Christ Is Our Perfect Sacrifice

CHRIST IS OUR PERFECT SACRIFICE (Outline)

April 10, 2011 - Lent 5 - HEBREWS 9:11-14

INTRO: What is important in your life? What do you consider as the most valuable to you at this time? In our youth the little things held our attention. Pets, bikes, and good grades seemed to be the most important things. Growing up the world attracts our attention with many different “valuables”. The list is endless: fame, glory, power, wealth, possessions, knowledge, and wisdom. As believers the wisdom for salvation stands out as very important and very valuable. The apostle Paul learned this lesson. Paul was wealthy, educated, and held an honored position. God changed all those values by calling Paul from earthly importance into his divine service. "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 CORINTHIANS 15:3, 4).

CHRIST IS OUR PERFECT SACRIFICE is our most valuable possession.

I. More than the outside. II. Jesus cleanses the inside.

I. CHRIST IS OUR PERFECT SACRIFICE WHO CLEANSES MORE THAN THE OUTSIDE.

A. Verse 11a. The High Priest was responsible for the worship and sacrifices at the tabernacle.

1. The High Priest made sure that the sacrifices were offered at the right time for the right reason.

2. Jesus the Christ came as the High Priest far superior to any before. Jesus was also the sacrifice.

B. Verse 12a. Jesus offered his own holy, precious, and innocent blood. Such a sacrifice God required.

C. Verse 13. The ashes of the heifer made unclean worshipers clean. Only the outside was clean.

1. All of the blood of all of the previous sacrifices could not and did not pay for any sin.

2. The previous sacrifices of goats, bulls, and cows only pointed ahead to the blood of the Lamb.

D. Just think of all the animals that were offered for thousands of years. There were millions of animals that gave their lives as offerings of praise and worship. Over those many years the purpose of the animal sacrifices were forgotten. People offered what was required only as a sense of duty to carry out an obligation required by the law. This can be the same danger we face in our worship. It is not our sense of obligation or doing our duty in worship that is pleasing to God. "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require" (PSALM 40:6). May our ears always be “pierced” in order to hear what God speaks to each of our hearts.

E. From the Old Testament times to the New Testament times worship became wooded without much meaning for God’s people. Sadly, this attitude also infected and affected the very leaders of the church. How often are we not distracted by the cares and worries of this life? Even during our time of worship. All too often we get up late and rush off to church without really preparing ourselves for the greatest event of our week. We may not sing hymns or pray our prayers without much thinking. "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men" (MATT. 15:8, 9). God’s gospel stirs our hearts to worship with joy and praise.

F. Christ is our perfect sacrifice. This is the simple truth of God’s gospel. Too many today regard this simple message of truth as foolishness. Many feel there has to be more to salvation. God’s wisdom is foolishness in the minds of the worldly. Today’s false prophets change God’s saving gospel. Their message is do do, do, do, and do some more. It is this perverted message that is proclaimed in many of the largest churches today. It is not what we have done but what God has done for us that changes our lives. "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (MICAH 6:6). On our own we cannot do a thing that is good in God’s eyes. “All our righteous acts are filthy rags…” Christ’s sacrifice changes everything.

CHRIST IS OUR PERFECT SACRIFICE.

Jesus cleanses much more than the outside.

II. CHRIST IS OUR PERFECT SACRIFICE WHO CLEANSES THE INSIDE.

A. Verse 11. Jesus’ perfect Tabernacle is heaven. There Jesus pleads on behalf of every sinner.

1. This was another function of the High Priest. Jesus is the mediator between God and men.

2. Verse 12. With the blood of Jesus the perfect sacrifice is made once and for all.