Hebrews 10:5-10 – When Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you
were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me
in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.’ ” 8 First he
said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not
desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be
made). 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He
sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will,
we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all.
Introduction: Did you hear it?
I did. Two weeks ago (Saturday, Dec. 5). They are words we’ve learned to expect
every year prior to Christmas. They are words telling us about “the real
meaning of Christmas.” Sometimes they say, “This is what Christmas is all
about.” And then, probably in all sincerity, they will say that it’s all
about huddling around a fireplace, spending time with family and loved ones,
giving and receiving gifts, being kind to animals, or enjoying a tasty
meal. Let’s assume that these people
mean well. But, honestly, we can do
better than that. We don’t need to look very far to find an authoritative,
trustworthy explanation about the real meaning of Christmas. Jesus himself tells us. And he does so
in today’s text:
The Meaning of Christmas—According to Christ
1.
“Here I am! I
come to sacrifice.”
2.
“Here I am! I
come to sanctify.”
Part 1: The Meaning of Christmas: Here I
am! I come to sacrifice.
1.
Look
at the opening words of our text: “When
Christ came into the world, he said . . .” Who is talking? None other than
the Christ Child who came from heaven to earth and was born on Christmas. Jesus
is able to communicate better than most newborns - being God before becoming a
human explains that. Whom is he talking
to? God the Father –we are being allowed to listen in on a conversation
between the Father and the Son. What a privilege and opportunity to learn!
2.
And the message?
First
he mentions OT sacrifices: “Sacrifice and
offering you did not desire . . . with burnt offerings and sin offerings you
were not pleased.” Animal sacrifices were such a big part of OT worship –
by God’s command. Sheep, goats, bulls, heifers, oxen, birds as well as bread
and produce were constantly on the agenda of God’s people. Every festival day
required at least 500 Levitical priests on duty at the Jerusalem temple – to
slaughter and sacrifice the animals. Every godly Israelite was a “sacrificing”
person – and the sacrifices pointed ahead to the ultimate sacrifice of the
two-legged “Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). But when Jesus himself came into the world
it was different for him. God the Father didn’t want his animal sacrifices.
What then? “But a body you prepared for
me” says Jesus. Yes, a flesh and blood body. We call it Christ’s
“incarnation” as he took on a real human body with fingers, toes, eyes, ears,
and nose.
3.
Can you put these things together? (1) No animal
sacrifice wanted, but (2) Jesus has a body. Jesus puts it together: ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the
scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.’ ” 8 First he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not
desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be
made). 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” The
Father who doesn’t want animal sacrifices from Jesus gave Jesus a body. And
that body is the desired sacrifice! In life (a life of pure
worship and reverence, obedience, and faithful expressions of love) and in
death (a death with the world’s guilt thrust upon him, involving being
forsaken and separated from fellowship with the Father) Jesus is the sacrifice
demanded. The Christ Child says, “Here I am! I come to sacrifice – to
sacrifice myself!” This is precisely what was promised and foretold in
the Old Testament, so Jesus also says, “It
is written about me in the scroll.” In fact, what is said here in the NT
Letter to the Hebrews is a repetition of what Jesus had said in Psalm 40,
speaking through King David.
4.
Is this “real meaning of Christmas” clearly
understood by people today? Generally, no. In fact all this talk
about Jesus sacrificing himself in life and death comes off as “harsh, brutal, gruesome” to many. Actually,
that is quite true. We admit that and have no desire to deny or obscure that
truth. But the point remains – This is
what Christmas is all about! We cannot and dare not separate the cradle and the
cross. The dear, sweet, tender little body parts lying in the manger were
designated as the supreme sacrifice to remove the guilt of a world that has
rebelled against God. The blood flowing through the small veins and arteries of
the infant is destined to be poured out on the cross. Even in his cradle and
infancy, Jesus is the Lamb appointed for slaughter – and he knew it from the
start. What is the value of seeing this?
First, it impresses on our hearts and minds the necessity of taking sin
seriously! If we don’t take sin
seriously then most of the Bible really makes no sense at all. There would
be no sense to the OT sacrifices, nothing important about God’s Law, and no
value in Christ’s coming to earth as a human being. There would be no need for
or value in the Gospel itself. In other words, Christmas (and Good Friday or
Easter) would be insignificant events for our lives – mere distractions from
our usual daily routine. But if sin is the worst thing about us and downright
damnable to God, and if this Child is the key to having our sins and guilt removed
so we receive pardon and reconciliation with God – then the real meaning of
Christmas is worth remembering and celebrating.
Transition: And that is
exactly where the final verse of our text takes us.
Part 2: The Meaning of Christmas: Here I
am! I come to sanctify.
1.
What
was the result of Christ’s self-sacrifice, his life of perfect dedication to
God and his death of unimaginable separation from God? When he had done God’s
will with his body, what then? The answer is given quickly: By that will, we have been made holy
through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. “We have
been “sanctified.” The basic meaning of the word is to be “set apart” by and
for God and his purposes. In its fullest sense, it involves being declared
righteous in God’s eyes (“justification”) and also being renewed in godly
desires and goals (“sanctification”). In this section of Hebrews 10 the
emphasis is on justification, forgiveness.
2.
How do we know that? The context has to do with
sacrificing and shedding of blood. In the previous chapter is the familiar
passage: “Without the shedding of blood,
there is no forgiveness.” Something else points us to the miracle of
pardon: it is done and in the past. We have
been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ. It is
not progressive or incomplete. Further, there is that wonderful phrase: “once for all.” Christ’s sacrifice of
his body was done one time and for everyone, without exception. Forgiveness is
not something that needs to be earned or finished or made real. It is like a
fortune deposited into our bank accounts, in our names –faith acknowledges personal ownership and starts to use the fortune
with joy. “I write these things to
you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you
have eternal life.” (1 Jn 5:13)
3.
At this point we
can see how joy and celebration belong with Christmas. People who
approach Christmas as nothing but a time to “eat, drink, and be merry” have
lost most of their joy and end up rather depressed by the time the New Year arrives.
To focus only on family gatherings, presents under a tree, parties, and bright,
cheery decorations is shallow and unable to turn a sinner’s life on this sinful
planet into something with enduring joy and contentment. But to focus on the
reality and seriousness of sin, on the Baby Jesus as the God-appointed
sacrifice to atone for sin, and to recall that he carried out this purpose
perfectly, fully – that gives sinners joy that endures. And it improves the
enjoyment of other seasonal activities like family gatherings, gift-giving, and
social activities. The real meaning of Christmas enriches secondary meanings of
Christmas.
Conclusion: “Here I am!” are the first words of the
Christ Child to the Heavenly Father when Jesus enters the world. “Here I am!” to sacrifice myself and to
sanctify sinners. “Here I am!” among my people
to the end of the age. “Here I am!” to
comfort and encourage, instruct and guide
whenever two of three of God’s people gather together in my name. That’s the
real meaning of Christmas – and the whole church year. Brothers and sisters in
Jesus, enjoy it! Amen.
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