This sermon emphasizes the "once for all" nature of Christ's work through His blood that makes it possible for those who believe to have access to God.  We begin in Exodus 19 where the people God had brought out of Egypt could not even touch the mountain without dying. This passage serves as a contrast to the access to God all believers have under the new covenant. We then do a survey of important passages from Hebrews which speak of purification from sin, drawing near to God and having continual access to Him through Christ.

Hebrews 9:22 lays out the principle that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. The blood of sacrificial animals under the old covenant was constantly shed, over and over again. The blood of Jesus was shed "once for all." The result of Christ blood is that those who trust in Him are sanctified. This means that they are holy because of God's work of grace and are rightly called "saints." Holiness is the result of what God has done and keeps doing for us, not religious works that we would do for God. The OT sacrifices served the purpose of pointing us to Christ.

Many false teachings in the church put Christians in the situation of endless religious works with no assurance. This is wrong and not what God intended. The decisiveness of Christ's work is shown in a chiasm found in Hebrews 10:10-14. Those who "stood ministering" offering sacrifices that could not take away sins are contrasted with Christ who offered a once for all sacrifice and sat down at the right hand of God.

We are urged to draw near, with boldness, in faith. God has cleansed us. We address Hebrews 11:6 and its description of saving faith which is both objective and relational. True faith is in God and His promises. We end by showing that it is by faith that we have come to the heavenly realities mentioned in Hebrews 12, the true Mount Zion, the city of the living God.

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