Supreme Offering

Scripture Reading: Ps. 40:1-10

Kid’s Time: Cartoon picture of the shadow verses the reality in Jesus.

In chapter 9 we saw the superiority of Christ’s priesthood over the Levitical priest, the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant, and the superiority of the heavenly tabernacle where Christ ministers to the earthly tabernacle where Aaron and his sons labored.

His point has been that the Christianity is excellent and Judaism is deficient.

Proposition: Jesus replaces the sacrificial law though His sacrifice.

Interrogative question: Why did the sacrificial law get replaced by Christ’s sacrifice?

I. The Law Is Only a Shadow (1-2)

A. It’s a Powerless Shadow

Hebrews 10:1 NASB95

1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

Colossians 2:17 NASB95

17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

Powerless to Stop — they had to be offered in perpetuity. They could never stop offering the sacrifices year after year or the judgment of God upon the nation could break out at any time. If they did not offer the sacrifices, they were cut off from Israel essentially bringing judgement upon themselves and putting them out of fellowship with God.

Powerless to Make Perfect — it could not take away the guilt of sin (as we have seen earlier), but it also cannot produce flawless obedience to our account. Because of this it cannot provide a satisfactory relationship with the Father. The Father cannot have sin in presence and He cannot be pleased with those who don’t do pleasing works.

Application: If we are to be in full relationship with the Father, we have to know for certain that our sins are truly purged and that He is pleased with us. We have this in our Savior Jesus Christ. We are in the enviable position to take this fact for granted. It is so easy for us now to approach our God. May we never forget what Jesus has freed us from. May we never forget what His sacrifice has secured for us. (no more blood sacrifices)

B. Proof It’s a Shadow

Hebrews 10:2 NASB95

2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?

Conscience of sins — This is not a loss of sensitivity to sin as if our concern about our sin is removed and we live with a license to sin. The opposite is true. No one is more sensitive to sin that the one who knows the awful price that our Savior had to pay for our rebellious acts. That kind of sensitivity is even a proof that we are saved.

What is discussed here is the freedom from the terrifying consequences of what our sin deserves.

1 John 4:17–18 NASB95

17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

II. The Law is Only a Reminder (3-4)

A. Yearly Reminder of Sin

Hebrews 10:3 NASB95

3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.

Those offerings were a continual reminder of the worshipper’s sin. “you are a sinner, you are a sinner, you are a sinner.” But, Christ…

1 Corinthians 11:25 NASB95

25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

1 Corinthians 11:26 NASB95

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

His offering commemorated in the communion service is, “it is finished, you are forgiven, you are clean.”

B. Yearly Reminder of Failure

Hebrews 10:4 NASB95

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

III. The Law Is Replaced by Jesus (5-10)

A. The Law Is Replaced by a Person

Hebrews 10:5 NASB95

5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me;

Comes into the world — the incarnation of our Savior.

This is a behind the scenes conversation between the Father and the Son as they planned our redemption!

Hebrews 10:6 NASB95

6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure.

God is not ultimately pleased with the death of animals. He is pleased more with a willing heart that gives all to Him. That is why the Father was so pleased with His Son.

Matthew 3:17 NASB95

17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Why?

Hebrews 10:7 NASB95

7 “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me) To do Your will, O God.’ ”

Jesus willing laid down His life saying, “not my will but Yours be done.”

This should be the cry of our heart also. For all that Jesus has done for us, our response should be a denial of self, taking up our cross and following after our Savior.

Have you died to yourself today? Have you humbled yourself and submitted to the Father as Jesus did by saying, “not my will but Yours be done?”

Psalm 51:17 NASB95

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

The Father doesn’t want dead animals, He wants you.

B. The Law Is Replaced according to the Father’s Will

Hebrews 10:8 NASB95

8 After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law),

Hebrews 10:9 NASB95

9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second.

The Father planned it all from the foundation of the earth. It was His will to replace law of Moses with the law of His dear Son. For those Jews reading this letter who teatering on whether to go back to Judaism or plunge fully into Chrstianity, it was important to prove from the OT that has was God’s decision. It was always His plan and His will to send the Messiah to be the sacrifice for His people.

Hebrews 10:10 NASB95

10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

This body that the Father prepared was the true sacrifice that secured our redemption. God’s plan had in view the outcome that we would be sanctified (set apart for God). He saves for a purpose. He saves to bring about an end. That end is that we should be like Him and His son.

Romans 8:1–4 NASB95

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.