"Benefits of Christ's Atoning Sacrifice"

Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope
December 13, 2008
Larry R Evans

Introductory Reflections

Heb 4:15-16 We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all--all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. (Message)

Perhaps you’ve heard the story . . .
“A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read ‘Puppies for Sale.’ Signs like that have a way of attracting small children, and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner’s sign. ‘How much are you going to sell puppies for?’ he asked.
The store owner replied, ‘Anywhere from $30 to $50.’
The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. ‘I have $2.37,’ he said. ‘Can I please look at them.
The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging, limping puppy and said, ‘What’s wrong with that little dog?’
The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited. ‘That is the little puppy that I want to buy.’
The store owner said, ‘No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.
The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger, and said, ‘I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay the full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.’
The store owner countered, ‘You really don’t want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.’
To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied. ‘Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands.’” [Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen in Chicken Soup for the Soul –(by Dan Clark in Weathering the story), pp. 65-66]
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we have a a Heavenly priest who knows all about our weaknesses because He suffered too when He came to rescue us. He did it without sinning and despite all the accusations against us, and no doubt most of them are true, our mediator sees supreme value in each one of us. He paid not out of his allowance but He gave His life for us. To this very day He continues to stand-in for us. And the good news is that just like the crippled boy so Jesus is taking us home with Him! This week we are learning all about what Christ is doing to make that possible and He does it all feeling that He is getting a real bargain. Do we?

Questions for Reflection

1. If Christ needs to serve as a mediator today, then the sacrifice on the cross was not final. True or False? [Heb 9:24-26]

2. The cross would be of no redeeming value if there were no resurrection. True or False? [1 Cor. 15:16-18]

3. The fact that there is an on-going mediation by Christ suggests that there is also an active adversary. True or False? [1 Pet 5:8-10]

4. Christ’s death on the cross and His mediation in the sanctuary in Heaven serve two unrelated but important objectives. True or False? [Heb 2:17]

5. There is a connection between Heaven’s declaration that sinners are justified by Christ’s sacrifice and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. True or False? [Jn 14:16,17; Acts 2:29-33]

6. The earth, Mars, ecology, the cross and the sanctuary all have something in common. True or False? [Heb 1:3; Ps 24:1; Isa 65:17f]

7. Grace is resistible and is therefore not experienced by everyone. True or False? [Jn14:16,17; Matt 5:45]

Reflective Study

1. If Christ needs to serve as a mediator today, then the sacrifice on the cross was not final. False [Heb 9:24-26]

First of all, we must make sure we don’t compromise the completeness of the cross. Having said that the application of the sacrifice continues as Christ was not only the sacrifice but also the Priest.

Heb 9:24-28
24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (NIV)

The book of Hebrews “sets forth the finality of the revelation and salvation provided by God through His Son Jesus Christ. Christ, in the two fold capacity of sacrifice and priest, is shown to be the complete fulfillment of all the Old Testament types and ceremonies shadowed forth in the earthly sanctuary.” Edward Heppenstall in Our High Priest, p.49.

“The over-all function of a high priest is to mediate between God and man. The need for this mediatorial system . . . arose because of the alienation that resulted from sin. Satan tempted and persuaded Adam and Eve to shift their center of trust and loyalty from God to themselves. From that time man has been the center of his own world.” (Ibid. p.51)

“Redemption took place at the cross. The efficacious application of that redemption in the life of the believer is realized by Christ’s work in heaven.” (Ibid. p. 55)

Can you even imagine! Sinful man, who cannot survive a moment without God’s sustaining breath of life, shifting their center of trust and loyalty from God to themselves. It’s not until the bottom falls out that the calloused self-righteous sinner awakens to ask, “What happened?” That is where we are today and the cross and Christ’s mediation never looked so good.

2. The cross would be of no redeeming value if there were no resurrection. True [1 Cor. 15:16-18]

1 Cor 15:15-19
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. (NIV)

Paul said it well didn’t he? Salvation isn’t a pick and choose. We need to see the whole picture and respond with whole hearts . . . and when we struggle with our sinful natures He is willing to help us. He knows our weaknesses and how to help us get beyond them.

3. The fact that there is an on-going mediation by Christ suggests that there is also an active adversary. True [1 Pet 5:8-10]
1 Peter 5:8-9
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (NIV)

Zech 3:1-5
3:1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"

3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes."

Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."

5 Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by. (NIV)

Along with Joshua we see Satan standing at his “right side” of not to protect him but to accuse him. Throughout Scripture the “right side” is where the protector stood. At first it seems that there is no protector, only an accuser! Then the very implied accusation is removed when Joshua is given clean garments to where.

Ps 16:8
8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken. (NIV)

Ps 109:31
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save his life from those who condemn him. (NIV)

We can see from this that Satan, once again (Isa 14:12-14), usurps the place of Christ. Jesus is our Protector from the accusations of Satan! Satan who positioned himself at the right hand of Joshua as an accuser is no match for Christ who is positioned at the right hand of God!!

Heb 8:1-2
8:1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. (NIV)

4. Christ’s death on the cross and His mediation in the sanctuary in Heaven serve two unrelated but important objectives. False [Heb 2:17]

They are related!
Heb 2:17-18
17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (NIV)

“It is perhaps for that reason that Hebrews 2:17 uses the verb to make atonement (NIV) in the present tense, suggesting that Christ’s work of reconciliation continues in His high-priestly ministry. This means that although on the cross Christ obtained salvation for all, through His work as Mediator in the heavenly sanctuary He is applying the benefits of the cross to those who believe in Him. Without the mediation of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, the atoning effectiveness and power of the Cross would not be available to sinners.” Rodriquez in Quarterly (Mon., Dec 8)

5. There is a connection between Heaven’s declaration that sinners are justified by Christ’s sacrifice and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. True [Jn 14:16,17; Acts 2:29-33]

Acts 2:31-33
32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. (NIV)

Rom 5:1-5
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (NIV)

6. The earth, Mars, ecology, the cross and the sanctuary all have something in common. True [Heb 1:3; Ps 24:1; Isa 65:17f]

God could have easily abandoned his creation because of the sin problem but He chose not to. Sin had a negative effect on the natural world and serves as a physical expression of the impact sin. Nevertheless,
Ps 145:8-9
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made. (NIV)

Col 1:16
6 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (NIV)

7. Grace is resistible and is therefore not experienced by everyone. False [Jn14:16,17; Matt 5:45]

Grace can be said to come in two different packages. The first, sometimes referred to as “common grace”, is God’s treatment of sinners in the preservation of life in general. Matthew reminds us that God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matt 5:45) In this sense, all are beneficiaries of God’s grace. However, when it comes to “sanctifying grace”, Christ’s mediated grace which changes lives and sustains spiritual growth can be resisted. While it is a tragedy it is allowable because grace does not manipulate nor does it force its way.

Reflective Review

During the presidential debates in 1992 a single phrase turned the tide away from the unbeatable George H. W. Bush. Bush seemed unbeatable because of the successes he had had with foreign policies. But Bill Clinton wanted to emphasize the neglect of the local economy which he proposed led a recession. The phrase? “It’s the economy, stupid.” As insulting as the remark was, it captured the attention of the public. Earlier in a debate between Walter Mondale and Gary Hart another phrase turned the direction away from the leading contender, Hart, to Mondale. The phrase? “Where’s the beef?” In both cases the public was interested in what directly impacted them. So perhaps, it would be good if we closed this week’s study with some specific benefits that are made possible by the sacrifice and priestly mediation of Christ. Here are some benefits to consider:

* Perfect Security (Heb 10:19-23)
* Changed and Changeable Lives (1 Cor 1:30,31)
* Access to God (Heb 4:16)
* A Life With Meaning (Works of Faith vs Dead Works) (Heb 9:14,15)
* A Saving Faith (Experiencing a Personal Connection with Christ.) (Jn 15:5-8)
* A Faith At Peace – One That Desires Harmony/Obedience Towards God Not Rebellion (Rom 5:1)
* A Family of Faith (Heb 11)
* A Directed Faith (Rom 10:17; Heb 4:2)

In our age the tendency is to focus upon the “inner experience” and too little upon the realities of the living God. The reality of the risen Christ ministering these benefits to us is not merely a creedal belief. It meets us where we are, where we are hurting and where we are weak. So what might our catch phrase be? Perhaps, “It’s all about grace!” Grace is all about Jesus – the crucified one, the resurrected one, the mediating one. In every aspect of His ministry He is extending Heaven’s hand to us. No greater words of grace will be spoken than when Jesus holds out his scarred hands and says, “Welcome Home!!”