Preparing for the Lord's Day
Jesus is Better
There are many verses in the Bible that explain God’s heart is for obedience, not sacrifice. For example, when King Saul offers a sacrifice without Samuel, the priest, he is rebuked and even loses the throne. Samuel says to Saul,
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22 ESV)
In the book of Micah, a similar statement is made when the prophet says,
“With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:6–8 ESV)
How do we then understand the central place of sacrifice in both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant? Why has the Lord ordained sacrifice if his greater desire is obedience?
Under the Old Covenant, animal sacrifice was present to remind the people of their sin and to point them toward the coming messiah. However, it was not ordained to be an exchange of sacrifice to pay for disobedience. The Lord’s heart is that his people would obey, not that they would continue in their sin and offer him sacrifices in exchange for their disobedience.
In our passage for this coming Sunday these two elements come together in the person and work of Jesus Christ. For he offers to the Lord both obedience and sacrifice. He obediently sacrifices himself to remove the guilt of sin once and for all. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hebrews 10:1-10, 1 Samuel 15:22, Psalm 51:16-17, Micah 6:6-8, Luke 22:42, John 4:34, and Westminster Confession of Faith 8.4.
As we gather to worship our loving Father this Lord’s day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Come, Christians, Join to Sing”, the Acclamation of Praise “Crown Him with Many Crowns” and the Hymn of Response “Take My Life, and Let It Be” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!
Sermon Information
Text: Hebrews 10:1-10
Title: An Obedient Sacrifice
Outline
- We Must Never Trust in Sacrifice Without Obedience (vv. 1-4)
- We Must Always Trust in the Prepared Sacrifice (vv. 5-7)
- We Must Always Trust in the Willing Sacrifice (vv. 8-10)