More than a Messenger

Intro

Has anyone had to go to court recently? My freshman year in college, I was in a car accident, and sadly I was at fault. I showed up to my court date doing as my father had suggested. I dressed up and wore my best and only suit. It was rather humbling experience. I was an 18 year old kid who had never done anything seriously wrong in my life and yet I had to go and see man who would also be judging men who walked in wearing orange jumpsuits coughed by the wrist and ankles. I still remember the judge walking and taking his lofty seat, and even though, I was sitting 5 rows back, still found myself looking up at him.

This practice by modern judges is one that evolved out ancient practice. in Jesus day, judgment seats were elevated to allow the magistrate to be seen and heard. It was a place superiority and also safety, serving as a barrier in case of riots. Jesus, the only sinless human in history to walk this world, was put on trial, looking up at a man called to judge him who was in no way righteous. Satan had effectively succeeded in creating a recognized counterfeit judge.

Paul counsels his readers, that believers must not assume God’s role as judge, because they to will in turn stand before His judgment seat. The judgment seat is reserved for only righteousness. Jesus is the righteous judge. He is the only one found worthy to deliver judgment.

Worthiness is one thing, but Jesus wasn’t just worthy by being righteous minded. He endured the same pains, trials, and even temptations we endure living on this planet.

Last Sabbath, for those of you who were here, we identified why we need Jesus, how Salvation doesn’t happen without Jesus, why we call Jesus our Savior. We studied together Hebrews 1-2 laying the foundation for what is to come, of his role in judgment and our response as believers.

change slide

Hebrews 2:17–18 ESV

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. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

This morning, we are going to go into more detail of Jesus’ role as our high priest and what that means, why He is worthy, and what that means for us.

Before we go further lets take a moment to pray.

If you have your bibles with you I want to encourage you to turn to Hebrews 3. change slide

Hebrews 3:1–6 ESV

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Those of you who were here last Sabbath would remember in the opening chapters of Hebrews, there were verses proclaiming Jesus greater than the angels, as evidenced by His willingness to become in a way lower than the angels while becoming human. Now, again you see indications in the text comparing Jesus to the great figure of Moses, and be counted as with more glory than Moses.

Why does the author need to make this distinction?

Well lets remember who the target audience is here. It is to the Hebrew believers. Those who have left Judaism, but not completely. They have largely accepted Jesus but haven’t left the elitism culture that they had grown up in. Unfortunately this new idea of grace, tied to Jesus’s messages, were often pitted against “the law of Moses.” It’s why last Sabbath we had to make it abundantly clear, salvation is through Jesus.

However, as a reminder, when Jesus was walking this world as a human, he was ridding people’s following of the law, He was fulfilling it. He was helping people understand its purpose, something the religious leaders really had no intention of attempting to do.

Jesus had not been anti-Moses, or even anti-law. In fact Jesus is affirming of Moses and obviously new more than any person what Moses had done. The author of Hebrews is not casting out Moses, actually is affirming Moses as faithful. He is reminding us His people Jesus is the one Moses had been pointing us to. The law for which he had shared with God’s people, (or I like how the author describes His people, as God’s house)-House hold might be a better translation—the law he had shared with God’s people was under direction from God. Moses had been faithful. Over the centuries though, even the few still following the law, had corrupted it away from its spirit and intent. Jesus reminded the people the law was to expose sin and draw people to him. It wasn’t there to tie down people from serving God faithfully.

Let me give you a parallel, I believe some Adventists need to here. Many adventists have great respect for the writings of Ellen White. And rightfully so. Her writings point people to scripture, point people to Jesus. They often given people an easier understanding of scripture.

Unfortunately just as the religious leaders of Jesus time had distorted the Old testament and the law. There are many distorting Mrs. White’s writings, attempting to put it on the same par as scripture, which was never her intention. And sometimes we say things like this, and people will accuse and say, “Oh you don’t have regard for Sister White”

Most of you who have listened to me preach know I quote Mrs. White often. We would be mistaken not to glean from her writings. I’ve never been critical of Mrs. Whites writings, I have been critical at times of how people have used her writings glorifying them over scripture. The Bible is our guide and communicates God’s word to His people. Books like Great Controversy, Desire of Ages, and Steps to Christ used properly will only lead into a more intimate study of the scriptures. Unfortunately, though, I would also say there are many of us, not attempting to read or study either.

As Ellen White’s writings do not contradict scripture, the grace found in Jesus does not contradict God’s law shared through Moses, in fact it helps us better understand the law.

Jesus’ superiority does not negate the value and legitimacy of Moses and the law.

I like how the text says, Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant. Christ was faithful over God’s house as a son.

What is God’s house? The church. And what is the church? It’s not a building or structure. The church is the people. The people whom Moses led, the people whom Jesus walked with and lived amongst. God’s house today, is YOU church family, you and me.

What does Jesus want for His House?

He says repeatedly in verses 7-15

Do not harden your hearts as in rebellion.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 3

Recalling Israel’s unfaithfulness in the wilderness, the author urges his audience to live faithfully, lest they fail to enter into God’s rest

This is serve as a reminder of God’s people wandering from the instruction of God’s messengers, which extends even beyond His people wandering in the desert, but really their sojourning in their faith as a people wandering to and fro in their faith.

change slide x2 (chapt. 4

Hebrews 3:16–19 ESV

For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

Israel’s disobedience serves as a warning to fear God (v. 1), lest the present generation also fail to enter God’s rest. The writer explains that fearing God means being obedient to His word

English Standard Version Chapter 4

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem nto have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because othey were not united by faith with those who listened.1 3 For we who have believed enter that rest

We who have believed enter that rest?

change slide

What is that rest?

If you continue this passage you’ll find this word translated “rest” 8 times in 11 verses. The word is the greek word katapausis, usually used as a noun (a cessation or calm), and twice as a verb (to cease).

However interestingly in verse 9 this word translated rest is not katapausis. It is actually Sabbitismos (Sabbath rest).

Hebrews 4:9 ESV

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,

In Hebrews 4:1-13 we can see unique parallel of old Israel and the modern people of God still seeking to realize God’s rest.

As we find throughout the New Testament, in Hebrews the work of Jesus includes benefits already realized and those still to come.

The “rest” found in verses 1-11 is the bliss of salvation into which we we enter by faith in Him. It is a joy in many ways already a reality for Christians, those who have given there lives to Jesus, but one that will go even deeper in our eternal home with God.

change slide

Hebrews 4:10 ESV

for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

The “works” mentioned here does not refer to any system of works = righteousness as opposed to righteousness by faith. Rather the point of the analogy is in the idea of cessation.

Both parallels of labor and rest, show that humans cease their labors and experience rest. Rest that comes from faith.

Pastor what are we talking about here?

The gift of Sabbath rest, first established during the creation week is a beautiful analogy even today for the eternal rest experienced in both the acceptance of the salvation gift and experience of it at Christ’s second coming.

Labors are ceased.

I likee how the Andrews Bible Commentary puts it:

“Works (labors) are the antithesis of the way of faith; they are the result of rebellious, wicked heart of unbelief that has hardened through sin’s deceptiveness, a heart of disobedience and unfaithfulness.”

change slide

Hebrews 4:11–13 ESV

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Pastor, are you or the scriptures saying good works, are an act of disobedience to God?

Jesus the good judge, our great high priest, can discern the motivations of our hearts. What the scriptures are telling us is God’s rest is found through the gift of the Savior, your works do not earn the ticket to eternity…and the thought process that it does shows our lack of faith. Restated, if our motivation for good works is to earn justification for Salvation, than maybe we haven’t accepted the free gift Jesus has offered.

Right now Meggan and I are watching Elizabeth learn how to do so many wonderful things. She can climb up and down steps. She’s starting to be able to pull up her pants, put on her shoes. She can open doors. Sometimes she stumbles and sometimes there are struggles. Sometimes these tasks take longer. But as parents when we want to help, “Elizabeth will say, sometimes yell, “No I do it myself!” and she can be stubborn, one time we were in a hurry and I picked her up to carry her the final two steps, and then set her down. Oh yeah, she stomped her foot at me, climbed back up those two steps and went down them, herself.

How many times are we trying to do it ourselves, when God is right there? Or on the flip side. How many times is God teaching us to rely on Him, even in the midst of our works and experiences?

I think often we may look at our parents, or our superiors and think. “You don’t understand what I am going through” “You’ve never been through this” And you know what, sometimes that may be true.

But we can’t say that about Jesus. Last week we established the worthiness of Jesus to be our high priest, to be our judge, and who is likewise, our advocate.

change slide

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

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. 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. 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.

Like Jesus was different than the angels, different from the prophets, different from a typical priest, He is different from High priests like Aaron.

change slide

Hebrews 5:1–4 ESV

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. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

That describes all of even the best high priests whoever existed, obviously Aaron included. Even being appointed, being anointed. There was still sin that stained the high priests. They were human, “beset with weakness.” The sacrificial system was to cover their sins as well.

Our high priest in Heaven, Jesus, has not been found guilty by any sins committed by Him, but instead bore our sins and served as the sacrifice on the cross.

The author of Hebrews underscores the divine appointment of Aaron, and immediately applies it to Christ, the merciful advocating high priest. While Aaron and other high priests to follow, it could be argued, may have advocated mercifully as they were tied to the same punishment of sin the rest of humanity was. Jesus, our high priest, is an advocate born purely from His love. He also experienced first hand the temptations of sin and the suffering of man, as a result of it.

change slide

Hebrews 5:7–10 ESV

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. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

For anyone who might need a refresher, because we’ll discuss Melchizedek more in another message.

The reference is to Abraham’s day, the king of Salem and priest of God Most High. Blesses Abram in Gen 14 before God’ establishes with Abram His covenant.

As you read these passages, remember the author is writing to a specific people, the Hebrew believers. They have been warned repeatedly to obey God and to lay aside their genetic specialness and embrace Christianity as their modern more full understanding of who God’s chosen are. To embrace the gentile believers as brothers. The next verses are in many ways a rebuke. The Hebrews are told where they ought to be, “as teachers” but are really more likened as to infants needing to be spoon fed liquids, not solids yet. As a parent of a little one, I connected with this analogy very well.

change slide

Hebrews 5:14 ESV

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

The author is calling the people to maturity and use the Godly wisdom described in

change slide

James 3:17

James 3:17 ESV

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Look at how chapter 6 begins

change slide

English Standard Version Chapter 6

Therefore ilet us leave jthe elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity

what is translated as “elementary doctrine” is not meant as “simple” but actually foundational. Which is precisely what we talked about last Sabbath. It is a cornerstone. One might be tempted to read “elementary” as unimportant. No It actually means most important, because without everything else, all other doctrine crumbles and falls a part. The “let us leave the elementary doctrine” means, “alright with that foundational understanding” lets lay ht e next brick and become more mature Christians. Lets eat some solid food.

Part of that solid food was the knowledge that this target audience was falling away.

change slide

Hebrews 6:4–8 ESV

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

Now there is a whole extra sermon found in just 4-6 here and I don’t think I have time to fully do it justice as this is the first of 3 warnings from the author in this letter to those who live in a complete understanding of the truth and still fall away.

This passage underscores the living in spiritual privilege, having accepted Jesus and His grace, and then later rejecting it. To be clear we’re not talking about a lapse, or wandering. Listen prodigals God is still calling you home. It is not about lapse or fall; it is the repudiation or rejection of Christ by a man or woman who once had known the joy of forgiveness and newness of life in the spirit. We can’t take on the gift of salvation if we reject Christ. We can’t repent if we are not sorrowful. Spiritual privilege was a condition the Jewish people had lived in for to long. Access to prophecies of the old testament and yet rejecting who the prophecies had spoken of. It was impossibility for many of the religious leaders to be saved, but because God’s grace wasn’t sufficient but because they ultimately rejected Jesus.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. Your hellfire and brimstone preachers might stop there. That wasn’t the author of Hebrews and that is certainly not this preacher.

change slide

Hebrews 6:9–12 ESV

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

My friends God’s promises are sure. There is warning, but there is also hope.

I remember going to court for that accident I had caused, and honestly I lucked out to have a judge that new I was guilty but sought a measure for me not to be stained with this infraction forever. I had to attend a defensive driving course.

Now what if I had, at this wonderful break the judge was giving me, said…judge No I do not accept those terms. I won’t take the class. Well yeah, I’d carry those points for a long time, my fine would be bigger, the judge’s ability to help me would now be outside his control.

God does not force his “rest” upon us. But when we reject what he offers, we can’t experience his protection. If we refuse His warnings, how can we be saved.

Like this small town judge I encountered, our judge, is our high priest, and part of the high priest’s responsibility in the Heavenly sanctuary is to advocate on our behalf. How great is it that our judge is also essentially our defense lawyer. It almost doesn’t seem fair huh? Jesus is looking for every possible way to save us, and give you every advantage you can have.

Hebrews 6:13–20 ESV

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

I realize this passage may leave us wanting more, as it scratches the surface of one of our church’s core doctrines, the Sanctuary message, or investigative judgment which we will get into as we continue this series study, but I want to conclude with this understanding.

Our Great High Priest, was more than a messenger or prophet when He lived, was tempted, and suffered as a human on earth. He is more priestly than Aaron or Eli or any other High Priest. As high priest, it is not his sins which need cleansing but he carries our sins to be accounted for. The righteous judge desires everyone of us to experience salvation.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Don’t leave this place without embracing this promise.