Greater Than (4)
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· 6 viewsStudy through Hebrews. The superiority of Christ.
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Greater Than
Greater Than
Good morning. It is so good to see all of you. I again want o thank all the mothers and those who acted as mothers to others.
My wife to visit our youngest daughter in West Palm. Al first she told me she shouldn’t go because she did not want to be apart on Mother’s day. So sweet, but I told her she is not my mom. Kids old enough now to handle this day.
We are continuing our journey through Hebrews today. Unless you have memorized the whole thing, please turn in your Bible or Apps to Hebrews 4.
Have you ever had to go anywhere where you needed a translator? The idea is that they represent and convey what you are saying in clear way while also helping you to understand culture.
I have had to use them in Romania, Czech, and Ecuador. From some of the looks I got, I am not sure I was being represented very well.
A translation should make it possible to fully understand the intent of the person they are translating for.
The wrong words can quickly lead to an unfortunate meaning.
In the 1960s, Pepsi’s slogan, “Come Alive With the Pepsi Generation,” arrived in China to very negative responses. The reason? In Chinese, the slogan translated to “Pepsi brings your relatives back from the dead.”
In 1981, while giving a speech to a small Methodist college in Japan, President Carter opened with a joke. The interpreter spoke to the crowd, and the audience immediately erupted into laughter. Surprised by the joke’s success, Carter asked the interpreter how he’d managed to elicit such a reaction. The interpreter reluctantly admitted that he had said, “President Carter told a funny story. Everyone must laugh.”
“Video”
Greater Than
Greater Than
As a Pastor, I am to translate the things of God and His word in a way that you might know Him and understand Him better.
My role is as a spiritual leader and shepherd, hopefully pointing you in the right direction.
In Jesus’ time this was predominantly it was the priest who teach and lead. The priest also acted as a mediator between the people and God as the one who offered sacrifices.
All of these were just a shadow and sometimes a distortion of what was to come.
Listen, my heart is to be a great pastor, I don’t care who it is throughout history
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Please stand with me as we read the only words that will make a difference today.
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.
3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Let’s pray.
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Great Pastor Greater Priest
The idea of of having a spiritual leader for people is not a new idea.
God established the priesthood during the Exodus and journey to the Promised land.
This was the Aaronic /Levitical priest hodd form the line of Aaron and the Levites.
It was their job to offer mediating d=sacrifices, instruct the people, maintain holiness, intercede; and bless Israel.
Eventually like the rest of the Nation, they fell and turned from God
God made a promise for a better priest, a greater one.
35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Jesus fulfilled that promise
He is superior in every way.
Jesus Christ has a superior title
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
There were priests, and a high priest, but only Jesu is the Great High Priest.
He is both God an man. He is the only one who can bring people to God and bring to people all that God has for them.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus Christ has a superior title
All the priest ministered at the Tabernacle or eventually the Temple only entering the Holies of Holies once a year.
But it says Jesus passed through the heavens, ministreing in the heavenly tabernacle all the time.
With the priests, they were the only access the people had to God and His holy place, but Jesus changed all of that.
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus Christ has a superior title
That is an invitation to all of us. To not only come, but come boldly with our joys and pains, our triumphs and trials.
There we find mercy and grace. Mercy not getting what we deserve, grace- getting what we don’t deserve.
No priest was ever able to provide that. We don’t have to look and travel for it either.
We can run to Jesus anytime anywhere.
We don’t ever have to give up or go back.
No trial or temptation is too great that we cannot find mercy and grace form Jesus.
He understands because He went through it too.
Jesus Christ has a superior ordination.
1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.
4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
Jesus Christ has a superior ordination.
All the priest before were men chosen, that were broken and sinful. They had to sacrifice for themselves before they could for the people.
But Jesus:
5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
Jesus Christ has a superior ordination.
The priests offered sacrfices of animals that only covered the sin.
Jesus offered and gave Himself as the sacrifice to remove sin.
He is also priest forever. Every other priest had a end date.
That means the salvation He provided is forever not just until the next year.
The OT priest belonged to the order of Aaron and the Levites, but Jesus is in the order of Melchizedek.
Melchizedek is only mention twice in the OT - the main one was a meeting with Abraham after he rescued his nephew Lot.
His name meant King of Righteousness.
He was both priest and king.
Jesus is the only other to hold this title of priest and king.
We do not know where or when Melchizedek came from and we don’t know about his death.
He is the picture of Jesus Christ who is Lord, King, and Priest forever.
Jesus Christ reveals a superior sympathy.
2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.
Jesus Christ reveals a superior sympathy.
All the OT priest had to minister to people who were ignorant and wayward and as a priest he could identify with them as he was often wayward himself.
Tee funny thing is that they are they are their to have compassion, but many times they just judged.
Hannah praying for a child - Eli thought she was drunk
The Pharisee praying glad not to be like the sinner next to him.
Jesus on the other hand is perfect and defeated sin.
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
Jesus Christ reveals a superior sympathy.
While He was on Earth, he experienced the pain and the struggles we face.
He also face temptation and persecution.
He went through it all and felt it all. - Hunger, disappointment, sadness and joy.
THis is best seen probably in the Garden of Gethsemane.
He knew the full extent of what was coming and yet He prayed not My will but Yours be done.
He wasn't praying to avoid the cross, and death but praying to saved out of death.
He prayed for the resurrection and God heard and answered that prayer.
No one has ever died such a death as Jesus did.
Many people have died because of their own sin, but only Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.
Jesus Christ offered a superior sacrifice.
3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.
Remember the priest had to sacrifice for their own sins before they sacrificed for the people;
9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus Christ offered a superior sacrifice.
Jesus never had to offer a sacrifice for himself. He was sinless.
His sacrifice was once and for all.
No more yearly sacrifices. It is finished.
He is the only source of salvation.
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Great Pastor Greater Priest
I told you earlier, I want o be a great Pastor.
The only way to do that is to get out of the way of whta Jesus wants to say an do.
I agree with Paul when he says:
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Great Pastor Greater Priest
if you are looking to anyone else out side of Jesus for hope mercy and grace, you will be sorely disappointed.
Not only do we know God by Jesus Christ alone, but we know ourselves only by Jesus Christ. We know life and death only through Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ, we do not know what is our life, nor our death, nor God, nor ourselves.
Blaise Pascal
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Great Pastor Greater Priest
Jesus is our Great forever High Priest who is waiting for us to come boldly for an endless supply and grace.
Who else in your life can you say that about?
Let’s pray.
