6.12.47 10.20.2024 Hebrews 8 Better Priest Better Covenant

Start:

Entice: What does an effective covenant between God and man look like? When we read the Old Testament, we are considering the earthly, physical, material execution of God’s plan.

The sacrifices were recurring.

By nature, the tabernacle and its services

were

limited

and

temporary

due to the strictures of creation and human mortality.

The incarnation is God’s direct involvement in fulfilling the promise of that model by engineering, if you will, a new covenant absent the weaknesses of the Old.

Engage: Most of us have, in our mind an ideal car. In 1972 or 1973 there was an article in Boy’s Life about Porsche dominating the 24 hours of Le Mans. In further reading I learned the story of Ferdinand Porsche and his quest to build the perfect automobile. Before WW2, he debuted what would later be known as the VW beetle.

Advancing upon that design in terms of performance engineering he introduced the Porsche 911 in 1964.

They still build cars evolving the basic principles of the 911 ranging in price from $120,000. to $290,000.00.

At some point around 1973 or 4 my father had an assistant scoutmaster who drove a Porsche. Sort of. He drove a 914 which was really a rebadged Volkswagen, intended to replace the old Karmann Ghia in VW’s lineup.

Anyone looking at a Porsche 911 from 1964 to the present can see the design ideal. A 914, will always look a pretender. We know what an ideal Porsche looks like.

Hebrews 8 tells us, that if we pay attention the Old Testament shadow gives us clues about the expected reality of the New Covenant. We know what it should look like. The pattern can be discerned though it will only be realized when the designer Himself brings it to fruition.

Expand: The issue is that we get caught up in the scale model, the limited representation of what God was doing rather than focusing on better, more excellent covenant enacted by Jesus, who transcends the pattern fulfilling the Father’s full intent through His own sacrifice and ascension to the heavenly Holy of Holies.

Excite: Once again, the Hebrew author presents Jesus as the point of the story. He enables God’s fully realized saving covenant. He transcends the natural limitations of the Old Covenant. He completes the plan by His own saving work.

Explore:

Jesus empowers our new, saving covenant with God.

Expand: Consider the process by which Jesus empowers our new covenant.

Body of Sermon: It all begins with His

1 Presence.

Hebrews 8:1–5 ESV

1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. 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.”

1.1 The High priest ministered on earth.

in the tabernacle—a copy, a model. God’s presence was symbolized by its furnishings particularly the ark.

1.2 Jesus ministers in heaven.

His presence in the “eternal Holy place” is real and tangible.

Jesus’ work in securing the new covenant is founded on His

2 Promises.

Hebrews 8:6–9 ESV

6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. 8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

2.1 Better promises=better ministry.

2.2 A new covenant was necessary, expected and good.

This covenant differs from the Old in how it achieves it’s

3 Purpose.

Hebrews 8:10–12 ESV

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

3.1 Internal.

3.2 Personal.

3.3 Communal.

3.4 Merciful.

Last but certainly not least, the New Covenant secured by Jesus is celebrated for its

4 Permanence.

Hebrews 8:13 (ESV)

13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The new is

4.1 Introduced.

The old is

4.2 Obsolete.

and it is

4.3 Replaced.

Shut Down

The new, eternal covenant accomplishes the salvation the old pointed to, promised, and even prepared. What is the real, actual difference? Why was the old incapable while the new empowers our salvation?

The difference?

Jesus. In Jesus the New Covenant is not merely a plan. It is

Empowered by His presence.

Empowered by His promise.

Empowered by His purpose.

Empowered by His permanent place

beside the Father.

This is why when we preach the Gospel, we lift the name of Jesus and focus on His saving ministry.

Oddly enough, The name Jesus does not appear in this text. We read the title “Christ” only once. Yet the entire passage tells the story of the Gospel from the standpoint of heaven, with echoes of eternity.

Obsolete systems that prefigured the promises and purpose of God are fulfilled by Jesus—personally through His passion—enacting this new, eternal agreement that yields our salvation.

We have heard the joyful sound, Jesus saves, Jesus saves!