INTRODUCTION:

1. The Bible teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross to save us from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and the presence of sin.
2. All three aspects of Christ's work on the cross are dealt with extensively in the epistle to the Hebrews.
3. Christ suffered and died on the cross to save us from hell (9:26, 27).
4. As our great high priest, Christ is interceding for us right now (9:24).
5. Soon Christ will return and take us home to heaven (9:28).
6. I would like to direct your attention to a word that is found three times in our text tonight -- "appear, appeared" (9:24, 26, 28).
7. These three words refer to our Lord's three appearances.  The order is not in sequence as to time. That is because the Holy Spirit is putting emphasis on our Lord's present appearance as our Intercessor (9:24).
8. Hebrews 7:25 says Christ "ever liveth to make intercession" for us.

• Our Lord's past appearance -- He hath "appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (9:26).
• Our Lord's present appearance -- He now appears "in the presence of God for us" (9:24).
• Our Lord's future appearance -- He shall "appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (9:28).

 

I. CHRIST HATH APPEARED (9:25, 26).

1. The Lord Jesus Christ hath "appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (9:26).
2. John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
3. There is an emphasis in the book of Hebrews on the word "once" (9:26, 27, 28).
4. "For this he did once, when he offered up himself" (7:27).
5. "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (9:12).
6. "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (10:10).
7. These Scriptures prove that the Roman Catholic mass is contrary to the Word of God.  Hebrews 10:12 says, "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."
8. Hebrews 10:14 says, "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
9. These Scriptures refute the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory (Heb. 9:27).
10. First John 1:7 says, "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
11. The Bible teaches that Christ offered Himself but once.
12. The great Baptist pastor from England, FB Meyer said, "There is a word here which recurs, like a note on an organ beneath the tumult of majestic sound.  Five times, at least, it rolls forth its thunder, pealing through all ages, echoing through all worlds, announcing the finality of an accomplished redemption of the whole universe of God -- 'ONCE'" (The Way into the Holiest: Expositions of the Epistle to the Hebrews).
13. "Announcing the finality of an accomplished redemption."  Thank God, ours is an "eternal redemption" (9:12).
14. Once again, let us consider the context.  This epistle was written to Jewish believers who were accustomed to the constant repetition of animal sacrifices (9:25).
15. Our Lord's death on the cross stands in contrast to the many offerings made by the high priest (9:25).
16. The book of Hebrews suggests that if Christ's offering were to be repeated it would necessitate continual suffering (9:25, 26a).
17. Therefore the mass undermines our Lord's finished work on the cross.  The Roman Catholic Church refers to the mass as "the perpetual sacrifice of the mass."
18. The Second Vatican Council said, "Our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of His body and blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross. . . " (p. 154, The Documents of Vatican II, Walter M. Abbott, S.J.).
19. Pope Pius IV said, "I profess likewise that in the mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead" (From the fifth article of the creed of Pope Pius IV.)
20. Jesus cried out, "It is finished" (John 19:30).  Christ has "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26).

 

II. CHRIST NOW APPEARS (9:24).

1. This appearance is mentioned before our Lord's death to emphasize His present ministry as our Intercessor.
2. The Old Testament tabernacle was cleansed ceremoniously with blood (9:24).  Every year on the Day of Atonement the high priest went into the Holy of Holies with a basin of blood to sprinkle afresh the mercy seat (9:5-7).
3. The Book of Hebrews explains that these were types and shadows, all pointing to Christ, who entered into the Holy of Holies in heaven, into the very presence of God "for us" (9:24).
4. This intercessory work is referred to several times in the epistle to the Hebrews (cf. 1:3; 7:25; 8:1).

 

III. CHRIST SHALL APPEAR (9:28).

1. Jesus is coming soon.  Are you ready?
2. We will either meet Him in the air or meet Him at death (9:27).
3. I read a sermon by evangelist John R. Rice.  In this message he mentioned that he was at a meeting with another preacher.  This preacher preached a great message on Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
4. John R. Rice said that later on he went home and went to bed, and then he received a phone call from that preacher’s wife.  The same preacher was killed that very night by a drunk driver.
5. “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).
6. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
7. Amos 4:12 says, “Prepare to meet thy God.”
8. I have often said, "I am not looking for the undertaker, but the 'upper-taker," and I believe that with all my heart.
9. D.L. Moody said, "The moment a man takes hold of the truth that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive his friends to himself, this world loses its hold upon him; gas-stocks and water-stocks, and stocks in banks and horse-railroads, are of very much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of his Lord, who at his coming will take him into his blessed kingdom."

 

CONCLUSION:

1. D.L. Moody also said this, "Some people say, 'Oh, you will discourage the young converts if you preach that doctrine.' Well, my friends, that has not been my experience. I have felt like working three times as hard ever since I came to understand that my Lord was coming back again. I look on this world as a wrecked vessel. God has given me a life-boat, and said to me, 'Moody, save all you can.' God will come in judgment and burn up this world, but the children of God do not belong to this world; they are in it, but not of it, like a ship in the water. This world is getting darker and darker; its ruin is coming nearer and nearer; if you have any friends on this wreck unsaved, you had better lose no time in getting them off."
2. Many years ago, an evangelist named W.E. Blackstone wrote a very popular and influential book entitled, Jesus is Coming.
3. Many years after he published the book, someone asked him if he was still looking for the Lord to return.
4. W.E. Blackstone said, "I'm looking for the Lord every day, but I'm hustling to get the chores done before He gets here."