You’ve Got It So Good

You’ve got it so good! Hebrews 10:1-18 NLT (READ)

• • When I was in high school many moons ago, there was this book with short stories and in it was a title that caught my attention -Title – “who do you know” – and the story pretty much said that human effort  and ability is great and all- however, if you want to go places, you have to know somebody 
  • It was mind blowing then but as I have progressed in years, I have found it to be true more than I would like to admit 
  • Access– is the ability, right, or permission to approach, enter, communicate with, or make use of something. 
  • One of the reasons that we take pictures with celebrities, presidents, billionaires, famous people etc. and display then in our offices, desk and hang them on our walls is so that there is prove that we have/had access to these people 
  • You might not have a picture of you and God in your living room but if you have been with us since we started the book of Hebrews, you will know that we do have access to the father through Jesus 
  • That you, frail and sinful human being has access to the Holy God- the creator of everything you see and unseen because of the blood of Jesus – 
  • Which leads me to title this message, You’ve got it so good!
  • The writer of Hebrews wants us to understand that the old ways that gave us access to God were fragile, incomplete and honestly not pleasing to God

• Hebrews 10:1(NLT) -The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.

• • These rituals were repeated over and over, year after year and if any part of the processes were missed, then access would not be granted, or it would be cut off 
  • He argues that this process was not perfect – otherwise it would have been permanent

• Hebrews 10:2 (NLT) – If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

• • Jesus spoke His father’s heart about these sacrifices when He said: 

• Vs 5 – “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer

• • This old process depended on man’s ability to perform in order to be closer to God
  • I was thinking about the old processes and honestly, I am glad that we don’t have to do them anymore – Praise God for Jesus 
  • Put yourself in this story – It’s the day of atonement – Once a year, you would gather your sacrifice on one hand and your sins on the other 
    • Take it to the priest – and they would offer sin sacrifice on your behalf 
    • The priest had to be clean; they had to make sure that they offered a cleansing sacrifice for themselves 
    • A rope on the leg, just incase they missed a step – then they would drag them out – no one would enter the Holy of Holies sinful and stay live 
    • What happens if they missed a step during the ritual? Does that mean your sins are not forgiven- you go back home thinking that you are good- only to realize that the sacrifice did not take
    • The priest, had to sacrifice right –No contamination – had to start over again – If they didn’t say the right words – the meat fell and touched the wrong place
    • Sometimes, they were just tired – you are thinking you are covered but – no your delivery method was wrong 
    • Feels like the game telephone –Pray for my specific issues, but by the time evening comes, they can’t even remember what the sin request was 
    • So much room for error -no wonder God who sees all things was not pleased with these sacrifices 
    • And if it was done right – you are heading home and someone cuts you off with their donkey – you are tired and your emotion takes over, – you curse or start a fight- all the sacrifice is no longer relevant 
  • Praise God that Jesus comes on the scene and in Vs (NLT) 9- 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect
  • Vs 10: God’s will is accomplished by making us Holy –Holiness gives us access – creates a relationship 
  • The Bible says that God is the same yesterday today and forever 
    • God did not alter or adjust His requirement for Holiness to approach Him 
    • He MADE it easier for you to have access 

• Please don’t miss this – The demand for Holiness in approaching a Holy God is the same today as it was then

• Jesus as the perfect sacrifice made it possible for us to have that direct access

• Vs 11-12 (NLT) Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. 

• That is why John 14:6(NKJV) is powerful – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

• • Now we can access the father at anytime and anywhere through His son Jesus Christ 

• You’ve got it so good 

• • You know how good you’ve got it? No, you don’t- check this out 

• Leviticus 4:2-3 (NLT) – 2 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. This is how you are to deal with those who sin unintentionally by doing anything that violates one of the Lord’s commands. 3 “If the high priest[a] sins, bringing guilt upon the entire community, he must give a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must present to the Lord a young bull with no defects

• Leviticus 4:13-14 (NLT) If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the Lord’s commands, but the people don’t realize it, they are still guilty. 14 When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle

• Leviticus 4:22–23 – If one of Israel’s leaders sins by violating one of the commands of the Lord his God but doesn’t realize it, he is still guilty. 23 When he becomes aware of his sin, he must bring as his offering a male goat with no defects.

• Leviticus 4:27–28 – If any of the common people sin by violating one of the Lord’s commands, but they don’t realize it, they are still guilty. 28 When they become aware of their sin, they must bring as an offering for their sin a female goat with no defects

• The Key word here is unintentional – these sacrifices were only intended for covering unintentional sin

• • Who here has sinned intentionally – and before you answer – remember that even lying is a sin 
  • I can attest that some if not most of us would not have made it – because you and I would have fallen under the following laws:  

• Deuteronomy 17:12- Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the Lord your God must die. In this way you will purge the evil from Israel.

• Deuteronomy 18:20 -But any prophet who falsely claims to speak in my name or who speaks in the name of another god must die.’

• Exodus 21:14 – However, if someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from my altar and be put to death.

• For you all young people – no immunity – Deuteronomy 21:18-21 (NLT) Suppose a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. 19 In such a case, the father and mother must take the son to the elders as they hold court at the town gate. 20 The parents must say to the elders, This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of his town must stone him to death. In this way, you will purge this evil from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid.

• • Believe me when I say ‘You’ve got it so good”
  • Under the new covenant 

• 1 John 1:7 (NLT) …. the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

• 1 John 1:9 (NLT) But if we confess our sins to him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness

• Hebrews 8:12 (NLT) And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.

• • Brothers and sisters – This is God’s heart – a simple and direct way to get to know Him 
  • Remember how I spoke of the pictures we take with people of importance?
  • My person of importance I would have loved to meet is Nelson Mandela – maybe take a picture but that’s not my primary motive
  • I would have loved is to sit and chat with him about “forgiveness” – Mr. Mandela- How did you forgive your captors and even extend a hand to work with them after you had been imprisoned for 27 years for freedom of your people?
  • Even after forgiveness, how did you stay strong to make sure that you didn’t go back to resentment 
  • I bet most people who have a quick picture with Nelson Mandela didn’t really ask such questions 
  • And before we point fingers at them, we have to realize that we do the same with Jesus
  • Were comfortable with taking a “picture with Him” putting it on the wall – My redeemer, my Savior” my shepherd + songs
  • And not taking it further than that. 
  • How would it look like next time we are going through tough times, and we asked our Savior, shepherd, redeemer for guidance 
  • For example – Jesus- Here in- Hebrews 4:15 (NLT) it says – This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testing we do, yet he did not sin. –
    • That time they spit on your face, and you knew that you could destroy them with just a whisper, but you kept your eye on the goal ahead – How did you do it and how would you deal with my situation right now? 

• Let’s us not just settle with the Christian label, let hunger for more! – 1 John 2:4 (NLT) Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

• I hope that at this point in the service I have convinced you that -You’ve got it so good to just settle  

Now what? 

• • Now that you know you have access, what are you going to do with it?
  • This access that we have – started with obedience. Jesus was 100% obedient to His father’s instructions and will 

• Hebrews 10:9 (NKJV) – then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, [a]O God.” 

• Philippians 2:8 (NKJV) – And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

• John 6:38 – For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.

• And your direct access to the father starts with obedience as well 

• • In Luke 15 – Jesus tells a story of the prodigal son 
    • He feels that he is all grown up and thinks that he can do better by himself 
    • He asks the father for his inheritance and – I personally think that this father was amazing because he said yes – As a father I somewhat feel like my conversation would be different 
    • Son takes inheritance and leaves and has a blast in the sinful word only to realize that is short lived and it has consequences

• Luke 15:17 -19 (Nkjv) 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

• • • When the father saw him, he ran to him- literally shut all the lies the enemy had installed in him and his father restores him as a son 
  • Here we see a man who had tried everything to make it on his own = Human effort 
  • Even his attempt to come back the father still has a Human effort to it – I will be a servant; I will do this for my father so that he can love me again 
  • I will buy my way into his heart 
  • But Jesus says that – when the father saw him, he ran to him, embraced him and immediately restored his ACCESS as a son! 
  • Jesus doesn’t continue with the story and say that this son did not believe his father had fully restored him 
  • He doesn’t say – maybe I will take the robe and the feast, but I will not take the ring 
  • Maybe he just means this week and then next week, I can start earning back what I have wasted, and my father will accept me 
  • Obedience is not just doing, it’s also receiving – receiving and appropriating the things that God has said about you 
  • When God says: 

• Hebrews 13:5(Nkjv) …. I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – We receive and obey  

• Hebrews 8:12 (NLT) …. I have forgiven you and remembers your sin no more – we receive and obey

• Psalm 139:14 (Nkjv) – …. You are fearfully and wonderfully made – We receive and obey 

• Add an example of -sermon

• • We are under new covenant, solidified by the blood of Jesus that says – the old is past and the new is here – It’s no longer your human effort in play 

• Be obedient and receive that which your Father in heaven has offered you freely 

• Remember the title of the book “Who do you know”– Well, praise God we have access because of who we know – We know Jesus 

Closing

• • But the real question is, does He know you? 

• Luke 10:19-20 (NKJV) Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but [a]rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

• Don’t just rejoice that you have a picture of Jesus on your wall – rejoice that Jesus has a picture of you in Heaven 
• Beloved, you’ve got it so good to just settle!