INTRODUCTION:

1. The word "For" (10:1) connects us with the theme of Hebrews 9.
2. Back in Hebrews 8:5 we read that the Levitical priests served "unto the example and shadow of heavenly things."
3. These Old Testament priests and sacrifices were shadows of the real thing.  They were "not the very image of the things" (cf. 10:1).
4. These Old Testament shadows were pictures and types which taught Israel many important lessons and spiritual truths, such as an awareness of sin, the need for a priestly mediator, and the blood offering of an innocent substitute.
5. This all pointed to Christ (Heb. 9:26-28).
6. John Phillips said, "In the Old Testament era, the Israelites had only shadows.  The substance is in Christ.  The shadow of a key cannot unlock a prison door; the shadow of a meal cannot satisfy a hungry man; the shadow of Calvary cannot take away sin" (Exploring Hebrews).
7. This epistle was written because some Hebrew Christians were tempted to return to the shadows of Judaism (cf. Heb. 10:23).

 

1. THE LAW AND ITS SACRIFICES COULD NOT MAKE PERFECT
2. THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST WAS PERFECT
3. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST WILL BE PERFECT

 

I. THE LAW AND ITS SACRIFICES COULD NOT MAKE PERFECT

1. Hebrews 10:1 says, "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."
2. Whenever I preach about the limitations of the law I feel I should emphasize that the problem was not with the law, but with man.
3. Romans 7:12 says, "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."
4. Romans 7:14 says, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin."
5. Romans 8:3 says "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."
6. The problem is not the law.  The problem is man.  Wicked, rebellious, selfish carnal men hate the law and will not submit to it.
7. Romans 8:7 says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
8. "Neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).   The law was never intended to make men perfect (Heb. 10:1).  That is an impossibility.
9. The law was intended to expose man's sinfulness and his need for a Saviour.   Galatians 3:24 says, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
10. Shadows are only reflections cast from the real thing.  Therefore shadows cannot make perfect (Heb. 10:1).
11. If the law, with all of its animal sacrifices, could make the worshipers perfect, then there would be no need to repeat them "year by year continually" (10:1).
12. If one sacrifice they offered could take away their guilt, then one sacrifice would have been enough (10:2a).
13. "Conscience of sins" (10:2) refers to a guilty conscience.  When a person is saved by the blood of Christ, he has no more guilty conscience, though he may still remember wicked deeds and thoughts from the past (10:2).
14. The continual animal sacrifices were a constant reminder of sin (10:3). The same word "remembrance" (10:3) was used by our Lord when He instituted the Lord's Supper.
15. Jesus said, "This do in remembrance of me" (I Cor. 11:24).  Today we look back and remember how our Lord died on the cross for our sins.  Before the cross, the Israelites were reminded of their sinfulness.
16. They looked ahead to the cross, because "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (10:4).

 

II. THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST WAS PERFECT

1. Hebrews 10:5-7 refers to the first coming of Christ, and the author (probably the apostle Paul) is quoting from Psalm 40:6-8.
2. The law, the prophets and the Psalms all pointed to Christ.
3. Referring to the conversation on the Emmaus Road, Luke 24:44 says, "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."
4. All four of the Levitical offerings are mentioned in Hebrews 10:8 -- "Sacrifice (peace offering) and offering (meal offering) and burnt offerings and offering for sin."  None of these were able to put away sin, and Hebrews 10:8 says God had no pleasure in them.
5. Christ "taketh away the first" (covenant, the law), "that He may establish the second" (covenant).
6. "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).
7. Christ did not come to improve the law, but to fulfill it. The old covenant was temporary, typical, and pointed to Christ.
8. Hebrews 10:10-12 affirm the finished work of Christ.  Today, Judaism has no temple and no more sacrifice.  They have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and are trusting in their good works to get them to heaven.
9. The Roman Catholic mass is unscriptural, and contradicts Hebrews 10:12.  Roman Catholics are also trusting in their good works to get them to heaven.

 

III. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST WILL BE PERFECT

1. Right now the Lord is giving sinners time to repent (II Peter 3:4-9).
2. But soon He will return and He will make His enemies His footstool (Heb. 10:13).
3. We looked at Psalm 2 the other evening.
4. The day will soon be coming when the Lord will deal with His enemies.
5. Right now the homosexuals are rejoicing because our foolish Congress repealed "Don't ask, don't tell."  But the same Lord who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah will soon return to judge all the wicked sodomites and their ungodly allies.
6. Jude 7 says the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is "set forth for an example."  But the worldly crowd is ignoring God's Word.
7. Sinners have rejected God and His Word and will soon be judged accordingly (Heb. 10:13, 31).

 

CONCLUSION:

This Christmas as we celebrate the first coming of Christ, let us look up because He is coming back soon.