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THE
PROSPECT OF A BETTER SACRIFICE Introduction:
When Jesus died upon the cross, the Bible records that He spoke
three significant words, It is finished. They tell us that through
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God has removed everything about us that He
could not stand in His Holy presence. That is why the writer of Hebrews
can say that Believers are (v.14) perfected forever. Our position
before God cannot be improved upon. If we are going to grow in grace and
become fruitful in our Christian walk, our faith must be anchored in the
finished work of our position in Christ. Our position is perfect,
eternally established because of our dependence upon the work Christ has
done. Our condition, what we observe in our daily walk, may vary as
we grow and mature, but our position remains constant – perfected
forever. From the moment of our new birth, this fact has been true.
This is why God can write His law upon our hearts and erase the record of
our failures. This is why we have boldness to enter the holiest. Through
the offering of Jesus Christ once for all, we have been perfected
forever. I. THE EVIDENCE OF
THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM
(VV.1-4) A.
They Had To Be Repeated. The Old
Testament sacrifices were merely a shadow, an image of the real
thing. The fact that they had to be repeated every year shows that they
were only temporary, and therefore of limited value. B.
They Brought A Remembrance Of Sin, But No Remedy
For Sin. The Old
Testament sacrifices only served to remind the people that they were
sinners in need of a Savior. Their sins were not removed, and consequently
still carried a sense of guilt and condemnation before God. II. THE EVIDENCE OF SCRIPTURE
(VV.5-10) A.
What The Bible Records (vv.5-7) (quoted from Psalm 40:6-8) (Psa
40:6-8) "Sacrifice and offering
thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin
offering hast thou not required. {7} Then said I, Lo, I come: in the
volume of the book it is written of me, {8} I delight to do thy will, O my
God: yea, thy law is within my heart." ·
God’s attitude towards animal sacrifices
– He took no delight in them as a mere ritual separated from a
meaningful relationship between Him and the worshipper who offered it. ·
Christ’s attitude of submission
– He came to do the Father’s will, although it meant death. B.
What The Bible Reveals (vv.8-10) ·
The Old Testament sacrifices have been superceded
by Christ’s sacrifice on They are
no longer necessary or valid. ·
Believers are now sanctified
– given a perfect standing before God Conclusion:
Because of Christ’s one offering for sin the barrier that kept us
apart from God has been removed.
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