Sermon Tone Analysis

*Hebrews 9:15-22*

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Jesus is better than Yom Kippur (cf.

11-14)

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His death reached back into eternity and saved all those of faith, from Abel to John.

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Redemption is the act of buying something back that was sold.

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Covenants require death which proves that Jesus HAD to die.

It wasn’t unfortunate!

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When blood is shed it changes God’s relationship to the one it represented.

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This inaugurated the NC; so the old one is now obsolete.

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Blood has to be shed for forgiveness.

This is God’s plan, so it can’t be annulled.

And salvation must contain faith, for that is necessary for eternal redemption.

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Since we’re incapable of doing good works, isn’t it wonderful that Jesus did it for us?

(raking leaves for Daniel but giving him the credit).

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*Hebrews 9:23-28 *

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Sin is indeed horrific!

* When man enters heaven he defiles it, but Christ’s sacrifice has already cleansed heaven for our presence.

* No unbelievers can live in heaven!

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Jesus was so perfect his sacrifice atoned for thousands of years of sins.

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Jesus’ sacrifice occurred at the “consummation of the ages.”

* All of the eras and ages came together in a climax of events that ushered in the final dispensation of God whereby man’s sin and sins are forgiven

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Christ only dies once, for it’s absurd for him to die over and over.

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At second coming of Christ he won’t die, he’ll bring final salvation

* He appeared the first time (v.

26) at first coming

* He is appearing (v.

24) before God as intercessor

* He will appear (28) at second coming to those who eagerly await.

1.      High priest appeared on Day at brazen altar (cf.

Daniel) – people would have eagerly awaited his coming.

2.      Priest entered HH to appear after offering atonement (intercession)

3.      Priest appeared with garments on to bring final salvation.

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Eagerly awaiting salvation – like Yom Kippur the people eagerly longed for forgiveness.

·         Phil.

3:20… “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly await a Savior”

·         Romans 8:23… “waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons”

·         Rom 8:25… but if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

·         1Co 1:7… “awaiting eagerly for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ)

·         Gal 5:5… “For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness”

* At his second coming there will be no chance for those who await his first coming

* If you eagerly await Christ chalk that up as a measure of your assurance.

* Many folks have no eager expectation, for the world’s desires have choked it.

·         Be reminded of you sins* Hebrews 10:1-4*

o   Year by year, week by week, day by day

o   We observe the Lord’s Supper, but we always remember Christ’s death

o   Good works don’t do anything about sins; Christ does!

o   Listen carefully to those seeking a relationship with God – all religions.

Then teach them about Christ’s superiority.

*Hebrews 9:15… *For this reason [Jesus] is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were /committed /under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

*Commentary*

“For this reason” is a reference to Hebrews 9:11-14.

The author claimed that Jesus, contrary to the high priests throughout Israel’s history, first and foremost appeared as a better high priest of the order of Melchizedek, not of the tribe of Levi.

Second, he entered into a better tabernacle not made with human hands, namely heaven in order to intercede directly before God.

Third, he entered the heavenly tabernacle not with animal blood but his own blood.

Animals were inferior means of atoning for sin, so Jesus proved himself perfect as a man during his earthly ministry then offered the perfect sacrifice as a man and without ceasing to be God.

Fourth, Jesus entered the heavenly tabernacle one time.

He did not enter it annually like the high priest did on the Day of Atonement, but one time and one time only.

Fifth, Christ’s sacrifice and entry into heaven did not gain a year’s worth of forgiveness but “eternal redemption” (v.

12).

Whereas the works of the high priest in Israel only atoned for the previous year’s sins, the work of the Great High Priest atoned for the sins of all mankind dating back to Adam! Finally, Jesus’ work on the cross and his entry into heaven cleansed the guilty consciences of those who sought dead works for forgivness.

This was in stark contrast to the Day of Atonement which only atoned for unintentional sins committed in ignorance.

Jesus’ sacrifice atoned for rebellious sins.

So it is “for this reason” – or these reasons that Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant.

The old covenant was mediated through sinful high priests, who, though ordained by God as proper mediators for a time, entered into a man-made tabernacle and temple to offer animal sacrifices for human sins.

And because they were sinful they had to offer sacrifices not only for Israel but for their own shortcomings.

They also performed their duties daily and annually on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

Their annual appearance before God in the Holy of Holies occurred each year because Israel’s sins mounted day by day.

But even when the priest’s work was complete Israel went home with guilty consciences due to their rebellion against God.

So Jesus is not only superior to angels (Heb.

1-2), to Moses (3), to Joshua (4), Aaron and Levi (5-7), and to the old covenant (8), he is also superior to the Jewish Day of Atonement.

It was temporary, and he is eternal.

And whereas the Day of Atonement merely reached back to the previous year to atone for sins committed in ignorance, Jesus’ sacrifice reached back to the creation of mankind to bring the full redemption for OT saints – saints like Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Judah, and David.

These all believed God and had salvation as a result of /looking forward /to God’s promises being fulfilled.

So when God’s promise of a seed (Gen.

3:15; 12:1; 17:7) came through the proper line of believers, Jesus Christ, all of “those who have been called” received the “promise of the eternal inheritance” (v.

15).

Christ’s death was retroactive in its effectiveness.

Those who by faith looked forward to it in the OT received it when Christ came.

And those who look backward at it since that day also receive eternal redemption.

Therefore Jesus is also superior to the Jewish Day of Atonement.

For he provides eternal redemption.

*Food for Thought*

            Many today choose to believe that Jesus is not the only way of salvation and that other ways are just as legitimate.

But if Hebrews teaches anything it’s that Jesus is clearly superior to any and all religions.

There is no close second!

Hebrews is unique in its depiction of Jesus as the Great High Priest, but it is so specific.

With him in heaven interceding none other is needed.

*Hebrews 9:15-22…* For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were /committed /under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.

17 For a covenant is valid /only /when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

18 Therefore even the first /covenant /was not inaugurated without blood.

19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.”

21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood.

22 And according to the Law, /one may /almost /say/, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

*Commentary*

Jesus Christ’s death was retroactive in its effectiveness for those who had faith in the OT.

He “redeemed the transgressions” made under the old covenant for their salvation.

Now “redemption” refers to people sold into the slavery of sin then being bought back.

And Jesus purchased the souls of those under the old covenant who had the faith of Abraham which God credited to him as righteousness (Gen.

15:6).

He did so with his blood when he died on the cross.

What Jesus accomplished in his death is akin to the annual Day of Atonement where the Israelites gathered together while the high priest made atonement for their sins by sprinkling blood on the altar then releasing the scapegoat that carried their sins into the wilderness.

So in much the same way that the Day of Atonement atoned for the sins committed by Israel during the previous year, Jesus’ death forgave the sins of all the saints who lived prior to his incarnation and subsequent death on the cross – from righteous Abel (Gen.

4) to John the Baptist.