This is the message I will be preaching at San Pedro CRC today -August 18, 2013
Hebrews 10:1-25 (For Reading v 5-10)
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a]
8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Fallen Condition /Redemptive Focus:
1. Holding into rituals instead on the completeness of Jesus’ Work on the Cross
2. Repetition instead of the Once and For All
3. Outward Conformity instead of Internal Law
4. Giving up instead Drawing Near..
Introduction:
For the past few weeks I am struggling with some views being propagated by teachers who profess to be Christian and yet by their message is trying to lead believers to a lifestyle and attitude that is not helpful-even dangerous to their Christian lives: Prosperity Gospel.
Some of them had used this verse from Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.” which in the old version like in KJV as -“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” and interpret faith as something of as a Force -an ethereal substance that we can will to produce or destroy something…this is clearly not a New Testament teaching…but in order for me to define Faith as the writer of Hebrews defines it – I have to go to Hebrews 10- the immediate context of Hebrews 11.
So this is part 1 of a 2 part series on What is Faith? in fact I already have another message -but that is for September.
I would have to go through the difficult passage at Hebrew 10:26-27
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
regarding falling away -but that would be clear once we go through this first.
But before- that I need to got through you this simple message regarding Prosperity Gospel- which teaches that God always wants you to be rich or healthy -and the implications is that if you are poor or sick -then you are always in sin or sinning or rebelling or disobedient…which is hellish accusation .
There are times that we are sick or poor because of our sinful behavior and attitudes like those I helped before to have a job -but then goof at their jobs and even acted as if they are the boss- or we are always late at work and we don’t focus on our jobs- we are being paid for a job we did less. Or that we maintained two families because of our lust.
But sometimes – we suffer these things because precisely we are faithful- especially in Communist Korea, Moslem Egpyt,Saudi or Catholic South America…and sometimes -for a time we are being taught by God in the school of patience , holiness and humility -before we will be used for more kingdom witness – Like Joseph,Daniel, Peter and Paul…
Hear these words of the Scriptures:
1 Timothy 6
9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
and at Matthew 19:24
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
And so running amok towards richness is dangerous to one’s soul – we must learn to be content :
Philippians 4:10-13
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
or this Old Testament prayer:
Proverbs 30:
7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
Also see what faithful men and women receives in the Old Testament:
Heb 11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.
Heb 11:39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
So for now -this is enough for you to combat the errors of these teachers -for :
Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
1. Shadow
1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.
3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Rituals are what religious people wants to show that they do believe in God and they are trying to please Him. Whether it is the Roman Catholic -eucharistic mass or a Muslim thowing stones around the Kaaba at Mecca or a Mormon baptizing himself for his relatives- they are to them -not merely symbolic or an act of remembering- but in actuality is accomplishing something in the Spirit world-either atonement/ forgiveness/ salvation.
A Jew going to the Temple of Jerusalem before it fell on AD 70 is hoping that his sins are covered and he recieves forgiveness. But it seems it has only an effect for a while- maybe a year -and then it had to be repeated again and again.
The best effect of such is you forget that you have sins -and thus can walk heads up high and hope for the blessings for the year to come…and yet the repetition is the reminder that it only have this effect for awhile.
They are just covered for a while -but never internally cleanse.
Much like a rent for an apartment -or a pain-killer that only last for 2-3 hours-and then the pains begins again.
I have an uncle who have cancer when he was 60+ years old and the pain killer -as time goes- have shorter and shorter effect. Rituals are such like that.
They are like sketches or blur version of a sharp picture that should be taken with care. A pale reflection of a sharp and distinct picture.
Or the image of ourselves in pool of muddy water- you cannot really see the reality, HD or 4D TV of what the reality is like. The word use here is ikon- the exact and distinct replica of the real thing.
The Law -the whole OT Law -and especially the sacrificial aspect (which by the way was not seperated in the scriptures from the moral and civil and political laws) was merely a preparatory aspect- something that makes an OT believer expectant of the age of the Messiah- of the Holy Spirit.
The Law can only remind them of their sins- it cannot save us nor empower us to live holy lives.
But it seems their leaders is more expecting of throwing the yoke of the Roman Empire instead of the purity of the heart.
2. Body
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a]
8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
When we celebrate the Lord’s Table once a month -we don’t offer it again -in a bloodless manner- the one atonement made by Jesus in Calvary -we are just reminded or remembering of the atonement -the forgiveness that was pain in full by Jesus.
He came in order to supersede the offerings and sacrifices that cannot really clean ourselves from sin’s power and influence. The First order is the one introduce by Moses -and it was replaced by Jesus by His death on the cross.
All those offerings and sacrifices were instituted by God in the Law -so that for a time ~ 1500 years before Jesus came-so that His people will be prepared and be expecting of His Son-but even they – were hard of heart and thus majority of them did not recognize Him when He came.
It is said that a good verse for Christmas is this- ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll – I have come to do your will, my God.’”. This is precisely His primary mission.
The Lord prepare Him a body -a soma – so that the mystery of the Incarnation may happen-God in flesh-Jesus as God and Man- one person united in two natures.
And He did it Once and For All- Minsanan lamang at para sa Lahat.
It need not be repeated…For to expect it that way -is to misundertand the nature of the once and for all incarnation of Jesus here. It was meant to be once -and for all time…
3. New Covenant
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 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For 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.”[b]
17 Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”[c]
18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
When a teacher teaches -she always stands and goes about the front of the room..she only sits when she is conducting some test for her pupil-meaning she already completed her duties in teaching and is now making a judgement on whether they learn something form her or not.
Supreme Court judges- when they enter the room -all those inside -also stand to give honor to them
So this is standing and sitting symbolism is common to us.
A High Priest -once he enters the Holy of Holies -must conduct His job – sprinkling and washing and offering -and if he sat inside it-must be probably struck dead by God for some impurity not seen by man-but is seen by the All-seeing eye.
So when a priest sits down and was not struck dead -and even was raised up and now sitting at the most powerful position of the universe -commanding His troops in conqueirng the hearts and minds of the whole world-then it is proof that His once and for all sacrifice was accepted by the Justice by God.
So what happens to those in the New Covenant?
BTW-advertisement :On October 26, 2013 we will have a Pre-Reformation Day Seminar -that will be given a missionary (Pastor Joseph Krygier) who usually goes to Davao only- but will give us 4-5 hours of teaching re: Election in the Gospel of John; Redemptive-Historical Preaching and then on the Benefit of the New Covenant – Mark that on your calendar -we are expecting 20 or so participants.
Repeat this- “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”
A past…that affects the present…that will continue on …until forever…
>our sins are forgiven…it will be no longer remembered
>there will be internal change in our hearts and minds…our emotions, our priorities..our willing…our desires -all this world can offer will no longer be that insurmountable…He will change us within…through the new birth…being born-again…
>We will be change from glory to glory-until He comes back again…
Have you eaten a cake -amnesia cake- that once you tasted and eaten it- you will no longer eat anything again…so to speak…parang JCo donuts…once is enough pero -you can’t have enough of it…That is our Lord…to taste His goodness is enough and yet you keep coming for Him in the Word, in prayer , in song of praise – for more of Him.
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever..’
4. Let us ..
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching…
Walk by Grace thru Faith 