Greater Than (8)
Notes
Transcript
Greater Than
Greater Than
Good morning. I am so glad you are here today. What an amazing week we have had. I just want to thank Cathy for putting it all together and all the volunteers. THis next week we have a Team headed to NEw Mexico to minister to e people on out there. Please be praying for all of them. Our Summer programming is kicking off with some new surprises and today we are cooking out after service with apparently a pie in my face. So many ways to connect. I hope all of you here and online will come out.
Today, we continue to march rough he book of Hebrews as we lay out e reasons here is no one greater to trust and follow than Jesus Christ. So please turn in your Bibles or ask Siri to turn to Hebrews chapter 8.
The teacher asks the misbehaving student. "Do you remember what you promised me?" "Yes," the boy replies, "that I wouldn't misbehave anymore." The teacher asks, "And do you remember what I promised you?" The boy responds, "Yes, that if I did it again I'd be sent to the principal's office... but since I broke my promise, it's okay if you break yours too!"
Have you ever had that moment where you tell someone something you will do or take care of, and you never do? I admit it happens a lot with your kids.They bug you and bug you and you say we will do it later or we make deals with them and we don’t follow through.
We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot.
Abraham Lincoln
Greater Than
Greater Than
My kids were notorious for remembering everything. They are in there in their Thirties now and still bring up things, Dad remember when you said you would take us to so and so. You’re adults now, you can go.
Aren’t we glad that God never breaks or misses a promise?
In fact it is more than just a promise it is a covenant.
Great Promise / Greater Covenant
Great Promise / Greater Covenant
Please stand with me as we read the most important words you will hear today.
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.”
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.
Let’s pray
Great Promise / Greater Covenant
Great Promise / Greater Covenant
Covenants are huge throughout the Bible. They are between two people, groups, and God and people.
There are many but 5 major ones in the Bible : Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New
In fact we were created in covenant - to be priest kings to rule as GOd’s representative here on Earth as long as we obeyed. That did not go so well.
A covenant is: relationship between two partners who make binding promises to each other and work together to reach a common goal. Covenants define obligations and commitments, but they are different from a contract because they are relational and personal.
The covenant Christ has made is greater than any other promise ever made to you, and today I want to share with you why.
The first is:
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.
It is ministered by a greater High Priest
As we have already discussed, Christ is the ultimate High Priest for us.
He is forever, perfect, and ultimate.
Since He is superior, he covenant HE ministers must be also.
His moral adequacy - Great High Priest - sinless
His finished work - notice it says He is seated - work is done. THe Tabernacle and inside the Temple were no chairs - the work was never done.
He is enthroned -not only seated, but seated on a throne - no high priest in the Temple did his.
He is exalted above everyone and everything.
A priest who had finished His work could not minister from a covenant that didn't finish anything.
It is ministered in a greater place.
3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,
It is ministered in a greater place.
All Priest serve others, but only where God has appointed. Priest offered sacrifices only where God appointed, Christ is the the living sacrifice whose one offering was/is enough.
It is not an honorary title, there are duties.
On Earth, Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, priest came for Levi. In Heaven He can serve as priest as the eternal priest
The Tabernacle and Temple were imitations of what was true in Heaven. The Law and systems of the OT were shadows of things to come.
19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
It is ministered in a greater place.
Christ ministers in the original not the copy.
It is founded on greater promises.
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.
It is founded on greater promises.
The original promise, Moses was the mediator.
The people were so frightened - Moses you go talk with God and tell us. That fear did not last long, and they quickly broke their part of the covenant.
Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant and it is based on better promises.
THis new covenant was first mentioned by Jeremiah and quoted by the author.
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.
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.”
It is founded on greater promises.
That is Jeremiah 31:31-34 if you want to look it up later.
Jesus enacted tis new covenant right before His death
20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
It is founded on greater promises.
But this is clearly a promise to Israel.
We do not replace the Jews as God’s chosen, but:
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The blessing of this new covenant have been passed on to us. Remember Christ’s command to the Apostles:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
It is founded on greater promises.
We are the ends. We have freedom, but that does not mean the law is irrelevant today
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
It is founded on greater promises.
Promise of Gods grace - we can’t keep the law
Promise of internal change - the law was external - the change is a heart one
Promise of forgiveness for all - no forgiveness in the Law. not forgotten - not held against us.
Promise of eternal blessing - eternal salvation - the Gospel will never get old or outdated
Great Promise / Greater Covenant
Great Promise / Greater Covenant
Dwight Moody onece said:
God never made a promise that was too good to be true.
What is your hope based upon?
Promises by governments, portfolios, or something else.
All of those get replaced at sometime.
The Gospel, the New covenant will never be outdated or need to be replaced. It is final.
No more solid ground to stand on.
I read part of this old hymn to you before and I close with these verses:
When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]
3 His oath, his covenant, his blood,
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
Let’s pray.
