Sermon Central
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Better Ministry, Covenant, And Promises Series
Contributed by Greg Nance on Jan 11, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Hebrews 8 shows how God’s covenant in Christ has outstanding features that are shocking to consider. Who would ever have believed it!
Spiritual vegetarians be warned! We are entering the meat department of God’s word! After introducing how Jesus is high priest after the order of Melchizedek, we continue unpacking the glory of Christ as seen in the shadow of the Old Testament, which is fading away.
Better priest, better ministry, better covenant, better promises, better sanctuary, better offering, better hope, greater than angels, greater than Moses, greater than Abraham… Who is this all about? Jesus! Better, better, better, greater, greater, greater, than who?
Anyone! Jesus is the best! He is our great high priest today.
We have come here today in the name that is above all names. We meet in his name, pray in his name, sing songs about his name, commune in memory of his life, death, body and blood, burial and resurrection. We live in hope of his return. One might look at this faith we hold and say that we are out of this world. I would say, not yet! But on the way!
As we continue feasting on the meat of the matter in Hebrews, we are served another portion that is for mature audiences. Babies will probably not find this section very easy to digest. So we are called at this time to partake of a richly nourishing selection of spiritual food fit for priests of the Most High God. Are you ready?
Hebrews 8:1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2 a minister in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.
4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law;
5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN."
6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
What’s the main point again? We have such a high priest! Where is this high priest of ours? Sitting enthroned with God. Ministering in the real sanctuary. The one God built, of which the earthly one was only a model. Earthly priests bring offerings to God, Jesus did as well, and his was better.
Often when people speak of loved ones who die they say the words, “They are in a better place.” We say those words in faith and hope that they are true. The stronger our faith and hope in Christ the more we can say with God’s word, “For me to live is Christ, to die is…. Gain!” Paul wrote, 2 Tim. 4: 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
How can anyone say such things and really mean them? Because we have a high priest who has offered a perfect sacrifice for us and who lives forever, interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. Then he says: He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
More excellent ministry, by a better covenant, on better promises. What do you know about the more excellent ministry, better covenant and better promises through Jesus Christ?
Hebrews teaches us. But we have to take them one bite at a time. The first item we come to is the better covenant. And yet we soon learn that these are all tied together.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.
8 For finding fault with them, He says, "BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;
9 NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.