1. What comes to your mind when I mention the word sacrifice
› pause
I’m an ice cream person,
sacrifice for me could be letting someone have the rest of a favorite ice cream.
maybe it is working long days to help provide for your families.
2. The idea of sacrifice is familiar to us as american’s. Wartime hero’s, everyday men and women who go above and beyond what could ever be asked of them.
i. some of them making the ultimate sacrifice for the good of another.
ii. Sacrifice is something we see tin the story of Gods people from the very beginning. The example of abraham and isaac is a powerful portrat of sacrifice.
a. it could look something like this (about 4 minutes)
b. (Video) sacrifice of Issac
Transition
1. So, Did you catch the words spoken in the beginning of the video?
› PAUSE
1. Issac speaking to Abraham, Father, we have the firewood but where is the lamb?
› pause
1. Abraham speaking to Issac, The Lord will provide a sacrifice my son.
a. As we continue in our series…We will see that Christ made the ultimate sacrifice, not for a country or a single person, but for every person.
b. The spotless Lamb of God
› PRAYER (SHORT)
Welcome back to our series Christ above all
Last few weeks, diving into this series Christ above all
Part 1 we learned that Jesus is above all, greater than all other heavenly beings
part 2 we learned that while on earth jesus learned from his suffering. made perfect thru it he became our great high priest before god the father.
Part 3 we learned that The faith relationship is one of fidelity to Christ and a life
bearing fruit. we can choose to walk away from such a life, walking away from Christ.
Part 4 we learned that The new and better Covenant, superior to the Old, giving us access to God through Christ, the High Priest of this New Covenant.
Today in part 5 we will see that the new covenant spoken about last week is made possible by the sacrifice Jesus made when on the cross. That we can be washed clean, not just on the outside but can be made free of the attitude and disposition to sin. Teaching text Hebrews 9:11-15
Hebrews 9:11–15 NLT
So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.
Teaching text Hebrews 9:11-12 Hebrews 9:11–12 (NLT)
So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.
For us to understand a little better what verse 11 and 12 are saying lets step back a few verses
Hebrews 9:7–10 NLT
But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use. This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.
i. Did you catch what the author said in verse 8? The entrance to the presence of God was not freely open.
1. Only the High priest could enter into the presence of God, and only once a year.
ii. Coming back to verse 11&12
1. Christ Jesus made a way into the very presence of God
a. In the old covenant as spelled out in the book of Exodus there
was a large thick curtain separating the most holy place. When Jesus shed his blood on the cross that barrier that couldn’t be crossed but once a year, and only by religious authorities, was torn in two from top to bottom.
iii. In the old covenant blood sacrifice had to be offered continually. it only delt with the external effects of sin never the internal attitude.
Teaching text Hebrews 9:13
Hebrews 9:13 NLT
Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity.
• sin is more than ceremonial uncleanness and even more than moral defilement. The rites and regulations provided only temporary benefit;
• the problem would return again and require yet another sin-offering so long as the inward weakness of the worshiper remained unaddressed.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible (Chapter 9)
Our High Priest entered into heaven once for all, and has obtained eternal redemption. The Holy Ghost further signified and showed that the Old Testament sacrifices only freed the outward man from ceremonial uncleanness, and fitted him for some outward privileges.
Leviticus 1:1–5 NLT
The LORD called to Moses from the Tabernacle and said to him, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present an animal as an
offering to the LORD, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats. “If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the herd, it must be a male with no defects. Bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle so you may be accepted by the LORD. Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the LORD will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him. Then slaughter the young bull in the LORD’s presence, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will present the animal’s blood by splattering it against all sides of the altar that stands at the entrance to the Tabernacle.
Teaching text Hebrews 9:14 Hebrews 9:14 HOW MUCH MORE! (greater)
Hebrews 9:14 NLT
Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
a. TO CLENSE HERE IS THE GREEK WORD KATH-ER-ID-ZO MEANING TO MAKE CLEAN
a. FROM PHYSICAL STAINS
b. IN A MORAL SENCE
i. FREE FROM DEFILEMENT OF SIN
ii. PURIFY FROM WICKEDNESS
iii. FREE FROM GUILT OF SIN
iv. TO CONSECRATE (CLENSE, PURIFY, DEDICATE)
i. If bulls and goats could do that, how much more can Christ cleanse and purify us from the guilt of sin that may be present in us?
ii. The old covenant was good at ceremonially clensing the exterior or a person, but did noting for the heart and disposition to sin.
1. Christ made a way where there was none.
a. He made a way for us no not just be clean on the outside for all to see, he made a way for all who would believe to be made clean from the attitude of sin on the inside.
Hebrews 4:14–16 NLT
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
because of the shedding of his blood we can have freedom and forgiveness. because he is our great high priest we can be free from the attitude of sin.
Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us, yet if we withhold ourselves from that blood, we will be unclean forever. – AW Tozer Teaching text Hebrews 9:15
Hebrews 9:15 NLT
That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has
promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.
i. MES-EE-TACE GREEK FOR ONE WHO INTERVENES BETWEEN 2
ii. ARBITRATOR
1. MOSES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS A MESSENGER OF LAWS OF THE OLD COVENANT.]
2. JESUS WAS THE FULFILLMENT OF THAT COVENANT
iii. the old covenant was based on rules, just read Leviticus. but because of Christ we can have relationship and audience with The King.
iv. we were once held ransom by sin, captive and without hope.
1. but by the ransom paid on the cross I can be free, you can be free.
2. the blood of christ doesn’t just cover, it pays the ransom no amount of animal sacrifice could.
The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: The Superior Sanctuary (Hebrews 9))
As believers we can have confidence because all that we have in Christ is eternal. Hebrews 9:15 makes it clear that there was no final and complete redemption under the Old Covenant. Those transgressions were covered by the blood of the many sacrifices, but not cleansed until the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross Since Christ has accomplished an eternal redemption, we are able to share in an eternal inheritance.
› CALL UP BAND
Transition
Article 6 from the Church of the Nazarene manual says
Jesus Christ, by His sufferings, by the shedding of His own blood, and by His death on the Cross, made a full atonement for all human sin, and that this Atonement is the only ground of salvation, and that it is sufficient for every individual of Adam’s race
– there are some things we were never meant to carry. The weight of unrepented sin is one of those things.
• if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you this morning, don’t let this opportunity pass you by.
• carrying unrepented sin, and failures is akin to carrying heavy baggage around all the time
• My tool bag at work weighs between 30 and 40 lbs. I don’t carry it. I let a tool cart carry it.
• Sin is a heavy load to bear, don’t carry around something that Jesus has offered to not only forgive you of, but free you from.
• Kath-er-id-zo
Conclusion
IF WHILE DOING DISHES WE ONLY WASHED THE OUSIDE OF THE CUP, IT WILL STILL REMAIN DIRTY. IT WILL APPEAR CLEAN AND READY FOR USE FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT WILL STILL BE FILTHY ON THE INSIDE.
1 Timothy 2:5 NLT
For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 9:22–23 NLT
In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.
WHEN WE ACCEPT HIM AS SAVIOR AND MAKE HIM OUR LORD HIS SACRIFICE MENTIONED IN TODAY’S SCRIPTURE CLEANS NOT JUST THE OUTSIDE THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE, BUT HE CLEANSES THE INSIDE MAKING US A NEW CREATION, CREATED ANEW IN THE IMAGE OF CHRIST JESUS.
Jesus gave us a way to remember his sacrifice, his body and blood as represented in the communion elements.
Today there are 3 ways to approach the communion table
• forgiveness for unconfessed sin and in rep
• maybe you have strayed away from the forgiveness and grace that is found in Jesus
• in rememberance for all he has done in your life
• There is no better moment , no better time than around the communion table to find forgiveness and faith is christ.
The Communion Supper, instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a sacrament, which proclaims His life, His sufferings, His sacrificial death, and resurrection, and the hope of His coming again. It shows forth the Lord’s death until His return. The Supper is a means of grace in which Christ is present by the Spirit. It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ. All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. We come to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit. In unity with the Church, we confess our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again
Luke 22:14–20 NLT
When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.” He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.