Leave the Shadows Behind and Embrace the Reality

Main Point: Only Jesus offers us a way to have a clean conscience and a personal relationship with God; don’t turn away from that

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. —Hebrews 10:1-4

Religious rituals at best point to a reality that is much better

Rituals cannot remove sin and guilt, but Christ can because He gave Himself as the “once for all” perfect sacrifice for sin

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

  but a body you prepared for me;

with burnt offerings and sin offerings

  you were not pleased.

Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—

  I have come to do your will, my God.’” 

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. —Hebrews 10:5-10

When we unite ourselves with Christ by faith, we are made perfect forever, while we are being made holy

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds. Then he adds: Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. —Hebrews 10:14-18

And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

In light of all of this, let us…
• “Draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings” (Hebrews 10:22)

• “Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

• “Consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)
o Meeting together regularly
o Encouraging one another

In addition, we need to…
• Turn away from sin (Hebrews 10:26-31)

• Turn into faith when troubles come, trusting in God’s promises (Hebrews 10:32-39)

Takeaway: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

Questions
1. Rituals are not altogether “bad” or “wrong.” Are there some rituals you engage in that you find comforting or helpful?

2.One of the dangers with rituals is when they replace relationship with Jesus as the means to a relationship with God. How have you known that to happen?

3.Hebrews 10 teaches that we can have our “guilty conscience” cleansed. Do you feel cleansed of guilt, or plagued by guilt? If people answer, “plagued by guilt”, why do you think they/we hold onto it if sins have been confessed and repented of, and if faith has been placed in Christ?

4.Hebrews 10 also says that under the new covenant inaugurated by Christ God will remember our sins no more. Why is it sometimes so much harder for us to let go of past sin than it is for God to forgive us of it?

Table Discussion Question: We are to encourage one another to live good and holy lives while we wait for Jesus to return. Is there someone you’d like to encourage, and what would you like to say to them?