1. What comes to your mind when I mention the word sacrifice

› pause

I’m an ice cream person,

sacrifice for me could be letting someone have the rest of a favorite ice cream.

maybe it is working long days to help provide for your families.

2. The idea of sacrifice is familiar to us as american’s. Wartime hero’s, everyday men and women who go above and beyond what could ever be asked of them.

i. some of them making the ultimate sacrifice for the good of another.

ii. Sacrifice is something we see tin the story of Gods people from the very beginning. The example of abraham and isaac is a powerful portrat of sacrifice.

a. it could look something like this (about 4 minutes)

b. (Video) sacrifice of Issac

Transition

1. So, Did you catch the words spoken in the beginning of the video?

› PAUSE

1. Issac speaking to Abraham, Father, we have the firewood but where is the lamb?

› pause

1. Abraham speaking to Issac, The Lord will provide a sacrifice my son.

a. As we continue in our series…We will see that Christ made the ultimate sacrifice, not for a country or a single person, but for every person.

b. The spotless Lamb of God

› PRAYER (SHORT)

Welcome back to our series Christ above all

Last few weeks, diving into this series Christ above all

Part 1 we learned that Jesus is above all, greater than all other heavenly beings

part 2 we learned that while on earth jesus learned from his suffering. made perfect thru it he became our great high priest before god the father.

Part 3 we learned that The faith relationship is one of fidelity to Christ and a life

bearing fruit. we can choose to walk away from such a life, walking away from Christ.

Part 4 we learned that The new and better Covenant, superior to the Old, giving us access to God through Christ, the High Priest of this New Covenant.

Today in part 5 we will see that the new covenant spoken about last week is made possible by the sacrifice Jesus made when on the cross. That we can be washed clean, not just on the outside but can be made free of the attitude and disposition to sin. Teaching text Hebrews 9:11-15

Hebrews 9:11–15 NLT

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

Teaching text Hebrews 9:11-12 Hebrews 9:11–12 (NLT)

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

For us to understand a little better what verse 11 and 12 are saying lets step back a few verses

Hebrews 9:7–10 NLT

But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use. This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.

i. Did you catch what the author said in verse 8? The entrance to the presence of God was not freely open.

1. Only the High priest could enter into the presence of God, and only once a year.

ii. Coming back to verse 11&12

1. Christ Jesus made a way into the very presence of God

a. In the old covenant as spelled out in the book of Exodus there

was a large thick curtain separating the most holy place. When Jesus shed his blood on the cross that barrier that couldn’t be crossed but once a year, and only by religious authorities, was torn in two from top to bottom.

iii. In the old covenant blood sacrifice had to be offered continually. it only delt with the external effects of sin never the internal attitude.

Teaching text Hebrews 9:13

Hebrews 9:13 NLT

Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity.

• sin is more than ceremonial uncleanness and even more than moral defilement. The rites and regulations provided only temporary benefit;

• the problem would return again and require yet another sin-offering so long as the inward weakness of the worshiper remained unaddressed.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible (Chapter 9)

Our High Priest entered into heaven once for all, and has obtained eternal redemption. The Holy Ghost further signified and showed that the Old Testament sacrifices only freed the outward man from ceremonial uncleanness, and fitted him for some outward privileges.

Leviticus 1:1–5 NLT

The LORD called to Moses from the Tabernacle and said to him, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present an animal as an

offering to the LORD, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats. “If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the herd, it must be a male with no defects. Bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle so you may be accepted by the LORD. Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the LORD will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him. Then slaughter the young bull in the LORD’s presence, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will present the animal’s blood by splattering it against all sides of the altar that stands at the entrance to the Tabernacle.

Teaching text Hebrews 9:14 Hebrews 9:14 HOW MUCH MORE! (greater)

Hebrews 9:14 NLT

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

a. TO CLENSE HERE IS THE GREEK WORD KATH-ER-ID-ZO MEANING TO MAKE CLEAN

a. FROM PHYSICAL STAINS

b. IN A MORAL SENCE

i. FREE FROM DEFILEMENT OF SIN

ii. PURIFY FROM WICKEDNESS

iii. FREE FROM GUILT OF SIN

iv. TO CONSECRATE (CLENSE, PURIFY, DEDICATE)

i. If bulls and goats could do that, how much more can Christ cleanse and purify us from the guilt of sin that may be present in us?

ii. The old covenant was good at ceremonially clensing the exterior or a person, but did noting for the heart and disposition to sin.

1. Christ made a way where there was none.

a. He made a way for us no not just be clean on the outside for all to see, he made a way for all who would believe to be made clean from the attitude of sin on the inside.

Hebrews 4:14–16 NLT

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

because of the shedding of his blood we can have freedom and forgiveness. because he is our great high priest we can be free from the attitude of sin.

Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us, yet if we withhold ourselves from that blood, we will be unclean forever. – AW Tozer Teaching text Hebrews 9:15

Hebrews 9:15 NLT

That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has

promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

i. MES-EE-TACE GREEK FOR ONE WHO INTERVENES BETWEEN 2

ii. ARBITRATOR

1. MOSES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS A MESSENGER OF LAWS OF THE OLD COVENANT.]

2. JESUS WAS THE FULFILLMENT OF THAT COVENANT

iii. the old covenant was based on rules, just read Leviticus. but because of Christ we can have relationship and audience with The King.

iv. we were once held ransom by sin, captive and without hope.

1. but by the ransom paid on the cross I can be free, you can be free.

2. the blood of christ doesn’t just cover, it pays the ransom no amount of animal sacrifice could.

The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: The Superior Sanctuary (Hebrews 9))

As believers we can have confidence because all that we have in Christ is eternal. Hebrews 9:15 makes it clear that there was no final and complete redemption under the Old Covenant. Those transgressions were covered by the blood of the many sacrifices, but not cleansed until the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross Since Christ has accomplished an eternal redemption, we are able to share in an eternal inheritance.

› CALL UP BAND

Transition

Article 6 from the Church of the Nazarene manual says

Jesus Christ, by His sufferings, by the shedding of His own blood, and by His death on the Cross, made a full atonement for all human sin, and that this Atonement is the only ground of salvation, and that it is sufficient for every individual of Adam’s race

– there are some things we were never meant to carry. The weight of unrepented sin is one of those things.

• if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you this morning, don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

• carrying unrepented sin, and failures is akin to carrying heavy baggage around all the time

• My tool bag at work weighs between 30 and 40 lbs. I don’t carry it. I let a tool cart carry it.

• Sin is a heavy load to bear, don’t carry around something that Jesus has offered to not only forgive you of, but free you from.

• Kath-er-id-zo

Conclusion

IF WHILE DOING DISHES WE ONLY WASHED THE OUSIDE OF THE CUP, IT WILL STILL REMAIN DIRTY. IT WILL APPEAR CLEAN AND READY FOR USE FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT WILL STILL BE FILTHY ON THE INSIDE.

1 Timothy 2:5 NLT

For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 9:22–23 NLT

In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.

WHEN WE ACCEPT HIM AS SAVIOR AND MAKE HIM OUR LORD HIS SACRIFICE MENTIONED IN TODAY’S SCRIPTURE CLEANS NOT JUST THE OUTSIDE THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE, BUT HE CLEANSES THE INSIDE MAKING US A NEW CREATION, CREATED ANEW IN THE IMAGE OF CHRIST JESUS.

Jesus gave us a way to remember his sacrifice, his body and blood as represented in the communion elements.

Today there are 3 ways to approach the communion table

• forgiveness for unconfessed sin and in rep

• maybe you have strayed away from the forgiveness and grace that is found in Jesus

• in rememberance for all he has done in your life

• There is no better moment , no better time than around the communion table to find forgiveness and faith is christ.

The Communion Supper, instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a sacrament, which proclaims His life, His sufferings, His sacrificial death, and resurrection, and the hope of His coming again. It shows forth the Lord’s death until His return. The Supper is a means of grace in which Christ is present by the Spirit. It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ. All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. We come to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit. In unity with the Church, we confess our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again

Luke 22:14–20 NLT

When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.” He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

This is the fourth installment in our series on Hebrews. I have to say that Hebrews, even before this series has become a favorite of mine.

Hebrews Bible Study with Allen Biller – I’ve had the privilege of doing a personal Bible Study with someone in our congregation that I visit who is unable to get here to worship with us, and he recently started asking me a lot of questions about Hebrews, so we started studying it together.

How to get the full benefit of the Hebrews Series – If you are wanting to really get the full benefit of this teaching series, can I suggest to you to read Hebrews in your own personal devotional time. I would read it several times because there is so much here to digest. I would get myself a cup of coffee and open your Bible and begin reading.

He-brews Coffee joke – It is after all, a biblical thing to do. Even the title tells we should drink coffee when we read this book, because it says, “He Brews”. I’m sorry. Bad Dad Joke.

Today we arrive at chapter 8. In rapid review:

1. We don’t know who wrote it

2. It was written to Jewish Jesus believers – those who believed Jesus was the Promised Messiah

a. THE AUTHOR ASSUMES HIS READER UNDERSTANDS THE OLD TESTAMENT AND DOESN’T SAY HE IS QUOTING FROM IT.

b. IN A SIMILAR FASHION, TODAY I WILL BE MENTIONING A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT THE OLD TESTA MENT AND LIKE THE AUTHOR OF HEBREWS, I CAN’T EXPLAIN EVERY DETAIL, BUT I’M ASSUMING THAT MOST OF YOU HAVE ENOUGH BIBLE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND.

3. It quotes and alludes to the Old Testament more frequently than any other NT Book

4. The underlying theme of Hebrews is that through Jesus, everything is better. Jesus is better than, the prophets, the angels, Moses, Joshua, the High Priest, the tabernacle, the Law and sacrifices, and so much more… and the new covenant is better than the first one

In week 2 of this series, Pastor Janette helped us understand the role of Jesus as our High Priest and that he was the Suffering Servant we read about in Isaiah 53. Last week, Dr. Phil Fuller encouraged us to remain faithful to God and to not be lazy about our faith, but to persevere and remain in Christ as he remains in us.

Now this week, we get to dig deeper into the idea that Jesus is truly our High Priest and how he is better than any Priest of the Old Testament. In some respects, this is a Part 2 to what Pastor Janette preached on just 2 weeks ago.

Jesus is our high priest, and he is the author and perfector of our faith. He is the arbiter of the new covenant which is better than the old Covenant which was given to Moses.

COVENANTS

We don’t use the word covenant often. Most common today:

1. A NEIGHBORHOOD COVENANT – a list of regulations that the inhabitants of that neighborhood are bound to live by.

2. A MARRIAGE COVENANT – the agreement of a man and women to live committed to each other for life, in a monogamous relationship. Sidebar: it’s the clear teaching of the Bible that the only people who can enter into this covenant is one man and one woman.

EXAMPLES OF BIBLICAL COVENANTS

Ever since the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God has been on a mission, a pursuit to restore what mankind lost when our first parents fell into sin and rebellion against God. And so, he has entered into 7 covenants with mankind to bring about that restoration. There isn’t sufficient time to explore all 7 of them this morning, but I do want to highlight 3 of them:

1. The Adamic Covenant – right after Adam and Eve sinned and God covenants with them that he will provide a redeemer, a savior (this covenant is renewed in the Abrahamic Covenant)

2. The Mosaic Covenant – God gives Moses the Law, the Ten Commandments and many conditions for how they should conduct themselves, including the sacrificial system of lambs for the atonement of sin.

3. The Davidic Covenant – the renewal of the covenant that God would send a redeemer, a savior, and that this promised one, the Messiah would be a descendent of King David and that his throne would be established forever.

COVENANTS – OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS – SHOW BIBLE DIVISIONS

And now that leads us to today’s message…

READ ENTIRE CHAPTER – SLIDES

SLIDE Vs. 1- 2 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

This is the Main Point – I love this: There’s no guessing what the author wants to tell us..

What does “Now the main point … is this” mean. He is referring back to what has just been taught in the previous chapters. We learned that Jesus is a High Priest after the order of Melchizidek, who was a priest in Salem in the time of Abraham. Unfortunately, there isn’t time to delve into that today, but suffice it to say, that this character, though spoken only twice in the OT, looms large in the book of Hebrews and we learn that Jesus is greater than him.

At the time Hebrews was written, there was still an operating priesthood and an operating Temple in Jerusalem.

There were 2 main roles of the Priests:

1. Sacrifice animals for the sins of the people

2. Function as a mediator between God and the people

Because this was written to Jews, they had most likely been to the Temple many times and had seen the High Priest and saw lambs sacrificed there for the atonement of the people’s sins.

In the mind of the Jews, a Priest was necessary to make sacrifices for sins and to approach God, so these Jewish converts may have been concerned that if they didn’t participate in the sacrificial ceremony that was still happening at the Temple, perhaps their sins were not actually atoned for and perhaps they could not have forgiveness and redemption. IT WAS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN.

We need to understand the backstory on why this was so important to the Jew. Until Jesus came, the only way you could approach and connect with God was through a priest.

Some of you who have Catholic backgrounds will understand more deeply how this affects you. There is a liberation that happened for the Jew and also for a Catholic who comes to the understand that you don’t have to go through a person to get to God, but you can approach God through the person of Jesus Christ, who is seated next to God and functions as our High Priest and is our connection to God.

Last Sunday, Dr. Phil mentioned that the writer of Hebrews may have been writing to people who may have been returning to the Jewish faith because of this concern. In their minds, they were concerned that if they did not have a priest in the Christian Faith, then perhaps they did not have real access to God.

But first verse of Hebrews 8 says, “We do have such a high priest” and he is in a much higher place than the Temple in Jerusalem. He is seated at the right hand of God in Heaven. And from there, he serves as our high priest.

That is a wonderful thing to know. We’ve all heard the phrase, “friends in high places”. This is the ultimate version of that. Jesus is our friend, and he is in the highest place. Philippians 2:9 tells us that God exalted Jesus to the Highest Place and gave him a name that is above every name. Where is this Highest Place? Jesus is seated at the right hand of Majesty, and he is our mediator between us and God and from there, he now, even today, in this very moment, functions as our High Priest.

Not only is he at the right hand of God, but there is also a significance to his posture, and this is one of the most important statements in Hebrews Chapter 8 and it’s very easy to simply overlook it. What does the author of Hebrews say? THAT HE IS SEATED.

This seated posture is very important. In the Old Testament, the first place ever built on earth for sacrifice and for the presence of God to dwell was the Tabernacle which God instructed Moses to build in the desert as the Children of Israel journeyed from Egypt to Canaan. God gave Moses all the specifications how to build the Tabernacle. The size. The materials. The furniture.

But there was one thing that wasn’t present there. It didn’t have any chairs. There were no seats or benches of any kind. Do you know why?

It’s because the work of the priests was never done. There were daily sacrifices and there were sacrifices for special Holy Days and festivals and once a year, and there was a special sacrifice on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), which happened every year, year after year after year.

Until Jesus…there was never a sacrifice that was enough…until

Until Jesus…the perfect lamb was sacrificed. Under the law of Moses, the lamb to be sacrificed had to be without blemish, but even that was not enough to forgive sins. The blood of the lamb was really nothing more than a covering that prevented God from seeing our sin, but there was no real forgiveness to be found in this sacrifice. SLIDE But in Hebrews 5: 8-9 we learn that “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him”.

Jesus, after he was made perfect by the things he suffered, became the perfect sacrifice. How do we know that Jesus was the Perfect Sacrifice?

In Hebrews 10, we learn about the all-time sufficiency of the Christ Sacrifice and in verses 11-12, it says, SLIDE “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.”

Jesus’ cry “It Is Finished” from the cross indicated that the final sacrifice was being completed and because of that, when Jesus ascended to heaven, I believe God looked at Jesus and said, “Son, sit down. Your work is finished”.

And so, he is seated as a minister in the heavenly sanctuary. Listen again to verse 2

Verse 2 – …who (Jesus) serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

Yes, there was a tabernacle described in the Old Testament, but Jesus comes along and makes a complete and perfect sacrifice and now he ministers to us from heaven in a “true tabernacle” which was not made by human hands but by God himself.

The Tabernacle in the Old Testament is but a pattern of the real Tabernacle that exists in heaven. The author of Hebrews explains this in verse 5. Listen to what he says:

“They (the priests) serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

The tabernacle that God commanded Moses to build nearly 1500 years before the time of the writing of Hebrews was simply a replica of a Tabernacle that already existed in heaven.

The Jews who were reading this book knew very well what the author meant because they still had in Jerusalem a Tabernacle on a more permanent scale. But they called it the Temple. Nearly 600 years after God commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle, King Solomon built the Temple and it was for all intents and purposes, the Tabernacle on a much grander scale. It contained all the

elements of the early Tabernacle but also areas for the people to gather while the priest performed their priestly duties.

So, when the Hebrews read that Jesus was now seated in the Heavenly Tabernacle, they would have understood that the Temple in Jerusalem was now obsolete.

Hang on to that thought. The Temple would become obsolete.

And so, in verses 3 and 4, he continues on describing Jesus priestly role that he performs from heaven: SLIDE “Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.”

I just mentioned that the Jewish Jesus believers may have been concerned that they did not have a priest and in these verses, the writer of Hebrews further addresses the concern.

Listen, he acknowledges that if Jesus were on earth, in the Temple, he would not be a priest, because according to the Law of Moses, a priest had to be from the tribe of Levi. Jesus wasn’t from the tribe of Levi, so he didn’t have the right genes.

Last name Levy – Levi

Last name Cohen, Kohen, Cohn, Kohn, Kahn – Priest

(Jesus was from the tribe of Judah).

However, Jesus does not serve as a High Priest in the same way that priests do in the Temple. It’s true that Jesus was from the wrong tribe to be a priest, which is also why he is uniquely qualified to serve as a forever priest in the Tabernacle in the heavens. Let’s look at verse 5 and 6:

SLIDE 5 They (priests in the Temple) serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a] 6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

Two Main observations: SLIDE

1. The Tabernacle (Temple) on earth wasn’t the real thing. It was a copy

a. Copy is not the real thing – a copy

b. forgery

2. The Priesthood that served in the Temple was inferior to the Priesthood of Jesus. It was a shadow of what was to come.

a. A Shadow is not the real thing

b. – he’s afraid of his own shadow

c. – the idea is that your shadow is not real and it’s nothing to be afraid of

*Priesthood and the Tabernacle – Copy and Shadow. Even the Temple in Jerusalem wasn’t the “real thing”. It was a copy.

Important for Moses to build it right, because it represented the “real Tabernacle” in Heaven, but it was not in fact the real tabernacle but a replica of what existed in Heaven.

Replica in Lancaster of the OT Tabernacle – Just as it is a replica of the Biblical Tabernacle, the Biblical Tabernacle (Temple) was a replica of the Real Tabernacle in heaven.

*Jesus Priesthood vs. the Jewish priesthood

The Priest in the Temple served in a temple that is a copy. So their service is also inferior to Jesus’ ministry, because he serves in the original tabernacle. In today’s language, we would say Jesus’ priestly ministry is OG, meaning it is the real thing. It’s the original and it’s the best.

And so this brings us back to the main point that is mentioned in verse 1. The writer of Hebrews is defending the idea that what we have in Jesus is so much better than what the Jews had in their Temple and in the service of the priest.

Ultimately, Jesus has replaced the priesthood that they were familiar with and this was because God was making a new covenant with mankind and Jesus is the High Priest of the New Covenant.

SLIDE Vs. 7 – 8a – For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said[b]:

This is an incredible statement. We are told that something was wrong with the first covenant. Otherwise there would be no need for a new covenant.

Listen to verses 8 – 12 which is quoted directly from Jeremiah 31:31-34

SLIDES But God found fault with the people and said:

“The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

1. WHAT – New Covenant

2. WHO – Israel and Judah – just a way of saying all of the people (both kingdoms)

3. DIFFERENT – Not like the existing covenant

4. NEED – A new covenant was needed because man couldn’t keep his part of it (because they did not remain faithful to my covenant)

5. The new covenant would be on their minds and their hearts (NOT ON TABLETS OF STONE)

6. Sins are not just forgotten OR covered but they are forgiven as well (example of someone who won’t forgive but says, (“I will never forget what you did to me…)

We learn here what was wrong with the Old Covenant. It’s us. UNFAITHFUL. We can keep it.

God is faithful to keep his covenants, but we aren’t.

SLIDE

COMPARISON OF THE COVENANTS

OLD COVENANT NEW COVENANT

1. Based on law and man’s faithfulness Based on grace and God’s faithfulness

– Our performance – God’s provision

2. Mediated by Moses Mediated by Jesus

3. Involved the regular sacrifice of animals Involved the one-time sacrifice of Jesus

4. Atoned for sin temporarily Atoned for sin eternally

This is why year after year, a sacrifice was made for the sins of the people. It was the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The Priest first made a sacrifice for his own sins so he could enter the Holy of Holies and then and only then, would he dare to enter the presence of God and make a sacrifice for the sins of all the people.

This why Jesus is called, the Lamb of God. When John the Baptist saw Jesus he proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”.

Stan Kellner – Day of Atonement

SLIDE

BENEFITS OF THE NEW COVENANT

1. He will put his laws in our minds and write them on our hearts (8:10)

a. External vs. internal

b. God will transform our hearts so that we want to obey his commands – SLIDES

i. Sidebar #1: “Whenever you hear someone rationalizing sin, you can be sure, God’s law isn’t written on their heart.”

ii. Sidebar #2: “When people say they are disciples of Jesus, but they don’t obey God’s commands, you can be sure God’s law isn’t written on their heart.”

c. This is a preview of what Jesus said to Nicodemus “you must be born again”

i. Being Born Again transforms us from the inside out

ii. There is a new principle that is formed in our heart so that we can learn to obey God, not because of an outside law, but an inner principle

· We understand this principle already. How often have you heard people talk about a person when they have done wrong, even though they were raised right. We said, “he knows better”. How does he know better? Because he has been taught through words and

example in such a way that “he knows”. When we read God’s word and we follow is Jesus’ steps and we submit ourselves to him, his law is written on our hearts.

2. He will be our God, and we will be His people (8:10)

a. Everyone can know the Lord (personal relationship) – verse 11

3. He will forgive our wickedness and remember our sins no more – (8:12)

a. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)

b. In the Old Covenant, sins were covered, but in the New Covenant sins are forgiven

c. Psalm 103:11-12 – “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

d. I’m sure, if you’re like me, there are some things you’ve done that you may come to God in a moment of feeling unworthy and you say, “God, do you remember when I did that …” and he answers, “No, I don’t remember”.

i. It’s not as if His memory is failing, like mine often does.

ii. God choses not to remember because as a child of God, it is forgiven and covered by the blood of Jesus.

Finally, verse 13 – “By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.”

When did the Old Covenant become obsolete?

Temple destroyed in 70 AD

Last Supper – SLIDE

Luke 22:17-20 – “After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

The Old Covenant became obsolete after Jesus became the Passover Lamb and was sacrificed on an Old Rugged Cross, and his Father then raised him up on the third day and then he ascended to heaven and was given a name that was above every name and then he sat down at the right hand of the Father.

In closing, I want to use an old Hymn to paint for you a picture of what Hebrews, Chapter 8 looks like from an eternal perspective. Remember, that under the Old Covenant, the only way atonement for sin could be attained was through a sacrifice made by a priest. Now, under the New

Covenant, we have a High Priest in the heavens, seated at the right hand of God the Father who has already made atonement for us and even now, makes intercessions for us.

Here’s the greatest thought I can share with you today. JESUS PRAYS FOR YOU.

Some denominations believe that an earthly priest is needed to approach God, but I’m here to tell you that not only can you pray God, but Jesus, the holy son of God is the one who presents your prayers and petitions to God.

I Timothy 2:5-6a sums it up like this: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all”

Arise, My Soul Arise – Charles Wesley

1 Arise, my soul, arise, shake off thy guilty fears. The bleeding Sacrifice, in my behalf appears. Before the throne my surety stands, my name is written on His hands.

2 He ever lives above, for me to intercede; His all-redeeming love, His precious blood to plead, His blood atoned for all our race, and sprinkles now the throne of grace.

3 Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary; They pour effectual prayers, they strongly plead for me. “Forgive him, O, forgive,” they cry, “Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

4 The Father hears Him pray, His dear Anointed One; He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son. His Spirit answers to the blood and tells me I am born of God.

5 My God is reconciled, His pard’ning voice I hear; He owns me for a child, I can no longer fear. With confidence I now draw nigh and “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

Why do we pray, “In Jesus Name” – because Jesus prays to the Father for us.

HALEY COME

I realize that you may be thinking this is a nice thought, but how does it impact my life. That’s a really great question and fortunately, there is an answer.

Why would you want to hang on to an Old Covenant?

– Maybe you don’t want God’s law to be on your mind and your heart.

– Maybe you don’t want to be transformed.

– Maybe you don’t want the closeness of a relationship with God, and you just want a “distant” connection with Him.

– Maybe you want to remain in your sin

If you are part of the New Covenant, these three things are guaranteed to you:

– You will have a transformed mind and heart

– You will know the Lord (relationship, not religion)

– You will know the forgiveness and cleansing of my sins

Ask yourself, “Do I have these three things?”

If you don’t have them, you’ve never entered this covenant relationship with God.

Or, perhaps you have believed in Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and for cleansing from sin, but you’ve stopped there. You haven’t really been transformed in your mind, and your heart. You don’t really have a relationship with God. Perhaps you show up here on Sunday to fulfill a religious duty, but you haven’t really developed a relationship with God.

Whatever the case, today you can start moving toward God from exactly where you are right now. Whatever distance you have from God has been eliminated when He sent Jesus to be the sacrifice for sin. (NT Wright – How close God is to us)

Paint this picture in your mind – Even though Jesus sat down when he accomplished redemption for us on the cross, his work of mediation is still not done because he ever lives to intercede to the Father on our behalf. Here is there and today he is ready to present you to the Father.

Listen to Hebrews 7:25 – “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Several years ago, I felt God tell me he wanted me to pray differently. Because Jesus is our intercessor, and presents our prayers to God, you will usually hear me start like this:

Our Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus…

Listen to the song

You can pray in your seat or the altar is always open in the COTN

Benediction – Hebrews 4:14-16

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

https://www.bible.com/events/49277201

Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Christ Above All: Hebrews Part 4

The heartbeat of the Book of Hebrews is the ultimate supremacy of Christ over all.

Today we are continuing our summer teaching series in the book of Hebrews called “Christ Above All”.

Hebrews was written to a persecuted group of Christians in or around the city of Rome, and under the pressure of the moment, they were tempted to return to their Jewish roots to escape the persecution that came with the name of Jesus.

But as we find in the letter itself, the author has gone to great lengths to show these weary Christians that Christ is better than anything else they can turn to- they shouldn’t give up on him.

The message from the writer of Hebrews is loud and clear: “There’s no life in the old way of doing things. The only source of salvation is Christ alone. He is above all.”

As chapter 8 begins, the writer of Hebrews is about to bring all the conversations about the priesthood of Christ to a head with a final and decisive declaration.j.The message from the writer of Hebrews is loud and clear: “There’s no life in the old way of doing things. The only source of salvation is Christ alone. He is above all.”

Hebrews 8:1-2

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

For several chapters the author has been establishing Jesus as a better high priest through highlighting his better qualities than the earthly priesthood. And He puts the crowning point on his argument when he says “It’s true, we have such a high priest in Christ Jesus, and his is at work in heaven as we speak.

And notice Jesus is not in the earthly tabernacle or temple, but in the heavenly realm. The Author is establishing the superiority of Christ’s priesthood by contrast between the earthly and the heavenly realm.

Hebrews 8:3-4

Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.

Because he wasn’t the right family line, he couldn’t have been a priest on earth. The author seems to want to get the point across, Jesus is no normal priest.

Hebrews 8:5-8

They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.

In verse 5, the author says that the normal priestly activities happen at a tabernacle that is only a mere copy or replica of the real thing. The point is that the tabernacle that they loved so much, while it was close, it was never the thing.

The writer also says that the old covenant didn’t work and that God needed to do something new.

In verse 7 the author implies that if the original covenant would have been working, there wouldn’t have been any need for something new to be done. Of course, the issue was not with the covenant itself, the problem was that God’s people couldn’t keep it.

So, if God wanted relationship with his people, he was going to have to do a new thing- a new covenant. (And spoiler alert: that’s what we have in Christ Jesus.)

Using the prophecy of Jeremiah, the author of Hebrews outlines the details of the new covenant.

Hebrews 8:8-13

But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

If this relationship was going to work, something would have to be different, and that something, was us.

The New Covenant offers the people of God the promise of relationship with God through a new and transformed heart, through the forgiveness of sins, and a personal relationship with God himself.

Whereas the presence of God was to be found in the tabernacle before, now in the new covenant the presence of God is within his people. The law was not just going to be chiseled into stones and coped onto paper- The spirit of God was going to bring it into our hearts and minds.

If this relationship was going to work, something would have to be different, and that something, was us.

If we were going to attempt to summarize all of Chapter 8 into a few sentences- what could that be? It might seem cliché at first, but I think you can summarize it by saying “Christ is above all”

Think about it, throughout this chapter we see that Christ is the superior priest, ministering in the true and better tabernacle, and he is the mediator of a better covenant. Christ is above all.

To the original audience that was considering returning to their Jewish roots this had to be a difficult teaching. “There’s no life in those old ways. All that stuff is obsolete. Now that Jesus was here, there was nowhere else to go to find life. Not in any temple, not in any ceremonial works, nothing.”

In this context, this chapter makes sense.

But what about for us? What should we see here?

I don’t think too many of you are contemplating switching over to practicing Judaism today. But I do believe that it is easy for us to lose sight of the reality that it is Christ alone that provides our salvation.

He gives us a new heart, He forgiveness of sins, and He brings us into right relationship with God. This is the basic foundation of our faith.

But so many times whether it’s by a temptation of the enemy, or our own insecurities and doubts- we begin to feel not good enough. Like we haven’t done enough to be ok with God or maybe we feel like we’ve done too much to be in right relationship with God.

So we try to do more, try to live a better life, try to pray more, cuss less, give the church some of our money- all in the feeble attempt to be enough.

And the reality is, we can never do enough and we can never be good enough. It’s a hopeless endeavor.

But here’s the good news for us: Christ is above all. Our salvation isn’t based on what we can do, but what He has done. Our calling is to place our faith and trust in Him.

It’s the foundational truth of the Gospel and it’s the power of God to save us! Will you place your faith and trust Christ and what he’s done for you?

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“Then, instead of being lazy, you will imitate those who are receiving the promises through faith and patience.”

Hebrews 6:12

“This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard.”

Ephesians 4:13

“Some people once had God’s light. They experienced the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit. They experienced the goodness of God’s word and the powers of the world to come. Yet, they have deserted ⌞Christ⌟. They are crucifying the Son of God again and publicly disgracing him. Therefore, they cannot be led a second time to God.”

Hebrews 6:4-6

“God blesses the earth. So rain often falls on it, and it produces useful crops for farmers. However, if the earth produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Dear friends, even though we say these things, we are still convinced that better things are in store for you and that they will save you.”

Hebrews 6:7-9

“God is fair. He won’t forget what you’ve done or the love you’ve shown for him. You helped his holy people, and you continue to help them. We want each of you to prove that you’re working hard so that you will remain confident until the end.”

Hebrews 6:10-11

“Then, instead of being lazy, you will imitate those who are receiving the promises through faith and patience.”

Hebrews 6:12

No lazy Christians- 5 ways to overcome

1. Pray to God

2. ask for guidance in determining your priorities

3. Establish accountability in a godly community

4. Start with small steps

5. Strive for progress not perfection

Then, instead of being lazy, you will imitate those who are receiving the promises through faith and patience.”

Hebrews 6:12

“This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard.”

Ephesians 4:13

“Some people once had God’s light. They experienced the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit. They experienced the goodness of God’s word and the powers of the world to come. Yet, they have deserted ⌞Christ⌟. They are crucifying the Son of God again and publicly disgracing him. Therefore, they cannot be led a second time to God.”

Hebrews 6:4-6

“God blesses the earth. So rain often falls on it, and it produces useful crops for farmers. However, if the earth produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Dear friends, even though we say these things, we are still convinced that better things are in store for you and that they will save you.”

Hebrews 6:7-9

“God is fair. He won’t forget what you’ve done or the love you’ve shown for him. You helped his holy people, and you continue to help them. We want each of you to prove that you’re working hard so that you will remain confident until the end.”

Hebrews 6:10-11

“Then, instead of being lazy, you will imitate those who are receiving the promises through faith and patience.”

Hebrews 6:12

“How little people know who think that holiness is dull. when one meets the real thing, it is irresistible.”

CS Lewis

No lazy Christians- 5 ways to overcome

1. Pray to God

2. ask for guidance in determining your priorities

3. Establish accountability in a godly community

4. Start with small steps

5. Strive for progress not perfection

6. Abandon yourself to Creator God6. Abandon yourself to Creator God

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

The heartbeat of the Book of Hebrews is the ultimate supremacy of Christ over all.

The heartbeat of the Book of Hebrews is the ultimate supremacy of Christ over all. Christ is King, and is above every power, person, prophet, situation, gift, talent, etc. Over the course of their series, much of our study will focus in on Christ, why He is above all, and how our thoughts and lives should be different because of Him.

The letter of Hebrews begins with that same focus, and that’s where we begin today:

Three Things:

1. The author understood the Old Testament writings extremely well, and they are interwoven into the text.

2. The letter is a pastoral exhortation to the readers, written to early Christians who were being persecuted.

3. The author understood how all of Scripture points to Jesus – that Jesus is greater than the prophets, the angels, key political and spiritual leaders of Israel’s history, sacrifices, etc. Jesus us greater.

From the commentaries:

“The Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the most carefully written books in the New Testament. The author was well informed and articulate about the Jewish Scriptures and the message about Jesus Christ.” – James Earl Massey, True to our Native Land: An African American New Testament Commentary

“Written to challenge a community that the author saw as being in a perilous situation… urging its readers to remain faithful to its confession… Revelation through prophets was promissory in character; it was incomplete, not faulty. By contract, God’s ultimate word through the Son is unique and final.” – Victor Pfitzner, Hebrews: Abingdon New Testament Commentaries

Hebrews 1:1-4

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Hebrews 1:5-14

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.” But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Psalms 2:4-8

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

Psalms 102:25-27

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.

Psalms 45:6-7

Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.

Jesus is the just King of the eternal Kingdom.

From the commentaries:

“The idea that Jesus is the heir of all things addresses the human need to know where life is ultimately headed. Does the one who ends up with the most toys, or the most troops, really win? Does history flicker without a whimper? Do the richer keep on getting richer, and the violent always bear it away, world without end, amen? The preacher of Hebrews assures his congregation that when all is said and done, life does not belong to the demagogue, the oppressor, the tyrant, or the warrior; it becomes to Jesus Christ. The creation does not disintegrate into violence, chaos, and futility; it ensures at a holy inheritance. Human being do not end up in meaningless; they end up as the treasure of the beloved Son.”

– Thomas Long, Hebrews: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching

A full surrender to the Lordship of Christ requires us to align ourselves to Christ.

Our surrender to the Lordship of Christ centers us on the will of God.

Is Jesus the King of my life?

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