly, “No, I distinctly remember forgetting that.” Clara Barton willed to forgive and forget.
As hard as Clara attempted to forget, she was human and unable to truly show complete forgiveness like God can. He can forgive and choose to set these sins aside. Why? Because they have been decisively forgiven. The debt has been paid by Christ.
And the author ends with one final statement of finality…
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
This decisive forgiveness requires no further sacrifice or offering.
The sin debt has been paid in full. Christ’s once for all sacrifice has paid it all.
Scripture References: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 8:8-12, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Psalm 103:12
Conclusion:
As we come to a close, we have seen the beauty and decisiveness of Christ’s sacrifice.
We have a superior Savior who graciously submitted Himself to the will of the Father so that we could be sanctified and sealed eternally.
During these last three sermons we have covered 1 and a half chapters of this great book that have been written so that we might know the assuredness of Christ’s superior and perfect sacrifice.
How should we respond to such a beautiful gift?
Let’s end this sermon with three take home points in response to this wonderful sacrificial gift of salvation through Jesus?
1 - First, we must be sure that we are in the truth. Each one of us needs to be sure that we are in Christ. That we have repented or turned away from our sins and placed our faith and trust in Christ alone for salvation. There is no more foundational and important decision that we could ever make than to follow Jesus Christ.
Take Home Point 1 - Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Should Change Who We Are.
If you need to talk with someone about what it means to follow Jesus - don’t hesitate to reach out to me or anyone else who is a believer.
2 - Second, we must follow the model of Jesus who made it His priority to live for His Heavenly Father. We must live according to His will and not our own. And we must share the truth of Jesus’s sacrifice and offer of salvation with others.
Take Home Point 2 - Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Should Change What We Do.
We don’t live for ourselves. We live for Him alone.
3 - And third, we must live in light of this glorious truth. We are to live in freedom - knowing that we are forgiven. We are to live with confidence in Christ - we are seen as righteous because of His sacrifice on the cross. And we are to live holy lives - set apart by God for His glory as the Holy Spirit continues to mold us into the image of Christ.
Take Home Point 3 - Christ’s Once for All Sacrifice Should Change How We Live.
We should live lives set apart - holy, sanctified - and live for His glory alone.
Praise our Savior for His glorious once for all sacrifice.
