Welcome to the Cary Baptist Church radio broadcast entitled, Thy Word is Settled in Heaven. Cary Baptist is in Athens, Alabama. I'm Pastor Ben Donohue. We're preaching out of the book of Hebrews. We'll notice that the Apostle writes in chapter 9, showing the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, what was brought in by the New Covenant, several things that are important here. Let's begin reading in verse 1, and we'll read down to verse 14. Hebrews 9, then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service in a worldly sanctuary, for there was a tabernacle made. The first therein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded in the tables of the covenant. and over it the cherubims of glory, shadowing the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priest went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone, once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people, the Holy Ghost thus signifying That the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while the first tabernacle was yet standing, which was a figure for the time then present, which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience, which stood only in meats and drinks, and various washings and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of Reformation. But Christ, being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, That is to say not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood. He entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Forth the blood of bulls and goats and ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh. How much more! Shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, how much more purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Brother will stop reading there in verse 14. We're talking about a contrast here between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. And the Apostle begins by noticing the tabernacle. He notices the articles in the tabernacle, the candlestick, the showbread. He notices the temple, but he notices most of all the holy place in the middle of the temple, that place. where the high priest only could go in that only once a year this tabernacle service this entering into the holy place he says the holy ghost thus signifying he's gone this far in chapter nine to say that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest this is important it was not open it was only open one day a year to the high priest and him only so that signifies that it wasn't open to everyone else It was closed. It was a limitation while the first tabernacle was standing, verse 8. In this whole process, the worship service, the tabernacle, the priest, he says, which was a figure, an emblem, a symbol. This all is figurative, typical for the time then present, speaking of the Old Testament and the ceremonies and the temple ceremonies. And he's telling us for the time present that that economy, the Old Testament economy, was temporary and preparatory. It was only for a certain time that it would pass away. And he says that those animal sacrifices could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to conscience. And these were imposed on the Old Testament saints temporarily until the time of Reformation. You can't put new wine in old wineskins, is what the Lord Jesus said. But now we get down to the most important part of this scripture in verse 11. But Christ, being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, Christ's superiority, the New Covenant's superiority, is that Christ is the high priest that ministers in a heavenly sanctuary, not on earth, not made with hands, and his is permanent and forever. Notice, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once. After he shed his blood on the cross of Calvary, he then ascended and entered into that holy place with his blood. And here's the key phrase of this entire chapter, having obtained eternal redemption for us. He obtained something in our behalf, for us, that's eternal redemption. In virtue of His death, burial, resurrection, His atonement and presentation of the blood, in virtue of that, we have eternal redemption. All this was prefigured by the tabernacle on earth and the priest on earth and the animal sacrifice. That is all typical, symbolic, a picture of the final and the ultimate, Christ taking His own blood into the tabernacle in heaven effecting redemption for us, eternal redemption. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Notice, Christ offered himself to God. The atonement includes the offering that Christ made on our behalf. Christ made the atonement at the commandment of God. Christ made the atonement to satisfy the law of God, and he did it for us. It purges our conscience from dead works, works that produce death. Sin produces death. Not only have we been cleansed before the judgment bar of God, our consciences have also been cleansed. Notice, purge your conscience. And the true Christian who knows and understands what Christ has done for him, not only does he have forgiveness, but he has peace in his heart and in his conscience, because he knows the blood of Christ removes all of his guilt, all the stain that he has incurred upon this earth, and that is a blessing to his conscience. That's the assurance of salvation, other preachers would say, and believers are to have assurance of salvation. We quote for you 1 John 5 and 13, these things have I written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know you have eternal life. Christianity is a no-so religion. It's not a I hope so religion. It's a no-so religion. These things have been written that you may know. Know what? That you have eternal life. You have a conscience then that is purged. A conscience that is free. Yes, how much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead works to serving the living God? For this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament. The New Testament, so we have a contrast between the Old Covenant, the New Testament. We have a better high priest, Jesus Christ, better than Aaron. We have a better tabernacle, better than the earthly tabernacle. We have a better holy place, a better tabernacle. Now we've said this before, it bears repeating the Old Covenant, the ceremonial law, the sacrifices, the temple, the duties of the priest. the various meats and drinks that he spoke about in verse 10. These are all typical and emblematical of what would be brought in by Christ. They all showed what was going to happen. They were the shadows Christ did the substance. In the book of Hebrews, the writer goes on to say that the Old Covenant with its types and symbols and tabernacle has faded away. It's been replaced by that which is new and better, the New Covenant, the New Testament. That's one of the reasons the writer of Hebrews is writing, to show us we have a better testament, a better covenant, founded on better promises, eternal safety. because of the work of Jesus Christ. That's what we have in Hebrews chapter 9. We have the sanctuary. We have the priest attending to the sanctuary. We have one priest in the most sacred place. He says that is an indication back then that the Holy of Holies was not made open. Now it's made open because in Christ, come boldly before the throne of grace that you may receive help in the time of trouble. The veil that separated the holy place from the rest of the tabernacle has been torn in two. thus Christ has gone before us and we can enter into the presence of God. Brethren, you have all that you need in Christianity to get you to heaven. You have all that you need in a Savior who did all that was necessary to remove our sin and make us acceptable to God. This is what we have in Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews is an important theological book, much like the book of Romans. The book of Romans looks from the angle and perspective of justification. So much of Romans is about justification. What an important thing. Hebrews is just as important, but it looks at our salvation from a different angle. It looks at it from the religious angle where the high priest representing us brings in the blood that satisfies the law of God. The two most doctoral books in the New Testament, Hebrews is one, Romans is the other. What a great pair we have to explain to us and show us how great a salvation we have if the greatness lies in Jesus Christ's work on our behalf. Both the Apostle Paul in Romans and the writer of the book of Hebrews agree totally on that score. What we have, we have because of Christ and his work. That's why we meet and bless and praise God every Sunday morning when we meet in church. But Christ, being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. How much more! Brother, it looks like we're about out of time, so we're going to go ahead and close it up here. You've been listening to the Cary Baptist Church radio broadcast. Cary is in Athens, Alabama. I'm Pastor Ben Donohue. Let me thank you for listening. We hope you join us again next time, and until then, we'll say goodbye. Mighty fortress is our God, our bulwark never failing. Our helper He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe His craft and power are great And armed with cruel hate On earth is not his equal ♪ In our own strength confide ♪ ♪ Our striving would be losing ♪ ♪ Were not the right man on our side ♪ ♪ The man of God's own choosing ♪ ♪ Dost ask who that may be ♪ Christ Jesus it is He, Lord Sabbath is His name, from age to age the same, and He must win the battle. And though this world with devils filled, through threatened to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, We tremble not for him. His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him. That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them abideth. The Spirit and the gift Let goods and kindred go This mortal life also The body they may kill God's truth abideth still His kingdom is for all to see Thank you for joining us on today's broadcast. If you have any questions or want more information about Cary Baptist Church, you can find us on the web at carybc.com. That is C-A-R-E-Y-B-C dot C-O-M. May the Lord richly bless you as you tune in again for Thy Word is settled in Heaven.