The Priest Who Opened Heaven's Door

Back in February and March we talked about It was the blood that made the difference (why it was required), and why we need a Savior.

Now we need to understand His role as our High Priest — And how He opened access to salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.

In the Old Testament, there was a strict system for approaching God.

And it required a mediator — the high priest..… Why?

Hebrews 5:4 “And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was.”

The high priest was the only one who could enter the Most Holy Place, where God’s , to presence dwelt.

And even he could only enter once a year on the Day of Atonement — and only with blood

Common people couldn’t approach God directly.

They needed the priest to represent them

To offer sacrifices for them

To intercede for them

There was a thick veil separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple.

The veil represented the separation between Holy God and sinful humanity.

No one could pass through it except the high priest.

And even then, only under very specific conditions.

But everything changed at the cross

Matthew 27:51 “At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,”

The veil was rent/torn....… Not torn from bottom by the hands of a man — torn from the top to bottom by God Himself.

The barrier was removed......… meaning, Access was opened

Why? Because our Messiah, Jesus Christ became the sacrifice AND the high priest

It was His death that basically transformed access to God’s presence by eliminating the barrier that separated humanity from the divine

The physical tearing of the temple veil at Jesus’s crucifixion symbolized this seismic shift

The tearing of the veil conveyed that His sacrifice was sufficient atonement for sins

Identifying that the way into the Holy of Holies was now open for all people,

for all time, both Jew and Gentile

What had been restricted to the high priest once yearly became universally accessible through Christ’s finished work.

The veil’s removal also reshapes how we understand Christ’s role

The veil was symbolic of Christ Himself as the only way to the Father

And now Christ is our superior High Priest

As believers in His finished work, we partake of His better priesthood

And can enter the Holy of Holies through Him

Access is no longer mediated through institutional priesthood

But through personal faith in Christ’s completed sacrifice

Hebrews 2:17 “Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.”

A merciful and faithful high priest.

Christ didn’t just die as the sacrifice

He entered Heaven itself as our High Priest

To present that sacrifice before the Father

Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf.”

To appear now before God on our behalf..… Right now, at this moment, Jesus stands before the Father on your behalf

Here’s what makes Jesus different from from every other Levitical high priest:

Old Testament priests had to offer sacrifices for their own sins first.

Jesus was sinless

Hebrews 7:26 “He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.”

Old Testament priests died and had to be replaced......

Jesus lives forever

Hebrews 7:24 “But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever.”

Old Testament priests offered repeated sacrifices

Jesus offered Himself once, forever.

Hebrews 10:12 “But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”

Even more, Christ’s priesthood wasn’t just for the Israelites.

Natural-born Gentiles were completely outside of God’s covenant people.

They were like wild branches — unconnected to the cultivated olive tree of Israel

Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.””

The blessing came through Christ

Abrahams descendant

Who opened salvation to the wild branches

Romans 11:17 “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.”

Grafted in....… Gentiles — who were never part of God’s covenant people — have now been grafted into the family of God through Christ.......Pure grace

The Gentiles weren’t replacing Israel

They were being grafted in alongside them

Through faith in the Messiah

The same High Priest who intercedes for the natural branches

Intercedes for the branches that have been grafted-in

Galatians 3:28 “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

All one in Christ Jesus..… Natural branches and grafted branches — all drawing life from the same root

All given access through the same High Priest.

And now, because of Jesus our High Priest, we have access

Hebrews 4:16 “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Come boldly....… Not timidly....Not fearfully.....Not through another mediator.

Boldly, directly

Because Jesus opened the way for us

You don’t need a human priest to approach God for you anymore

You don’t need to be a natural-born Israelite to have access to salvation

You just need Jesus — your eternal High Priest

1 Timothy 2:5 “For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.”

This week, I want you to: Approach God with confidence through your High Priest

Why?

Jesus understands our weaknesses because He faced all the same testings we do, yet He did not sin

His sacrifice permanently altered our standing before God. With His own blood — not the blood of goats and calves — He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him, and He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf......Our confidence isn’t based on our own merit but on His continuous advocacy for you and I

Here’s the actual truth: You have direct access to the throne of grace — not because you’re worthy, but because Christ is your High Priest.

The veil is torn.....The way is open.......and now you can come boldly… won’t you come?

BENEDICTION

ROMANS 10:9-10 SAYS, THAT IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH AND BELIEVE WITH YOUR HEART THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, YOU SHALL BE SAVED.

IT GOES ON TO SAY, WITH THE THAT WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVES AND WITH THE MOUTH MAN CONFESSES UNTO SALVATION.

LORD JESUS, I THANK YOU FOR COMING TO RESCUE ME FROM THE CURSE OF SIN. UNTIL TODAY, I’VE LIVED MY LIFE AS A SINNER, UNTIL TODAY, I’VE LIVED MY LIFE MY WAY. BUT RIGHT NOW, I INVITE YOU INTO MY HEART TO BE MY LORD AND MY SAVIOR. I THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME, I THANK YOU FOR EMPOWERING ME TO LIIVE LIFE YOUR WAY. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

IF YOU HAVE SINCERELY MEANT, THEN GOD HAS SINCERELY RECEIVED IT AND YOU ARE NOW APART OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH, YOU ARE APART OF THE BELOVED, THE FAMILY OF GOD.

THERE ARE FALSE TEACHINGS GOING AROUND SAYING THAT EVERYBODY IS A CHILD OF GOD, BUT WE KNOW THAT’S NOT TRUE. IN JHN 8:44, JESUS SAID TO A GROUP OF RELIGIOUS PEOPLE THAT, “YOU ARE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL”. SO, WE KNOW THAT EVERYBODY IS NOT A CHILD OF GOD AND YOU JUST DID EXACTLY WHAT WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO BE ENGRAPHTED INTO GOD’S FAMILY.

 GIVING

If you would like to give into the ministry and help support the Kingdom, we have two ways of giving.

1. There tithing envelops placed at the back of the room next to the drop box. Fill out the envelop and place your tithe/offering in the box

2. Cash app! Go cash app type in $hhministries25, look for the church logo and follow the prompts.

** we are still currently working on our online giving. We will inform once we have it up and running!

On behalf of myself and everyone here at Harvest House, we thank you for all of your support as we continue to grow in the kingdom and in faith!

PRAY US OUT!!!

Thank you for you time!! My name is Pastor Dre'….I love you all so much and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it!