The Better Sacrifice Calls for Faithful Service

Hebrews 10:1-37

Insufficient Sacrifices

• The law was just a shadow, or vague outline, of the good things to come (Hebrews 10:1-4)– Once washed away, there is no need to cleanse man

of sin, yet they kept sacrificing under Moses’ law– Sacrifices were made daily, weekly, monthly and

yearly (Ex. 29:38-46; Num. 28:9-15; Lev. 23)– There was an annual day of atonement on which

sacrifices were offered for the priests and people and a scapegoat bearing the iniquities of the land (Leviticus 16:11-15, 20-22)

– Because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin, remembrance was made in constant sacrifices, reminding man of his sinfulness

Christ, a Fit Servant• Christ, the better sacrifice, came into the world

quoting Psalm 49:6-8 (Hebrews 10:5-7)– Burnt offerings did not fulfill all David’s needs– “Ears hast thou digged out for me” (KJV) suggests

he was a fit servant (Exodus 21:5-6), which required that he have a body to offer as sacrifice

– Thus, “a body You have prepared for Me”– Since God had no pleasure in the burnt offerings and

sacrifices, David spoke “from the very soul of the Antitype” when he said he came to do God’s will

– The “volume of the book” is the Pentateuch

Christ Came to do God’s Will

• God did not want sacrifices instead of obedience, so Jesus came to do his will in sacrificing himself (Hebrews 10:8-10; 1 Samuel 15:22)

• In contrast to the sacrifices of the old law, Christ could fulfill the will of God

• For this cause he did away with the old law and established the new– It is the will of God by which we are sanctified

through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ– This sacrifice completed the job of sanctification

“once for all”

Christ’s Effective Sacrifice• Contrasting offerings (Hebrews 10:11-14)– Multitudes of priests under the old covenant stood

performing sacrificial duties day after day, but did not achieve the desired result

– Christ made his one sacrifice, which accomplished God’s will, and sat down at God’s right hand to await the fulfillment of Psalm 110:1 and the subjection of all his enemies (Matthew 28:18; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

– Through that one offering Jesus was able to perfect all who would come to him and subject their will to his through obedience to his commands, as well as all who lived in subjection to God’s commands

A New Covenant

• With a loose quotation from Jeremiah 31:33-34, the writer shows God intended during days gone by to establish a new covenant (Hebrews 10:15-18)– Under the new covenant, people’s sins would be

fully blotted out– Where such complete forgiveness is obtainable,

there is no need for further sin offerings

Drawing Near to God• Christians should have confidence they will one

day enter heaven (Hebrews 10:19-22)– Not through a lifeless law but a living Christ– Entrance is through the torn veil of Jesus’ flesh

• Christians have a Great Priest (Milligan)– Derived from serving over God’s house, which is

first the church and ultimately heaven

• Draw near to God with a true (sinless) heart– Evil washed from his conscience, heart sprinkled

and washed in Christ’s blood and continually cleansed through walking in the light (Eph. 5:26; Tit. 3:5; Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 1:2; 1 John 1:7)

Holding Fast the Confession of Hope

• Heaven is the sincere hope of every Christian (Hebrews 10:23-24)– The writer urged his readers toward faith in the one

who promised such a home– He urged them to hold fast to Christ and his

teachings since he is the object of the Christians’ confession of faith

• Christian brothers and sisters should think about one another with the goal of finding ways to encourage each other to love and good works– Love will bring one to do good works (John 14:15)

Worship: A Means of Encouragement

• Worship can encourage by fulfilling the purpose of edification (Hebrews 10:25; 1 Corinthians 14:26)– It should not be deserted, but attended, because it is

an ideal time to encourage people on heaven’s road– This is especially important as they could see the

coming “day,” which the writer obviously saw as imminent and warned his readers of such

– It seems likely it was the destruction of Jerusalem– Today, we must be constantly aware of the coming

day of judgment, though we do not know when it will occur (Matthew 25:13)

Pushing Away Christ’s Sacrifice

• Willful sins, like forsaking the assembling, push away the sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:26-31)

• People openly rebelled against Moses’ law were unable to receive forgiveness (Deut. 17:2-7)– Since we have a covenant that is much better, the

punishment must be much worse (Luke 12:47-48)

• It would be terrible to be a condemned sinner– Knowing God assures us he will keep his promises– God will reward based on deeds done in the body– He will judge all, even his own (Deut. 32:35-36)

Their Joyful Endurance• They joyfully endured suffering because they

knew the heavenly reward awaiting them (Hebrews 10:32-36; Matthew 6:19-21)– Endured days of persecution because they turned

from being children of darkness to children of light– Became the object of public insults and reproaches– Endured affliction and befriended those suffering

such trials– Endured losses suffered for being a Christian– So, the writer did not want them to be afraid and

cast away their only hope, but patiently enduring times of trial, continue in God’s will and receive the promise of eternal life (Galatians 6:9)

Keep Believing Until Salvation

• God promised an imminent end to suffering (Hebrews 10:37-39)– Quoted Isaiah 26:20; Habakkuk 2:3-4– Might refer to Christ’s providential coming in

judgment against Jerusalem when the whole congregation left the city and escaped harm

• The writer said he and his readers were not of the group that would draw back from faith– Rather, they were strong in faith that saves the soul– They would keep believing until salvation “to the

uttermost” had been received (Hebrews 7:25)