Sermon: A Risen Living High Priest

This morning. We're going to look at Hebrews chapter 7 verses 20 through 28 this morning. As we opened God's word together. Bruce chapter 7 verses 20 through 28 Let's pray before we open the word together this morning.

father like the Greeks that approach Philip we approach you this morning and we say that we would see Jesus.

Did you give us? A picture of our savior this morning. Do you help us to see him and

Glory and goodness and His Majesty even as the kids sung this morning. and that we would find that our hearts are touched with the beauty of Christ

Speak to us. We pray by. a strong voice that comes from above speak to us as we each have need in this room this morning. You pray all this in the living word Christ Jesus's name. amen Hebrews chapter 7 verses 20 through 28. This is the holy inherent sufficient word of God.

And it was not without a note for those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath. This one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind you. Are priests forever? This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better Covenant. The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by Death from continuing in office. But he holds his priesthood permanently.

Because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him. Since he always lives. to make intercession for them for it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest. Holy. innocent unstained separated from Sinners and exalted above the heavens. He has no need like those High priests offer sacrifices daily first for his own sins. And then for those of the people

since he did this once for all when he offered up himself for the law points men in their weaknesses High priests But the word of the oath which comes later than the law points the Sun. Who's been made? Perfect. forever though the grass withers and the flower Fades the word of God is forever. Thanks be to God. amen

well my hope this morning as we look at this seventh chapter the close of it here. From the book of Hebrews my hope this morning is that we will together Relish in. This great High. living risen, priest who serve Sinners Like You and Me. Sinners Like You and Me There's no greater gift I or anyone in this room can give you this morning. Or anyone outside of this room can give you this morning or could give you this afternoon or this evening

or in the days or weeks or months or years ahead then to give you the gift of seeing. this beautiful risen living high priest savior It's the greatest gift you can get. My Hope Is this morning that we will see that From this text you need a savior who has the writer of Hebrews says in verse 25 is able to save to the other most those who draw near to God through him you need this. I need this.

The writer of Hebrews would have us see the uniqueness of Christ as Our Risen living high priest this morning and I want to do that this morning by looking at what he walks through in five different ways this morning five different things. He brings about brings out about this living. high priest one that he lives for us. To that he sufficient for us. Three that he was sacrificed for us. For that he intercedes for us.

And five that he is a surety for us. We're going to walk through those five things from the text this morning. The uniqueness of Christ as Our Risen living high priest first he lives. for you he lives for you. You may remember here in chapter 7 those of you that have been here over the past number of weeks that as we've been going through chapter 7. The writer of Hebrews is bringing out that the Lord Jesus Christ was a high priest

and that he was appointed a high priest in a special way. That he was appointed a high priest after the order of Melchizedek and he's going to continue to walk through that here in these final verses of chapter 7 and he's going to do it in the same way that he's done it so far. He's going to go back to that old prophecy in Psalm 110 where someone can speaks about this priest this Christ who is going to come being appointed after

the order of Melchizedek and as he continues through that this morning, he's going to point out again the uniqueness of Christ. He begins by pointing out that God made an oath to Christ as this coming high priest made an oath to him that he did not give to other high priests. That is that there was no priest in the line of Aaron that came after Aaron or Aaron himself that was promised by oath from God that he would remain a priest forever.

And yet the Messiah to come was promised that he would remain a priest for ever. He quotes from someone 10 and verse 21. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You are priest forever. And then he begins to demonstrate this in verse 23 that others did not receive this promise this oath from God quote. The former priests were many a number because they were prevented by Death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood meaning Christ. He

holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. He lives. For us as our priest forever. Now Not only was this not promised to any other priest that had come thus for so we see in history that it was not lived out by any priest who had come before the Lord Jesus Christ. If you think about the long line of priests in the Old Testament to begin with Aaron Moses's brother who will be the high priest of the nation

of Israel as they wander in the wilderness. and then we come to that verse and numbers 20 where we read. This Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain Aaron died. He did not continue as high priest. Later after Israel settled in the promised land his son Eleazar died. And he was succeeded by his son Phineas. And guess what? Phineas died and his son followed him as high priest and guess

what his son died in his son followed him and on it went for Generations upon Generations. Josephus the first century Jewish historian will calculate as he looks back. He will say that from Aaron to the time of the fall of Jerusalem and AD 70. He conjectures that there were eighty-three High priests who succeeded one after another they kept dying.

But didn't Christ die. Now what goes through your mind did he die? Oh, we just reflected upon that just a few days ago on Good Friday at that Good Friday service. We don't deny that he died. He died. In fact, I would argue that Christ's death and the way that he died is more known throughout human history that he died and how he died is more known about him than any other person by more people that have ever lived. People know he died and they know how he died. He

died by crucifixion he died. but when Christ died

when he died his death did not end his priesthood. Why? Because he rose from the dead. He's risen. He's risen indeed. And when he rose he rose as the Conqueror of death, he rose to live forever as or high priest. You're a priest forever. As Paul says in Romans 6:9 we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again death no longer has dominion over him and just to jump a little further in the text or our text he lives for us.

Verse 25 since he always lives to make intercession for them. He's unique. Arisen living high priest who lives for us for sinners second Christ is unique as Our Risen living high priest and that he is sufficient for us. He's sufficient for us verse 25 consequently. He's able to save to the other most those who draw near to God through him he's able. This high priest is more than sufficient. He is able he has the right. He not

only has the right. He has the power. Not to save in part not just to save a little part of you and I not just a segment of Our Lives not even to save us for some period of time or even for some extended period of time. No, the writer of Hebrews says that he is able to save us to the uttermost. completely not just to save us from sin. Not just to save us from hell not just to save us from our adversary and his Legion of demons.

Not just to save us from death, but to save us from all of it. forever to the other most he says through him we can draw near to God. He makes a way unlike any other high priest ever did or ever will why? Because is unique.

Have you ever seen? Those pictures of John F Kennedy during his presidency. Where he's sitting behind the Resolute desk in the overall office. I love those pictures. And he's he's surrounded by mountain tops of paperwork and he's got all of these papers in his hands.

Sacred Space of the Oval Office And you look down in the picture and you see as he's sitting at the Resolute desk at their the door on the front of the Resolute desk. It's wide open. Impering out of that door is John F Kennedy Jr.

He's in that Sacred Space. Is playing at his father's feet?

now if I ask for access to the Oval Office I'm guessing I'm not getting that. If I asked if I could play at the president's feet at his desk while he was working. I'm pretty sure I don't get that. And I'm pretty sure my name would probably go on a list somewhere.

but John Junior could

why? Was his right place. Yet every right and even belonged. The sun has every right to draw near to the father. He has always been near the father. That is his place. In fact in theology. We will use a big term. Called the perichoresis that the father and the son and the spirit these three persons of the one Triune. God had they all mutually indwell one another. You can't get more near to one. Another than that the three persons a father indwells the

sun and the spirit and the son and dwells the father and the spirit in the spirit and dwells the father and the son they are united together. They could not be near and through the Sun. By virtue of your union with the son. We are made Children of the father and given every right to draw near to God.

every right

You belong.

It's yours.

He's sufficient for us.

Not as Christ as our high priest makes such a way for Sinners Like You and Me. That leads to our third point right of Hebrews third Point Christ is unique as Our Risen living high priest and that he was sacrifice for us. Verse 26 the writer says for it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest that is he fits our need he's exactly what you and I needed and what way well he tells us in verse 27. He has no need like those High priests to offer

sacrifice daily. first for his own sins as he says as he continues in verse 26, he's holy. He's innocent. He's unstained. He is very unlike us and so he can fulfill our every need. You and I are very Unholy. We are guilty. We are stained. He is Holy. He is innocent and he is unstained.

William Lane Commentator I think. Said it helpfully in categorizing these three things. He said the first is religious qualification for a priest. He is Holy before God. He has no need to atone for his own sins because there are none. He has no sin. He's holy. Second he's innocent. That is this is his moral qualification as a priest innocent and that he is committed no sin internally or externally not only against God but

never against his fellow Mana either and then we have the cultic or the ceremonial he is unstained. He's not defiled in any way. This is Lane says taken together. This describes the sinlessness of the high priest. And then the writer says he was separated from Sinners and exalted above the heavens separated from Sinners. Not that he avoids Sinners quite the contrary. He sits and eats with tax collectors. He speaks with prostitutes. He was so often among Sinners that

he was accused of being a drunken drunkard and he was accused of being a glutton. He came for sinner. Thanks be to God. He separated from Sinners and that he was and is under undefiled distinct from us completely different from us in this regard. And unlike us and so he can fulfill what we needed. We needed such a man. So that we would have one who could serve as our high priest forever with God. Needed him. You need him?

The next characteristic seals the truth to us. He was exalted above the heavens. And as he entered into the very throne room of God Christ's Victory is declared by his resurrection. It's magnified by his Ascension and he is now at the right hand of the father forever interceding for us living as our high. Priest. He is in the Heavenly Temple now, he dwells above now he's allowed because he is Holy he can be in the presence of God because he is

Holy and he can therefore serve as your high priest forever.

and then verse 27 he makes sacrifice for us. He did once for all when he offered up himself. This holy priest offers himself as a holy sacrifice one sacrifice for all of us. a sufficient sacrifice for sinners we are sinners that need to be atoned for your sin has to be atoned for There has to be a reckoning for the sin that you have committed. God is just that must be reckoned with.

Takes a man to pay such a sin. Because it's the sin of man.

We are men who committed sin and so men must pay the penalty of that sin. It can't be paid by the blood of bulls and goats. That's an impossibility man committed the sin but wait the sin that we have committed is against an infinite God and so it is infinite. How is it that man can pay an infinite debt to God? you can't you can't

but this is the beauty of this high priest. He's truly man. So we can pay that sin. And His holy and righteous and so he can offer up himself and as he offers himself up he is truly God and so he is infinite.

efficient for sinners to offer sacrifice and offer himself a sacrifice for sinner.

For the uniqueness of Christ as Our Risen living high priest. Is that he is one who intercedes for us? He intercedes for us. He's even now living to intercede for you. The writer of Hebrews says. This priesthood on your behalf doesn't in? Hebrews 9 we're told for Christ has entered not into holy places made with hands which are copies of Truth things, but into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. He serves forever as our

advocate. He fervently prays for us. His glorified body risen and living is in the presence of God and it is a living prayer for all of eternity that our Salvation has been accomplished. He answers every charge that is brought against his people. There is no charge that can be brought against you in Christ.

Sin, and Satan May accuse us all they want before God and our conscience make Jesus all at once inside our heads. But Christ by his intercession, he answers all these charges. He intercedes for us. Paul asked that question in Romans 8. He says who can bring a charge against God's elect and the answer is no one can bring a charge against God's elect. No one. and nothing because he intercedes for us.

I mean dear Christian when you're conscience accuses, you know. And it says you you are such a sinner. you can say you're right. I am a sinner. And I have a great. savior Who sufficiently paid the penalty for my sin? That means that when Satan opens up that debt book before God and says, you know what he owes me. He owes you this he owes you that he owes you that. Jesus opens up the law book. It says you are a just God.

You require payment for the penalty of sin? The blood has been shed. The payment has been made. He Bears it in his wounds in his hands and his feet for all of eternity. There is no accusation that can stand before you before the Throne of God none.

If you're in Christ.

I don't want you to misunderstand this though. this idea that the sun is interceding for us before the father thinks some people when they think this Christians they think oh Christ is their pleading on my behalf. And it's the father. He's kind of oh, he's reluctantly giving in and saying. Oh, I guess I'll forgive this sinner. I guess so let him off the hook or her off the hook for that and that life and that's not the picture at all.

Christ's intercession was and it is the Father's plan and provision. It's a father's plan and provision.

I was thinking about this this week in the beginning of the week. I was thinking about this text to my mind immediately ran to Genesis 22 and later in the week. I was reading some other theologians found that their minds were indigenous 22 as well because it is a good text to think on this. and spoke about this last week you remember That when God Appears in that burning bush before Moses on the mount that he will give Moses that Divine name and he

will say I am who I am Yahweh Jehovah. Pastor Kevin also spoke about that the Monday Thursday Service as well. And there are different scriptures where there will be different names attached to that name. Yahweh or Jehovah. And one of the first of those is in Genesis 22. you know that famous text where Abram is called by God take his son Isaac Whom The Promise is to come through he's to take Isaac up Mount Moriah and he is to offer him there as a sacrifice before God.

Remember that scene. Isaac is loaded up with the wood and as he has the wood and they're carrying the fire. He is walking up with Abram up Mount Moriah and he will ask his father the that haunting question. He will say behold. The fire in the wood, but where is the Lamb for a burnt offering?

You remember Abrams answer? Says God will provide for himself the lamb my son.

Mount Moriah after Abram has bound his son and he's laid him on the wood pile and he is raised his knife to slay his son. There's in that beautiful wonderful moment where the Angels stops him. And when Abram lifts his eyes he sees that there is a ram caught in the thicket. And so he is able to offer that Ram as a sacrifice instead of a son and then he names that place Mount Moriah. He names it the Lord will provide Jehovah Jireh.

Where's the lamb father? God will provide the lamb my son. But what's Curious is is that it isn't a lamb. The ram that's caught in the thicket.

Begin to get sense of this who may turn to Second Chronicles 3 and in second chronicles 3, you have this great moment and Redemptive history where Solomon is building the Temple. And he's building that first temple and where does he build it? He builds it on Mount Moriah.

Mount Moriah becomes the Temple Mount where there will be lamb after lamb that is sacrificed, but all of those sacrifices going all the way back to Isaac and that RAM and all those lambs and all those turtle doves and all those things that were sacrificed in the temple. They were only looking forward.

To that final week of Christ's life because Christ's final week of his life is lived there on Mount Moriah. It's on Mount Moriah that he will be betrayed. It's on Mount Moriah that he will be crucified. It's on Mount Moriah that he will be raised from the grave.

God will provide the lamb. The Lord will provide Jehovah Jireh. The father is not reluctant to hear Christ intercession on your behalf. He planned and decreed it. He provided for it from the very beginning. As are risen living high priest Christ intercedes for us and that was and is the plan of God. always

finally Christ is unique as Our Risen living high priest as a surety for us. As a surety for us. He is the writer said in verse 22 the guarantor of a better Covenant. He is or Surety. some of you have read the account of Don Richardson the missionary to the sahui people in Papua Indonesia in the 1960s. He went to these people and unreached people group at the time. They were cannibals. and then their society it was a great virtue to be

able to be Trace someone. Was a great virtue.

scheme and commit things and treachery if you could be friend and betray and then murder and eat a member of an enemy tribe you were celebrated as a hero in the soul, we culture. And so Don Richardson to a surprise when he is sharing the gospel with the saw. We people he gets to the end of the Gospel account and the last week of the life of Jesus and when he shares about judas's betrayal of Jesus, they all cheer and they see Judas is the hero of the

gospel story.

as they said he Judas fattened Jesus up for the slaughter and Don Richardson didn't know what to do with this. Well, how do you how do you get the people? to see the beauty of of the savior of this gospel. If this is what they believe.

He realized as he spent more time with them that when warring Villages were tired of all the Betrayal and the conflict that they had a way to establish. Peace with one another. that they would take a child from one Village and give it to the other Village for the raising of that child. And as long as that child lived there was peace. They called that child the Peace Child.

He told them the gospel story once again, and this time as he shared the gospel with them. He said that Jesus was God's Own. Peace Child given for us These are Surety. Is the guarantor of a better Covenant? He's your guarantee?

If you're in my faith is in him. Your faith is in him my friends. As long as he lives. You live.

He's your Surety. Is your guarantee? As long as he lives. You live. As long as he lives we have peace with God. As long as he lives we can draw near to God as long as he lives we're counted as righteous. As long as he lives we are coheirs with Christ as long as he he lives. God is our father as long as he lives.

He lives.

He lives forevermore. The writer of Hebrews just in these verses will say that to you and I three different times he lives forever. He perfectly lives. He can't die again. It's an impossibility. As Jesus himself will say in Revelation 1. I am the first and the last and the living one. I died and behold. I am alive forever more he has risen. And he lives forever. or

forever

So here's the question.

Have you trusted in this great living high priest to live forevermore? If you have you live forevermore. Because He Lives you live I can't ever be taken away.

Have you? Come to see the beauty and entrusted your life to this great. I priest who lives forevermore.

to pray

father we thank you for so great to Salvation. So great to savior. Whose holy? and stained I'm blemished. separated from sinners who died so that he might be raised and so we might die and be raised with him and live forevermore.

Thank you for such a great high priest. Came to live and die and now Reigns for Sinners such as us. Oh, we pray that every soul and every heart in this room would know Christ as Lord and Savior today. That those that do that we would find that we're rejoicing. And the beauty of so great to say. It's in his name that we pray. amen