Sermon #46
Hebrews Notes
Title: “A New and Living Way”
Text: Hebrews 10:11-25
Subject: The Foundation and Exercise of Grace
Date: Tuesday Evening –
Tape #
Introduction:
The title of my message tonight is “A New and Living Way.” Our text will be Hebrews
10:11-25. Everything relating to this gospel age, everything relating to the
worship of God in this age, everything relating to the believer’s life in
Christ in this gospel age is described as “new” and “living.”
·
We are partakers of a new covenant.
·
We come into the
·
We are new creatures in Christ.
·
We have been given a new name.
·
We live under the rule of a new commandment.
·
We are citizens of the New Jerusalem.
·
We sing a new song.
·
We look for a new heavens and a new earth.
As all things in Christ are new, so, too, all things in the
·
Our hope in Christ is a living hope.
·
We drink from the fountain of Living Water.
·
We eat that Living Bread which came down from heaven.
·
We are built upon Christ as living stones upon the Living Stone, the
Living Foundation.
In other words, everything relating to the knowledge, worship,
and service of God is spiritual, not carnal.
John 4:23-24
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father
seeketh such to worship him. ---[24]--- God is
a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and
in truth."
Romans
Philippians 3:3
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in
the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Proposition: True worship is a matter
of the heart, altogether spiritual. -- We worship God by faith in Christ, upon
the grounds of justice satisfied. – Hebrews 10:11-25 describes both the
foundation and the exercise of grace.
Hebrews 10:11-25 "And every
priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices,
which can never take away sins: ---[12]--- But this man, after he had
offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
---[13]--- From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. ---[14]--- For by one offering he
hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. ---[15]---
Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said
before, ---[16]--- This is the covenant that I will make with
them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts,
and in their minds will I write them; ---[17]--- And their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more. ---[18]--- Now
where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
---[19]--- Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Jesus, ---[20]--- By a new and living way, which he hath
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ---[21]--- And
having an high priest over the house of God; ---[22]--- Let us
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ---[23]--- Let us hold fast the profession of our faith
without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) ---[24]--- And
let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
---[25]--- Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the
manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the
more, as ye see the day approaching."
Divisions: These verses describe four
things, to which I will direct your attention.
1. The Accomplishment of
Redemption by Christ (vv. 11-14)
2. The Remission of Sins by the
Grace of God (vv. 15-18)
3. The Blessedness of
Reconciliation in Christ (vv. 19-21)
4. The Responsibilities We have
in this World (vv. 22-25)
I. First, in verses 11-14, the Holy
Spirit assures us of the
accomplishment of redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 11 -- "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.”
This refers not to the great
high priest in
Verse 12 – “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins
for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”
We are told three things in
this 12th verse, which are absolutely essential.
1. The Son of God became a man (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Matt.
1:21-23).
Isaiah
Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace."
Matthew 1:21-23
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call
his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. ---[22]--- Now
all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by
the prophet, saying, ---[23]--- Behold, a virgin shall be with child,
and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us."
2. This almighty God-Man
offered one sacrifice for sins forever.
3. Then he sat down in heaven.
Because his
work was done, his sacrifices was accepted, his people
were sanctified, and our sins were pardoned, he sat down. He could not have
gone to the Father as our Mediator, had he not put away our sins (John
John 16:8-11
"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of
sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ---[9]--- Of sin, because
they believe not on me; ---[10]--- Of righteousness, because I go to my
Father, and ye see me no more; ---[11]--- Of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged."
All this is written to show us the excellence and
superiority of Christ as our great High Priest.
·
Those priests in
·
They offered many sacrifices. -- He offered only one!
·
They stood. -- He sat down!
·
Their sacrifices were only types. -- His was effectual!
Verse 13 –“From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.”
Blessed be God, all the
enemies of Christ and his people shall be subdued to him and put under his feet!
Psalms 110:1
"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right
hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
Isaiah 45:20-25
"Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye
that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the
wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. ---[21]--- Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let
them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and
there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none
beside me. ---[22]--- Look unto me, and be ye
saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none
else. ---[23]--- I have sworn by myself, the
word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return,
That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. ---[24]--- Surely, shall one say, in the LORD
have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come;
and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. ---[25]---
In the LORD shall all the seed of
1 Corinthians 15:24-28 "Then cometh
the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the
Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. ---[25]--- For he must reign, till he hath put all
enemies under his feet. ---[26]--- The last
enemy that shall be destroyed is death. ---[27]---
For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are
put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted,
which did put all things under him. ---[28]--- And when all things shall
be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that
put all things under him, that God may be all in all."
Let us both
admire and imitate our Savior’s patience. The God of Peace shall bruise Satan
under our feet shortly (Rom.
Verse 14 -- “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified."
This is why he sat down. This is why he expects his enemies to
be destroyed. This is why he is at the right hand of God. Our Savior has fully
and forever, perfectly and permanently, accomplished what he came her to do. He
has completely cleansed, perfected and made holy all who
were given him by the Father, his sanctified ones, the chosen.
To be sanctified is to be set apart by the Father in electing
love (Jude 1), to be declared holy by the Son in justification (1 Cor. 1:2),
and to be made holy by God the Holy Spirit in the new birth (2 Thess. 2:13).
II. Second, in verses 15-18, the Spirit
of God describes the remission of
our sins by covenant grace.
Hebrews 10:15-18
"Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for
after that he had said before, ---[16]--- This is the covenant
that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws
into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; ---[17]--- And
their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. ---[18]---
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for
sin."
These verses are quoted from Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God
described the covenant of grace and promised its fulfillment in Christ. There
are many other things spoken of and promised in the covenant. But here just
three things are mentioned. Did I say, just three things? These three
things are indescribably great. Eternity will be spent learning the meaning of
these three boons of God’s amazing grace. Let me just mention them hear. You take
them home and roll them around in your heart and soul until you are utterly
amazed by the fact that God has done these three things for you.
A. Regeneration – The God of all grace has
put his laws, his Gospel, his Word into our hearts.
He has written his law in our hearts with the finger of his
grace, causing us to love him, his will, his way, and his Word. His
commandments are no longer grievous to us.
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God,
that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."
B. Forgiveness – The God of Glory says,
concerning you and me, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”
Psalms 130 "Out of the depths have I
cried unto thee, O LORD. ---[2]--- Lord, hear
my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. ---[3]--- If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O
Lord, who shall stand? ---[4]--- But there
is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. ---[5]--- I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in
his word do I hope. ---[6]--- My soul waiteth
for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than
they that watch for the morning. ---[7]--- Let
Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is
plenteous redemption. ---[8]--- And he
shall redeem
Oh, my brother, my sister, rejoice in this – There is
forgiveness with our God!
·
His name declares it.
·
His glory demands it.
·
His Son came to obtain it.
·
All the prophets and apostles proclaim it.
·
Multitudes have experienced it.
·
He sent me to preach it.
Psalms 32:1-5
"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered. ---[2]--- Blessed
is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit
there is no guile. ---[3]--- When I kept
silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. ---[4]--- For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me:
my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. ---[5]---
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said,
I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity
of my sin. Selah."
Psalms 103:1-5 “Bless the LORD, O my soul:
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
---[2]--- Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
---[3]--- Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
---[4]--- Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with
lovingkindness and tender mercies; ---[5]--- Who satisfieth thy mouth
with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."
C. Satisfaction
– “Where remission of these is,
there is no more offering for sin."
Justice satisfied demands no more. The blood of Christ is
enough! God requires no more offering for sin. My conscience requires no more
offering for sin. There is no more offering for sin. Why? Because Christ has
put away our sins!
“Where there is absolute remission,
forgiveness and cancellation of penalty, there is no longer any offering or
sacrifice to be made. If we are in Christ and redeemed by Christ, it is
dishonoring to our Savior not to rest in his grace and his atonement (
'Tis done, the great
transaction's done,
I am my Lord's and he is
mine.
III. Third, verses 19-21 describe the blessedness of reconciliation in Christ.
We are all by nature enemies to God. Our hearts, by nature, are
enmity against God. But God has reconciled us to himself in Christ. And in the
new birth, he brings us into the blessedness of that reconciliation.
Reconciliation is what Gospel preachers proclaim. –
Reconciliation accomplished! And we seek to persuade rebel sinners to be
reconciled to God. Now, all who come to God by Christ, finding peace with God
in his dear Son, enjoy this blessedness!
Hebrews 10:19-21 "Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
---[20]--- By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for
us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ---[21]--- And having
an high priest over the house of God."
In Christ every believing sinner has full freedom and confidence
to enter the very presence of God in the name of Christ, by the power and
virtue of his blood (Heb.
Hebrews 4:14-16 "Seeing then that we have
a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold fast our profession. ---[15]--- For
we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin. ---[16]--- Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need."
When our Savior died at Calvary the veil in the temple was rent
in two, and the ceremonies and sacrifices were all fulfilled and forever ended
by Christ's effectual sacrifice in the flesh (Gal. 5:1).
Christ is our eternal, great High Priest, who rules and reigns
by virtue of his atonement and who is accepted and has absolute authority! And
we are forever, immutably accepted in him!
IV.Fourth, verses 22-25 describe the responsibilities we have in this world.
With great privileges come great responsibilities. Here are some
of the responsibilities you and I have as believers in this world. They are responsibilities
which relate to ourselves, to our God, and to one
another.
Hebrews 10:22-25
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies
washed with pure water. ---[23]--- Let us hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful
that promised;) ---[24]--- And let us consider one another to provoke
unto love and to good works: ---[25]--- Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one
another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
A.
Let us draw near to God (v. 22).
Let us come to our God in prayer and praise with honest, open
and sincere hearts. He will receive us, for our hearts have been sprinkled with
the blood of Christ and our bodies have been washed or purified by his Spirit.
1. A True Heart –
A true heart, wrote old John Trapp, is “a heart truly and
entirely given up to God, delighting to do his will, desirous rather that God’s
will be done than our own, that he may be glorified though we be not gratified,
acknowledging the kingdom, power, and glory to be his alone.”
2. Full Assurance of Faith – Being confident of
acceptance with God because of Christ’s finished work.
3. Having our Hearts Sprinkled
from an Evil Conscience – Having the witness of the blood of Christ in
our hearts!
4. Our Bodies Washed with Pure
Water –
Being Born Again by the Spirit of God.
B.
Let us continue in the faith of the gospel, because God is faithful (v. 23).
Whatever the trial, the fear, the doubt, or the trouble, let us
believe God. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1
Thess.
C. Let us consider one another (v.24).
Oh, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us ever consider and
be considerate of one another, both as frail, fickle, sinful men and women, and
as brothers and sisters in Christ, companions in the grace of God, companions
in tribulation, and companions in this hostile world. If we make it our
business in life to love one another and care for one another, we will have
less time to complain of being neglected. If we will each consider
one another, that will help to kindle and rekindle love and grace in others.
D. Let us never forsake the assembly
of God’s saints in the worship of our God (v. 25).
It is the blessed duty and great privilege of believers to meet
together for worship, praise and fellowship. We ought never
take this for granted.
1. Our great God has appointed
it, approves of it, is glorified in it and deserves to be worshipped.
2. We need to be edified,
instructed, refreshed and comforted.
3. Others need to be convinced,
converted and brought to a knowledge of Christ. –
There are yet some sheep who must be called.
4. This is the place where our
Lord has promised to meet with his people.
Matthew
Psalms 122 "I was glad when they
said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. ---[2]---
Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. ---[3]---
Psalms 133 "Behold, how good and how
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! ---[2]--- It
is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even
Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; ---[3]--- As
the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of
Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for
evermore."