The Common vs the Unique
Gladstone Baptist Church – 25/6/04
Have you ever thought about all the things you and I have to do over and over and over again? Laundry, dishes, ironing, taking out the garbage, making lunch, filling up the car with petrol, doing homework, getting a haircut, telling your kids to pick up their dirty socks, telling your husband to pick up His dirty socks, brushing your teeth, listening to the same preacher every Sunday… the list continues on and on and on and on.
There are many things in this world which we need to repeat over and over and over again. But every so often there are some things which we only get one shot at. Some things only happen once in a lifetime. For some people – that is marriage, or the first born baby, or a trip around the world.
The fact that we only get one shot at these things, make them unique. It makes them important and outstanding. They actually are memorable for the fact that they only need to be done once.
This contrast between the common and the unique is how the Hebrew writer compares the sacrifices that the Levitical priests and the sacrifice that Jesus’ offered. The Old Testament priests conducted literally hundreds of sacrifices every day – it was constant. It was repetitious. It was frustrating common. And while this was going on, there was no rest. They were running around with pigeons, lambs and goats. Carrying flesh and blood backwards and forwards to the altar. There were jobs to do, people to minister to, and no rest to be had. I’m sure they all fell into bed exhausted of a night time knowing that tomorrow was going to be just the same.
But in contrast, Jesus came and offered one sacrifice. It was the sacrifice of his own body and after he had offered it once, His job was done. He was able to sit down put his feet up and relax. What a contrast between the priests of the old system and our Priest in the New system. But this was exactly what it was like.
Open your bibles with me to Hebrews 10:11-18
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”
18 And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.
Day after Day the priests stood to perform their religious duties. Day after Day the priests offered the same sacrifices.
It was like Bill Murrey in the movie “Ground-hog Day.” Has anyone seen it? It is a comedy about an arrogant weatherman played by Bill Murrey, who gets stuck on Ground-hog day in Puksatony, Pennsylvania. He hates it. But somehow he has been caught in this endless time loop. Every day he gets up out of bed and it is the same day, the alarm clock is playing the same Sonny and Cher song, “I got you Babe.” It’s winter outside and everyone does exactly the same thing they did yesterday, because it’s not really yesterday, it’s the same day over and over again. After a while, Bill Murrey gets so tired of living the same day over and over again that he tries to kill himself, and he does! But the next morning, He wakes up again to Ground-hog day again.
The priests were caught in an endless loop of sacrifices. But Jesus was different. In these couple of verses there are 4 points of comparison between the Old Testament priests and Jesus …
1) The Levitical Priest’s sacrifices were numerous. Christ’s was only one.
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
2) The Levitical Priests stood because they had work to do and plenty of it. Christ sat down because his work was finished.
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool,
He could sit down, put his feet up and relax. And what is he doing now. He is waiting… waiting for a footstool. All he needs now is for his enemies to be finally conquered and made to kneel before Him. Some of you are thinking – why doesn’t he get off his backside and make it happen now. God could do it whenever he wanted, but He is patient. Judgement of his enemies would mean the end of time as we know it. It would bring to a close people’s chance to repent and get to know God as Lord and Saviour. If Jesus came back tonight, all those who hadn’t accepted Christ would end up in Hell, separated from God for ever. God doesn’t want this. He wants everyone to be saved, so he patiently waits, longing that more people accept Him as Lord and saviour. So for now, Christ is seated and is waiting patiently.
3) The Levitical Priests ministered before God – in front of his tabernacle. Christ sat down at the Right Hand of God.
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties [Where : In the tabernacle courts and before God’s altar]; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
The Right Hand of God – The most exalted position possible. And because he is in heaven with God and not still slaving away down here on earth, it proves that his work is done.
4) The priest’s sacrifices couldn’t take away sins. Christ’s sacrifice made all people perfect
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties [In the tabernacle courts]; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
What does it mean when it says the sacrifices couldn’t take away sins? It was clear in the Old Testament that these sacrifices did bring about forgiveness. They did pay the penalty demanded of God for the sins of the people. But they could never take away sin permanently. The dove, lamb, goat and calf sacrifices were specific sacrifices used to deal with specific sins. If I sinned, I would offer a sacrifice to cover those sins. The dove, lamb, goat and calf were not important enough to deal with all sins for ever though. So if I offered a sacrifice today and went out and sinned tomorrow, my new sins were not covered. The blood of sheep and goats was just not valuable enough to pay for our sins for all time. And so the sacrifices had to be offered again and again and again. They had limited worth if you like.
But Jesus’ sacrifice, the shedding of his own blood and the giving of his own life was a perfect sacrifice. It had unlimited worth in God’s eyes and so was able to pay the penalty not just for past sins, but also for future sins. Jesus’ sacrifice was valuable enough to pay the penalty for every single sin committed by every single person who lived in the past, who is living now and who will live in the future.
And with it, Jesus instituted the New Covenant. It was different to the Old Covenant. Vs 16 tells us how
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”
We’ve seen this quote several times in our journey through Hebrews. It is from the Old Testament book of Jeremiah and is talking about the New Covenant. The New Covenant was about transformation of peoples hearts and minds not about conforming to outward regulations. The New Covenant included a once for all sacrifice which resulted in the penalty for sins being paid for and God’s demands being satisfied. The debt has been paid completely – forgiveness is unlimited - and the case can be closed. God says (vs 17) - “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” Where there is no debt owed, there is no need for any record keeping and no need for further restitution. Under the Old Covenant through, a debt is still owed because the forgiveness was only limited.
It would be silly wouldn’t it for me to pay a speeding fine one week and then go into the Dept of Transport and try to pay the fine again. The account would have been closed. The debt I owed would have been cancelled. Once the debt is paid, you are free to live again. This is what the Writer to the Hebrews says in vs 18 …
18 And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.
We don’t need sacrifices any more because we don’t have any sins to be forgiven. If you have accepted Christ’s offer to pay the price that is, they have already been forgiven.
That is why Jesus can sit down, put his feet up and relax.
The writer to the Hebrews is writing this letter to a bunch of Christians. They also happen to be Jews and want to continue to supplement their new found faith with many of the rituals and requirements of the Old covenant. They were wanting to participate in temple worship and offer sacrifices and the like and the writer here is saying – why would you. You have a better way now – you don’t need any more sacrifices.
Sometimes in our churches we also are a bit like these Jews. Most people before they understand the truth of the matter, believe they can earn God’s approval by doing good things. It’s like the sacrifices that have to be offered to get forgiveness under the old covenant. Many people are trying to pay our their debt by doing good things. When they become Christians though, they realise that this is stupid. They can’t earn their salvation. Sometimes though, even mature Christians forget this lesson and try to do good things because they think it will earn brownie points with God or try to get God’s favour. The truth of the matter is that to try to add anything else to the salvation deal that we have in Jesus Christ is stupid. There is nothing else we can bring to the table that adds any value. We are forgiven, we are cleansed and we don’t need to do anything more. Jesus has completed it all, has sat down, and put his feet up.
