Only a Shadow

Text: Hebrews 10:1-7

Theme: The old system of sacrificial worship was merely a preview of Christ’ perfect sacrifice.

Key verses: “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide the perfect cleansing for those who came to worship” (v. 1). “…those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, ‘You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God…” (v. 3-7).

What God said to me: Dwayne, I am at work all over the world. Even this morning, I placed an unlikely bishop in the Royal Wedding to preach my Gospel to the world. I am always at work bringing people to a saving knowledge of me. I came to seek and to save those who are lost. That was my earthly mission, and it is my mission above all now. I don’t want any to perish but all to come to repentance. That is precisely why I had to send my Son to be the ultimate sacrifice for your sins. Your efforts, your attempts at sacrifice, were feeble and temporary at best. All they could do was remind you of your sins over and over again. What you and the people of earth need is a Savior who takes away the sin of the world. It is Christ the Lord. He came to do my will. He offered his own body to be killed. He did my will when he died on the cross. For my will is that you be saved. My will is to cleanse your sin once and for all by my Son’s perfectly innocent and powerful blood. Now, when you come to worship, it should not remind you of your sins; once you confess and forsake those, they are forgiven forever. Instead, now you can worship at the altar in your heart, from a heart that is clean and pure and free. The perfect sacrifice for sin has already been made, so you can now offer yourself as a sacrifice of worship.

What God said to me: Thank You, my Lord and God, for speaking through Your Word to me this morning. Thank You for “waking me morning by morning, wakening my ear to listen like one being taught.” I praise You for Your love and mercy, for dying on the cross as our perfect and holy Savior. Please help me bring You my all and surrender my heart, mind, soul and strength to You today. Please watch over my family and draw them to You today.