The Gospel Project: The Interceding Priest (Doctrine Session)
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Intro:
Q. If you could pick something to permanently stay clean, what would you choose?
Christ > permanently cleansed
Jesus as Priest
He intercedes for us
Read essential doctrine: Christ as Preist
Read Essential Connection
Watch doctrine video
Q. What are some highlights from the video concerning the idea of Jesus being a priest?
Main Point: Jesus intercedes on our behalf as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.
Jesus is the permanent priest
23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing,
24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.
25 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.
V. 23: High priests were the only ones who could offer sacrifices for sin.
But they always died
V.24: Jesus is the resurrected priest
V.25: Permanent Priest = Permanent salvation
Q. What does it mean that Jesus constantly intercedes for us (see V. 25)?
Intercede = intervene on behalf of others or advocate for them.
A person who intercedes stands between the accused and the punishment
Q. For centuries, the people relied on a preist to atone for their sins. How do we sometimes rely on others to be right with God? Why is this thinking harmful?
System ended with Jesus’ death and resurrection
Probably hard to accept at first
We sometimes depend on others for our faith
While we should encourage each other, we shouldn’t depend on anyone but Christ
It is important to make your faith your own
Main Point: Jesus intercedes on our behalf as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.
Jesus is the permanent priest
Jesus is the perfect priest
26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;
27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.
V.26: Jesus is a distinct, separate preist
V.27: The high priests were imperfect, and thus had to offer up sacrifices daily, both for themselves and for the sins of the people.
The law was perfect, but no one could perfectly follow it.
V.28: Law = weak priest vs. God’s oath: perfect Son
Concerning the failure of the old priesthood and law: Jesus wasn’t a
“plan B’
God knew that we wouldn’t be able to follow the Law completely
Their failure pointed towards Jesus
Q. When have you struggled with striving for perfection?
Pressure
Performance
Grades
Appearance
This can breed legalism
God commands holiness, but can’t be Holy without Him
Striving for holiness, fully dependent on the Holy Spirit
Q. Why is it dangerous to rely on our own perfection in keeping God’s law instead of relying on Christ’s perfection?
The failure of the Pharisees
One part = whole law
We are no different when we rely on our own ability
Our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20)
More about heart posture than the “stuff” that you do
Main Point: Jesus intercedes on our behalf as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.
Jesus is the permanent priest
Jesus is the perfect priest
Jesus is the purifying priest
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
V.11: Jesus enters the Heavenly tabernacle
V. 12: His own blood > the holy place
V. 13-14: His blood provides greater purification
OT Sacrifices: temporary ceremonial purity
Jesus’ sacrifice: inner, spiritual cleansing that touches the conscience
God’s justice no longer makes demand of us
Q. What does it mean to be spiritually clean?
Being cleansed from sins
Accept God’s gift > covered with His holiness
Q. When have you allowed guilt to keep you from moving forward with God? How does verse 14 encourage you?
Guilt holds us back from accepting God’s forgiveness
Freed from burden of making ourselves pure
Christ Connection:
In the Old Testament, God established a priesthood among His people. The priests’ role was to intercede on behalf of the people and perform regular animal sacrifices to purify them for their sins. Jesus is the perfect priest, the High Priest who interceded on behalf of the people by laying down His life to be a once-and-for-all sacrifice for sin.
Head: How does it increase your faith to know Jesus was our final sacrifice, providing us with permanent forgiveness?
We sometimes forgive temporarily
Completely forgiving can be really hard
He offers us complete forgiveness
Experiencing His forgiveness daily through repentance
Heart: Why do we sometimes find it hard to believe Jesus completely cleanses us from our sins?
Sometimes harder to forgive ourselves than others
Struggling to accept his forgiveness
1 John 1:9: He is faithful and just to forgive our sins
Jesus gave His life so that we could live in the freedom of forgiveness
Hands: How can you help others see Jesus is the perfect, permanent, and purifying priest?
Seeing us walk in forgiveness
Seeing a change in us = opens a door
Final Takeaway: Let Jesus’ forgiveness give the context of freedom to your obedience.