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.” 3. The Bible speaks of three deaths. 4. Physical death: the separation of a man’s spirit or life from the body. a. This is what men commonly call death. b. It is when a person ceases to exist on this earth and is buried c. “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:21-22). 5. Spiritual death: the separation of man’s spirit from God while he is still living and walking upon earth. a. This death is the natural state of a man on earth without Christ. b. A person who wastes his life in riotous living is spiritually dead. i. (Luke 15:32). c. A person who has not partaken of Christ is spiritually dead. i. (John 6:53). d. A person who does not have the spirit of Christ is said to be spiritually dead. (Romans 8:9). e. A person who lives in sin is said to be spiritually dead. i. (Ephes. 2:1). f. A person who is alienated from God is said to be spiritually dead i. (Ephes. 4:18-19). g. A person who sleeps in sin is spiritually dead. i. (Ephes. 5:14). h. A person who lives in sinful pleasure is dead while he lives. i. (1 Tim. 5:6). i. A person who does not have the Son of God is dead. i. ” (1 John 5:12). j. A person who does great religious works but does the wrong works is dead. (Rev. 3:1). 6. Eternal death: the separation of man from God’s presence forever. a. This is the second death, an eternal state of being dead to God i. It is spiritual death, separation from God, 1. that is prolonged beyond the death of the body. 2. It is called the “second death” or eternal death. a. (2 Thes. 1:9). “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power”
