Christ Has Sat Down In Victory

Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Hebrews 10:11-25

Whether one is happy or upset about the recent election, we are probably all glad that it is over. It is not however over for Trump. He may have won the election but that doesn’t mean he can relax. Although Harris conceded the election, she made it clear that she intends to keep fighting. Trump won but he can’t sit down in victory.

Our text tells us that Jesus however made one sacrifice for sins and then sat down. So complete is his victory that he sits down. The priests of the Old Testament could not rest. They had to stay on their feet. They had to keep offering more and more offerings. Jesus sat down. His victory was complete. There was nothing more for him to do other than to sit and wait. His victory over sin, death and this world is absolute.

Because we have a high priest who has sat down in victory therefore the writer says that we ought to “draw near,” “hold fast,” and “stir up one another to good works.”

The days are growing short. The time of his return is near. The day is coming. Christ the morning star will arise, and his glory will fill the earth. What will that light reveal. The darkness hides much. What is hidden in your life? What will his judgement reveal? Will you be found under his feet or at his side on the day of judgement.

Draw Near

In verse 19 The writer says that we ought to enter the holy of holies with boldness and confidence. Entering the holy place Inner Sanctum requires boldness because it requires death. The writer calls us to draw near to Jesus, but drawing near to God is not a thing to do lightly. We must walk through death to draw near to Jesus.

In less than a week many of you will be getting out your guns. Guns are not a thing to fool around with. As soon as you become careless with them someone gets hurt. Even more careful do we need to be when we come into the presence of God. It is not a thing to be done with a flippant or irreverent or careless attitude.

1 Peter 5:6  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God

Luk 1:52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.

Luther reminds us that we ought to “daily drown our old man in contrition and repentance”

All these passages remind us that we ought to check our attitude before drawing near to God.

Colossians 3:5  Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Coming into the presence of God requires death. Yet, we do not need to fear this death. We draw near with the blood of Christ. We ought to come near with humble hearts, yet we can come in confidence because Jesus sat down, that is he has complete victory over sin.

So complete is his victory over sin, that we v14 “have been made perfect,” and in v 17 “their sins I will remember no more.“

Jesus sat down. He does not need to make any more sacrifices ever again for sin, because it has been wiped away in his blood. Therefore, we have boldness and confidence to draw near to him. Our attitude is never what it ought to be, yet we draw near through his death and his blood. We draw near to him who died for us. He sat down in victory. His victory gives us confidence to draw near to God.

 Stir up one another

What does stir up mean? The word here in Greek usually means to provoke. This word usually has a negative connotation. The Israelites “provoked” God to great wrath in the wilderness. Paul and Barnabas had a sharp contention over whether to bring Mark. What the Holy Spirit is communicating here is that instead of allowing the way we act and the things we say to provoke people to anger and sin, our conduct ought to be such that people cannot help but respond with love and kindness.

When was the last time that your actions provoked someone to anger? When was the last time your actions provoked someone to good works? So sinful are we that although our actions often provoke anger before God and one another, rarely do they provoke good works. The apostle has in mind a society in which people are so kind that they inspire others to do the same

This is what Christ has done for us. So great is his love for us. So much has he done for us, that we cannot help but respond with love and thankfulness.

Christ’s victory is absolute over sin.

Since we have a king who has sat down in absolute victory how silly would it be to give up on the hope to which he has called. Therefore, let us hold fast to this confession, that he who is faithful has promised us, that he has removed our sins forever, that he has entered the holy place and by his blood opened it up for us as well.

The day of judgement is most certainly coming. Rend your hearts before God and wait for the coming of the one who has sat down in absolute victory over sin and death. Hod fast, draw near and provoke one another to good works. Amen