Once For All Sacrifice of Christ: Hebrews 10

Read Hebrews Chapter 10

Introduction: In the journey of faith, the Book of Hebrews is as a light in a dark world, guiding believers to understand the supremacy of Christ and His perfect sacrifice. Hebrews 10 shows us a comparison between the Old Covenant sacrifices and following commands, which was only temporary, and the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus, which is eternal. It encourages us to live a life of bold faith, unwavering hope, and fervent love, pointing out the transformative power of Christ’s work on the cross. This chapter not only deepens our understanding of salvation through Christ, but also challenges us to live out our faith with conviction and perseverance in year 2024 and beyond.

I. The Sufficiency of Christ’s Sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1-18)
The opening verses (Hebrews 10:1-4) unveil the failing of the Law and its sacrifices to remove sins, pointing to the need for a better sacrifice. We read in Psalm 40:6-8, a prophecy about the coming of one who would do God’s will perfectly, and of course we know that was Jesus, and Jeremiah 31:33-34 gives a prophecy of the new covenant where God would remember sins no more, eternally forgiven.

In Hebrews 10:5-10, we are to celebrate Jesus’ offering of His body as the ultimate sacrifice, fulfilling God’s will and establishing the new covenant. In Isaiah 53:10, we read the prophecy of the suffering servant who would make many righteous through his sacrifice, I am one of those who was made righteous, what about you? In Hebrews 10:11-14, we read about the repetitive nature of the priestly sacrifices with the one time, and very effective sacrifice of Christ, who now sits at God’s right hand. This is spoken of in Psalm 110:1, where the Lord invites His chosen one to sit at His right hand, showing His position as one of honor and completion of the work.

Here in Hebrews 10:15-18, we read, where the Holy Spirit testifies to the new covenant and the finality of Christ’s sacrifice, with sins and lawless acts, sins and iniquities are remembered no more, once for all sacrifice equals eternally security in our salvation. Romans 8:16 speaks of the Spirit’s testimony with our spirit that we are God’s children, which is somewhat like this verse is referring to.

II. The Call to Persevere in Faith (Hebrews 10:19-39)
These verses (Hebrews 10:19-25) encourages believers to draw near to God, hold fast to hope, and work toward stirring up love and good deeds, given the confidence they have in Jesus’ high priestly work. This exhortation is somewhat like Romans 5:1-5, which speaks of the hope that does not put us to shame, and 1 Corinthians 13:13, the Bible highlights faith, hope, and love as enduring virtues. These next verses of Hebrews 10:26-31 warn against willful sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, with a severe reminder of God’s judgment. This is also mentioned in 2 Peter 2:20-22, the Bible talks about the dire state of those who turn away from God after knowing the way of righteousness.

The chapter ends (Hebrews 10:32-39) by reminding the people of their past tenacity and encouraging them to persevere to receive what is promised. The call to live by faith is reinforced by Habakkuk 2:3-4, which emphasizes that the righteous will live by his faithfulness, and Romans 1:17, where the Bible says once again, that the just shall live by faith.

Conclusion: Hebrews 10 is a testament to the completeness and sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice, comparing His sacrifice to the insufficient offerings of old covenant which was only temporary. It  calls the faithful to live with boldness, faithfulness and perseverance, drawing near to God with sincere hearts and encouraging one another in this journey of faith we are on. Through this inspirational chapter, we are reminded that Christ’s work is complete, it is once for all, and our response should be one of unwavering commitment to His new covenant, ever pressing forward to the promise of eternal life.