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.
LEADER: Let’s confess our sin to God.
ALL: Most gracious and most merciful God,
we confess to you and to one another that time after time
we have entered your presence with countless prayers
but with hearts that have been closed to your grace.
We have lifted our hands to you in praise,
but our feet have still walked in the shadows of our self-righteousness.
We have rehearsed your commandments
but have refused to see your face in the needs of our neighbor.
We humbly ask, Lord, that you forgive our selfish motivations and sinful actions.
Grant us the healing that comes from your presence and the cleansing of your all-powerful
Word through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
LEADER: “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.
ALL: Hallelujah! In Christ we are forgiven.
Psalm 40:6-8; 110:1
Jeremiah 31:33-34
Hosea 6:6
Luke 10:38-42
Romans 10:13-17
Colossians 2:17
All the other religions essentially say, “This is what you have to do to be in right standing with God.” Jesus comes to earth and says, “This is what I’ve freely done for you to put you in right standing with God.” Religion says do. Jesus says done. Religion is man searching for God. Jesus is God searching for man. Religion is pursuing God by our moral efforts. Jesus is God pursuing us despite our moral efforts. Religious people kill for what they believe. Jesus followers die for what they believe.
- Jeff Bethke
“Aren’t you dead then, dear Aslan?” said Lucy. “Not now,” said Aslan. “You’re not—not a—?” asked Susan in a shaky voice. She couldn’t bring herself to say the word ghost. Aslan stooped his golden head and licked her forehead. The warmth of his breath and a rich sort of smell that seemed to hang about his hair came all over her. “Do I look it?” he said. “Oh, you’re real, you’re real! Oh, Aslan!” cried Lucy, and both girls flung themselves upon him and covered him with kisses…“Oh, children,” said the Lion, “I feel my strength coming back to me. Oh, children, catch me if you can!” …Then he made a leap high over their heads and landed on the other Side Of The Table. Laughing, Though She Didn’t Know Why, Lucy scrambled over it to reach him. Aslan leaped again. A mad chase began. Round and round the hilltop he led them, now hopelessly out of their reach, now letting them almost catch his tail, now diving Between Them, Now Tossing Them In The Air With His Huge And beautifully velveted paws and catching them again, and now stopping unexpectedly so that all three of them rolled over together in a happy laughing heap of fur and arms and legs. It was such a romp as no one has ever had except in Narnia; and whether it was more like playing with a thunderstorm or playing with a kitten Lucy could never make up her mind. And the funny thing was that when all three finally lay together panting in the sun the girls no longer felt in the least tired or hungry or thirsty.”
- C.S. Lewis, The Lion The Witch And the Wardrobe
We often treat Jesus the way Saul treated David. We want him to slay giants and sing evil spirits away, but we don’t want him to be King.
- A.W. Tozer
How’d you become bankrupt? Gradually and then very suddenly.
- Ernest Hemingway
R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews: An Anchor For the Soul (Preaching the Word commentary)
Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews (The Bible Speaks Today commentary)
“Time to Rediscover Hebrews,” Sinclair Ferguson
Worthy:Living in Light of the Gospel, Sinclair Ferguson
This Cultural Moment pt12/The Secular Salvation Schema/John Mark Comer & Mark Sayers
