[0:00] Take your Bibles and go with me to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 10 is where we will be at this morning. Hebrews chapter 10 and we will be starting in verse 1 and going down to verse 18. Hebrews chapter 10 verses 1 through 18 as we just continue to make our way through this great book of Hebrews.
[0:16] And as we are making our way through it, we are seeing that Jesus is better or greater. Really, this is a book about the supremacy and the superiority of Christ to all else.
[0:27] In context, the author of Hebrews is writing to the Jewish people. More than likely, it is to the Jewish people which are scattered abroad. And by scattered abroad, I mean they are living outside of what we refer to in Scripture as the promised land or the nation of Israel.
[0:42] There are a lot of events that happened historically to the Jewish people. When you read the history of the Jewish people, it is amazing. But one of the things that happened is what we refer to as the diaspora. That is, they were just dispersed throughout the Roman Empire and throughout differing empires there.
[0:57] But they maintained their distinctiveness or their Jewishness, their very distinct culture wherever they went. By the way, that was something which God had said would happen, right?
[1:08] That they would be a very distinct and very peculiar group of people. And in these places, they had established synagogues or places where they would gather together and they would teach the Old Testament Scripture.
[1:18] So much of what we have in the New Testament, we see Paul traveling on his missionary journeys. And he would go to these synagogues. And this is where he would start with his proclamation of the gospel until the Jewish people would get upset at him.
[1:30] And then he would take it to the Gentiles. The author of the book of Hebrews is writing kind of in this same context, writing to the Jewish people that are scattered abroad. To put it in today's context, it would be like writing to American people who are living around the world, either on military bases or in different countries, just working secular jobs or living in various lands.
[1:52] And writing it with an American context in mind, something that they would understand, something that they would interpret. But writing to show them that everything they have trusted in and relied upon their entire life, there is a better and greater solution.
[2:07] In the book of Hebrews, that is the practice of Judaism or the Jewish faith. More than likely, these are people who had heard about Christ. Some of them had kind of made a decision for Christ, but they were not fully committed to Christ.
[2:22] So all throughout the book of Hebrews, we see the exhortation to fully commit your life, to be totally in, 100% to the person and the work of Jesus Christ, that he alone would be your hope, not only for the present, but for eternity.
[2:38] That they would no longer trust in the works themselves. They would no longer trust in their own efforts. They would not even trust in their maintaining and keeping the Old Testament law, but rather that they would trust completely in Jesus Christ.
[2:51] Now, with all of those things being true, we also understand, and I know we're getting a little bit deep this morning, but we need to know this. We also understand that though he is writing in context to Jewish people, there is direct application to all people.
[3:06] There is direct application to all people. And by saying that, I mean we need to understand. Now, stay with me. I'm going to give you just a very quick synopsis of Old Testament history, right?
[3:18] Why did God choose Abram out of the land of the Ur-Chaldeans to make of him a great nation? Was it because God wanted to show how good he was at picking a team?
[3:29] Well, if that is the case, then he failed on a very significant front, because Abram and Abraham, who later became Abraham, was far less than perfect. And so are the Jewish people because so is all mankind.
[3:43] What God was doing with the Jewish people was raising them up to put himself on display to a watching world. And the God who was true to those people is the God who is for all people.
[3:56] And this is something that we see running throughout the Old Testament, even into the New Testament. He is not just the God of one peculiar people. He is the God of all people, and he is calling all people to himself.
[4:07] So while we open this text and we understand it in its proper setting, we see the application which has to us. And I say all these things because we can't read the Scripture and say, Well, that doesn't have any meaning to me, especially here when we're looking at something of such great significance.
[4:23] So I want you to see this morning Hebrews chapter 10 verses 1 through 18. If you are physically able and desire to do so, I'm asking if you'll join with me as we stand together and we read the Word of God with one another.
[4:35] For the law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never have the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year make perfect those who draw near.
[4:48] Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year, for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
[5:06] Therefore, when he, that is Jesus, comes into the world, he says, Sacrifice an offering you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me. In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have taken no pleasure.
[5:18] Then I said, Behold, I have come in the scroll of the book. It is written of me to do your will, O God. After saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you have not desired, nor have you taken pleasure in them which are offered according to the law.
[5:35] Then he said, Behold, I have come to do your will. He takes away the first in order to establish the second. Look at verse 10. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
[5:49] Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But he, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet.
[6:06] For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us for after saying, This is the covenant that I will make with them.
[6:18] After those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws upon their hearts and on their mind. I will write them. He then says, And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.
[6:29] Verse 18. Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. Let's pray.
[6:39] Lord, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the great privileged opportunity we have to read it together, to hear it together. And we pray now that it would speak to us, that it would penetrate our hearts and minds.
[6:52] It would penetrate any stumbling block which may be in the way, and that we would hear it with clarity and truth. That it would not be the opinions or the thoughts of man, but rather it would be the very word of God which touches our heart. And we ask it all in Jesus' name.
[7:04] Amen. You may be seated. I want you to see this morning from our text, Hebrews chapter 10, verses 1 through 18, the greater outcome of genuine faith.
[7:14] The greater outcome of genuine faith. For the last few chapters, the author of the book of Hebrews has been driving home the point that Jesus is not only just a high priest, but he is the great high priest.
[7:26] He is the only one in scripture that is referred to as such. He is the only high priest in scripture that is ever referred to as being great. He is the great high priest who does not serve in a tabernacle made with hands, but rather he serves in the pure and the sincere one made without hands, which is in heaven.
[7:44] He serves in the very presence of God. And as high priest, he is offered the greatest sacrifice which could ever be offered, that is himself. And he has done something which the law could never do again, has direct application to the nation of Israel.
[7:58] Hopefully by the time we're done here this morning, we will see the application as it has to us. The nation of Israel throughout their practice of Judaism were continually offering these sacrifices, these burnt offerings and these whole burnt offerings and the grain offerings and the wave offerings and the blood of bulls and goats and the day of atonement.
[8:15] All of these things were offered each and every year, some of them on a daily basis. And they all had one goal in mind and that it was the forgiveness and the removal of sin.
[8:27] Prior to this text, we have read in the book of Hebrews, how it says that they may for a moment make atonement or appeasement for sin. There is one thing that could never take place according to the law, and that was the cleansing of one's conscience.
[8:42] One's conscience would always testify against them that though they may have offered a sacrifice, yet they were still a sinner. And they said, and the author tells us that when Jesus Christ comes and gives his sacrifice, he not only offers forgiveness in the flesh, he purifies and cleanses the conscience.
[9:01] And now as he goes into Hebrews 10 verses 1 through 18, he is again referring to the work of Christ. And he tells us what the greater outcome of this genuine faith in Jesus Christ is.
[9:13] Now I want to go ahead and give you a warning. The reason he has spent so much on this, really it opened up in Hebrews chapter 7, and he spent Hebrews 7, 8, 9, and half of Hebrews chapter 10, that is three and a half chapters.
[9:27] The reason he has spent so long affirming for us the greatness of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, affirming for us the reality that in Jesus Christ there is complete and absolute forgiveness.
[9:41] And in Jesus Christ the work has been done. And I'm just going to go ahead and give you a forewarning here. The reason he has spent so much time is because he is about to transition in the latter half of Hebrews 10, and he's going to tell you that it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.
[9:59] And he is going to tell us that if we take lightly the sacrifices of sin, and we take lightly the atonement offered to us in Jesus Christ, and if we fail to adhere to that completely, and if we fail to cast ourselves upon it, then there is nothing left for us but to fall into that hand of judgment.
[10:17] He takes so long telling us what God has done perfectly, so that we would be prepared for the things to come, and namely, that is judgment. But we're not there yet.
[10:27] I'm just giving you that as we move forward. So that should call us to attention. Because we see here the greater outcome of genuine faith. And what we are looking at is outcome.
[10:40] The anticipated outcome of every observation, or that is, every keeping of the law, was if I do this, then I will be forgiven.
[10:52] That's the anticipated outcome. We know instinctively that every one of us falls short of the holy standard of God. I don't have to convince you of that.
[11:04] Each and every one of us know to the very depth of our being, and the very core of ourself, that we are not perfect. As much as we may like to tell people we're perfect, as much as we would like to say that we are great, as much as we would like to say that everything about us is awesome, and we're having such an awesome day, the reality is, we know in the very depth of our being, that sometimes everything falls apart.
[11:26] Sometimes it falls apart because of the faults and sins of others. Sometimes more than once, more often, to put it clearly, it falls apart because of our own sins. We know to the very depth of our being, that we mess up.
[11:40] And it is okay to go ahead and admit that. Because we understand in the law, that God just anticipates that man has faults. And in God's anticipation, He does not say, if you mess up, He says, when you mess up, then you offer this.
[11:57] Now the hope is, that when I fall, if I do what God told me to do, then God would forgive me. There is this anticipated outcome. I want something to happen.
[12:09] We don't just do things, because we don't want anything to happen. We want something to happen. Instinctively, man is created, especially men. Ladies, you tend to be this way too, but especially men.
[12:20] Men do better, when they see things brought to completion. Men do better, when they put work in, and they get something out. It just makes them feel better. They don't, I don't know why.
[12:30] God has just wired us that way. We want to see what the end result is. We want to see what the outcome is. We want to see, what it looks like at the end. If I do this, I'm okay at doing this, as long as I can get that.
[12:43] Mankind, in general, understands that. So when God gives us the standard of the law, we hope, that if we do what God told us to do, the outcome, or the end result, would be that we are forgiven.
[12:55] And ultimately, that we are forgiven so much, that we spend eternity in His presence. Because the book of Ecclesiastes tells us, in chapter 3, that God has said, eternity in the heart of all men.
[13:06] I'll tell you another great truth, that I do not have to convince you of. You know, that there is more to life, than this temporary thing of existence, that we call life, life, today.
[13:20] You know that. To the very core of your being, you know, there is more, than the number of days, assigned to us, to walk upon the face of the earth. Because it really does not matter, how long those number of days are, it is but a, mere vapor, passing shadow.
[13:39] They seem to go quick. I don't know how many people, I have talked to, that are very advanced in years. And they'll tell you, in my mind, someone told me this, when I was about 20. And I want to talk to you, 20 and, 20 to 25 year old boys, especially right?
[13:53] Or men, young men. You're young men. I'll talk to you young boys too. I had a man tell me one time, he was in like his mid 60s, and he said, in my mind, I'm still 18, but my body does not agree, with my mind. I had no idea, what he was talking about.
[14:05] The older I get, and the further along I go, I know exactly what he's talking about. In my mind, or inside of me, I believe that I am still that. When I think that I'm still that, that I try to do something on the outside, my body reminds me that I'm not that, right?
[14:20] But we know inside of us, instinctively, we were created for more. So our hope, our desire, is that we would live eternally somewhere, hopefully, in the presence of God.
[14:33] Now, that's the outcome of the law, that's the hope. I'm going to bring it to application, stay with me. I want you to see the greater outcome, of genuine faith.
[14:44] Because number one, first and foremost, we see, the work of man. And no, I didn't just give you a long introduction, because I've been talking about this, from the very beginning.
[14:54] We see the work of man, the author tells us here, in chapter 10, for the law, since it is only a shadow, of the good things to come, and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices, which they offer continually, year by year, make perfect, those who draw near.
[15:13] Now, the law, with a capital L, capital L, A, W, the law refers to the Old Testament. This is something we want to understand. Okay, stay with me, we're hitting it quick, but that's okay. I'll throw it out there, hopefully some of it will stick.
[15:24] The law, is God ordained, God breathed. When you open up your Bible, the books of Genesis to Malachi, God declared it, God said it, and therefore, it is perfect, as God declared it, right?
[15:37] It is a perfect standard, of God's righteous, perfection, holiness. It is a standard, that God sets. But, the law, all of its perfection, all of its declaration, of what man does, is but a shadow, of the good things to come.
[15:59] Now, the law, the ten commandments, are the greatest standard of living, that has ever been given to man. I mean, it only took God, ten great sayings, that's what it literally, is interpreted as, the decalogue, the ten great sayings, right?
[16:13] It only took God, ten great words, to give us, the standard, that all, at least, well-ordered society, bases their legal systems upon.
[16:24] You ever thought about that? What God declared, in ten sayings, the world has broken down, into a very small minutia, right? The world tries to base, their legal standard, upon all of these things.
[16:35] God has set a standard, so high, in its perfection, but it is just a, shadow. Which tells me, that if you could keep the law perfectly, and I use that word, if, it's a small word, but it means a lot.
[16:47] If you could keep a word, the law perfectly, the best you could ever do, was draw near to the shadow. And sometimes, shadows, are a long way away, from the real.
[17:04] It is just a, shadow. But look at what it says, it could never, by the same sacrifices, which they offered year, by year, by year, by year, cleanse, or forgive, sins.
[17:18] So, the Jewish people, keeping of the law, each and every year, would do the same thing. And each and every year, they would have the same problem. They would have to do it again. That was the work of man.
[17:28] But here is what I want you to see. This is the application. None of us, I don't think, maybe you are, and if you are, you don't have to tell me this. None of us have such a guilty conscience, that we are going to go home today, and we are going to kill a ram, or a bull, or a goat, and we are going to put it upon a stone altar, that is made with 12 stones, that were uncut by any tool.
[17:45] We are not going to go home, and construct this, and we are going to have a great, a bronze great over it. And none of us are going to burn that offering, on that great, hoping that we would be forgiven. But we all, are, doing something.
[18:02] Because, our conscience, our conscience, testifies to us, of our guilt. And therefore, we are trying, to find forgiveness, somehow.
[18:13] Some of us are doing it, by church attendance. If I go to church, maybe I'll be okay. Some of us are doing it, by diligently reading our Bible. If I read my Bible enough, I will be okay. Some of us do it, by giving.
[18:24] If I give enough to the church, maybe I will be okay. Some of us say, well, we will clean ourselves up. I'm going to get my life straight. I'm going to get all these, bad things out of my life. I'm going to quit doing bad, and I'm going to start doing good.
[18:35] I'm never going to go back, to doing bad. But you know what the problem is? And this is a testimony, of Billy Joe. Maybe it's not your testimony, but this is the testimony, of Billy Joe. No matter how much I tried, I kept having to do, the same thing, every year.
[18:49] Over, and over, and over, again. And just, as the scripture says, those sacrifices, those sacrifices were nothing, but a reminder, of their sin.
[19:02] And each and every time, I had to start over again, all I was doing, was reminding myself, of my sin. Because the work of man, cannot.
[19:14] It is impossible. It will not, do anything, but remind us, that we are not perfect. It will not do anything, but remind us, that there's nothing, we can do about it.
[19:27] It will not do anything, but remind us, that no matter, how hard we try, no matter how many animals, we slaughter, no matter how much, we read, no matter how much, we give, no matter how much, we attend, the work of man, will do nothing, but remind us, that we sin.
[19:45] Because the standard, of God, is too high. The work of man, does nothing, to remove, the sin of man.
[19:55] That gets us, to the second thing. There is the work of man, now there is the will of God. There is the will of God, because if we left it there, we would think, that God is unfair.
[20:07] At the greatest, we would think, that God is unfair. At the least, we would think, that God is a big, mean, angry God. But we see here, in scripture, of the will of God. Because look at what it says, it says, for it is impossible, for the blood of bulls, and goes to take away sins.
[20:22] Since the work of man, leads to an impossibility, we have verse 5. Therefore, since it is impossible, for man, in his efforts, to cleanse himself, of his sins, therefore, when he, that should be a capital H, by the way, that is referring, to Jesus Christ, when he comes, into the world, he says, now pay attention, to this, this is probably, one of the greatest, portions of scripture, that testifies to us, that the fact, that all scripture, is God breathed, that is it is declared.
[20:51] Because in this portion, in these 18 verses, you not only have, what God declares, you have here, Jesus being attributed, to saying, an Old Testament passage.
[21:02] Okay? Kind of makes you, scratch your head, but when the author of Hebrews, says that Jesus said that, back in the author, because what you're going to do, is you're going to read, the cross reference, when you go home, you're going to study, to make sure, you're going to be like, the church at Berea, you're going to go home, and open up your Bibles, and you're going to make sure, that everything, the man behind the pulpit, told you was accurate.
[21:18] And you're going to go in, and you're going to look at, this Old Testament reference. And when you look at, this Old Testament reference, you're going to see, that it is a psalm, attributed to David. And then you're going to, scratch your head, and say wait a minute, it says that David said it.
[21:29] And then you'll go back, to the book of Hebrews, and say wait a minute, it says that Jesus said it. Why? Because Jesus Christ said it, through his person David. He can use a donkey, he can use a rooster, he can use anything he wants to, but it is his declaration.
[21:41] Right? It says that Jesus says this, sacrifice and offering, you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me, and whole burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin, you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, behold, I have come, in the scroll of the book, it is written of me, to do your will, O God.
[21:57] Wait a minute, it says that God has no desire, in sacrifice and offerings. Isn't it God who told us, or at least told the Jewish people, to give sacrifice and offerings? You know why?
[22:08] Because it was never about, the blood of bulls and goats. It was always about, the preparation of the heart, of the person bringing, the blood of the bulls and goats. God is not appeased, just because an animal is slain.
[22:20] God is not appeased, just because an offering is given. God is not appeased, just because man does something. What God is doing, is showing man, that the will of God, is to purify, and cleanse the heart of man.
[22:32] And that the one thing, that it would require, would be, the perfect sacrifice. Do you want to know why? In the very depth of your being, you want to try so hard, to get your life together?
[22:45] Or I wanted to try so hard, to get my life together? You want to know why? Because God is declaring to us, through our very efforts, through all of our work, God is declaring to us, you were made, to be perfect.
[23:00] I want to, I was in the back, I'm one of those guys, that's completely, easily distracted. And I do appreciate, your patience with me this morning, because I can't just leave, this message alone. But I was in the back, this morning, I was standing back there, I caught this little dust particle, flying through the air.
[23:14] And I'm that guy, okay? I get a little squirrel, whatever or another, it happens to me. And I was reminded, Charles Spurgeon once said, that I believe God, is in control, of every speck of dust, that flies through the air, and directs the path, that it goes.
[23:31] Isn't that amazing? That thing getting, just floating aimlessly, through the air, God is telling it, where to go. And if God has that much control, over a speck of dust, how much more, does he direct things, in our life, to get our attention?
[23:48] And I'm just going to go ahead, and tell you, if your God, that you believe in, is not that big, then you're not believing, in the God of scripture. Because that's who he is. And all he is doing, is showing us, that the will of God, is to point man, to that forgiveness.
[24:05] And Jesus declares, a body you have prepared for me. Now this brings us, to the whole thing. The very will of God, was that the son of God, would take on a body, to fulfill, the will of God.
[24:16] And let us, stand amazed at that. I read this morning, of the crucifixion, and resurrection, of Jesus Christ. The last couple of days, if you're following the reading plan, you've been reading that, think about that.
[24:28] The Bible tells us, in the book of Isaiah, that God was pleased, God was pleased, to strike his son. Wow.
[24:39] The will of God, would be that the son of God, would die a perfect, substitutionary death, for the rebels of God. The very will of God, would be that man, would be cleansed, by the perfect sacrifice, of his one and only, begotten son, Jesus Christ.
[24:56] And Jesus says, I have come, to do your will, oh God. And look at verse 10. By this will, we have been sanctified, through the offering, of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.
[25:13] Would have been a great place, to say hallelujah, amen, or to get excited, but since you didn't, I will, and we'll go another hour. I'm joking, we won't go that long, but we will get excited, about the fact, by this will, by the very will of God, you have been sanctified, to be set apart, for holy use.
[25:32] That's a past event, by the way. This word appears twice, here it does it once, in a past event. Once for all time, God has set you apart, by the offering, of Jesus Christ.
[25:42] He is not going, to have to do anything else. Once for all, at one time, Jesus Christ died, a perfect, substitutionary death. He did his work, one time, and in one work, and in one effort, and in one moment, in history, he sanctified, those who trust, in that work, by faith, and faith alone, and he has completely, set them apart.
[26:04] It is by the will of God, not the work of man. It doesn't even matter, if it's the will of man, it is the will of God, that has set us apart, that has sanctified us, by the blood of Jesus Christ, once for all.
[26:17] It is absolutely done, and we stand amazed, at the will of God. Now look, you see the work of man, you see the will of God, now look at the witness, of scripture, look at what scripture, tells us.
[26:33] You say, okay, well that's great, God has done it, God has done, what I cannot do. One time, at the consummation, of the ages, the Bible tells us, in the book of Hebrews, God has done, in the offering, of Jesus Christ, something that man, has never been able, to accomplish, and man never, will be able to accomplish.
[26:50] I don't care, how old you date the world, I don't care, if you dated into the, millions of years, though I think you are, absolutely wrong in that, or into number of, number of thousands, of years. And I have my, not only theological, but also scientific, reasons for my dating, of the earth, but we don't need, to get into that here, right, we're not here, to cause division, but it really doesn't matter, how old you date the earth, one thing you find, is that ever since man, came upon the face of the earth, man has been trying, to work his way to heaven, man has been trying, to work his way, to forgiveness, and man is still doing it, to this day, he is doing it, through religions, or practice, or even denial, I don't believe there's a heaven, no reason you don't want, to believe there's a heaven, is because you don't want, to think there's a day, of accountability, but what we have found, is that man has done, all this effort, and God did it at one time, it is the very will of God, and he's done it, now look at the witness, of scripture, look at what it tells us, after saying this, Jesus came, and he took on the flesh, and he did that, he says by this will, verse 10, by this will you have been sanctified, that's past tense, he set you apart at one time, you want to know, when I was sanctified, that was set apart, to be for holy service, that's what the word sanctified, means to be set apart, unto holy service,
[27:58] I was set apart, unto holy service, somewhere around AD 30, I wasn't born until 1980, okay, all the way back, when Jesus died on that cross, I was set apart, actually we'll go back, a little bit further than that, because the Bible tells me, he knew me, before he laid the foundations, of the earth, and Jesus is called, the lamb slain, what, before, the foundations, of the earth, I almost, almost, and I'm so thankful, for the prodding of the spirit, I almost, titled this message, now you know, I alliterate, that I start with the same letter a lot, I don't do that, because I think it's cool, I don't do that, because I think it's trendy, I do that, because that's the only way, I can remember it, I'll just be honest with you, okay, so I almost, titled this, the repetitious work of man, that man's work is completely repetitious, and it is, doing the same thing, over and over again, that's why I just went to the work of man, repetitious didn't work for me, you'll see why, because my second point, was going to be the response of God, that God responds to that, but see that's theologically inaccurate, because God does not respond, to the work of man, because God's will, was from the very beginning, if you go to the beginning of time, and you look past the beginning of time, back there, the will of God was, that the son of God, would take on flesh, and die for the rebels of God,
[29:30] God is not in the business of responding, God's in the business of leading, he's in the business of being the forerunner, he's the one who goes ahead, so before man ever began work, God had already determined, he was going to do it, right, so we see now, let's look at the witness of scripture, because every priest stands, in verse 11, every priest stands daily, ministering the offering, time after time, the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, but he having offered, one sacrifice for sins, that is Jesus by the way, he having offered, one sacrifice for sins, now look at this, this should be all in caps, if it's not, maybe it's set apart, some other way in your Bible, because this is a quotation, from the Old Testament, this is what scripture tells us, he sat down, at the right hand of God, this is like the second, or not, or the third time, possibly the book of Hebrews, tells us that Jesus sat down, why is he repeating it so much, because scripture testifies to us, his work is done, he sat down, at the right hand of God, waiting from that time forward, until his enemies, be made a footstool, for his feet, again, another quotation, of Old Testament scripture, but scripture testifies to us, these two things,
[30:37] Jesus' work is finished, and now he's in the process, of waiting, and he's waiting, until the world, and all of his enemies, are made a footstool, for his feet, that is our greatest enemy, would be the thing, he rests his feet upon, now look at verse 14, for by one offering, he has perfected for all time, those who are sanctified, now, you remember how I said, in verse 10, that sanctified is past tense, this sanctified, is ongoing present tense, so, okay, now let me show you, the wonder and the mystery, of the offering of Jesus Christ, when Jesus died on that cross, God once for all, set you apart for holy service, once for all, done, but we look at each other, and we say, but we're not perfect, even after I trusted, Jesus Christ is my Lord, and Savior, and I'm trusting, in nothing but the blood, of the Lamb, even after accepting, Jesus Christ, as my Lord, and letting him dictate, my life, I testify to you, that I, am not completely, set apart for holy service, because I'm not completely holy, here's the good news, because it says, here, in verse 14, for by one offering, he has perfected, by one offering, he has perfected, in the eyes, of the Father,
[31:49] I am perfect, in the eyes, of the world, I am nothing but that, if you have a hard time, finding anything, to tell others about me, that is not good, then come talk to me, and I can tell you plenty, okay, you don't have to look, very long, you don't have to look, very hard, I'm sure you can find, plenty to talk about, and that's okay, because we're all, in the same boat together, right, but what does it say, he has perfected, for all time, those who are, and the literal reading, there is, being sanctified, it is not a matter, of am I perfect today, the question really is, in Jesus Christ, am I becoming, more, as Paul says, am I pressing on, to that day of completion, I am being sanctified, now look at this, I'm wrapping up, I promise I'm wrapping up, because we're looking at, the witness of scripture, and the Holy Spirit, also testifies to us, now look at this, Jesus has declared, and they quote, an Old Testament passage, now the Holy Spirit, is going to testify to you, you want to know, how the Holy Spirit, testifies to you, through the word of God, so I just wish, that the Holy Spirit, would testify to me, well the Holy Spirit, doesn't testify, through these crazy dreams, and visions, even though I think, you're going to get it, but it's always going to be, through the declared, word of God, okay, because Jesus himself, said that when he comes, he will remind you, of everything that I've told you, and he will bring to light, the things of Christ, he will declare, the word of God to you, the Holy Spirit, testifies to us, who is the us, those who are sanctified, in Jesus Christ, so let's put ourselves, here in context, right, the us, are those who are trusting, in Jesus Christ, now this is important, stay with me, for after saying this, this is the covenant, that I will make with them, after those days, says the Lord,
[33:28] I will put my laws, upon their heart, and on their mind, I will write them, he then says, in their sins, and their lawless deeds, I will remember no more, now this quotation, comes from the book of Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 31, if we want to put it, in this proper context, this is a portion, of the promise, which God gives, to the nation of Israel, when they are in Babylonian, captivity, and therefore, it has direct application, to the nation of Israel, God is declaring to them, things that will be, now stay with me, this has not come about, it come about, in the nation of Israel yet, in my interpretation, these things will happen, after the rapture, of the church, this refers to, the millennial reign, of Jesus Christ, you say, what are you talking about, well you just have to go back, and listen to the book, of Revelation series, that we went through, this refers to that time, but listen, though it has direct reference, to the nation of Israel, then, it has glorious application, for the church, now, because the Holy Spirit, testifies to us, those who are already, set apart from Jesus Christ, look at the application,
[34:36] God has made a covenant, with them, he will make a covenant, with the nation of Israel, we have been grafted in, as Paul would say, in the book of Romans, to that covenant, and he will put his laws, upon their heart, and on their mind, I will write them, you want to know, one of the greatest things, that I have found, about accepting Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior, and I know we're going long, but it's okay, just stay with me, you know what I love about that, I read the Bible, over and over again, I tried to read the Bible, tried to read the Bible, tried to read the Bible, tried to read the Bible, never said anything to me, I never could understand it, the moment I accepted, Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, all of a sudden, there was illumination, of scripture, God began to speak to me, God began to declare, his truth to me, what was he doing, he was writing it, on my heart, and in my mind, because in your own effort, you will never understand, the word of God, higher are my ways, and greater are my thoughts, than yours, thus says the Lord, greater than the heavens, are above the earth, so are my ways, than yours, God's word is so deep, we can never mind, the very depths of it, but we dare not ever, try to interpret it, without the filtering, of the Holy Spirit, he declares it to us, and this is what, the believer enters into,
[35:42] God begins, to write it on the heart, he begins to engrave it, on the mind, all of a sudden, the Bible says, speak not with the wisdom of men, but speak when God, declares to you his things, this is the great gift, that we all have, each and every one of us, can go open up, the word of God, and having trusted, Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior, we can clearly believe, he is going to speak, to me today, you don't need someone, to stand in the gap, you just need, the presence of the Holy Spirit, because of the blood, of Jesus Christ, and the Spirit, is testifying to us, these things are happening, but that's not the best of it, the best of it is this, here's the declaration, of the Spirit to us, this is the witness, of scripture, and their sins, and their lawless deeds, I will remember no more, now God is declaring, that promise, to the nation of Israel, for the coming, millennial reign, of Jesus Christ, after the church is gone, but it's application, is this, those who have been, set apart in Jesus Christ, because of his work, not because of their effort, now stay with me, I'm wrapping up, this is, if you don't hear, anything else, if everything else, is nothing, but Charlie Brown's teacher, talking to you, listen to this one, okay, this is what it says, this is the witness, of scripture, that those, who genuinely, put their faith, in Jesus Christ, the moment, they place their faith, in the blood, and offering, of Jesus Christ, and they quit, trying to do it, on their own, at that moment, they are set apart, sanctified, made holy, at that moment,
[37:14] God declares, they are perfect, here's the best news, at that moment, God says, I remember your sins, no more, you say, but I can't forget them, and I'll say, but you're not God, God says, he forgets, so you tell Satan, to quit reminding you, of something, that heaven's, already forgotten about, and when God says, I will remember, your sins, no more, he means it, this is the witness, of scripture, this is the testimony, you say, but pastor, I can't get away from it, this is how, your conscience, is cleansed, you don't have to believe, the lies of Satan, anymore, you don't have to believe, what Satan, keeps reminding you of, you tell him, if God in heaven, can forget about it, I can move on from it, you tell him, if the courts of heaven, don't have no record of it, then it must not, have ever happened, because in Jesus Christ, it is gone, in Jesus Christ, it is forgiven, in Jesus Christ,
[38:15] I am perfect, in Jesus Christ, the work is done, in Jesus Christ, I don't have to do, anything else, in Jesus Christ, I have stopped, because look at verse 18, and I better be done, or we will be here all day, verse 18 says, now where there is forgiveness, of these things, there is no longer, any other sacrifice, for sins, so friend, why, do we keep, trying, let's pray, Lord I thank you so much, for this day, God I thank you, for your word, and I pray, that your word, would resonate, in our hearts, and minds, I pray that it would, captivate our thoughts, that it would direct, our steps, and that it would lead us, to greater fellowship, with you, and we ask it all, in Jesus name, Amen.
[39:01] Amen. Amen.
[40:01] Amen.