Hebrews 9:1-14

Our text for this morning is Hebrews chapter 9 verses 1 through 14.

Hebrews 9:1–14

Before I lead us in reading it, I want to remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.

It was written for His glory and our good.

We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.

Hebrews chapter 9 verse 1 and following.

Hebrews 9:1

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.

For a tent was prepared, the first section in which were the lampstands and the table and the bread of presence.

It is called the holy place.

Behind the second curtain was a second section called the most holy place,

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.

Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.

Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section,

performing their ritual duties.

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.

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, which is symbolic for the present age.

According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,

but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

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,

He entered once for all into the holy places,

not by means of the blood of goats and of calves, but by means of His own blood,

thus securing an eternal redemption.

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,

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.

This morning's text is all about the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.

This doctrine, though rarely mentioned in these terms,

is considered weekly in our gatherings,

and I hope that it's treasured and pondered by each of you daily.

It is the very core of the Christian faith.

We have no justification, no redemption, no adoption,

no sanctification, no future glorification

without the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.

Penal substitutionary atonement is the doctrine that states

that when Jesus died on the cross,

He took the wrath of God,

the penalty, penal of God,

due our sin,

was ours to bear because of our sin,

thus the substitutionary,

He died in our place,

and in so doing,

He appeased the wrath of God for our sin.

The atonement.

Penal substitutionary atonement.

This is central truth.

Everything else Christians believe

falls apart without it.

And you remember,

if you've been with us,

that this little church,

this little Hebrew church,

had been suffering for a belief in this Christ.

They had been tempted to go back to Judaism.

Back to the Aaronic priesthood

and all that it included.

All of its rites and rituals.

They were tempted to think,

isn't that an acceptable worship of God?

Isn't it sufficient for us?

And the author of Hebrews

is altogether and in many ways saying,

no, absolutely not.

And here he brings it kind of to a head,

as he says.

This central theme.

As he states this reality

that Christ died in our stead.

I suppose this is why Paul states

in 1 Corinthians 2,

the first two verses.

He says,

And when I came to you, brothers,

did not come proclaiming to you

the testimony of God

with lofty speech or wisdom.

For I decided to know nothing among you

except Jesus Christ

and Him crucified.

Now,

at a first reading of 1 Corinthians 2,

1 Corinthians 2:1

verses 1 and 2,

you'd think,

Paul, you didn't teach them anything else?

Doesn't the resurrection

have great bearing on their faith?

Absolutely, it does.

I believe what Paul is trying to say

is that I came and I taught you

the central doctrine

and the things that flow out of it.

But simply,

the central doctrine.

Penal substitutionary atonement.

Christ died in our place.

Charles Spurgeon once said,

and this quotation is on your bulletin,

I believe that if I should preach to you

the atonement of our Lord Jesus

and nothing else,

twice every Sabbath day,

my ministry would not be unprofitable.

And he went on to say,

perhaps it might be more profitable

than it is.

Central doctrine.

The death of Christ

on our behalf.

And so I want to consider that a bit this morning

as we look at these first 14 verses.

But to get there,

to consider the adequacy

of what Christ accomplished on the cross,

we need to first consider

the inadequacy of the Old Covenant.

We've talked about this a bit

over the past weeks.

Keep in mind that this was a letter written

and it would have been read all together,

all at one time.

And we've broken it up into very small,

digestible pieces.

I hope that the theme

of the inadequacy of the Old Covenant

is not growing tired to you

because it's helping us to understand

in greater measure,

greater clarity,

the adequacy of the New Covenant.

And so that's our simple outline

this morning for the text.

Number one,

the inadequacy of the Old Covenant.

And number two,

the adequacy of the New Covenant.

But before we get into these two points,

I think we need to talk a little bit

about the tabernacle

and tabernacle worship.

The last part of verse 5,

the author of Hebrews says,

of these things,

we cannot now speak in detail.

Why not?

He had somewhere he was going

with this letter.

He's bringing them along to a point

and they already knew the details.

These are Hellenistic Jews,

Greek-speaking Jews.

They have been part of this practice,

this type of worship.

They were most likely much more familiar

with their Old Testament,

their Scripture of the day,

than we are today.

And so I think,

and we don't have a lot more time,

but I think this morning

it would be good for us

to take a few moments

to consider the tabernacle

and tabernacle worship.

In order to do so,

Kent Hughes,

who wrote a wonderful commentary

on the book of Hebrews,

I've been using it much,

wrote some really nice,

succinct summaries to this end.

And I'm just going to read those to you.

I think his words will serve you

better this morning than mine.

So I want to read just a bit to you

about first the tabernacle.

He writes,

Israel's tabernacle

was a portable tent shrine

that was always situated

at the geographical heart of Israel,

with all the tribes camped around it

in designated orderly formation.

Approaching the tabernacle,

one first would see

the white linen walls

of the court of the tabernacle,

which formed an enclosure

150 feet long

and 75 feet wide.

The uniform whiteness

of the enclosure's walls

broadcast the holiness

of its function.

When a worshiper entered the courtyard,

he was immediately in front

of the altar of burnt offering,

a large bronze altar

with a horn at each

of its four corners

to which offerings could be tied.

This was as far as the layman

could come.

And it is the place

where he laid his hands

on the head of the sin offering.

Behind the altar

and a little to the right

stood the bronze laver,

which is like a big wash basin

with spouts that water

would come out of.

A wash basin

for the exclusive use

of the priests,

which, if neglected,

imperiled their lives.

They had to be purified

upon coming in.

Directly behind the laver

was the tabernacle,

a flat-roofed oblong tent

15 feet in height and width

and 45 feet long.

It was covered with three layers.

The first consisted

of gorgeous woven tapestries

of blue, purple,

and scarlet yarns and linen,

which was then overlaid

with two layers of animal skins.

Inside, the tabernacle

was divided into two rooms

by an ornate veil

woven of the same colors

along with gold

and embroidered with cherubim.

The veil was supported

by four golden columns

set on silver bases.

The first outer room

was called the holy place,

and the second inner compartment,

the most holy place,

or holy of holies.

And the author of Hebrews

gives some very brief explanation

of these two rooms,

beginning in verse 1.

Now, even the first covenant

had regulations for worship

and an earthly place

of holiness.

He goes on to explain,

For a tent was prepared,

the first section

in which were the lampstands

and the table

and the bread of the presence

is called the holy place.

I just mentioned

in Kent Hughes' commentary, right?

And there's some things in there,

and we won't get into

the significance

of each of those things

and what they represented

this morning,

but very careful instruction

was given.

All of it aimed at

the people understanding

the great carefulness

by which they were

to approach God.

The weightiness

of their sinfulness

and the way

that it separated them

from God.

Verse 3,

Behind the second curtain

was a second section

called the most holy place.

Having the golden altar

of incense.

And an interesting point here,

the altar of incense,

if you go and read

in, say, the book of Numbers

and you hear that this was

in the holy place,

it was,

but it stood just outside

the passageway

into the most holy place.

It belonged to the holy of holies,

although it sat outside

of the holy of holies.

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.

All of this

was contained within.

Verse 5,

Above it were the cherubim

of glory,

right?

Part of the ark,

the statues that were created,

overshadowing

the mercy seat.

And it was in this place

that God tabernacled

with His people.

His visible glory

dwelt inside

of this place.

Both representing

that God dwelt

amongst His people

and

that there were

reasons that they were

separated

from Him.

So this is the tabernacle.

This is what He's referring to

in our text

in Hebrews.

Then,

verses 6 and 7,

we see that there's a

form and order

for the tabernacle

worship.

Let me read a bit

to you again

from Kent Hughes.

When you have a feel

for the tabernacle,

you can begin to appreciate

its worship.

Its daily worship

was continual.

It's happening

all the time.

Worshippers brought

their sacrifices

to the great bronze altar

in the outer courtyard

one after another.

Week by week,

priests were chosen

by lots,

like casting lots,

for the high honor

of their career

to serve

in the first room,

the holy place.

There they tended

to the seven lampstands

morning and evening,

keeping them full-flamed

and stoked the coals

on the altar of incense

upon which they dropped

handfuls of incense,

filling the room

with a delicious cloud.

Weekly,

they exchanged

the bread with fresh

and then were privileged

to partake

of the sacred loaves.

But none even dared

to glance

into the most holy place

on pain of death.

They had no access

whatsoever.

Ministry in the Holy of Holies

was the domain

of the high priest

and only once a year.

And what a day it was.

During New Testament times,

the high priest

underwent rigorous

preparations for that day.

Seven days before

the Day of Atonement,

the priest left home

and stayed day and night

in the temple.

During the week,

he practiced what he would do

on that great day

so that he would make

no mistake

at the pain of death.

Right?

He went through

the rehearsal of it

to make sure he got it

just right.

He was especially cautious

not to come close

to anything

that would make him

ceremonially unclean.

Then on the morning

of the Day of Atonement,

the high priest

offered a burnt offering.

Following this,

he ritually bathed

his entire body

and then,

instead of putting on

his traditional

gorgeous robes,

donned a sacred

white linen tunic

along with white

undergarments

and a white sash

and white turban,

thus symbolizing

that he was free

from defilement.

Next,

he placed his hands

on the head of a bull,

selected as a sacrifice

for his own sins

and those of his family

and he prayed this,

O God,

I have committed iniquity,

transgressed,

and sinned before thee.

I and my house,

as is it written

in the law

of thy servant Moses,

for on this day

shall atonement

be made for you

to cleanse you

from all your sins

shall you be clean

before the Lord.

And they answered

after him,

blessed be the name

of the glory

of his kingdom

forever and ever.

Then,

leaving the bull

for a few moments,

he turned to two goats

nearby and chose

lots over them.

One was designated

for Jehovah

and the other

for Azazel,

the scapegoat.

A piece of crimson wool

was tied to the horns

of the scapegoat

and a thread

was bound around

the goat

to be slaughtered.

Then the goats

were left

standing together.

The high priest

now turned to the bull

and sacrificed it.

Next,

he filled a censer

with burning coals

from the altar

of burnt offerings

and entered

the Holy of Holies

where he poured

two handfuls

of incense

on the coals

so that a cloud

of incense

covered the mercy seat.

This done,

he exited,

obtaining some

of the bull's blood

which he then sprinkled

on the mercy seat

and then seven times

on the ground

before the cover.

After this,

he sacrificed the goat

designated for Jehovah

and performed

the same ritual

in the Holy of Holies.

Upon emerging,

he mixed the blood

of the bull

and the goat,

put it on the horns

of the altar

and sprinkled the altar

seven times

to consecrate it

from the uncleanliness

of the Israelites.

Then came

the patently joyous

part of the day's ceremonies.

The priest laid both hands

on the head

of the live goat

and confessed

all the iniquities

of the people of Israel

and all their transgressions,

all their sins

and he shall put them

on the head

of the goat.

That's from Leviticus 16.21.

The goat was then led away

into the desert

amidst the jeering

of the people.

Bear our sins

and be gone.

After this,

the high priest

put off his white garments,

bathed again,

arrayed himself

in his gorgeous robes

and completed

the burnt offerings

of the bull

and the goat

plus other offerings.

The remains

were carried

outside the camp

and burned.

And all along

on this day

of atonement,

people waited

with bated breath.

The one man,

the one time of year

who gets to enter

into the presence

of God

and make this sacrifice

on this day

of atonement,

will he do it right?

Will he survive

in the presence

of God

as he makes

this sacrifice

on our behalf?

It was a tense day

until finally

the high priest emerges

and sends away

the scapegoat

and then there was

great rejoicing

and celebration

to be had.

I want to draw

your attention

to something

in verse 7.

The high priest

goes

and he makes

offering for himself

and for the

unintentional sins

of the people.

Just note

the great mercy

of God

to the Israelites.

Ways being made

for them

to make sacrifice

for their sin

all throughout the year

and God

makes a way

for their

unintentional sins

to also

be forgiven.

This day of atonement

was so incredibly

significant

to Jewish worship

of God

but

it was inadequate.

It was inadequate.

It was a divinely

instructed

dress

rehearsal

because this

had to be repeated

again

and again

and again

and again.

It was meant

to show them

something greater.

A greater sacrifice.

A higher priest

who would come

and make

a final

atoning

for all the people

who belonged

to God.

The mosaic

worship

this tabernacle

worship

was a sort

of parable

in action.

as they observed

this

bloody affair

they were meant

to be drawn

to

a greater

more sufficient

sacrifice

for them.

So let's look

a little bit

further

at the

inadequacy

of the

old

covenant.

First

the old

covenant

had

limited

access.

Limited

access.

And you see

this in

verse 6

and through

the first

part

of

verse 9.

All these

preparations.

All these

things going

about.

First

that priests

had to

make

sacrifice

in any

day

that a

sacrifice

was being

made.

And then

this high

priest

the one

man

once

a year

who was

given

access

to God.

Very

limited.

God

dwelt

amongst

his people

in the

tabernacle.

What a

blessing.

But the

access to

him

was

extremely

limited.

The author

of Hebrews

writes in

verse 8,

by this

the Holy

Spirit

indicates,

and he's

referring to

the

inspired

instructions

for how

the tabernacle

was to be

arranged and

how the

tabernacle

worship was

to take

place.

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.

Verse 9,

the first

part,

which is

symbolic

for the

present

age.

Now,

there is a

lot of

complication

about the

translation

of verse

8 and

9,

and I'm

going to

spare you

it this

morning.

I don't

think the

ESV

version that

I'm using,

ESV,

does it

the best

justice.

I think

more

accurately,

we would

say something

like,

by this

the Holy

Spirit

indicates

that the

way into

the holy

places

is not

opened as

long as

the

tabernacle

is still

standing.

Verse 9,

which is

symbolic

to that

age.

What he's

trying to

communicate

is that the

Spirit in

all of that

temple worship,

as I've

already mentioned,

was pointing

to something

greater that

is realized

in Christ.

And contextually

that makes a lot

of sense,

because that's

exactly where

the author

of Hebrew

goes next.

So,

the author

of Hebrews

tells us

that the

Holy Spirit,

the inspirer

of the divine

instruction,

did so to

teach us

that the

old covenant

was inadequate.

They and

we could

not gain

access to

God by

it.

Right?

Could not

gain access

by it.

There was

limited

access.

Secondly,

the old

covenant

was inadequate

because of

its limited

efficacy.

What it

could accomplish

was limited.

Last half

of verse

9

and through

10.

According to

this arrangement,

this working

of the high

priest on

the day of

atonement,

gifts and

sacrifices are

offered that

cannot

perfect the

conscience

of the

worshiper,

but deal

only with

food and

drink and

various washings,

regulations for

the body

imposed until

the time

of

reformation.

It had a

limited

efficacy.

It could

clean up

on the

outside,

but not

on the

inside.

This outward

cleansing,

but not

an inward

one.

Just a bit

ago,

Daryl read

for us

from Psalm

51.

Turn with

me if you

will to

Psalm 51.

I selected

Psalm 51

to be read

this morning,

and until

he read it

and I

listened to

him reading

it,

I did

not make

the

connection

to this

text.

How's

that for

providence?

Remember

that Psalm

51 is

written

after David

has committed

egregious

sin.

He's been

a murderer

and an

adulterer.

And this

is him

crying out

to God

that God

would forgive

him for

this.

Verse 1

and 2,

Have mercy

on me,

O God,

according to

your steadfast

love,

according to

your abundant

mercy,

blot out my

transgressions.

Wash me

thoroughly

from my

iniquity and

cleanse me

from my

sin.

Crying out

to God,

because of

who you

are,

O God,

cleanse me,

make me

pure within.

He asked

him to,

verse 10,

create in

me a

clean heart,

O God,

and renew

a right

spirit within

me.

Verse 11,

don't cast

me away

from your

presence.

And then

in verse

16 and

17,

he says,

for you

will not

delight in

sacrifice,

or I

would give

it.

You

would not

be pleased

with a

burnt

offering.

For the

sacrifices

of God

are a

broken

spirit,

a broken

and

contrite

heart,

O God,

you will

not

despise.

Recognize

that David

saw the

inadequacy

of the

sacrifice.

He saw

that it

really

didn't

accomplish

for him

what he

desperately

needed,

which was

an inward

cleansing.

And so

we believe

that David

saved,

was God's,

is with

God now

in his

presence,

has

unlimited

access,

did so

believing

there would

be a

way that

this old

system,

this old

covenant,

was pointing

towards

something

greater,

a way that

he could

in fact

be restored

to God.

So the

old covenant

was inadequate,

limited access,

and limited

efficacy.

efficacy.

I'm aware

that it

is most

probable

that there

was no

one here

listening to

me say

anything about

the old

covenant

that is

still a

keeper of

the old

covenant,

trying to

gain acceptance

with God

by keeping

the old

covenant.

I don't

know where

you'd go

make the

sacrifices.

The day

of atonement

doesn't

happen any

longer.

Anyway,

I know this

is not what

you're trying

to do,

but many

of us,

so many

of us,

try to

earn God's

favor in

our works.

Whether we

have been

delivered by

Christ already,

found in

Him,

we often

go back

to that

old self,

that old

tendency

that God

would accept

us because

of now

our working,

which He

never does,

which He's

never pleased

with.

It's because

of Christ's

working that

we're accepted.

it's because

of who

Jesus is

and what

Jesus

accomplished,

and because

by placing

our faith

in Him,

we are

found in

Him that

we are

accepted.

So let's

look at the

adequacy of

the new

covenant.

The adequacy

of the new

covenant.

First,

in the new

covenant,

we have

unlimited

access.

We have

unlimited

access.

this.

We no

longer have

need for

priests.

We no

longer have

need for

sacrifice

because

Christ has

accomplished

this.

He has

fulfilled

all that

the old

covenant

required,

and He

is our

great

high priest.

If you've

been with

us,

you know

we've

been talking

about His

Melchizedekian

priesthood,

that He

lives forever

making

intercession

for us.

verse 25

of chapter

7.

We no

longer need

these things.

You don't

come to

God through

me,

praise God.

You don't

come to

God through

an Aaronic

priest.

You come

to God

through

Christ.

And in

Christ,

we have

unlimited

access.

Verse 11,

praise God,

starts with

the most

precious

conjunction,

but.

This was

the old

covenant.

This was

all of

its inadequacy.

The author

of Hebrews

is saying,

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,

and again,

I'll spare you

the long

explanation,

but He's

talking about

His own

flesh,

Jesus'

flesh.

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.

Every year,

the high priest

entered the

Holy of Holies

for one

day,

and every

year,

he did

so by

the blood

of goats

and calves,

right?

He went

through all

of that

process to

make himself

ceremonially

pure so

that he

could enter

into the

presence of

God,

right?

He went

through this

process of

these inadequate

sacrifices,

but now we

have unlimited

access because

Jesus Christ

offered up

himself.

He is

the adequate

sacrifice,

right?

He makes

atonement,

right?

Satisfies the

wrath of God

in our

place.

Beloved,

you must

understand

sin.

Whether you

feel the

weight of

your sin

or not,

it has

an eternal

weight because

it is against

the holiness

of an

eternal

God.

It flies

in his

face.

And the

guilt and

the shame

that you

feel for

the things

that you

do is

only a

tiny

measure of

the wrath

that is due

your sin.

It is an

eternal

wrath because

you have

rejected

his

good

order.

And God,

because he

is just

and he

is always

all that

he is,

he doesn't

lay aside

his justice.

He doesn't

overlook

your sin.

If you're

in Christ,

he punished

your sin

on the

cross.

If you're

not in

Christ,

he will

punish

your sin

in you

forever.

But if

you are

in Christ,

he poured

out his

wrath

in Christ.

You

recall Jesus

in the

Garden of

Gethsemane

praying,

if there's

any way

that this

cup might

pass for

me,

he's picking

up Old

Testament

imagery of

the cup

of God's

wrath.

He knew

that's what

he was

going to

go and

do.

So drink

fully of

the wrath

of God

for all

who would

believe

in him.

This was

the significant

thing that

happened on

the cross

of Jesus

Christ.

Not

merely his

physical

death.

And hear

me,

and hear

me carefully.

If it

meant saving

the people

in this

room,

I would

die for

you guys.

A physical

death.

That I

would do.

I would

volunteer

myself for

that.

I love

you that

way.

What I

could not

do is

bear the

wrath of

God for

your sin.

I

couldn't

do it.

I

couldn't

hold up

to it.

I'm

not

created

for that

very

thing as

Jesus

was.

Eternal.

The

God

man

could

bear

God's

wrath.

All

that

eternality

of his

wrath

for our

sin.

So,

for God

to forgive

you of

your sin,

it must

be punished

in someone

else.

And that

is the

person

of Christ.

Matthew

Matthew 27:50

chapter

27,

verse 50

and 51,

Matthew

records for

us,

Jesus

hangs on

the cross

and Jesus

cried out

again with

a loud

voice and

he doesn't

tell us what

he says,

but I

think from

John 19

30,

we know

what he

cries at

that point

is,

it is

finished.

I have

now drunk

to the

very bottom

of the

cup,

the wrath

of God

and yielded

up his

spirit.

Verse 51

says,

and behold,

the curtain

of the

temple

was torn

in two

from top

to bottom

and the

earth shook

and the

rocks

were split.

we are

granted

in

Christ

full

access

to God

himself,

to the

holy

places,

the author

of Hebrews

says.

And so,

if you're in

Christ this

morning,

you can

step in

to the

presence

of God.

You can

go to

him with

anything.

When he

looks at

you,

he sees

Christ

and Christ

himself

is seated

at his

right hand

praying on

your behalf.

Beloved,

we have

unlimited

access

to him.

My

prayer life

is so

rocked

by contemplating

this reality.

How often

I don't

go and

pray to

our God

when I

am in

Christ.

Unlimited

access.

I may not

know what

to pray.

I'm feeling

some guilt

for something

that I've

done and

don't

feel worthy

of entering

his presence.

The truth

is,

I'm not,

but in

Christ,

I can.

In

Christ,

I am

found

worthy

to step

into the

presence

of God.

This

is an

astounding

truth.

Sometimes I

wish we

had an

ability to

time travel,

take us

all back

and let

us live

in the

days of

limited

access,

physically

seeing

at the

tabernacle

or seeing

the temple,

seeing the

way in

which it

was closed

off,

so that we

could really

comprehend how

significant it

is that we

have unlimited

access.

all I

can do

myself and

encourage you

to do is

to have an

imagination

toward that.

What would

that have

been like?

To not

have a

clean

conscience.

To not

be able to

fully have a

clean conscience

and be able to

draw into the

presence of

God.

I think we

would greater

appreciate and

more quickly

go to his

presence if

we did.

So,

the adequacy of

the new

covenant,

because there's

unlimited access,

also because

there's unlimited

efficacy.

What it can

accomplish,

right,

is fully

powerful

to accomplish.

Verse 13

and 14.

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,

how much

more?

Verse 13,

right,

if the

inadequate

sacrifice

is good

enough for

the time,

verse 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.

He makes

our

consciences

clean because

of all our

sin.

And beloved,

hear me,

the sins

past and

the sins

present,

the sins

you've

committed

sitting here

in this

room,

and the

sins

future,

were all

paid for

in Christ.

His blood

covers every

one of

them.

And we

don't always

respond well

to our sin

in that

reality.

very few

of us

repent the

way we

ought to

repent when

we sin.

Very few

of us

flee back

to the

cross of

Christ as

we should.

And I

think in

some measure

it can be

commendable

because you

all take

sin seriously.

I think

that's a

good thing.

I think we

ought to

feel a

godly sorrow

over our

sin.

And the

question has

been asked

of me,

how long

should I

feel sorrow

for my

sin?

My response

is,

only as long

as it takes

you to get

back to

the cross

of Christ.

Have your

sin break

you,

utterly

destroy you,

and then get

quickly to

the reality

of who

God is

to you

in Jesus.

Penal

substitutionary

atonement.

He died

in your

stead.

this thing

you're feeling

sorrow over,

he bore

God's wrath

for it

on the

cross.

And have

your sorrow

turn to a

great rejoicing

in who

Christ is

for you.

We can

have

purified

consciences

in

Christ.

Paul wrote

in Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2,

this is

verse 16

and 17,

he's talking

about other

matters of

ceremonial

worship.