Hebrews 10 - A Better Sacrifice
Introduction: A Better Sacrifice
Good morning, everybody! It is great to see you today. My name is Josh, and I have the honor of serving as campus pastor over at our Fig Garden campus and midweek here. Today, I have the joy of opening God’s Word with you. I want to say welcome to those of you joining us online or in our video venue as well.
We are in the book of Hebrews, and we are going to be in chapter 10 today. If you have been with us through this series, you know that this is a very rich, yet also very challenging book. The author writes to a Jewish congregation with a depth of knowledge of the Old Testament that would actually put most seminary grads to shame. So if you’ve been stretched a little bit during this series, that’s okay. The book is meant to stretch you. As followers of Christ, we want to lean into these difficult passages of Scripture because that is what helps us grow. If you’re here with us for the first time, I’d recommend going back to our sermon library and listening to Brad and Mike’s background messages from the first two weeks; they’ll give you a solid foundation for this book.
Our theme today from chapter 10 is simple and powerful: Jesus is the better sacrifice. We are going to look at this in three parts. Verses 1 through 18 will show us some beautiful Christology—almost a review of many things we’ve already seen in this book—and clearly present Jesus as the better sacrifice. Then verses 19 through 25 will show us how we live in response to Jesus being our better sacrifice. Finally, verses 26 through 39 contain the fourth warning section in Hebrews: what it looks like if we deliberately reject Christ as the better sacrifice.
Shadows vs. Substance: The Inadequacy of the Old Way
Digging in, verses 1 through 4 remind us that the old way—and specifically the old sacrifices—were simply not enough.
Hebrews 10:1-4 (NASB)
For the Law, since it has [only] a shadow of the good things to come [and] not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those [sacrifices] there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
These verses open with a reminder of what the law could not do. We are told here that it is a shadow of the good things to come, but not the very form of things. Shadows can hint at something real, but they never provide the substance.
For example, if I’m going to meet my wife, Chris, somewhere and I see her shadow coming around the corner, I can anticipate and get excited: “Okay, she’s right around the corner; I’m going to see her in a moment.” But I can’t hug her shadow. I can’t have a relationship with her shadow. In fact, if I got obsessed with her shadow to the point of ignoring her, she would get a little upset with me! Shadows always point beyond themselves. And that is what the law and the sacrifices were doing.
Why were these sacrifices not enough? First, they were impersonal; they kept God at a distance. Second, they were imperfect because they had very limited power to cleanse from sin. Third, they were continuous; they had to be offered again and again and again. Verse 4 lays it out clearly: it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. They could cover, they could remind, they could foreshadow, but they could never truly cleanse from sin.
What they provided was sort of like a spiritual minimum credit card payment. Sure, you’re paying, but you’re never taking care of the actual debt. Every year on the Day of Atonement, the priest had to go right back into the Holy of Holies because last year’s sacrifice wasn’t enough. Neither was the year before that, or the year before that. The repetition proves its inadequacy.
On top of that, these old sacrifices were getting ready to literally disappear. The book of Hebrews was written somewhere in the late 60s AD. History tells us that in 70 AD, the Roman legions under Titus invaded Jerusalem, destroyed the city, and destroyed the temple. When the temple was destroyed, the sacrificial system was destroyed with it. It is amazing that this book was written just a few years before that event—almost like God giving a final warning before it happened. In and of themselves, the old sacrifices were never enough. They were never meant to be. But Jesus is more than enough. Jesus is our better sacrifice.
A Personal, Incarnational Sacrifice
Let’s move on to verses 5 through 9 to see why His sacrifice is superior.
Hebrews 10:5-9 (NASB)
Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ’SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND [sacrifices] FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. ’THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’’ After saying above, ‘SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND [sacrifices] FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE [in them]’ (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.’ He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
A key thought from these verses is that the sacrifice of Jesus is better because it is personal. Rather than keeping God at a distance, it brings God near. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary points out that this quote from Psalm 40 describes the incarnation of Jesus. Back in chapter 1, we learned what the incarnation is: it’s from a Latin word that literally means to take on flesh. In Christian theology, it is the moment God the Son took on a human body.
Hebrews 1:3 (NASB)
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Matthew 1:23 (NASB)
‘BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,’ which translated means, ‘GOD WITH US.’
Nothing communicates the heart of God to draw near to His people more powerfully than the incarnation. It means that the Creator of billions of galaxies also created you and me and gave us life. It means that right in this moment, by His own power, He sustains our heartbeat. It means He knows your name, He knows your burdens, and He is inviting you and me to draw near—to know Him and to walk with Him. The sacrifice of Jesus is personal.
Perfect, Permanent, and Finished
Moving on to verses 10 through 14, we see that His sacrifice is also perfect and permanent.
Hebrews 10:10-14 (NASB)
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
Look at verse 10. If you have your Bibles, circle those words: “once for all.” It is not temporary. It is not partial. It is not conditional. He is perfecting for all time those who are sanctified.
Now, if you are in Christ, this doesn’t mean we are sinless. What it means is that our guilt is gone—fully removed—so we can boldly come before God. In Christ, we are completely forgiven. His perfect sacrifice opens up the door for us to worship Him with freedom. The sacrifice of Jesus is perfect, and it is permanent. It is once for all, meaning it never has to be repeated. In that single offering, Christ accomplished what tens of thousands of animal sacrifices never could: He brought full and final forgiveness and brought the whole sacrificial system to its intended end.
Notice that the priests in the tabernacle never sat down, because their work was never finished. But Jesus did. Hebrews alludes to Psalm 110:1 when it says Christ sat down at the right hand of God. Why did Jesus sit? Because His work was finished.
John 19:30 (NASB)
Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
When Jesus hung on the cross, He cried out Tetelestai—“It is finished.” The debt is paid in full. No more minimum payments! That debt is completely gone in Jesus Christ, accomplishing salvation for all time. And now He sits and awaits His final victory. In one blow through the cross and the resurrection, Jesus defeated sin, death, and Satan. One day He is going to return, not as a suffering servant to die on a cross again, but as the conquering King to establish His kingdom. His sacrifice is finished forever.
The Testimony of the Holy Spirit
That brings us to verses 15 through 18, where we see the gift of the new covenant: the Holy Spirit emphatically declaring Christ’s supreme sacrifice.
Hebrews 10:15-18 (NASB)
And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, ‘THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,’ [He then says], ‘AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.’ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer [any] offering for sin.
Hebrews brings us back to the new covenant promise from Jeremiah 31: “I will put My laws upon their hearts, and on their minds I will write them.” Everyone who embraces Jesus as Lord and Savior receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. God, through His Spirit, comes to live in us and with us, causing us to be born again as new creations in Christ.
Think about what the New Testament tells us the Spirit does inside us: He regenerates us, fights our sinful flesh, empowers us for witness, equips us with spiritual gifts, guides us into truth, and guarantees our eternal inheritance. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are told that we are forgiven forever. In verse 17, God says, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” That doesn’t mean we have a forgetful God, as if He could ever lose His memory. It means He will never bring our sins up again to condemn us. Never.
Romans 8:1 (NASB)
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Yes, we still struggle with sin. Yes, we still grieve over our sin. Yes, we still confess our sin—not to get saved all over again, but because of the relational damage sin brings to our walk with God and others. We confess for healing and restoration. But hear me: if you have embraced Jesus as the better sacrifice, if you have received Him as Lord and Savior, yet you still struggle to believe you’re really forgiven—thinking, “Oh, there are some things I just don’t think God could ever forgive me for”—take heart! Take courage. You can face life, death, and judgment day because Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient. It’s not about you or me; it’s about what Jesus has done.
A Sobering Warning: Willful Sin and Apostasy
So how do we respond? Verses 19 through 25 will show us that new and living way, but before we look at those verses, I want to address the warning section that begins in verse 26.
Hebrews 10:26-31 (NASB)
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on [the testimony of] two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.’ And again, ‘THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.’ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
This is the fourth warning section in the book of Hebrews: the danger of sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth.
To understand who the writer is addressing, remember back to chapter 6 when Mike described three groups of people in the early church—groups that are still represented in churches today:
- Those who believe with head and heart: they trust Jesus Christ and embrace the gospel.
- Those who believe with the head only: they know the truth and think it’s probably true, but have never surrendered their hearts or submitted their lives to Christ.
- Those who believe with neither head nor heart: they hear the gospel and say, “I don’t believe any of it.”
Hebrews speaks to all of us, but this warning has particular significance for that second group—those who have intellectual knowledge of the truth in their heads, but have not submitted their hearts to Christ. If that’s where you are today, take these words to heart. Don’t just know the gospel; trust it, believe it, and let it change your life.
Verses 26 through 31 warn against the danger of apostasy. The Greek word literally means a standing away, a revolt, a defection, or an abandonment. It is a conscious rejection of Christ after knowing the truth. It describes the person who moves toward Jesus, perhaps participates in the life of faith for a season, but eventually drifts away due to distractions, priorities, temptations, or persecution, finally saying, “No, I’m done.”
In my twenty-five years or so as a pastor, I’ve encountered many people who fit this description. One of the first examples I ever saw happened when I was working as a server at the Marie Callender’s restaurant right by Fresno State. (It’s still there, by the way! I went to school at Fresno State, so I could walk over, eat a piece of pie, and work—a total win-win.) I had a coworker who told me, “Josh, I used to believe like you. I used to go to church and think Jesus was the only way. But now I go to a church where we’re more ‘enlightened.’ We look at all religions and teach from all religious books. I get to pick and choose what Jesus said based on what I like or don’t like. It’s all good; we’re enlightened.”
That is an example of deliberately walking away from Jesus. Unless future evidence showed otherwise, my coworker was someone who never truly knew Jesus at all.
What characterizes this sin? First, it involves a full knowledge of the gospel. The Greek word used here is epignosis—a deep understanding, not just a passing familiarity. Second, there is a deliberate and habitual rejection of Christ despite that knowledge. This isn’t just a moment of weakness or stumbling into sin; it is trampling the Son of God underfoot. It is treating the precious blood of the covenant as common or unclean, and insulting the Spirit of grace.
The consequences are severe: there remains no other sacrifice for sins. If you reject the blood of Jesus, there is no Plan B. There is only a terrifying expectation of judgment. Friends, this is not a theoretical danger; it is a grave and real warning. It is meant to awaken our hearts, not drive us to despair. If you have embraced Christ in word, let your heart follow.
Enduring the Crucible: Peter vs. Judas
In verse 32, we see the challenge that reveals apostasy while testing the faith of true believers: persecution.
Hebrews 10:32-34 (NASB)
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
Notice the depth of the persecution they faced: public ridicule, imprisonment, social stigma, and the seizure of their property. Some stood firm, while others were tempted to turn back to the old ways. We might look at our lives today and think our challenges are small by comparison, but don’t minimize the trials that test your faith. Opposition and criticism will come. When pressure mounts, the person with mere head knowledge often walks away.
Consider the contrast between Peter and Judas. Both men walked side by side with Jesus. Both witnessed His miracles and heard His teachings firsthand. Yet their endings could not have been more different.
Judas is the classic example of the false follower. He followed Jesus superficially. When greed tempted his heart, he made a deliberate choice to betray Christ, and he never came back. He spiraled into despair and self-destruction because he refused the grace of God and rejected the only One who could forgive him. His story ends in tragedy.
Peter, on the other hand, is the picture of a true believer. Peter denied Jesus—not once, not twice, but three times. But three strikes didn’t mean Peter was out! When Peter realized what he had done, he broke down in grief, wept bitterly, and returned to the Lord. His story is one of redemption. Peter’s failure did not define him; his repentance did. Jesus restored him, entrusted him, and used him mightily.
Both men failed. Both sinned. But the key difference is that one ran away from grace, while the other ran to grace. Judas turned away and never returned; Peter turned back and was transformed. God’s grace is always ready for those who return. If you have stumbled, Jesus is waiting with forgiveness, restoration, and purpose. Don’t take the path of Judas.
2 Timothy 2:12-13 (NASB)
If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
If we deny Him ultimately, He will deny us. But if we are faithless—if we have seasons where our faith feels weak and faltering—He remains faithful to those who are truly His, because His Spirit lives within us.
Hebrews 10:35-39 (NASB)
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul!
A New and Living Way: How We Respond
How do we live this out practically? Let’s look back at verses 19 through 25.
Hebrews 10:19-21 (NASB)
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since [we have] a great priest over the house of God,
First, we remember what Jesus has done for us. We embrace the gospel at a point in time for salvation, and we embrace it over time for our daily sanctification. Every morning we can wake up and thank God for new life in Christ.
Matthew 27:51 (NASB)
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
When Jesus died, the temple veil—which Jewish history tells us was up to 60 feet high, 30 feet wide, and several inches thick—was torn from top to bottom. That curtain pointed to the true veil: the body of Christ torn for us. Because of His sacrifice, God invites us to draw near 24/7. We have constant access to the presence of God.
Hebrews 10:22 (NASB)
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Second, we draw near to God in faith. It’s not just access; it’s transformation. Our hearts are sprinkled clean and our consciences are washed. Outward acts like baptism—just like me wearing my wedding ring—don’t create the reality; they express the inward reality that Christ has transformed us. We come with humility, but also with boldness and confidence.
Hebrews 10:23 (NASB)
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
Third, we hold fast the confession of our hope. Holding fast doesn’t mean we never have doubts. Doubts can actually make our faith more authentic as we wrestle through them. Holding fast means doing what strengthens our souls: reading God’s Word, praying in faith, and immersing ourselves in fellowship.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NASB)
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging [one another]; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
We need faith, hope, and love. Christianity is a contact sport! It is meant to be lived in community. To spur one another on, we have to keep showing up for each other.
Maybe you are here today and this hits home because you used to walk closely with the Lord, but over time you drifted and became disconnected from church. Yet you came back today because you had no peace in your heart apart from God and His people. The Good Shepherd does not let His sheep wander off a cliff. We talk about holding on to God, but ultimately, He is the One holding on to us.
This isn’t a guilt trip to be at church every time the doors are open; it’s an invitation to meaningful connection. At The Well, we talk about doing life in groups and teams. Ask yourself: Who am I pouring into? Who is pouring into me? Am I being real about my struggles and confessing my sins? Who am I praying for, and who is praying for me? Who am I serving side by side with? That is how our faith is sustained.
An Invitation to Salvation
If you have not yet fully trusted Christ, maybe today is your day. I had a day like that back in 1992 when I was 19 years old. I grew up with a Christian worldview, but at 18, I rejected the gospel entirely. I didn’t believe in my head or my heart, and I even made fun of people involved in church.
At 19, someone invited me to church. Over a couple of months, I realized the gospel was true. But I had head knowledge without heart surrender. I thought, “God, I’m 19 and I want the college experience. Maybe I’ll get serious when I’m 23. I’ll write my own story for now.” God essentially said, “Josh, that’s cute. But I’ve got other plans for you.”
One day I sat in church and heard the gospel preached clearly. For the first time in my life, I felt the heavy weight of conviction. Pierced to my soul, I got on my knees and cried out, “Jesus, forgive me. I need You. Change my life.” And He began walking with me from that moment in 1992.
How about you? Maybe you’ve admired Jesus from a distance. His sacrifice is more than enough for your sins. He went to the cross for you, paid the full penalty, was buried, and rose again three days later to open the way to God. You don’t have to wait. You can surrender your life, receive forgiveness, and be washed clean today. You can even declare your faith publicly through baptism—we have the tub ready right over there!
Today is the day of salvation. Don’t shrink back; step forward in faith. Let us draw near to God, hold fast to hope, encourage one another in love, and live in the joy of His presence until He returns.
Let’s pray.
Father God, thank You that You are here and that You invite us through the sacrifice of Jesus to draw near in faith, hope, and love, walking together as brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that the hearts of believers would be strengthened and encouraged today. And for anyone who does not yet know You, may they turn to You right now, trust in Christ’s finished work, and follow You all the days of their life. We love You, we thank You, and we pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.