New Covenant Mediator

Intro - We live in a world of broken promises…things that are guaranteed but not really. This is due to the nature of man. The problem with every contract or agreement is man. This is what the new covenant remedies...

TR: What does the New Covenant accomplish?

Hebrews 9:15–28 ESV

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Consecration

Mediator of New Covenant

This covenant actually redeems versus covering up sin.

There was a problem with the first covenant, the problem was sin!

What the Old Covenant sought to do couldn’t be accomplished due to the nature of man.

One of the chief principles of the OT was to set apart God’s people and in doing so usher them into an eternal inheritance and fellowship with God

While there was a promise of eternal inheritance, no one could get it since they were withheld by their sin.

Yet here’s one of the most awesome things abt the New Covenant…it looks backward and forward.

Romans 3:24–25 ESV

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

It remedies the sins committed under the first covenant and opens a path to new fellowship going forward.

One of the most difficult things to accomplish is letting go of the past. This world teaches us that the best indicator of future actions is past behaviors. Yet we see that Jesus is not only able to redeem from sins committed in the past but also change the heart of those sinners. I often wrestle, as many of you do, when parenting and attempting to hold back the tidal wave of sins that we’ve had to endure from impacting our children.

What was attempted by the OT is now accomplished by the NT. His people are set apart, not by the blood of bulls & goats but by the blood of Christ.

Here the writer uses a play on words and interchanges the terms “covenant” and “will”

Rabbit Trail: One of my fears that the Spirit just kept checking me on when preparing this sermon is this question “are those who name Jesus as Lord really set a part?”

Here the writer uses a play on words and interchanges the terms “covenant” and “will”

Up until this point the writer has used the same Greek word ”covenant” or “testament”. However here is switches it to speak abt a “will”.

What God has instituted is not simply an agreement but a will inaugurated in blood.

Here what God is trying to tell the Hebrews is this…that they should have naturally understood that the New Covenant was a progression out of the Old. The Old was a will BUT a will only takes effect when the author of it dies...

So God, the author of the Old Covenant and guarantor of the promises found therein, had to die, so that those promises could be given to His children....

The question then becomes, how can God....die? Jesus Christ....

Jesus’ death simultaneously opened the door for the inheritance from the Old Covenant AND initiated a New Covenant.

TR: Why is the New Covenant started with blood?

Costliness

Just like with the Old Covenant, this New Covenant had to start with the shedding of blood.

Listen folks, I hope you’re seeing how closely these two covenants are linked.

The New Covenant is the execution of the promises given under the Old and is the natural maturation of the Old Covenant.

Not with the rules and regulations but with the essence and principles. Therefore, your ignorance of that Old Covenant is inevitably going to lead to your abuse of the New.

One of those main principles is that everything that is valuable....costs.

We live in a society that would have you believe that you can get valuable things, results, etc. without paying.

If you want to enter into union and fellowship with God it is going to cost.

The writer of Hebrews takes us back to the first covenant and reminds us that they only made it through a massive slaughter and gory depiction of being sprinkled with blood.

How would you respond to that image?

EVERYTHING was covered in blood. It cost LIFE in order to enter into fellowship with God.

Matthew 26:28 ESV

for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

The cost of forgiveness has always involved the sacrifice of life.

Before you get to partake in the life with Christ you have to partake in the death of Christ.

You can’t get to the New Covenant without going thru the death first.

Romans 12:

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are called to model that sacrifice through our daily sacrificing of ourselves to the will of God.

Make no mistake abt it. You do not share in the peace of God if you don’t first share in the conviction for your sin and what it cost.

Romans 5:20 ESV

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

Romans 6:1–2 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

The OT set this rule that there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood.

The writer is pleading with them to remember that forgiveness has ALWAYS had a cost, this time it cost the blood of their Messiah.

TR: Jesus’ sacrifice though didn’t end with his death but began a consummation to all things...

Consummation

Jesus did not accomplish his actions purely here on earth but also in Heaven.

Jesus’ death was so powerful, His blood so mighty, that it impacted both Heaven and Earth.

One thing we have to stand in awe of is the power of Jesus Christ.

We are amazed at the stories of people in the Bible when they do things to defy the laws of nature.

And yet we see that Jesus, through one singular act impacted multiple realities, both physical and spiritual.

He’s telling the Hebrews, don’t stand in awe of the temple where the priest is…stand in awe of Heaven where the true High Priest is…Jesus Christ

Christian, don’t stand in awe of this building or anything on this earth that may seem holy, instead reverence Jesus alone.

And here’s the mindblowing thing…Jesus took us with him...

Ephesians 3:1–14 ESV

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

Ephesians

Ephesians 1:3–14 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

To see how dumbfounded we are with power, the priests, as we see in the Gospels, believed themselves to be elite.

They were merely actors whose work didn’t accomplish any sort of redemption.

Jesus’ blood not only purchased past but present and future redemption. In addition, he only had to do His routine once.

Jesus’ sacrifice only happened once and overwhelmed the daily billions of sacrifices that were conducted by the priests.

Now think of this thought....if Jesus‘ death shifted heaven and earth, if Jesus’ humiliation accomplished an eternal redemption and inheritance....what will his life mean???

Jesus only died once…he’s not going to die again.

Hebrews 9:28 ESV

so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The “will appear a second time” ought to give you a shudder.

Instead, when he comes back it’s going to be for a different purpose. At this point it won’t be to deal with sin but it’ll be to save

When he comes back it’s going to be for a different purpose. At this point it won’t be to deal with sin but it’ll be to save

increase intensity

Jesus is returning to SAVE!!! To complete that which was purchased on the CROSS!!!

Just as with the Old Testament High Priest, after giving the sacrifice he walked out the sanctuary letting folks know they had been atoned for.

Jesus too, will one day leave the heavenly sanctuary and will reappear. PRAISE GOD!!!

Save who? Those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

Who are those that are eagerly waiting for Him? Those that have been born again internally thru the New Covenant.

You can’t eagerly wait unless you’ve been redeemed!

Some of ya’ll are eagerly waiting for something but it ain’t Jesus.

This was the Hebrew problem as well.

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 7:24–27 ESV

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

He is coming to save those who have had a heart change and desire to do His word!!!

Not for the moral person, the humanitarian, etc. but for the person that has been broken and desires to be made new!!!

Who has a desire to live out His Words, however much you may struggle do you want Him to lead your life rather than your own desires?!?!

If so, then He’s coming for you! Praise God He’s coming back for you!