055 - The Point?

Bible one more is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right it may look like just print on the page but it's more than a join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our own.

As we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than just stop in midsentence a week what your point where we know this is all about. Well today the writing papers that very thing pertaining to Jesus say he's better in every way our dining room table. I'm Dorothy Jim and we really are sitting at our dining room is what we see is right.

Glad you're not open this text exercise are my… This is thinking oh that's fitting right dining table confuses run and eat solid food.

That's right sobering solitude dining room table and excellent in the middle of Hebrews thought-provoking new ideas about who this Jesus might be us but to the Jewish mind also tries to write his context and was told he's a better priest even better hope he mediates a better covenant. All that's a lot of big idea and you know he hasn't said, with the better means you know that is coming, it's coming so so we left off last time talk about Jesus, as is our better high priest and just by way of review.

He had already told us he's like us and his tempted has been tempted in all things that we are but he's different because he is without sin is the beginning of the book. He is the exact representation of our unseen God right. He's the radiance the outshining of his glory.

He's better than any human priest, even a priest who serves. According to the Mosaic law.

So that's kind of where were at any argument and were pickup today at the beginning or the end of chapter 7 Bruce and then moving to the beginning of chapter 8 yeah yeah so is his close up close off. He's going to bring to a little bit of a point Weiss talked about Jesus our high priest, and what is a superior proposal and not by the way here.

He told us this this particular high priest and Jesus is someone who allows us to go to walk through the curtain through the right into the presence of God which the old man high priest could not yet. He's gone in and anchored away inside the veil for us. So with that start. Should we jump in one yeah chapter 7 I'll do it.

Okay verse 26 chapter 74. It was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. Yet he has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily for first for his own sins and then for those of the people. Since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priest, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law appoints a son, a son who has been made perfect forever. We got stuck there is that word perfect perfect again.

Nothing more is needed. His his priesthood, his son ship is absolutely complete and sufficient, so don't don't miss read that last that last verse of chapter 7 that Jesus was sinful. At one time. Then he was made sin less. That's not what it just means that he feels role. That's the perfect completion of God's plan for us. That's what's really talking about. So you he's is much superior and you know it. If you look back in Leviticus when God tells the priest backed them with the need to do that we know when they're going to offer sacrifice for people to get offer sacrifice for this ounce.

First is their sinful themselves, so that's a problem here he makes this really great spear point. Jesus never had to make a sacrifice for himself because he was indeed what he did was offer up himself. Yes, for us as well. Sacrifice that sets him apart as you see reason is somehow to less and florescent. Here's the better priest.

Here's the here's the superior actions, their similarities between the high priest then and Jesus, but Jesus clearly heads above I mean he just is just totally different. But this is the first time the writer says that he's going to say again the next few chapters he did it once for all.

Once for all. Once right is complete done, been there done that over and finished yeah we do not need to offer sacrifices so more so once for all his sacrifices made and it affects the atonement for our past sins are present sins. And what will you, but for the priest in the Old Testament that wasn't the case when you did something wrong. You brought minimal on the he sacrifice on your behalf to kind of your reminder for the sin that happened well and I think I think sometimes we don't even pay attention to how much and how often the sacrifices were you can read those things in Leviticus and Exodus in numbers. You can read about how often they were sacrificing morning and evening, and twice as often on the Sabbath and twice as many so you know that's an astonishing thing temple, the tabernacle in the wilderness and then the temple when it was a building attached to the ground was permanently engaged in the activity of the shedding of blood shutting about offering sent what what a stark picture all the time that we live in sin perpetrating that our sin must be constantly dealt and that it it said in its obstacles in the way of the completion of God's perfect and promised us our sin gets in the way and so you talk about the Old Testament temple yes what they do in the Old Testament temple. Well, they dealt with sin dealt with, and that's what I was pretty much see you go is all about the known to why would sin be so well because the issue is that to define the fruition of God's promises to us that our sin is the issue that keeps us separated from God. And so, from God's perspective, we want to give the best is really what to give the best to us. It's our sin that's the problem it's totally the problem and so, somehow, in whatever covenant God puts together for minutes God to include a solution to the problem of our own sinfulness.

Now interestingly enough in the Old Testament there were it was always understood that the blood of animals didn't take leaders yeah David says in Psalm 50 you wanted more blood sacrifice. I would give really want is my heart right God says in Isaiah one who told you to bring all these animals in here and keep this content sacrifice going right so because it had become a ritual route instead of real understanding that this animals shed line represents my life God right in and to an observant Jew, they would understand the fact that this would this wasn't solving the problem ranks number one, a reminder of the reminder but was also a hint about the fact that maybe something or someone else later is paying that price because because the writer also says later on that that the sacrifices the sacrifices are stark wake-up call to the fact that because of your sin. Something must die right and so that price was just it was sobering and that was that was the 24 seven action in the temple there were no marriages there. There were no baptisms there. There were not a lot of things it when you're speaking to the culture. We may be listening to. This is where we live right temple. The temple was about.

That's the problem, and it was constantly covered with blood even even in the inner, the holy of holies where God is separated by the curtain. Once you the high priest went in and you know what he did when he went into the inner inner sanctum kind were God's presence is that no one thoughts of diapers he would go in there and sprinkle blood sprinkled line. So even in that place were in God's presence. There is the visible sign of the cost of paying for sins so you fasting so we digressed well, but the idea of substitutionary suit sacrifice. That's it. Big term, meaning that the sacrifice that I bring as a substitute for my own life right that's what that means right so that we are going to get into that in the later chapters that if you weeks from here. So I'm using that court who Jesus is, what is worse for us, he said. I died in the Scripture says he became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God in him and he was our substitute for a Jew at the time, and even now that's an easy leap.

If you say Jesus died, his art is our second person there was a oh, you mean like the sacrifice that they had done little to accept that it's not only appalling idea that human being exactly would do that you write so but but they would get the connection the picture. The picture had been cemented in their minds is something something must died because of that soon okay so let's go back to see sent you and we really not that far field because in verse 27 the writer as he did this once for all offered self offered up himself and others at the site area. There need to read on the chapter starts now. The point didn't want to say that writer knows okay now did are you with this.

We have such a high priest keeps himself when he was seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. Minister in the holy places in the true tent that the Lord set up for every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. This is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if you were on earth you would be priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts and the law. They serve a copy – no heavenly things for when Moses was about to erect the tent.

He was instructed by God sake see that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain, but as it is Christ, and that term is Messiah, anointed one God. Someone has obtained a ministry that is much more excellent than the old as the company mediates is better since it is enacted on better promises better better better better passing better and better. Okay he will indeed explain more about what he means by better like and stuff but to go back to the beginning of chapter 8. Boy he it's a mouthful, just the first handful of verses. So for instance I mean back for second you get the Jews back in. You know when their leave Egypt and their wandering them right in them. And God says make a tent for me because I want to tent with you guys out here that was called the tabernacle. That was the temporary movable place that symbolically showed the presence of God he was he was actually living in their camp in the center of the camp and they would they would camp the tent all around this one central tent, which is the tabernacle that was the presence of God, and it served as a portable temple essence because it still like the temple had this curtain that separated man from the central part were God was so uses deportable temples everywhere. He says tent here.

He's talking about that movable that movable holy place right but but God's intention got visible intention to live in the midst of his people rises desire. The problem was, he could come in the middle of his people, but his people couldn't come into his presence because of their sin is still a problem.

Yeah. So when he says that he draw it now you take that very concrete action. What they did when they were in the desert and stuff like that and he elevates this now to a connection with like heavenly equivalent of the tent. I mean oh that is copy and a shadow of the real one right there is a spiritual reality that is greater and more concrete then tent or that stone temple right which is which is why he says you know you put all this together. It serves a copy and get to verse four and five is a is a copy of the things I have is a shadow things so there is a greater reality.

It's a spiritual reality route.

It's a greater reality that that movable tent where God lives is kind of like the bigger picture of our involved with God in heavenly are in a spiritual sense. So so that that's we think it's in verse two, he says, is that true tent is the true tent that God set up, not me. I set up so there. This is this is coming down to the concrete promise of finding a rest in the presence right in the nearness of God. So that's that's bigger than just the tent back in the Arabian desert.

This is this is the big tent of heaven is colchicine even before he says we have such a high priest who see it at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Well, so do remember in the Gospels. When Jesus was on trial before the Jewish authorities and ask himself.

Are you the Messiah, and he said and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the throne of Manchester heaven and they said there is blasphemy right but he writer he reducing this is the high priest we have, who is actually deity himself seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Yes. So now we have a high priest, a great high priest who is tempted in all things as us men, but he's also fully got right now. This is a mind door for Jewish audience.

It's a mind blower for Gentile audiences today. How can God be man at the same time.

Is that possible, and do what he did and then come and die for Jesus to be outpouring that outshining the glory of God and the exact representation of his nature well that the one God sent Messiah gave himself for the ones he love is that at the core of the nature of God right that he gives himself the benefit of those he loved. His love is to sacrifice himself for the benefit of deluxe high priest.

I know that's why this is, this is just a mind blowing his first four fibers jump three. This is how superior this high priestess. This is how much better this high and operating in a much more concrete place which is actually true tent.

The true place when, which were you can come into the presence of virtual reality eventually drawing near to God happens through him through his ministry, so you know at the end of this little passage here. He says in verse six Christ has obtained a ministry that's much more excellent passes that blows it right out of the water because he mediates better covenant better agreement on how life is done that's enacted on better promises better better better. Well, what makes it better and we have to hope before we look forward that has something to do with the solution to our sin right which separates is right so that's that. That is spots poorly.

That is, the better. But in many respects, but he says he's a minister, better covenant his mediator and he has obtained this straightness will ministry is an act of service's office does prayer service serving others bring benefit other people so that's what his role as he is still serving us is serving us in all of this and the point is to connect us with the promises of God. Right. That's when I told about its connectives from some, but if you if you are back to the historical account of where the team to the brink of promised land. Do not members of the spies and right right. One guy one guy for every trucks was 12 guys that went in when they came back out. They said okay. It is a great land but there's just as there is just so even though God promises place.

We don't think you can take them.

I don't know if God is bigger than the Giants but to the spies to the guys and tribes that cut Caleb and Joshua said GOT this got got this will Josh was an interesting guy because in a way he is another sort of type of Jesus because he was interceding at that point saying no God can do this. God can bring us into this place of rest.

They didn't believe them because they didn't believe they stayed out but then eventually when you get a book of Exodus, you get to Joshua and there's Josh will bring them in the promised land. So Joshua is an interesting type again of the role of Jesus, not just as high priest, but as our captain and our forerunner into the place of rest is an interesting little bit of trivia about Joshua is that his name is names God saves you place names, but in the later form. Yes, you. It's the name that Jesus issue that was as a friend of ours is to say, that's the issue is name is mommy called him the same God saves so look at this. Joshua brought them into a place of rest and Jesus who brings us in the place of rest. That is not an accidental coincidence that this is the point of God, so that the Jewish mindset would say I think I'm getting this now. I think this means Jesus: Joshua Jesus, like I priest mean Jesus coming to sacrifice himself.

Jesus is God saving saving us from our sins from our problem. They keep to sell the place of rest and keeps us out of the center of the promises of the blessings of God. That's with Jesus.so the writer of Hebrews says he reminds us that Moses was told now see make everything according the pattern was genuine mounted carries this is modeling for us an incredible spiritual reality and where such elementary students.

We needed to have this picture so they God granted them. This model of the temple and the holy of holies, into which that high priest enters so the actual design of the temple teaching us something something back on our access to got a relationship right that's is in fact I'll just even assert there's nothing there's nothing that God does in the Old Testament account of Israel that isn't teaching something yeah so so these are all quite deliberate.

Nothing is just perchance or accidental. These things are trying to tell us about well the true tent like he says in verse two. The invisible but true tent of our relationship with God and are drawing near to God.

These things all have meeting so if you want to have a fun kind of discussion with others. You look at the design of the of the Old Testament temper that the different chambers what's inside of it. What happens in each plane.

What happens in each place is allowed in there.

All of that is a gigantic teaching divisor from God to tell us something about how we can find her axis into the nearness of God wall and the role high priest is key that in Jesus's is so in verse six, the writer says, as it is this Christ has obtained a ministry that's much more excellent surpassing than the old covenant he mediates is better since enacted on better promises, so that opens the idea of the old covenant and the new covenant, and so for our listeners. I would just encourage you to come and read in Exodus about that actual setting.

In place of the old covenant you can read about the actual ceremony in Exodus 24 the first 10 or 12 verses when I says Moses offer the sacrifices and then he took the blood and he sprinkled it on the written word of God and he sprinkled it on the people and they said all the Lord is spoken we will do so there's the old covenant that I don't get is the law and the people agreed to keep it, which we know that that last couple weeks and then you know you can see why because it was really there is a constant reminder verse and what well and it was based on their will and power to obey well what happens when you feel like it really just can't is based on being near perfect behavior to mirror the character of God, whereas the writer is saying to you in a better covenant that's based on God's promise not your promise.

Yes, based on what God can accomplish exact know what you can account what he has accomplished for you. There is a huge into his shed blood of his son, so that the writers can unpack that for us that I would encourage you to go back and Exodus 24 and because that's can be important to recognize what happened to the blood. What hat, what were they promising to who is making the premises what was based on that's important to have in mind when we go into to looking at the new covenant is again all the rituals they went through all the stuff that got you know wanted them to do was meant to be a deliberate teaching device right the nature of their sin about their separation from God about their inability to fully participate in the promises of God because of sin. That was the constant reminder but it never never solved the problem of theirs and it just reminded them in. The writer will say that it was a reminder of sin. That's what the law does. It's a reminder of sin, but it's not a guarantee of a solution to sent loan policy even more visible on that when he says in Galatians. The law is our tutor yes to Christ's right right law makes you aware that you cannot be good enough. You cannot complete perfection and leads you to Christ, who himself does exactly so so the law the law is not obsolete and is not well was obsolete. It's not sufficient in terms of God's promises tortoise but insiders is good and righteous and tells us what God expects a good first step. But it's it's a way in which God is telling us in the totality of our 24 seven. Lives that we are permeates all the children and there is no way you're ever coming into the presence of God being painted. But Jesus, I priest accomplish so what good news is that we have a high priest entered the Holy Pl. in Anchorage the way for us.

He's got in his forerunners.

We read a couple chapters ago then that his ministry never in such good news. This is the good news is there's always an lives intercede for us this covenant in his blood is surpasses the old blows it completely out of the water right and yet it was the original plan of God. Pre-Abraham so this is not an afterthought.

Many false religions as they will. God made this promise, but the people in them in the face so they screwed up what you like because God's promises were bad because people couldn't she want a real since people couldn't achieve because God saying, look, here's the deal.

You cannot be in my presence. If your sinful that's just the way it works. But I've got a solution and that solutions I priest and after all of this talk about covenant that's coming up the chapters that in the benediction at the end of Hebrews the writers to talk about the, the blood of the Col., you turns how do you guide you will be my people, and factual quote that next week because what is going to do. He's, you know, he left us this word covenant at the end of the/November 6 and now he is going to launch on covenant right that this is the planet was the plan from beginning. This isn't just a fixer-upper. This is a workaround from God.

This is the way it always has been. Covenant is an agreement designed by God in order for us to benefit from his love. So were to jump in at big time and is actually going to quote from from for what a lot of people think is kind of an obscure passage on Jeremiah but what he what he close in Jeremiah is a line below it is the new covenant, and so when Jesus in the upper room when he was doing the Lord's supper is up there. He says this blood is the new cup is the new covenant in my blood. This is, I pours off you.

He's saying something he says he thinks he is not sure he's dropping a bomb when he says that they would think the Jeremiah passage they would think new and old covenant is huge and so Jesus is is serving notice to them that he is the key is the key to access to the nearness of God and it's in his blood that this new covenant is found so you can go back right now you don't delay for us for next week go back to Jeremiah 31 starting verse about 31° 34 and just one chapter, just read that central part versus 3131 more and because the writer of Hebrews is jumping up to his eyeballs next week and run with it. So I'm excited. I love this that this is as much as introduce the idea of milk is now let me show you how this works.

This type so come back with us next week.

I'm Jim and Dorothy was more than