A Better Hope

Communion

1 Corinthians 11:23–33 (CSB)

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,

and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.

Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.

For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.

If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged,

but when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned with the world.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another.

Tithes and offering

2 Corinthians 9:6–11 CSB

The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. As it is written: He distributed freely; he gave to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.

A Better Hope

Many people in this world are lost and broken

Every person born is born into sin

From the day we are born we are separated from God

No matter how much we try we cannot fix ourselves

We cannot earn our way into Heaven

We cannot earn God’s forgiveness

To try to live according to human effort simply results in emptiness and nothing

But there is a Better Hope and His name is Jesus

1. Why the need for another priest

Hebrews 7:11–12 CSB

Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well.

The word perfection here means completion, verification, absolution:—perfection, performance.

It is evident from Israel’s history that the law was never meant to lead to perfection

It is impossible to keep the law

Galatians 3:23–24 CSB

Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith.

The purpose of the law was to point us to Jesus Christ

The entire sacrificial system of the Old Testament all pointed to Jesus Christ

If indeed there is a change of the priest hood, there is a change of the law

For under the law the High Priest would come through the line of Aaron

All of this is important to point out because if I want to show the supremacy of Jesus Christ thenI must show how all things through Him are greater than that of the Old Testament law

2. The Messiah would come out of Judah

Hebrews 7:13–14 CSB

For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

Before the coming of the Messiah it was prophesied that He would be a descendent of David and come from the tribe of Judah

Isaiah 11:1 CSB

Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

Micah 5:2 CSB

Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.

Jeremiah 33:17 CSB

“For this is what the Lord says: David will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of the house of Israel.

We know examining the linage of Jesus Christ that indeed Jesus was born of Mary and Joseph

Matthew 1:3 CSB

Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Aram,

Luke 3:33 CSB

son of Amminadab, son of Ram, son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah,

Both through the line of Joseph and Mary Jesus is connected to King David and the line of Judah

Revelation 5:5 CSB

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Romans 1:1–4 CSB

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures— concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh and was appointed to be the powerful Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead.

Under the Old Covenant and law those who served as priest came from the tribe of Levi

The Kings of Israel came from the tribe of Judah

But it is important for us to understand that the Messiah would not only be King of all Kings, but He would be our faithful and compassionate High Priest

It is important to realize and understand that the book of Hebrews is an extremely Jewish focused book because of the original audience

Beyond a shadow of a doubt he is demonstrating by the leading of The Holy Spirit the supremacy of Jesus Christ.

3. A Priest forever according to the order of Melchizadek

Hebrews 7:15–17 CSB

And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. For it has been testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus ability to be our faithful High Priest is not based on legal physical regulation

It is not based on physical descent for He did not come from the tribe of Levi

He was not from the line of Aaron

If Jesus was then the Old Covenant would continue

But what is it that Jesus said during His earthly ministry

Matthew 5:17 CSB

“Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

What did Jesus declare on the cross before He gave up His Spirit?

John 19:28–30 (CSB)

After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I’m thirsty.”

A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it up to his mouth.

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.

The word finished means to end, i.e. complete, execute, conclude, discharge (a debt):—accomplish, make an end, expire, fill up, finish, go over, pay, perform.

2. The word fulfilled means to complete, i.e. (lit.) accomplish, or (fig.) consummate (in character):—consecrate, finish, fulfil, make) perfect

3. Jesus cried it is finished

4. It pointed to Him fulfilling the will of The Father

5. It pointed to Him paying our debt in full

6. When He gave up His Spirit the curtain was torn in two

Matthew 27:50–51 CSB

But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.

What is it that qualifies Jesus to be our High Priest?

It is His resurrection

The writer of Hebrews states in verse 16 based on the power of an indestructible life

He is the only one who conquer sin, death, and the grave

Yes He faced death, but He had to

The only way He could fulfill The Father’s will was to take the wrath and punishment we deserved

For John the Baptist Cried behold The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

This is why in Psalm 110:4 it prophetically speaks of Him

Psalm 110:4 CSB

The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: “You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.”

Jesus during His earthly ministry when challenged by the religious leaders responded with Psalm 110:1

Matthew 22:41–46 CSB

While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “David’s.” He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’: The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet’? “If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how, then, can he be his son?” No one was able to answer him at all, and from that day no one dared to question him anymore.

Jesus shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Psalm 110 speaks of the coming Messiah

4. Jesus is our better hope

Hebrews 7:18–19 CSB

So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

The word annulled means to cancel or put away

Jesus did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it

Through Jesus Christ there is no longer any need for the law

We don’t live under the law and the law will never make anyone righteous or perfect

The purpose of the law again is to reveal what sin is

Romans 3:20 CSB

For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.

Romans 7:7 CSB

What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! But, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.

The writer of Hebrews states that the law is weak and unprofitable because no matter how hard we try to keep the law we can’t keep it perfectly

If we break one jot or tittle we break the entire law

As human beings we are inherently flawed because of sin

If our only hope was the law, we would be without hope

Man cannot earn anything from God

God is holy, righteous, and just

Man is sinful and it is sin that separates us from God

But Jesus is our better hope

It is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ that we are washed clean

By faith we receive redemption, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and salvation

By faith alone in Jesus Christ we are brand new creations

Because of Jesus Christ we are able to draw near to God without fear

To consider abandoning Jesus Christ for the law or to return to our old life is to lose everything

This is why Jesus is our better hope