- A news story about homeless drunk. Dept. Store, Paid for new apt. new job, etc.
- Were waiting with News crews on Monday for first day on job. Found that evening asleep in alley, clothes a little soiled, not so magificent, drunk.
- Changing the outside does nothing to the inside
- Context: Shadows & Reality, Better Covenant, High Priestly work
- Much repetition (Preachers skip over to be interesting, not dull - Dull of hearing)
- Chap 10 concludes exposition of better covenant Heb 10:1-18
- Couldn’t continue under old covenant
- Under the New Covenant, Victory is coming!
I. Jesus Christ sanctifies us (v. 10)
- Because of veil, High Preists had to sanctify all things into the tabernacle
- At Harding, when they built the new Bible Building, they had a dedication ceremony
- It was dedicated into service for its intended purpose
- This is what "sanctify" means.
- There is a difference
- Under the old system, there was the "Tent of Meeting" -It was where God “met” with the people
- Only the Preists could go into tabernacle
- Only High Priest could go into the inner sactuary
- All people and things had to be "purified" before entering into service
- Jesus purified us with his blood
- The tent of meeting is now in us, we are God’s temple (I Cor 6:18ff)
- We are a Royal Preisthood (I Pet 2)
- Jesus has entered into inner sanctuary a forerunner for us (6:20)
- Victory is coming!
II. Jesus took away our sins (11-12a)
- Jesus died once for all
- How is that significant?
- Remember that the Old Sacrifices were a shadow (v.1)
- Old Sacrifices given year after year
- The fact that they had to be offered repeatedly shows inadequate (v.18)
- Only a Reminder of sins in them. How?
- This was a judicial forgiveness, not a taking away of sins
- It granted forgiveness, but not a removal of the guilt
- But why do them, wasn’t there any value? Yes as an “atonement”
- I lived in a college dorm room at York
- Given carpet from a guy on soccer team, smelled like his feet
- Finally covered it up with carpet freshener, but it kept coming back
- That is how Atonement worked
- Atonement literally means “to cover”
- They would atone, then sin, then have to atone again
- Reminder of the presence of sin in their life
- However, Jesus offered one sacrifice for all time (v. 18)
- Jesus said “it is finished” at the cross
- What is there for me to do to get salvation if Jesus finished it?
- Accept the gift (Rom 6:23)
- We often hat accepting gifts we don’t deserve (that is arrogant)
- We hate feeling indebted
- There is not other way but to accept it and KEEP IT (live faithfully 3:12; 4:1)
III. Jesus will destroy the enemy (v.13)
- Jesus’ enemies will be a footstool for his feet
- What does that mean (it has been quoted several times in Hebrews)
- This is battle imagery
- We don’t relate well in a High Tech age
- This is an image of a grueling hand to hand combat (not spear throwing)
- Enemy is:
- I Cor 15:51-57 - Sin and Death
- I Cor 15:3-4 - Jesus dealt with sin hand to hand
- I Cor 15:25 - Last enemy is death
- Some kids get into fights
- Brian Emerson - wanted to fight him, he puny and picked on me
- David - He picked on me and wanted to fight me. I avoided him
- People don’t fight battles they know they will lose
- Jesus has already determined the outcome for our battle
- Yet afraid of being picked on, losing promotion, not climbing ladder, no success
- Put on God’s armor, Whom shall I fear, I God be for us...
- 1 Cor 15:57 - Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord
- 2 Cor 2:14 - But thanks be to God who always leads us in His triumph in Christ
- We have confidence and assurance (concentrate on reality, not shadows)
IV. He has perfected us (v.14-18)
- This is a step beyond sanctification
- Jesus offered himself to sanctify us
- Sanctify, what does that mean? - To dedicate, make holy to the Lord
- Can’t really appreciate this without the backgound:
- Lev. 16:1-3 - Aaron couldn’t come in unless had a sacrifice
- Num 16:1-3; 17:12-13 - People could not approach God
- Even though God’s people were holy, they could not just approach God. Why? They were not "perfected", not truly clean
- Examine how Jesus has perfected us
- Old System (v.4-7)
- Quote from Ps. 40:6 - Thank offering would have been appropriate
- Also Ps. 51:10-17 - Not saying you could refuse the sacrificial system
- However, ritual without heart involvement is useless
- Old system could not make perfect - 9:13-14 - flesh v.s. conscience
- Jesus cleanses our conscience
- No more consciousness of sins (v.2)
- Sins are removed once for all (v.14)
- This passage stresses the inward character of the New Covenant
- God’s law is not on stones, but your heart
- God’s temple is not a blg. but in you (I Cor 6)
- Because we are perfected inwardly, we have access to God
- They were like the man in the suit
- Outward change, but often there was no inward one
- Not a problem for us right?
- Don’t be like the man in the suit (Rom 12:1-2)
Conclusion
- Because he perfected us,. VICTORY IS COMING!
- Because Jesus sactifies us to the Father
- He removed, not just covered our sins
- Jesus will destroy our enemy
- He has perfected us
- Don’t just change into a suit (or shirt and slacks) and come to church
- Be diligent to realize full assurance of hope until the end (6:11), hold fast confession (4:14)
- Revelation 12:7-11 - VICTORY IS COMING