Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
Hebrews 10:1-18
- What repetitious activity do you dislike most: (a) Clean the bathroom? (b) Mowing the lawn? (c) Driving to and from work? (d) Doing the dishes? (e) Getting out of bed? (f) Shaving?
- Why?
- What daily rituals do you enjoy most?
Christ's Sacrifice Once for All
10 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds,”
17 then he adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Outline
THE COMPARISON (10:1–18): Here the blood of earthly lambs is compared with the blood of the heavenly Lamb.
A. The inferiority of earthly lambs (10:1–4, 11)
1. The frequency of these sacrifices (10:1–3, 11a): The priest had to offer up animals again and again.
2. The failure of these sacrifices (10:4, 11b): They could never take away sin.
B. The superiority of the heavenly Lamb (10:5–10, 12–18)
1. The purpose (10:5–10): Jesus came for one purpose—to offer up himself.
2. The permanence (10:12, 14): His offering was once for all time, never to be repeated.
3. The patience (10:13): “He waits until his enemies are humbled as a footstool under his feet.”
4. The purification (10:15–18): Someday he will purify the hearts of unbelieving Israel.
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- Why is the law insufficient? Knowing how a shadow is produced, how then is the law a “shadow" of reality? Where is true reality?
- What is one positive function of animal sacrifices?
- In what ways does Christ replace the inadequate sacrifices of the law? How does Jesus's obedience relate to our holiness (vv. 9-10)?
- What is the significance of the contrast between the old sacrificial system and the new (vv. 11-13)? How did Jesus's once-and-for-all sacrifice make future sacrifices unnecessary?
- In the context of verse 14, in what sense are Christians already made perfect, while still in the process of being made holy?
- How much of your time is spent with a gnawing and vague sense of guilt: (a) All the time? (b) Most of the time? (c) Some of the time? (d) A fraction of the time?
- Why is that?
- Do you live your life as if you were being made holy (v. 14)? Why or why not? In what ways is God calling you to practice greater holiness?
- If you were asked to memorize one verse from this section, which would you choose and why?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
"Jesus and His Death"
“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”—Hebrews 10:17
According to this gracious new covenant, the Lord treats His people as if they had never sinned. Practically, he forgets all their trespasses. Sins of all kinds he treats as if they had never been; as if they were erased from his memory. O miracle of grace! God does what seems impossible to him. His mercy works miracles that far transcend all other miracles.
Our God ignores our sins now that the sacrifice of Jesus has ratified the covenant. We may rejoice in him without fear that he will be provoked to anger against us because of our iniquities. See! He puts us among the children; he accepts Christians as righteous; he takes delight in Christians as if we were perfectly holy. He even puts Christians into places of trust; makes us guardians of his honor, trustees of the crown jewels, and stewards of the gospel. He counts us worthy, and gives Christians a ministry; this is the highest and most special proof that he does not remember our sins. Even when we forgive an enemy, we are very slow to trust him; we judge it as imprudent. But the Lord forgets our sins and treats Christians as if we had never erred. O my soul, what a promise this is! Believe it, be happy, and Rejoice!
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