Julian Hardyman speaking at Forum 2004 on 'Closer: Jesus and the death that draws us near to God' from Hebrews 10 v 1-25

Closer: Jesus and the death that draws us near to
God

1. The problem of a guilty conscience (Genesis 3:8-10)

2. God’s solution: Signposts in the Old Covenant

• The Old Covenant Answer: Tabernacle, Priest and Sacrifice
• What it taught: the message of the Old Covenant

3. The inadequacy of the Old Covenant and the perfection of the cross of Christ (Hebrews 7, 8 and 9, summarised in 10)

• OT sacrifices were only a shadow of the real thing which reminded people of their sin (10:1-4 and 9:9; 12-14)
• The OT taught that what God really wanted was obedience – fulfilled by Jesus in his sacrifice (10:5-10)
• Unlike the OT priests Jesus offered his sacrifice once for all (10:11-14)
• So Jesus fulfilled God’s promise of a new covenant (10: 15-18)

4. The Results

• The problem of conscience is overcome once for all
• And we can draw near to a holy God
• God authorises and summons us to live in his presence (19-22)