THE THREEFOLD WORK OF JESUS CHRIST

ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN

“The Law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.  It was necessary then for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  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.  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.  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.  Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sin 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.”

INTRODUCTION:

If you ever get a chance to go to Israel and look into the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem you will find no remains there, but you can see the stone platform that held Jesus’ body after the crucifixion.  Inside that tomb, our Redeemer ultimately defeated death. 

The Resurrection is the evidence from which all of our:

·        hope,

·        assurance,

·        confidence and,

·        joy—springs from 

He was resurrected, which is proof that we serve a:

·        loving,

·        risen and

·        triumphant Savior.

This truth should absolutely transform our lives.

Every good thing we have is ours through the cross of Christ and is validated by His resurrection.   This is what how we view the resurrection so important.  Think about it:

The disciples watched Jesus perform one miracle after another.

·        He taught them how to pray

·        He taught them how to have a personal relationship with God.

·        He taught them how to serve the Lord

·        He also talked about the cross and His resurrection

o       How He had come in human flesh to forgive our sins and defeat the power of death. 

o       But at first, they did not embrace this truth.

(Matt. 16: 21-22) “Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.   Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  “Never, Lord” he said, “this shall never happen to you.”

I. THE SACRIFICIAL WORK OF CHRIST   Heb. 9: 23

It was necessary then for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

The tabernacle in the wilderness and later the Temple of God in Jerusalem was made to the exact specifications given by God to Moses.  It was the exact replica of the Temple of God in heaven.  There a more excellent sacrifice was made by

·        Christ Himself

·        For our sins 

·        Once for all.

The use of blood demonstrates the holy attitude of God toward our sin.  God is serious about our sin. That is why the Blood of Jesus the Christ was poured out for us.  This is demonstrated for us in the Old Testament rituals of sacrificing animals (pouring out their blood for the sins of the people).

          This use of blood in cleansing the various aspects of tabernacle worship demonstrates the truth stated in Hebrews 9:22:  “The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and

·        Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

The Day of Atonement ritual especially focused on the use of blood for atonement from sin. In other words, the need for purification of the tabernacle had to do with its association with a sinful people.  This holy space was made fit for continued interaction between God and his people by sacrifices that addressed the problem of sin. 

Correspondingly, the heavenly tabernacle was made accessible to the new covenant people of God by Christ’s sacrificial death.  The “heavenly things” are purified in conjunction with the purification of God’s people. 

II.               THE PRIESTLY WORK OF CHRIST Heb. 9: 24-26

  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.  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.  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. 

The very moment our Great High Priest Jesus shed his blood and sacrificed His life on the Cross of Calvary, he uttered “IT IS FINISHED!” (tetelestai) (paid in full) His blood was sprinkled once and for all eternity on the altar in heaven.  On Earth this new relationship was signified by the veil in the Temple being torn apart from the top to the bottom, demonstrating that the rending of the veil was God’s doing, not man’s. ACCESS TO THE FATHER.

In contrast to what took place on the altar in heaven,

·        the earthly high priest had to make a yearly atonement for his own sins before entering the

·        This blood was not the priest’s own, but the blood of an innocent animal. 

·        Jesus paid for our sins with His own blood.

§        He also was innocent.

·        The altar of His sacrifice was a cruel Roman Cross.

The cross will always constitute an assault on human righteousness and a challenge to human self indulgence. Its “scandal” (a stumbling–block) simply cannot be removed. Indeed,

·        the church speaks most authentically to the world—not when it makes its shameful little anemic compromises, but when it refuses to do so.

III.           THE KINGLY WORK OF CHRIST Heb. 9: 27-28

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sin 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.”

Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied (Matt. 27:11).  But He was far more than just King of the Jews.  Luke 1:32 tells us that His kingdom will never end.

·        In John 18:36 and 37 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.  If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews.  But now my kingdom is from another place.

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king.  In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

§         Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

·        In Rev. 1:5 we read, Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,

·        the firstborn from the dead, and the

·         ruler of the kings of the earth.

 In Revelations 17:14 we read that ten evil kings “will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because

·        He is the Lord of lords and

·         King of Kings—

·        and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

The Old Testament declares, in Isa. 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders

And he will be called:

·        Wonderful Counselor

·        Mighty God,

·        Everlasting Father

·         Prince of Peace

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

CONCLUSION

What is the Threefold work of Christ on earth and in heaven?

I.                  He is the sacrificial Lamb of God and paid for our salvation.

II.               He is our High Priest, who stands as our Mediator along side  The Father, having lived as a man, He was able to give him self to purchase our salvation from the kingdom of darkness and bring us into the presence of God.

III.           He is our coming King and we have no other king but Jesus Christ.

Have you asked Jesus Christ to be the sacrifice for your sin?

He died on the cross for you.  Do not take this lightly.  Your eternal destiny depends on your sincere answer.  Many people fool themselves thinking they have the ticket to heaven; they live in a false euphoria, when in fact they have no spiritual life in them.  They are still dead in their sins, because they have never confessed their sin and received His forgiveness.

Where are you this morning?

·        Spiritually speaking, some of you are fast asleep in your pews.

You have been sitting there for years and years, while He has been beckoning to you for year in and year out 

·        waiting for your response. 

·        Your time for salvation is now shortened by virtue of your lifespan. 

·        Will you come to Jesus and be forgiven and cleansed do not delay another day.

You need Jesus Christ in your life. Now is the time,

I want every one to stand up. If you feel that God has spoke to you through this message,  come  out of your pew and come forward and stand before the altar.