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Introduction

What if I were to ask you, what is mankind’s biggest problem? You might answer sin. That’s probably the most popular answer. I think our biggest problem is an effect of sin, it’s separation from God. Now, to be clear, sin is the answer I’ve heard in church all my life and I’ve probably preached that myself, but this week, as I was praying and studying through Hebrews, I realized it was simply the root of the problem.

Sin is most certainly at the top of our list of problems. I think our biggest problem is that because of sin we got kicked out of the garden. We were separated from God and kicked out of Eden. And deep down, we have been searching for the garden ever since.

The struggle of human existence then could be defined like this…How can sinful man get back to the garden? How can we draw near to God? This is the underlying thought found in the book of Hebrews. Scripture presents essentially two different ways to do that.

The first is through our own works, this is personified in the Old Testament law, the sacrificial system. We sin, so we take an animal and it is sacrificed on our behalf. Rinse and repeat. The problem here is we only deal with the sins and we never truly are able to draw near to God (which is why he dwelt behind the curtain in the Holy Place and we weren’t allowed to enter).

The second way, is through Jesus. We sin and Jesus became our sacrifice. He dies once for us so that we never have to deal with the sin problem again and now we can draw near to God through Him. We can enter through the veil and into the Holy Place, the Garden, Eden, The New Jerusalem. The place where God and Man are in communion, in relationship.

Main Point - God Changes Us Into The Image Of His Son By Delivering Us From Sin Through Drawing Near To Jesus.

So today, we are going to continue our series in Hebrews, called Jesus is Better. Notes are on the table and in your app. Let’s look at Hebrews 7.

Main Text

Hebrews 7:11–28 ESV

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’ ” This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

We are picking up the author’s argument that began in verse 1 of chapter 7 that Melchizedek points us to Jesus and the priesthood of Melchizedek is a picture of the priesthood of Jesus.

Today, we see the crux of the argument. The priesthood of Jesus is better than the priesthood of the Levites and the priesthood of Jesus leads us to a true salvation. Let’s look at the first point:

Jesus Is A Better Priest

Hebrews 7:11–12 “Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.”

The Priesthood of Jesus Is Better Than The Old Testament System Of Sacrifice - This is going to be the author’s main point over the next several chapters, but he starts here by pointing out the point in all of this which is “perfection”. And perfection can only come from one place.

Talk About What It Means To Be A Priest

Perfection Comes Through Christ - Now, this word for perfection is not what we typically think of, it means completion. In other words, for you to become a complete person in the eyes of God, you need Jesus. The Levitical priesthood, with its sacrifices and atonement rituals, won’t get you there. In fact, there’s no other way on Earth to get you there. Muhammad won’t do it, Buddha won’t do it, Joseph Smith won’t do it, The Pope won’t do it. Only Jesus can get you to perfection.

Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way. - A. W. Tozer

You cannot find atonement apart from Christ! You cannot find forgiveness apart from faith. You cannot find God apart from Jesus. The priesthood was a shadow. We talked about types and shadows last week. Melchizedek is a type of Jesus. He serves to point us toward Jesus. The priesthood was meant to serve as a type or shadow as well.

Now, I’ve used that word shadow a few times. Let me explain what I mean by that. If Autumn were to walk outside in the broad daylight, she would cast a shadow on the ground. Now, if the right is a good angle, that shadow would look a lot like her. When I was in art class years ago, we had to draw silhouettes of ourselves based on a light shining on the wall and some of those looked amazing. Not mine, other peoples, but some of them looked exactly like the person.

But they were only a shadow. Now how dumb would it be for me to fall in love with the shadow of Autumn. Imagine if I spent my time chasing her shadow. Trying to hug her shadow. Trying to kiss her shadow. What a weirdo! Why would I want the shadow, when I can have her?? That’s the point of this passage. These real like tangible things presented in the Old Testament were great during their time, but they were only the shadow of Jesus. Jesus is the real thing. Grab ahold of him!

Perfection can only be found in Jesus. If you chase the shadow of the Old Testament priesthood and all of its rituals, you won’t find him, you will only find things that point to Him. He is the fulfillment of all of those things. He is the perfect sacrifice. You will only be complete when you find Him and are found in Him.

The author’s point here is that because Jesus is from a different priesthood, that means there’s a different law managing that priesthood. Jesus came through the lineage of Judah, not Levi, so he could not be a priest based on his lineage. The author says he comes from an order of priests that wasn’t based on lineage, but on eternal existence. He is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, therefore he’s under a different law.

Jesus Gives Us A Better Hope

Hebrews 7:18–19 “For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.”

The Better Hope Is That We Can Find Wholeness In Jesus. If, because of sin, we are incomplete, we are broken, we are separated from God, then our quest through life simply becomes trying to be made whole again so we can be in God’s presence. To that end, the law could never do that.

The Former Commandment Was Set Aside - This means that the laws have been annulled. They are canceled. They are no more. He says that it’s because the law was weak and useless.

I’ve heard the law described as a mirror. One of the uses of the law was to show you your sin. You look at the mirror and you can see how broken you are. If this was a real mirror, you might see your hair is all messed up, you’ve got spinach in your teeth, your nose is bleeding and you just simply look a mess. You might be a hot mess, but you still a mess. Now, if this is the case, what does simply looking in the mirror do for you? It can only bring awareness. Your mirror will not fix your hair for you, it won’t brush your teeth, it won’t change you. It cannot change you.

How Was The Law Weak And Useless? When we hear the law or commandments, our minds typically lean towards morality. How do we become a more moral person? That’s the question we might ask. This is not what he’s talking about.

How Do We Draw Near To God? That’s the right question. The law was not predominately about how do we become a more moral person, the law was given to teach us how to draw near to God. This was done through the sacrificial system. The law was useless or weak in its ability to help us draw near to God.

Sin Separates Us From God -

Isaiah 59:2 ESV

but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Morality has never saved anyone. Paul’s point in Romans is that even the most religious person alive is still just a religious sinner. You can be a very moral person, but you are still just a moral sinner, because if you have broken any one commandment in the law, you are guilty. So the question is not, how can I become a better person, the question is always this…how can a sinner draw near to a holy God?

The answer in the law was through animal sacrifices. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins, so under the shadow, there was forgiveness through the shedding of the blood of goats and bulls. The reality found in Jesus shows us a lamb that was slain one time for all of our sins.

The Sacrifice of Jesus Allows Us To Draw Near To Him. It is by his blood that we draw near to God. The crucifixion of Jesus is what allows us to draw near to God. His blood purchased us, now we are able to have relationship with the Father. We are no longer separated from Him, but we are in Him and He in us.

But Just Drawing Near Is Not Wholeness, It Is A Pathway To Wholeness. This leads me to my next point…

Jesus Offers A Better Deliverance

Hebrews 7:22–26 “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”

Save To The Uttermost - Now, this phrase, needs some explanation. The word that is translated save, means deliver. The context here is not what we typically think of when it comes to salvation, the idea here is that Jesus will deliver us from our sins.

This is a call back to where we started. The Levitical priests, the law, neither could deliver us. Neither one could actually clean us up. Neither one has the power to transform our hearts. And remember, we need new hearts, that’s the basis of the New Covenant, which we will discuss in Chapter 8, God changes our hearts by putting his laws on them, rather than on stone tablets.

And if you remember in Chapter 4, the author encourages us by quoting Psalm 95 saying, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. God is very concerned about our hearts and he wants to transform them into hearts that seek after him. Listen to this New Covenant promise from the prophet Ezekiel…

Ezekiel 36:26–27 ESV

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

He Gives Us A New Heart - When we are born again, we receive a new heart. The old heart is taken away and a new one is put into its place. This is great news! For some of us who have been a Christian for a long time, you might be asking about how come I still do things I don’t want to do, if I have a new heart, why am I still walking in my old ways? This is a very valid question.

This is known as the process of sanctification. We overcome sin not all at once, it’s a process. It takes time. It also takes some intentionality on our part. What do we do in this process? We draw near to God! As we draw near to Him, he delivers us from our sin. And the promise is He will save to the uttermost, FULL COMPLETENESS, those who draw near to Him!

Jesus isn’t doing this halfway. He’s not going to leave you hanging. There’s no gap. There’s no part of your life that he’s not interested in transforming. He wants to transform all of you into the image of his Son. He wants to transform your mind. This is the process. As we look at the Son, as we draw near to Him, we are transformed into his image from glory to glory.

Those who have the new Jerusalem in their eye must have the ways that lead to it in their heart. - Matthew Henry

It’s all about relationship!

Example of cell phone stuff.

To The Uttermost Is Putting The Responsibility On Jesus. Because Jesus lives forever and intercedes on your behalf, your deliverance really isn’t on you. It’s on Him. Your part is to abide in Him. It’s the relationship.

How does he deliver us through relationship? By making constant intercession for us. In other words, he is standing before the Father, 24 hours a day, interceding for us. He’s asking the Father to empower us by His Spirit to live a life worthy of the gospel to which we have been called. Intercession means he is praying for us. He is asking the Father to help us, and if he is asking, we know it will be done!

Application

Main Point - God Changes Us Into The Image Of His Son By Delivering Us From Sin Through Drawing Near To Jesus.

Practically what does this look like?

First, we draw near to God through prayer. We spend time with Him. We are not doing this for his benefit, but for our own. As we are in his presence, looking into his face, we are changed.

This could also look like you reading the Scriptures, worship or fasting. The spiritual disciplines were given to us as a means for transformation in our lives.

Today, we are going to engage with the spiritual discipline of silence. I’m going to give you some time before we end this service for you to sit silently before the Lord. Now, this may be odd for some of you. Our goal is not to manufacture any thing, but to allow the Lord to speak to us in the stillness.

I’m going to give you a simple prayer prompt, that will hopefully help. This prompt has to do with our passage. Jesus is making intercession for us today. Here’s the prompt:

Lord Jesus, What Is Your Prayer For Me Today?