Preparations The hearts of those attending The workers The weather and facilities

Preparations

The hearts of those

attendingThe workers

The weather and facilities

Hebrews

The Superiority of Christ

Access Granted

Hebrews 7:11-28

Psalm 27:4 (ESV)4One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek

after:that I may dwell in the

house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze

upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple

Psalm 42:1-2 (ESV)1As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the

living God. When shall I come and appear before

God?

Psalm 65:1 (ESV)4Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,to dwell in your courts!

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your

house,the holiness of your

temple!

11Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical

priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek,

rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12For when there

is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in

the law as well.

Hebrews 7:11-28 (ESV)

13For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to

another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and

in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about

priests. 15This becomes even more evident when another

priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,


16who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal

requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an

indestructible life. 17For it is witnessed of him, "You are a

priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." 18For on the one

hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its

weakness and uselessness


19(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand,

a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 20And it was not without an

oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21but 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 a priest forever."


22This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. 23The

former priests were many in number, because they were

prevented by death from continuing in office, 24but he

holds his priesthood permanently, because he

continues forever. 25Consequently, 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.


26For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high

priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and

exalted above the heavens. 27He has no need, like those high

priests, to 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.


28For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which

came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been

made perfect forever.


2 aspects of the New Priesthood

1) The Necessity of a New Priesthood

vs. 11-14

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language

Eugene H. Peterson

ESV – English Standard Version

A) The FAILURE of the Levitical priesthood

“English Standard Version” 11Now if perfection had been

attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people

received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the

order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of

Aaron?


“The Message” If the priesthood of Levi and Aaron, which provided the

framework for the giving of the law, could really make people perfect, there wouldn't have

been need for a new priesthood like that of

Melchizedek.


→ Through man victory can NEVER be

achieved over sin


1) The Necessity of a New Priesthood

vs. 11-14

B) The CHANGE of priesthood

B) The CHANGE of priesthood (vs. 12-14)

“The Message”But since it didn't get the job done, there was a change of priesthood, which brought with it a radical new

kind of law. There is no way of understanding this in terms of the old Levitical priesthood, which is

why there is nothing in Jesus' family tree connecting him with

that priestly line.

B) The CHANGE of priesthood (vs. 12-14)

→ Christ brought about a change for the BETTER

2) The Superiority of the New Priesthood (vs. 15-28)

A) Superior because of God's OATH (vs. 15-22)

“The Message”But the Melchizedek story provides a perfect analogy: Jesus, a priest

like Melchizedek, not by genealogical descent but by the

sheer force of resurrection life—he lives!—"priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek." The former way of doing things, a system of

commandments that never worked out the way it was supposed to, was set aside; the law brought

nothing to maturity.

Another way—Jesus!—a way that does work, that brings us right into the presence of God, is put in its

place. The old priesthood of Aaron perpetuated itself automatically,

father to son, without explicit confirmation by God.

But then God intervened and called this new, permanent

priesthood into being with an added promise:

God gave his word; he won't take it back: "You're the permanent priest." This makes Jesus the guarantee of a far better way

between us and God—one that really works! A new covenant.

A) Superior because of God's OATH (vs. 15-22)

→ Christ's priesthood allows us to draw NEAR to God

...that brings us right into the presence of God...

...through which we draw near to God...

B) Superior because of its PERMANENCE (vs. 23-25)

“The Message”Earlier there were a lot of priests,

for they died and had to be replaced. But Jesus' priesthood is permanent. He's there from now to

eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always

on the job to speak up for them.


“The Message”Earlier there were a lot of priests,

for they died and had to be replaced. But Jesus' priesthood is permanent. He's there from now to

eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always

on the job to speak up for them.


“English Standard Version”24but he holds his priesthood

permanently, because he continues forever.


→ Christ's priesthood allows us to have eternal HOPE

C) Superior because of Christ's CHARACTER (vs. 26-28)

“The Message”So now we have a high priest who perfectly fits our needs: completely holy, uncompromised by sin, with

authority extending as high as God's presence in heaven itself. Unlike the other high priests, he

doesn't have to offer sacrifices for his own sins every day before he can get around to us and our sins.


“The Message”He's done it, once and for all:

offered up himself as the sacrifice. The law appoints as high priests

men who are never able to get the job done right. But this intervening

command of God, which came later, appoints the Son, who is absolutely, eternally perfect.


→ Christ's priesthood allows us to have eternal CONFIDENCE

and COMFORT

...He's done it, once and for all:...appoints the Son, who is

absolutely, eternally perfect.

(ESV) since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

Documents

Preparations The hearts of those attending The workers The weather and facilities