Let’s take our Bibles together and turn to the Book of Hebrews. We are continuing our series today, “Christ Supreme in All Things,” our verse by verse study of the book of Hebrews. And in verse 28, we get our first taste of Christ’s return in this book. This is really exciting. Look with me at 9:28.

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. 

Do we have any saved followers of Jesus “eagerly awaiting for him” in this room? And it’s interesting how the author frames that statement. He says when he appears a second time, he’s not coming to deal with sin. Why not? Well, because he’s already dealt with it. 

When Jesus comes back, he’s not coming back as a baby in a manger or a man of sorrows in Galilee or a man hanging on a cross at Calvary. That work has been done. It is finished. All that has been accomplished. So when Christ returns at what we call the “Second Advent,” he’s not coming to deal with sin. He’s coming to gather up his saints, those who are eagerly waiting for him. And to that, all I can say is “Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.”

Now why can we speak of Christ already “dealing with sin” in the past tense? How can we be so confident that it is done? Well that’s the topic of this passage in Hebrews 9:15-28. This is one of the definitive passages in the NT on what’s called “Substitutionary Atonement.” That’s one of the most significant theological concepts in the Bible. And you need to know this theological shorthand.

So we’re going to talk about substitutionary atonement today. I’m going to give you four aspects of that concept. And then we’re going to take communion together. And my prayer is that as we take the Lord’s Supper this morning, you will have a greater understanding of what Jesus has done for you and the significance of this bread that we eat together, and this cup that represents Christ’s blood. 

But first, let’s address Hebrews 9:15-28. Write this down as #1 in your notes. 

In order for redemption to take place, there must be… four things. Here’s the first… 

1) Substitutionary death (9:15)

The author of Hebrews says in verse 15,

15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, 

If you remember last Sunday, we went right into the OT tabernacle. We saw the OT sacrificial system at work, as well as all the other components and furnishings of the tabernacle (9:1-5). And we talked about how Christ went into a greater tabernacle in the throne room of God and offered a greater sacrifice, himself, as a greater high priest (9:11-14). The word “greater” doesn’t even begin to describe how much more superior Christ is to the OT sacrifices in the tabernacle. He is gloriously and preeminently superior to that OT system. And part of the glory of the OT sacrificial system is that it ultimately points forward to its fulfillment in Christ. 

And that’s why the author says,  

15 Therefore he [Jesus] is the mediator of a new covenant, 

Remember that word mediator is the Greek μεσίτης which means arbiter, conciliator, or even reconciler. And Jesus is a better mediator because he represents both parties. He is fully God. He is God the Son, so he represents that side of the breach between God and man. And He is also fully man. He is even described as our big brother (Heb 2:11). So that makes him the perfect go-between to bridge that chasm between God and us.

15 Therefore [Jesus] is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance,

 since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 

The first covenant was good. The first covenant was purposeful. Because it did two things. It showed us that we are sinners who have broken God’s laws. In fact it did that really well. It shows us that we are utterly sinful. Paul said, “[I]f it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet’” (Rom 7:7). So for that reason alone, the first covenant was important. Blaise Pascal said once, “There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who think they are sinners and the sinners who think they are righteous.”

But also the first covenant showed us the need for death as part of atonement. In the OT world, that death involved animals. It involved innocent, substitutionary animals who would low, bleat, and bellow their way to the altar. That substitution was necessary for redemption. 

The death of those animals purchased freedom from sin for the OT saints. But it wasn’t sufficient. And it wasn’t lasting. And that’s why a new sacrifice and a new mediator of a new covenant were needed. And by the way, those OT believers under the old covenant are saved by Christ’s blood too. Without Christ, there’s no salvation for anyone.

And let me just say this too applicationally. Don’t ever be too glib about your salvation… as if you deserve it or something. Or as if it wasn’t costly. Yes, salvation is a free gift offered to us as human beings. But just because it was free, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t costly. It cost the Lord his life. It was an exceptionally humiliating and excruciating death that Christ died on the cross. And that shouldn’t be lost on us, that mindset, when we take communion together.  

Go ahead and write this down as #2. In order for redemption to take place, there must be “substitutionary death” but also… 

2) Substitutionary blood (9:16-22)

“Why do we take this cup and remember Christ’s blood? Isn’t that a bit macabre, Pastor Tony?” Here’s why. Look at verse 16.

16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 

Now just a nota bene here. That word “will” in verse 16 is the same word for “covenant” in verse 15. It’s the Greek διαθήκη. The NASB retains the word “covenant” for both verses. And I would have preferred that the ESV do that as well, but they have their reasons for changing the term to “will” here. And that’s because this verse emphasizes the part of the covenant (the διαθήκη) that has to do with death and inheritance. And this is more closely associated with our modern concept of a will. What we call sometimes “the last will and testament!”  

16 For where a will [covenant] is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 

That’s true. There’s no inheritance if there’s no death. And in the ancient world, death was an essential part of covenants. Think about the Abrahamic covenant when Abraham cut up the animals, and the Lord, by theophany, walked between those animal pieces (Gen 15:1-21). Think about the Noahic covenant where Noah sacrificed animals before the Lord on the altar (Gen 8:20-9:17). Noah kept those animals in the ark for a year, feeding them and keeping them alive. And then the first thing he did when he got off the ark is kill them. Talk about a sacrificial death for a covenant!

The Mosaic covenant, of course, was built around the death of animals too. That’s the point of the author of Hebrews here. And the new covenant in Christ is built around death—his death on a cross. 

Look at verse 18.

18 Therefore not even the first covenant [the Mosaic covenant or Sinaitic covenant] was inaugurated without blood. 

I heard a story once about Chuck Smith, the founder of Calvary Chapel. (I just saw that movie about him and Greg Laurie called “Jesus Revolution.” Great movie. Go see it.) Chuck Smith used to lead these trips to Israel, and while over there he would talk with the Jewish tour guides about modern-day Judaism. And he would ask them, “Where’s the blood? Don’t you need blood as part of your religion? How do you have atonement? How do you have forgiveness of sins without blood? That’s essential to the OT way of life!” And of course, they don’t have an answer for that. The temple and blood sacrifices amongst the Jews went away twenty centuries ago. 

But look what the author of Hebrews says.

19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 

Quickly, let me just point out the atonement ceremony that the author of Hebrews describes here in verses 19-20. That statement at the end of verse 20 is actually a quote from Exodus 24:8. And in that passage, Moses gathered the people of Israel at Mount Sinai and read to them God’s Word. The people responded to that saying, “All the words the Lord has spoken we will do” (24:3). They actually said that twice (cf. 24:7). They were, let’s just say, a little overconfident with their assertion. 

At that time, Moses built an altar, and he made sacrifices at the foot of Mount Sinai. And he took half the blood from those sacrifices and sprinkled it on the altar. And he took the other half of the blood and put it into bowls. And then, he dipped his hand into those bowls, and he sprinkled the blood on the people. Actually the ESV says “Moses took the blood and threw it on the people” at Exodus 24:8. That’s a legitimate translation of the Hebrew זָרַק. Imagine that for a moment—Moses throwing blood on the people! God wanted that blood to make a lasting impression on his people. And then, after the people of God were blood-splattered from Moses’s actions, he went up Mount Sinai to meet with God.   

Now in that Exodus 24 passage, there is no explicit reference to scarlet wool, hyssop, or even the sprinkling of the book. We could infer some of those things from the text. Or we could see this description in Hebrews 9 as a kind of amalgam of different OT ceremonies in the OT including the Day of Atonement ritual. Regardless of how you handle that, you’ve got to admit that blood was an essential part of the OT rites and the OT world. And that’s the point of the author here. Blood was the great purifier. Blood signified and ratified the covenant. 

Look at verse 21.

21 And in the same way [Moses] sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 

That’s the issue right there. That’s the issue that Chuck Smith brought up in Israel. No sacrificial death, no redemption. No shedding of blood, no forgiveness. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

“I don’t like that, Pastor Tony. I don’t like that God requires blood to pay for sins.” Okay, well go get a piece of wood and carve out your own god and then you can do whatever you want to appease him. You can feed him Cheerios, for all I care. Go get some gold or some silver or the latest philosophical or religious fad out there and make a god out of that. You might even trick some people into following your new religion. That’s been done before. 

People are creating gods all the time. People have been creating false gods for centuries. John Calvin said the human heart is an idol-making factory. We’re always ready to make some new god and worship it on our terms. But the Bible doesn’t advocate for a “create-your-own-god” world. In fact, Isaiah openly mocks people who stupidly reject the God of this world and create their own gods (Isa 44:9-20). 

If you want to satisfy the real God of the Universe… if you want to reconcile with the God of the Bible, you have to do it on his terms. If you want your sins forgiven... Anyone here got sins they need forgiven? You don’t atone for your sins with Cheerios. 

And you don’t atone for your sins with good intentions or good works or nice thoughts or the power of positivity. You atone for sin with blood. Somebody’s got to pay for sin. Somebody has to offer up blood. Because…

without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Write this down as #3. In order for redemption to take place, there must be “substitutionary death,” “substitutionary blood” and also a…

3) Substitutionary sacrifice (9:23-26) 

Look at verse 23 with me. 

23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things 

The OT tabernacle was a copy of God’s throne room in heaven. That’s an important statement. The OT temple likewise was a copy. The original is in the heavenly abode. Remember Moses went up on Mount Sinai and God showed him the original. And he sent him down the mountain and said make a copy (see Exod 25:40; Heb 8:5).  

23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 

In other words, you can go to God and enter the tabernacle with the blood of bulls and goats. But if you’re going to go to God in his heavenly throne room, you better have something more substantive than that. You better not bring the blood of bulls and goats. 

And that’s what Christ offers us. He offers us something better.  

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, 

Jesus isn’t a Levitical priest. He never went into the temple as a priest. He never went into the holy places made with hands.

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but [Christ entered] into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 

Forget the tabernacle! Christ went straight into the throne room of heaven! He is even there now, interceding on our behalf! And he welcomes us there after death. He’s the forerunner who leads the way into the presence of God for us (Heb 6:20). How awesome is that!!!

I remember one vacation when we were living in central Illinois, we went to Florida to hang out on the beach. And we rented this condo with my parents that had a pool. And about a hundred yards away from our condo was the Atlantic Ocean. And there it was. Blue water and surf and waves and sand! And it was beautiful. And we lived in Illinois, right? So this was like a rare, exotic pleasure for us. And it was a hundred yards from our condo. 

But here’s the problem. The swimming pool in the condo was like twenty feet away. And you had to walk by the pool to get to the beach. And I remember Alastair and my parents kept stopping at the pool and not making it to the beach. And Sanja and I were apoplectic. “Why are y’all settling for the pool? We’ve got pools in Illinois! The beach is right there. This pool is a copy of that beach! I don’t want the copy. I want the real thing!” 

Now you and I might not struggle with temptation to go back to the old covenant and the old sacrificial system of the temple and the tabernacle. But the original recipients of this book were struggling. They liked the old system. They were nostalgic about the old system. It’s what they knew. It’s what they grew up with. It was comfortable. It was familiar. And if they stopped following this Jesus guy, maybe they could dial down some of the persecution they were experiencing. Do you see how attractive that might have been to this audience? 

And what is the author of Hebrews saying? He’s saying there’s no going back. And even if there was, why would you trade the original for the copy? Why would you trample upon God’s mercy and kindness demonstrated through Jesus Christ? He’s better than that. He’s better than that old way. 

And speaking of being better, look at verse 25.

25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, 

Why do you want to go back to the OT sacrifices? Haven’t we shed enough blood of animals? You have to repeat those sacrifices again and again and again and again. 

I read this last week that during Passover in Jerusalem, they had this system put in place, a kind of drainage system for the temple. And this drainage system would drain the blood out of the temple complex down to the Kidron Valley because there were so many sacrifices taking place during that time. And that makes sense, because when you slaughter a bull, you drain a gallon or two of blood from that animal. With a goat, it’s more like a quart. But all those gallons and quarts add up. 

Have you ever seen one of those disclaimers at the end of a movie that says, “No animals were harmed during the making of this film?” Well if the OT tabernacle and the OT temple had a disclaimer, it wouldn’t say that. It would read, “Many, many, many innocent animals were harmed in the making of these sacrifices.” Now that Christ has come, why would you go back to that?

25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all.

By the way, the phrase “once for all” in the ESV, is one Greek word— ἅπαξ. You might remember that I said at the beginning of this series that the author of Hebrews uses a lot of rare words in this letter that only show up once in the NT. These are called hapax legomenon. That’s where the term hapax comes from. It means “one time” or “once and never again.” So historically speaking, Jesus’s sacrifice was a hapax legomenon. One time! That’s it.

But as it is, he has appeared once for all [ἅπαξ] at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

Be careful with that “end of the ages” statement. That doesn’t mean that Jesus’s death and resurrection was the end of the world. That can’t be the case, because his second coming still awaits. The author says as much in verse 28. This is equivalent to what Paul says in Galatians 4:4 that Christ came in “the fullness of time.” Also Peter says in 1 Peter 1:20 that Christ was, “foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you” (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11; Matt. 13:39-40). His first coming initiated the end times, but it didn’t complete it. 

Remember also what the author of Hebrews said in chapter 1: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (1:1-2). Jesus’s kingdom is already/not-yet. It’s been inaugurated but not consummated. And in terms of sacrifice, that part of the end of the ages is done. 

And speaking of the last days, go ahead and write this down as #4. In order for redemption to take place, there must finally be…

4) Substitutionary judgment (9:27-28)

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once

You have an appointment to die, church. Did you know that? God knows the number of your days. It is appointed for man to die once. You might say, “I’m always late to my appointments, Pastor Tony.” Well, you won’t be late to this one. I promise you.

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once [ἅπαξ], and after that comes judgment, 

I’ll get to the second half of this statement in a moment. But let me stop here. This is true. You die once, and then you are judged. There is such a thing as eternal death, but that’s just a euphemism for eternal separation from God. In many ways, that’s a misnomer. Because eternal death in the lake of fire isn’t really death. It’s eternal conscious punishment. There is no such thing as annihilationism in the Bible. Annihilationism is a doctrine cooked up by people who didn’t like what the Bible actually says, or what Jesus actually says about hell. 

So we are all going to die once and then be judged, unless Jesus comes back first. And eternal life with God awaits the follower of Jesus. Eternal separation from God awaits the unbeliever. That’s just a given. And that’s not even what the author of Hebrews is explaining here. He just takes that as a fact: “You die and then you get judged.”

And then he says in verse 28, 

28 so Christ, having been offered once [ἅπαξ] to bear the sins of many,

“Bear the sins of many”! What does that sound like? That’s Isaiah 53. That’s Isaiah’s suffering servant passage. That’s Jesus’s sacrifice for us predicted seven-hundred years before his incarnation.

And listen, that’s your judgment, church. Christ has been judged on your behalf. Christ has borne your sin. Yes, you will be judged in what’s called the Bema seat judgment. Christians won’t be judged at the “Great White Throne Judgment” in Revelation 20. We will be judged before that at the time that we receive our eternal bodies. We will be judged on account of our works and rewarded accordingly. We’ve talked about that in our series in James on Wednesday night. But you won’t be judged eternally for your sins, not if you have Christ. And that’s because Jesus has been judged on your behalf. 

Why do you think Jesus said Eloi Eloi Lamma Sabathani? Why do you think Jesus said, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46). What happened on that cross that would make him say that? I’ll tell you what happened. Jesus was punished for your sin. Jesus received the judgment that you deserved. God is not a God of injustice. God is not a capricious or changeable God. He is immutably a God of justice. And your sins had to be justly paid for. And they were on that cross. And here’s the beauty of that. Once paid for, there’s no need to pay for them again. It’s done.

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. 

“What’s that going to look like, Pastor Tony? I can’t wait for that.” I can’t wait for that either. What is that going to look like? 

Well we dealt with that in 1 Thessalonians last year. Go take a look at that series. In a word, Christ’s return is going to be epic. Paul tells us this: “For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (4:15-17). 

John says it this way in Revelation 19. This is one of my favorite passages of Scripture: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords” (19:11-16). 

“That’s Jesus at his second coming?” Yes, that’s Jesus at his second coming! “Boy, I didn’t learn about that Jesus in Sunday School.” Well I’m not making this up. This is right there in your Bible. 

“Where’s the baby Jesus born in the manger?” Done. That’s done. “Where’s the Jesus dying on the cross for sins?” That’s done. He’s not coming back to do that again! “Where’s the Jesus who healed the leper and fed the 5,000 and argued with the Pharisees?” That’s done! He’s not coming back that way. He’s already come to do that. And he’s already come to atone for sin. When he comes back, when he appears a second time, he’s coming to rescue his friends and punish his enemies. 

Look again at verse 28:

28 Christ … will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

You know there’s this really important part of the Day of the Atonement ritual that you need to know about. It has a connection to what the author of Hebrews describes here. The high priest on that Day of Atonement actually had two appearings. First the high priest “appeared” for the purpose of offering the atoning sacrifice on the altar which stood in the courtyard outside the sanctuary. Then he passed from the sight of the Israelites as he entered the holy of holies to offer up a blood atonement for the people. And after he did that, he “appeared” again. He came out from that sanctuary and presented himself to the people. And I can’t help but think that every time that happened, ever year when the high priest did that, the people breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew! I thought he might be dead inside there and never come back.” I can even envision the Israelites giving that high priest the equivalent of a standing ovation when he emerged from The Holy Place.

Well Christ likewise, our great high priest has two appearings. His first appearing was “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” The author of Hebrews says that clearly in verse 26. And then he passes from sight into the heavenly Holy of Holies to apply the blood of the covenant, his own blood, as our mediator before God the Father. 

And sure enough, someday, our Lord will emerge from that Holy of Holies. And according to the author of Hebrews in verse 28, he will appear “a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him and appear again.” And our great high priest will come for us. He will save us. And I can’t help but think that when he does, we are going to clap and rejoice and celebrate. “Our High Priest is back! He's back. And he’s here to save us.”

The Greek word here for “to save” in verse 28 is not actually a verb but a noun—σωτηρία. We get our English word “soteriology” (the doctrine of salvation) from this word σωτηρία. And remember as part of soteriology there are three aspects to our saving. There is justification, sanctification, and glorification. We have been saved (justification), we are being saved (sanctification), and we will be saved (glorification). What’s this talking about here in verse 28? This is our future glorification. We eagerly await our salvation by way of glorification… with new glorified bodies… in a sinless state… alongside and following our great forerunner Jesus Christ. Who’s ready for that? Who in here is eagerly waiting for that? 

The Greek word for “eagerly waiting” is the verb ἀπεκδέχομαι. That is an awesome Greek word. And that’s a great way to describe our anticipation right now. We are eagerly longing… we are eagerly hoping… for his return. 

“You got any more awesome Greek words from this passage, Pastor Tony?” No I don’t. That’s enough for one sermon. But I do have a final plea before we take communion together. The reality is that you don’t know how much longer you have to live on this earth. 

There’s a poem that was written years ago by the great poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It’s a poem called “A Psalm of Life.” And in that poem Longfellow wrote, 

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

You know I’ve got this live oak tree in my backyard that’s older than I am, and it will probably outlive me. That’s really sobering. And that tree and I have gotten to know each other in the last year. He reminds me every time I go outside that he’s older than me. He kind of towers over me and says, “You ain’t all that! I’ve been here longer than you.”

And honestly, I appreciate the reminder. It doesn’t make me want to go get a chainsaw or anything. His reminders make me cognizant of how short and fleeting my life really is. Maybe Longfellow will forgive me for this slight modification to his poem.

[Trees are] long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

Just feel your heart beating with me right now. Can you feel it? Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. That’s your funeral march to the grave. That’s your reminder every day that your heart will eventually stop. Happy Sunday everybody! See you next week! 

“Got any good news, Pastor Tony?” Yeah, I’ve got good news. For those who know Christ Jesus, for those who have had their sins atoned by his substitutionary death, his substitutionary blood, his substitutionary sacrifice, and his substitutionary judgment, death is just transition. It’s just a portal to a better world. Take that live oak tree in my backyard! 

But for those who don’t know Christ, for those who haven’t believed on the Name of Jesus, death should be terrifying. Put your faith in Christ. Believe in his substitutionary work. Bow with me in prayer and then we can take communion together.