Supreme Temple
Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Scripture Reading: Exodus 25:1-9
Kid’s Time: A matchbox car is a copy of a real car. Which would you rather have a matchbox car or the real thing?
or,
Use a flashlight to cast a shadow of my hand. The hand is real. The shadow can show the shape of my hand but the hand is better.
I. Christ’s Seat in This Temple
I. Christ’s Seat in This Temple
1 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,
He is seated in relation to Salvation because the work is finished.
He is resting because the work of redemption is done there is no other sacrifice to be made. All has been paid in full.
But, as we learn from Stephen’s vision of Jesus while Stephen was being stoned.
55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
He is standing in relation to love for His brethren. His love for us activates His posture and His empathy for us not to redeem us, but because we are His redeemed.
We will be seated with Jesus when your work by faith in Jesus is done.
21 ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
II. The Origin of This Temple
II. The Origin of This Temple
2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.
III. Christ’s Work in This Temple
III. Christ’s Work in This Temple
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.
Sacrifices — These were blood sacrifices that required the killing of an animal. Some sacrifices were completely burned on the alter because they represented the sin of the worshipper and others were partly burned and the rest given to the priests. Jesus has given the once for all sacrifice of His blood which represents all the sacrifices required by the law (actually, the Levitical sacrifices are all aspects of the one sacrifice that Jesus offered. The old covenant sacrifices needed many different sacrifices to explain all that Christ’s sacrifice would mean). Jesus is not offering this sacrifice again and again. It is finished and the price has been paid.
Gifts — These were offerings offerings of food and wine to show the dedication of the worshipper to God and the thanksgiving of the worshipper for all the blessings of God. Examples are of the first fruit offerings of grain, flour, or baked cakes with frankincense and salt. Part of the gift was burned on the alter and the rest was shared with the worshippers or given to the priests and their families to eat. Jesus is still offering these gifts to God on our behalf. As a matter of fact, we as Christians cannot show our dedication or thanksgiving to God apart from the ongoing priestly ministry of Jesus Christ. He makes our gifts of worship, repentance, dedication praise and thanks acceptable to the Father. His priestly ministry in heaven is vital to our daily worship!
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
IV. The Shadow of This Temple
IV. The Shadow of This Temple
4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law;
5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”
The heavenly temple is the original temple and the earthly tabernacle of Moses was copy of the heavenly temple.
The heavenly temple has already outlasted the tabernacle. The building materials had to be replaced from time to time.
The earthly tabernacle was made with the finest materials of this earth and finest craftsmanship that men had to offer.
As fine as the earthly tabernacle/temple was it still pales in comparison to the glory of the heavenly temple where the angels worship.
Yet in this pale copy, Jesus would not be allowed to minister because He limited Himself to an earthly body that was not of the tribe of Levi.
If Jesus were to continue under the Old Covenant, He could not minister for us.
Jesus is ministering in the heavenly temple. Which priesthood is greater then?
V. The Superiority of This Temple
V. The Superiority of This Temple
6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
Mediator — a go-between. Someone who represents both parties in a disagreement and tries to reconcile or bring both parties together.
The priests of the Old Covenant were at least legitimate mediators sanctioned by God (if they did it correctly). False religions are not legitimate mediators. But, even the Jewish priests of the law and their temple were just shadows and copies of the forgiveness and reconciliation that is offered through Jesus Christ. False priests (whether they are Mormon, Buddhist, Satanic, Islamic, Hindu, Catholic, protestant, or atheist, don’t even get the copy or the shadow right. Why would you even want the copy or the shadow when you can have the real thing? Christ’s temple is a better temple, His priesthood is a better priesthood, His covenant is better covenant, His promise is a better promise, His ministry is a better ministry.
Jesus is Superior in every way possible! Your worship is only acceptable through Jesus. But the good news is that your worship is acceptable because of Jesus!
Hallelujah! What Savior!
Hallelujah! What a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
