Jesus Guarantees the Better Covenant

Hebrews 7:18-28

Purpose: Why would you choose useless imperfection, when you could have eternal perfection?

1. Not Useless Law, But a Better Hope! (7:18-21)

The Law made nothing perfect (v. 19)

Jesus brings “a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (v. 19)

Psalm 110:4

2. Not Ending in Death, But Alive Forever! (7:22-25)

          Jesus is “the guarantee of a better covenant” (v. 22)

          Human priests die (v. 23)

          Jesus “abides forever,” never to die again (v. 24; Rom 6:9)

          Because Jesus is alive forever, He is:

                     A Priest forever (v. 21; Ps 110:4)

                     Able to save you forever (v. 24)

                     Always lives to make intercession for you (v. 25)

3. Not Weak Men, But the Perfect Son Forever! (7:26-28)

          Jesus, the Perfect High Priest is:

                     Holy

                     Innocent

                     Undefiled

                     Separated from sinners

                     Exalted above the heavens

                     Offered Himself once for all!

                     Made perfect forever

Draw near to God in Jesus Christ who guarantees the better covenant of eternal life!

Jesus, Priest King Forever
Hebrews 7:1-17

Purpose: Melchizedek is a forerunner of a better Priest King

1. Who Is Melchizedek? (Heb. 7:1-3)
   Gen 14

2. Melchizedek Greater than Abraham (Heb. 7:4-10)

3. Melchizedek A Shadow of Christ (Heb. 11-17)

Jesus is better:
Than Abraham – receiver of the promise
Than Moses – Giver of the Covenant of Law
Than Melchizedek – King Priest of the Most High God

Who We Are Becoming – Part 2
We Exist to Glorify Christ in Worship, Discipleship, & Mission
Ephesians 4:1-16

Purpose: Everyone has a role to play in glorifying Christ in worship, discipleship,
               and mission.

1. Recognizing the Reign of Christ

2. Recognizing the Role of Elders

Office: Overseer (1 Tim. 3)
Character: Elder (1 Tim. 3 &1 Pet. 5)
Function: Pastor (Eph. 4)

3. Recognizing the Role of Deacons

Office: Servant (1 Tim. 3)
Character: Full of Spirit and Wisdom (1 Tim. 3 & Acts 6)
Function: Maintain Unity (Acts 6)

4. Recognizing the Role of Saints
   Redeemed for Service
    Gifted for service
    Equipped for the work of service

We are designed to glorify Christ in worship, discipleship, and mission, by being Elder led, Deacon served, and Congregationally executed.

Who We Are Becoming – Part 1

We Exist to Glorify Christ in Worship, Discipleship, & Mission

In Worship By:

• God-centered worship in Spirit & Truth (Jn 4:24)
• Expository book-by-book preaching & teaching (2 Tim 4:2)
• Gathering as the church for corporate prayer in one time and place. (Acts 2:42)
• Baptism, Lord’s Supper, & Membership

In Discipleship By:

• Every member gathering in Worship & growing in a Discipleship Group (Heb 10:24-25)
• Growing in the Word & ways of Jesus Christ together (Jn 15)
• Children- Truth78 & VBS (Ps 78:3-4)
• Youth – Truth78 & Disciple 6 (Ps 78:3-4)

In Mission By:

• Great Commission Ministry (Matt 28:18-20) including yearly international mission
    trip(s) to UPGs (Unreached People Groups)
• Every member sharing the Gospel
• Supporting the Cooperative Program, IMB, NAMB, & Send Relief
• Adults on Mission, Royal Ambassadors, Girls in Action, & Mission Friends
• Called to the Nations Scholarship at MBTS

Jesus Our High Priest: Part III – The Permanence of the Promise

Hebrews 6:9-20

Purpose: Building the case for secure salvation in Jesus Christ

1) The Persuasion of Better Things (6:9-12)

          “better things concerning you” (v. 9)

          “things that accompany salvation” (v. 9)

          “hope until the end” (v. 11)

          “inherit the promises” (v. 12)

2) The Permanence of the Promise (6:13-20)

          God swore by the highest possible authority, Himself (vv. 13, 17-19)

          We obtain God’s promise through patient faith and hope (vv. 15, 19)

          Because Jesus is our unfailing and eternal High Priest (v. 20)

The greatest reason for hope in times of trial is that God’s promise in Jesus Christ will never fail!

Jesus Our High Priest: Part II – No Turning Back

Hebrews 6:1-8

Purpose: Building the case for secure salvation in Jesus Christ

1. No Turning Back! (Heb 6:1-6)

Defining “elementary teaching” (6:1)

The key word is “washings” referring to OT practices (6:2)

Defining “tasted” (6:5)

OT people can be described by all of these!

            The readers are to leave OT shadows (“elementary teachings”) and go to NT
            realities

            If the readers go back in the OT shadows, it is impossible for them to be saved!

            Jesus Christ, the cross and His resurrection, changes everything forever!

            Now that Jesus has fulfilled the gospel, it is impossible to go backward and be
            saved!

            Only in the gospel of Jesus Christ can anyone (Jew or Gentile!) be saved

                        First for the Jew and then for the Gentile (Rom 1:16)

2. Parables of Salvation (Heb 6:7-8; Matt 13:1-23)

3. Jesus Christ, the High Priest of “Eternal Salvation” (Heb 5:9, et. al.)

• Hebrews 5:6; 6:20; 7:17 Jesus is “A PRIEST FOREVER” & “a high priest forever”
• Hebrews 5:9 Jesus is “the source of eternal salvation”
• Hebrews 7:24-25 Jesus “holds His priesthood permanently,” “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
• Hebrews 7:27-28 Jesus “once for all” offered Himself, “a Son, made perfect forever”
• Hebrews 9:12 Jesus, through His own blood, “entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption”
• Hebrews 9:15 Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant, so that … those who have been called may receive the promise of the “eternal inheritance.”
• Hebrews 10:10 Believers are “sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
• Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord

Three Options Concerning Salvation:

A Non-Christian is not saved

A False-Christian = false profession (Matt 7; 23:27) = not saved

A True-Christian will persevere = “perseverance of the saints” = eternal security

Jesus Our High Priest: Part I

Hebrews 5

Purpose: Building the case for secure salvation in Jesus Christ

1. Overview: The Superiority of the Son Jesus Christ

The Son Jesus Christ is the completed revelation (1:1-3)

The Son’s superiority to angels (1:4-2:18)

             Warning: Since Jesus is superior to the angels, listen to His message (2:1)

The Son’s superiority to Moses (3:1-4:13)

   Warning: Since Jesus is superior to Moses, then we better heed (3:12; 4:1)    

          The Son’s superiority to Aaron (4:14-10:18)

               A better position (4:14-16)

1. Focus: The Superiority of the Son Jesus Christ as Our High Priest

Jesus is the BETTER priest (5:1-8:6)

Jesus’ qualifications for priestly service: eternal, Son, Melchizedek (5:1-6)

Jesus’ surpassing qualifications: designated by God,
                                                       100% obedient Son (5:7-10)

Jesus, “the source of eternal salvation” (5:9)

The problem of dullness concerning Melchizedek (5:11-14)

The book calls believers to move on from OT shadows
           to the reality in Jesus

    Warning: The danger of going back once Jesus has arrived (5:11-6:20)

Conclusion: Heed the warnings, stay in Christ!

It is impossible for Christ to fail in His High Priestly Service! (8:1-6)

The point of failure is if a person denies Christ by turning to others/angels/Moses/Aaron.

Who or what carries the day in your life of faith?

Are you trusting your soul’s salvation to the unfailing High Priest Jesus Christ?

Or are you trusting in anything other than Jesus Christ?

The Accomplishment of the Son
Hebrews 4

Purpose: Jesus has accomplished everything necessary for God, both now and in eternity. Therefore, let us rest in Him.

1. Rest In His Faith (Heb. 4:1-5)
   Our faith is his gift

2. Rest In His Work (Heb. 4:6-10)
   Jesus is the better Joshua

3. Rest In His Word (Heb. 4:11-13)
   Be a willing patient

4. Rest In His Grace (Heb. 4:14-16)
   Be Bold and Take Hold

The Assurance of the Son
Hebrews 3:12-19

Purpose: Jesus Christ, our high priest, is the source and securer of our salvation. Therefore, let us hold fast to Him alone.

1. A Warning Against Unbelief (3:12)
      Remember the 4 Soils

2. The Pathogen of Unbelief (3:13)
   Deadly Deceit

3. The Antidote to Unbelief (3:14)
   Christ – the active Cause
      We need each other

4. The Symptoms of Unbelief (3:15-19)
   Know the signs of the disease

The Faithfulness of the Son
Hebrews 3:1-11

Purpose: Jesus is the faithful Son over God's house, therefore, hold fast to Him and do not harden your hearts.

1. Consider Jesus (Heb. 3:1)

2. Consider the Son Greater Than the Servant (Heb. 3:2-6a)

3. Consider the Consequences of A Hardened Heart (Heb. 3:6b-11)

The Sacrifice of the Son
Hebrews 2:10-18

Purpose: Jesus Christ, the Son, by his sacrifice has satisfied the just wrath of God and made us co-heirs of the inheritance.

1. To Call Us Brothers (Heb. 2:10-13)

2. To Free Us From Sin (Heb. 2:14-15)

3. To Make Propitiation For Us (Heb. 2:16-18)

The Sovereignty of the Son

Hebrews 2:5-9

Purpose: Jesus Christ, although briefly lower than the angels, is eternally glorified and sovereign over all.

1. Christ Briefly Lowered, Is Sovereign Over the World (Heb. 2:6-8a)

2. Christ Briefly Lowered, Is Sovereign Over the World to Come (Heb. 2:5,8b)

3. Christ Briefly Lowered, Is Eternally Glorified As Sovereign (Heb. 2:9)

The Sufficiency of the Son

Hebrews Chapter 2:1-4

Purpose: Jesus alone is sufficient to make peace with God through the better covenant of Grace.

1. Lean Into Christ (Heb. 2:1)
        “Follow” is a verb.

2. Look to Christ (Heb. 2:2-3)
        New Covenant > Old Covenant

3. Listen to Christ (Heb. 2:4)
        YHWH has spoken in Son

The covenant of grace, proclaimed and provided by Christ, is better than the covenant of law proclaimed by angels. Christ alone is sufficient; we must place our hope in him.