2007 Book of Hebrews Series –
“Many People”
Hebrews 9:23-28
Sermon preached at Curwensville Presbyterian Church – June 24, 2007
Prayer Introduction:
Martin Luther said, “We must preach the gospel to ourselves lest we become
discouraged.” This morning’s passage –
I. For Us (vv.23-24)
The first two verses of our
passage blew me away as I read them this week – thank you so much for the
opportunity to be your pastor – where I get to study God’s Word, be changed by
it, and then share it with you. READ
Here’s what blew me away. We can see why the “copies” of the heavenly things need to be purified. But why would the “heavenly things” need to be purified by the “better sacrifice” of Christ (v.23)? Why would anything in heaven need to be purified?
Notice that the purpose for purification of the earthly tabernacle was because of its association with a sinful people. In the same way, heaven had to be purified in order to receive us sinners. Heaven is a holy place, and we defile it. How gracious is our God to purify heaven – through the sacrifice of Christ – in order that we could go there?!
If that, alone, doesn’t grip you to the core – notice the two remarkable words near the end of verse 24 – “for us.” Christ sacrificed himself as a purifying sacrifice for heaven, and appears in heaven, in God’s presence – FOR US!
In the Old Testament, the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place – the closest a person could come to God’s presence – in order to intercede for God’s people. Jesus, our Great High Priest, stands in the very presence of God in heaven – FOR US.
For you and me, Jesus Christ was willingly sacrificed in order to purify us so that we – though sinful and defiled – might come to the throne of grace and enter into God’s very presence.
There is one obvious and powerful application of this truth. The truth is that none of us can enter into God’s presence by our own works – but only through the purifying work of Jesus Christ.
In the first verse of the worship song “Jesus, My Only Hope” we sing:
“I come into your presence with nothing in my hands.
I only bring thanksgiving for Jesus, God and Man.
I cast myself on mercy, I cast myself on love.
I trust your gracious promise to wash me with your blood.”
And in the chorus:
“Jesus, my only hope, my only plea.
My righteousness, my Great High Priest,
Who intercedes for me before the throne.
Jesus, I trust in you alone.”
What ignorance and arrogance in even thinking, “I can get into heaven because I’m basically a good person and have done lots of good things.” What ignorance and arrogance in even thinking, “I can worship God in my own way.”
Heaven is for the humble whose only hope is the Great High Priest who shed his blood – FOR US!
II. Once for All: Faith & Repentance (vv.25-26)
You know, there are a lot of
people who are confident that they are saved who shouldn’t be so confident; but
there are also many who are saved but not confident – and they can be. Verses
25-26 tell us why we, who are truly regenerate (born again), can be confident.
READ
Our assurance of salvation stems from two interconnected elements: faith and repentance.
First, our faith in Jesus Christ. To have faith is to trust. Do we trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation? Do we trust in the work of Jesus – our Great High Priest – rather than in our own works?
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find myself trying to earn God’s love – forgetting that it has already been given to me. I think, maybe God is mad at me for not trying harder. I wonder if God would bless me more if I read the Bible more, prayed more, did more for others.
I start beating myself up for the things I’ve done wrong – or certainly could have done better – and wonder if God will punish me for it.
And then, I am reminded of God’s grace. I remember that God’s Word says, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
I remember the words of the Michael Card song where he sings, “[God] cannot love more and will not love less.”
I remember the words of the chorus of the song we sing after Communion – “Your blood has washed away my sin – Jesus, thank You. The Father’s wrath completely satisfied – Jesus, thank You. Once Your enemy now seated at Your table – Jesus, thank You.
And I remember to put my trust – my faith – in Jesus Christ. I can recall the first time that I put my faith in Jesus; and I continue, to this day, to put all of my trust in Jesus Christ for my salvation.
Second, our repentance in faith. Verse 26 says that Jesus has appeared “to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
True faith causes true repentance. God will not love me more, because I do good works. God loves me, THEREFORE, I want to do good works.
You may have noticed that some sermons are heavily focused on the call to repentance, while other sermons are heavily focused on faith. Sometimes a sermon almost feels like its saying – “You must do good works, or you’re going to hell.” While other sermons seem to say, “It doesn’t really matter what you do, you’re definitely going to heaven.”
So which is it? Both.
There is no doubt that we are saved by faith alone. Yet, James reminds us, “…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17).
True faith produces true repentance. A faith without repentance is a dead faith. You cannot claim to be a Christian – saying the Holy Spirit lives in you – yet consistently live a life that denies this.
On the other side, great assurance comes from looking at the way in which true faith has produced true repentance. Not only do I recall putting my faith in Jesus, but I also recall moments of repentance – turning away from a specific sin, in the face of temptation; and, on the whole, I look at how different I am today because the Holy Spirit dwells within me.
One more note before we move on. There are three really powerful words in verse 26 that will be the focus of next week’s sermon – “once for all.”
Jesus “once for all” sacrifice was so superior – that it reaches back to creation and reaches forward to consummation – taking away the sins of God’s people for all time. That’s right; it was Jesus’ sacrifice that saved God’s people even before Jesus was sacrificed. The sins of Abraham and Moses and Ruth and David were taken away in the same way as our sins are taken away – by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament believers did not know Jesus’ name, but trusted in the sacrifice that was foreshadowed in the animal sacrifices. We know his name, and so we can praise his name.
Sins in the past, present and future are forgiven through the once for all sacrifice of Christ. That’s right – even your future sins are already covered by the blood of Christ – Jesus, thank You.
III. Many People (vv.27-28)
Verse 27 of our passage was one of our memory verses in
2003. READ
Do you want to hear some really good news? Because Jesus died once for all, we only need to die once (v.27) – just as Christ, being fully human (yet fully God) was sacrificed once (v.28).
I do not understand why anyone would be tempted to follow a religion that believes in reincarnation. Why would you ever want to come back and do this again?
I don’t know about you, but going through high school once was hard enough – I never want to do that again.
Finding jobs and keeping jobs. Finding jobs and keeping jobs. Finding jobs and keeping jobs. And people want to have a second go around?!
Aches and pains, illnesses, surgeries, doctor’s appointments. And people want to do it again?
Praise the Lord we only have to do this once. And while it seems like a long time right now – compared to eternity in the new heavens and new earth with a resurrected body, it is barely a drop in the ocean.
We need to conclude by looking at two words in verse 28 – “many people.” “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people…”
Notice that it isn’t all people. Jesus did not die for all people, He died for many people. Are you one of the “many people?”
Do you know the Holy God? I don’t just mean do you know about Him; do you know Him? Do you know the Holy God who created us to live in His love – in order to glorify and enjoy Him forever?
However, sin entered the world – bringing the miseries we face. Because of sin we were born spiritually dead.
But God, in his rich mercy, did not leave us in a condition of sin and misery. Instead, he sent his only begotten Son, Jesus – who lived the perfect life we failed to live. By His death and resurrection, He has taken the punishment for all of our sins and given us the credit for all of his righteousness, so that we are declared perfect in God’s eyes.
None of this matters unless we put our trust in Jesus – turning to Him in faith, and by that faith turn away from sin in repentance. If you have not put your faith in Him you have no confidence of salvation; but if you trust in Him – and invite Jesus Christ to dwell in your heart as the Lord of your life – then the Holy Spirit will work within you, causing you to do good works in faith, and you can be assured of your salvation.
It isn’t too late, but the time is coming when it will be. Jesus is coming back. The end of verse 28 says Jesus “will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
Become one of the “many people” who are waiting for him – not with fear – but with eager anticipation.
Perhaps you saw the news report this past week that Isaac Newton determined, mathematically, that Jesus could not possibly return before 2060.
Maybe. Jesus, himself, said that no one – not even He – knew the day when he would return. It cannot be calculated; but it is going to happen.
And when he returns, the “many people” will have the eternal joy of living in God’s presence – glorifying and enjoying Him forever – as we were created to do. Even now, Jesus – our Great High Priest is in heaven, interceding for us – having purified heaven so that we can be there.
He is coming “for us” the “many people” for whom he died “once for all” living in faith and repentance. May the song “Jesus, My Only Hope” be a song of commitment and assurance for all of us as we sing together.
MAY THE TRUTH SET US FREE – AMEN!