WEBVTT 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:14.380 We are returning to the book of Hebrews, as we've 00:00:14.380 --> 00:00:18.140 been elsewhere for, I believe, nearly a year. 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:23.859 It works out well for us today. Chapter 10, verses 00:00:23.859 --> 00:00:27.320 1 through 18, really is the author of Hebrews' 00:00:27.620 --> 00:00:34.320 way of almost giving us a summary of the entire 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:38.890 book up to this point. Following this section, 00:00:39.049 --> 00:00:42.729 starting in verse 19, the author immediately 00:00:42.729 --> 00:00:48.670 shifts to practical exhortations and to practical 00:00:48.670 --> 00:00:53.009 applications of all the doctrine and all the 00:00:53.009 --> 00:00:57.350 truth that he has expounded up until this point. 00:00:57.689 --> 00:01:00.469 So in some ways, this is a bridge between the 00:01:00.469 --> 00:01:03.229 doctrine that he's portrayed and he's put forth 00:01:03.229 --> 00:01:06.700 in the book of Hebrews. And the practice that 00:01:06.700 --> 00:01:10.819 he's going to command, require, and exhort for 00:01:10.819 --> 00:01:14.280 the remainder of the book after this section. 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:18.640 Now, we have to remember the context and the 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.939 purpose for the author writing this book. He's 00:01:21.939 --> 00:01:25.379 writing to Hebrew Christians who are most likely 00:01:25.379 --> 00:01:30.439 dealing with a great deal of pressure and persecution 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:35.219 from the outside world. From unbelieving Jews 00:01:35.219 --> 00:01:42.819 who reject Christ. Pressuring them to forsake 00:01:42.819 --> 00:01:47.019 their following Jesus Christ as the Messiah. 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:53.319 And to return to the sacrificial system of Judaism. 00:01:53.780 --> 00:01:58.040 To come back to the synagogues. To come back 00:01:58.040 --> 00:02:01.780 to the old covenant. So these Hebrew Christians 00:02:01.780 --> 00:02:07.359 are... experience a great deal of pressure to 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:13.159 forsake their confession that Jesus Christ is 00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:17.300 the Messiah, that he is the Christ, that he is 00:02:17.300 --> 00:02:21.639 God in flesh. So the author of Hebrews writes 00:02:21.639 --> 00:02:26.020 this epistle to show these Hebrew Christians 00:02:26.020 --> 00:02:31.229 why they ought not to give consideration to forsaking 00:02:31.229 --> 00:02:34.550 the Lord Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews 00:02:34.550 --> 00:02:38.969 writes to show them the absolute and the complete 00:02:38.969 --> 00:02:43.770 superiority of Jesus Christ and the new covenant 00:02:43.770 --> 00:02:49.849 to all the old covenant and everything that is 00:02:49.849 --> 00:02:54.889 preceded the coming of the Lord Jesus. The author 00:02:54.889 --> 00:02:59.530 writes to show Christ's superiority. To the Old 00:02:59.530 --> 00:03:04.629 Covenant revelation. He writes to tell the Hebrew 00:03:04.629 --> 00:03:08.110 Christians that Christ is superior and greater 00:03:08.110 --> 00:03:12.650 than angels. That he's superior and greater than 00:03:12.650 --> 00:03:18.349 Moses and Aaron. That he's greater than the Old 00:03:18.349 --> 00:03:22.009 Covenant priesthood. He has a better priesthood. 00:03:22.430 --> 00:03:25.800 He has a better... high priest. He has a better 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:31.219 ministry than Aaron and the Levites. He is better. 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:34.460 He's more supreme. He is greater. This is why 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:38.879 the author of Hebrews writes. So today we're 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:43.319 going to consider the insufficiency of the old 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:47.939 covenant sacrifices first. And we'll see how 00:03:47.939 --> 00:03:54.669 they're inadequate and they're inferior. To Christ. 00:03:54.889 --> 00:03:59.490 His sacrifice and the new covenant. And then 00:03:59.490 --> 00:04:03.229 we're also secondly going to see. The sufficient. 00:04:03.430 --> 00:04:08.729 And perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We'll 00:04:08.729 --> 00:04:13.650 see this really in verses 5 through 14. And then 00:04:13.650 --> 00:04:18.269 thirdly. We will see. That the perfect sacrifice 00:04:18.269 --> 00:04:23.569 of Christ. Nullifies. The old covenant and its 00:04:23.569 --> 00:04:29.149 sacrifices. And it ratifies and establishes the 00:04:29.149 --> 00:04:35.529 new covenant and all of its blessings that come 00:04:35.529 --> 00:04:39.990 from God. So first, the insufficiency of the 00:04:39.990 --> 00:04:42.810 old covenant sacrifices. And we see this in verses 00:04:42.810 --> 00:04:47.850 1 through 4. Now as we consider this, I want 00:04:47.850 --> 00:04:50.709 to ask us a few questions and answer those questions. 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:57.259 as a means of expounding this. What were the 00:04:57.259 --> 00:05:00.660 Old Covenant sacrifices, according to the text, 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:06.139 insufficient to accomplish? What were they insufficient 00:05:06.139 --> 00:05:10.759 to do, to bring about? Well, the text says in 00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:14.000 verse 1 that they were insufficient to make perfect 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:18.180 those who would draw near. It couldn't perfect 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:21.680 worshipers. Now, it's talking about all of Israel. 00:05:22.420 --> 00:05:24.860 It's not just talking about the priests. It's 00:05:24.860 --> 00:05:27.459 talking about the Israelites, the people of God, 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:30.220 that would come together for the Day of Atonement 00:05:30.220 --> 00:05:33.300 and worship God. He's saying, those sacrifices, 00:05:33.500 --> 00:05:38.439 they were insufficient to consecrate and to perfect 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:42.870 and set apart Those people who came to worship 00:05:42.870 --> 00:05:46.649 and serve the living God on the Day of Atonement. 00:05:46.870 --> 00:05:50.009 But it also says that they were insufficient 00:05:50.009 --> 00:05:55.790 to cleanse the conscience of those individuals. 00:05:56.529 --> 00:06:00.589 The Old Covenant sacrifices were ineffective 00:06:00.589 --> 00:06:08.389 at affecting any good thing inside the Israelites. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:13.759 It couldn't wash their conscience of shame. It 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:16.319 couldn't deal with the legal guilt that they 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:20.060 have in the sight of God because of their sin 00:06:20.060 --> 00:06:23.160 and their transgression. It couldn't make them 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:27.959 or render them fit for service. Because what 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:31.579 is one of the most essential, if not the most 00:06:31.579 --> 00:06:36.000 essential aspect to drawing near to God in prayer, 00:06:38.350 --> 00:06:42.810 fitly and rightly serving God in this life to 00:06:42.810 --> 00:06:48.350 loving others. It's a clean conscience before 00:06:48.350 --> 00:06:51.110 God, brothers and sisters. Listen, brothers and 00:06:51.110 --> 00:06:55.730 sisters, I could not preach the Word of God rightly 00:06:55.730 --> 00:07:00.170 or accurately if I came to this pulpit with a 00:07:00.170 --> 00:07:05.209 stained conscience. I could not come and proclaim 00:07:05.209 --> 00:07:08.089 the Word of God to you with power or any authority 00:07:08.089 --> 00:07:11.290 or any blessing of God or any good thing would 00:07:11.290 --> 00:07:15.550 come of it if my conscience is covered with shame 00:07:15.550 --> 00:07:20.250 from sin in my life. I cannot rightly or adequately 00:07:20.250 --> 00:07:24.050 serve God if my conscience is covered in guilt 00:07:24.050 --> 00:07:27.730 and shame because of my sin. We can't serve God 00:07:27.730 --> 00:07:31.290 in that capacity. We can't go to God in prayer 00:07:31.290 --> 00:07:35.839 and plead with Him. if our conscience is covered 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:40.240 in shame and guilt, the old covenant sacrifices 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:46.639 were incapable of removing that guilt and that 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:53.920 shame on the conscience of God's people. It wasn't 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:57.620 possible for them to do that. They were insufficient 00:07:57.620 --> 00:08:03.350 for that. But also we see, that they were insufficient 00:08:03.350 --> 00:08:08.370 to remove or deal with sin. We see this really 00:08:08.370 --> 00:08:14.170 in verse 3, where the author says, Otherwise 00:08:14.170 --> 00:08:16.689 would they not have ceased to be offered, because 00:08:16.689 --> 00:08:21.009 the worshippers, having once been cleansed, would 00:08:21.009 --> 00:08:29.250 no longer have had consciousness of sins? Sin 00:08:29.250 --> 00:08:33.399 remained. undealt with and it remained and it 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:38.940 continued and it persevered in staining the conscience 00:08:38.940 --> 00:08:46.620 of the worshippers. Sin remained and thus the 00:08:46.620 --> 00:08:53.269 need for sacrifice remained and continued. Why 00:08:53.269 --> 00:08:55.789 did they have to continue offering sacrifices 00:08:55.789 --> 00:08:59.250 year after year, year after year, year after 00:08:59.250 --> 00:09:03.470 year during the Day of Atonement? Why were there 00:09:03.470 --> 00:09:08.470 so many precautions? Why was there such great 00:09:08.470 --> 00:09:12.230 detail with regards to the precepts and the regulations? 00:09:12.309 --> 00:09:15.429 When we think about the high priest and what 00:09:15.429 --> 00:09:18.129 the high priest had to go through to enter into 00:09:18.129 --> 00:09:21.009 the Holy of Holies once per year, Everything 00:09:21.009 --> 00:09:25.509 he had to do. Why was that? Why was it dangerous 00:09:25.509 --> 00:09:31.250 for the high priest to enter into the holy of 00:09:31.250 --> 00:09:34.169 holies? The holy place of God where his presence 00:09:34.169 --> 00:09:36.909 dwelt and the ark of the covenant was and the 00:09:36.909 --> 00:09:39.990 law of God was. The nearest to the presence of 00:09:39.990 --> 00:09:43.429 God on earth in the midst of God's people. Why, 00:09:43.549 --> 00:09:48.590 brothers and sisters? Because sin remains. Because 00:09:48.590 --> 00:09:53.090 sin was present. Sin had not been dealt with. 00:09:53.549 --> 00:09:57.450 The old covenant sacrifices were incapable of 00:09:57.450 --> 00:10:03.809 dealing with sin in the life of God's people. 00:10:04.429 --> 00:10:09.309 Now, another question, how do we know that the 00:10:09.309 --> 00:10:12.769 old covenant sacrifices were insufficient for 00:10:12.769 --> 00:10:17.480 these things, to bring these things about? Well, 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:20.120 two basic and really simple things in the text. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:24.399 One, the perpetual repetition of the sacrifices. 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:29.940 They kept offering sacrifices. Why? Because the 00:10:29.940 --> 00:10:34.159 sacrifices were ineffective. The need remained. 00:10:34.779 --> 00:10:40.720 Why would ineffective, why would a powerful, 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:45.379 purifying, Cleansing sacrifice that takes care 00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:48.340 of everything and deals with sin completely need 00:10:48.340 --> 00:10:53.120 to be repeated. Well, it's because it's inefficient 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:55.580 and it's unaffected, brothers and sisters. It's 00:10:55.580 --> 00:11:01.019 not that powerful. It doesn't do anything. It 00:11:01.019 --> 00:11:03.659 doesn't actually atone for or deal with sin. 00:11:04.580 --> 00:11:07.259 Old covenant sacrifices were kind of like this. 00:11:08.220 --> 00:11:12.409 There was this idea of once a year. All the sins 00:11:12.409 --> 00:11:14.710 of God's people, they would come together and 00:11:14.710 --> 00:11:17.029 they'd offer sacrifices and they'd broom them 00:11:17.029 --> 00:11:20.409 all up in one place and then they'd kind of lay 00:11:20.409 --> 00:11:25.350 a rug over it. The sins were still there. There 00:11:25.350 --> 00:11:27.950 was just a rug or a covering over it. And then 00:11:27.950 --> 00:11:30.509 the next year, they'd bring the sins from that 00:11:30.509 --> 00:11:32.769 last year and they'd pile those up and then what'd 00:11:32.769 --> 00:11:34.509 they do? They'd put a covering over it. They'd 00:11:34.509 --> 00:11:37.840 put a rug over it. It was temporary. It didn't 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:40.059 actually deal with the sin. It didn't actually 00:11:40.059 --> 00:11:44.320 effectively remove or bring about anything. It 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:48.919 was a temporary covering in a sense. The sin 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:54.259 was undealt with. Thus, the sacrifices continued. 00:11:54.919 --> 00:12:00.000 Year after year, they continued to slaughter 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:05.600 animals and to make sacrifices to God. There 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:08.259 was no sacrifice, there was no sacrificial animal 00:12:08.259 --> 00:12:14.220 that was ever offered to God that dealt with 00:12:14.220 --> 00:12:21.279 sin. That removed it or effectively destroyed 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:25.000 its power or authority in the life of God's people. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:28.600 So we know that they're insufficient because 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:34.600 they continue to be offered. But also, Because 00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:40.039 the conscience of the worshippers remained defiled. 00:12:41.100 --> 00:12:45.539 They had a consciousness of sin. They were aware 00:12:45.539 --> 00:12:50.179 of the dangers associated with worship. They 00:12:50.179 --> 00:12:53.320 were aware of their separation and their need 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:58.120 for sacrifice. Their conscience remained defiled 00:12:58.120 --> 00:13:02.070 and they knew it, brothers and sisters. So the 00:13:02.070 --> 00:13:05.649 same is true of us when we have fresh acts of 00:13:05.649 --> 00:13:08.549 transgression in our life. We don't have legal 00:13:08.549 --> 00:13:10.789 guilt that comes upon our conscience any longer, 00:13:10.909 --> 00:13:13.750 but we do have shame that's given to us by God 00:13:13.750 --> 00:13:16.649 that indicates we need to run to that once for 00:13:16.649 --> 00:13:21.409 all sacrifice of Christ. They were conscious 00:13:21.409 --> 00:13:27.009 of the reality that they were defiled by their 00:13:27.009 --> 00:13:32.519 sin and that The sacrifices did nothing to deal 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:37.340 with their consciences. So why were these Old 00:13:37.340 --> 00:13:42.440 Covenant sacrifices ineffective? Why was it that 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:47.940 they didn't work? Why was it that they could 00:13:47.940 --> 00:13:53.899 not effectively deal with sin? Well, one, it's 00:13:53.899 --> 00:13:58.200 because they were animal sacrifices. Verse 4 00:13:58.200 --> 00:14:04.820 says, For it is impossible for the blood of bulls 00:14:04.820 --> 00:14:09.440 and goats to take away sins. Think about the 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:14.940 disparity of nature between an animal and an 00:14:14.940 --> 00:14:19.860 image bearer. The blood of an animal has no correlation 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:23.899 and no relationship to man's accountability. 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:28.639 to God or his moral obligations to answer that 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:35.659 God. Animals cannot atone for image bearers or 00:14:35.659 --> 00:14:39.139 men with a completely and totally different nature 00:14:39.139 --> 00:14:45.899 by way of creation. It's not possible. It's almost 00:14:45.899 --> 00:14:48.659 as though the author of Hebrews is putting this 00:14:48.659 --> 00:14:51.639 statement in verse 4. Listen, this is clear and 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:56.340 obvious. This isn't even a question of saying. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:03.779 How do you think that an animal made not in the 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:08.659 image of God can bear the sins and remove the 00:15:08.659 --> 00:15:12.299 sins and the guilt of an image bearer made after 00:15:12.299 --> 00:15:16.179 the image of God? He puts it forth almost as 00:15:16.179 --> 00:15:20.240 this axiomatic, clear and obvious statement for 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:25.029 the people. But also, We see from the text that 00:15:25.029 --> 00:15:30.990 the law of God, meaning the ceremonial law, served 00:15:30.990 --> 00:15:34.909 primarily a negative function in the life of 00:15:34.909 --> 00:15:37.250 Israel. And what was that negative function? 00:15:37.669 --> 00:15:44.169 To remind the people of God of their sin. To 00:15:44.169 --> 00:15:49.110 continually remind them and show them of their 00:15:49.110 --> 00:15:53.080 weaknesses, their sinfulness. and their need. 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:58.759 But ultimately, the reason that they could not 00:15:58.759 --> 00:16:03.259 make perfect those who drew near and remove sin 00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:06.139 and bring men into fellowship with God is because 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:10.419 it was not the design or intent of God for them 00:16:10.419 --> 00:16:16.899 to do so. God never intended for animal sacrifices 00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:24.820 to atone for the sins of men. The text in verse 00:16:24.820 --> 00:16:29.340 1 says, for the law, since it has only a shadow 00:16:29.340 --> 00:16:34.799 of the good things to come, and not the very 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:42.460 form of the things. Meaning, the law was given 00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:48.220 for a purpose that shows the form and the shape 00:16:48.220 --> 00:16:51.629 of things to come. but it had no substance or 00:16:51.629 --> 00:16:55.429 power. The realities that it gave the form and 00:16:55.429 --> 00:16:59.710 the frame of wasn't present in the ceremonial 00:16:59.710 --> 00:17:05.269 law. There was no saving power in those sacrifices. 00:17:05.569 --> 00:17:09.410 They put forth images. They put forth shadows 00:17:09.410 --> 00:17:14.089 and types. They put forth portraits. But it wasn't 00:17:14.089 --> 00:17:18.789 the real thing. It was a copy. It was meant to... 00:17:19.069 --> 00:17:22.970 point forward to something that would come, that 00:17:22.970 --> 00:17:26.769 would arrive, that is the substance and the power 00:17:26.769 --> 00:17:30.789 and the effectiveness. The reality and the substance 00:17:30.789 --> 00:17:36.109 would be Christ and his sacrifice. God never 00:17:36.109 --> 00:17:41.069 designed the Old Testament ceremonial law to 00:17:41.069 --> 00:17:44.450 save sinners, brothers and sisters. The author 00:17:44.450 --> 00:17:46.430 of Hebrews wants his readers to know, listen. 00:17:47.630 --> 00:17:51.529 God didn't make a mistake. It's not that God 00:17:51.529 --> 00:17:55.549 tried to save you through these things, but God 00:17:55.549 --> 00:18:00.430 never intended for these things to redeem you, 00:18:00.569 --> 00:18:04.369 to bring you into fellowship with God, or to 00:18:04.369 --> 00:18:08.410 cleanse your conscience of defilement. It has 00:18:08.410 --> 00:18:12.150 to do with the purpose and the intent and the 00:18:12.150 --> 00:18:17.789 design of the old covenant sacrifices. So this 00:18:17.789 --> 00:18:19.670 brings us to the second thing we have to consider, 00:18:19.730 --> 00:18:26.269 the sufficient and perfect sacrifice of Jesus 00:18:26.269 --> 00:18:31.589 Christ. We see this in verses 5 through 14. It's 00:18:31.589 --> 00:18:36.049 signaled in verse 5 where he begins, And then 00:18:36.049 --> 00:18:41.369 he quotes from Psalm 40 in verses 6 through 9. 00:18:43.049 --> 00:18:47.559 And the author brings in, the Old Testament Scriptures. 00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:51.500 He wants to show them a few things. He wants 00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:54.140 to remind them of a few things. One, he wants 00:18:54.140 --> 00:18:57.259 to remind them he's not saying something novel. 00:18:58.940 --> 00:19:03.759 He's not saying something that is new or something 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:08.460 that he has come up with. But he also wants to 00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:12.140 show them, brothers and sisters, that the... 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:16.279 true, real, substantial sacrifice that does all 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:20.859 those things, finds its source in the Messiah 00:19:20.859 --> 00:19:27.339 that does the will of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:32.140 So we see in this quotation that David was well 00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:34.799 aware, and we see this in Psalm 51 as well, at 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:38.960 the end of Psalm 51, and we see this in the latter 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:44.359 prophets, the post -exile prophets, Very, very 00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:49.799 often as well. But we see that David was aware 00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:55.839 that it wasn't sacrifice and offerings that God 00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:02.759 wanted from him. It wasn't ceremonial, ritual 00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:09.039 actions devoid of a devotional heart that God 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:12.630 delighted in that God was satisfied. David knew 00:20:12.630 --> 00:20:15.970 the essence of drawing near, the essence of worshiping 00:20:15.970 --> 00:20:21.210 God, is delighting in the law of God and having 00:20:21.210 --> 00:20:25.990 a heart that is devoted to him, having a heart 00:20:25.990 --> 00:20:30.730 that is reverent toward him. Now, we know that 00:20:30.730 --> 00:20:36.769 David had his spots and David had his blemishes, 00:20:36.829 --> 00:20:40.670 did he not, brothers and sisters? He had his 00:20:40.670 --> 00:20:46.930 issues. So David did this by way of faith. David 00:20:46.930 --> 00:20:51.730 believed and David trusted in the sacrifice that 00:20:51.730 --> 00:20:54.829 would come out of a heart of devotion, and that 00:20:54.829 --> 00:21:01.150 is what satisfied God toward David. But we also 00:21:01.150 --> 00:21:06.690 see in the text that the son of David, the greater 00:21:06.690 --> 00:21:10.900 David, the descendant and the offspring of David, 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:15.980 the Lord Jesus Christ, would be the one who would 00:21:15.980 --> 00:21:21.859 actually, fully, completely, and totally delight 00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:27.019 in doing the will of God. Holy and completely 00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:34.359 love God with his entire being. Jesus says in 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:41.200 John, I believe it's John chapter 8. He says, 00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:50.319 I always do what pleases my Father. Consider 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:58.359 the wonder of the truth in that text when Jesus 00:21:58.359 --> 00:22:07.079 says that. Consider that. I always. Do what pleases 00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:15.099 my Father. In every instance, in every case, 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:21.720 no matter the time, no matter the day, no matter 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:25.019 the situation, no matter where he's at or no 00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:28.559 matter what he's doing, the Lord Jesus was conscious 00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:32.859 of the reality and the truth that he was always 00:22:32.859 --> 00:22:38.269 pleasing to me. God the Father. That's an incredible 00:22:38.269 --> 00:22:41.829 statement, brothers and sisters, that he did 00:22:41.829 --> 00:22:45.809 everything and the Father was always pleased 00:22:45.809 --> 00:22:50.150 with everything that he said, thought, and did. 00:22:50.869 --> 00:22:54.789 He always delighted in doing the will of God, 00:22:55.009 --> 00:23:00.029 even at the end of his earthly life when he goes 00:23:00.029 --> 00:23:04.390 to the cross. You see, it's his delight in doing 00:23:04.390 --> 00:23:09.369 the will of God that actually takes him and compels 00:23:09.369 --> 00:23:13.950 him and sustains him in getting to the cross. 00:23:14.369 --> 00:23:21.289 Let's turn to Matthew chapter 26. It's the Lord 00:23:21.289 --> 00:23:26.470 Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Starting in 00:23:26.470 --> 00:23:31.559 verse 36. Then Jesus came with them. to a place 00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:34.140 called Gethsemane and said to his disciples, 00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:39.160 Sit here while I go over there and pray. And 00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:41.859 he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee 00:23:41.859 --> 00:23:47.640 and began to be grieved and distressed. Then 00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:53.519 he said to them, My soul is deeply grieved to 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:56.640 the point of death. Remain here and keep watch 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:59.809 with me. And he went a little beyond them and 00:23:59.809 --> 00:24:02.470 fell on his face and prayed, saying, My father, 00:24:02.609 --> 00:24:06.589 if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, 00:24:06.650 --> 00:24:12.029 yet not as I will, but as you will. And he came 00:24:12.029 --> 00:24:15.509 to the disciples and found them sleeping and 00:24:15.509 --> 00:24:20.589 said to Peter, So you men could not keep watch 00:24:20.589 --> 00:24:24.670 with me for one hour. Keep watching and praying 00:24:24.670 --> 00:24:27.710 that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit 00:24:27.710 --> 00:24:30.990 is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away 00:24:30.990 --> 00:24:35.529 again a second time and prayed, saying, My father, 00:24:35.650 --> 00:24:39.529 if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your 00:24:39.529 --> 00:24:44.450 will be done. Again he came and found them sleeping, 00:24:44.589 --> 00:24:48.150 for their eyes were heavy. And he left them again 00:24:48.150 --> 00:24:50.710 and went away and prayed a third time, saying 00:24:50.710 --> 00:24:59.519 the same thing. The Lord Jesus, Longed to do 00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:06.700 the will of God. Even to the point of death. 00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:14.619 We read in Philippians chapter 2. Have this attitude 00:25:14.619 --> 00:25:17.680 in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus. 00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:21.079 Who, although he existed in the form of God, 00:25:21.220 --> 00:25:24.839 did not regard equality with God a thing to be 00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:28.539 grasped. but emptied himself, taking the form 00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:31.720 of a bondservant and being made in the likeness 00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:36.559 of men. Being found in appearance as a man, he 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:40.220 humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point 00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:46.039 of death, even death on a cross. It was Christ's 00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:49.579 desire and his longing to do the will of God 00:25:49.579 --> 00:25:54.160 that compelled him to make himself a servant, 00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:57.160 brothers and sisters. that compelled him to be 00:25:57.160 --> 00:26:01.720 obedient and faithful, to suffer at the hands 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:04.339 of wicked men and to give up his spirit and to 00:26:04.339 --> 00:26:09.640 die for undeserving sinners. This is the man, 00:26:09.859 --> 00:26:15.019 the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus Christ, that is 00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:20.079 the perfect, once for all, sacrifice that could, 00:26:20.099 --> 00:26:26.609 in fact, remove sin. That could in fact cleanse 00:26:26.609 --> 00:26:33.349 the conscience. It's Christ giving himself and 00:26:33.349 --> 00:26:38.970 being the perfect sacrificial lamb on behalf 00:26:38.970 --> 00:26:46.329 of God's people. The text says that this sacrifice 00:26:46.329 --> 00:26:54.390 is once for all. It's complete. It's perfect. 00:26:54.950 --> 00:26:59.710 It's final. It's effective. Here again, don't 00:26:59.710 --> 00:27:03.809 we see the need, the necessity of the incarnation, 00:27:04.089 --> 00:27:10.390 brothers and sisters, so clearly? Why does Christ 00:27:10.390 --> 00:27:12.789 have to take on flesh, brothers and sisters? 00:27:13.750 --> 00:27:19.029 Why does God have to take on a human nature? 00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:25.400 Why did Christ have to come into the world? Because 00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:29.859 redemption of his people necessitated and required 00:27:29.859 --> 00:27:32.480 that he be a man that he could offer himself 00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:37.039 in the flesh and suffer and die. God cannot suffer. 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:43.940 God cannot die. God cannot experience pain. He 00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:47.180 cannot be hurt. He cannot suffer for our sins. 00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:50.279 But Jesus Christ, who takes on a body, flesh 00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:54.279 and bones, can in fact die for our sins and redeem 00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:57.579 us, brothers and sisters. That's the necessity 00:27:57.579 --> 00:28:01.519 of the cross. That's the necessity of the incarnation. 00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:05.880 Hebrews is pointing us to the reality that God 00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:10.000 had to be a man in order to redeem us once for 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:15.099 all and fully and finally. If Christ had not 00:28:15.099 --> 00:28:18.700 taken on flesh, We would be in our sins and we 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:21.400 would be destined for hell and we would justly 00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:24.799 suffer under the wrath of God for all eternity. 00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:34.460 But God sent His Son to be born of a woman to 00:28:34.460 --> 00:28:37.839 live perfectly under the law of God, delighting 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:41.160 in the law of God and giving Himself as the perfect 00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:47.160 sacrifice. The once for all sacrifice. on behalf 00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:54.460 of God's people. It was this willing self -sacrifice 00:28:54.460 --> 00:29:01.460 of the Lord Jesus, not an animal, that brought 00:29:01.460 --> 00:29:05.279 about the full and final redemption of God's 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:08.680 people. Now when it says once for all, that's 00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:13.019 important for us, isn't it? Because the old covenant 00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:17.859 sacrifices were continual. And repeated. They 00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:20.980 were over and over and over, year by year, again 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:25.319 and again and again. But Christ's sacrifice is 00:29:25.319 --> 00:29:33.680 once. One time. It's effective. It's powerful. 00:29:34.380 --> 00:29:39.980 It's permanent. And it's complete. Christianity, 00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:44.569 unlike so many other religions, almost unlike 00:29:44.569 --> 00:29:48.190 every other religion that I can think of, is 00:29:48.190 --> 00:29:51.569 a one -sacrifice religion, brothers and sisters. 00:29:52.150 --> 00:29:56.289 And what are the implications of that? The implications 00:29:56.289 --> 00:30:01.549 of that are this. You and I cannot atone for 00:30:01.549 --> 00:30:09.190 our own sins. You and I cannot cover up our own 00:30:09.190 --> 00:30:13.490 sins. You and I cannot appease the wrath of God. 00:30:14.910 --> 00:30:18.109 It's all accomplished and it's all done by one 00:30:18.109 --> 00:30:23.829 man. That's taken place in history on the cross. 00:30:24.210 --> 00:30:29.250 An objective, complete, historical reality that's 00:30:29.250 --> 00:30:33.509 true, separate and regardless and apart from 00:30:33.509 --> 00:30:39.250 our experience as men. It's an objective and 00:30:39.250 --> 00:30:43.630 completed reality. Now, we may think, well, I'm 00:30:43.630 --> 00:30:46.910 not going around offering animal sacrifices, 00:30:46.910 --> 00:30:52.710 trying to atone for my transgressions. I know 00:30:52.710 --> 00:30:57.529 I lost my temper. I know that I sinned. I know 00:30:57.529 --> 00:31:00.990 that I broke God's law. I know that I did whatever 00:31:00.990 --> 00:31:05.910 it was I did. Now I'm going to work harder this 00:31:05.910 --> 00:31:11.420 week. This time, I'm going to make God happy. 00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:16.519 I'm going to live better. I'm going to do better 00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:19.819 than I did last time. Now God will be satisfied 00:31:19.819 --> 00:31:23.000 with me. God will be pleased with me. That's 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:25.339 not offering an animal sacrifice, brothers and 00:31:25.339 --> 00:31:27.579 sisters, but that's doing the exact same thing. 00:31:29.140 --> 00:31:34.099 It's attempting to atone for your own transgressions. 00:31:34.359 --> 00:31:39.119 Your own sins. It's trusting in yourself. To 00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:44.900 make God happy or pleased or satisfied with you. 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:48.819 This is something the world does all the time, 00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:52.519 brothers and sisters. The culture is all about 00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:56.140 reparations. It's getting a little less, praise 00:31:56.140 --> 00:31:59.799 God. But the culture is all about reparations. 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:03.759 Why do reparations need to take place? According 00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:10.220 to the world and the culture and society. To 00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:15.279 make up for what we've done in the past. To atone 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:26.500 for our sins. We cannot atone for our sins. Christ 00:32:26.500 --> 00:32:33.000 accomplished that work by himself one time on 00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:39.940 the cross. It was once for all. That means that 00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:44.339 when Christ died, he was acting as a representative 00:32:44.339 --> 00:32:51.740 on behalf of all of God's people. So that when 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:55.420 God was dealing with him on the cross, it's as 00:32:55.420 --> 00:32:59.019 though God was dealing with all his elect on 00:32:59.019 --> 00:33:03.779 the cross. So that as God punished the sin that 00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:08.420 was imputed to Christ, it's as though... He was 00:33:08.420 --> 00:33:13.299 punishing you and I on the cross. But it also 00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:15.799 means that as God poured out His wrath on that 00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:19.380 sin, as He was propitiated, as He was satisfied, 00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:22.400 as He was appeased in His wrath and His righteous 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:25.259 anger, brothers and sisters, that also means 00:33:25.259 --> 00:33:29.579 that His wrath and His righteous anger is appeased. 00:33:30.299 --> 00:33:34.839 It is satisfied. It is propitiated for all those... 00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:38.339 Christ represented in that once for all sacrifice. 00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:44.599 That's the glory of substitutionary atonement. 00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:47.660 That's the glory of the cross and the gospel 00:33:47.660 --> 00:33:52.079 and the Christian faith. Christ did it. Christ 00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:57.559 accomplished it. I don't do anything. God is 00:33:57.559 --> 00:34:00.539 gracious. God is merciful. He gives me faith 00:34:00.539 --> 00:34:05.359 to believe in that work. He draws me through 00:34:05.359 --> 00:34:07.660 the Word of God. He gives me new life by the 00:34:07.660 --> 00:34:10.920 Spirit of God so that I can enjoy those realities. 00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:13.360 It's because of His grace and it's because of 00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:17.920 His mercy. That's the only reason we enjoy and 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:21.760 that's the only reason we are in Christ. How 00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:24.619 do we know? Who was represented on the cross? 00:34:25.880 --> 00:34:30.739 God's merciful, kind, and sovereign good pleasure. 00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:35.400 He did not have to choose anyone, brothers and 00:34:35.400 --> 00:34:40.579 sisters. Yet He has. He's merciful. He's gracious. 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:43.360 He's good. And He's kind. And He has accomplished 00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:49.039 redemption in Christ on this once for all, in 00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:56.219 this once for all sacrifice on the cross. That 00:34:56.219 --> 00:35:01.360 means that we have to continually, over and over, 00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:09.059 Look to his sacrifice. And remind ourselves that 00:35:09.059 --> 00:35:15.000 he's done it. That he's accomplished it. I don't 00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:20.780 have to die on a cross for my sins. He has atoned 00:35:20.780 --> 00:35:25.320 for my sins. The author of Hebrews beautifully 00:35:25.320 --> 00:35:29.940 demonstrates the finished character of Christ's 00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:33.119 work here in these verses. when he talks about 00:35:33.119 --> 00:35:36.940 the high priest and he quotes from Psalm 110, 00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:42.719 he talks about the fact that old covenant priests, 00:35:43.199 --> 00:35:46.820 when they were offering the sacrifices, they 00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:52.679 never, ever sat down. Why? Because their work 00:35:52.679 --> 00:35:56.039 was never complete. Their work was never over. 00:35:56.579 --> 00:36:02.690 Their priestly work of atonement was continual. 00:36:03.929 --> 00:36:06.710 And they continued and persevered in the work, 00:36:06.750 --> 00:36:11.050 so they remained standing. But the author of 00:36:11.050 --> 00:36:14.949 Hebrews tells us, and he reminds us of something 00:36:14.949 --> 00:36:21.170 beautiful for our souls. Christ is not standing 00:36:21.170 --> 00:36:26.409 up anymore. He's telling us that Christ has sat 00:36:26.409 --> 00:36:30.730 down at the right hand of the Father. Why is 00:36:30.730 --> 00:36:34.269 that significant for you and me? Because his 00:36:34.269 --> 00:36:38.710 priestly work of atonement is completely and 00:36:38.710 --> 00:36:43.489 totally finished. With regards to atonement, 00:36:43.570 --> 00:36:48.289 with regards to suffering and humiliation, with 00:36:48.289 --> 00:36:51.530 regards to propitiation, brothers and sisters, 00:36:51.670 --> 00:36:59.579 Christ's work is done. He's finished. There's 00:36:59.579 --> 00:37:03.400 nothing left for him to do. And the author even 00:37:03.400 --> 00:37:08.480 says in verse 13, waiting from that time onward 00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:11.940 until his enemies be made a footstool for his 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:18.119 feet. We've entered into a new phase of redemption. 00:37:19.239 --> 00:37:23.820 No longer are we in the atonement phase of redemption, 00:37:24.179 --> 00:37:29.630 but Christ is building his church. He's judging 00:37:29.630 --> 00:37:33.929 and ruling the world, and he's waiting. And what 00:37:33.929 --> 00:37:38.670 is he waiting for? He's waiting for the day of 00:37:38.670 --> 00:37:42.110 culmination. He's waiting for the day of the 00:37:42.110 --> 00:37:45.329 Lord, the day of judgment, the next great and 00:37:45.329 --> 00:37:49.090 final redemptive event that takes place in the 00:37:49.090 --> 00:37:52.449 history of the world when Christ comes, not as 00:37:52.449 --> 00:37:55.469 a lamb slain, not for the purpose of atoning. 00:37:56.619 --> 00:37:59.699 Not for the purpose of suffering and dying. Not 00:37:59.699 --> 00:38:02.199 for the purpose of giving himself over to the 00:38:02.199 --> 00:38:04.780 wicked desires and wicked wills of evil men. 00:38:05.519 --> 00:38:08.760 But he comes on that great and future day to 00:38:08.760 --> 00:38:14.900 crush his enemies. He comes as a king protecting 00:38:14.900 --> 00:38:24.780 and guarding and gathering his people. His work 00:38:24.780 --> 00:38:29.840 of atonement is over. And the next thing we see 00:38:29.840 --> 00:38:37.380 at the end of history is Christ coming and judging 00:38:37.380 --> 00:38:42.260 and punishing his enemies and fully and finally 00:38:42.260 --> 00:38:48.539 redeeming his people. So there's a few things 00:38:48.539 --> 00:38:54.079 that we should be reminded of every time. we 00:38:54.079 --> 00:38:58.460 look up to heaven by faith. Every time we ask 00:38:58.460 --> 00:39:02.440 ourselves, if only Jesus were here with me right 00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:06.219 now, why is Christ separated physically from 00:39:06.219 --> 00:39:10.860 us at the moment? Every time we think about the 00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:13.699 work of the Spirit of God in our hearts and our 00:39:13.699 --> 00:39:17.780 minds, every time we look to the throne of God 00:39:17.780 --> 00:39:22.650 in faith, believers should be reminded. That 00:39:22.650 --> 00:39:26.590 their sins are dealt with. That Christ is sitting. 00:39:27.809 --> 00:39:31.929 That He has made purification for the sins of 00:39:31.929 --> 00:39:35.369 His people. Every time we look to heaven, brothers 00:39:35.369 --> 00:39:39.210 and sisters, be reminded, there is now no condemnation 00:39:39.210 --> 00:39:44.769 for those in Christ. God's wrath is satisfied 00:39:44.769 --> 00:39:50.969 toward me. He is a loving Father. He is no longer... 00:39:51.159 --> 00:39:57.219 a wrathful judge toward me. He is a loving father 00:39:57.219 --> 00:40:03.280 and he views me when he loves me with the same 00:40:03.280 --> 00:40:08.320 love that he has for his own blessed and dear 00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:12.780 son. So believers ought to be reminded of the 00:40:12.780 --> 00:40:19.130 certainty that their sins are finished. that 00:40:19.130 --> 00:40:23.530 their sins are dealt with, atonement has been 00:40:23.530 --> 00:40:28.010 made. Now, we're speaking primarily with regards 00:40:28.010 --> 00:40:30.610 to our legal standing and so forth with God. 00:40:30.929 --> 00:40:33.789 We're not talking about the realm of sanctification, 00:40:34.090 --> 00:40:38.949 holiness, and godliness at the moment. We know 00:40:38.949 --> 00:40:41.989 that sin dwells within us. That's an ongoing 00:40:41.989 --> 00:40:45.190 battle that we have to fight. But brothers and 00:40:45.190 --> 00:40:48.449 sisters, Sin no longer has dominion over us. 00:40:49.369 --> 00:40:53.570 We are free from the consequences and the judgment 00:40:53.570 --> 00:40:57.789 and the condemnation of sin. And brothers and 00:40:57.789 --> 00:41:01.050 sisters, it has no power over us as believers. 00:41:01.550 --> 00:41:06.869 And when Christ returns, he'll remove sin from 00:41:06.869 --> 00:41:11.630 our very presence. But there's also a sober reminder 00:41:11.630 --> 00:41:15.809 for those that don't know Christ. as we consider 00:41:15.809 --> 00:41:20.750 the fact that Christ is not with us. There's 00:41:20.750 --> 00:41:24.050 a sober and an absolute certainty in the reality 00:41:24.050 --> 00:41:30.150 and the fact that Christ has sat down. Just as 00:41:30.150 --> 00:41:33.969 believers ought to remember, and they ought to 00:41:33.969 --> 00:41:37.989 recall and delight in the reality that their 00:41:37.989 --> 00:41:41.329 sins are dealt with because Christ has sat down 00:41:41.329 --> 00:41:43.769 at the right hand of the Father, unbelieving 00:41:43.769 --> 00:41:49.059 men, Ought to be reminded of the reality and 00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:51.300 the fact that their sins are not dealt with. 00:41:53.119 --> 00:41:56.780 That their sins still condemn them. That the 00:41:56.780 --> 00:41:59.519 wrath of God is still upon them and that judgment 00:41:59.519 --> 00:42:05.699 will come when Christ returns. So it's an urgent 00:42:05.699 --> 00:42:10.760 plea to look to Christ and realize He's not here. 00:42:11.159 --> 00:42:17.000 Why is He not here? He's sitting at the right 00:42:17.000 --> 00:42:21.500 hand of God. And that means that one day he will 00:42:21.500 --> 00:42:27.260 come in power and authority and might to judge 00:42:27.260 --> 00:42:33.699 all those who are not found in Christ by faith. 00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:39.300 So it's an urgent plea. Every time you think 00:42:39.300 --> 00:42:42.599 of a spiritual reality or truth, every time you 00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:47.050 hear the name, Jesus Christ. Every time you hear 00:42:47.050 --> 00:42:51.789 of the Christian religion, non -believer, you 00:42:51.789 --> 00:42:56.829 ought to be reminded that your sins remain. That 00:42:56.829 --> 00:43:01.130 you need to flee to Christ. That you need to 00:43:01.130 --> 00:43:05.889 examine your life. And that you need to put your 00:43:05.889 --> 00:43:10.389 faith and trust in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation 00:43:10.389 --> 00:43:17.010 and look to His once for all. to atone for your 00:43:17.010 --> 00:43:24.110 sins. So his work is finished. We can say clearly, 00:43:24.289 --> 00:43:29.829 and we can say authoritatively based on this 00:43:29.829 --> 00:43:35.969 text, that Christ's sacrifice is perfectly sufficient. 00:43:36.670 --> 00:43:42.449 It is completely sufficient. Nothing left. There's 00:43:42.449 --> 00:43:46.969 nothing left, nothing remaining for him to do 00:43:46.969 --> 00:43:51.090 with regards to the atonement. Now the author 00:43:51.090 --> 00:43:54.670 wants to show us one more thing. And this is 00:43:54.670 --> 00:43:59.010 the reality that Christ's perfect sacrifice nullifies 00:43:59.010 --> 00:44:03.869 the old covenant sacrifices and ratifies the 00:44:03.869 --> 00:44:09.409 new covenant and all of its blessings. What I 00:44:09.409 --> 00:44:13.599 mean by this is that the death... of Christ nullifies 00:44:13.599 --> 00:44:18.760 the sacrifices and the sacrificial system that 00:44:18.760 --> 00:44:23.340 was instituted for Old Covenant Israel. Why? 00:44:23.579 --> 00:44:28.000 Because the once for all sacrifice is the substance 00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:32.860 and the reality that those Old Covenant sacrifices 00:44:32.860 --> 00:44:41.019 were shadows and types of. It means That Christ's 00:44:41.019 --> 00:44:46.119 sacrifice supersedes all the Old Covenant sacrifices. 00:44:47.260 --> 00:44:50.420 So think about the Jews or the Hebrew Christians 00:44:50.420 --> 00:44:54.400 that are reading this letter. Think about their 00:44:54.400 --> 00:44:59.420 situation. Think about the pressure to forsake 00:44:59.420 --> 00:45:03.840 Christ as Messiah. The pressure to forsake Christianity 00:45:03.840 --> 00:45:08.219 and go back to Judaism and the Old Covenant ceremonial 00:45:08.219 --> 00:45:13.079 system. And to trust in that for fellowship with 00:45:13.079 --> 00:45:18.280 God and right standing with the Lord. The author 00:45:18.280 --> 00:45:21.980 of Hebrews is persuading them. Don't do that. 00:45:22.340 --> 00:45:28.960 Those sacrifices are useless. Those sacrifices 00:45:28.960 --> 00:45:35.659 are vain and pointless because the true sacrifice 00:45:35.659 --> 00:45:42.519 is here. Is present. And among us. But we also 00:45:42.519 --> 00:45:46.920 see. That the death of Christ. Ratifies the new 00:45:46.920 --> 00:45:50.300 covenant. And all of its blessings. The author 00:45:50.300 --> 00:45:55.599 in verses 16 and 17. Lists those blessings. Generally 00:45:55.599 --> 00:45:59.340 speaking. In verse 16. He speaks of the subjective. 00:45:59.960 --> 00:46:03.980 And inward blessings. Where he says. I will put 00:46:03.980 --> 00:46:08.800 my laws. Upon their heart. Talking about the 00:46:08.800 --> 00:46:12.639 inward and experiential blessings that come as 00:46:12.639 --> 00:46:15.179 a result of the new covenant and redemption and 00:46:15.179 --> 00:46:20.019 salvation in Christ. But then in verse 17, he 00:46:20.019 --> 00:46:24.820 speaks of the objective and completed work of 00:46:24.820 --> 00:46:29.699 God because of Christ. Free pardon and the forgiveness 00:46:29.699 --> 00:46:35.679 of sins. I love that the author puts this in 00:46:35.679 --> 00:46:39.210 here. Because it really shows the connection 00:46:39.210 --> 00:46:43.449 between Christ's completed work on the cross 00:46:43.449 --> 00:46:47.869 as once for all sacrifice and how it makes its 00:46:47.869 --> 00:46:52.150 way to the believer, to the sinner. It closes 00:46:52.150 --> 00:46:58.210 the gap, in a sense, between the two. God, because 00:46:58.210 --> 00:47:04.889 of Christ's sacrifice, can now treat all of God's 00:47:04.889 --> 00:47:10.519 people. in a covenantal sense, as children of 00:47:10.519 --> 00:47:15.360 God. I heard R .C. Sproul say one time, the most 00:47:15.360 --> 00:47:17.920 miraculous thing about justification by faith 00:47:17.920 --> 00:47:21.380 alone is not necessarily justification by faith 00:47:21.380 --> 00:47:24.880 alone, but the reality that God in fact treats 00:47:24.880 --> 00:47:31.360 us as though we are justified. God treats us. 00:47:33.099 --> 00:47:35.980 As though we are justified, brothers and sisters. 00:47:37.000 --> 00:47:43.119 He acts that way toward us. That is his disposition 00:47:43.119 --> 00:47:51.800 toward us. He sees us with love. He sees us as 00:47:51.800 --> 00:47:57.460 children. Think about John 17. And Jesus' prayer 00:47:57.460 --> 00:48:01.239 for the disciples and then Jesus' prayer for 00:48:01.239 --> 00:48:03.210 the... the future of the disciples that would 00:48:03.210 --> 00:48:06.130 come from them. He talks about the fact, brothers 00:48:06.130 --> 00:48:09.250 and sisters, that God loves disciples the same 00:48:09.250 --> 00:48:13.710 way that he loves Christ. With the very same 00:48:13.710 --> 00:48:19.269 love. That's an incredible statement. Why is 00:48:19.269 --> 00:48:23.030 that feasible? Why is that possible? Because 00:48:23.030 --> 00:48:26.750 Christ died for the sins of those people and 00:48:26.750 --> 00:48:30.079 God's wrath was satisfied on their behalf. so 00:48:30.079 --> 00:48:34.760 that He can extend His love to them. It's because 00:48:34.760 --> 00:48:38.139 of Christ's objective and completed work on the 00:48:38.139 --> 00:48:43.360 cross that God treats us and works in us and 00:48:43.360 --> 00:48:47.840 sanctifies us and He applies redemption to all 00:48:47.840 --> 00:48:52.079 His elect throughout history. So what do we do 00:48:52.079 --> 00:48:57.119 with these realities? Well, first, I think we 00:48:57.119 --> 00:49:03.360 have to train ourselves. To think rightly about 00:49:03.360 --> 00:49:10.159 God and ourselves. We have to train ourselves 00:49:10.159 --> 00:49:15.340 over and over and over and over. When we're having 00:49:15.340 --> 00:49:20.539 a difficult day. When our emotions are up and 00:49:20.539 --> 00:49:23.400 our emotions are down and maybe our hearts are 00:49:23.400 --> 00:49:27.760 cold and unaffectionate. Remind ourselves. We 00:49:27.760 --> 00:49:29.480 have to remind ourselves. We have to train ourselves 00:49:29.480 --> 00:49:35.039 to think it's completed in Christ's sacrifice. 00:49:37.019 --> 00:49:41.900 That has nothing to do with my feelings. The 00:49:41.900 --> 00:49:44.260 death of Christ has nothing to do with my affections. 00:49:45.360 --> 00:49:48.980 The forgiveness of sins remains. My justification 00:49:48.980 --> 00:49:52.639 is unchanging. It is unwavering. Why? Because 00:49:52.639 --> 00:49:55.730 it's based on the completed righteousness. In 00:49:55.730 --> 00:49:59.690 Christ. That's the glory of the gospel, brothers 00:49:59.690 --> 00:50:03.610 and sisters. We have to train our minds to think 00:50:03.610 --> 00:50:07.090 about God and to think about ourselves and our 00:50:07.090 --> 00:50:10.929 own identity rightly in accordance with the gospel. 00:50:12.030 --> 00:50:15.329 We should not wake up dreading the day, facing 00:50:15.329 --> 00:50:21.409 God, thinking that He's out to get us. Why? Because 00:50:21.409 --> 00:50:24.389 that is erroneous thinking according to the gospel 00:50:24.389 --> 00:50:29.989 of God. He is a father to his people in Christ. 00:50:31.610 --> 00:50:35.429 He loves his people in Christ. He's for them. 00:50:36.130 --> 00:50:39.909 He works for them. He works everything on behalf 00:50:39.909 --> 00:50:42.369 of them for their good, brothers and sisters. 00:50:43.309 --> 00:50:45.650 He's not out there trying to make you stumble 00:50:45.650 --> 00:50:47.889 and make you trip and push you around trying 00:50:47.889 --> 00:50:51.110 to get you to fall. He's working in your life 00:50:51.110 --> 00:50:54.710 to bring holiness because He knows that is what 00:50:54.710 --> 00:50:59.869 is best for you and He loves you dearly. He loves 00:50:59.869 --> 00:51:04.630 us and He treats us as He does Christ. That's 00:51:04.630 --> 00:51:09.570 why every time the Bible says, in Him, it's so 00:51:09.570 --> 00:51:13.369 important. Why is Ephesians 1 so important? In 00:51:13.369 --> 00:51:17.420 Him, in Him, in Him, over and over. Because every 00:51:17.420 --> 00:51:22.000 one of those spiritual blessings is in Christ. 00:51:23.679 --> 00:51:28.099 And if a person is in Christ, then all of those 00:51:28.099 --> 00:51:30.519 blessings, all of those redemptive blessings, 00:51:30.679 --> 00:51:36.199 are true of them in Christ. So we have to train 00:51:36.199 --> 00:51:43.920 our thinking to think rightly about God and ourselves. 00:51:45.550 --> 00:51:47.670 But we also have to believe these particular 00:51:47.670 --> 00:51:52.050 promises concerning the gospel. When the Bible 00:51:52.050 --> 00:51:56.210 says that he will remember our sins no more in 00:51:56.210 --> 00:52:02.130 Christ because of a sacrifice, we need to believe 00:52:02.130 --> 00:52:06.369 that reality, brothers and sisters. We need to 00:52:06.369 --> 00:52:11.210 trust that reality. So thinking about thinking 00:52:11.210 --> 00:52:17.170 in that, should we dwell? And wallow. In our 00:52:17.170 --> 00:52:26.530 past sins. Should we condemn ourselves. If God 00:52:26.530 --> 00:52:32.909 himself does not condemn us. Should we dwell 00:52:32.909 --> 00:52:39.730 in the past. Should we dwell. In the wickedness 00:52:39.730 --> 00:52:42.489 that we have completed. If it's forgiven in Christ. 00:52:44.110 --> 00:52:48.369 Brothers and sisters, we are new creatures in 00:52:48.369 --> 00:52:54.469 Christ. His once for all sacrifice has accomplished 00:52:54.469 --> 00:52:58.909 that work. And he's brought it about. We have 00:52:58.909 --> 00:53:01.750 to believe those realities. When the word of 00:53:01.750 --> 00:53:05.190 God says that sin no longer has dominion over 00:53:05.190 --> 00:53:09.190 you as a believer. And a person struggling with 00:53:09.190 --> 00:53:11.590 besetting sin, something they can't get over. 00:53:12.840 --> 00:53:15.800 They just can't do it. It remains and it sticks 00:53:15.800 --> 00:53:19.199 around. What do they need to believe? What do 00:53:19.199 --> 00:53:23.320 they need to trust? By faith they need to understand 00:53:23.320 --> 00:53:25.519 the reality and they need to look to the reality 00:53:25.519 --> 00:53:31.960 that the Spirit of God dwells within them. That 00:53:31.960 --> 00:53:35.320 they are a new creature with a new nature in 00:53:35.320 --> 00:53:38.460 Christ and that no longer do they live in the 00:53:38.460 --> 00:53:42.389 sphere or realm of sin. But sin is a nuisance 00:53:42.389 --> 00:53:47.389 in our side. And we have authority over it in 00:53:47.389 --> 00:53:52.489 Christ. We are dead to sin because we've been 00:53:52.489 --> 00:53:56.670 crucified with Christ. We have to appropriate 00:53:56.670 --> 00:54:01.909 these particular blessings and promises of the 00:54:01.909 --> 00:54:09.030 gospel by faith in our own lives. And we have 00:54:09.030 --> 00:54:13.760 to constantly every day, hourly, brothers and 00:54:13.760 --> 00:54:19.079 sisters, look to the once for all sacrifice of 00:54:19.079 --> 00:54:23.960 Jesus Christ. It is the source of hope. It is 00:54:23.960 --> 00:54:27.739 the source of strength. It is the source of joy. 00:54:28.320 --> 00:54:33.460 It is the source of praise and contentment. Looking 00:54:33.460 --> 00:54:38.300 to what He has fully, finally, and completely 00:54:38.300 --> 00:54:44.750 accomplished, by Himself, apart from us.