26) Hebrews - The Mediator of the New Covenant
Notes
Transcript
Teach God’s Character and Work. (The Word)
So that the people may turn from a rebellious Heart (Root) Sins of “Unbelief, Pride, Selfishness” (Repentance)
and “Be Reconciled to God” (Justification)
Resulting in Transformation - behavioral change of the work of the HS (Sanctification)
Which is obedience to the will of God (The Word)
Resulting in being encouraged by God’s Character and Work to hold fast to the Promise of Hope. (Faith and Belief)
Resulting in Eternal Rest, Joy, Peace, Worship (Glorification)
For His Glory
Gathering - Community Announcements
Welcome Folder
Call to Worship
Of David. 1 Lord, I appeal to you. 2 My God, I trust in you. Do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me. 3 No one who waits for you will be disgraced; those who act treacherously without cause will be disgraced. 4 Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long. 6 Remember, Lord, your compassion and your faithful love, for they have existed from antiquity. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of your goodness, Lord. 8 The Lord is good and upright; therefore he shows sinners the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth to those who keep his covenant and decrees. 11 Lord, for the sake of your name, forgive my iniquity, for it is immense. 12 Who is this person who fears the Lord? He will show him the way he should choose. 13 He will live a good life, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The secret counsel of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he reveals his covenant to them. 15 My eyes are always on the Lord, for he will pull my feet out of the net. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am alone and afflicted. 17 The distresses of my heart increase; bring me out of my sufferings. 18 Consider my affliction and trouble, and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider my enemies; they are numerous, and they hate me violently. 20 Guard me and rescue me; do not let me be disgraced, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and what is right watch over me, for I wait for you. 22 God, redeem Israel, from all its distresses.
Corporate Prayer -
Worship through Song
Worship through Song
Scripture Every Man:
A psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. 2 He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.
Worship through Song
Prayer
Sermon
Introduction
Introduction
Well we come to the last day of 2023. Definitely a year of highs and lows but in my opinion a year that God has has blessed and grown his church here at Dishman. The gathering of families who have put their faith and trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ.
I hope this season each and every person spent a little more time thinking about, focusing on and worshiping our Lord and savior. God who was born of a virgin and lived a perfect life to be the sacrifice to redeem us back to God.
I encouraged you to open you bibles on Christmas morning and I hope some of you were able to do that this year.
But now we come to the New Year. Many will start to make resolutions for heath or jobs. Some will start to work off the expenses that they occured this year with the extra expenses this time of year. Many will come off of a high of family and friends and find themselves alone in the dreary months ahead.
The New Year takes on a different feel for each and every person but we must continue to keep our attention on Jesus and the work he has done for our sake.
We have been working though the second large discourse in the book of Hebrews. The section that the author defends and explains the superior, the new covenant. The promised agreement that was foretold in the old testament by prophets like Jeremiah and claimed by Jesus as the new covenant in his blood at the Lord’s Supper.
The last couple of weeks we have seen how the old covenant given to the Israelites after they left Egypt and the sacrifices were symbols that represented the true things that came with the new covenant.
We saw that Christ obtained redemption and our consciences are cleansed from dead works so that we can serve the living God.
11 But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), 12 he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?
The old testament sacrifices were unable to bring eternal redemption of man. Man conscience could not be cleansed without the sacrifice of Christ himself. Which is where we pick up today.
15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in effect while the one who made it is living. 18 That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. 19 For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you. 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood. 22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. 25 He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. 26 Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Mediator by Death
Mediator by Death
Because Jesus gave himself as the perfect atoning sacrifice. He has became the mediator of the new covenant. This is a concept that has been mentioned by the author before if you recall in chapter 8
6 But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises.
Jesus has obtained a superior ministry of being a mediator between a Holy, just God and fallen sinful men and women.
He comes back to explicitly connect Jesus’ sacrifice to His work as a mediator for the new covenant. This was a concept the Jewish Christians were struggling to come to understand. How did the sacrifice of Jesus lead to this.
15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Jesus has become the true high priest and sat down at the right hand of God. He brought the true sacrifice in the true tabernacle and in the presence of God in heaven. Because of the fulfilment of God’s plan in this way Jesus is the true mediator between man and God.
Purpose:
Because with out Jesus acting as mediator there is no way for the called to receive the promise. The promise of eternal inheritance. This idea of being heirs and inheritors of the promise of eternal redemption has been one of the ways that the author has used to help the struggling Christians come to understand these truths.
2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.
Jesus is the heir of all things and we become co-heirs in this inheritance.
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Those that are called need a mediator for this inheritance. The called are the summoned. to be called means
to be summoned (state) v. — to be or become subject to an authoritative demand for one’s presence or participation.
Those that God summoned to himself will receive this eternal inheritance because Christ mediates for them but there was a requirement for this to happen.
Requirement:
Hebrews 9:15 (CSB)
... because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
A death, not one of goats or bulls but of a perfect representative of mankind. Jesus. This death took place not to cover sin but to redeem man from transgressions. Specifically here the transgressions under the first covenant.
The word here used for transgressions isn’t the common Greek word for sin hamartia meaning “to miss the mark” This is the word used for blatant transgression of consistence breaking of God’s will and word. This was considered the worst type of sin. To know the will of God and then to willingly cross that line into sin and rebellion.
Redemption of those who in trusted in the coming promised savior and faithfully attempted to obey God’s Law even though they proved that every single person would willfully transgress those Laws, was given though the New Covenant. Redemption was retroactive like the Day of atonement was.
The people would wait expectantly on the Day of atonement for the priest to return from the Holy of Holies at the end of his ministry that day. For if he failed to perform any part of the ceremony or if God refused the gift the priest would be stricken dead but when the priest exited the last time they would know that the sins of the previous year would have been atoned for. The Day of atonement was retro active and so was the redemption of men under the old covenant. All of the sacrifices under the old covenant were symbolic of this death. Even the day of atonement was symbolic of the atonement of Christ’s sacrifice.
By why is redemption of man tied to death. Why? Because sin requires death. either death of the one who committed the sin or a suitable substitute.
Sin Requires death:
17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”
4 Look, every life belongs to me. The life of the father is like the life of the son—both belong to me. The person who sins is the one who will die.
32 Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.
From Genesis to Revelation this has been true. sin requires death. The sacrifices were a reminder of this every day in the life of the community of Isreal.
Sin separates man from God a man cannot approach God in sin so how can men be redeemed? The answer is through a true mediator.
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,
Intercession:
This mediator intercedes for weak men and women
34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”
There is one mediator and intercessor and the author then uses an example of a human will to help to convey his point about the death being required for the promise to be fulfilled.
Example of Death
Example of Death
16 Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in effect while the one who made it is living.
The theme of inheritance is continued here with the example of a will and testament. If you have ever created a will or been a recipient of a parent’s last will and testament. When does the will take effect. It takes effect once the person who made it passes away. This was a common legal method for passing down the inheritance from generation to generation like we do it today.
The author is making the claim that even thought the promise made in the old testament of salvation was guaranteed based on the faithful character of God, the one who made the promise, the effect of the promise, the redemption and the eternal inheritance did not take effect until the one who made the will died. When Jesus died as the perfect atoning sacrifice the will was put into effect the promised were recieved. For those who were summoned and called.
Then the author starts to speak on the effects of the will.
Forgiveness by Death
Forgiveness by Death
18 That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. 19 For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you. 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood. 22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Forgiveness of sin is fundamental to the life of a believer. We desperately need forgiveness.
8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
We also here David’s plea for forgiveness
1 Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. 2 Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you—you alone—I have sinned and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence; you are blameless when you judge. 5 Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
Forgiveness of sin was accomplished under the old covenant and the new covenant.
17 “If someone sins and without knowing it violates any of the Lord’s commands concerning anything prohibited, he is guilty, and he will bear his iniquity. 18 He must bring an unblemished ram from the flock according to your assessment of its value as a guilt offering to the priest. Then the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the error he has committed unintentionally, and he will be forgiven.
Jeremiah Foretold it
34 No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin.
John the Baptist Proclaimed it
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
We hear Jesus make the promise
27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Paul confirms it
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Without the shedding of blood there is NO forgiveness. None what so ever. The symbols were a reminder of this. The priests in white would perform the sacrifices. Some claim up to 250,000 lambs in a single passover. We don’t really comprehend the constant reminder this would have been for them.
The priests would enter in white and exit in crimson. All the while reminding them of the severity of their sins. That they need forgiveness from their sin and that death was required. day after day. there was this physical reminder of the consequence of their sin with their relationship to their God.
Blood was required to to purify. Death was the payment of the debt that was incurred.
13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.
According to the Law almost everything was purified with blood. This is believed to be a reference to the exception to death being required for forgiveness
6 He must bring his penalty for guilt for the sin he has committed to the Lord: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin. 7 “But if he cannot afford an animal from the flock, then he may bring to the Lord two turtledoves or two young pigeons as penalty for guilt for his sin—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. 8 He is to bring them to the priest, who will first present the one for the sin offering. He is to twist its head at the back of the neck without severing it. 9 Then he will sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is to be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering. 10 He will prepare the second bird as a burnt offering according to the regulation. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven. 11 “But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring two quarts of fine flour as an offering for his sin. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.
This was the only exception and reinforces that the sacrifices were symbols as these were also symbolic of death even though it was fine flour.
Forgiveness of a person's sin can only be accomplished by death and blood. In the end each and every sacrifice under the law pointed to the one and only true sacrifice.
One Sacrifice to Remove Sin
One Sacrifice to Remove Sin
23 Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. 25 He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. 26 Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Christ is said to appear twice. The first is what we see recorded in the scriptures and that we look back to for our hope in eternal salvation and the second is when he comes to bring all of those who are saved into the presence of God with him. Into the true sanctuary.
One commentator wrote it this way.
Hebrews (3) Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant (9:15–28)
The two appearances of Jesus mentioned in Heb 9:26, 28 correspond to the appearances of the high priest on the Day of Atonement. His first appearance was in the outside courtyard to offer the sacrifice on the altar of burnt offering. From here, he entered the sanctuary, carrying the blood for atonement, and in so doing he passed out of sight of the people. The people anxiously awaited his return. Upon completion of his duties in the inner sanctuary, he emerged to the great joy of all the people. In a similar fashion, Jesus our high priest appeared the first time in his incarnation to make atonement for our sins on the cross (9:26). His ascension took him out of sight into the presence of God where he continually appears as our advocate (7:25). One day he will return to this earth and “appear again a second time” (9:28) to bring final salvation.
This sacrifice to remove sins was a single event. Otherwise as the author states Christ would have had to die since Adam and Eve first disobeyed God in the garden.
Because all men will die one day. The day is appointed just like Christ’s day was appointed before the time began. Judgement will come to every person.
Each and every person will stand before the Holy and good God by themselves and realize that everything they thought they had accomplished on earth will be burnt away and they will be left with their motive and selfish ambition and found that they have earned judgment.
Or
They will stand before a Holy and good God on their knees in thankfulness that before them stands a mediator. The Christ. Who by his death has paid the debt, stood in your place on the cross, and removed condemnation form your soul. He says this one is mine don’t you see my righteousness on him Father. He has been justified and set free. You gave him to me and he has eternal inheritance with me. What a glorious day that will be.
We will completely understand the greatness of his work in that moment as he intercedes for us.
Conclusion
Conclusion
15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Can I make this statement? Christians today are not burdened with the weight of their sin. The consequence of that is that we understate, minimize and neglect the work that was accomplished on the cross.
Where are you at today?
Are you just coming to realize that you are a sinner and are in need of a savior? a mediator to stand between you and God? Then I hope you will reach out and I would love to open God;s word and show you his will for your life and that you can be saved today.
Are you a believer that has not come to realize that you are not alone. That intellectually you know you are saved but you have never dove into the relationship with him as your mediator. Then I encourage you to pray. To open the word and speak to God so that your will will align with his.
Are you struggling with forgiveness. That you hang on to your sin and do not embrace the grace that has been given to you. Hear his words today. Repent and be forgiven. Your sins have been forgotten and removed.
Are you in a good place and have found his will for you and have seen his forgiveness and rest in the hope of your salvation then I say hallaluha. I encourage you to look out among your brothers and sisters and see how God can use you to walk with someone else who is behind you in their faith.
As we come to the Lord’s table today.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Communion
Warning
Children, Lost, Sin
19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Prayer
Song
Closing
Blessing/Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.