Sermon Tone Analysis

We are Now Entering the Conclusion of the Hebrew Author’s Discussion of Jesus Being Our High Priest

He Mentioned the Power of Jesus’ Sacrifice/Blood Offering Back in Hebrews 9:13-14

Hebrews 9:13–14 (NASB95)

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The Blood of Bulls and Goats was Useful, But Never Good Enough to Completely Erase Sin

Sin was Always On the Conscience of the People of Israel…

Because They Were Constantly Reminded Every Year of Their Need for Atonement

But Jesus’ Perfect Human Blood is Able to Perfectly Cleanse the Conscience of His People

We are No Longer Constantly Reminded of Our Sins and Failures

They are Completely Erased

We Can Now Serve God as Perfectly Clean Creatures, Like Jesus

The Author Wants to Elaborate More On These Things…

As Well as Tie All This Back in to the Prophesy in Jeremiah that He Quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12

Hebrews 8:8–12 (NASB95)

For finding fault with them, He says, “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand To lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts.

And I will be their God, And they shall be My people.

And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them.

For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”

The Emphasis Being Placed On the Last Line

The Hebrews Author Wants His Last Point on this Topic to Be:

Because of Our High Priest Jesus, Who Offered Himself as the Atonement Sacrifice…

Our Sins are Completely Forgiven and No Longer Remembered

Because of Jesus, There is No More Guilt

No More Separation From God

Hebrews 10:1–4 (NLT)

The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves.

The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.

If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year.

For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 10:1 (NASB95)

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.

The Old System was a Shadow of What Would Be a Reality in Jesus

The Old System with It’s Animal Sacrifices Had No Power to:

Reestablish Our Original Purpose (2:6-8) (to Rule Over the World God Created)

Bring Many Sons to Glory (2:10)

Enable Us to Enter God’s Sabbath Rest (4:9-10)

Cleanse Our Conscience to Draw Us Near to God (9:9)

Grant Us Boldness to Enter God’s Presence (4:16)

Save Those Eagerly Waiting for the Son’s Return (9:28)

(Put Verse Back Up) Notice the Words Being Used:

“Never”, “Continually”, “Year By Year”

The Old System was a Never-Ending Cycle of Futility and Frustration

It was Like a Merry-Go-Round that Never Stops

It Could Never Provide What the People Needed

It Could Only Remind Them of Their Needs Because of Their Brokenness

Hebrews 10:1 (NASB95)

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.

When Dealing with the Word “Perfect” in Hebrews, We’ve Been Referring to it as:

To Bring to the Desired End; to Reach the Goal

The Desired End is to Be Glorified with and Rule Alongside Jesus with Constant and Perfect Access to God

The Old System Could Never Bring About that End

F.F. Bruce Described Perfection Here as:

“Access to God Without the Constant Necessity of Removing the Barrier of Freshly Accumulated Sin.”

Through Jesus, There is Perfect Access to God Because He’s Removed the Barrier that Stood in Our Way

Hebrews 10:2–3 (NASB95)

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

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

Michael Whitworth Spoke of the Constant Reminder of Sins Through Repeated Sacrifices Like This:

Those of Us Who Have to Take Medication Everyday to Keep Symptoms of Health Issues at Bay…

Are Reminded Every Time You Take Your Medication that You Have Something Wrong with You…

And that Without the Medication, You’d Be in a Lot of Pain and Suffering

The Repeated Taking of the Medication Reminds You that Your Problem is Still There

The Repeated Sacrifices Reminded the Israelite People that Their Sin was Still There

It Could Be Kept at Bay for a Time Through Animal Sacrifices, But They Were Never Perfectly Cured of Sin

But That is Exactly What Jesus’ Sacrifice Does

It Completely Cured Sin

No More Repeated Sacrifices

No More Reminders of Sin

It is Completely Taken Away and Forgotten Forever

Hebrews 10:4 (NASB95)

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

Atonement was Available Under the Old System

But Not Perfect Atonement

When Sin is Remembered Every Year, it is Never Truly Taken Away

Just Like Medicine that Removes Symptoms But Doesn’t Remove the Source of the Problem

The Limited Atonement Available Under the Old System Could Not Take Away Sins for Good

Hebrews 10:5–10 (NLT)

That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.

But you have given me a body to offer.

You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.

Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’

”

First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses).

Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.”

He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect.

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

Hebrews 10:5–7 (NASB95)

Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure.

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

The Hebrew Author Quotes From Psalm 40 as a Prophecy that was Fulfilled By Jesus

Our Author Always Quotes Form the Septuagint (Greek Translation of the Hebrew OT)

Let’s Read Our English Translation of the Hebrew OT

We’re Going to See One Major Difference Between the Hebrew and Greek OT

But this Quotation is Going to Show Us Something Amazing About Jesus

Psalm 40:6–8 (NASB95)

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.

Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”

David’s Psalm Begins with Praise to God for Saving Him