Hebrews 9:11-14 – Much More – Bible study

Hebrews 9:11-14 Much More The writer of the book of Hebrews reveals two important facts about the Old and the New Covenants or the term we use more often, about the Old and New Testaments. 1. What they had been doing in the Old Testament did not work. a. Hebrews tells us that Christ came to bring us a Sacrifice that would produce "eternal redemption for us" \#12\. b. The fact that all of the sacrifices offered by all of the priests through all of the years of the Old Testament had not brought eternal redemption is then obvious. c. There would be no need for another sacrifice if what they had worked. 2. That would Jesus Christ offered, Himself, was "much more." It is that much more that I would like us to consider for a few moments. Because of the better Sacrifice of the New Testament, we have much more or much better standings with God. This morning, let me share some things that changed for the better when Jesus died for our sins. I. We got much more in the way of atonement with Christs sacrifice. A. Our forgiveness is of a much better quality. 1. Atonement is a Bible word that you might not know about, but it is an important word. a. The Hebrew word for atonement means covering. b. It is a reference to what God did in the Old Testament to the sins of those who worshipped Him. c. He covered them, removed them out of His sight, hid them, if you please. d. The word "atonement" is used 69 times in the Old Testament but only used once in the New Testament. (1) Why? (2) Because when Jesus died, we got much more than mere atonement. 2. We got forgiveness. a. Several Greek words are translated forgiveness in the Bible but the meaning of all of them is similar. b. Forgiveness means pardoned, set free, loosed. c. We can say that our sins are not hid from God but have been removed, done away with, cast away. 3. For something as bad as our sins, hiding them is not good enough. a. We want them done away with, removed, cast out. b. That is what happened when Jesus died. c. Why? d. Because forgiveness is better than atonement. B. Our forgiveness covers a much better quantity. 1. The Old Testament saints had to offer MANY sacrifices to get their atonement; however, Jesus sacrifice was once for all sins. Heb 7:27 Who needed not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the peoples: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 2. That verse says it well, a. Old Testament priests were busy DAILY offering sacrifices. b. Some sacrifices had to be offered for the nation and some were offered for the individual. c. One of the most common sacrifices was the burnt offering. Let me read a few times when it was offered. (1) For the nation: The burnt offering was offered every morning and evening \#Ex 29:38-42, Num 28:3,6\, with a third one offered on the Sabbath \#Num 28:9-10\, at the beginning of each month \#Num 28:1\, at the Passover \#Num 28:16\, at with the firstfruits offering \#Num 28:27\, at the Feast of Trumpets \#Numbers 29:1-2\, and on new moons \#Num 29:6\. It was also offered with other offering like the trespass offering \#Lev 5:7-18\, the sin offering \#Lev 5:7, 6:25\, with freewill offerings \#Lev 22:18\, and the sheaf offering \#Lev 23;12\. (2) For the individual: \#Lev 12:8\ Burnt offering & sin offering for having a baby. \#Lev 14:10-13\ Meat offering, trespass offering, & sin offering when healed from leprosy \#Lev 15:15\ Sin offering and burnt offering when healed from an "issue," running sore. \#Lev 15:30\ Sin offering and burnt offering when a womans time went long. https://bible.org/seriespage/2-law-burnt-offerings-leviticus-11-17 d. Of course the more important sacrifices were offering that deal with sin. There was some of those for the nation and for the individual as well. (1) Sin offering – When a deliberate act of sin was committed. (2) Trespass offering – When an intentional act of sin was committed. (3) I read an article that suggested the Old Testament saints did not actually offering a sacrifice for every sin. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-often-did-people-offer-sacrifices-in- the-old-testament-363169 (a) Perhaps that is so for I have often wondered how the godly would survive!! (b) However, the impression that I get was that they were to offer sacrifices for sin as often as they could and were out of fellowship until they did. 3. However, for us, Hebrews 7:27 said Heb 7:27 for this he did once, when he offered up himself. a. Jesus died ONCE for our sin. b. In fact, this is such an important fact, it is reiterated several times in the Bible. Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Heb 9:26 but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins. c. That one death covered every sin you will ever commit. (1) Some dont like that. (2) Some say, "That gives sinful men license to sin." (3) First, it does not. Nothing does that. Sinners will sin because they are exceedingly sinful. (4) Second, What do you expect? Jesus to go to the cross again? (a) Well, He wont. (b) Not because He does not love us enough, but because there is no need. (c) His death was so much more, He took care of every sin every Christian would ever commit. (5) Third, thats not all. He also took care of every sin every lost person would ever commit. (a) The problem with sinners is not a limited supply of blood. (b) The problem with sinners is a limited supply of faith and repentance. C. Our forgiveness is of a much better endurance.. 1. In quoting God, the writer of Hebrews told of another difference in the Old and New Covenants: a. Speaking of the Old Covenant, he say: Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. b. Speaking of the New Covenant, He says: Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 2. Since the sins were never removed in the Old Testament just hidthey had to have a fresh covering every year. a. The Old Testament saints had to keep offering sacrifices not just for their new sins, but to keep the old ones buried. b. It is like when your payments only pay the interest and never diminish the principal. 3. But our sins are GONE. a. There is no remembrance because the sins are removed. b. They are as if they never happened. (1) You will not face them at the Bema Seat. (2) In all of the countless ages you are in heaven, God will never speak to you about them. (3) In all of the ages you are in heaven, no other saintnot even the one you might have sinned againstwill ever bring it up to you. II. We got much more in the way of authority with Christs sacrifice. A. When God created the planet, He gave dominion to Adam. Ge 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. B. Then Satan came along and like Jacob the supplanted, he tricked foolish man out of his authority over this world. 1. Now, dont misunderstand. 2. God is and always has been and will always be the final authority over everything, but God gave to Adam some authority to control this planet and the things on it. a. Image how much better life would be if the ground just grew food. b. No droughts, no thorns, no floods, no hard labor c. Man had it on easy street. d. Men like to get mad at God for weather and wildlife problems and eco-systems and climate control and so forth, but man was the one who had control over those things and sinned it away. e. By the way, the one who controls them now is the devil. (1) Dont tell me that devil isnt so bad! (2) The devil could make things a lot better if he wanted. (3) \#Eph 2:2\ calls him the prince and the power of the air. (a) He is prince not king. God is King, but Satan has a good bit of control. (b) He is also the power. He still had to get permission from God, but the devil is the one who determines which way this world goes. (c) God is being slandered! C. But at the cross, Jesus took back the authority of this world. Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 1. The word "spoiled" means God divested them, put them off, took them to the cleaners. 2. You say, "Well of God did that, why arent things any better around here?" a. It is because God has not exercised the option of taking control of this world yet. b. I suspect it is because God gave Adam and Eve control for the worlds duration and so God is honoring that with the devil. 3. However, the Bible tells us that God is going to take control, and I dont think it is going to be much longer now. Re 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. a. When the seventh angel sounds the trumpet, the devil will be foreclosed upon. b. Soon after that, God will evict the devil. Re 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. c. Then God will create a new heaven and a new heart which will not restore the glory of the original creation but exceed the glory of the original creation! Re 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. D. But even now, you and I do not have to fear the devil, sin, death, this world, any person, any power, or any consequences of this world. 1. Why? 2. Because we are children of the King! 3. We have much more than our Old Testament counterparts ever had! 4. Dont let the devil fool you into being fearful, timid, bashful, guilty, ashamed. (a) Hes been licked and has no standing. (b) Someone said "Christians have more authority in them than the devil has around them!" Amen! III. We have much more in the way of availability with Christs sacrifice. A. I am out of time but I will say the Old Testament saints could not get to God; we cannot get away from Him. 1. They had priest, a temple, holy days, and sacrifices. 2. These locked them OUT of the presence of God. B. We have the Holy Ghost dwelling within us, and He is not going anywhere. Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. We do not just have more. We have much more and much better and it is because of the cross of Jesus Christ. If you have not trusted Him, please do.