New Access, New Relationship
Hebrews 9:1-14
Chris Patton
May 12, 2024
Sermon Audio
Sermon Recap PDF
Sermon Theme: In Christ and through Christ, God has made it possible for us to enjoy clean consciences as well as rich, soul-satisfying relationships with God.
Text Overview
Application
I. Enjoy a clean conscience
“The conscience is the moral faculty in human beings that assesses what is good and bad” — Kevin DeYoung
“[conscience] is the soul reflecting upon itself” – Richard Sibbes
“The Greek word for conscience appears in the New Testament thirty-one times, and it seems to have a two-fold dimension, as the medieval scholars argued. It involves the idea of accusing as well as the idea of excusing. When we sin, the conscience is troubled. It accuses us.” — RC Sproul
- Under the Old Covenant, there was no remedy for a defiled, unclean, guilty conscience.
“For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” — Hebrews 10:4
- Sacrifices under the Old Covenant only pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice who was to come, and has come – Jesus.
- He alone could make full and final atonement for our sins and thereby make it possible for our consciences to be cleansed.
- In light of what Christ has done for us — may we each enjoy a clean conscience.
- In the case where someone is engaged in ongoing, unconfessed, unrepentent sin — it is right and good for them to have a disturbed conscience. The right remedy in this situation is repentence and to flee to the Cross for forgiveness.
II. Enjoy your relationship with God
The overturning of the old-covenant infrastructure prepares for a new era. The torn curtain reveals that all believers have fresh, unparalleled access to God. — Greg Lanier
- The temple curtain has been torn in two. We now have access to God.
- May we enjoy our relationships with Him!
Questions for Discussion/Application:
- Consider taking time to read Hebrews 9:1-14 out loud. What initial insights or observations of the text do you have?
- Read the notes under the first application “Enjoy a clean conscience.”
- How has Christ made it possible for us to experience a clean conscience?
- When we sin, and we feel our guilt, how can we come to experience a clean conscience once again?
- What are the dangers of a seared or hardened conscience? How can we avoid cultivating a hardened conscience?
-
Verse 14 says the blood of Christ purifies “our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” What is the author getting at there? What is the application of that verse to our lives?
- The temple curtain has been torn in two. We now have access into God’s presence in a way that the Old Covenant saints never did. What are the implications of this truth for us as believers?
- How have you been doing recently with enjoying your relationship with God?
- Consider taking time to pray. Ask the Lord to help us to enjoy clean consciences and our relationships with the Lord.