Hebrews 8: This Is the Sum

Q: What does the Bible say about our high priest?

The Bible declares that we have a high priest, Jesus Christ, who is permanently established and sits at the right hand of God. Hebrews 8:1 states that 'we have such a high priest,' emphasizing the unique nature of Jesus as our intercessor. Unlike the Old Testament priests, who continually offered sacrifices that could never fully atone for sin, Jesus has completed His work and now sits at the right hand of the majesty in heaven (Hebrews 8:1). This signifies both His exalted position and the finality of His sacrifice for our sins, offering us a lasting redemption and access to God.

Q: How do we know the new covenant is better than the old one?

The new covenant, established by Christ, is better due to its eternal nature and the fact that it offers true redemption and relationship with God. Hebrews 8:6 explains that Christ has obtained a more excellent ministry and is the mediator of a better covenant, established on better promises. The old covenant was limited, in that it symbolized God's relationship with a typical people through temporary measures like sacrifices and rituals. In contrast, the new covenant, revealed in Christ, brings a personal relationship with God, where His laws are written on our hearts, and we receive His mercy (Hebrews 8:10-12). This shift signifies not just a change in administration, but a fundamental transformation in how believers relate to God.

Q: Why is the role of a priest important for Christians?

The priest's role is vital because it represents the mediation between God and humanity, fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, priests acted as mediators between God and the people, offering sacrifices for sins. However, these sacrifices were temporary and could never fully satisfy God's justice (Hebrews 10:4). Jesus Christ changes this dynamic; as our great high priest, He offers Himself as the final sacrifice, entering the true holy place (Hebrews 9:12) and making us acceptable before God. His high priesthood is unchangeable, and through Him, believers can approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing their sins are fully atoned for (Hebrews 4:16). This is why the priestly role is crucial: it assures us of our standing before God and the profound access we have through Christ.

Now, Hebrews chapter 8, the title
of this message is four words. This is the psalm. This is the psalm. And I took
that title from verse 1 of Hebrews 8. Now of the things which we
have spoken, this is the psalm. Now, I'm being honest with you. Because of my limited knowledge,
and nobody knows it like I know it, limited knowledge, when God
uses anything I write or say, it always surprises and amazes
me genuinely because of my simplicity. I like statements like this.
This is the sum. I like for someone to express
something in this fashion. This seems to me to be what Paul
is saying. Of all these things that I've
said, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, all that has gone before,
all that I've spoken, the things that I've spoken, this is the
summary. This is the summary. I'm going
to sum up, Paul said, in a few simple words, what I've been
saying to you all along. Don't you like that? I like when
a preacher sometimes gets to the, in other words, he'll talk
for a long time and say, in other words, and then he's going to
briefly sum it up. Maybe I can catch this. I didn't
get the other. Paul does this in Romans chapter
3, verse 28. In all that he said about the
holiness of God, in Romans chapters 1, 2, and 3, the holiness of
God and the depravity of the Gentile, Romans 1, all of the
wretched depravity, corruption of the Gentile nations. And then
he came on over to the Jews and talked about their claiming to
have the law and obey the law and love the law, and yet they
were just as corrupt as the Gentiles, at least in their hearts. And
so he came down to verse 28 of Romans 3 and he said, therefore
I conclude. This is my conclusion. This is
the conclusion of the whole matter. This is all I've said summed
up. In this conclusion, a man is
justified by faith and not by works. That's my conclusion. Well, I say this in Hebrews 8,
if you can get a hold of the summary here, if you and I can
get a hold of what Paul is saying. Now, of all the things I've spoken,
and for several weeks now we've been in this book of Hebrews,
the excellency and the priesthood glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,
his divine person and work. This is the summary. If I can,
if God will give me some understanding and some power and some unction
to make clear what Paul is making clear and give you a hearing
ear and a seeing eye and a receptive heart, we can learn the gospel
here now. Because Paul said this is the
sum of what I've said. This is the sum. Well, let's
look at it, verse one. This is the sum. Number one,
we have such a high priest. We who believe the gospel. Henry
Mahan, this congregation, Gentiles, 1989. We who believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. We who are not Jews by natural
generation. We who are not Catholics by denomination, we who are not under the ceremonial
law, we have a high priest. That's what Paul said. We have
a high priest. This is a psalm. We have a high
priest. I've got a high priest. It's almost immediately that
the word priest is mentioned. We think about someone dressed
in a religious garb, a flowing robe and decorations, and gold
and red and purple and with some kind of symbol, symbolism. When
the word priest is mentioned, we immediately think about someone
in an office officiating in things pertaining to God, whether you
think of the Old Testament priesthood or whether you think of of what
they have called priest today. But what Paul is saying is we
have a priest. Every believer has a priest,
a high priest. A great high priest. But now
watch the next line. Who is set. We do have a high
priest, and this high priest is set. What does that mean,
set? Well, he's permanently established. He has an unchangeable priesthood. This, our great high priest,
is set, unchangeably, permanently established. It also means he sits. The Old
Testament priest never sat. There were no chairs provided
for the priest because the priest's work was never done. The Old
Testament never wanted to give the impression that anything
was done through what those men did. But our great high priest
is set, established permanently, and he sits, resting, having
finished what he came to do. And he sits, watch this now,
on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven. He
sits in glory, he sits in majesty. He has been exalted above all
exaltation, our high priest. He sits at the right hand. Now,
my friends, I can describe the character of God. I can describe
the attributes of God. I cannot describe the appearance
of God, except to say he that hath seen the Son hath seen the
Father. I can describe the character
of God. Our God is holy, merciful, just,
love, righteous, truth, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. I know
who God is. I know the character and attributes
of God. I know what his name implies,
but I cannot describe the appearance of God. When Paul was taken to
the third heaven, Paul said, I heard things that are not lawful,
not possible to utter. I know the Lord our God is one
God. I know the Lord our God is three
persons. I know there are three that bear
record in heaven, Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. And
yet the Lord our God is one God. And when it says here that our
Lord Jesus Christ sits on the right hand of the throne This
has got to be figurative language because the Lord our God is one
God. We are human beings and we're
prone to think, well, here sits the Father and on his right hand
sits the Son. But the right hand is expressive
of the place he occupies as the Redeemer and representative of
his people. The right hand is reserved for
the object of love, isn't that right Cecil, the object of love,
the prominence, preeminence, the queen sat at the king's right
hand. The place of love, the position
of respect, the position of honor, and acceptance, affection. And
here as it talks about our great high priest, he says we have
a high priest. And he's set, he's permanently
established. He sits, having finished his
work, he sits exalted in majesty and preeminence, and he sits
in the place of acceptance. And we are, as you sang, accepted
in the beloved. This is important. This is good
news. We have a high priest. Now what's
this? In verse 2, and he's a minister of the sanctuary. He's a minister
of the most holy place. He's a minister of the most holy
place, the sanctuary. We're talking about the eternal
holy of holies. That's where he is. That's where
our high priest is. Why in the world would anyone
want to be content with a high priest that ministers here on
this earth in these make-believe places? Our high priest is set
at the right hand of the majesty in heaven, and he's a minister
of the sanctuary. He's a minister in the most holy
place. Turn to Hebrews 9 verse 24. Hebrews
9 verse 24. Now listen to this. The tithes
are gone. Our high priest, listen, verse
24, Hebrews 9, Christ is not entered into the holy place made
with hands. Our high priest is not here on
this earth ministering in an earthly tabernacle, which are
figures of the true, but into heaven itself. Think of it. Our high priest has entered into
heaven itself now, right now, to appear in the presence of
God for us. This is the sum. This is a summary
of all that I've been talking about. We have a high priest.
And he is set on the right hand of the majesty in the heavens,
and he's a minister in the sanctuary. Talks about within the veil.
Talks about in the presence of God. And he ministers for us
where it counts. My advocate, my intercessor,
my mediator has been admitted within the veil, into the presence
of God. The one who speaks for me, the
one who represents me, the one in whom I trust, the one in whom
I rest. Think where he is. And then what's
the next line? He's a minister of the sanctuary,
the holy place, and he's a minister of the true tabernacle, which
the Lord pitched and not man. Now, Moses built a tabernacle. He built a tabernacle in the
wilderness. And in that tabernacle was the
holy of holies and the holy place. And in that tabernacle, Israel's
priest, Israel's high priest ministered. He was a typical
priest, he ministered in a typical tabernacle, he brought a typical
offering, and put it on a typical mercy seat. And all of this was
typical. And none of it could effectually
perfect anybody. Is that what you want? Certainly
not. Our high priest ministers not
in an earthly tabernacle, but he ministers in heaven itself.
in heaven itself. And the true tabernacle is his
body. For he tabernacled among us. Turn to Hebrews 10. Listen to
this. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 5. Wherefore, when Jesus Christ
came into the world, when he cometh into the world, he said,
Sacrifice an offering thou wouldest not. All of these offerings and
sacrifices of the old tabernacle, they never satisfied God, they
never pleased God. Verse 6, and burnt offerings
and sacrifices for sin, thou hast had no pleasure. They couldn't
make the comers there unto perfect. Look at verse 4, Hebrews 10.
It's not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take
away sin. But verse 5, Wherefore, when he cometh into the well,
he said, Sacrifice an offering thou wouldst not, but a body,
a tabernacle hast thou prepared me. Now verse 9, Then said he,
Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, he taketh away the first. All
of these pictures and types and sacrifices are fulfilled and
done away with. that he may establish the second,
by the which will we are sanctified, justified, made righteous through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." This is the psalm. All right,
verse 3. Now watch this. For every high
priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. In Old Testament
days, Aaron, the sons of Levi, these high priests, taken from
among men, and no man took this office on himself but he that
was appointed of God. And these Old Testament priests
represented the people in things pertaining to God. No man could
come to the Father except by the priest. No man, not even
a king, could offer a sacrifice, only the priest. On the day of
atonement, only the high priest and none other, and that once
a year, could go into the Holy of Holies and bring a sacrifice,
an atonement, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat where dwelt
the Shekinah glory, the presence of God, only the high priest.
Well, you say, I'm glad I didn't live in those days. Well, I am
too. But I have a priest. I have a high priest. It's still
what God is saying in that tabernacle, he's saying right now. What God
has demonstrated in that tabernacle, he's demonstrating right now.
You don't come to God without a high priest. You don't come
to God without a sacrifice. Without the shedding of blood,
there's no remission. I don't care who it is. I know
we have fundamentalism and individualism and personal, I've said Jesus
is my personal savior and personal religion and all this, but I'll
tell you this, religion without a mediator is too personal. Without
a high priest, it's too personal. We have a high priest. We have
a high priest after the order of Melchizedek who's unchangeably
set and sits. on the right hand, who's a minister
of the true sanctuary, of the true tabernacle, his own body. And these Old Testament priests
had gifts, verse 3, they had gifts to offer and sacrifices. They had peace offerings, and
burnt offerings, and trespass offerings, and sin offerings,
and atonement. And this priest performed his
work systematically. His work was never performed
without blood sacrifice, or read the rest of verse 3. Therefore,
it's necessary, God hadn't changed, he's the same yesterday, today,
and forever. It's necessary that this man have somewhat to offer. You got a high priest? Where
is he? Who is he? You have a high priest. Where is he? Who is he? What
does he have to offer? Without the shedding of blood,
there's no remission. What does he have to offer? This
man, as God, he has nothing to offer, not pertaining to sin. God knows no sin. If he were
a Levite priest on this earth, he'd have nothing to offer of
any consequence because the blood of bulls and goats can't take
away sin. But here's the key. Verse 3. Every high priest of Old Testament
days is ordained of God, in things pertaining to God, to offer gifts
and sacrifices as types. Wherefore, it is of necessity,
it is required that this man, here's the key, this man, Jesus
Christ is a man. He's the God-man. He's the incarnate
God. He is every bit man and every
bit God. And being man, He can suffer. Being God, He can satisfy. Being
man, He can fulfill the law. Being man, he can bring blood,
his own blood, his own blood. Yes, he has somewhat to offer.
Turn to Hebrews 9, and I'll show you what he has to offer. Hebrews
9, 12 and 13. Hebrews 9, let's read verse 11. Hebrews 9, 11 through 13. But
Christ being come, a high priest of good things to come, good
things, justification, sanctification, redemption, life, forgiveness,
of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle,
not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building,
not of this Old Testament tabernacle, neither by the blood of goats
and calves, but by his own blood he entered in one time, one time,
into the holy of holies, the holy place. having obtained by
that one sacrifice and that one offering eternal redemption for
us. You see that? He has somewhat
to offer. I have a high priest. I don't
just run into God's presence. I don't just decide, well, I'm
going to quit being mean and start being religious. The door, the everlasting doors,
the eternal gates of glory aren't open to just anybody that decides
they'll run in and visit a little while. They're open to the King
of glory, and only the King of glory, and those he brings with
him, those he represents. Now the present, I'm telling
the truth, the present, and this is, my generation has a familiarity
with God that's going to come down on them someday. We have
a high priest, we reverently and humbly and in submission
back off, even as Israel did from the mountain. When we are
made conscious of the holiness of God, the unspeakable, incomprehensible,
he dwelleth in a light to which no man can approach. God said
no man can look on me and live, even Moses couldn't look on God.
And we come running into the presence of God, oh no, back
off now. And we have a high priest. We have a high priest who ministers
in the Holy of Holies, who entered once into the Holy of Holies,
not with the blood of animals, but with his blood. And he obtained
eternal redemption for us. right then with his blood. Isn't
that a beautiful verse, verse 3? Every high priest is ordained
to offer gifts and sacrifices, wherefore it's necessary that
this man have somewhat to offer. He's got something to offer for
me and you. His life and his blood. And I'll
tell you, the ones for whom he offers that are going to be accepted
in the Beloved. I don't make that general, I
don't make that universal, don't make that in such a way that
it loses its significance, it loses its effectuality, it loses
its power. Christ represents, you know that
old high priest that came into the Holy of Holies? He represented
somebody, didn't he John? Didn't he have the names of Israel
on his breastplate? On his hand? Shoulders? Holiness to the Lord? We have a high priest. All right,
now look at verse 4. But now this, our high priest
and this covenant is so different from that typical covenant that
verse 4 says, if he were of the earth, if our great high priest
was of the earth only, he wouldn't even be a priest. Did you know
that? Jesus Christ of Nazareth If he
were of the earth only, if he were not God from heaven, if
he were of the earth only, he wouldn't even be a priest. The
reason for that is that, number one, he wasn't from the tribe
of Levi. He was from the tribe of Judah. And secondly, he didn't
minister in the tabernacle. Jesus Christ never, never, never,
never, ever went into the holy place in the temple and offered
an atonement. Never did. And he never did follow
the prescribed Levitical pattern given to Moses in the mountain.
He never did. So he wouldn't even be a priest,
would he? Look at verse 4 and 5 together.
Now, if he were of the earth, he wouldn't even be a priest.
seeing that they are priests that offer gifts according to
the law. They serve unto the example and
shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished or told
by God when he made the tabernacle. See, he said, that you do all
things according to the pattern I showed you in the mountain.
You do it just like I told you. And when our Lord Jesus Christ
came to this earth, our great high priest, he didn't do it
like God showed Moses. He wanted the tribe of Levi,
and he didn't go in the Holy of Holies, and he didn't take
the blood of an animal. You see, when God took away the
picture and the pattern and the old covenant, he established
Christ. And Christ is not a continuation
of that old Levitical priesthood. He is the everlasting, but he
was before them. They're pictures of him. He's
not a continuation of them. That's important. That's important. You see, their
ministry was temporary, his is eternal. Theirs was typical,
his is divine. They were many, he won. They
were powerless to save, his is effectual. Their ministry was
works and law, his is grace. Look at verse 6 now. But now,
but now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry. Oh, that's
the one with whom I want to do. I don't want to play religion.
I don't want to play religion. I don't want to play this game
that's being played today when the preacher, the choir sings
and we have a pack a pew and we get folks under, folks there
and all this games they're playing and then the psalm leader cracks
a few jokes and recognizes the visitors and makes folks feel
good. then order some kind of competition
for next Sunday to get more than we had this Sunday, and then
the preacher brings some kind of little three-point sermon
and a poem, and then he starts whispering in the microphone
about judgment and eternity and death, and folks raise their
hand, the choir sings softly, and then they come to the front.
I don't want to play that game. I don't want to play that game
any more than I want to play this priestly game, where you
come and sit in solemnity in the priest, and all his groves
and garb stands up in front of you and sprinkles water on you
and water up here and water here and gives you certain things.
I don't play that game either. I want the reality of worship. I want something better than
picture, something better than pattern, something better than
type, something living, something reality, something God's ordained.
Something God has established, something with which God is pleased,
something God will accept, and this is it right here. It's Christ.
We have a high priest. And he's entered into the heavens,
and he's set at the right hand. And verse 6 says, he hath obtained
a more excellent ministry than all the Old Testament pictures
and types and men, by how much also he's a mediator of a better
covenant, which is established on better promises. You get that?
Let me show you five better things. Verse 1, our high priest ministers
in a better place, heaven. Is that right? That's what verse
1 says. He sat on the right hand of the
majesty. He ministers in a better place,
heaven. I reject and resist any earthly
ministrations or doings pertaining to my acceptance with God. I
got a high priest in a better place. Secondly, he has a better
tabernacle. This building here is going to
crumble. All of their buildings, impressive, Notre Dame is going
to crumble, St. Peter's Basilica, whatever it
is, it's going to crumble, everything down here. But I'll tell you
this, verse 2 says, he's a minister of the sanctuary and a better
tabernacle with the Lord pitched. That's his body. Christ himself,
and he ever lives. All right, verse 3, and he ministers
with a better sacrifice. Every high priest offers gifts
and sacrifices, but brother, he's got somewhat to offer. It's
his righteousness in a better place. with a better tabernacle
and everlasting body God prepared him, with a better sacrifice,
his life and his death. And then all this is established,
God says in verse 6, upon a better covenant, the everlasting covenant,
the covenant of grace. And I'll tell you this, it has
better promises, precious promises. Oh, that's so good. Be done with
with religious doings. Now, this chapter is divided
into two parts. Here we go into the second part.
The second part, verse 7, and I'll be very brief. If that first
covenant had been faultless, if it could have made you faultless,
If that first covenant of doings and deeds and days and denials
and priesthood and sacrifice would have been faultless, we
wouldn't have needed a second covenant. All right, let me ask
you a question. What is the first covenant? Well,
that covenant, that testament, is the Levitical priesthood and
laws made with Israel and delivered by Moses. That's the first covenant.
The people, now listen to this, the people with whom that covenant
was made were a typical people, a typical nation. Secondly, the
blessings God promised them were material. They weren't a spiritual
people, they were a natural people. And the blessings God promised
them were material. God said, if you do this, I'll
bless your land, I'll prosper you. If you don't do it, I'll
make you go through a famine. So they were always either up
or down, but their blessings were material. The laws required
in that first covenant were outward. They were elements, they were
rudiments of the world, they were baptisms, they were moral
laws and outward deeds. And their mediators were men,
and their sacrifices were animals. And their prophets spoke for
God to the people and the priests represented the people to God
in offering sacrifices. Now that was the first covenant.
And it was never given to save, it was never given to redeem,
it was given as a picture. It was given to show men what
they are. God gave them a covenant and
said, alright, if you want to come to me, come to me this way.
Did they come to him? How did they respond? They respond
like natural men always do. They despised God and his covenant.
They despised God and his covenant. The covenant of all the people
broke the laws. The prophets prophesied falsely. The priests became corrupt and
made merchandise of godly, holy things. And look at verse 7,
verse 8. And finding fault with them.
The fault was in the people. The covenant could not provide
any redemption or even any incentive. Alright, now here's the second
covenant, verse 8. Behold the days come. What are
those days? That's the days of Christ. That's
the days when Christ came to the earth. God said the days
come when I will reveal a new covenant. Why is it called a
new covenant? It wasn't newly made, it's an
everlasting covenant. It wasn't new in operation. Abraham
was saved under this covenant. David said, God's made with me
an everlasting covenant. Why is it called new? Because
it's newly revealed in its clearness and in Christ. It's revealed
after that failure of that first covenant. And I'll tell you this,
the first covenant had to come along and had to show what we
are, our inability, Incapable of pleasing God. No desire for
the things of God. The first covenant shows men
what they are. And then God brings in that everlasting
covenant in Christ, and this is what He says. In verse 10,
He says, this is the covenant. This is the everlasting covenant.
I'll put my law in their mind. They'll think on my law. I'll
put my law in their hearts. They'll love my law. I'll be
their God and they'll be my people. I'll be Abba Father and they'll
be my son. And they'll not have to go around
speaking through a prophet and sitting at the feet of a prophet
to know God. Every believer will know God.
Every child will know the Father. They'll know me from the least
to the greatest. Verse 12, and I'll be merciful to their unrighteousness
and their sins and iniquities. I'll remember no more. This is
that everlasting covenant because we have an everlasting priest.
And I'll tell you this, and here's our warning. In that he saith
a new covenant, and I'll tell you why it's called a new covenant
too. It gives a new nature. It gives a new heart. He gives
a new master. In fact, all things are new.
He said, behold, I make all things new. And it's ever new. But he said a new covenant, he
has made the first old. Now that which is decaying, that
which decayeth and waxeth old, let it vanish away. Let's don't
go back to it. Let's don't try to resurrect
it. Let me show you something in Galatians 5 before we quit. Galatians chapter 5. That Old
Testament covenant and Old Testament pictures, that's what they were
and they served their day and they're done. Don't try to go
back and get those old dietary laws and Sabbath laws and tithing
laws and priesthood. Just don't do it now. We have
a high priest who has set the right hand of the majesty on
high. He ministers in the holy place
with a better tabernacle, and he has somewhat to offer. In
verse 1 of Galatians 5, you stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ has made us free, free from that old covenant. Oh bondage, don't you become
entangled again with the yoke of bondage. I, Paul, say unto
you, if you be circumcised, if you go back to that law, if you
start exercising the things required, Christ profits you nothing. For
I testify that every man that lives under the old law, he's
a debtor to do the whole law. If he wants to get under it,
he's under it totally. And Christ is become of no effect
unto you, whosoever you have justified by the law, you have
fallen from grace. But we through the Spirit wait
for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ
neither circumcision abateth anything, nor uncircumcision,
but faith worketh by love. We have our high priest. Christ
Jesus the Lord. Isn't that beautiful? And the
old covenant is gone. Let it stay gone. Behold, he
said, I make all things new. Alright, I want us to sing A
closing hymn, number 274. And I'd like for you to sing
this a little slower than it's written. A little meaningful,
especially on the chorus. Jesus never fails. Heaven and earth may pass away,
but Jesus never fails.

Hebrews 8: This Is the Sum

What does the Bible say about our high priest?

How do we know the new covenant is better than the old one?

Why is the role of a priest important for Christians?

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Hebrews 8: This Is the Sum

What does the Bible say about our high priest?

How do we know the new covenant is better than the old one?

Why is the role of a priest important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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