By This Will

Introduction

The bakers had to go off and take a vacation. And so I couldn’t preach it. And the reason why I couldn’t preach it is because the sermon was actually inspired by Elijah. And I wanted him to be here when I did preach it. And so I said, Oh, they’re going to be back this Sunday. Elijah is not here. He has a substantial fever of 103, or at least it was 103. But I’m hoping he and Julianne are watching on Facebook live. But then again, he could watch it back later if he’s not able to watch it right now. Because two weeks ago, as the Lord’s Supper was being observed, Elijah was sitting between me and Bill Olson. And he gets my attention during the Lord’s Supper, which I thought was a little odd, but he’s pointing down at his Bible, and he’s in Hebrews the 10th chapter, and he says, This would be a really good Lord’s Supper talk.

Now, it’s really unusual that a young man of his age would be thinking about what would really be a good Lord’s Supper talk. And I agreed wholeheartedly with his choice. Now, I would just tell all of you men who lead, as Mike did today, and I gotta tell you, Mike did something that surprised me today, that really the whole Bible is a great place to begin a Lord’s Supper talk. It doesn’t have to be the verses where he instituted the Lord’s Supper. There are so many ways to take the whole Bible story and relate it to what Jesus did for us at Calvary. So give that a little thought, fellas, as just Elijah had done two weeks ago as he introduced Hebrews 10 to me. And I want to share that with you this morning.

But before I do that, I’ve got to tell you, little Timothy O’Lenick, I was having lunch with him. There he is. He’s here.

After we waited in traffic on 249 for nearly what, three days? Just to get to Goodson’s. I’m going to tell you right now, if you’re planning on going 249 south to get out of here, don’t. That would be a big mistake. But Timothy, we finally got to dinner, and Timothy’s telling me about a sermon idea he had. And I don’t know what it is about these young fellas, but I know Brett, when he was about the age of four, was ready to preach his first sermon. And that was before the age of PowerPoint. And so I took him to the church building, and he was the blonde bomber at the time. He had a head full of blonde hair. He was a little fella, but he had seen Daddy preach, and he was ready to preach up a storm.

And so he went over to the whiteboard and he wrote, The Devil. And the song, Satan is a Liar. Satan is a liar and the father of lies. Y’all know that one? Our kids know that one. The devil took it on the chin that day. As in no kind and uncertain terms, Brett called him out or his evil influence in the world. And now my son, who is 25 years old, is absolutely petrified to preach. He’s done it one time, and he was just saying last week, and this is why I brought it up. He just said, Oh man, I can’t do that again. That scared me to death. Like, son, come on now. You got to do it. You know you can do it. And so I want to talk to you about Hebrews 10.

Hebrews 10 and the designated deliverer. The verse I advertised in the bulletin was actually back in Hebrews 10 and verse 7, which you may notice is a quotation from the Old Testament, where in the scroll of the book it is written of me, I have come to do thy will, O God. Little did David know that would be pointing to someone who would do the will of God perfectly and completely and without error. This was what was determined for our sacrifice for our Lord. And such a will he had.

Will. We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. There’s a play on words going on here, actually going back into chapter 9. And that is the will of Jesus. The will that submitted perfectly to his father’s intention and what was prophesied of him in long ages past. In fact, the whole Old Testament was written concerning him and the scheme of redemption that was going to happen through him. But it is not just the will of Jesus in terms of his personal submission that’s in view, but his will that would be inaugurated at his death. A new testament that was going to result, a new covenant between God and men. So by this will, the offering of Jesus’ body once for all, a new will was inaugurated.

And every priest, in contrast, verse 11, these verses are marvelous.

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices. Now, I want you to picture that in your mind. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, animals slaughtered at the temple. The river of blood that flowed. The price of sinfulness. I haven’t been present at the slaughter of many animals. I went to my grandpa’s and we slaughtered a hog once, and that was a very memorable occasion in my mind. I remember the saucepan that had, well, a part of the pig that I really didn’t want to look at. Can you imagine just the slaughtering of lamb after lamb after lamb? The river of blood. The priests, year after year. All for sin could not atone. Never able to take away sins.

But what a huge word. That contrasting word that begins verse 12. But he having offered the sacrifice of sins for all time. For all time, sat down at the right hand of God. Have you been guilty of taking that for granted? That you haven’t had to go pick out the perfect lamb? Oh, not the blemished lamb that they were trying to do in the days of Malachi, as they wouldn’t even offer that to their governor. Their religion was so cheap to them, so worthless to them, that they weren’t giving time and attention. No, if you were seriously going to serve God, you would get the finest of your flock. Or you would purchase the finest lamb that you could, and you would offer it in sacrifice for your sin.

And that would not be sufficient to cover the guilt. But one time at Calvary, the sacrifice of the perfect lamb of God would offer the solution for your sin. And we can come here today without our animals, without the blood, and we can remember the blood of Jesus. You take that for granted. I have. I sometimes do. Our priest gave a sacrifice once for all. And he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time, onward, until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet. For by one offering, he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us, for after saying, This is the covenant that I will make with them. After those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws upon their heart.

They’re going to be like their king, their priest and their savior. I have come to do thy will, O God. I will put my laws upon their heart and upon their mind. I will write them. He then says, And their sins and their lawless deeds. Please see yourself there. If you are of accountable age, if there is sin on your account, if you have transgressed the will of God for your own way, and their sins and their lawless deeds, I will remember no more. Now, where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. I have written in my Bible after that verse, argument concluded. And this actually goes back to some argumentation, even back to the priesthood of Melchizedek, which I’m about to mention.

And he’s finally making the argument that Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient, that one time sacrifice was sufficient for all time. Now he’s going to say, now what does that mean? As he proceeds into the rest of Hebrews 10 and Hebrews 11 and Hebrews 12 and 13. And I challenge you to go back and read that. By his submissive will, by this will, by his submissive will to the Father, a new will was inaugurated. What I found interesting was that the idea of a designated Savior actually appears earlier in the argumentation, back in chapter 5, in the very passages that Mike chose to read, and we didn’t work this out ahead of time. As he read verses 7 through 9, verse 10 says that he was designated by God to be a high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.

This was his designated role that he was to play. In the scroll of the book, it was written of him. And he submitted to the role and became the sacrifice for our sins. And so as I talk to you briefly about this wonderful text that Elijah pointed out to me, that I thought was not only worthy of a Lord’s Supper talk, but much more.

1. By This Will, Jesus Offered

Four verbs. I want you to underline them. I have them underlined in my Bible. I want to talk about each of them briefly and then move on. By this will, Jesus offered. And that’s found in verse 12. But he having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. Oh glory. The sacrifice to end all sacrifices. Let us marvel at the wonders of God’s plan. There is no longer any offering for sin, because an offering has been made once for all. Marvel at Jesus. Praise him. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, present your bodies a living sacrifice to him. That is your reasonable response. That is your reasonable service. Give him the devotion and a sacrifice that such a savior who paid such an ultimate cost what he deserves.

Do not begrudge the time.

2. When He Offered, He Sat Down

You’re called to give him. Do not entertain for one second that holiness requires too much. Do not hesitate to declare your loyalty to such a great key. This is a marvelous thought. He offered. And when he offered, he sat down. Sort of worked out well that I could preach this sermon this week. Because last week we talked about Jesus’ position at the right hand of the Majesty on high. And that so often it speaks of him sitting down. In fact, this is built on some statements in the very beginning of the book. That he sat down, having made purification for sins at the right hand of the majesty on high.

And the idea is that Jesus has completed his work. It’s done. All that God has planned from eternity has been accomplished in the work of one who has come to do his will. The Father’s will, the perfect Son that Israel never was. But in the story of Stephen, he was not sitting down. As it is mentioned so many times throughout the New Testament, when his first martyr was giving his life blood, Stephen looked into heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. Heaven was poised and watching at the battle that was taking place on the earth below. What is this idea that he sat down? Go back to Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 26 to get the earlier flavor in the context of what he’s saying.

Otherwise, he would have needed in verse 26 to suffer often since the foundation of the world. If this is like the priestly system of the Old Testament, then he would have often needed to have suffered. But now once, at the consummation of the ages. You see, he sat down. This is the consummation of God’s plan. At the consummation of the ages, he has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment. And I’ve said so many times that verse is pulled out of its context, and we say, you know, everybody’s got to die once after this the judgment. That’s true. But really, it’s just an illustration. Because it is so true, and we all know it by experience that nobody lives forever on this earth.

Everyone dies after this, the judgment. That’s a true thing that we all know. But just like everyone dies once, Jesus died one time. So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin to those who eagerly await him. And we’ve observed so many times, and I’ll observe even now that second time is closer to you right now than it’s ever been. And we need to be eagerly awaiting him. This life is just not about foremost. Great singing performances. Great athletic heroics, as much as we are impressed, at least some of us males are, I guess a few females. Great athletic heroics. I can’t believe the raptors are actually beating the Golden State Warriors.

And skill and artistry of all kinds. That’s not what all of this is really all about. It’s really all about the will of our Creator.

But is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And we should account the long suffering of our Lord as salvation. 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 15. And so, why are we still here? What’s the point of today? Or what will be the point of tomorrow?

A long time has passed since Jesus was that one time sacrifice, and he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Why are we still here? Why is the world still spinning? What’s supposed to happen with the 8 billion people in our world? God is waiting. Waiting for people to come to embrace the provisions made possible in Jesus. Jesus sat down, he is eternally effective in that role. He will say in conclusion, chapter 13 and verse 8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Look, he sat down. He is who he is. The exact representation of God’s nature. He was God in human flesh. He accomplished the work that he was designated to do, and he sat down, and he’s the same.

3. Waiting Until His Enemies Be Made a Footstool

Nothing has changed since that day until now. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And then this word appears that I’ve already alluded to. Waiting from that time onward until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet in verse 13. Wait a minute. I thought you said he was done. The work was concluded. But there are still vestiges of the enemy, the one that Brett hammered so many years ago. There are still vestiges of the enemy’s work and power still being displayed in our world. The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one, 1 John chapter 5 and verse 19.

We still see death, which is the result of the sin that he encouraged. And ultimately, the last enemy that will be abolished is death. Oh, death, where is your state? There is a great resurrection coming for all who have put off the perishable. And we will put on the imperishable. And that victory is assured. And that’s really what the book of Revelation is about. The whole book of Revelation is about the very real threats that were coming right to the doorsteps of the people of God, and they were suffering and lives were being lost, and there was concern for their lives and breath. And martyrs were crying out, How long, God, until you do something? And the book of Revelation says, all the wrongs will be righted.

4. He Has Perfected Those Who Are Sanctified

Jesus is the conquering king, and he’s going to come riding on his white horse, and all of everything that is ever opposed God will be cast into hell and will burn forever and ever. And so this is a period of waiting and opportunity. And then there’s this exciting concluding point. Verse 14. For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Have you been set apart under the purposes of the king? Are you trying to model in your life? And this is what he wants for us. Are you trying to model his submissive will to the will of the Father? If you have been set apart unto his purposes, you have this great hope as fuel for your journey. And that is that he’s at work perfecting you.

He himself will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 10. This is a marvelous thought that where I am powerless, where I fail, where I come short, that my Lord will enable my success and my victory, he perfects those who come to him to be sanctified. So what is this really all about us? What is that Jesus wants to accomplish in this period of waiting after he has finished his work as he perfects those who have been sanctified unto him? What is God wanting? This is it. This is the message of the gospel. I will put my laws upon their hearts, upon their minds, I will write them. I think it’s hard for us to appreciate this golden statement in the book of Hebrews.

This was not the system of Judaism. And this is the point that he was making. If you were born of the tribes of Israel, you were the chosen people of God. You were covenant people. You were circumcised. The young males were circumcised the eighth day. I am a Jew. I have the covenant promises and provisions. But it’s just a baby. It’s just a child. And as that child became a man, what would he choose to do? Would he follow the covenant or not? And the point that’s being made in the book of Hebrews more than once is nobody gets into the new will, into the new covenant like that. Nobody.

No fool will wander therein. There’ll be no surprises on the day of judgment. Somebody standing before the throne of God. Well, there’ll be some surprises maybe about the verdict. But there’s not going to be any surprises for those who receive the Lord’s well done. What? Fancy this. I get to go to heaven. Shocking. How did that happen? Okay, here we go. Waltz on in. Not going to happen like that. It’ll be for those who walk that way, who choose the path. The redeemed walk there on the highway of holiness. You see, the only way to get into this kingdom to enjoy the provisions of this will and this testament is for you to be a willing learner. For you to allow the laws to be written upon your heart and upon your mind.

Conclusion

For you to willingly embrace the marvelous provisions of the awesome sacrifice of Jesus. The point of this lesson today was to tell Elijah he was right. But more than that, it was to proclaim the simple message of the gospel of Jesus. He is the centerpiece and the hope of all of this. And he should be fervently lauded, devotedly served. The bigger question for you is why will you not? Many people in our world, sometimes they even come and sit in pews. Choose not to fervently laud and devotedly serve the King of Kings and the high priest Jesus, who wants to do so much for them. Why will you not? And that’s really the crux of the matter. Your will. Submission to his will. And I have this thought.

Why don’t people respond to the preaching of Jesus like they used to? Do you realize how few assemblies? How few invitations are offered at the end of the sermon? Or on Wednesday night. It’s almost like Wednesday night’s the perfunctory three-minute talk. Nothing ever happens. Occasionally someone will come forward and need the prayers of the church, and that’s wonderful. But you don’t see people responding to the preaching of the gospel like you used to, and I’ve heard before my time that it was even more. I’ve told the story of Johnny Edwards on the back of his one of his sermons. He said there were 30, he has written 37 baptisms during a meeting.

I’ve seen three or four and was excited. I think the first Wednesday night I hear three young ladies obeyed the gospel. Remember that? Ten years ago. Why? Where’s the conviction? Where’s the white knuckling, as it was called? Where’s the white knuckling of somebody holding on to the pew, knowing? I’ve seen it. I saw it in Louisville, Kentucky 25 years ago. A man who is now since past. I saw him put the death grip on the pew in front of him, his knuckles white. Because he knew he was undone in his sin, but he would not respond. Why? Why won’t people have the courage to step out into the aisle and turn from vanity. Confess the awesome name of Jesus and come into union with him.

Why? I’ll tell you why. It’s not hard. They just don’t see how bankrupt the world is and how empty their lives and their pursuits are without him. They don’t appreciate him and his great work.

But maybe the bigger reason.

Come to him. Let him be king. Let him put his laws in your heart and in your mind. Let’s stand and sing together.