[0:00] Can you change that a little? I must have different shoes on. I've asked Stephen if he would bring up verse 1 of that again and verse 4 of that again.
[0:14] and I'd like us all to read the verses together before I read from Hebrews chapter 10. I want you to notice there's a word used in the last verse and the fourth verse.
[0:28] There will be the second one up there. Merits. But it's referring to his merits, not ours. So Stephen, if you could bring up, is this the first one?
[0:43] I chose this hymn for the very reason the language, the poetry is beautiful in this song. They despise Jesus.
[0:54] And at the end, glory. All that for you and me, he went through. Shameful, disgraceful.
[1:09] Treated like he was nothing. But he became nothing that we might become his. Let's read it together.
[1:23] The first verse and it will be the last verse. If you go to the hymn book, it's slightly different. So I would advise you stay away from the Mission Praise hymn book. I was checking it myself. Let's start.
[1:35] One, two, three, four. Hail thou once despised Jesus. Hail thou Galilean King. Thou didst suffer two releases.
[1:48] Thou didst free salvation bring. Hail thou agonizing Saviour. Bearer of our sin and shame. By thy merits we find favour.
[2:02] Life is given through thy name. Worship, honour, power and blessing. Thou art worthy to receive.
[2:15] Loudest praises without ceasing. Right it is for us to give. Come, O mighty Holy Spirit. As our hearts and hands we raise.
[2:29] Help us sing our Saviour's merits. Help us sing Emmanuel's praise. Let me bring you to, if you could lift one of the Bibles under your, you need your Bible because I'm going to take you through this chapter to some degree verse by verse for some verses.
[2:55] You will really need your Bible maybe to be able to follow me. But there are Bibles under the, in the pews there. Hebrews chapter 10.
[3:12] I'm reading from the NIV. This is God's work to us this morning. The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the realities themselves.
[3:31] For this reason, it can never by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly, year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
[3:46] Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshippers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.
[4:02] But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
[4:15] Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said, sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.
[4:33] With burnt offerings and sin offerings, you were not pleased. Then I said, here I am. It is written about me in the scroll.
[4:46] I have come to do your will, my God. First, he said, sacrifice and offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings, you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them.
[5:04] Though they were offered in accordance with the law, then he said, here I am. I have come to do your will. He sets aside the first to establish the second.
[5:20] And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
[5:32] Hallelujah. Day after day, every priest stands and performs his religious duties. Again and again, he offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.
[5:49] But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
[6:03] And since that time, he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice, he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.
[6:24] The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. first, he says, this is the covenant I will make with them.
[6:36] After that time, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their hearts and I will write them on their minds. So they won't be on a piece of stone.
[6:49] They will be inside. I just make that comment. Then he adds, their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.
[7:03] And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sins is no longer necessary.
[7:15] Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way open for us through the curtain, that is his body, since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart, with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience, having our bodies washed with pure water, hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
[8:00] Sorry, Stephen, I should have said up to verse 22. I found it difficult to stop. Was it my... Friends, you probably all have someone you're very indebted to.
[8:17] Every one of us here, we may have people in our lives we want to forget, but that's life on earth. But what about people you are indebted to?
[8:29] You feel so beholding to them. I can think of people in my life, at the beginning of my Christian life as an adult, I remember I was so beholden to those fine Christians Christians, who showed me true fellowship in the Lord, who helped me to root down in the Bible, root down in Scripture, talk to the Lord.
[8:52] They were, still to this day, most of them are now with the Lord. God. Is there anyone in your life you think, oh, I'm so beholden to him, or to her, in the family, among friends, in the fellowships, I don't know what I'd have done without them.
[9:22] That's what I want to say to you this morning about Jesus. are you indebted? Are you beholding? Beholding to someone is not saying, looking and saying, hello, good morning.
[9:35] Beholding is seeing and admiring and being remarkably stunned by what you see. You are impressed deep down.
[9:50] Not just by what you see, please don't judge people by appearances. Jesus warned us about that. We look to the things we cannot see. These are the eternal things.
[10:02] The things we see are transient and disappearing. Everything and everybody changes. But in the spiritual realm, who should we most be beholding to?
[10:16] I hope it's not me. Because I'll let you down. because I'm just like you and you're just like me.
[10:28] We're walking with the Lord in a world of total sinful shamelessness at the moment. But let me take you to a text.
[10:41] I'm going to share with you seven proofs, seven proofs, of how his sacrifice was perfect. You all know about the sacrificial system under the Mosaic law, under the old covenant.
[11:00] And there were the Levitical priests and every single day they offered sacrifices of all types. Sin offerings, burnt offerings, fellowship offerings, for endless years, even up to Jesus.
[11:15] It was 1500 years since Moses. And every day, while the tabernacle existed, then in the temple, when the temple existed, what was all that for?
[11:36] Because God is holy. That's why. God is light, says John, and in him is no darkness at all.
[11:49] Now that's revealed in the fullness of the New Testament because the true light that enlightens every man, John says in his gospel, had come. But a way back then, that had not been revealed.
[12:02] The Bible is progressive revelation. And it climaxes in Jesus, the prophesied one. And all those millions of sacrifices, not one of them, not a thousand of them, not a million of them could take away one sin from the soul of these people.
[12:23] Not one. One. One. They were to bring humility. They were to bring reverence for God who is holy.
[12:37] They were to teach humility. They were to bring loving obedience and their dependence upon him. And as you know, sadly, from the history of God's people, they have struggled, struggled, struggled into exile for 70 years in the days of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, sloied by the Romans.
[12:58] And that brings me to our text. Because the book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians during the days of the Roman Empire in the first century. Many, many, many, many, many, many, many Jews were taken as slaves.
[13:14] The temple was destroyed. But there's still the apple of God's eye. He will keep his promise to them because the Savior came from Israel.
[13:32] Why did he come? He came to die for me to murder. I'm not worthy of his death, his death, his dedication.
[13:50] until I saw him as my Savior, I realized by God's Holy Spirit I was lost.
[14:07] Until then, I thought I was wonderful. Let me take you to the text. We're going to look at verse 10 to 19.
[14:20] the first proof in this chapter of the perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ sacrifice is in verse 12. But we'll look at 10, 11, and 12 together.
[14:37] I'll read from verse 10. And by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
[14:49] That's the first proof. There's no need for repetition. The Lord Jesus Christ isn't sitting at the right hand of God, waiting on God saying, right, you'll need to go and be crucified again.
[15:05] My people are not very, you're going to have to, no, it's never going to be repeated. One sacrifice for all, never to be repeated.
[15:15] in complete contrast to the millions of sacrifices offered every day since the days of Moses in the tabernacle and then the temple.
[15:32] And even today I believe who know better than I, even in Israel the Orthodox and unorthodox Jewish people are still trying to offer to God in the same kind of way.
[15:45] God helped them. God revealed to them that the Savior has done it all, once and for all. He's not sitting at the right hand of God saying, do you want me to go back and be the Lamb of God again?
[16:02] No, no, no, no. John said, behold the Lamb of God who bears away the sins of the world. The Hebrew writer tells us once and once only.
[16:15] that should be to any of us here who think we have merits over against his merits to bring them to God to help us to Christ.
[16:27] You're wrong. Christ's merits are inexhaustible. He came here to earth with the nature of God.
[16:39] Then he took the nature of man. man. He had two natures. That's why the grave could not hold him. That's why his sacrifice was sinless.
[16:55] The suffering servant voluntarily lays his life down. But he has the nature of God, not just the nature of man.
[17:07] The nature of man has an end in itself. The father and I are one. No one knows the father but the son. No one knows the son but the father.
[17:19] And those to whom the son chooses to reveal him, come to me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. I will give you rest.
[17:33] And there is the rest. He sacrificed himself for the sins of the entire world. And the door is open for any and any nation and any generation to come to him.
[17:47] Your generation, my generation, the younger people's generation, once and for all. That's the first proof. He's never going to be sacrificed again.
[17:58] Once is sufficient because of who he is. verse 11, day after day, every priest stands and performs his religious duties.
[18:18] And again and again, he offers the same sacrifice, which can never take away sins. But when this priest has offered for all times his sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
[18:36] There were no chairs in the tabernacle. Read the book of Leviticus. The book of Leviticus is the Old Testament equivalent. I once preached through the book of Leviticus for nine months when I was in Springburn Baptist.
[18:52] It blew me away, the depths, the richness of what God gave them. How sin is so close to us, but there was no chair.
[19:06] A priest could not sit down. Day or night, there was no seat. They were standing constantly, preparing to sacrifice, then sacrificing.
[19:23] And of course, on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, they entered once through the veil. And remember, when the Saviour died, Father, to your hands I commit my spirit.
[19:38] He said, it is finished. The veil in the temple from top to bottom opened, by God, no less. To vindicate the one crucified between the two thieves.
[19:55] The way is open. So when he goes to God, he sits down. He's not waiting to die again. He's waiting for the Father to say, now go back, my son.
[20:09] It's time. And he will return when the Father says return. The one sacrifice, the sitting down, never been known in the tabernacle or the temple over a thousand and more years.
[20:29] Never been known. Now he's sitting in the real holy of holies. Because the tabernacle and the temple were only, as it were, earthen images of that, showing the process to get to God costs a life.
[20:45] Blood shed makes atonement because he's holy. God will not compromise his holiness.
[20:57] Not for anyone. He has no favorites. He's totally impartial. So the Lord dies for the sins of the whole world. For the same reason that it says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
[21:16] All the sins of the world are thought of as Christ's eyes. It is finished. There it is.
[21:28] One word in Greek, it is finished. There it is. And these Jewish Christians in the first century were having such a time.
[21:39] They want to go back to Moses, go back to the way of the law. This being a Jewish Christian is far too hard. We've been asked to honor Caesar. We're not going to honor Caesar. But if we don't honor Caesar, we're going to be killed.
[21:51] We're going to be put in the lion's den or into the arena. Yeah, but you're going to be lost. Your Savior has already died for you.
[22:06] behold him. That's what the book of Hebrews is about. Calling them to behold him only.
[22:17] No one else. Behold him only. No one else died for you. No one else can save you. No one else was sent by God to save you.
[22:30] Prophets were sent. Priests were sent. Kings were sent. But not to die for you. Because they're all sinners. The same as you.
[22:42] Jew or Gentile. One sacrifice. Sitting down victoriously at the right hand of God.
[22:58] God. In verse 12 it tells us the third proof is that he's on the right hand of God. Why is that?
[23:15] Because God is satisfied with what he did. when Christ died for the sins of the world God's holiness was appeased.
[23:28] God was pacified. None of the millions of sacrifices could satisfy God. They were there to teach his people that you shall be holy as I am holy.
[23:44] But it would only happen when God so loving the world gave his only begotten son and whoever believes in him and what he did and who he is will have eternal life.
[24:02] That third proof tells us God is satisfied. He sat down at the right hand of God. No one else would be allowed to do that but the one he sent to do it and bring him back gloriously victoriously wonderfully sitting at his right hand.
[24:23] It is finished he said on the cross. Now he intercedes for us as our great high priest.
[24:38] The perfection of Christ's sacrifice should make us so beholden to him friend. If you are a Christian and you have received Christ you may have been a child you may have been an adult like me but the moment you received Christ you received rest from guilt and sin.
[25:00] we have peace with God what more can we ask if we're not rested when we have peace with God when will we ever be rested are you his are you his coming to church is not the same thing as coming to Christ come to me he has just demonstrated in the passage in Matthew 10 and 11 that he is condemning all the unrepentant cities in Israel and then he says come to me don't do what they do don't burden yourself with trying to do what a sinner cannot do you cannot keep my law my law makes you conscious of your sin now come to me and
[26:13] I will make you conscious of my grace and you can rest one sacrifice sat down at the right hand of God where no priest ever did is in God's right hand because God is satisfied with what his son has done number four he is expecting till his enemies be made a footstool for his feet he's not expecting to be asked to go back again when I was in the Cairo museum the one visit I've made to Israel we began in Egypt and moved north through the Gaza strip I always remember the statue of Tutankhamun that size black beautiful wood beautifully made and everything else the young king who died so young underneath his feet on his footstool are images of his enemies images of his enemies he's sitting underneath his feet images of his enemies it's an eastern image he's at
[27:40] God's right hand he's waiting for the day the father says now go show your authority now it's judgment day it's full redemption time for your people Jew and Gentile alike now your enemies will be made a footstool for your feet that's the fourth proof of Christ's once and only necessary sacrifice truth God is about to bless him with the whole world against him or for him realizing as he told the disciples all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me not to Pharaoh not to Rome number five if you look at your bible there you'll see in verse 14 this is a very important verse in the application of this book to these people struggling to live faithfully under the threat of death as
[28:54] Jewish Christians in the first century under the Roman Empire in verse 14 for by one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy now who are those who are those who are being made holy by one sacrifice it is those who receive him as their savior justification by grace through faith is when God gives us his righteousness and we are declared to be righteous even when we're not but through faith we enter into this new relationship and the Holy Spirit enters and begins to change me Bill Murdoch into his likeness for the rest of my life but that one sacrifice is what determines it
[30:06] I am trusting to that one sacrifice him for me for by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy do you know what it says in the book of Hebrews chapter 13 verse 1 without holiness no one will see the Lord you'll not be allowed to enter heaven because that gate is made of light without holiness no one will see the Lord and he's making these dear friends these Jewish Christian people he's making them aware they need to get serious and behold Jesus only behold him only he is the one who died for you
[31:08] God accepted his sacrifice the millions of sacrifices of your ancestors they never were intended to forgive your sins they were intended to humble you and make you reverence him and make you obedient but we all know you haven't all been oh there were godly people throughout every generation but many times the vast amount were not among the twelve tribes even down in Judah in Benjamin in the south are you beholding to him if you're a Christian are you beholding to him it has to be him only no one else can take his place I am the way the truth and the life and nobody comes to the father the holy father but through me how seriously do you take your walk with god
[32:23] Andrew Burgess in his comments on John 17 he has them in two volumes wonderful book wonderful writing it took me two and a half years to read them it was so deep he said there are many believers who don't behold him they withhold from him we're a sneaky bunch we can be hypocritical we can say one thing and do another we have a private life that nobody else knows but he does and he's the one that died for you does he know you behold him him only this is why the writer the author of the book of
[33:26] Hebrews whoever they were is wanting these Jewish friends and fellowship and brothers and sisters to grasp the significance of who this person is that died for them listen to the first verses of the book of Hebrews verse 1 1 listen to this this is what it's all about in the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways but in these last days he's spoken to us by his son the last days began 2000 years ago whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom also he made the universe the sun is the radiance of God's glory and the exact reprensation of his being sustaining all things by his powerful word after he had made here's a reference to the sacrifice after he had made purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of
[34:35] God of the majesty in heaven so he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs that's what the whole of the book of Hebrews is expounding are we beholding to him friends back to verse 15 in chapter 10 and verse 19 verse 15 the Holy Spirit also testifies and he cites Jeremiah where the prophecy of the new covenant communion celebration is given to Israel one day you won't have to keep my laws and you won't have to try and do by sacrifice what I want it will be in your hearts and in your minds because Pentecost came in Jerusalem and the prophecy of Pentecost was fulfilled in Jesus name the Holy
[35:43] Spirit testifies there it's there 15 down to 19 and friends we now have we now have you and I if you're a Christian you now have the boldness to enter the presence of almighty God and not be chucked out when you're a believer you are God's child he's your holy father you are now made holy by the Holy Spirit in you you can come to him night and day whether you're ten or whether you're a hundred and ten you have that relationship established through that one sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ that's why he said I am the way come I am the truth see understand I am the life you're now
[36:46] God's child come come come come how are you beholding him seriously beholding him Christ only there is no other saviour thank God for his mercy and grace it struck me when I was just just leaving the house last night for something how Mary Magdalene delivered from seven demons was the first at the tomb I thought Mary no not Mary his mother Mary
[37:47] Magdalene why was she there so quickly she was so appreciative of what he did for her you go tell the disciples I'm alive imagine the disciples why did they not tell us that's absolutely typical humanity we're his disciples Peter James and John we were up the mountain we did no Mary wanted to fix her eyes on Jesus and she was the first there because she was so beholden to him for what she did what he did for her we should be the same and that's the counsel of the book of Hebrews fix your eyes on Jesus that's what Mary wanted that tells the Lord we behold him worthily may
[38:50] God bless you if you're a believer if you're considering being a believer realize no one else can be your mediator between God and you only him may God bless you as you seek him let's take a moment for prayer thank you father for the lovely hymns we've sung behold your God thank you for the group that lead us each Sunday thank you for their gifts and their talents thank you for the spirit in which we bring your worship but I thank you above all for their the beloved your beloved son help us to do what you told Peter James and John to do on the
[39:51] Mount of Transfiguration as you set Elijah and Moses aside you said to them listen to him help us to do that we would behold you more and more appreciate what he's done for us in Jesus name Amen