Eternal Fellowship Restored

Welcome

Offering

Announcements

Today, I am going to break from the norm.

I am not going to be preaching from just one chapter of the Bible. I plan to jump around a little.

Today we celebrate Resurrection Sunday!

I want to look at it from a different angle today however.

I want to take a step back and widen the view of the picture we are celebrating.

Today, I believe God wants to reveal to us new ways for us to be in awe of Him and the work at Calvary. Today, let’s take it deeper.

In order to do this I need to introduce a few New Characters to the Calvary scene.

The First is a Priest named Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:1–8 ESV

1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. 4 See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.

The Second is Abraham the Father of our Beginning.

The Third and Forth are Judah and Levi the Sons of Jacob.

Then we have Moses and Aaron from the tribe of Levi.

Levi is the Priestly line of the Family thus we have the Book of Leviticus.

All these men came after the Fall of Adam and Eve. After Fellowship with God was severed by sin.

What is Fellowship?

Fellowship is a common word in the church but what does it truly mean?

We have Fellowship Halls and Fellowship Dinners.

The Word Fellowship from Webster.

FELLOWSHIP 1 : COMPANIONSHIP, COMPANY 2 a : community of interest, activity, feeling, or experience b : the state of being a fellow or associate 3 : a company of equals or friends : ASSOCIATION 4 : the quality or state of being comradely.

Fellowship with on another is Great but how can we as mere Mortals and Sinners have Fellowship with the Creator of the Universe.

How can we have fellowship with God?

Most of us understand that After the fall of man found in Genesis. God instilled the practice of animal sacrifice as a means of restoring relationship between Himself and God.

This all culminated when Moses recieved The Covenant and orders to build a tabernacle in the Wilderness to provide a place for God’s presence to dwell.

Hebrews 8:5b (ESV)

5b ...........For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”

This Tent was a replica of what the Temple in Heaven looks like.

This was where these sacrifices would take place until the Temple was built in Jerusalem by King Solomon.

As I have been studying the Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus my attention has been drawn back to the old testament book of Leviticus so that I could better understand this practice of Sacrifice.

Leviticus lines out various different kinds and types of sacrificial offerings that God instructed his people to bring before him.

Theses were fellowship gifts to God from his people and not all the time was it to right a wrong. There were sacrifices of celebration, thankgiving, and honor. As well as sacrifices for atonement.

Today, I want to focus on the Sacrifice of Atonement.

According to Leviticus chapter 16.

Moses was to instruct Aaron the High Priest from the tribe of Levi as to how to enter the Holy of Holies on the day of Atonement.

This was supposed to take place once a year every year and this act would atone for the Sins of the Isrealites and restore fellowship between God and His people.

This involved a Bull and two Goats.

The Bull was to be sacrificed to atone for the Sin of the High Priest.

One Goat was to be sacrificed for the sin of the people and the other carried the sins of the people off into the desert. I.E. The Scapegoat.

Leviticus 16:30–34 ESV

30 For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins. 31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever. 32 And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. 33 He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” And Aaron did as the Lord commanded Moses.

This was the Part of Covenant Known as Covenant Maintenance

It created a temporary restoration of fellowship between God and the Isrealites.

Now let’s fast forward to Jesus.

Over 2000 years Ago Jesus appears on the scene and in life He demonstrates all that it is to experience everything we did while in constant fellowship with God.

Hebrews 5:7–8 ESV

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

Jesus was Sacrificed outside of the Temple on a Roman execution Cross where all his blood and bodily fluids were poured out and He died a very physical death. There was no doubt that he was dead, dead, dead.

Hebrews 2:8–10 (ESV)

....... Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Hebrews 2:14–15 ESV

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

This is all great stuff. Jesus died on the Cross and Resurrected. The story is over right. This death on the cross fulfilled all of the things outlined to Moses as to how the High Priest was to provide for atonement. Right?

This and other questions has lead me on a journey this Holy Season.

How could Jesus be the High Priest officiating over his own Sacrifice?

If it was all finished at the cross, how is it that a High Priest was over seeing it.

Jesus is from the tribe of Judah. He has the wrong genealogy. According to God’s standards given to Moses a High Priest had to be from the tribe of Levi.

Was God breaking his own rules?

No no He wasn’t.

Hebrews 5:9–10 ESV

9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

This is the Beauty of the Resurrection.

Hebrews 2:16–18 ESV

16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus resurrects taking up the role of Eternal High Priest.

Hebrews 5:1–10 ESV

1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Here in verse 5 the author quotes

Psalm 2:7 ESV

7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

and in verse 6 he quotes Psalm 110:4

Psalm 110:4 ESV

4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Melchizedek is a Priest appointed By God that visits Abraham in the book of Genesis. We know nothing about where he came from other than the fact that God appointed Him and that He was a High Priest before the Levites were appointed to be High Priests.

God has been working out his plan since the Fall of Man.

He set up a Priesthood outside of the Covenant Given through Moses before that Covenant was ever given.

God then fulfills and establishes a new covenant of Blood through the same system he established through Moses.

And heres how.

At the Resurrection Jesus is Resurrected with a New Eternal Body with Eternal Blood and He resurrects as the God’s appointed High Priest.

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Today, this is what we are celebrating.

He then willingly went to the Cross and Died for ours Sins.

This act in itself has the power to free us from the fear of death and promises eternal life for all who repent and believe on Christ but he did not stop there.

Three days later God resurrected his Son Jesus in With a New Eternal Body and Eternal Blood appointing him as the New High Priest.

40 Days later Jesus Ascended Through the Heaven’s into the Holy of Holies, bringing with him the blood of the Lamb that would eternally cleanse the altar and restore Fellowship between God and his people.

Now he sets at the right hand of the Father.

Hebrews Chapter 9 verses 1-10 talk all about how the tabernacle was set up and that the Priest only entered once a year to the Holy of Holies.

But let’s look at the some more of verse 9

Hebrews 9:11–15 ESV

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, 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, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

So what does this mean for us now?

The author of Hebrews helps us out there as well.

Hebrews 10:12–25 ESV

12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Church we now await the return of our High Priest. When He Returns he will return as Conquering King.

Today Jesus calls who have not yet accepted Him as Lord.......

Today Jesus calls to the Saved who have wavered in their commitment.........

Today we celebrate Jesus and the power of His Blood that has once and for all restored Fellowship between God and those who have believed on His Son Jesus Christ.

John 1:9 ESV

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.