Jesus, Our Better Hope (Hebrews 7:11–28)

Introduction

We are continuing in Hebrews, and today we will be in Hebrews 7:11-28. We will spend time considering Jesus as our better hope. Jesus is the only hope for the world.

Sometimes, life feels like a never-ending to-do list. I’ve filled my to-do list with ideas, activities, chores, responsibilities, and all the fun things we have to do as adults. Do you remember when you were a kid, and your most significant stress was putting away your toys? Those were the days.

Sometimes, our spiritual life can feel the same way. We treat our spiritual life like a to-do list. We’ve got to get up, get the kids ready, and head everyone out to church. When we get to church, the church asks us to serve in this area, give for this thing, come to this event, and so on. It all feels like a to-do list.

But is Christianity just something else to add to your to-do list, or is there something else? Because if it’s just something else to add to the treadmill of life, that’s exhausting.

Religious busyness is nothing new. The Jewish believers in the first century grew up in a religion centered on doing more. It needed more priests, sacrifices, laws, and doing.

The book of Hebrews will point out today that Jesus is a better hope because he doesn’t invite us to do more. Christianity is not about doing; it’s about being. Jesus invites us to be with him. Let’s look at Hebrews 7:11-28.

Scripture Reading

Hebrews 7:11–28 CSB

11 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? 12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. 13 For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. 14 Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests. 15 And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it has been testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 18 So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable 19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 20 None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever.” 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24 But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them. 26 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.

Pray

Hebrews 7:11-28 is a continuation of our conversation from last week. Hebrews 7:1-10 showed that Jesus is our superior high priest. As we enter Hebrews 7:11-28, we see Jesus as our better hope. He is our better hope because he is better than every religious system. Jesus is our better hope because he alone brings us near to God with a priesthood that never fails.

Remember that the writer of this sermonic letter wrote it to a group of Jewish Christians who were grappling with believing in Christ within the perspective of their Jewish faith. At the core of their system of religion was the Levitical priesthood. As we mentioned last week, under the Mosaic Law, priests came through the tribe of Levi.

If you grew up as a Jew in first-century Israel, the Levitical priesthood would have shaped your understanding of religious life. When you went to the Temple, you would see the Levitical priests dressed in their sacred robes. You would know that only Levites could serve as priests and that their duties were holy and set apart by God (Lev. 21:6).

Every significant moment of your religious life involved a sacrifice, and each of those moments required a Levitical priest.

At Passover, a lamb would be slaughtered by a priest.

On Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice for the nation.

Your sins, offering, and thanksgiving all required a priest, a mediator, to stand between you and God.

When traveling long distances to and from the Temple in first-century Israel, one would never forget the smell, the sight of blood, and the seriousness of connecting with God through the service of the Levitical priest.

Everything they’ve ever understood about connecting with God required a priest. Now, Jewish Christians had the tension of reinterpreting everything they’d grown up with through the work of Jesus Christ, their Messiah.

The writer in Hebrews 7:11-28 tells his Jewish Christian audience that every facet of the religious system they grew up with never truly had the power to connect them with God. That message would have shaken them to their core.

But isn’t Jesus the hope of Israel? Yes, he is a better hope than everything they’d grown up with in their Jewish faith. Jesus is a better hope for them and us.

The first thing he’ll say regarding Jesus as our better hope is,

I. Jesus Is Our Better Hope Because His Priesthood Brings Perfection

If you grew up in Israel, you may have believed that perfection was possible through the Jewish faith. A Jewish person may have felt that if they were meticulous in following the Law, careful to bring their sacrifices to the priests at the Temple, and submitted to the Jewish priesthood, they might gain perfection and inherit eternal life.

An example of this Jewish mindset is the story of the young rich ruler in the gospels. If you're familiar with the story, the young rich ruler was a Jewish man who believed he was perfect because he was meticulous in following the Law. Jesus exposed his imperfection by telling him in Matthew 19:21,

Matthew 19:21 CSB

21 “If you want to be perfect,” Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

After that, the young rich ruler went home grieving because he owned a lot of things. Despite his best efforts to follow the Law meticulously, down to the letter of the law, there was still idolatry in his heart. He was still a sinful man.

Fast forward to the book of Hebrews, and the same need for perfection is precisely the issue the writer discusses. The first thing he points out in Hebrews 7:11-28 is that,

A. The law and Levitical priesthood were limited

The Jewish religious system was never able to perfect anyone. That’s the point of the rhetorical question in Hebrews 7:11,

Hebrews 7:11 CSB

11 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?

The word for perfection has a Biblical meaning of bringing something to a whole, making one complete without defect or blemish. One needed to be like a spotless lamb, complete without blemish, before one could be worthy to come to God.

The writer says that if the Law had worked, we would not need another priest. But since it is apparent that none of us are complete and whole without blemish and that all of us, even the best of us, have defects within us, this is evidence that we need a priesthood better than what the Jewish system (or any religious system) has ever provided.

So if the goal to be accepted by God is perfection, we need something better than the Law. We need a better hope, and,

B. Jesus introduces a better hope

Take a look at Hebrews 7:19,

Hebrews 7:19 CSB

19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

The goal all along has been to draw near to God.

Every sacrifice at the altar in the Temple was an attempt to draw near to God.

Every priestly blessing was a longing to draw near to God.

Every offering laid on the altar, every holy day observed, every trip to Jerusalem, and every drop of blood spilled in the Temple was an effort to draw near to God.

The whole system was an attempt to draw near God, but it was never enough.

That’s why Hebrews 7:19 is so powerful. “A better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” Drawing near to God is the essence of Christianity. Faith in Jesus Christ is not a religious system. Faith in Jesus is a relationship with God because the Son of God has brought us near to him.

Being drawn near to God is the heart of our faith. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:18,

1 Peter 3:18 CSB

18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

We also see this in Ephesians 2:13,

Ephesians 2:13 CSB

13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Believing in Jesus Christ is not about doing good things. It’s about drawing near to God. Christianity is not about doing. It’s about being with Jesus.

This week, in our small group, we touched on this very thing in a lesson called "Deepen Devotion." We're watching a video series called "Leverage Your Life," and Vance Pitman spoke about how, if we want to live our lives for the kingdom, we need to seek the King. We had a great discussion on what it means to be people who draw near to God.

Earlier this week, our Prayer Refresh group gathered as God's people to draw near to God in prayer. We had a powerful prayer time as the Spirit of God moved among us. We prayed for people to be freed from addictions and brought into a relationship with the Savior. It was a powerful time of drawing near to God through prayer.

Come to our prayer time on Wednesdays and join one of our small groups. Drawing near believers reminds us to draw near to God. There is nothing more important in your life than to draw near to God daily.

Jesus is our better hope because he brings the perfection we need to draw near to God. The second reason that Jesus is our better hope is,

II. Jesus Is Our Better Hope Because His Priesthood Is Permanent

If you grew up as a Jew in the first century, you would notice something about Levitical priests. They came and went. You went to the Temple, interacted with a priest, and enjoyed being with him. You would bring your sacrifices to him, and he would share with you about God. He was a support for you.

But then, the priest died. That’s a problem. Who is coming after him? The priest was the one who stood between you and God. He was your connection with God. Now, you had to hope the next person in line was just as good.

The death of the priests would remind you that these holy men, who walked around in sacred robes and handled the sacrifices, were weak, fragile, sinful men like you. It would remind you that this whole religious system was temporary and can’t carry you forever.

Why would it be necessary for the system to carry you forever? Here's why: Because your need for God is not temporary. It's eternal. If you have to have a sacrifice for sin every year like they had in the Jewish religious system, then your sacrifice before God has a temporary time limit.

But sin isn't a temporary problem. It is an eternal problem that needs an everlasting solution. If God has said that we need a mediator between us and him, then we need a priest who can deal with sin once and for all and stay with us through life, death, and eternity. Eternal problems require an eternal priest.

We learn a couple of things about the permanency of Jesus’ priesthood. We learn that,

A. God's oath establishes his priesthood

Do you know how the Levitical priests joined the priesthood? They were born into it. Their genealogy established their priesthood. You had to be born into the right family to become a priest.

That's not how the priesthood of Jesus came. He wasn't born into the right family. He didn't have the correct genealogy. His priesthood didn't come by human means. His priesthood came by an oath from the Father. It says in Hebrews 7:20-21,

Hebrews 7:20–21 CSB

20 None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever.”

The writer quotes Psalm 110:4, a psalm about the Messiah. The permanency of Jesus' priesthood is because of the permanency of God's promise.

When you trust in Jesus, you are not trusting in someone who will be here today and gone tomorrow. You are trusting in God's eternal promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

B. Jesus always lives to intercede

Take a look at Hebrews 7:25,

Hebrews 7:25 CSB

25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

This verse may be one of the most comforting and hope-filled verses in Hebrews. Jesus didn't come to save you and then step to the side. He saves you to be with you and intercede for you.

We don't serve a God who is far off in the distance and disconnected from us. Jesus never stops praying for you. He never gets tired and never steps away from his post. He never dies, never weakens, and never forgets you.

Jesus is interceding for you right now before the Father. When you sin, he's there interceding for you on your behalf. When you're weak, Jesus is there to pray for your strength. He has not forgotten you. He is there for you, faithful and true.

That's why Jesus is our better hope. There is no other priest who can do what only Jesus can. He will never be replaced and is with us forever, interceding for us to keep us close to him.

A good example of Jesus' intercession in action is within what Jesus shares with his disciple Peter. We don't know when the conversation occurred, but the enemy asked to sift Peter at some point in the spiritual realm. He wanted to weaken Peter, damage his faith, and tear apart his confidence to draw near to God.

The enemy does that. The last thing the enemy wants in your life is that you draw close to the Lord. He wants you busy, distracted, stressed, and doing everything else but being with Jesus.

Luke 22:31-32 shows us why we need the Lord always interceding on our behalf. Listen to what Jesus says to Peter,

Luke 22:31–32 CSB

31 “Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

When Jesus intercedes for you, he does so not out of fear that you will be lost. His intercession for you comes with his authority and his power.

I love that he says, “When you turn back.”

“When you turn back” means your failure isn’t final.

“When you turn back” means that restoration is already coming.

“When you turn back” means that God is not done with you yet.

“When you turn back” means more grace is in store for you.

Isn't it good to know that Jesus is interceding for you? He will not let you go. No matter what the enemy tries to do, by the authority of Jesus Christ, the Lord will always bring you back.

The last reason we see in the text why Jesus is our better hope,

III. Jesus Is Our Better Hope Because He Is Perfect in Character and Work

So far, we've seen that Jesus is our better hope because he brings us perfection so we can draw near to God and be in a relationship with him. His priesthood is permanent, meaning that he is always with us and for us.

But Jesus is our better hope not just because of what he does but also because of who he is. Jesus is our better hope because,

A. His character is holy and exalted

It says in Hebrews 7:26,

Hebrews 7:26 CSB

26 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

In this text, the writer paints a portrait of Jesus' perfection and explains why we need him as our high priest.

We need Jesus because he is,

Holy: Untouched by sin and perfectly pure.

Innocent: Never done wrong and never committed any evil.

Undefiled: Never been corrupted by the world

Separated from sinners: Only one who has ever lived without sin

Exalted above the heavens: He reigns in his glory and is above all things

If a human being's greatest need is to draw near to God, and because of our sin, we need a mediator, a priest with the qualifications to bring us near to the Father, there is only one person who is worthy and qualified to do this. It is the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Every Levitical priest brought their own sin to the altar from the time of Moses on down. Jesus brought only his righteousness to the altar, and that's why,

B. His sacrifice was once for all

Our superior High Priest didn’t bring an animal to the altar. He brought himself to the alter, the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Look at Hebrews 7:27,

Hebrews 7:27 CSB

27 He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself.

Growing up in Israel in the first century, the Jewish Christians knew what the Temple was like. The high priest never completed his work. Every day, day in and day out, there was another sacrifice. Why? Because their sacrifices were never sufficient to complete the job. It was never enough.

The blood of bulls and goats could never truly take away sin (Heb. 10:4). Every day, another animal was slaughtered in the Temple because sin never really went away.

It took a righteous priest with a perfect sacrifice to bring forgiveness for sinful humanity before a holy God.

Jesus didn't offer a temporary solution when he went to the cross. He gave a final and complete sacrifice for sin so that anyone who comes to the Father through the Son of God, Jesus Christ, can be forgiven, restored, and drawn near to God forever.

Conclusion

Your greatest need is to draw near to God; the only one who can do that is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't save you so that you could do more things. He saved you to draw you close to God and to be with him.

Jesus is perfect in character, mighty in work, and present in your life.

The law doesn’t make you whole, but Jesus does.

Religion cant draw you near to God, but Jesus does.

Your good works won’t save you from sin, but Jesus does.

Nothing in the world will carry you to the Father, but Jesus does.

Jesus saved you from your sin to draw you near to God. Are you near to him?

Is your spiritual life about doing more for Jesus, or is it about being with Jesus? Is time with God your priority, or is it an afterthought, something you squeeze in when you have time? What’s standing between you and your time with God?

God didn't save you to do more things. He saved you to be with him. Let us be a people of God who draw near to Jesus daily. Jesus is our better hope, and he is with you.

Prayer

Communion

We will have communion, remembering Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Meditate on the Lord and where your heart is with him.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 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, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 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.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!

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Sermon Reflection Questions

What is the difference between the Jewish religious system and Christianity?

Why is it important that Jesus’ priesthood is eternal?

What are the characteristics of Jesus mentioned in Hebrews 7:26?

What is the difference between doing more for Jesus and being in a relationship with him?

In what ways can you draw near to God this week?