Sermons

The Letter to the Hebrews

Let Us Draw Near

Hebrews 10:1-19

This book says that when we take time to seek God amazing things can happen.  When we turn from everything else, and set our hearts to pray and meet God in His Word –

• God can pour His love into our hearts
• God can help us see and feel Jesus’ glory
• God can free us from temptation
• God can strengthen our faith
• God can fill us with hope

When we seek God amazing things can happen. 

But Satan knows this.  And so Satan does all he can to keep us from seeking God.  And Satan has specific strategies to keep us from seeking God.  We know the obvious strategies -- too much TV or work or sleeping in or endless Facebooking.

But Satan also has two less obvious strategies – self-righteousness and despair.  And we will tend to be tempted by one or the other, depending on our personality and temperament.

Some of us, when we set our hearts to seek God, are easily tempted with self-righteousness.  We turn to God, but we are relying on our own goodness to make us worthy before God.  We think about how we’ve gone to church, how we’ve prayed, how we are better than other people.  And if Satan can make us seek God with self-righteousness – he will destroy us.  Because if we turn to God with self-righteousness we won’t meet God, and won’t be forgiven by God.

But others of us, when we set our hearts to seek God, are easily tempted with despair.  We turn to God, but we are so aware of our sin, our guilt, our spiritual failure – that we despair of coming to God at all.  And so instead of coming to God, we sink into despair.  But if Satan can use despair to keep us from coming to God, then he’ll destroy us, because we’ll never come to God, and so we’ll never be saved.

So some of us tend to be tempted with self-righteousness, and others tend to be tempted with despair.  Can you identity which you are?  And can you see how serious these are?

But I’ve got good news.  In today’s passage in Hebrews the author gives us truth by which we can destroy both self-righteousness and deception, so we can truly seek God and receive all God wants to give us.

So let’s turn to Hebrews 10.  If you need a Bible go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you.  Hebrews 10 is on page 1006 in the Bibles we are passing out.  And the first question the author deals with is this -- What can we learn from the Old Testament sacrifices?  Look at what he says in vv.1-4 –

1             For since the law [the Old Testament Law with its animal sacrifices] has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

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

So the animal sacrifices did not bring forgiveness, because if they did, then the first time you offered that lamb, you would feel your guilt lift and God’s forgiving love come, and you would not need to offer sacrifices again.  But the fact that they were offered again and again show that they did not lift the guilt of sin and bring the love of God.

In fact, not only did they not lift the guilt of sin, they reminded people of their sin, as you can see in v.3 --

3             But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.

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

So think about this.  The Old Testament believers had sinned.  They needed to be forgiven.  But even though they obeyed God by offering the animal sacrifices, that obedience was not righteousness enough for them to be forgiven and accepted by God.  Which shows that our obedience is not righteousness enough for us to be forgiven and accepted by God.

So let this truth destroy any tendency towards self-righteousness.

Let’s get real specific.  Let’s say you turn off the TV, clear off the table, open your Bible, and set your heart to seek God.  If you are thinking He will accept you because you have been so good lately – will He accept you?  No, He won’t.

Or if you think he will accept you because you are sacrificing so much, or because you know Bible doctrine really well, or because you speak in tongues, or because you voted for the right presidential candidate – God will not accept you.  Because our obedience is not righteousness enough to be forgiven and accepted by God.  The Old Testament sacrifices teach us this.  Just like the animal sacrifices did not bring them God’s forgiveness, so our obedience does not bring us God’s forgiveness.

So how are people forgiven?  The author answers that by quoting Psalm 40:6-8.  Let’s turn there so we can see it in its Old Testament context. 

Look at what the Old Testament saints would sung to God.  Start with v.6 --

6             In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

b             but you have given me an open ear.

c             Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

They knew God had commanded animal sacrifices.  But they understood that animal sacrifices did not take away sin.  So what’s going on in that middle line about having an open ear?  I think it means they knew they would be forgiven if they had an open ear which heard God’s call to confess their sins.  Like David said in Psa 51 – the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

If that’s what’s going on here, then Old Testament saints would regularly sing about how God did not delight in animal sacrifices, but that God had given them ears to hear the call to confess their sins.

Now with that in mind turn back to Hebrews.  The author of Hebrews pictures Jesus as quoting this psalm when he comes to earth – with a couple word changes.  Start reading in v.5 --

5             Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;

6             in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.

Did you notice the change?  Jesus does not say to God: “You have given me an ear to hear your call to confess my sins,” because he has no sins.  Instead, Jesus takes that line and makes some changes which are in sync with the meaning but fit His situation – “You have prepared for me a body which will die on the Cross.” 

And then in v.7 Jesus concludes the quote from Psa 40 --

7             Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"

So what’s Jesus doing when he quotes Psalm 40?  The author tells us in vv.8-9 --

8             When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law),

9             then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will."  He does away with the first in order to establish the second.

So if the animal sacrifices didn’t forgive sins – how are sins forgiven?  The answer is – through Jesus obeying God’s will by offering His body on the Cross.  Look at how he states it in v.10 --

10            And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

So here the author is explaining how people are forgiven.  And the answer is not through animal sacrifices, but all of us, Old Testament believers and New Testament believers, are forgiven through Jesus’ death on the Cross.

 So use this truth to conquer your despair.  When you draw near to God, trusting Jesus’ death alone to pay for your guilt and trusting His righteousness to cover your sins, you are completely forgiven, welcomed by God, loved by god.

Even if I’ve been away from Him for years?  Yes.

Even if I lost my temper again?  Yes.

Even if I’ve done horrible things?  Yes.

Yes, yes, yes.  If you are trusting Jesus, you never need to despair of any sin.

And then to drive this point home even more, in vv.11-18 the author answers the question – what has Jesus Christ done for us?

First, Christ paid once for all of our sins for all time.  You can see that in vv.11-12 –

11            And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

12            But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God [stop there]

Did you see the contrasts? 

• The Old Testament priests offer many sacrifices – Jesus offered a single sacrifice.
• The Old Testament priests offer sacrifices daily – Jesus offered His sacrifice once.
• The Old Testament priests stand to continue offering – Jesus is sitting because He has finished His offering.

So Christ paid once for all of our sins for all time.

Second, Christ secured our final victory over sin.  You can see that in v.13 – start with v.12 –

12            But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

13            waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.

Notice that Jesus sat down until the time when His enemies would all be made a footstool for his feet.  This refers to all Jesus’ enemies – but in this context I think the main enemy being talked about is sin’s power over us.

So on the Cross Jesus secured our final victory over sin.  Think of how discouragement pulls at you.  The day is coming when you will see discouragement crushed under Christ’s feet.  Think of how fear harasses you.  The day is coming when you will see fear crushed under Christ’s feet.  Think of how pride afflicts you.  The day is coming when you will see pride crushed under Christ’s feet.

Christ secured our final victory over sin.

Third, Christ has already perfected us.  You can see that in v.14 --

14            For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Notice the tense of that verb.  He HAS perfected us for all time.  Past tense.  He’s already done this. 

That means --

• He has forgiven us for all our sins, past, present, and future. 
• He has clothed us with His righteousness so He sees us as morally perfect.
• He has given us a new nature. 
• He has started a renovation project which He will never stop. 
• He will bring us to perfect sinlessness. 

Christ has already perfected us, through the Cross.  It is guaranteed.

And fourth, Christ is sanctifying us.  Read v.14 again –

14            For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Notice the tense of that verb.  We are being sanctified.  He has perfected (past tense) those who are being sanctified (present tense).  He is sanctifying us because we are not yet sinless. 

So how does He sanctify us? 

• He turns our hearts to His Word. 
• He strengthens our faith. 
• He satisfies us with His love.
• He assures us of His forgiveness.
• He brings us fellow-believers to encourage us.
• He equips us to fight.
• He enables us to see and feel His glory.

So Christ is sanctifying us.

And fifth, it’s like God has forgotten all about our sin.  Read vv.15-18 --

15            And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

16            "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"

17            then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."

18            Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

It’s like God has forgotten all about our sin.  We know God is omniscient – He knows everything.  But because Jesus died on the Cross, and you are trusting Him, when God looks at you it’s like He’s forgotten all about your sin. 

Many of us, when we think of turning to God, we think He’s remembering our sins.  Scowling about our sins.  Frowning about our sins.  But when you turn to God – it’s like He’s forgotten all about your sin.  What sin?  I’m not thinking about your sin!  It’s all been paid for.  So through Christ it’s like God has forgotten all about our sin.

So how should we draw near to God?  Look at v.19 --

19            Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus.          

Did you catch that?  We have confidence to enter – not despair over our sin, but confidence in what Christ has done.  And we enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus – not by our own self-righteousness, but by understanding that the reason we can come is not because of any good in us, but is because of Jesus’ shed blood and perfect righteousness alone.

So this week – don’t be deceived by either despair or self-righteousness.  Draw near to God with confidence by the blood of Jesus.  And let’s do that right now as we celebrate Communion together.