Brief Summary
This sermon emphasizes the superiority of Jesus Christ's sacrifice over the Old Testament law and sacrifices. It highlights that Jesus's sacrifice is a one-time event that secures salvation and sanctification for believers, leading to a personal relationship with God and the forgiveness of sins. The sermon also touches on the complexity of Jesus's nature, the importance of living in obedience to Christ, and the security of the believer in Christ.
- The Old Testament law and sacrifices were a shadow of what was to come, namely Jesus Christ.
- Jesus's sacrifice is a one-time event that secures salvation and sanctification for believers.
- Believers have a personal relationship with God and their sins are truly forgiven.
Church Announcements and Gratitude
The speaker begins by expressing gratitude to Steve for repairing the sprinklers, Barry and his dad for trimming the trees, and Mark for cleaning up the twig piles. The Catholic Church requested the tree trimming to provide more parking space. The speaker also thanks Lanny and the girls for the special music performance the previous week. An exciting announcement is made: the building permit for converting rooms into guest quarters has been approved. The church will hold a naming contest for the guest quarters with a prize for the winning name.
Service Details and Upcoming Events
The speaker shares the memory verse for the month, 1 Peter 4:8-9, emphasizing fervent charity and hospitality. He invites everyone to the missions report from John and Annie Keeler that evening, and to the Wednesday night discipleship class. The July calendars and new gospel tracks are available in the lobby. The junior high camp in Camp Utypica is happening this week, and the Camp Utypica staff will give a report on July 27th, followed by a potluck lunch and a quarterly members business meeting.
Missionary Focus: Ed and Carol Henry
The missionary of the week is Ed and Carol Henry, the Europe director for BIMI. Prayer requests include praying for peace in Jerusalem, the success of candidate school, the upcoming camp BIM, wisdom for the director's planning meeting in August, and safety during their fall travels. Ed Henry will visit in October for a missions emphasis Sunday. The congregation is asked to pray for the Henrys and their ministry.
Tithes, Offerings, and Musical Worship
The men are asked to come forward to receive tithes and offerings. The speaker shares a giving challenge, emphasizing that what we do with our money reveals our values. He quotes Billy Graham, "Give me five minutes with a person's checkbook and I will tell you where their heart is." The congregation sings "His Name is Wonderful" and "Oh for a Thousand Tongues to Sing."
Remembering Rob Gushard and Honoring His Memory
The speaker apologizes for forgetting to include Rob Gushard's funeral in the bulletin. The funeral will be live-streamed on YouTube at 2:00 PM. Instead of sending flowers, the church will donate to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Gushard's memory, and additional donations are welcome. The congregation sings "Oh for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" and "Crown Him with Many Crowns."
Responsive Reading: Psalm 47
The speaker welcomes everyone, especially regulars, frequent flyers, and visitors. The congregation participates in a responsive reading of Psalm 47, focusing on the theme of Jesus as Lord over all.
Introduction to Hebrews 10:1-18
The speaker introduces the sermon from Hebrews 10:1-18, noting the book's sermonic style and its central theme of Jesus doing what the Old Testament law could not. He acknowledges the welldeveloped nature of this theme and plans to focus on newer ideas within the text.
Old Sacrifices and the Final Sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1-10)
The speaker explains that the old law and sacrifices were a shadow of Jesus Christ. The old system could not perfect those who sought to draw near to God, as it only provided temporary solutions for sin. The blood of animals could never wash away sin. The speaker emphasizes that sacrifices of money, time, or service cannot wipe away sin; only the blood of Jesus Christ can. He quotes Psalm 40:6-8, highlighting that it was always God's plan for Jesus to come and do what sacrifices could not. Jesus established the New Testament, doing away with the old covenant.
The Seated Savior and Sanctified Sinners (Hebrews 10:11-14)
The speaker contrasts the priests who continually ministered and offered sacrifices with Jesus, who offered one sacrifice for sins forever and sat down at the right hand of God. Jesus is waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. The speaker stresses the importance of understanding the full nature of Jesus, who is both the silent lamb and the roaring lion of Judah. Jesus perfects forever those who place their faith in him, with the fullness of that perfection consummated at glorification.
The Solution for Sin and the Cessation of Sacrifice (Hebrews 10:15-18)
The speaker references Jeremiah 31:33-34, noting that God never intended for the Old Testament to be permanent. With the new covenant, God writes his laws into his people's hearts and minds and no longer remembers their sins. True Christianity is a personal relationship with God, and it is impossible to be a Christian and not know God. The speaker emphasizes that our sin is truly washed away by Christ, and God chooses to no longer recall them. Since sins are truly forgiven, there is no longer any need for sin offerings.
Invitation to Accept Christ and Closing Prayer
The speaker encourages listeners to thank the Lord for his sacrifice and invites those who have not done so to have their sins permanently forgiven by trusting fully in Jesus. He emphasizes the security of the saint, as all sin was erased by the blood of Christ at the moment of salvation. The speaker notes that God knows all our sins and made a way of salvation through Jesus. He urges listeners to accept this gift and be born again, offering a simple prayer for those who want to trust in Jesus. The service concludes with a prayer for salvation and for believers to live in a way that is worthy of the God who saved them.
