"Christ, The Perfect Mediator And Sacrifice For Sin"

Christ, the Perfect Mediator and Sacrifice for Sins

Hebrews 9: 23-28

1. This is one of those scriptures that has a bottomless reservoir of meaning

2. It presents Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrifice for Sin

3. The one thing man must face up to is this:

a. He and his world are sinful and imperfect

b. He and his world die and waste away

c. Therefore, he needs to have his sins cleansed and taken away

4. In order to stand before the Holy and perfect God,

a. He must somehow be cleansed of sin and imperfection

b. We must be counted as perfect

5. How is this possible?

a. By Jesus Christ, by the sacrifice that he has made for man

b. Jesus Christ is the perfect sacrifice for sins

6. Today we will examine,

a. Jesus Christ purifies everything; even the very things of heaven [23-24]

b. Jesus Christ does not offer a repeated sacrifice. [25-26]

c. Jesus Christ bore the penalty for man [27-28]

1 Jesus purifies everything, even the very things in heaven [23-24]

a. J.C. Provides a Universal Redemption

b. The earthly sanctuary had to be purified

c. The heavenly sanctuary had to be purified

i. WHY? (why would heaven need purifying?)

1. Not because anything in heaven sinful or unclean

2. Heaven must be enshrouded with the blood in order to cover man as he approaches God

3. We see that ALL things must be covered with the blood of Christ!

a. Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

b. I Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

d. Jesus Christ appeared in Heaven in the presence of God for us

i. Man is only acceptable when covered with the blood of the Lamb

ii. This is absolutely essential for you to understand

1. it shows how great the sacrifice is of God’s Son

2. It is so great that God insisted that ALL THINGS IN THE UNIVERSE be covered in the blood

2 Jesus Christ does not offer a repeated sacrifice [25-26]

a. Sacrificed Himself but once!

b. The earthly priests had to sacrifice often

1. Priest was as other men, sinful (could not make perfect sacrifice)

2. J.C. was perfect: perfect High priest, His sacrifice was perfect!

3. This perfect sacrifice paid for sin forever

c. Jesus Christ has once appeared upon earth

1. “He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (v 26)

3 Jesus Christ bore the penalty of judgment for many [27-28]

a. Man dies ONLY ONCE. There is no second chance!

i. You have only ONE CHANCE to be

1. forgiven, saved, redeemed, acceptable unto God

2. Man dies, then the opportunity is OVER

ii. Jesus Christ died as a man, for man. IN this realm, not the next.

iii. Therefore, there will never be another chance to be covered by his sacrifice. {three types of death}

b. Man dies then the judgment

i. It is immediate upon death

ii. We are separated then from the presence of God.

1. 2 Pet 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

c. But note the glorious news! [v28]

i. “Jesus Christ was once offered to bear the sins & judgment for many”

ii. We no longer have to bear the judgment for our sin and imperfections

iii. NOTE: this glorious salvation is not wrought in the lives of all!

1. It is reasonable

a.

b. 1 Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

d. Jesus Christ shall come to earth 2nd time & save those who look for Him

i. What a phenomenal statement!

ii. What an astounding promise!

iii. What a spectacular site it will be!

iv. Jesus shall rent the sky and appear to all who have watched for Him!

v. The bodies of dead believers, who died looking for His return shall be reunited with Him in the sky!

vi. The persons living and looking for Him shall be lifted skyward; and join Him in the sky!

Death (thanatos): the basic meaning of death is separation.

1. Death never means extinction, annihilation, non-existence, or inactivity.

2. “Death is the separation of a person from the purpose or use for which he was intended.”