Our text for this morning is Hebrews chapter 9 verses 1 through 14.
Before I lead us in reading it, I want to remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.
It was written for His glory and our good.
We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
Hebrews chapter 9 verse 1 and following.
Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.
For a tent was prepared, the first section in which were the lampstands and the table and the bread of presence.
It is called the holy place.
Behind the second curtain was a second section called the most holy place,
having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold,
in which was a golden urn holding the manna and Aaron's staff that budded and the tablets of the covenant.
Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.
Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section,
performing their ritual duties.
But into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood,
which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened
as long as the first section is still standing, which is symbolic for the present age.
According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come,
then through the greater and more perfect tent, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation,
He entered once for all into the holy places,
not by means of the blood of goats and of calves, but by means of His own blood,
thus securing an eternal redemption.
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer
sanctify for the purification of the flesh,
how much more will the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God,
purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
This morning's text is all about the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.
This doctrine, though rarely mentioned in these terms,
is considered weekly in our gatherings,
and I hope that it's treasured and pondered by each of you daily.
It is the very core of the Christian faith.
We have no justification, no redemption, no adoption,
no sanctification, no future glorification
without the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.
Penal substitutionary atonement is the doctrine that states
that when Jesus died on the cross,
He took the wrath of God,
the penalty, penal of God,
due our sin,
was ours to bear because of our sin,
thus the substitutionary,
He died in our place,
and in so doing,
He appeased the wrath of God for our sin.
The atonement.
Penal substitutionary atonement.
This is central truth.
Everything else Christians believe
falls apart without it.
And you remember,
if you've been with us,
that this little church,
this little Hebrew church,
had been suffering for a belief in this Christ.
They had been tempted to go back to Judaism.
Back to the Aaronic priesthood
and all that it included.
All of its rites and rituals.
They were tempted to think,
isn't that an acceptable worship of God?
Isn't it sufficient for us?
And the author of Hebrews
is altogether and in many ways saying,
no, absolutely not.
And here he brings it kind of to a head,
as he says.
This central theme.
As he states this reality
that Christ died in our stead.
I suppose this is why Paul states
in 1 Corinthians 2,
the first two verses.
He says,
And when I came to you, brothers,
did not come proclaiming to you
the testimony of God
with lofty speech or wisdom.
For I decided to know nothing among you
except Jesus Christ
and Him crucified.
Now,
at a first reading of 1 Corinthians 2,
verses 1 and 2,
you'd think,
Paul, you didn't teach them anything else?
Doesn't the resurrection
have great bearing on their faith?
Absolutely, it does.
I believe what Paul is trying to say
is that I came and I taught you
the central doctrine
and the things that flow out of it.
But simply,
the central doctrine.
Penal substitutionary atonement.
Christ died in our place.
Charles Spurgeon once said,
and this quotation is on your bulletin,
I believe that if I should preach to you
the atonement of our Lord Jesus
and nothing else,
twice every Sabbath day,
my ministry would not be unprofitable.
And he went on to say,
perhaps it might be more profitable
than it is.
Central doctrine.
The death of Christ
on our behalf.
And so I want to consider that a bit this morning
as we look at these first 14 verses.
But to get there,
to consider the adequacy
of what Christ accomplished on the cross,
we need to first consider
the inadequacy of the Old Covenant.
We've talked about this a bit
over the past weeks.
Keep in mind that this was a letter written
and it would have been read all together,
all at one time.
And we've broken it up into very small,
digestible pieces.
I hope that the theme
of the inadequacy of the Old Covenant
is not growing tired to you
because it's helping us to understand
in greater measure,
greater clarity,
the adequacy of the New Covenant.
And so that's our simple outline
this morning for the text.
Number one,
the inadequacy of the Old Covenant.
And number two,
the adequacy of the New Covenant.
But before we get into these two points,
I think we need to talk a little bit
about the tabernacle
and tabernacle worship.
The last part of verse 5,
the author of Hebrews says,
of these things,
we cannot now speak in detail.
Why not?
He had somewhere he was going
with this letter.
He's bringing them along to a point
and they already knew the details.
These are Hellenistic Jews,
Greek-speaking Jews.
They have been part of this practice,
this type of worship.
They were most likely much more familiar
with their Old Testament,
their Scripture of the day,
than we are today.
And so I think,
and we don't have a lot more time,
but I think this morning
it would be good for us
to take a few moments
to consider the tabernacle
and tabernacle worship.
In order to do so,
Kent Hughes,
who wrote a wonderful commentary
on the book of Hebrews,
I've been using it much,
wrote some really nice,
succinct summaries to this end.
And I'm just going to read those to you.
I think his words will serve you
better this morning than mine.
So I want to read just a bit to you
about first the tabernacle.
He writes,
Israel's tabernacle
was a portable tent shrine
that was always situated
at the geographical heart of Israel,
with all the tribes camped around it
in designated orderly formation.
Approaching the tabernacle,
one first would see
the white linen walls
of the court of the tabernacle,
which formed an enclosure
150 feet long
and 75 feet wide.
The uniform whiteness
of the enclosure's walls
broadcast the holiness
of its function.
When a worshiper entered the courtyard,
he was immediately in front
of the altar of burnt offering,
a large bronze altar
with a horn at each
of its four corners
to which offerings could be tied.
This was as far as the layman
could come.
And it is the place
where he laid his hands
on the head of the sin offering.
Behind the altar
and a little to the right
stood the bronze laver,
which is like a big wash basin
with spouts that water
would come out of.
A wash basin
for the exclusive use
of the priests,
which, if neglected,
imperiled their lives.
They had to be purified
upon coming in.
Directly behind the laver
was the tabernacle,
a flat-roofed oblong tent
15 feet in height and width
and 45 feet long.
It was covered with three layers.
The first consisted
of gorgeous woven tapestries
of blue, purple,
and scarlet yarns and linen,
which was then overlaid
with two layers of animal skins.
Inside, the tabernacle
was divided into two rooms
by an ornate veil
woven of the same colors
along with gold
and embroidered with cherubim.
The veil was supported
by four golden columns
set on silver bases.
The first outer room
was called the holy place,
and the second inner compartment,
the most holy place,
or holy of holies.
And the author of Hebrews
gives some very brief explanation
of these two rooms,
beginning in verse 1.
Now, even the first covenant
had regulations for worship
and an earthly place
of holiness.
He goes on to explain,
For a tent was prepared,
the first section
in which were the lampstands
and the table
and the bread of the presence
is called the holy place.
I just mentioned
in Kent Hughes' commentary, right?
And there's some things in there,
and we won't get into
the significance
of each of those things
and what they represented
this morning,
but very careful instruction
was given.
All of it aimed at
the people understanding
the great carefulness
by which they were
to approach God.
The weightiness
of their sinfulness
and the way
that it separated them
from God.
Verse 3,
Behind the second curtain
was a second section
called the most holy place.
Having the golden altar
of incense.
And an interesting point here,
the altar of incense,
if you go and read
in, say, the book of Numbers
and you hear that this was
in the holy place,
it was,
but it stood just outside
the passageway
into the most holy place.
It belonged to the holy of holies,
although it sat outside
of the holy of holies.
And the ark of the covenant
covered on all sides
with gold,
in which was a golden urn
holding the manna,
and Aaron's staff
that budded,
and the tablets
of the covenant.
All of this
was contained within.
Verse 5,
Above it were the cherubim
of glory,
right?
Part of the ark,
the statues that were created,
overshadowing
the mercy seat.
And it was in this place
that God tabernacled
with His people.
His visible glory
dwelt inside
of this place.
Both representing
that God dwelt
amongst His people
and
that there were
reasons that they were
separated
from Him.
So this is the tabernacle.
This is what He's referring to
in our text
in Hebrews.
Then,
verses 6 and 7,
we see that there's a
form and order
for the tabernacle
worship.
Let me read a bit
to you again
from Kent Hughes.
When you have a feel
for the tabernacle,
you can begin to appreciate
its worship.
Its daily worship
was continual.
It's happening
all the time.
Worshippers brought
their sacrifices
to the great bronze altar
in the outer courtyard
one after another.
Week by week,
priests were chosen
by lots,
like casting lots,
for the high honor
of their career
to serve
in the first room,
the holy place.
There they tended
to the seven lampstands
morning and evening,
keeping them full-flamed
and stoked the coals
on the altar of incense
upon which they dropped
handfuls of incense,
filling the room
with a delicious cloud.
Weekly,
they exchanged
the bread with fresh
and then were privileged
to partake
of the sacred loaves.
But none even dared
to glance
into the most holy place
on pain of death.
They had no access
whatsoever.
Ministry in the Holy of Holies
was the domain
of the high priest
and only once a year.
And what a day it was.
During New Testament times,
the high priest
underwent rigorous
preparations for that day.
Seven days before
the Day of Atonement,
the priest left home
and stayed day and night
in the temple.
During the week,
he practiced what he would do
on that great day
so that he would make
no mistake
at the pain of death.
Right?
He went through
the rehearsal of it
to make sure he got it
just right.
He was especially cautious
not to come close
to anything
that would make him
ceremonially unclean.
Then on the morning
of the Day of Atonement,
the high priest
offered a burnt offering.
Following this,
he ritually bathed
his entire body
and then,
instead of putting on
his traditional
gorgeous robes,
donned a sacred
white linen tunic
along with white
undergarments
and a white sash
and white turban,
thus symbolizing
that he was free
from defilement.
Next,
he placed his hands
on the head of a bull,
selected as a sacrifice
for his own sins
and those of his family
and he prayed this,
O God,
I have committed iniquity,
transgressed,
and sinned before thee.
I and my house,
as is it written
in the law
of thy servant Moses,
for on this day
shall atonement
be made for you
to cleanse you
from all your sins
shall you be clean
before the Lord.
And they answered
after him,
blessed be the name
of the glory
of his kingdom
forever and ever.
Then,
leaving the bull
for a few moments,
he turned to two goats
nearby and chose
lots over them.
One was designated
for Jehovah
and the other
for Azazel,
the scapegoat.
A piece of crimson wool
was tied to the horns
of the scapegoat
and a thread
was bound around
the goat
to be slaughtered.
Then the goats
were left
standing together.
The high priest
now turned to the bull
and sacrificed it.
Next,
he filled a censer
with burning coals
from the altar
of burnt offerings
and entered
the Holy of Holies
where he poured
two handfuls
of incense
on the coals
so that a cloud
of incense
covered the mercy seat.
This done,
he exited,
obtaining some
of the bull's blood
which he then sprinkled
on the mercy seat
and then seven times
on the ground
before the cover.
After this,
he sacrificed the goat
designated for Jehovah
and performed
the same ritual
in the Holy of Holies.
Upon emerging,
he mixed the blood
of the bull
and the goat,
put it on the horns
of the altar
and sprinkled the altar
seven times
to consecrate it
from the uncleanliness
of the Israelites.
Then came
the patently joyous
part of the day's ceremonies.
The priest laid both hands
on the head
of the live goat
and confessed
all the iniquities
of the people of Israel
and all their transgressions,
all their sins
and he shall put them
on the head
of the goat.
That's from Leviticus 16.21.
The goat was then led away
into the desert
amidst the jeering
of the people.
Bear our sins
and be gone.
After this,
the high priest
put off his white garments,
bathed again,
arrayed himself
in his gorgeous robes
and completed
the burnt offerings
of the bull
and the goat
plus other offerings.
The remains
were carried
outside the camp
and burned.
And all along
on this day
of atonement,
people waited
with bated breath.
The one man,
the one time of year
who gets to enter
into the presence
of God
and make this sacrifice
on this day
of atonement,
will he do it right?
Will he survive
in the presence
of God
as he makes
this sacrifice
on our behalf?
It was a tense day
until finally
the high priest emerges
and sends away
the scapegoat
and then there was
great rejoicing
and celebration
to be had.
I want to draw
your attention
to something
in verse 7.
The high priest
goes
and he makes
offering for himself
and for the
unintentional sins
of the people.
Just note
the great mercy
of God
to the Israelites.
Ways being made
for them
to make sacrifice
for their sin
all throughout the year
and God
makes a way
for their
unintentional sins
to also
be forgiven.
This day of atonement
was so incredibly
significant
to Jewish worship
of God
but
it was inadequate.
It was inadequate.
It was a divinely
instructed
dress
rehearsal
because this
had to be repeated
again
and again
and again.
It was meant
to show them
something greater.
A greater sacrifice.
A higher priest
who would come
and make
a final
atoning
for all the people
who belonged
to God.
The mosaic
worship
this tabernacle
worship
was a sort
of parable
in action.
as they observed
this
bloody affair
they were meant
to be drawn
to
a greater
more sufficient
sacrifice
for them.
So let's look
a little bit
further
at the
inadequacy
of the
old
covenant.
First
the old
covenant
had
limited
access.
Limited
access.
And you see
this in
verse 6
and through
the first
part
of
verse 9.
All these
preparations.
All these
things going
about.
First
that priests
had to
make
sacrifice
in any
day
that a
sacrifice
was being
made.
And then
this high
priest
the one
man
once
a year
who was
given
access
to God.
Very
limited.
God
dwelt
amongst
his people
in the
tabernacle.
What a
blessing.
But the
access to
him
was
extremely
limited.
The author
of Hebrews
writes in
verse 8,
by this
the Holy
Spirit
indicates,
and he's
referring to
the
inspired
instructions
for how
the tabernacle
was to be
arranged and
how the
tabernacle
worship was
to take
place.
By this
the Holy
Spirit
indicates
that the
way into
the
holy
places
is not
yet
opened
as long
as the
first
section
is still
standing.
Verse 9,
the first
part,
which is
symbolic
for the
present
age.
Now,
there is a
lot of
complication
about the
translation
of verse
8 and
9,
and I'm
going to
spare you
it this
morning.
I don't
think the
ESV
version that
I'm using,
ESV,
does it
the best
justice.
I think
more
accurately,
we would
say something
like,
by this
the Holy
Spirit
indicates
that the
way into
the holy
places
is not
opened as
long as
the
tabernacle
is still
standing.
Verse 9,
which is
symbolic
to that
age.
What he's
trying to
communicate
is that the
Spirit in
all of that
temple worship,
as I've
already mentioned,
was pointing
to something
greater that
is realized
in Christ.
And contextually
that makes a lot
of sense,
because that's
exactly where
the author
of Hebrew
goes next.
So,
the author
of Hebrews
tells us
that the
Holy Spirit,
the inspirer
of the divine
instruction,
did so to
teach us
that the
old covenant
was inadequate.
They and
we could
not gain
access to
God by
it.
Right?
Could not
gain access
by it.
There was
limited
access.
Secondly,
the old
covenant
was inadequate
because of
its limited
efficacy.
What it
could accomplish
was limited.
Last half
of verse
9
and through
10.
According to
this arrangement,
this working
of the high
priest on
the day of
atonement,
gifts and
sacrifices are
offered that
cannot
perfect the
conscience
of the
worshiper,
but deal
only with
food and
drink and
various washings,
regulations for
the body
imposed until
the time
of
reformation.
It had a
limited
efficacy.
It could
clean up
on the
outside,
but not
on the
inside.
This outward
cleansing,
but not
an inward
one.
Just a bit
ago,
Daryl read
for us
from Psalm
51.
Turn with
me if you
will to
Psalm 51.
I selected
Psalm 51
to be read
this morning,
and until
he read it
and I
listened to
him reading
it,
I did
not make
the
connection
to this
text.
How's
that for
providence?
Remember
that Psalm
51 is
written
after David
has committed
egregious
sin.
He's been
a murderer
and an
adulterer.
And this
is him
crying out
to God
that God
would forgive
him for
this.
Verse 1
and 2,
Have mercy
on me,
O God,
according to
your steadfast
love,
according to
your abundant
mercy,
blot out my
transgressions.
Wash me
thoroughly
from my
iniquity and
cleanse me
from my
sin.
Crying out
to God,
because of
who you
are,
O God,
cleanse me,
make me
pure within.
He asked
him to,
verse 10,
create in
me a
clean heart,
O God,
and renew
a right
spirit within
me.
Verse 11,
don't cast
me away
from your
presence.
And then
in verse
16 and
17,
he says,
for you
will not
delight in
sacrifice,
or I
would give
it.
You
would not
be pleased
with a
burnt
offering.
For the
sacrifices
of God
are a
broken
spirit,
a broken
and
contrite
heart,
O God,
you will
not
despise.
Recognize
that David
saw the
inadequacy
of the
sacrifice.
He saw
that it
really
didn't
accomplish
for him
what he
desperately
needed,
which was
an inward
cleansing.
And so
we believe
that David
saved,
was God's,
is with
God now
in his
presence,
has
unlimited
access,
did so
believing
there would
be a
way that
this old
system,
this old
covenant,
was pointing
towards
something
greater,
a way that
he could
in fact
be restored
to God.
So the
old covenant
was inadequate,
limited access,
and limited
efficacy.
I'm aware
that it
is most
probable
that there
was no
one here
listening to
me say
anything about
the old
covenant
that is
still a
keeper of
the old
covenant,
trying to
gain acceptance
with God
by keeping
the old
covenant.
I don't
know where
you'd go
make the
sacrifices.
The day
of atonement
doesn't
happen any
longer.
Anyway,
I know this
is not what
you're trying
to do,
but many
of us,
so many
of us,
try to
earn God's
favor in
our works.
Whether we
have been
delivered by
Christ already,
found in
Him,
we often
go back
to that
old self,
that old
tendency
that God
would accept
us because
of now
our working,
which He
never does,
which He's
never pleased
with.
It's because
of Christ's
working that
we're accepted.
it's because
of who
Jesus is
and what
Jesus
accomplished,
and because
by placing
our faith
in Him,
we are
found in
Him that
we are
accepted.
So let's
look at the
adequacy of
the new
covenant.
The adequacy
of the new
covenant.
First,
in the new
covenant,
we have
unlimited
access.
We have
unlimited
access.
this.
We no
longer have
need for
priests.
We no
longer have
need for
sacrifice
because
Christ has
accomplished
this.
He has
fulfilled
all that
the old
covenant
required,
and He
is our
great
high priest.
If you've
been with
us,
you know
we've
been talking
about His
Melchizedekian
priesthood,
that He
lives forever
making
intercession
for us.
verse 25
of chapter
7.
We no
longer need
these things.
You don't
come to
God through
me,
praise God.
You don't
come to
God through
an Aaronic
priest.
You come
to God
through
Christ.
And in
Christ,
we have
unlimited
access.
Verse 11,
praise God,
starts with
the most
precious
conjunction,
but.
This was
the old
covenant.
This was
all of
its inadequacy.
The author
of Hebrews
is saying,
but when
Christ
appeared
as a
high priest
of the
good things
that have
come,
then through
the greater
and more
perfect
tent,
not made
with hands,
that is,
not of
this creation,
and again,
I'll spare you
the long
explanation,
but He's
talking about
His own
flesh,
Jesus'
flesh.
He entered
once for
all into
the holy
places,
not by
means of
the blood
of goats
and calves,
but by
means of
His own
blood,
thus securing
an eternal
redemption.
Every year,
the high priest
entered the
Holy of Holies
for one
day,
and every
year,
he did
so by
the blood
of goats
and calves,
right?
He went
through all
of that
process to
make himself
ceremonially
pure so
that he
could enter
into the
presence of
God,
right?
He went
through this
process of
these inadequate
sacrifices,
but now we
have unlimited
access because
Jesus Christ
offered up
himself.
He is
the adequate
sacrifice,
right?
He makes
atonement,
right?
Satisfies the
wrath of God
in our
place.
Beloved,
you must
understand
sin.
Whether you
feel the
weight of
your sin
or not,
it has
an eternal
weight because
it is against
the holiness
of an
eternal
God.
It flies
in his
face.
And the
guilt and
the shame
that you
feel for
the things
that you
do is
only a
tiny
measure of
the wrath
that is due
your sin.
It is an
eternal
wrath because
you have
rejected
his
good
order.
And God,
because he
is just
and he
is always
all that
he is,
he doesn't
lay aside
his justice.
He doesn't
overlook
your sin.
If you're
in Christ,
he punished
your sin
on the
cross.
If you're
not in
Christ,
he will
punish
your sin
in you
forever.
But if
you are
in Christ,
he poured
out his
wrath
in Christ.
You
recall Jesus
in the
Garden of
Gethsemane
praying,
if there's
any way
that this
cup might
pass for
me,
he's picking
up Old
Testament
imagery of
the cup
of God's
wrath.
He knew
that's what
he was
going to
go and
do.
So drink
fully of
the wrath
of God
for all
who would
believe
in him.
This was
the significant
thing that
happened on
the cross
of Jesus
Christ.
Not
merely his
physical
death.
And hear
me,
and hear
me carefully.
If it
meant saving
the people
in this
room,
I would
die for
you guys.
A physical
death.
That I
would do.
I would
volunteer
myself for
that.
I love
you that
way.
What I
could not
do is
bear the
wrath of
God for
your sin.
I
couldn't
do it.
I
couldn't
hold up
to it.
I'm
not
created
for that
very
thing as
Jesus
was.
Eternal.
The
God
man
could
bear
God's
wrath.
All
that
eternality
of his
wrath
for our
sin.
So,
for God
to forgive
you of
your sin,
it must
be punished
in someone
else.
And that
is the
person
of Christ.
Matthew
chapter
27,
verse 50
and 51,
Matthew
records for
us,
Jesus
hangs on
the cross
and Jesus
cried out
again with
a loud
voice and
he doesn't
tell us what
he says,
but I
think from
John 19
30,
we know
what he
cries at
that point
is,
it is
finished.
I have
now drunk
to the
very bottom
of the
cup,
the wrath
of God
and yielded
up his
spirit.
Verse 51
says,
and behold,
the curtain
of the
temple
was torn
in two
from top
to bottom
and the
earth shook
and the
rocks
were split.
we are
granted
in
Christ
full
access
to God
himself,
to the
holy
places,
the author
of Hebrews
says.
And so,
if you're in
Christ this
morning,
you can
step in
to the
presence
of God.
You can
go to
him with
anything.
When he
looks at
you,
he sees
Christ
and Christ
himself
is seated
at his
right hand
praying on
your behalf.
Beloved,
we have
unlimited
access
to him.
My
prayer life
is so
rocked
by contemplating
this reality.
How often
I don't
go and
pray to
our God
when I
am in
Christ.
Unlimited
access.
I may not
know what
to pray.
I'm feeling
some guilt
for something
that I've
done and
don't
feel worthy
of entering
his presence.
The truth
is,
I'm not,
but in
Christ,
I can.
In
Christ,
I am
found
worthy
to step
into the
presence
of God.
This
is an
astounding
truth.
Sometimes I
wish we
had an
ability to
time travel,
take us
all back
and let
us live
in the
days of
limited
access,
physically
seeing
at the
tabernacle
or seeing
the temple,
seeing the
way in
which it
was closed
off,
so that we
could really
comprehend how
significant it
is that we
have unlimited
access.
all I
can do
myself and
encourage you
to do is
to have an
imagination
toward that.
What would
that have
been like?
To not
have a
clean
conscience.
To not
be able to
fully have a
clean conscience
and be able to
draw into the
presence of
God.
I think we
would greater
appreciate and
more quickly
go to his
presence if
we did.
So,
the adequacy of
the new
covenant,
because there's
unlimited access,
also because
there's unlimited
efficacy.
What it can
accomplish,
right,
is fully
powerful
to accomplish.
Verse 13
and 14.
For if the
blood of goats
and bulls
and the
sprinkling of
defiled persons
with the ashes
of a heifer
sanctify for
the purification
of the flesh,
how much
more?
Verse 13,
right,
if the
inadequate
sacrifice
is good
enough for
the time,
verse 14,
how much
more
will the
blood of
Christ,
who through
the eternal
spirit offered
himself without
blemish to
God,
purify our
conscience from
dead works
to serve
the living
God.
He makes
our
consciences
clean because
of all our
sin.
And beloved,
hear me,
the sins
past and
the sins
present,
the sins
you've
committed
sitting here
in this
room,
and the
sins
future,
were all
paid for
in Christ.
His blood
covers every
one of
them.
And we
don't always
respond well
to our sin
in that
reality.
very few
of us
repent the
way we
ought to
repent when
we sin.
Very few
of us
flee back
to the
cross of
Christ as
we should.
And I
think in
some measure
it can be
commendable
because you
all take
sin seriously.
I think
that's a
good thing.
I think we
ought to
feel a
godly sorrow
over our
sin.
And the
question has
been asked
of me,
how long
should I
feel sorrow
for my
sin?
My response
is,
only as long
as it takes
you to get
back to
the cross
of Christ.
Have your
sin break
you,
utterly
destroy you,
and then get
quickly to
the reality
of who
God is
to you
in Jesus.
Penal
substitutionary
atonement.
He died
in your
stead.
this thing
you're feeling
sorrow over,
he bore
God's wrath
for it
on the
cross.
And have
your sorrow
turn to a
great rejoicing
in who
Christ is
for you.
We can
have
purified
consciences
in
Christ.
Paul wrote
in Colossians
chapter 2,
this is
verse 16
and 17,
he's talking
about other
matters of
ceremonial
worship.
verse 16,
therefore
no one
pass judgment
on you
in questions
of food
and drink
or with
regard to
a festival
or a new
moon
or a
Sabbath.
And then he
says in
verse 17,
these are a
shadow
of the
things
to come,
but the
substance
belongs
to Christ.
The new
covenant
has
unlimited
access
and
unlimited
efficacy.
I want
to close
with a
reading from
Pilgrim's
Progress.
Once again,
stick around
and I'll
read you
the whole
book.
This is
very early.
If you
don't know,
this is a
book written
by John
Bunyan.
It's an
allegory.
He's dreaming
all along
and everything
in an
allegory
represents
something
else.
And there's
a man
who goes
by the
name of
Christian
and he's
traveling to
the
celestial
city.
This is
very early
in his
journey.
Now I
saw in
my dream
that the
highway up
which
Christian
was to
go was
fenced on
each side
with a
wall and
the wall
was called
salvation.
Therefore it
was up this
highway that
Christian ran
but not
without great
difficulty
because of
the burden
of the
load on
his back.
He's been
carrying this
big backpack
around.
It
represents his
guilt.
He ran
until he
came to
a small
hill at
the top
of which
stood a
cross and
at the
bottom of
which was
a tomb.
I saw
in my
dream that
when Christian
walked up
the hill
to the
cross his
burden came
loose from
his shoulders
and fell
off his
back tumbling
down the
hill until
it came to
the mouth
of the
tomb where
it fell
in to
be seen
no more.
Then
Christian
was relieved
and delighted
and exclaimed
with a joyful
heart he has
given me
rest by
his sorrow
and life
by his
death.
For a
while he
stood in
front of
the cross
to look
and wonder.
It was
very surprising
to him that
the side
of the cross
should ease
him of
his burden.
He
continued
looking at
the cross
until tears
began streaming
down his
cheeks.
As he
stood looking
and weeping
three shining
ones came
to him
and greeted
him with
peace be
with you.
Then the
first said
to him
your sins
are forgiven.
The second
stripped him
of his
rags and
dressed him
with new
clothing.
The third
put a mark
on his
forehead and
gave him
a scroll
with a seal
on it.
The scroll
is the
promise of
the spirit.
He told
Christian to
review it
often as
he went
on his
way and
at the
end of
his journey
to turn
it in
at the
celestial
gate.
After
this they
went their
way.
Then Christian
gave three
leaps for
joy and
went on
his way
singing.
Thus far
I did
come burdened
with my
sin nor
could I
find relief
from my
grief within.
Until here
I came
what a
place this
is.
Here shall
be the
beginning
of full
eternal
bliss.
Now my
burden falls
from my
back forever
from the
cords that
bound it
by grace
my grief
is severed.
Blessed
cross
blessed
tomb
rather
most
blessed
be
the
man
who
there
was
put
to
shame
a
shame
he
took
for me.
Let's pray
together.