One and Done • 04.02.23
Nick Lees   -   April 2, 2023

One and Done
Hebrews 10:1-25

  1. Jesus perfectly obeyed in our place
  2. Jesus accomplished the will of God
  3. Our new spiritual realities must inform how we live

What a sweet morning of worship! Are you thankful for God’s plan for the church!? It is a privilege to worship our God with you and serve alongside of you. I have been thoroughly blessed by the many ways I’ve watched God work in this church. It truly is a joy to be one of your pastors. Let’s turn our attention to the study of God’s Word in the book of Hebrews.

Dismiss 4th & 5th graders

Ushers + Bibles (Hebrews 10; page 1193)

Today, before we dive into Hebrews 10, I want to make you aware that this is our last sermon in Hebrews for a little while. With today being Palm Sunday, that means we’ve now entered into Holy Week. In case you forgot, we have a daily devotional provided on our website (/holyweek) from our pastors, as well as an activity outside of the church for you to take home today. That also means that this coming Friday is our Good Friday service walking through the Final Hours of Jesus’ life. We’d love to have you back at 6pm for that service. We’ll also be celebrating Easter Sunday next weekend by studying the resurrection as our hope for eternal life from 1 Corinthians 15. It will be a family worship Sunday at both services, meaning Elementary age kids and older will join us in the worship center. EC3 and under will still be provided in Harvest Kids at both services.

After Easter Sunday, the Lees family will be taking an extended vacation as a sort of informal sabbatical. This year marks 10 years of being in pastoral ministry for me and 13 years in vocational ministry, and we thought it would be a good time to slow down and process the lessons God has taught us over these years. Our desire is to be faithfully ministering for the Lord for the long haul! I want to be holy and healthy for the next 10-20 years.

I’m thankful for a church that provides me with adequate vacation time to be able to do this, as well as people who are rising up to cover gaps while I’ll be gone. Pastor Jack Flaherty will be leading you through a 4-week sermon series in the book of Titus, after which I’ll be back to finish out the book of Hebrews with you!

With all that covered, let’s dig into God’s Word together. Today we’re studying Hebrews 10:1-25 in a sermon I’ve titled “One and Done”. As we’re about to hear, Jesus has finished the work that he was sent to accomplish! He came, he perfectly obeyed, and he was the once for all sacrifice that made a way for us! Let’s read now:

Hebrews 10:1–25 (ESV)

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.

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

This is an incredible section of this sermon from the author of Hebrews. He brings together so many of the themes he’s already been teaching them about and solidifies the superiority of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. If you’re listening carefully and you’ve been with us in previous weeks, you’ve likely caught on to repeated themes from earlier chapters. We are hearing again of Jesus’ better sacrifice – once-for-all, making sinners perfect, offered with his own perfect blood. You hear repetition of the finality of his work – that he sat down after completing it, that he is now in a position of power and authority. These are not new concepts to us in the book of Hebrews, but they are still vitally important! These precious truths are what help weary saints persevere to the end! And that’s what the author of Hebrews is seeking to do with his original audience.

Understand that with this section of his sermon, the author of Hebrews is wrapping up what he began back in chapter 4:14-16, discussing the superior priesthood of Jesus Christ. He has given them extensive evidence of Jesus being the better high priest who is worthy of their worship and allegiance. Jesus is the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament priesthood. He is the one the whole Old Testament had been pointing toward. Jesus is not only willing and able to rescue and redeem weary sinners, he has FINISHED that work! He has done it. It is possible to draw near to God through Jesus! Which is why this section transitioned in verse 19 to the beautiful calls to action that we’re going to explore further today.

In the remainder of our time together this morning, we’re discussing…

Living in light of Christ’s finished work

Now, I don’t know the spiritual condition of everyone who is present here this morning. I hope that there are folks here who are searching. People who are wrestling with what they believe and trying to figure out what Christianity is all about. Of course, I know that there are also many Christians in the room today. Regardless of where you are at in your faith journey, there are necessary responses to what you’ve heard from Hebrews 10. Let’s talk about what we’ve heard about Jesus’ finished work.

  1. Jesus perfectly obeyed in our place

In Hebrews 10:1-9 the author reiterates the shortcomings or insufficiencies of the Old Covenant. He uses strong and evocative language to make his points. The law was a SHADOW, which could NEVER make perfect, even though sacrifices were offered CONTINUALLY. It is IMPOSSIBLE for animal’s blood to remove sin.

We are reminded yet again that life under the Old Covenant was a sinful, bloody mess! These constant sacrifices were an ongoing reminder of the sinfulness of sin! And they were a reminder that we are not made perfect apart from a perfect sacrifice!

It behooves us to be honest in our assessment of life even today. Outside of faith in Christ life is still a sinful mess. Sure, we do not sacrifice animals like they did back then, and that makes it easier to ignore the bloody mess of sin or the fact that it earns us death, but we have an even greater reminder! The Cross of Jesus Christ. You cannot escape the cross! The Cross is our present reminder of the sinfulness of sin.

The Cross forces us to evaluate where we stand with God… You’re either relating to God in your own works, which leads to death, or you’re relating to him through faith in the finished work of Christ, which leads to life. Which is it for you? *pause*

Prior to studying Hebrews, you may have wondered about or struggled with the Old Testament. I hope that this study has been helpful for you in driving home the importance of knowing the Old Testament! Without the Old Testament, the New Testament would not make much sense. Why did Jesus have to come and obey perfectly in our place? If you didn’t have the Old Testament, you wouldn’t know the answer. Because humans are dead in our sin and unable to save ourselves!

Studying the Old Testament is very helpful for driving home the seriousness of sin. You cannot read of all these sacrifices and conclude, “Sin is not that big of a deal.” Just imagine having to put your hand on the head of a goat or a bull and have it pay the penalty for your sin! It’s life in exchange for yours. Then repeat that sacrifice daily or weekly for the rest of your life. Because no matter how much you sacrifice, you still return to disobedience against God… thus you are still guilty. This is why Christ had to come and die! To remove our guilt and to offer us righteousness.

The Old Testament reveals to us the standard of perfection that God requires of us. As humans made in his image, we are called to obedience. Verses 5-10 highlight God’s desire for obedience in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews interprets Psalm 40:6-8 in light of Jesus.

Sacrifices were never the main point. God did not want endless sacrifices, he wanted holy people! A holy people who would be his and dwell with him forever. But the people were not holy. They were stained by sin. The very people God had created to represent and reflect him were unable to accomplish their calling. They could not obey, even if they had wanted to do so. Their own sin nature prevented it. *pause*

So, Jesus did what we could not – perfect obedience to God – thereby fulfilling what was required. Jesus perfectly obeyed in our place. And by his perfect obedience Jesus accomplished God’s will which, as you heard in verse 10, included our sanctification.

Sanctification – to make holy

Stop and think about that for a moment. God’s will is your sanctification… your holiness. In a completely different passage, Paul makes the same point as he calls the Thessalonians to sexual purity:

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV)

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

If you’ve ever wondered, “What is God’s will for my life?” Here is at least one part of the answer – for you to be holy as He is holy! And as Hebrews and the rest of the Bible makes clear, that is an impossible task apart from Jesus Christ’s perfect obedience on your behalf!

God knew this is what it would take so he sent His Son. Jesus, God’s Son, knew this is what it would take and so he willingly offered himself up for us! “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.” What incredible words to consider when you realize that by them Jesus means he came to live a perfect life in your place and then die for you. To make you holy.

This is exactly what we heard about in previous weeks from 2 Corinthians 5 and Isaiah 53:

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 (ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Isaiah 53:11 (ESV)

11    Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;

       by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,

make many to be accounted righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities.

Your unrighteousness in exchange for his righteousness. God has a plan to make you holy. The point is this, Christ has come, and he perfectly obeyed in our place and by doing so…

  1. Jesus accomplished the will of God

He finished the work. The work that had been going on for ages past. The work of atoning for sin to make people holy. The Levitical high priests had repeatedly offered the same sacrifices, but the work was always incomplete. Because, as v11 told us, “it could never take away sins.” But hope comes in verse 12! “But when Christ had offered for ALL TIME a SINGLE sacrifice for sins, he SAT DOWN at the right hand of God…”

Jesus finished the work with his singular sacrifice. Once for all. One for many. By his perfect life and substitutionary sacrifice in our place, he made a way for us to be made holy. That is why he was able to sit down afterwards. That is why he yelled out, “It is finished” on the cross. Because, as verse 14 says, “For by a SINGLE offering he has PERFECTED for ALL TIME those who are being sanctified.” One and done. As we said last week – Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow! Or as verse 18 put it, “Where there is forgiveness of these (sins), there is no longer any offering for sin.” And there is no more offering! Because Jesus did it. He accomplished the forgiveness of our sins and the sanctification of our souls through faith in Him.

Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, waiting for the remainder of God’s plan to come to fruition. His enemies will be placed under his feet. Christ has been exalted, all that remains is for his enemies to be fully humiliated. We know that when he returns, it will be in power and glory and finally destroying death and throwing the devil into eternal judgment.

Do you realize how incredible it is to consider such truths? Such cosmic realities? Or, even further, to be the beneficiaries of such blessings?

It’s one thing to receive a call from an attorney to be told that you’re receiving an inheritance from a beloved relative’s estate. It’s an entirely different magnitude to hear from God that He has adopted you into His family through His Son’s death, burial, and resurrection and that He has given you holiness so you can dwell with him for all eternity!

Jesus’ work has resulted in your eternal perfection. What was impossible for you has been accomplished in Christ! This is not some blessing you can earn or work your way into… this is solely a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

I love how Paul puts it in Ephesians 2. Every one of us is dead in our sin until God, who is rich in mercy, chooses to make us alive with Christ. It is by grace that you are saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. This is exactly what we hear promised in the New Covenant, which was quoted again in Hebrews 10:15-17. God is the one who does it.

And this gift of eternal perfection is being revealed day-by-day as we grow in holiness. You see sanctification is a process that has several components. Let’s talk about those now:

  • Positional sanctification – aka justification; you are declared righteous at the moment of salvation.
    • Delivers from the penalty of sin
  • Progressive sanctification – aka spiritual maturity; you are growing in holiness day-by-day as you follow Christ
    • Delivers from the power of sin
  • Ultimate sanctification – aka glorification; being transformed into the likeness of Christ and given a resurrection body without sin.
    • Delivers from the presence of sin

God’s plan to rescue and redeem his people is a magnificent one! Despite our sinful rebellion, he did not give up on us. He is a steadfastly loving God! It is amazing to consider that God’s will has always been our sanctification… our holiness… that we might dwell with him and he with us for all eternity. If that does not get you excited this morning, then something needs to be addressed in your life!

How can we not rejoice in the beauty of these spiritual realities that the author of Hebrews has continued to lay out before us?! How could his original audience not be so in awe of Jesus that they realized the desire to pursue any other way was a fool’s errand? Judaism could not make them holy. Caving into persecution and renouncing Christ would not provide them with eternal life. The temporary pleasures and treasures of this life pale in comparison to the eternal weight of glory in heaven.

What do you value? What are you pursuing? What are your hopes set upon day-by-day? Is it these wonderful truths we’re rehearsing week after week? Or are you looking to something else other than Christ to satisfy your soul? *pause*

After spending so much time rehearsing such wonderful truth about the finished work of Christ, the author transitions in verse 19 to some of the beauties of their new spiritual reality and the ways it must change their lives. Let’s read it again:

Hebrews 10:19–25 (ESV)

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

This is where we really get to see what it means to live in light of Christ’s finished work.

  1. Our new spiritual realities must inform how we live

The author of Hebrews argues that Jesus’ finished work necessitates a response! First, he provides them with two spiritual realities that are theirs in Christ.

  • Spiritual realities
    • We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus
      • By the new and living way that he opened for us!
        • Through the curtain (veil torn!)
      • We have a great priest over the house of God

Because these things are true… Because through Christ we have unrestricted access to our Creator… Because Jesus represents us before God day and night… That must inform how we live. And he gives three specific calls to action:

  • How we live
    • Let us draw near [to God]
      • With a true heart
      • In full assurance of faith
      • With our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
        AND our bodies washed with pure water

A man or woman who has truly been rescued and redeemed by Jesus Christ and made new in him ought to regularly draw near to God. They do this with a true heart (meaning sincere or genuine) that is committed to him! They draw near in full assurance of faith, having confidence in Jesus’ finished work on their behalf. They aren’t wishy-washy in their faith. They are confident that they have been saved! God has purified them fully. They have been made new!

Do you have a regular practice of drawing near to God? Through faith in Jesus you have access to your Creator! The One who wants to make you holy. Drawing near to him is the only way to be the man or woman he created and calls you to be. You need him to do a work in you.

We draw near to God in prayer and through the Word. What are your habits of prayer and Scripture reading? Do you protect your time with God? Is it precious to you? If the honest answer is “No”, then why is that? What lie have you believed about the importance of drawing near to God that is hindering your desire to do so? You are invited into a relationship with the greatest Being to ever exist, the Creator of all things, the One who made you! May we not be apathetic about that!

Draw near to God now in prayer of confession. Ask him to change your heart. Identify the things that are distracting you and drawing you away from him. We have so much noise in our world. So many other things clamor for our attention – easy dopamine hits like TV, movies, social media, video games, March Madness, and so on… None of those are inherently sinful, but they are not what we ought to be drawing near to…

At the start of the year, we kicked things off with Vision Sunday and we spent a lot of time talking about our calling as the church. A significant part of our calling is to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. These are the greatest commandments. Have you actively been pursuing that calling this year? We’re one quarter into 2023, what has your pursuit of Yahweh and others looked like? How might it grow in this second quarter? It’s not too late to set goals and pursue them!

Not only are we to draw near to God, the author also called us to…

  • Let us hold fast the confession of our hope
    • Without wavering
    • For who he promised is faithful (Reason to hold fast = Jesus’ character)

Keep a tight grip on the Christian faith… do not let it slip away nor be swayed by changing circumstances! Jesus is enough in the midst of the storms of life. He is a sure and steadfast anchor for your soul. If you’re here this morning and you’re struggling in your faith – ask for help! Don’t waver and wander away from the faith. Talk to your small group about your struggles. Be honest and confess what is going on in your life. Get these things out into the light so that others can walk with you and bear those burdens, as we’re called to do.

We say that we’re a church of fervent prayer. Have you been praying for others this quarter? Have you sought out prayer in your own time of need? We have the after service prayer teams ready and waiting. We have monthly prayer focuses (show them April’s). We just had a churchwide prayer and praise night. I encourage you regularly to pray through the church directory for fellow members or to pray with one another here on Sunday mornings. Are you allowing these to become part of your practice? Prayer is a powerful way to hold fast the confession of our hope. We can support one another and remind each other of truth when we pray together or for one another!

This ties in so well with our third calling…

  • Let us consider how to stir up one another
    • To love and good works
    • Not neglecting to meet together
      • As is the habit of some
    • But encouraging one another
      • And all the more as you see the Day drawing near

Our faith is a community project! Christianity was never meant to be a lone-ranger religion. You must meet together in order to stir one another up! We are saved into the family of God and are immediately called to a deep commitment to the church, the bride of Christ. We need one another to protect each other from spiritual apathy. We need to keep encouraging one another to love and good works. This happens best when we regularly assemble together.

There is a reason we meet weekly in our large gathering as the church and then throughout the week in smaller groups. These are essential for our practice of the faith. This is done out of obedience to our Creator!

We know that there are so many distractions from being a regular part of the church community. The enemy wants to keep you on the fringes, disconnected and feeling alone. He knows if you get plugged in to the church and truly commit to Christ’s bride, then it will be much harder to hinder your spiritual growth!

Our mission as the church is to glorify God by making disciples. Inherent in that calling is building relationships. If we want to be a Compelling Community then we have to be willing to invite others in, to welcome new guests warmly, and to invest in those who commit to the body. We need to be encouraging one another to have evangelistic conversations during the week, in our workplaces, in the community, so that we would be about the good works that God has prepared for us. Earlier this year, I challenged each family unit to invite at least one person to church each quarter. How did that go in Q1? *pause*

Do you believe that God wants Des Moines reached for Christ? A group of Christians assembled in this metro 10 years ago because they believed that. It was the start of a new church plant named Harvest Bible Chapel Des Moines. And they desired that God would move mightily in this city through them. Do you still desire that? I do. I have seen God’s faithfulness to us as the church. I have tasted and seen lives changed through the Spirit applying the Word to sinners like us. And I want to see more of it. Do you? Are you willing to sacrificially lay your life down to make disciples? Will you have a 5-3-1 mentality like we talked about at the beginning of the year? Will you join us in door-to-door evangelism when Witness on Wednesday’s fires back up this spring? Will you serve in Harvest Kids so we can disciple the next generation at both services? I want to encourage every one of us to view Sunday as the Lord’s Day. If each of us attended one service and served at the other, do you realize that Harvest Kids would be open by now!? What a tremendous opportunity that is easily within reach… But it requires sacrifice. Of time and comfort. But the Gospel and making disciples is worth it!

There is a sense of urgency to our mission. “All the more as the day draws near” is how our passage ended today. Jesus is coming back again. There will be a day when we have no more opportunities for evangelism. Are we living as if that were true? Let’s make sure we’re busy about the mission when he returns!

Would you join me in prayer for our willingness to grow in these areas?

Pray

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