ONE SACRIFICE

ONE SACRIFICE

“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he

offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Heb. 10:11 — 14)

The magnitude of this transaction is beyond human comprehension.

This one sacrifice paid for all the sins committed under the first covenant (Heb. 9:15).

This one sacrifice paid in advance for all sins to be committed in the future (Heb. 10:14).

What the blood of millions of bulls and goats could not do, the blood of Jesus Christ did in only one sacrifice (Heb. 10:4, 10).

The decision regarding the sacrifice of Christ was made before the creation of the world.

Before the creation of the world God determined to save the mankind by the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:20).

Concerning this salvation the prophets searched intently with the greatest care to understand the plan of God. They didn’t! They only understood that their prophetic utterances were not for themselves, but for a future generation (1 Pet. 1:10 — 12),

Even the angels wanted to look into these things but were not able (1 Pet. 1:12).

The plan to sacrifice Christ was so audacious that no one could conceive it.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind, has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed it to us by h is Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:9, 10).

This mystery for ages past was kept hidden in God, but now has been made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms according to God's eternal purpose (Eph. 3:10, 11). “Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” (1 Tim. 3:16).

Miraculous things accompanied the death of Jesus that could be seen.

“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land” (Matt. 27:45). “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Matt. 27:50, 51) “The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people” (Matt. 27:52, 53).

Other miraculous things occurred at the death of Jesus that could not be seen.

Jesus “entered into the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 10:12).

By His death Jesus opened unto us a new a living way so that believers can come boldly into the presence of God (Heb. 10:19, 20). Through His death, Jesus destroyed him who held the power of death, that is the devil (Heb.

2:14). He also brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10). The death of Jesus accomplished what could not be done by the Law of Moses.

“Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39).

In Moses there was an annual reminder of sins (Heb. 10:3). In Christ our sins are remembered no more (Heb. 8:12).

In Moses our sins are “covered” (Rom. 4:7). In Christ our sins are “blotted out” (Acts 3:19).

Jesus gave us the Lord’s Supper to help us remember His death (I Cor. 11:20 — 34).

We break the bread to remember His body (1 Cor. 11:24).

We drink the cup to remember His blood (1 Cor. 11:25).

When we eat the bread and drink the cup we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Cor. 11:26).

The early church came together on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7)

Each man was to examine himself before he ate, for to eat without discerning the Lord’s Body was to bring judgement on yourself (1 Cor. 11:28, 29).

The blood of Jesus was an integral part of why they came together (Heb. 12;24).

Eating the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner brought sickness and death (1 Cor. 11:30).

We must remember the blood of Jesus with great respect.

“Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or

three witnesses” (Heb. 10:28). “How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled

the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him” (Heb. 10:29).

“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Heb. 6:4 — 6).

The Gospel not only involves the death of Christ, but also His resurrection. “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which

you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what

I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...” (I Cor. 15:1 — 4).

m “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Cor. 15:14).

m= “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” (I Cor. 15:20 — 23).

Those who crucified Jesus said to Peter “What shall we do”? (Acts 2:37).

m Peter replied: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). m “With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘save yourselves

from this corrupt generation”” (Acts 2:40). m “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to

their number that day” (Acts 2:41). MAY I PLEAD WITH YOU. PLEASE ACCEPT THIS MESSAGE!

m If you truly believe that Jesus died for your sins, and rose again from the dead, you need to immediately repent and be baptized!

m When you repent and are baptized you will receive the forgiveness of your sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

m Then the Lord will add you to His Body (Acts 2:47) and you will become a part of His Church (1 Cor. 12:13).

This study was written by Boyce Mouton. No rights are reserved! You are free to use this material in any way that will bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ!