- Call to Worship – Psalm 95:1-6
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
- Hymn # 403 Not What my Hands Have Done
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
God's Will for our Lives – Hebrews 13:1-17
Hymn # 432 Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners
Scripture: Hebrews 10:1-18
For since the law 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? 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. 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.
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.’”
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. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
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, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
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.
Sermon: Once for All
Sermon Notes:
Christians were being treated very badly because of their faith. So they looked at the Jewish faith and thought....they are protected why don't we be Jewish? Therefore this letter is written to explain why this is not a good idea
.
Today's reading is focused on why sacrifices are no longer acceptable.
The law in terms of sacrifices is what is addressed today.
This old law was a shadow... Something that pointed or outlined something that was to come.
Yearly and daily sacrifices can really take away sin. If they did people would have stopped sinning.
These sacrifices showed
1. Sin needed to be atoned for
2. Sin needed to be forgiven
By sacrifices can't get rid of sin. No animal can face the weight of sins.
But what does this have to do with us today who does not deal with animal sacrifices?
But we often think we need to make up for our sins. It is so easy for us to want to sacrifice something to God for the things we do wrong. We want to make it right. But this doesn't work. We cannot pay for our own sins. Nothing is good enough.
God desired sacrifices. They did not cause or give forgiveness. They merely reminded people of their sins and their need for God. Repentance of the people demanded sacrifice as that was what God said to do. Repentance and action led to forgiveness.
So when Christ died God wiped away the shadow. God point was given. The reality was now here.
Jesus died once.
That sacrifice covered all sin from the beginning to the end.
The shadow was wiped away.
Once for all.
It was all completed.
Done once.
Forgiveness granted.
Once for all.
In nothing I can do or offer can do this. All my actions can do is remind my of my misdeeds.
It all rests in the actions of Christ.
We need to rest in him.
- Hymn # 270 The Church's One Foundation
- Hymn # 316 Saviour, Again to Thy Dear Name we Raise
- Hymn # 7 Now Blessed Be the Lord our God