Hebrews 10:1-14 - Jesus, The Perfect Sacrifice
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
***Prayer for Chuck Kompare (New stent)
Hebrews 10 emphasizes the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in contrast with the imperfect sacrifices that were offered under the Old Covenant.
In this chapter the author presents 3 benefits that explain why the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is superior to the Old Covenant sacrifices. (Wiersbe)
Christ’s Sacrifice Takes Away Sin (Hebrews 10:1-10)
Christ’s Sacrifice Need Not Be Repeated (Hebrews 10:11-18)
Christ’s Sacrifice Opens The Way to God (Hebrews 10:19-39)
The Need (vs. 1-4)
The Need (vs. 1-4)
The need for a better sacrifice.
1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
Greek word used means a vague reflection, a silhouette (does not give details of the image).
Hebrews 1. Sacrifice under the Old Covenant Could Not Truly Take Away Sin (1–4)
Shadow isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes a shadow can tell you a lot. But the shadow is not the substance. The Old Covenant and its law were not themselves bad or evil, they are only incomplete and insufficient to bring total cleansing from sin, and to save. The shadow … can never … make those who approach perfect.
(Shadows can deceive - funny cartoons - Tom and Jerry … my favorite)
“A shadow of a key cannot unlock the door, the shadow of a meal cannot fill an empty stomach, and the shadow of the cross cannot make one clean.”
“A shadow of a key cannot unlock the door, the shadow of a meal cannot fill an empty stomach, and the shadow of the cross cannot make one clean.”
Hebrews 1. Sacrifice under the Old Covenant Could Not Truly Take Away Sin (1–4)
“In effect he is saying: ‘Without Christ you cannot get beyond the shadows of God.’ ” (Barclay)
Remember that Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians that through persecution where straying back to Judaism … What’s wrong with the old way?
“can never … make perfect”
Animal sacrifices could never completely deal with human guilt. God did promise forgiveness:
20 and do with this bull just as he did with the bull for the sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the community, and they will be forgiven.
But … this was a judicial forgiveness, not the removal of guilt from people’s hearts.
2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.
If animal sacrifices had “fixed” the sin problem, then they could have ceased to be offered.
3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.
A REMINDER!!!! We want to forget our sins, don’t we?
12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Sin, of course, is man’s greatest problem …
“We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners.”
“We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners.”
Animal sacrifice under the Old Covenant could cover sin.
The Hebrew word for atonement is kophar, which literally means, “to cover.”
The Hebrew word for atonement is kophar, which literally means, “to cover.”
But animal sacrifice could never take away sins. Only Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice of the New Covenant, takes sins away.
Guzik, D. (2013). Hebrews (Heb 10:1–4). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.
It gives us the idea that it simply postponed judgment. (Ex: being on death row)
In light of the fact that God would never be satisfied …
The Provision (vs. 5-9)
The Provision (vs. 5-9)
The writer of Hebrews then quotes Psalm 40:6-8 from the Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT)
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’ ”
The quotation makes it very clear that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant sacrifices.
“Sacrifices and offering” - More animal sacrifices, made under the law, would not please or satisfy God.
“But a body you have prepared for me” - Instead, what pleased God could only come through Jesus.
Silly example: The chicken and the pig arguing over who gives the most to feed the farmer his breakfast.
Illustration: Working at Adam’s meat market … my first kill … The animal was led to the slaughter … Jesus willing went.
“I have come to do your will” - It was a conscious decision of Jesus’ to do God’s will.
20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
It was by that will, not the unwilling animal, that we are sanctified!
It is interesting to note that in this passage the author states 2x’s that God was no longer interested in these types of sacrifices. (Doesn’t mean that the sacrifices were wrong)
What it does mean is that God was no longer interested in sacrifices that did not affect the heart of the worshipper. No amount of sacrifices could substitute obedience!
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
These verses recap what was previously stated …
Hebrews 2. A Prophetic Foundation for Jesus’ Perfect Sacrifice under the New Covenant (5–10)
Once for all: These are the important words of this passage, and the writer to the Hebrews repeats the theme over and over again: once for all.
The Effectiveness (vs. 11-18)
The Effectiveness (vs. 11-18)
Again the author contrasts the OC high priest with Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest.
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
The fact that Jesus sat down after He ascended to the Father is proof that His work was completed.
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
The work of the priest was never done and never different. (working on an assembly line)
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)
This constant repetition was proof that their sacrifices did not take away sins. What tens of thousands of animal sacrifices could not accomplish, Jesus accomplished with one sacrifice forever!
“Sat down” refers to …
1 The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
Jesus’ posture reflects the completeness of His sacrifice … not that all His work is completed.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)
Christ is in the place of exaltation and victory. When He returns, He shall overcome every enemy and establish His righteous kingdom.
vs. 4 “He has made perfect” - Believers are complete in Christ!
10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
We have a perfect standing before God because of the finished work of Jesus Christ …
How do we know personally that we have this perfect standing before God?
The Author then quotes Jeremiah 31 & Hebrews 8:7-12
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” 18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)
When a sinner trusts Christ, his sins are all forgiven, the guilt is gone, and the matter is completely settled forever.
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Why did the author of Hebrews spend so much time on this topic? To remind us that …
It is Finished!
It is Finished!