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Jan 14, 2024

Hebrews: Pure Conscience

Passage: Hebrews 9:1-14

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Hebrews: Fulfilled in Christ

Category: Grace Brevard

Keywords: repentance, guilt, confession

As we come before the most pure and holy God, the more we realize how impure we are. But the blood of Christ has perfectly purified us and given us a guilt-free conscience before God.

Hebrews 9
1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

 

SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Read Hebrews 9:9-14 together

1) What sticks out to you in this passage?

2) What does feeling guilty look like for you?

3) Where does guilt come from? Why do we feel guilty?

4) What are good and bad uses of guilt?

5) What are some things that make you feel guilty?

6) Talk about the different ways we “deal” with our guilt : deny it, compare with others, wallow in it, religion-it, penance (make up for it), yo-yo confessions, give-up. ... which one do you tend towards?

7) Explain how a greater feeling of guilt can lead to a greater appreciation of Jesus.

8) How is it we can have a “pure conscience” given our terrible track record?

9) What would it look like to live with a “pure conscience”?