JESUS -Cleanses the Worst of Sinners - Studies in the Book of Hebrews #4
Text: Hebrews 7&8
Good morning again to all who have gathered with us this day which
is the day nearly 2000 years ago that Jesus claimed as His own by
rising from the dead and granting a victory over death Hell and the
grave to all who follow Him!
We are continuing again this week with the great book of Hebrews
whose author is the Holy Spirit written to encourage Christians to keep
on following the One who brought them life eternal. There is a
temptation sometimes to leave the Christian life and pursue new or old
passions, but by keeping on course with Christ, you will never be
dissatisfied.
We saw in chapters 5&6 that Jesus Christ our great high priest has
secured for those who obey Him eternal salvation that nobody can take
away! That a Christian can know with full assurance that he/she is
saved! When we take Jesus on and come up out of that watery grave of
baptism and lead a new life under His direction, a Christian can smile
about his future and know that He has an account in heaven that will
never come back insufficient funds!
We are going to deal with another question that troubles many
Christians at different times:
Not can a faithful Christian know he is saved for sure, but can someone
who has been unfaithful after knowing what was right and wrong ever
come back?
I don't know if you have ever been in this valley of deep
spiritual despair or not but for those who have traveled it, it is like
longing for that comforting rod and staff of the Lord in the valley
but feeling that you are just too awful to have it! You have taken
Jesus on, you have asked him to forgive you of your sins, you have even
vowed to not do certain things again, and then you discover that
you've done it again!
Is there any hope for a person like me?
Is there any water left in the well of grace?
Have you wandered so far that the shadow of the cross is out of reach?
As I stated earlier in this series, this book basically corresponds
well with the message of Jesus in the gospels. If I could relate one
story Jesus told to these next two chapters it is the prodigal Son!
In Luke 15, after coming to his senses which we would call
repentance, he comes to his father knowing he is not deserving of
sonship but maybe he could be a servant and then it happens that the
father runs out to meet him and the message is loud and clear, you can
always come home to the Father!
At first glance chapters 7 & 8 appear to be dealing with a different
subject than that, but it sets up this great theme.
Can I come back to God after falling so low?
7:1-10- to show the distinction between the priesthood of Jesus and
that of Aaron the writer has reminded us that Jesus' priesthood is
after the order of Melchizedek. (14th chapter of Genesis records this
account)
Who was this Melchizedek?
How does this help us in determining the rank of Christ's priesthood
compared to all others?
Vs.1-3- king and priest at the same time!
His name is beautiful- king of righteousness and king of peace!
No parents- this is significant because to be a priest in Judaism you
had to belong to Levi!
Had no beginning or end- priest continually!
So, Jesus is more like Melchizedek than Levi by a long shot!
What does this mean?
Melchizedek received a tithe from Abraham and then blessed him! He
then is greater than Abraham! (vs.6,7) this thought may never have
occurred to a Jew before:
someone could be greater than Abraham?
But, the lesser is always blessed by the greater (Isaac-Jacob
Gen.27:27-29, Christ-apostles Luke 24:50,51)
The point is, Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek!
Why has the writer brought all of this up?
There is an important truth in the Bible that many in the Christian
world have yet to understand! The Old law was good (Josh.1:8), holy
(Psalms 119:1-3), from God, we can still learn from it (Romans 15:4)
but it was only temporary as being a guide for religious practice!
Why?
Because it wasn't perfect!
Listen to what the writer than tells us about the change of
priesthood!
7:11-19- Because the priesthood changed, the law had to have changed!
11-14- the old priesthood made nothing perfect!
It could not make the sinner sinless (Romans 8:3). If it could, there
would be no need for another priesthood, in fact there would be no need
for Jesus Christ.
The promise given to Abraham did not find its
completion or perfection in the law but in Jesus - Galatians 3:16-18.
The Law of Moses did not say a priest could come from Judah it was
silent on the matter, Jesus came from Judah so a new law had to come
into effect! When the law does not permit it, it can't be done under
that law!
Jesus has come according to the power of an endless life!
With Jesus something far superior has come (vs.16-19). What is this
far superior thing?
We can draw near to God through Jesus! (6:19, Romans 5:1,2)
7:21-28- now, why is this priesthood so much more meaningful?
22-24- Christ himself guarantees this covenant, how?
He lives forever. Because He lives forever, his law shall never
change!
Here is the key passage:
Since His priesthood abides forever, since His covenant is better, what
does that mean?
25-28- He saves us to the uttermost!
If you could describe the blackest of sin and the most lost sinner,
you have not exhausted the love of God in Christ Jesus!
And he always lives to make intercession!
Since he has not died, he lives to intercede on our behalf! Jude:24,
Romans 8:33,34. How does he guarantee this?
holy, harmless, distinct from sinners, offered one sacrifice:
himself!
8:1-6- what is he getting at?
Our high priest different from the Old Testament ministers in the real
thing! The Old priests ministered in the shadow of the true things.
The law and everything under it was just a shadow, the new covenant,
the church is the real!
He sits in the heavens, he ministers at the true sanctuary &
tabernacle. Moses had to build according to the pattern of the shadow.
We build according to the pattern of the real!
So, Christ has a better ministry, why?
A better covenant with better promises - 2 Cor.3:6-8.
7-13- what was the need for the new covenant?
Vs.12- sins and iniquities remembered no more!
The old covenant is done, the new is here and how wonderful it is!
Jesus' message in the new covenant- you can be made right with God no
matter where you are- Matthew 9:12,13
Come to him, not to Moses, not to anyone else but Jesus!
Back to lessons page.
Back to home page.