A Better Hope – A Better Covenant (Part A)

No matter what you going through.

No matter which way it ends up, so long as you stick the Lord there will be a day will be gone you will be with the Lord in glory forever. Satan knows this and so he devotes himself pushing you off and if he cannot push you off the faith.

Then he just wants to shut you up so you don't preach the faith and we come back we say will wait a minute. My Scripture is so mapped out. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 7 for a brand-new study called a better covenant. We are going to turn to the book or the letter epistle to the Hebrews chapter 7 we will take verses 11 through 28 beginning at verse 11. Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood or under it the people received the law. What further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek and not be called according to the order of Aaron the priesthood being changed, of necessity, there is also a change of the law, for he of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe from which no man has officiated at the altar, for it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood and it is yet far more evident if in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of fleshly commandment. According to the power of an endless life, for he testifies you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek for on the one hand, there is an annulling of the former commandment because of his weakness and unprofitable illness. The law made nothing perfect. On the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God and inasmuch as he is not made priest without a no will. They have become priests without an oath, but he with an oath by him who said to him, Yahweh has sworn and will not relent.

You are a priest forever according to the order of no kids, a day so much more.

Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.

Also there were many priest because they were prevented by death from continuing but he because he continues forever as an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them was such a high priest was fitting for us, who is wholly harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens who does not need daily, as those high priest to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the people.

For this he did once for all when he offered up himself law appoints as high priests men who have weakness but the word of the oath, which came after the law appoints the son who has been perfected forever. That was a little long but it's a different it's not wise a thing to break up this section because it is so join together we could do that but it I would run the risk of sounding even more repetitive for making the point so we going to try to close up this entire section.

It is about a better hope in a better covenant.

It is difficult for us to accept change.

Some some people have a harder time with it than others. You can rearrange the furniture in the fellowship hall.

Something as simple as that and there will be some that will bristle at it.

It is very difficult thing, but we are not to give into it and the reason why bring that up is because the Jews had to go through a radical change in their religion. Radical development. Jesus said this concerning change in the response to it. No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst wineskins and be spilled wineskins be ruined.

Then he goes on to say be like new wineskins. You have to be flexible not not surrendering the truth not giving up the principles that come from God, but being wise enough to understand the development and the movement of God through his word and this is the very thing the writer is dealing with and it is only by the Holy Spirit only by the love of Jesus Christ and only through the cross. Could these Jews have a chance at receiving what God was doing and in other words, they had to be born again we need help in our faith. All of us all the time. The abiding presence of Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit and the writer knows this is he's dealing with these issues is depending on. He understands that he can make all the points that he wants to make and he makes them wonderfully.

If the spirit of God is not received in their hearts if they resist and block and run away from what they know to be true, then there's nothing anyone can do so is very high-stakes this letter to the Hebrews as said earlier in other sessions, Paul dealt with this very thing in his letter to the Romans to the church in the region of Galatia and II believe it is Paul writing this letter here this document again is more than just a letter and he he is had to fight this this entire walk he had to deal with people who were going opposite of God in God's name. They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, he said to the Romans were they being ignorant of God's righteousness sought to establish a righteousness of their own doing their own thing and the putting God's name on it. We see this in Christianity we see Christians that I believe it should be this way and do it this way, you know that's opposite of what the Scripture is saying and so it is something that is relevant to all of us and we now look at verse 11.

Hebrews 711.

Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood for under it the people received the law. What further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order. Melchizedek and not be called according to the order of Aaron now. As stated earlier, I have to say that because I don't want you all to think that I'm you know it's difficult to not repeat yourself when you make points over long period of time so I want to make sure you understand that it's on purpose. This time you have to have a basic knowledge of the Old Testament to get there so much out of this letter to the Hebrews you have to understand who Aron was, how he became the high priest of Israel.

What that meant to the nation. Melchizedek how he shows up in the Old Testament, the Levitical order what the priesthood meant to the Jews. We we make the distinction and was not the same priesthood that you see in the Episcopal Church of the Roman Catholic Church. This was an entirely different priesthood and without understanding you have a little bit more strength going forward where he says therefore he's talking about what we know to be verses one through 10 that God's plan of development for the religion of his people was going to undergo some radical changes in the changes would be superior to Christianity is superior to everything else. Judaism in this day was superior to everything else but baked into Judaism was this plan to come forward with a greater plan in Christ. He knows that going to challenge him.

Some of them so he continues in anticipation of their questions and then their objections. He goes forward with these points. He's making in this chapter we would say he's using Psalm 104 as his text. You know, one of the pastor steps into the pulpit and he teaches from the word if it's a topical message. He wants to have a text with the gets the authority this this is what God has said, and this will gotta show me through what he has said and now I share to you is Paul said that which I first received.

I delivered to you, but he is going to use as his cross reference which is a buttress to the versatile as a support member to the first of Psalm 104 is Genesis 14 in the story of Melchizedek that is supposed to mean something to them.

That is their authority so I could come up here and say I read in the book I saw in the paper. Statistics say, but rather than appealing to those authorities. I rather use the Scripture and say, thus says the Lord.

We could use some of those other points from time to time to to make the point more clear if possible.

What we used the Scripture that's our final authority in life for everything. As believers and unbelievers don't understand that they cannot understand the carnal man cannot receive the things of the spirit got their foolishness to them, nor can he know them are spiritually discerned lesson we coming to to turn some lights on so they can see these things and respond to God's invitation to accept him, through Jesus Christ. Well, as a lot involved involved there but anyway this is the Scripture, that he is bringing up before them when he mentions Melchizedek and if Judaism's priesthood was so good why, in their own Scripture.

Did God promise a better one. That's the point, this question they have to answer they want to ask the writer any questions he's asking them some questions. And is it is powerful point. Verse 12 for the priesthood being changed, of necessity, there is also a change of the law will he says it's needed to sing that Old Testament system. It was greatly flawed, not because God but because the system was not enough to deal with sinners is needed more. It was enough to do what it had to do as one who would bring you to the master and the Paul makes the point in Galatians. The law served as a tutor. He says in the tutor to you that Greek word he uses in Galatians is not someone. The guys we think of a tutor today that sits down and helps you get the you know the the intricacies of whatever subject. It is the tutor was the one that brought you to the teacher brought you to the lesson was usually a slave that was appointed this assignment and so Paul says our Old Testament was that one that brought us to the master and it was again necessary in its day, but if it was perfect then it should have been left alone, but it was not for us.

God had something better and the divine lawgiver retains the right to overrule law with law as important point is a lot of Christians think were not under the law, will it doesn't make as Wallace. We still have laws were still not to murder July to commit adultery to covet was still under the moral code so the law that God has brought in has to do with the law of grace, and not the system of blood sacrifices that the Jews adhere to so much that they cherished.

In fact, they cherished it so much they missed it and they missed it so much. They were now going back to it and and as we been and will continue to do every session enables remind everyone, especially for those not aware of it. That is the whole problem of the letter they were going back to a dead system they were throwing away the Christ living by faith was too much for them. They wanted to live by accident and she bringing coming up to the altar and the writer is saying if you do that you will damn your soul. This is very serious. You will insult God for sending his son as the Lamb of God, and then going and offering lamps. His blood did it all, God using King David changed everything.

In ancient Israel's approach to worship and government through this this one king and we been going through this in Chronicles, he lifted the spiritual darkness that his predecessor rotten King Saul had left the nation in David comes along and he pours into Yahweh is God and it flows out of them and it washes the entire nation within that were prophetic utterances when other words within David's life and his songs in his leadings. There were these truths about the future that came from God to him and were backed up by Scripture already written and Melchizedek is 110 song is all about Messiah we know is Christ.

The Hebrew word from Christ as Messiah.

The Greek word for Messiah is Christ's same word the new one which culture which what emphasis you want to place upon Psalm 110 verses three and four. David writing the song he says your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power.

He's talking about coming Messiah will tie that in momentarily. He goes on in the beauties of holiness, and then he adds the next verse. Yahweh has sworn and will not back down.

You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Now here's the time. This is a dial direct link between David dancing before the ark with the thought of a priest with the crown of the king is saying prophetically. There is coming a Messiah, he will be both priest and king. We never had anything like this before, but it's coming. And he will follow that pattern of Melchizedek, who long ago.

In the days of Abraham was both. Melchizedek was a king and a priest and so we go to that moment in first Chronicles which talks about David dancing before the ark, and the sound that he delivered at the delivery of the ark to Jerusalem and the ark represented the presence of God. It wasn't Noah's Ark with all the animals that chest that had the mercy see the top of it. The Angels facing each other.

The cherubim that is I don't want to get that wrong somebody will correct me over the cherubim and we want to make sure we we get that right first Chronicles 1629 give to Yahweh, the glory due his name.

This is the song he delivered at the delivery of the ark bring an offering, and come before him all worship Yahweh in the beauty of holiness. See the connection. Psalm 110 that I can see that writing from Psalm 110 in the beauties of holiness.

First Chronicles 16. The beauty of holiness.

In other words, David's mind was fixed on Messiah coming in the beauty of holiness. He connected the life of Melchizedek. With the coming of Messiah, and he demonstrated it in the dancing before the ark. As King priest and God honored at all.

He will radicalize the nation.

He brought a wave of worship and that Israel had not seen since the days of Joshua and he did all this God is doing all of this without insulting the Old Testament is just moving past a sort of like change of seasonal software developers. They bring in new software. They insult may be the end user. But they don't insult the old software they just move forward on the strength of prior discoveries. Now that might not be the best analogy of how the word develops, but it makes the point that change is constant and when it comes from God.

It is wonderful another words in another. Another words the prophecy of Melchizedek was a sleeper prophecy you have sleeper cells and we know about that. There are those agents that are out there and is waiting for a command to to do whatever it is that they do is been in history from the beginning of insurrections and overthrows of time well with the Lord. The prophecy of Melchizedek was sort of a sleeper prophecy waiting for activation and then got activated right according to plan. In Christ, so we have Galatians but when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, you might say what is all this have to do with my problems.

I don't know. Verse 13 not get the word of God is living and powerful. That's what no matter what you going through. No matter which way it ends up, so long as you stick with the Lord there will be a day or week and you will be with the Lord in glory forever and Satan knows this and so he devotes himself to pushing you off and if he cannot push you off the faith. Then he just wants to shut you up so you don't preach the faith and we come back we say will wait a minute. My Scripture is so mapped out that only the hand of God could've done it. I will decide with God's word, no matter what's happening to me I will stick with the Lord.

Even though I may think that he is not sticking with me. By faith I accept.

He will never leave me nor forsake. Why else would a pastor spend so much time digging into versus not just me. Other pastors would do this. Why else would we waste our time if it was a waste of time but it's not a waste of time is the very thing hate health fears that Christians will get it.

The lights were turned on and they will be stronger because of it. In the face of opposition.

There are those opposing forces that we face that we can beat because God empowers us, but then there are those opposing forces that are more subtle and we don't find ourselves as confident in the faith. When facing, we begin to complain to God to whine about his methods and his systems, and God lets us go just to see when it's all said and done, where we will be and so it's critical we make up our minds and I don't care what happens around me. I will stick with the Lord.

10,000 may fall at my right hand, the thousand that Myla will not community. That's the idea. Well, back to this development, Christ the end of the law. Romans 10 for let me read the verse Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, not without it to everyone who believes. What happens if you don't believe I wouldn't want to be you test the first thing in the second thing you don't have to be you. You can be you in Christ Jesus like David Jesus, the greater King has changed everything. David never lost sight of that, he wrote of an assault.

He said the Lord said to my Lord is one higher than me and he's coming and I love him.

I've not seen, neither have you. We love. We know because God is a God has moves that we could never never understand because they are that high.

Verse 13 for he of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe from which no man has officiated at the altar for verse 14. It is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. Well, if you are a Jew in that system.

Only those who were descendents from Aaron who was from the tribe of Levi could be a priest Judas Tribeca no one there could be a priest writer is talking to Jewish people.

They know this and is say no, let's remember, Jesus came and he was not from Levi. He was from Judah and he is systematically establishing the prophetic fulfillment of Christ as Messiah.

According to Genesis, and according to Psalm 110 that all system barred Jesus from being priest but not the order of a decade invited him to be priest demanded he be priest and forever is the average tribe never received from God. This word, you are a priest forever, but the order of Melchizedek did from which Christ is going to assume in his ministry will get to this one in verse 22. All I owe you I owe you nothing but love in verse 22 we get there and verse 15 now and it is yet far more evident if in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest to his calm, not according to the law fleshly commandment, but according to the power of endless life, for he testifies you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. How many times this morning. Have I said no kids at that and I'm not done this more. So you see again. We started off this Hebrew consideration with these words, it is a pile driver is going to hit that piling over and over until it hits the bed rock and it won't stop until then. And you know if you've ever listen to it pile driving for an enemy a little job I mean a big skyscraper little beat to speech and on and on until finally, as I set that thing all them back. Just a minute that a hard hat on short sleeves and everything so on the basis of his indestructible life where it says here that the arises another priest. Verse 15 then in verse 16.

But according to the power of endless life. This is what what overrules everything for springs. Unlike Aaron and Eleazar his son and all those after him.

They drop dead, this one did not Christ died crossing drop that he gave up the spirit… Forever you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio