Hope: God s Great High Priest

Transcription

1 Hope: God s Great High Priest Hebrews 5:1-10 (NIV) Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 6 And he says in another place, You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. 7 During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 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 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Subject Question: In what four ways does the writer of Hebrews state Jesus ministry as high priest contrasts those who had held the office before? Compliment answer: Son of God vs. Son of Man, Priest Forever vs. Priest for a Time, Submission driven by love vs. Submission driven by fear, Source of Salvation vs. Shadow of Salvation. Big Idea: The four ways that the writer of Hebrews states Jesus ministry contrasts those who had held the office before are, Son of God vs. Son of Man, Priest Forever vs. Priest for a Time, Submission driven by love vs. Submission driven by fear, Source of Salvation vs. Shadow of Salvation. Homiletical Idea: A Lenten Life- - Part III Purpose: I want the congregation grasp the awe- inspiring ramifications of being a being chosen, cherished, and charged by Jesus Christ. Introduction: Lent is a season of Hope. In our third Hope- filled message today, we look at the role of High Priest that Jesus held, holds, and honors in the life of every person who comes to know and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. The real question to begin with is why? Why was there a need to have a system of priests and more, a High Priest who would intercede for all of the people, including the other priests? The answer of course is that the Old Testament offices were God s shadow of what was to ultimately come. The facts haven t changed: all people need a mediator, someone who would stand between them and God to offer the right sacrifices in order that a relationship could be restored.

2 The grace issue is found in the fact that God himself actually provided a mediator to begin with. I. The Shadows (Verses 1-4) A. Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. B. Consider the shadows that the writer of Hebrews points out concerning the role of the High Priest to begin with 1. Every high priest is selected from among the people High Priest Selected From the People: Shadow=Jesus was Selected by God from the People. 2. and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, High Priest Represented people before God: Shadow=Jesus represented not only people before God but God before the People. 3. to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. High Priest Offered continuous sacrifices for sin. Shadow=Jesus would offer the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin, himself He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. High Priest was Empathetically Powerless. Shadow= the weak human nature of Jesus who in turn is able to be Powerfully Empathetic. 5. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. High Priest Sacrificed for Him and Others. Shadow=Jesus Sinlessness allowed Him to Sacrifice His All for Others. 6. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. High Priest Divinely appointed to serve the people. Shadow= Jesus was Divinely appointed to serve His Father and Save His people. C. (Contra) The High Priest would enter the holy of Holies: a rope was tied to His foot and bells were attached to the tassels of His Robe. If the High priest had entered unclean, the bells would stop ringing

3 and the other priests would pull the dead High Priest out of the Holy of Holies with the rope. D. Jesus entered once into the holy of Holies: Hebrews 9 11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, [a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, [c] so that we may serve the living God! Praise the Lord! II. Separateness (Verses 5-10) A. In the next 6 versus the writer of Hebrews explores the 4 great differences that separates the role of Jesus being our Great High Priest, 1. Our High Priest Jesus=Son of the God vs. Son of a man= Hebrew High Priest 5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, You are my Son; today I have become your Father a. Our High Priest is not only fully human, but he also is fully God. He is the answer to all the priestly systems put in place. What we as finite, unholy humans could only partially accomplish, God Himself accomplished by appointing His infinite, very own Son, who would accomplish perfectly what the Father desired for all people. 2. Our High Priest Jesus=Priest Forever vs. Priest for a Time=Hebrew High Priest 6 And he says in another place, You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. a. There is no more need for any other high priest. The role that had been handed down from generation to generation now could stop. The shadow had been replaced by the substance. The permanent, Eternal High Priest could now take up His Heavenly Priestly role. 3. Our High Priest Jesus=God s heart earned though Submission driven by Love vs. Submission driven by fear= God s ear earned though obedience of the Hebrew High Priest. 7 During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

4 a. The Father loves His Son, OUR High Priest. Thus, scriptures such as Romans 8:33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died more than that, who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Certainly tell us that the father not only hears our prayers but also hears the very heartbeat of His Son on our behalf. What a place of Privilege we hold! 4. Our High Priest Jesus= Very Source of Salvation vs. Vicarious Shadow of Salvation=Hebrew High Priest. 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 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. a. Jesus is the real deal. He not only was the Sacrifice, HE is the One now in charge of the heavenly altar. He not only is the ultimate High Priest. He is OUR High priest. He stands in His priestly robe before the Father as the one who stands up for us, who will always stand up for us and defend us. Which leads us to our final consideration. III. Significance A. 1 Peter 2 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. B. One of the great doctrines of the church is the biblical acknowledgment of the priesthood of all believers. You my beloved are many things as a believer in Christ, a family member, a fellow citizen of Heaven, a sinner saved by grace, Jesus sibling and joint heir, But the most ironic role is the one of your priesthood. C. (Contra) We serve the high priest, but we also are His priests. In other words we too are to intercede for the people. We too are to point people to the altar where the Sacrifice for their sins has been realized in the life, death and resurrection of the Lamb of God. We too, are to offer praises to God and serve in his temple. Find your gifts use them priest! We too, are to be set apart, serving the high priest and being like the high priest. Holy, Decent, giving, sacrificing for others, kindhearted, generous, forgiving.

5 D. We are the shadows in our generation of the one who came to be the Great High Priest of Heaven.