The Sufficiency of the Sacrifice: Hebrews 10:11-18

Intro:

As we recount the historical events of the death of Jesus we are confronted with sin, shame, and suffering.

Sin- they are charging a man falsely, they are bearing false testimony

Shame- the mocking by the soliders, robbers, scribes, and elders. At one point they say, “Let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God’”.

Suffering- He is enduring all of this because the sin of others is splashing against him

As we have sang about he blood of Jesus we affirmed:

That there is power in the blood of Jesus to free us from the burden of sin, cleanse us and make us ready to serve

Nothing but the blood of Jesus can was away my sin

The guilt of sin can only be washed away by the blood

Where do you go in Scripture to deal with sin? Shame? Suffering?

What is the theme to Hebrews? “Jesus is Better”

A broken stick that becomes the cross

Outline:

Sin: “Guilt” (vs. 11-14)- Forgiveness

Shame: “The emotional reminder” (vs. 15-18)

Suffering: “Confidence, Assurance, and Hope” (vs. 19-25)

Summary: The sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice forgives sin, bears witness against shame, and draws us closer to God in suffering.

Prayer: Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Sin: “Guilt” (vs. 11-14)- Forgiveness

Priestly Service (v. 11)

Every Priest- Lev 4-6 k

If anyone sins unintentionally

in doing any one of the things that by the Lords’ comandments ought not to be done: Words, actions, or emotions.

and realizes his guilt

…and he shall be forgiven

Stands daily- the possition of action

at his service

offering repeatedly

the same sacrifices

Which can never take away sins

Jesus Sacrificce (vs. 12-13)

But when Christ

Had offered

for all time

a single sacrifice

for sin- I don’t need any other forms of sacrifice, penance, payback, for sin! and neither do you! Jesus did it, for all all time, in one sacrifice! Anything other than this is to say that Jesus sacrifice was not sufficient for my sin.

He sat down

A Single Offering (v. 14 )

By a single offering

he has perfected

for all time

those who are being sanctified

Application/Implications:

So what is the answer for the guilt of sin? Forgiveness.

How are some ways we might be tempted to doubt the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice for sin? Well:

I could never be forgiven for what I have done, I went to far

I cannot serve at church becasue of what I did in my past

This is who I am, I will never change, you have to accept me

I cannot help that person because I am no better

Jesus does not want you to find hope in copping strategies, He want you to find hope in the confession of sin’s guilt and receive his forgiveness to change

Confessing sinners have more hope that concealing sinners because only one leads to perfected forgiveness for all time!

You can either choose the sanctifying grace of confession and forgiveness or the harsh guilt of carrying the weight of your sin

What other preistly services are you hoping will help you cope with the guilt? How many times are you making the same sacrifice and accomplishing nothing? How much alcohol do you have to continually drink so that it numbs the conscience, how much social media do you have to take in before you feel better about yourself, how many good deeds do you have to do in order to convince other people and yourself that you are not a bad person? Here is the problem with those things, you have to offer the sacrifice of your life to those things over and over again and it never will take away sin.

So are you saying all I need to do is tell God “I am sorry”? Close, yes you need to tell him you are sorry that you broke his law, and that you were wrong, but don’t leave it there! Ask for His forgiveness! If you don’t ask for it it is not given.

Transitional phrase: Sometimes people say they need to “forgive themselves”. Where in the Bible are we commanded to forgive ourselves? we are commanded to forgive others. The notion of have to forgive myself is a one way ticket to shame, adultery with my saviour, idolatry with my own emotions, and a foothold for the demonic in your life. In that moment you are saying that how you feel about your sin is more important than what Jesus did to forgive your sin! if it is all about meeting or breaking your own standard than your law has become more important than God’s law.

Shame: “The Emotional Reminder” (vs. 15-18)

The Witness (v.15)

The Holy Spirit also

bears witness- he confirms what is true when we were not there, or cannot remember all the facts. Shame is usually brought on by people that were not there, and do not know all the facts. a false witness who did not see what happened can sometime project a sin on someone that did not do it. Jesus is case and point.

to us

The Covenant (v. 16)

This is the covenant- Jer 31:33m

I will put my laws on their hearts

and write them on their minds

Forgiveness (vs. 17-18)

Then he adds

I will remember

their sins

and their lawless deeds- how many times?...

No more- isn’t that what shame is, the constant rehearsal of my mind and heart influencing how I feel about my sin and lawless deeds and how other people view me because of it. when unconfessed sin mixes with shame it makes for a demonic cocktail that can be leathal.

Where there is forgivness of theses

Sins and lawless deeds

There is no longer any offering for sin- it has been dealt with, forgivieness covers it, no longer taints the person

Application/Implications:

This is how shame cripples us

How could i have done such a terrible thing

Why did I do that again! I told myself I never would

I am a horrible person, I am not worthy of anyones forgiveness

I am so embarrased I will never be able to show my face again with those people

I can never move beyond this, this is what everyone knows me for

Shame, disgrace, dishonour, losing face, Jesus felt this on the cross. The Bible tells us that it was a shameful thing for anyone to die on a tree. Aren’t you glad that Jesus did not retreat in shame.,

In what areas of your life do you need the witness of the holy spirit against the rehearsals of your mind and heart?

The sufficiency of Jesus sacrifice makes it possible to say, “yes, i did sin in that way, and it was wrong, but I have been forgiven and no longer carry that guilt and shame”.

The sufficiency of Jesus sacrifice makes it possible to no longer be paralyzed by others oppinions of us whether right or wrong.

Transitional phrase: Okay, you have talked about sin a lot, but what about suffering, how does the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice give me hope when other people’s sin splashes against me? After all, sometimes I suffer for things that I did not even do! Sometimes life is just hard.

Suffering: “Confidence, Assurance, and Hope” (vs. 19-25)

Confidence in Confusion (vs. 19-21)

Therefore, brothers

since we have confidence- sin and shame errodes your confidence.

to enter the holy places-to talk to Jesus, be with believers, read the Word, etc. It causes us to isolate ourselves from others.

by the blood of Jesus-I cannot believe I did that, to Yes, I sinned in this way and I was wrong but I can be forgiven by the blood of Jesus

By the new and living way that he opened for us- “I ma never going to change, this is who I am”, I have confidence that I can change because of the new and living way opened to me through the blood of Jesus”- not my continual efforts, not my self-guilt, not my disciplines, not my perfect record or moral decisions...

through the curtain- temple, the presence of God

that is through the flesh

and since we have a great priest over the house of God

Full Assurance (v. 22)

Let us draw near

with a true heart

in full assurance of faith

with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience (shame)

and our bodies washed with pure water (sin)

Hold Fast to Hope (vs. 23-25)

Let us hold fast the conession of our hope- notice the plural “US”

without wavering

for he who promised is faithful- the anchor of our soul cannot be the person it resides in, it must be in the creator and designer, the one who is greater than us, that can do what we cannot

and let us consider how to stir up one another to

Love and

good works

not neglecting to meet together,

as is the habit of some

but encouraging one another

and all the more as you see the Day drawing near

Application/Implications:

Everyone is touched by suffering: we live in a broken world, among broken people, with broken responses to God and others. Sometimes we suffer and it has nothing to do with me but I am affected by someone elses sin. Jesus knows exactly what that is like. He came to take our brokenness and make somethink new out of it.

Which area do you need the hope of Jesus’ sufficience sacrifice the most?

Is there sin that you are aware of that you need to confess and ask for God’s forgiveness for?

Has the rehearsal of shame become louder than the words of God on your heart and writtin in your mind? Do you need to ask God to help you be reminded that he remembers you sins and lawless deeds no more even when you or others keep reminding you!?

Has suffering shattered your confidence to draw near to God and his people because you questions Jesus faithfuness in the hurt of brokeness?

suffering

In your suffering are you struggling to find confidence in the confusion? Are you tempted to hide away and not draw near to God? Are you struggling to hold on to hope and need to be encouraged today?

Transitional phrase:

Summary: The sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice forgives sin, bears witness against shame, and draws us closer to God in suffering.

Discussion questions

Worship- Renew the Mind (Scripture)

1. What passage of Scripture did we look at? Summarize it in your own words.

2. ?

3. ?

4. ?

Grow- Engage the Heart (Conversation)

1. ?

2. ?

3. ?

Serve- Enlist the Body (Action)

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