Hebrews 9

[this was possibly the best evening of the lot. The choice of songs, what Richard said, the atmosphere at the end. Incredible stuff. God was truly present as Richard defended the Gospel against those who denied and continue to deny the Biblical teaching of penal substitution and as we worshipped afterwards. To be reminded of the truth is such a forceful way was a joy, as was the feeling from knowing that UCCF:thechristianunions are in safe hands.]

The Goal.

The fail to enter God’s rest is to fail life. How do we make sure we don’t fail?

The Problem

The problem we all face is outlined in v27. we are appointed to live, die and face judgement. And we know how we will be judged. Sin is serious and dealing with it is an endless ministry, and it requires blood. Animals had to be killed to deal with Adam and Eve’s sin, right from the beginning sin has required blood to deal with it. The Most Holy Place could only be entered once a year, Uzzah died for being too blasé about the holiness of the Ark. The Priest’s work was never done, sin was never sorted by what happened in the Temple. It was a tireless, bloody work. The Temple was just a shadow of what was to become. The shadow becomes a person in Jesus, the High Priest is Jesus.

Religion is just a shadow.

God is being true to who He is. He can not, will not and does not run around forgiving sin. We are made in the image of God, not the other way around. He will be true to His own character, not to what we want Him to do. It requires blood to deal with sin. This is God’s standard.

The Solution.

Now He has appeared to do away with sin once and for all by sacrifice. He shed His own blood under the weight of our sin. He did this once for all. The tireless, bloody work of the High Priest is done once and for all by the deadly, bloody work of the cross. This is why it’s so suicidal to deny propitiation. It guts the Gospel, it takes the heart out of what the Bible says. It takes away our confidence by denying the work of the High Priest. There is no forgiveness without the forgiveness of sin (v22), Jesus blood is shed to forgive our sins. That’s the only way we can move into relationship with God, that’s the only way we can be forgiven, by our sin being dealt with by the death of Jesus, for our sins, on the cross. This is not a religion, this is a rescue.

[and there you go, what was said on this night if worth far more accurate and complete recording that what i wrote, but i guess it does mean i listened more carefully!]