Hebrews 10:1-25
GRACE and the individual believer
Wednesday, January 18, 12
A SHADOW OF GOOD THINGS TO COME (HEBREWS 1-4) • •
Wednesday, January 18, 12
By nature, we desire to perform well to gain favor. This is where we fail to understand the Law. It is a tutor that leads us to Christ (Galatians 3:24), not the thing that saves us. The Word of God teaches us it is impossible for our works or religious activity to make us right with God. However, we can be caught in that thinking because: • Society judges us on our performance ‣ Our jobs, parents, schools • Society is set up in a way that is completely the opposite of grace
CHRIST TAKES AWAY THE FIRST TO ESTABLISH THE SECOND • The First - Circumcision, Sacrifice, and Offerings (HEBREWS 5-11)
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Wednesday, January 18, 12
This was initially set up in such a way that was pleasing to God, but it became a thing of pride and man perverted it. This was meant to point people to have faith in the coming Messiah. The original intention of the Law was to reveal areas where we are weak, where we are not pleasing to God and to keep our eyes on him.
‣ In our lives, we still follow this pattern of thinking by:
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The Second - Christ's Once-for-All Sacrifice (12-18)
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Relying on church attendance Desiring to be seen doing our good works Boasting in our own strength Shaming people for not being as holy as us
Christ came to fulfill the blood requirement for sin on our behalf (John 3:16, Romans 5:8) The Holy Spirit testifies to this and is our seal (Eph 1:13-14)
BOLDNESS TO ENTER THE SANCTUARY (HEBREWS 19-25)
• When Christ becomes our Savior, we can have full confidence in:
‣ Our sins being completely forgiven ‣ Our lives being changed ‣ That we are part of the present process of sanctification
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• One major lie that haunts many believers ‣ Until I figure out my past experience, I will never be able to ‣
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experience new feelings and thoughts The world tells us so often that the answer to the reason we are the way we are is because of some deep-seeded event in our lives that holds us back until we dig it up and deal with it
• Small truths within the lie ‣
Proverbs 23:7 - "As a man thinks within himself, so he is." • There is a reality that the choices we make will affect the way we live and will carry consequences into the future (Galatians 6:7-8) • However, this isn't necessarily the result of any one experience
• Paul's Approach (Phillipians 3:12-16) ‣ ‣
Wednesday, January 18, 12
We are encouraged to forget what lies behind and press on toward Christ We keep our sights on things above (Colossians 3:2)
• Things that are true about the believer ‣ You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) ‣ You are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) ‣ Christ lives in and through you (Galatians 2:19-20) ‣ You are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10) ‣ The debt of sin has been erased (Colossians 2:14) ‣ You are blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:2)
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Awesome truth: God keeps his promise regardless of the degree of our faith
TWO PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRUTHS • We don't know what these things are ‣ ‣ ‣
We don't read We don't pray We don't participate in the life God has for us
• We wrestle with whether or not these things are true ‣
For the same reasons, it can be difficult to believe this because if haven't ever really tried to experience the Word of God in a real way and responded in faith to what God has asked us.
• The beauty of it all (2 Corinthians 12:8-9) ‣ ‣ Wednesday, January 18, 12
When we call, God responds God's grace is sufficient
CONCLUSION
• If Hebrews 10:17 is true, all of our sin is forgiven
‣ The ones we committed before Christ ‣ The ones we've committed since Christ saved us ‣ The ones we have yet to commit
Wednesday, January 18, 12
CONCLUSION
• We don't have to dig back into our past to find the secret answer to know why we are the way we are ‣ For the same reasons, it can be difficult to believe this because if haven't ever really tried to experience the Word of God in a real way and responded in faith to what God has asked us.
Wednesday, January 18, 12
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
• Look up God’s Promises and find ways to claim • •
Wednesday, January 18, 12
them each day Pray to experience the Promises of God each day Obey God’s commands in your current circumstance and rely on grace in the midst of it without expectation that God will change your circumstance