A. Christ: His Superiority As High Priest

[ ] 10/4/2015 #1128

ONCE!

HEBREWS 9:1-15

INTRODUCTION: Jesus came to earth once and this was by the means of the virgin birth. He died once upon the cross, was buried, and was raised from the dead on the third day. Jesus ascended to heaven where He entered once into the holy place to offer His own blood so sinners can be saved. Jesus is now seated at the right hand of His Heavenly Father. Jesus is once for all our faithful High Priest.

I. HOLY PRIEST

A. CHRIST: HIS SUPERIORITY AS HIGH PRIEST.

The writer of Hebrews reveals the superiority of Christ as High Priest. Aaron was the first High Priest to serve in the Tabernacle. Aaron was chosen from among men. Jesus was Divinely appointed by God. Aaron was from the tribe of Levi. Jesus was the Son of God. Aaron was flawed by sin; however, Jesus is sinless and undefiled. Aaron's priesthood was temporary because of death. Jesus' priesthood is for eternity.

B. CHRIST: HIS SERVICE AS HIGH PRIEST.

The Tabernacle was a large tent. It is referred to as a "dwelling place," or "sanctuary." It was to be the meeting place of God with His people, the Israelites, while they were in the wilderness. The tabernacle was placed within a large courtyard which was surrounded with a fence that had only one door or entrance.

The Tabernacle was divided into two rooms, the holy place and the most holy place. The Levite priests performed their duties of ministering before the Lord and offering sacrifices for the people in the first room. This room was known as the holy place. The High Priest would enter once a year into the second room. This room was called the Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy Place.A thick veil or curtain separated the two rooms. The High Priest would have to prepare himself before he could enter into the Holy of Holies. The veil served as a barrier to make sure that man could not carelessly and irreverently enter into the presence of a Holy God.

The Holy of Holies had one piece of furniture which had two parts. It was the Ark of the Covenant. The first part of the Ark of the Covenant contained the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded and the tables of the covenant that we know as the Ten Commandments. (v. 4) On top of the Ark was a golden lid known as the "mercy seat." At each end of the lid was two cherubim facing each other.

In Exodus 25:22, God said, "And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." (Exodus 25:22 KJV)

God would look upon the broken law of Moses from above the mercy seat. The penalty for breaking the law was death. Israel had broken God's law.

The purpose for the High Priest's entrance into the Most Holy Place is given in Hebrews 9:7. "But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people."

On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies. He would sprinkle the blood from a bull on the mercy seat for his sins, and then he would sprinkle the blood from a goat on the mercy seat for all the sins of Israel. The blood of the goat was a covering for the sins of Israel. The word "atone" means to "cover over."God's law required death as the penalty for sin. When God saw the death of the innocent sacrifice for Israel's sin, He was satisfied that the demands of His law had been carried out. Sacrificing an animal on an altar did not take away the sin. The blood appeased the wrath of a Holy God against sin. This was a temporary covering for Israel's sins. Jesus would offer a better sacrifice and provide a permanent atonement for our sins.

II. HIGH PRICE

A. JESUS: THE PRICELESS OFFERING. (v. 15) "by the means of death"

Jesus is our High Priest who paid a high price for our redemption. The blood of goats and calves could not atone for our sins. Jesus entered only once into the holy place to obtain eternal redemption for us. The sinless, perfect Son of God "bore our sins in His own body on the tree." ( 1 Peter 2:24) We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. (Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:6) The value of Christ's sacrifice of Himself cannot be counted nor measured. The Royal Son of God dying for a ruined people is beyond our comprehension.

The animals that were sacrificed on the altar were not willing to die, but Jesus willingly died for us. "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:14 KJV)

B. JESUS: THE PRECIOUS OFFERING.

All the silver and gold in the world cannot redeem one sinner. Redemption of sinners required the shedding of blood, the precious blood of Jesus. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (1 Peter 1:18-19 KJV)

Jesus was slaughtered as a lamb. Bruised and wounded for our iniquities, Jesus hung on the cross. (Isa. 53:3-7) The Father would have heard the pain as Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The Father knew the precious blood Jesus was shedding for sinners. The angels of God must have watched in anguish as the precious blood of Jesus was shed for despicable sinners. At the foot of the cross, Mary watched as her son suffered in pain as His precious blood dripped from His veins. The religious leaders and the Roman soldiers sneered and laughed as the precious blood of Jesus fell to the ground.

The writer of Hebrews warned those "who hath trodden under foot the Son God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, with which He was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace?" (Hebrews 10:29)

Someday all the redeemed will stand around His throne and sing. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." (Revelation 5:9 KJV)

III. HEAVENLY PROMISE

A. PROMISE OF ETERNAL REDEMPTION. (v. 12)

The promise of eternal redemption is secured with the seal of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is that seal of promise.

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." (Ephesians 1:13 KJV)

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30 KJV)

The Holy Spirit is the down payment, the guarantee of our salvation until the day of redemption, when we will be with God in all His glory.

B. PROMISE OF ETERNAL INHERITANCE. (v. 13- 15)

The purpose of the sacrifices of bulls and goats was to represent the cleansing of sin. This was an external act with no internal result. Sinners were not changed from within. People are sinners by nature. (Mark 7:21-23) What a sinner needs is a new heart; he needs to be born again. (John 2:3, 5)

There is but one mediator between God and men, the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Tim. 2:5) Jesus is the mediator of a new and better testament or covenant.

Jesus offered Himself through the eternal Spirit as a perfect sacrifice for sinners. The blood of Jesus has the power to cleanse our conscience and free us from guilt. We now can "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22 KJV) We become new creatures in Christ so we can serve the living God.

"The eternal inheritance that the Old Testament saints could not receive without Christ's death was salvation, the total forgiveness that alone could bring total access to God." (John MacArthur)

Jesus' death paid the price to set people free from sins' penalty. We have the promise from God who cannot lie of an eternal inheritance. We are spiritual heirs of the Lord Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION:

We have but one physical life. It is appointed once for man to die and then face God's judgment. (Heb. 7:27) Once we have made our decision concerning Christ, our destiny is sealed for eternity. What decision have you made?

The story is told of Abraham Lincoln, who went down to the slave block and there noticed a young black girl up for auction. Moved with compassion, he bid and won her. Upon purchasing her, Lincoln told the disbelieving young girl that she was free. In her surprise she said, “What does thatmean?”

“It means you are free,” hereplied.

“Does that mean,” she said, “I can say whatever I want tosay?”

“Yes, my dear, you can say whatever you want tosay.”

“Does that mean I can be whatever I want tobe?”

“Yes, you can be whatever you want tobe.”

“Does that mean I can go wherever I want togo?”

“Yes, you can go wherever you want togo.”

And the girl, with tears streaming down her face, said, “Then I will go withyou.”