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Jan 28, 2024

Hebrews: Declared and Made Holy

Passage: Hebrews 10:1-18

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Hebrews: Fulfilled in Christ

Category: Grace Brevard

Keywords: growth, sanctification, justification, holy

We often functionally act as though Jesus saves us (Justification) and now it's my turn to "work out my salvation" through my behavior (Sanctification). But this passage frees us from the heavy (and impossible) burden of putting my gospel-growth on my own shoulders but squarely promises us that not only has Jesus saved us, but he is and will perfect us, re-making us into his own image. We certainly participate with him through the "means of grace", but at the end of the day, Jesus gets all the credit because he has declared us holy, and is making us live into this True DNA.

CENTRAL PASSAGE

Heb 10
1 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

 

SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Read Hebrews 10:1-18 together

1) What words stuck out to you?

2) What do you think “sanctified” means? How is it different than “justified”?

3) Talk about this (too simplistic) definition: Justification is God’s DECLARATION of our holiness while Sanctification is us LIVING INTO our holiness.

3) Talk about this idea: “You will never be more holy than you are right now”

4) Talk through this: “Mercy is not getting what we deserve while grace is getting what we don’t deserve.” Agree or disagree? Or somewhere in the middle?

5) How is the cross more about mercy (getting forgiveness and our death taken from us) and the empty tomb more about grace (being given life and the righteousness of Christ).

6) Look at the promises and power in 10:14 -- an older bible translation used to say “He is forever making holy those who he has made holy.” --- Is sanctification God doing something in and to us, or is it us living into (up to, out of) our grace-given-identity in Christ?