Hebrews chapter 9. I love the
book of Hebrews. I think in the years that I've
been here, going on almost 29 years, we have done a complete
study through the book of Hebrews three times. And every time that
we go through the book of Hebrews, I always am blessed and I learn
something and glean from the Scripture the necessity. I see
more and more the necessity of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm basically
going to bring a message from verse 24, 26, and 28 on the three
appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ. The three appearances
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Personal appearances of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Presently, verse 24, but now
He's entered into heaven itself, now to appear, and I underscore
that word now. Right now. This moment. Right now. The Lord Jesus Christ
appears for us as our advocate, as our mediator, as our intercessor,
as our righteousness before God right now. He appears in the
presence of God for us. That's comforting, isn't it?
That's a blessing, isn't it? And then we see secondly, we
see in verse 26 his past appearance, personal appearance, says there,
but now, once in the end of the world, in these last days, in
the end of the age, hath He appeared, the Lord Jesus Christ came in
the flesh, He appeared to put away sin, Why did He come? He came to put away our sin.
The blood of bulls and goats cannot put away sin. He came
to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. He gave Himself for
our sins. Think of it. The lovely Son of
God was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. And then the third thing, We
see His future presence. The Lord's coming back. The Lord's
coming again. When's He coming? I have no idea. I'm not looking for when, I'm
looking for who is coming. We look for Him. We look for
Him who is coming. Verse 28, Hebrews 9, So Christ
once offered to bear the sins of many, and because He successfully
put away the sins of many, and to them that look for Him. We
look for Him in salvation. We look for Him by faith, don't
we? Faith, looking unto the Lord Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith. We also look for Him who is coming. He might appear sometime. It says He shall appear the second
time without any sin, and He's going to bring with Him eternal
glory and eternal salvation. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ no doubt is the power of God unto salvation. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is the only way that God can be just and justify the ungodly. The only way God can remain holy
and just I just God and be our Savior through the Lord Jesus
Christ in Him crucified. No better way, no better book
to preach the gospel from than the book of Hebrews. I love the
book of Hebrews. I just love it. Romans and the
book of Hebrews, I guess, are my two favorite books. The key
word, as we've learned by studying the book of Hebrews, the key
word is, remember, better. better. Christ is better, superior,
more glorious than the angels, than Aaron, than any Old Testament
priest, than any sacrifice under the law. We have to put this
word in front of everything. Christ is better. He's the best. He's the only Savior that God
has sent. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
surety of a better covenant. He is the better sacrifice. And the Lord Jesus Christ, He
brought in a better hope. A better hope for us. Turn back
one page. Look at chapter 8, verse 6. But now hath He obtained a more
excellent ministry, by how much also He is a mediator of a better
covenant, which was established upon better promises. Look at
chapter 7, verse 19. For the law made nothing perfect,
but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh
unto God." The Lord Jesus Christ is better in every way, in everything. The Lord Jesus Christ, He's a
better mediator, advocate, intercessor, surety, Savior. He's a better
sacrifice. Would you rather have the sacrifice
of a goat, a sheep, a lamb, or bull, or the blood of Christ,
the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither by the blood of goats
and calves, but by His own blood, He entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. He redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. Now,
I want to begin with verse 26. Here we read about the first
personal appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh, as
a God-man mediator. In the fullness of time, the
time, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the
law to redeem them. The Lord Jesus Christ, this One
who was called the Christ of God, is indeed a real man, but
He is God Almighty. Never forget that. This is what
this book of Hebrews and the whole Bible teaches. Look back
to chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1. we see who
the Lord Jesus Christ is. And let us never forget that
He is God Almighty, and yet He's the God-Man, Mediator, manifested
in the flesh. Hebrews 1, verse 1, God who in
sundry times and divers manners, vacant time passed unto the fathers
by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His
Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, the Father loveth
the Son, giving all things into His hand," John 3, 35, "...by
whom also He made the worlds," He's the creator of all things,
"...who being the brightness of His glory, the express image
of His person, upholding all things by the word of His power,
when He by Himself purged our sin, He sat down on the right
hand of the Majesty on high." Who is the Lord Jesus Christ?
The express image of God's person. Our Lord said, you've seen Me,
you've seen the Father. I am my Father, we are one. Look at Hebrews chapter 2. Here we see not only His deity,
but His humanity given unto us. Verse 14, For as much then as
the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself
likewise took part of the same. You see that? that through death
he might destroy him that hath power of death, that is, the
devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage, Hebrews 2.16, for verily he took
not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of
Abraham. A real man. Wherefore, verse
17, all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, and think
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For
in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to
succor them, to help them that are tempted. The Lord Jesus Christ,
who is He? He is God Almighty. And yet the
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. The Lord Jesus Christ came not only as the God-man
mediator, but He came as the priest of God. We need a great
high priest to represent us unto the Father. We don't look for
an earthly priest, do we? Look back at Hebrews chapter
3. Who is the Lord Jesus Christ? He's God. He's the God-man mediator,
and He's the great high priest, Son of God. A prophet, the Lord
Jesus Christ is prophet, priest, and king. A prophet represents
God to us. The priest represents us unto
God. And then the king reigns over
us. Look at Hebrews chapter 3 verse 1. Wherefore, holy brethren,
for takers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high
priest of our profession. Who is it? Jesus Christ. Do you have a high priest? Yes,
we do. One Son of God, who has somewhat
to offer. What did He offer? His own blood.
Now look at Hebrews chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4. Verse 14,
seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Here's a man without sin. Here's
a great high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, who had no sin.
Verse 16, Hebrews 4, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our
time of need. So who is the Lord Jesus Christ?
He appeared once in the end of the age. Who is He? He is God
Almighty, the Eternal God. He's a God-man mediator. Without
controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness. God was manifest
in the flesh. Who is He? He's our great High
Priest who represents us to God, who has somewhat to offer. What
does He offer? He offers His own blood. Look at Hebrews chapter 8. Verse
1, now the thing which we have spoken, this is the sum. We have
such a great high priest who is set on the right hand of the
throne of the majesties in the heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ
is our great high priest. And there's other scriptures
that tell us about his priesthood in the book of Hebrews. Look
at Hebrews chapter 7. Verse 25, Wherefore he is able
also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such a high priest
became us. He represents us. who was holy,
harmless, undefiled, separate from sin, centered and made higher
than the heavens." Do you have a great eye, priest? Yes, we
do. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who
did not bring the typical animal sacrifice. It says in Hebrews
9 verse 11, But being come a high priest of good things to come,
by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands,
this is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats
and of calves, but by His own blood, He entered in once into
the holy place, having obtained for us eternal redemption. That's what He did for us, who
He is. What did He accomplish? Look
back at verse 26, our text. But now once in the end of the
world hath He appeared, what did He appear to do? To put away
sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Look right down the page, Hebrews
10 verse 4. It is not possible that the blood
of bulls and goats should take away sin. The Lord Jesus Christ
put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. By the deeds of the
law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God. Sin could
not be put away any other way but by the blood atonement, the
blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Think how many animals
were sacrificed during all that period of Mosaic, Levitical law. Thousands and thousands and thousands
of sacrifices. Never put away one sin. It pictured
a way of substitution, pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ. John
said, Behold, there's the Lamb. The Lord Jesus who shall take
away our sin. So it's not the blood of bulls
and goats, but His own blood. He obtained for us eternal redemption.
Sin is very difficult to put away. It took the blood of God. He purchased us with His own
blood. By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Now here's something that a lot of people are very mistaken about. A lot of people think that their
repentance puts away sin. Repentance does not put away
sin. True repentance acknowledges
that Christ put away our sin. That's what true repentance acknowledges.
Faith does not put away sin. Your faith didn't die for your
sin, did it? Christ died for our sin. Saving
faith that's real and true looks to Him who put away our sin.
You see, repentance doesn't put away sin. Faith doesn't put away
sin. Both faith and repentance look to Christ, the Lord Jesus
Christ, who put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Did He get the job done? Did He try to put away sin? Did
He attempt to put away our sin? Did He put us in a savable state
to make salvation a possibility? Is that what this book teaches?
Uh uh. Turn to Hebrews 10, verse 10. By the witch will we are
sanctified. Hebrews 10, 10. Through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest standed
daily, talking about the Old Testament priests, Aaron and
his sons, daily ministering, offering oftentimes the same
sacrifices which can never take away sin. Oh, but this man, after
he'd offered one sacrifice for sin forever, he sat down. He ascended to glory on, you
remember, three days after his death. He was raised from the
dead. He spent 40 days among men. And then he ascended to
glory. And what happened? He sat down.
He sat down at the right hand of God. From henceforth, expecting
to those enemies be made his footstool, For by one offering,
He perfected forever them that are sanctified. He actually put
away our sin. Verse 15, Wherefore, the Holy
Ghost also was a witness to us. For after that He had said before,
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,
saith the Lord. I put my law, my word into their
heart and in their minds while I write them, and their sins
and iniquities Will I remember no more? How effectual is the
blood atonement of Christ? God Almighty said, their sin,
I do not remember their sin. Their sin is gone as far as the
east. It's from the west. The Lord
has put away our sin by the sacrifice of Himself. We are redeemed with
the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're not redeemed
with silver and gold. vain conversation, traditions
of men, but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,
in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sin according to the riches of His grace." Now, who did the
Lord Jesus Christ represent when He died? Whom did He represent? In other words, we can put it
this way, for whom did the Lord Jesus Christ die? Now it's said
in religious circles that Christ died for all the sins of all
men. That's what we've heard. That's what is preached in this
county, in this state, in this country, all over the world.
Christ died for all the sins of all men. That's not so. This book doesn't teach that.
This book teaches that He appeared to put away sin, the sin of His
people. Verse 28, So Christ once offered
to bear the sin of... What's that word? The sin of... What's that word? Many. Many. The many given to Him in
that covenant of grace. Now let me show you a Scripture.
This will help you. I can help you if you'll let
me. Turn over here to Hebrews chapter 2. Often times when we
talk about the particular redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ, that
is His death and atonement to put away sin, the sin of His
people by the sacrifice of Himself, often times this verse is brought
up to question that truth. We don't question that truth,
but those who are opposed to the gospel of God's grace. Hebrews
2 verse 9, but we see Jesus, the Lord Jesus, made a little
lower than the angels for the suffering death, crowned with
glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should take death
for every man. That settles it, right? He said
that he died for the sins of every man. If you'll keep in
context what's being said here, He tasted death for every, and
the word there, M-A-N, is not in the original. He tasted death,
and in the original language it goes this way, He tasted death
for the whole, for all for whom the High Priest represents. Now,
in the following verses it describes the everyone. It describes every
man. For it became him for whom are
all things, by whom are all things, became him for whom are all things,
by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory. to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through suffering. So he died for the sons, those
sons given to him in the covenant of grace. Verse 11, for both
he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all one. For
which cause? He's not ashamed to call them
brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ died for
the sanctified ones, for the collected ones, for the elect
of God. And He's not ashamed to call
them His family, sons of God, brethren. Verse 12, saying, I
will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the
church. will I sing praise to thee." So he tasted death for
sons, for the brethren, for the sanctified, for the church. He
purchased the church with his own blood. And again, I'll put
my trust in him. And again, behold, I and the
children which God hath given to me. So there we see for whom
he tasted death. If you just keep in context,
instead of just reaching in and grabbing a verse, try to prove
your doctrine, just read what the Word of God says. The Lord
Jesus Christ died for His covenant people. The Old Testament high
priest, when he went in on that Day of Atonement, for whom did
he represent? Now he's a picture of Christ.
Whom did that high priest represent when he went in under the veil
into the Holy of Holies, putting the blood on the mercy seat?
Whom did he represent? You know who he represented.
He represented Israel, right? It wasn't the Amalekites, the
Hittites, the Jebusites, all the other ites. It was Israel. The Lord Jesus Christ went to
glory with his own blood on the mercy seat of glory, representing
the Israel of God, the sheep of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ
is a fulfillment of that which was pictured. He bear the sin
of many. He bear our sin in his own body
on the tree. Our Lord said in Matthew 20,
28, that he is a ransom for many. In Ephesians chapter 5 it says,
He loved the church and gave Himself for it. Our Lord said
in John 10, 15, I lay down my life for the sheep. In Matthew
1, 21 it says, He called His name Jesus. The messenger from
heaven said, He called His name Jesus. He shall save His people
from their sin. And He bought the church with
His own blood. So we make the statement that
the Lord Jesus Christ, according to this Word, put away the sin
of His covenant people. And those for whom He died, if
He put away their sin, and God said, I don't remember them no
more, then He justified them by His blood. There is therefore
now no condemnation to those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now if you make the statement that He died for all the sins
of all men, and yet some wind up in hell anyway, What does
that really say of His blood atonement? Well, it doesn't work,
does it? It must depend on something I
do. What I do must keep me out of
hell, rather than what Christ does when He justifies us by
His blood. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanses us from all power sin. Now, why make that an issue? Can't we just gloss over that?
Absolutely not. Absolutely not. We stand firm
as we can that the Lord Jesus Christ died a particular death
for a particular people, His elect, His chosen, and He put
their sin away and He justified them by His blood. Now, that
being so, turn back to the text again. when he by himself purged
our sin, look at Hebrews 9 verse 24, for Christ did not enter
into the holy places made with hands, which are figures or types
of the true, talking about that tabernacle, but into heaven itself. now to appear in the presence
of God for us." So there we see his past appearance. Now we see
his present, right now, appearing for us. There's one God and one
mediator between God and man. Who is it? The Lord Jesus Christ. There's one advocate for our
sin and it's Christ. Now to appear in the presence
of God for us. Our blessed Redeemer enters in,
not into an earthly tabernacle. or an earthly temple, as Aaron
and the other priests did every year, but into heaven itself,
now to appear for us in the very presence of God. He was delivered
for our offenses and raised again for our justification. Upon the
grounded merit of his successful atonement for our sin, our Savior
enters into the very presence of God and occupies the throne
of God for us right now. to appear in the presence of
God for us right now. Turn to Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews
chapter 6. Look at verse 18. Verse 17. wherein God, Hebrews 6, 17, willing
more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability
of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable
things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have
strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the
hope that's set before us, verse 19, which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which enters into
that within the veil, where the forerunner is for us entered,
even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. His priesthood is an eternal
priesthood. Our forerunner has entered in,
and you know what? The good news of the gospel is,
where He is, we are. Turn to Ephesians chapter 2.
When He entered in, we entered in with Him. When He sat down,
we sat down in Him. Ephesians chapter 2. Verse 4,
But God, who is rich in mercy for His great love wherewith
He loved us, even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us
together with Christ. By grace are ye saved. Ephesians
2, verse 6, And raised us up together, and made us sit together
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come
He might show the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through
faith, and that not of yourself is a gift of God, not of work,
but if any man should boast. Raise us up together, and we're
seated in the heavenlies in the Lord Jesus Christ right now. He appears in the presence of
God for us right now. And He presents us under the
Father holy, unblameable, unreprovable in His sight. He presents us
faultless before the presence of God's glory with exceeding
joy. Aren't you glad you have a great
High Priest who may complete atonement for our sin? And He
ever lives to intercede for us right now? Now here's the last
thing. Hebrews 9 verse 28. His past
appearance, His present appearance, and then His future appearance.
He's coming back. So Christ was once offered to
bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall
He appear the second time without sin unto
salvation. Without sin, unto salvation."
Everything God does, He does on purpose. Everything God does,
He does by the eternal, unchangeable, immutable decrees of God. Everything
He does is by His appointment, according to His will, His purpose,
His determinate counsel. So too, in His first coming,
So too in His second coming. There's a day appointed that
He will come back again. He will come back again. Now,
let me just read this to you. In the book of Acts, remember
when we started Acts chapter 1, when the Lord Jesus Christ
ascended 40 days after His resurrection, Those two men in white apparel
said to the disciples, Acts 1, verse 11, You men of Galilee,
why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you've
seen Him go unto heaven. He's coming back. Now, I want
you to turn to this one with me. Find John 14. John chapter
14. He's coming back. John 14 verse 1. Let not your
heart be troubled. You see it? John 14 verse 1.
You know, this is said in the light of what He just said to
Peter. Peter, you're going to deny Me three times. But don't
let your heart be troubled. You believe God? You believe
in God, believe me also. In my Father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, what I told you, I go to prepare
a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where
I am, oh, that's where you will be also. Now, in closing, let
me read this Scripture. I want you to turn and read this
with me. 1 Thessalonians 4. Those that look for Him shall
He appear the second time without sin unto final glory. forever and ever. This is 1 Thessalonians chapter
4 verse 13. But I would not have you to be
ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep, that you
sorrow not even as others which have no hope. For if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep
in him, in the Lord Jesus, rest in him will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which
are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not
prevent or precede them which are fallen asleep or asleep or
resting in Christ, those who have died and are with the Lord,
but the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of an archangel, with the trump of God and the dead
in Christ shall be raised first. Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the
Lord. Wherefore comfort one another
with these words. Now read on. You have no need that I write
unto you. For yourselves know perfectly
that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. But when they shall say, Peace
and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, a travail upon
a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But you, brethren,
are not in darkness, that you should, in darkness, that they
should overtake you as a thief. But you are children of light,
and the children of the day. are not of the night nor darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep,
as do others, but let us watch." Let us watch. The Lord's coming
back. And we know from the Revelation
that He says in the Revelation, He's on His way. He's on His
way back. Unto Him who loved us and washed
us from our sin and His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests
unto our God, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.
Behold, He cometh. Revelation 1, 7. Behold, He cometh. What does that mean? That means He's on His way. With
clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced
Him. And all kingdoms of the earth shall wail because of Him.
Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning,
the ending. Say it to the Lord, which is,
and which was, and is to come, the Almighty God. He's coming
back. His past appearance, His present
appearance, and His future. The Lord's coming back to take
us home to glory.