Hebrews

A Better Covenant, A Better Priest, A Better Sacrifice.

A Better Covenant

Ever wondered what exactly the New Covenant is?

We are all apart of it, it would be good for us to know. What exactly changes now? We need not look any further than what the scripture teaches on the nature of the New Covenant

Hebrews 8:8–12 NASB 2020

For in finding fault with the people, He says, “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will bring about a new covenant With the house of Israel and the house of Judah, Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day I took them by the hand To bring them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care about them, says the Lord. “For this is the covenant which 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. “And they will not teach, each one his fellow citizen, And each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For they will all know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. “For I will be merciful toward their wrongdoings, And their sins I will no longer remember.”

V. 10 - “For this is the covenant”

This is where we begin to define the covenant. What exactly.

What is so great about God’s law being put in our Hearts?

V. 11. “They shall all know me.”

What does this mean. Don’t they already know God. Haven’t they seen Him do miracles? Haven’t they been HIS nation from the beginning. If there was any nation that KNEW God. Wouldn’t it be the children of Israel?

Aren’t they already his people? They are just rule followers.

But they don’t know Him. They don’t get God. They don’t understand God. They just know He has rules, and they have to follow it. But they don’t get Him.

VIDEO HERE.

Have you ever had a relationship with someone and they just don’t get you. Trying having a relationship with someone that doesn’t get you at all. Can you honestly have a meaningful relationship with them?

I can sympathize with her. And she can’t sympathize with me. We are just at odds.

They just don’t understand me. They don’t follow my rules, because they love Holiness. They follow my rules begrudgingly. Because they have to do it. If they had a choice they wouldn’t want anything to do with God. That’s why any second they get, they run away.

And you know what, because of that.. There is no intimacy. There is no meaningful relationship. It’s just Law giver and Law followers. And its a tragedy… not to be in relationship with God is horrible. But God promises something to us .

V.10 - No but God’s goal is intimacy. His goal is to be our God. and us His people.

He promises to put his Law in our hearts and our minds. He promises to make a people. Whose desires are different, whose ways are different. He says he is gonna change us completely. People who GET IT! People who LOVE to do what God wants. God wants to make a kingdom.

APPLICATION: That’s why religion. It’s why we can’t make religion either. Story of trying to find a rule and clear boundary line before its a sin

It is because I trusted in my own behavior. My good behavior gave me comfort.

What gives us comfort is the work of Christ.

God wants to make a people.. where Holiness is just what people love. What they desire. 1 John 5:2-4

1 John 5:2–4 NASB 2020

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and follow His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.

But there is something that must happen to make this work. There is something that needs to happen to help us just GET God. To help us understand Him.

If there was an argument between a husband and a wife. A third party.. a therapist.. or a family member can mediate between them. Someone that can speak on behalf of both parties and bring them together.

If Humans need a human mediator. What about restoring the relationship between God and Man?

What kind of Mediator would you need there? Is there anyone who can actually bridge the gap between Creation and Creator? Is there anyone that can bridge the gap between God and Man?

This is what Job was longing for…. Job 9:32–35“For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him— That we may go to court together! “There is no arbitrator between us, Who can place his hand upon us both. “Let Him remove His rod from me, And let not the dread of Him terrify me. “Then I would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.”

Job 9:32–35 NASB 2020

“For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him— That we may go to court together! “There is no arbitrator between us, Who can place his hand upon us both. “Let Him remove His rod from me, And let not the dread of Him terrify me. “Then I would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.

A Better Priest

And in comes the Better Priest. The better Intercessor.

Hebrews 2:14–17 NASB 2020

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For clearly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brothers so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Humanity of Jesus.

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

He had our humanity. He is not an alien or some weird. My same humanity. The breadt and depth of my human experience.. Jesus experienced it.

Have you ever felt alone?

Have you ever loved someone so much and then were betrayed

Did you deal with torment?

Were you ever misunderstood?

Have you ever suffered?

Hebrews 2:17–18 NASB 2020

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brothers so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Hebrews 2:10–11 NASB 2020

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the originator of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,

“For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,”

Hebrews 4:14–15 NASB 2020

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 8:1 NASB 2020

Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

Transition from Humanity to Divinity with Lazarus Rising

He is totally a man. And yet he is also Totally God.

Jesus going before us.

The perfect High Priest. The only real actual priest

Hebrews 7:28 NASB 2020

For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Being “In Christ”

Transition: We have the covenant which is intimacy with God. And we have a great High Priest

Application: We have someone that get’s us. That knows us. Therefore, let us come boldly! Let us understand that we have an advocate and a champion.

A Better Sacrifice

The covenant must be initiated by blood. There needs to be a sacrifice to deal with sin and death once and for all.

The sacrifice.

The wages of sin is separation from God. Who can endure that eternal punishment?

The sacrifice is once and for all. There is a finality to it.

The sacrifice does something to the person

Hebrews 9:24–26 NASB 2020

For Christ did not enter a holy place made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Bible Study Questions: 1. Why does Romans 10:11-14 (read it) Stress that Christ’s offering is once and for all? How does that change the way a believer lives?

2. Read Romans 10:19-39. This section reads as the application for the previous ideas in Hebrews. What is the appropriate response to the gospel?

3. Hebrews 13:9 How can we protect ourselves from religion and strengthen our hearts with Grace?

4. What does Holiness look like? Would you want to describe yourself as a Holy Person? Why or why not?

5. How can we remain in Christ?