The Blood Covenant Pt. 2
Hebrews Series
Hebrews 9.10-26
B Jesus is heaven this evening, seated at the right hand of the Father, guaranteeing the promise of the covenant in two aspects: Legal Guarantee and Living Guarantee.
The Preservation of the Covenant
I The Legal Guarantee
Hebrews 9:10-15 (NASB) 10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
A Jesus shed His blood for us on Calvary 2,000 years ago, and now appears in heaven to plead the blood for us (vs. 16-22).
Hebrews 9:16-22 (NASB) 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. 18 Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU." 21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
1 Covenant is an agreement, but it also means “last will & testament.”
a The thing about a will is that it doesn’t come into effect until a person dies.
b In order for the terms of the New Covenant to come into play, Jesus had to physically die on the cross.
aa Luke 22:20 (NASB) 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
bb Even the Old Covenant was established on the basis of blood, but the blood, fire, water (Num. 31.21-24), could not change a person’s nature or object. (The altar, ark, people didn’t change when the blood was put upon them, but it changed God’s relationship to it.)
Numbers 31:21-24 (NASB) 21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to battle, "This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded Moses: 22 only the gold and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin and the lead, 23 everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean, but it shall be purified with water for impurity. But whatever cannot stand the fire you shall pass through the water. 24 "And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may enter the camp."
cc The reason why blood was such a big variable in the OC was that God required blood to be shed before sin could be forgiven.
Leviticus 17:11 (NASB) 11 ~'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.'
c Old Covenant were saved the same way we are . . . by the finished work of Christ.
aa Hebrews 9:15 (NASB) 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
bb People before Christ’s death on the cross were promised a Messiah/Redeemer by God, they died believing/trusting that God would fulfill that promise; however, they died with the promise unfulfilled.
cc One of the first accomplishments of Jesus’ death was redeem all those who had believed in God under the OC. (Christ’s atoning death was retroactive)
dd Yom Kippur is (was) a shadow of what Christ’s atonement did actually.
d In a way, the believers of the OC were saved on “credit,” Jesus was the actual payment.
aa Ezekiel 18:4 (NASB) 4 "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.
bb The only way a person could come to God was to have the penalty of his sin paid . . . Jesus provided it for everyone who trusts in Him. He was the bridge.
2 With Jesus dying on Calvary, He legally died & His Last Will & Testament was legally enacted.
a Our inheritance is primarily spiritual in nature.
b Forgiveness, spiritual gifts/fruit, changing of our nature.
aa When Jesus died, what all the blood that been offered up until that time could not do, Jesus accomplished.
bb (IL.) Niceen Creed, “ . . .descended into hell.”
B Howard Hughes, one of the richest men in world when he died in 1978.
1 His fortune, which he accumulated as an aviator, inventor, engineer, film maker, was estimated to be in the billions of dollars when he died.
a The final years of his life was spent as a recluse in a Las Vegas hotel as his OCD worsened.
b Upon his death, it was discovered that he had no will made (died instate)
aa All his wealth had to be distributed without any knowledge of his wishes.
bb Ultimately, his wealth was divided between 22 cousins.
2 When Jesus died on the cross, His last will and testament came into force.
a He designated all His wealth, power, authority to His children . . . us!
b How foolish we are if we fail to claim our inheritance in Him!
II The Living Guarantee (vv. 23-26)
Hebrews 9:23-26 (NASB) 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
A Today, I read where Walt Disney’s twin grandchildren are embroiled in a bitter feud over the money that Mr. Disney & their mom (Walt’s daughter) had left them.
1 Their mom is dead, grandfather is dead . . . the trustee’s of the estate are trying to keep the money. (Mess!) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10485976/Walt-Disneys-twin-grandchildren-in-bitter-row-over-inheritance.html
a If only the mother/grandfather were alive . . . the issue would be settled.
b He/she could make their wishes known, solve the problem, bring resolution.
2 Because they are both dead . . . there’s no way to rectify the issue.
B Our Lord became the sacrifice the for our sin.
1 He is the better sacrifice, a sufficient sacrifice and a final sacrifice.
Hebrews 9:23, 25-26 (NASB) 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these... 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
a His final will & testament was notarized on Calvary.
b He left everything to His children!!
aa He died, but He lives again!
bb He is alive to serve as His own executer of His own estate!
cc He can enforce the promises of His will & His will is incontestable because He lives in heaven as our guarantee!
2 When we come to God we must go through Jesus.
a Jesus satisfies the Father, and therefore no one comes to Him except through Jesus.
aa The idea that God accepts us as we are is unbiblical, popular, but unbiblical.
bb We come to Jesus just as we are, but He does not present us to the Father just as we are.
cc We are 100% unpresentable as we are. (God is holy, just & sin cannot be in His presence.)
b When Jesus presents us to His Father, He presents us in Himself, as He is.
aa When God sees us, He sees Jesus instead; He sees Jesus’ sacrifice instead of our sin; His payment for our sin instead of the penalty we deserve for our sin.
bb Hebrews 9:24 (NASB) 24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
cc Jesus has taken us into the real Holy of Holies with Him through His sacrifice on Calvary!
The Consummation of the Covenant
Still working on.
Conclusion:
A The blood covenant has been . . .
1 Ratified because Jesus fulfilled the external part of OC & obtained the external part of it for us.
2 Tonight, we learned how Jesus keeps the New Covenant.
a The legal guarantee. (His crucifixion was His Last Will & Testament)
b The living guarantee. (He enforces His will because He’s alive.)
B Hebrews 9:27 (NASB) 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
1 One person said: Man's life is made up of 20 years of his mother asking him where he is going, 50 years of his wife asking him where he has been, and one hour at his funeral when everyone wonders where he has gone.
a I know where I’m going because I’m in the Will.
b I’m only in the will when I die, I’m in the will right now.
2 The only way we get into the will is to placed into the death of Jesus Christ and say, “God, I’m a sinner. I place myself into the death of your Son. Be satisfied with me for His sake.”
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