title: how to have a clear conscience text: hebrews 9:1-15 theme: the believer should find a clear...
TRANSCRIPT
TITLE: How to Have a Clear Conscience
TEXT: Hebrews 9:1-15
THEME: The believer should find a clear conscience in the New Covenant
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, “Crime and Punishment”
An insightful analysis of the nature of guilt and how if it is no dealt with it will eat at us and even dehumanize us if left unsettled.
Approaches to Dealing with Guilt
1. Deny their sin.
2 Excuse their sin.
3. Redefine sin.
4. Run from their sin.
5. Ignore their sin.
Approaches to Dealing with Guilt
6. Pretend they have not sinned.
7. Lie about their sin.
8. Cover up their sin.
9. Justify their sin.
10. Blame others for their sin.
Approaches to Dealing with Guilt
11. Drown their sin.
12. Look for ways/people who will make them feel comfortable with their sin.
13. Try to pay for their sin.
14. Destroy their conscience.
15. Various forms of religion.
How can the believer find freedom from a guilty conscience?
I. By knowing what will not work. (1-10)
Hebrews 9:1-10
9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place
Hebrews 9:1-10
3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
Hebrews 9:1-10
5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry
Hebrews 9:1-10
7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning
Hebrews 9:1-10
9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
I. By knowing what will not work. (1-10)
A. The parts and furniture of the tabernacle cannot free us. (1-5)
I. By knowing what will not work. (1-10)
A. The parts and furniture of the tabernacle cannot free us. (1-5)
B. The priestly service in the tabernacle cannot free us. (6-10)
I. By knowing what will not work. (1-10)
A. The parts and furniture of the tabernacle cannot free us. (1-5)
B. The priestly service in the tabernacle cannot free us. (6-10)
C. The reason they cannot free us.
C. The reason they cannot free us.
1. Under this system we were separated from our object of devotion by a wall.
C. The reason they cannot free us.
1. Under this system we were separated from our object of devotion by a wall.
2. The law had a symbolic value that looked forward to a better system.
C. The reason they cannot free us.
1. Under this system we were separated from our object of devotion by a wall.
2. The law had a symbolic value that looked forward to a better system.
3. They were external acts that cannot clear the internal conscience.
C. The reason they cannot free us.
1. Under this system we were separated from our object of devotion by a wall.
2. The law had a symbolic value that looked forward to a better system.
3. They were external acts that cannot clear the internal conscience.
4. They were temporary acts that had to be repeated.
C. The reason they cannot free us.
1. Under this system we were separated from our object of devotion by a wall.
2. The law had a symbolic value that looked forward to a better system.
3. They were external acts that cannot clear the internal conscience.
4. They were temporary acts that had to be repeated.
5. The sacrifices we inadequate to permanently remove the penalty of sin.
How can the believer find freedom from a guilty conscience?
II. By knowing that Jesus Christ alone can give you a clear
conscience. (11-14)
Hebrews 9:11-14
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9:11-14
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
II. By knowing that Jesus Christ alone can give you a clear conscience. (11-14)
A. He removes the veil that separates us from God
II. By knowing that Jesus Christ alone can give you a clear conscience. (11-14)
A. He removes the veil that separates us from God
B. He is the reality for which all the rituals symbolize.
II. By knowing that Jesus Christ alone can give you a clear conscience. (11-14)
A. He removes the veil that separates us from God
B. He is the reality for which all the rituals symbolize.
C. He deals with the internal nature of the heart.
II. By knowing that Jesus Christ alone can give you a clear conscience. (11-14)
A. He removes the veil that separates us from God
B. He is the reality for which all the rituals symbolize.
C. He deals with the internal nature of the heart.
D. His sacrifice is permanent and can remove the penalty of sin.
1 Peter 3:21
“21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”
How can the believer find freedom from a guilty
conscience?
III. By knowing that Jesus Christ can free us from our sin. (11-15)
Hebrews 9:15
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
III. By knowing that Jesus Christ alone can give you a clear
conscience. (11-14)
A. Jesus death and resurrection establishes a new covenant.
III. By knowing that Jesus Christ alone can give you a clear
conscience. (11-14)
A. Jesus death and resurrection establishes a new covenant.
B. The blood of Christ cleanses us from our sin.
III. By knowing that Jesus Christ alone can give you a clear
conscience. (11-14)
A. Jesus death and resurrection establishes a new covenant.
B. The blood of Christ cleanses us from our sin
C. Jesus death paid the ransom that held us hostage to free us from sin.
Martin Luther
“How dare you, Satan? Indeed! You of all beings have the audacity to accuse us of sin? You of all God’s creation have the temerity to heap the blame on us? You have no right to accuse or blame, for you yourself are the guilty one, the one who must suffer the inevitable punishment for rebellion and lawlessness.”
Martin Luther
“No, Satan. It is you, not I. I am made perfect through Christ Jesus and you cannot mar that perfection. How dare you accuse me!”
APPLICATION
1. We must acknowledge that we have sinned before God.
APPLICATION
1. We must acknowledge that we have sinned before God.
2. We must acknowledge that we cannot deal with the guilt and penalty of sin by our own works or rituals.
APPLICATION
1. We must acknowledge that we have sinned before God.
2. We must acknowledge that we cannot deal with the guilt and penalty of sin by our own works or rituals.
3. We must place our faith in Jesus Christ who, as God, died on the cross for our sin and was resurrected proving his power over sin and death.
Author unknown
I dreamed I stood at Calvary
And saw three crosses there;
On left and right were nailed two thieves,
The cross between was bare.
Author unknown
A soldier took his sword in hand,
Then pointing it at me;
He said, "You there, prepare to die.
That cross is meant for thee."
Author unknown
I quickly fell upon my knees,
For mercy did I cry;
As strong hands grabbed my hands and feet,
I shouted, "Why, oh why?"
Author unknown
And then a voice both soft and sweet
Was heard above the din;
"Let this one go, take me instead.
I’ll pay his debt of sin."
Author unknown
With his body torn and bleeding,
And thorn marks ’round his head;
With face bruised where they beat him,
He stepped into my stead.
Author unknown
Then Jesus laid upon the cross,
His life to freely give;
That all my sins be washed away,
And through his death, I’d live.
Author unknown
He stretched his arms out open wide,
No struggle did he make;
As they prepared to nail him there,
His life to gladly take.
Author unknown
They drove the spikes in hands and feet
And slammed the cross in place;
His bones were shaken out of joint,
And blood flowed down his face.
Author unknown
"Forgive them, Father"’ was his cry,
They know not what they’ve done.
They do not realize that you,
Have sent your only son."
Author unknown
Deep darkness filled the noonday sky
And trembling shook the ground;
As God, the Father, turned away,
While God, the Son, gazed ’round.
Author unknown
"It’s finished now", the Saviour said.
"The door stands open wide;
Into thy hand’s my spirit comes."
And then they pierced his side.
Author unknown
The graves were bursting open,
And dead men walked around;
The temple veil was rent in twain,
And I fell to the ground.
Author unknown
When I awoke, the night had passed
And sunshine flooded in;
I cried, "Dear Lord, forgive me please,
And cleanse me from my sin.
Author unknown
For you sent down your only son,
A ransom for the lost;
And I see you included me,
When counting out the cost.
Author unknown
Take o’er the reins that guide my life,
Remove my wilful pride;
Sweep clean my heart and enter in,
Forever, there abide."
Author unknown
Yes, I dreamt I stood at Calvary
And saw those crosses three;
Yet no longer do I look with fear
Where Jesus died for me
