- Since we have authorization for free access to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the fresh and living way that he opened up for us, through the curtain—that is through his flesh,
- let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings,because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from a burdened conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
- And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy.
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1. Heb 10:1–23 and how it fits into the flow of Hebrews
- Here is how today’s passage fits into the flow of the whole of Hebrews
Structure of Hebrews
✓✓ Jesus! his throne is forever and ever 1:5–14
Pay attention to what you hear, don’t drift away 2:1–4
Brothers & sisters of Jesus, living in his victory 2:5–18
Therefore: fix your thoughts on Jesus 3:1 O.T. warning—don’t follow negative examples 3:2–4:13
Approach God’s throne with confidence—find grace 4:14–16
New High Priest after order of Melchizedek 5–7:28 The point of what we’re saying: New Covenant 8 A New way to God and a New sacrifice 9:1-10-18 Draw near to God with sincere heart, full assurance 10:19–25 O.T. —be inspired by positive examples 10:26–39,11 Therefore: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus 12:1–2 God’s sons and daughters! live in New Covenant 12:3–24 Don’t refuse him who’s speaking and turn away 12:25✓✓ Jesus! The same yesterday, today and forever 13:1–20
- Here is the middle section:
Structure of Hebrews
4:14–10:25
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace 4:14–16 New High Priest after order of Melchizedek 5–7:28 The point of what we’re saying: New Covenant 8 A New way to come in to God’s presence 9+ A New sacrifice that completely cleanses from sin. 10–18
let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith: hearts cleansed and bodies washed 10:19–25Hebrews 10:1–23
- Hebrews 8:
- “For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and I will inscribe them on their hearts…
- “…their evil deeds, and their sins I will never again remember.”
A New way to come in to God’s presence
- 9:1–5 The old representation of the presence of God, behind the curtain in the Tabernacle
- 9:6–10 Only the high priest could enter, and only once/year, with blood
- 9:11–14 This was only a picture of the true presence of God, which Jesus has made a way into—once for all time
A New sacrifice that completely cleanses from sin
- Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship.
- Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers would have been purified once for all and no longer have felt a guilty conscience for sin?
- But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. - Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come—as it is written of me in the scroll of the book—to do your will, O God’”
- When he says above, “Sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin-offerings you did not desire nor did you take pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law),
- then he says, “Here I am: I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first to establish the second.
- In his will we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
- And every priest stands day after day serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again — sacrifices which can never take away sins.
- But this priest, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,
- where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet.
- For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy.
- And the Holy Spirit also bears witnesses to us, for after saying,
- “This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put my laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on their minds,”
- and, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will I will never again remember.”
- Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Conclusion of Central Section
- Therefore, brothers and sisters,since we have authorization for free access to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20by the fresh and living way that he opened up for us, through the curtain—that is through his flesh,
- and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
- let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings,
- because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from a burdened conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
- And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess,
- for the one who made the promise is trustworthy.
AMF
2. The Core Teaching and the problem being addressed
- Conscience: painful toil, a weight that hurts
- The sad story of early Christian error of asceticism
- A Greek religious tradition
- 200 years after Christ, this was making inroads
- 300 years, Roman Emperor Constantine was converted to Christianity
- Persecution stopped—but some had been looking to being persecuted as a work of value they could bring to God
- It corrupted the gospel—God was pleased by extreme self-denial
3. Drinking Deeply this Amazing Truth
- What do you need to do?
- Hold on tightly to this truth
- Hold tightly to Jesus
- Are you already forgiven?
- Martin Luther
- Yes, forgiveness is in the Lord’s prayer, but it is more of a repair of relational damage between us and the Lord.
- We don’t have plead, but can give thanks for forgiveness
