Christ - Our Glorious High Priest

that will open for you the book
of Hebrews. I'll give you a key that will
help you if you want to understand this book a little better. I
will give you the key that will help you understand it. While
you read the book of Hebrews, if you will remember one thing,
that it is written, it is designed to show the excellence and the
glory of Jesus Christ above all that is before and all that will
follow. That is the design of the book
of Hebrews. It's to show the excellence and
the glory of Jesus Christ above all that is before and all that
will follow after. Now let me show you that, beginning
with Hebrews 1, verse 1. Now listen. God, who at sundry
times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets, underscore the prophets, hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son. whom he hath appointed heir of
all things, by whom also he made the world, who, being the brightness
of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding
all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty
on high." The Jews boasted of Abraham. They boasted of Isaac,
they boasted of Jacob, but Christ is the Son. Abraham is not the
brightness of God's glory, but the Son is. Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob are not the express image of his person, but the Son is. Abraham could not say to his
hearers, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Abraham
could not say to his hearers, I always do those things that
please my Father. Abraham could not say to his
hearers, No man has seen the Father any time save the Son,
and he to whom the Son will reveal him. The prophets were excellent,
but Christ is more excellent. The prophets were glorious, they
were sent of God, but Jesus Christ is the Son. Now notice verse
four, being made so much better than the angels. Now you'll find
that practically the entire first chapter and some of the second
chapter deals with the ministry of angels. But here it says,
he who is the brightness of the Father's glory, he who is the
express image of the Father's person, is so much better than
the angels. as he hath by inheritance obtained
a more excellent name than they." Now look at verse 5, "...for
under which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my son,
this day have I begotten thee. Again, I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son." Look at verse 7, And of the angels
he said, who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a
flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy
throne, O God, is for ever and ever." His angels are ministers,
but Jesus Christ, his Son, is God. Look at verse 13. But to
which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool?" They are ministering
spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be the heirs
of salvation. Look at chapter 2, verse 5. "...Unto
the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come
whereof we speak." What is the design of this book? It is to
show the excellence and glory of Jesus Christ above the prophets,
above the angels. Now notice thirdly, look at chapter
3, verse 3. But this man, for this man was
counted worthy of more glory than Moses. How many times did
the Jews say to Jesus, we have Moses, we have Moses, we have
Moses. For this man was counted worthy
of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house
hath more honor than the house." Verse 5 tells us Moses was faithful
in all his house. He was faithful. He did what
God told him to do. He went where God told him to
go. He said what God told him to say. But Moses was a what? A servant. Moses was a servant. But verse 6 says, Christ is the
Son, and Christ hath more glory than Moses, as he who built the
house hath more glory than the house, and he who is the Son
in the house hath more glory than he who is the Sovereign
in the house. This is what it's all about.
And then chapter 7, turn to the 7th chapter of Hebrews. I hear
people say the book of Hebrews is so difficult. If you get this
key, there's nothing difficult about it. Nothing difficult. That is not to the sincere believer,
not to the person for whom the Holy Spirit is the teacher, not
to the person who's seeking sincerely in his heart the will of God.
It'll open up with this key. Christ hath more glory. Christ,
his name is more excellent than the prophets, than the angels,
than Moses. Now watch this. In chapter 7,
verse 23. He's greater than all the priests.
And they truly were many priests. We're talking about Abel, the
sons of Levi, we're talking about all the priests. And they truly
were many priests, because they were suffered. They were not
suffered to continue by reason of death. But this man, and I
would say this is the key phrase in the whole book of Hebrews,
but the key phrase in the whole book of Hebrews. The prophets
were faithful, but this man, the angels and ministers of fire,
ministers of the heavens and stuff, but this man. Moses was
faithful in all his house, but this man. And these priests,
they were truly They couldn't continue their ministry because
they died, but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchanging
priesthood. He is greater than all the priests
of the old covenant. And most of the rest of the book,
chapter 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, most of the rest of the is given to show the glory and
excellence of the priesthood of Christ, of his sacrifice,
of his offering, of his atonement. Now, as I said to you, I believe
this is the key phrase, but this man. When I entitled this message,
I thought, well, I'll call it the glorious priesthood of Christ. But then I thought, well, I'll
call it, but this man. Because that's the key phrase,
the prophets served their day. They spoke for God, they served
God, but this man is God himself. I am the Father alone. Thy throne,
O God, is forever. He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father, but this man is God. The angels are ministers of God.
They're sent as ministering spirits. We talk about the guardian angels
and the messenger angels, but this man is the Son. He's the
Son himself. He has all authority. Moses gave
the law. Moses led the people of God out
of Egypt. Moses was a special prophet,
a special servant in the house of God, but this man built the
house. And the priests of the old covenant,
faithful men, godly men, served as advocates. They did. They
served as intercessors. They were important men. They
spoke for God. They spoke to God for men. They
ministered as priests. They were shadows and types and
pictures of Christ. But this man is the Christ. He is the fulfillment of all
things. They served in the tabernacle, but He is the tabernacle. They
offered the sacrifice, but He is the sacrifice. They waited
upon the altar, but He is the altar. They brought the atonement,
but He is the atonement. Christ is so far above and so
much more excellent and so much more glorious than all that has
gone before, all that shall follow after. That's what this book
is all about. Now, there was a tabernacle in
the wilderness. It stood for many years. It was
built by Moses according to divine plan. It contained two parts. This tabernacle in the wilderness
in which all of these sacrifices were offered, this incense was
burned and these cakes of showbread were eaten, this tabernacle contained
two parts. This tabernacle is where God
met man and where man met God. It contained two parts. It contained
the holy place and it contained a small room called the Holy
of Holies. This Holy of Holies was separated
from the outer court and from the holy place by a thick veil
from one side to the other, from top to bottom, with no opening,
no door, no division. Almighty God's presence or representative
of his presence, dwelt in that holy of holies. You cannot contain
God in any room or any space or any building or any nation
or any world or any universe. God dwells in every atom and
every space. God dwelt, though, representatively
in the holy of holies, and no one there except the high once a year to
enter that holy of holies. No one dared enter that holy
place, that holy of holies, that dwelling place of God. No one
dared slip under that veil except the high priest, the great high
priest, once a year. And he wouldn't come without
a blood atonement. He would come into that holy
of holies, that dwelling place of God, where there was one piece
of furniture The Ark of the Covenant, and in that Ark was the Ten Commandments,
the tables of stone which Moses brought down from Sinai. And
covering that Ark, those tables of stone, was a mercy seat. And that great high priest would
come once a year with the blood of atonement, slip under that
veil and bring it there into the Holy of Holies, and put that
blood on the mercy seat which covered the law. once a year. And the great teaching of all
this is one thing. Now you listen to me. There was
a tabernacle in the wilderness, the outer court, the tabernacle
itself, the holy place, and then behind the veil, 15 by 15 by
15 feet, was the Holy of Holies. And in that Holy of Holies, God
dwelt representatively. God dwelt, and once a year that
great high priest, just one man from all the nations, one man
ordained of God, appointed of God, selected of God, set apart
by God, sanctified by God, slipped under that veil and put on that
mercy seat, covering the Ten Commandments, the broken law
of blood atonement. I have given you the blood upon
the altar to make an atonement for your soul. It's the blood
that maketh atonement for the soul. The great teaching was
this, God is separated from man because of sin. Sin has made
a division between man and God. However, there is an indication
that a way to God will be manifest, will be revealed, will be coming
forth. For the division between man
and God is not a great gulf fix, as it will be some day. The rich
man in hell cried, Father Abraham, send Lazarus unto me, that he
may dip his finger in water and touch my tongue. I am tormented
in this flame. But Abraham said, Between us
and you there is a great gulf fix. No man can come from you
to me or from me to you. But this wasn't a great gulf
fix, this wasn't a stone wall, this was a veil, a tapestry veil,
just a veil. This was a veil which was solemnly
lifted at least once a year to allow a representative of sinful
man, once a year. to come into God's
presence. God is saying, I dwell apart
from man because of man's sin. I dwell apart from man because
of man's rebellion. Sin has caused a division between
me and man. However, This veil stands representing
that division, but that high priest comes under that veil
once a year, not without a sacrifice, not without an atonement, not
without an offering, once a year, to show that one day, one day,
a way will be made manifest in which all who will come may come
into God's presence. This picture, this symbol, this
pipe, stood for years and years and years and years until Jesus
Christ came in the flesh as our great High Priest, took our sins,
our guilt, which divided us from God, in his body, and went to
the tree and offered not the blood of an animal, not the blood
of a lamb, but his own blood. died on that cross as the sacrifice. His body went through the fire
of God. It was burnt on the altar by
God's wrath. Then he went into the holy place,
not made with hands, which are a figure of the true, but into
heaven itself. He went not into this little
cubicle, but into heaven itself, into the presence of God, and
by one offering, one atonement, by whom we have received the
atonement. He reconciled, he sanctified, he perfected for
ever them that believed. And when he died on that cross,
Mike sang about it. What happened? The veil in that
temple that represented the division between God and man, the veil
in that temple was ripped in two from top to bottom as if
God himself took it and tore it apart. There has been opened
for us, look at Hebrews 10, verse 20, verse 19, having therefore
brethren, all of you, any of you, boldness. Nobody ever dared do it before.
If anybody slipped under that veil, went into the Holy of Holies,
he came out feet first. But we have boldness to enter
into the holiness. not just into that holy cubicle,
but into heaven itself by the blood of Jesus, by a new and
living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that
is to say, his flesh. And when his flesh was rent,
the veil was rent. And having an high priest over
the house of God, let us draw near." Once our blessed Christ
of beauty was veiled off from human view, but through suffering,
death, and sorrow he hath rent the veil in two. Holy angels bow before him, men
of earth give praises due, for he is the well-beloved who hath
rent the veil in two. O behold the man of or behold
him in plain view, there he stands, the mighty conqueror, since he
rent that veil in two." Now turn with me to Hebrews 4. Three times
it says in this book, this book will open for you if you will
take this key in your hand and ask him, the Holy Spirit, to
be your guide. This man, that's the key, but
this man, whatever you read about Moses, but this man. Whatever
you read about the angels, but this man. Whatever you read about
the prophets or the priests, but this man. Hebrews 4, verse
14, seeing then that we have a great high priest. Now then, he's not in Rome. I'm not apologizing for that.
Our high priest is not in Rome. Our high priest is not in the
city of Ashland, officiating over dead ceremonial sacrifices. Where is our priest? We don't
see him. Then we have a great high that
is passed into the heavens. Who is he? He's Jesus Christ,
the Son of God. That's who he is. And any man
on this earth who professes to be an advocate, an intercessor,
a vicar of Christ, one who represents the people to God or God to the
people, is an imposter. He's an imposter. That veil doesn't
exist anymore. That holy of holies doesn't exist
anymore. That human representation doesn't
exist anymore. We have a high priest. We have
an advocate. We have a mediator. We have an
intercessor. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, and he's in the heaven. He's in the holy place, not made
with hands, but in heaven itself. He's before the throne of God
himself. He stands where things are going
on, where business is taken care of. He stands where debts are
counseled, where sins are forgiven, where pardons are issued, where
lives are spared, where men are born again. He's there! He's
not down here in an old stone building to a 300-year-old playing
church. He's where business is going
on. That's where our high priest
is. I turn to Hebrews 8, verse 1. We have a priest. Don't you ever
dare believe we don't. We have a priest. We have a priest. You're going to see some more
things about him in a few moments. We have a priest. He's Jesus
Christ. But he's in the main office.
He's at headquarters. He's before the throne. He's
where sins are forgiven. Now the things which we have
spoken, this is the Son." See what I'm saying? This is it!
We have such a high priest who is set on the right hand of the
throne of the Majesty in the heavens. That's where he is,
this man, Christ Jesus. This is the Son. See if this
won't open this book for you, verse 21. And having an high
priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true
heart, not in vain hypocritical religion or worship. If you draw
near to God, it better be in sincerity. You come as you are,
but you come sincerely. You come with your guilt and
sin oppressed, but you come sincerely. You come with your weariness
and your heavy laden and the load which has made you so heavy
laden, but you come in sincerity, you come with a true heart. In full assurance of faith, your
heart is sprinkled from an evil conscience and your body is washed
with pure water. Now, I want to point out, there
are about five or six, and I'll be brief. There are about five
or six comparisons in this book between the priesthood of Aaron
and the priesthood of Christ. The earthly priesthood which
was but a picture, which was but a symbol, which was but a
type in Christ. All the excellence of Christ,
all the beauty, the glory of Christ, our great high priest.
First of all, in Hebrews 7, verse 23. Now, you take this book, as you
read it this afternoon or this week, or when you read it, whenever
it might be, and you take this key and unlock it by God's grace,
by his Spirit. It is designed, it is written,
to show the glory of Christ above all who represented him, all
who minister, all who serve, his glory and his excellence.
Now, first of all, in Hebrews 7, verse 23. Now, look at this.
And they truly were many priests. There were many of them. Who
could count? Who could count the thousands
of, yes, high priests who represented Israel, who ministered about
the tabernacle for over two thousand years? You know, I was reading
about Spurgeon's church over in England. and how many different
pastors they had, just a whole list of pastors over a period
of two or three hundred years, just a number of pastors. Well,
think how many priests, how many high priests, how many assistant
priests, how many assistants to the assistants to the assistants,
how many multiplied thousands of priests who faithfully ministered
about the things of the tabernacle for two thousand years or more.
They were born, they grew up, They were called to the priesthood,
they were trained, they entered the priesthood, they served their
time, and then they died. And another man took his place.
They came and they went, they came and they went. Look at verse
24. But this man, but this man Christ
Jesus, this man, because he continueth ever, If you will look back here
at verse 1 of chapter 7, there is a person called Melchizedek. Abraham was returning from the
slaughter of the kings. He had gone out to rescue Lot
and all of his people who had been captured by the kings. He
went out and gave them the sound thrashing and was on his way
back. On his way back he was met by
a priest called Melchizedek. This is a strange person, this
Melchizedek. Nobody ever heard of him before
or after, as far as seeing him is concerned. But this Melchizedek,
verse 1, chapter 7, king of Salem, king of peace, priest of the
Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter
of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth
part of all. being by interpretation king
of righteousness, and after that also king of Salem, which is
king of peace." Now watch this, this is a type of Christ. Some
verily believe it was Christ who made it. Without father,
without mother, without descent, that is, family tree, pedigree,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like
unto the Son of God a Bible for priests continually. When did Jesus Christ become
our High Priest? Was it when he was born in Bethlehem?
Or was it when he died on the cross? Or was it when, after
he said to Mary, Touch me not, I have not ascended to my Father?
Was it when he went into the holiest of all and put his blood
on the mercy seat? I'll tell you when he became
our He became our priest when in the Council Halls of Eternity
the Father made him the Lamb slain." The Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. He became our priest in the beginning,
for it is said of him, he is the surety of an eternal covenant. He became our priest when, as
it is said in the Bible, his blood is the blood of the everlasting
covenant. Look at verse 17, Hebrews 7.
He testifies that I was a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. They were many. They were many
because, secondly, they were human and they died. They were
human and they died, and they had sins of their own for which
to offer sacrifice. He is God, he is divine, he has
no sin. Look at Hebrews 7, verse 26. For such an high priest became
us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, higher
than the heavens, who needeth not daily as those high priests
to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins and then for
the people's sins. For this he did once when he
offered up himself, for the law maketh men high priests who have
infirmities. But the word of the oath which
hath since the law maketh the Son a priest who is consecrated
for evermore." Brethren, these Old Testament priests were men
just like you and me. They were men who had infirmities,
failures, sins, and when they went into the Holy of Holies
with the blood of atonement, They offered these sacrifices
for their own sins as well as the sins of the people. But our
great High Priest Christ Jesus knew no sin. He said, Which of
you convinces me of sin? The Father said, This is my Son,
in whom I am well pleased. Our great High Priest is holy,
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. We have one representative. who is not only equal with the
Father in power, but equal with the Father, watch it, in holiness,
in holiness, and equal with the Father also in glory. Now, these Old Testament priests
were many, Christ is one. These Old Testament priests served
a short time and died. Our Lord has an eternal priesthood. These Old Testament priests were
human And they offered sacrifices not only for the people but for
themselves. Christ Jesus is both divine and
human and has no sin. Notice next in Hebrews 10, verse 11. This is very important,
Hebrews 10, verse 11. And every priest, I want you
to watch some words here, every priest standeth, standeth daily. These priests always stood, always
stood daily. Why? Their work was never done. That high priest, when he went
into the Holy of Holies, into that special place designed for
the dwelling place of God, he had bells on the bottom of his
garment and the people listened. And as he went about in the service
of the tabernacle, he listened for those bells, because he was
never still. If those bells stopped, they
knew he was dead, that God had rejected him, his offering and
slain him. But those bells always rang.
They always stood, ministering. They always stood. But watch
this, verse 12. But this man," there's that word
again, after he had offered one sacrifice
for sin, sat down. Now, why did these people, they
offered many sacrifices daily. It said oftentimes the same sacrifices,
morning sacrifice, noon sacrifice, evening sacrifice. Why? Turn
back to verse 4 of Hebrews 10. Because it's not possible that
the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin. That's why
these priests never sat down, their work was never finished.
That's why Christ sat down by one offering. He perfected forever
them that are sanctified. He finished his work. That's
why they offered many sacrifices, because, look back at verse 3,
in those sacrifices there is a remembrance of sin. Every time
that priest came into the tabernacle, it was saying, we're sinners,
we need forgiveness, we need mercy, we need grace, we need
an atonement, we need a sacrifice, we need God Almighty to pardon
us. There was always a remembrance. Every time a lamb was slain,
it said, sin still exists. But now look back, look at chapter
10, verse 17. And their sins and their iniquities
will I remember no more. Now where remission is, there
is no more offering for sin. These men, look back at verse
10, verse 11, they always stood, their work was never done. Daily,
daily they ministered and offered the same sacrifices. Christ offered
And these sacrifices could never take away sin, verse 11. By one
offering, he perfected forever. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sin forever, sat down on the right hand of
God. Now turn to chapter 9, verse
24. Now, these priests entered the
holy place made with hands. But it says Christ is not entered
into the holy place made with hands, which is a picture, a
figure of the truth, but into heaven itself. Now, watch this
word and underscore it. now, in O.W., to appear in the
presence of God for us. Brethren, Christ hath appeared,
he doth appear, he shall appear. He doth now, now, now, appear
in the presence of God for us. We have a high priest. Now, we
need that high priest not only to offer the atonement, not only
to offer the We need that high priest to continually intercede
for us, because all of our sacrifice, we are priests. Did you know
that? I asked this question in Bible school in our class. We
had a nice discussion over there. I asked this question, Are we
priests? Are we priests? Turn to Revelation 5. How would
you answer that? Are we priests? Am I a priest? Every believer here, are you
a priest? Turn to Revelation 5, verse 9. 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, not by baptism, not by church membership, not
by the law, not by our good work, but by thy blood. Thou hast redeemed
us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, tongue, and people,
and nation. Not just Jews, nor Gentiles,
black nor white, red nor yellow, Baptist or Methodist, out of
every nation. God's got a people. And thou
hast made us unto our God, kings We are a royal nation, and priests,
we are a holy priesthood. Now, when you bowed your head
this morning, I said, let's bow our heads and let us pray. The
only way that you could possibly approach God in prayer yourself
is to be a priest yourself. That's right, only the priest
can come into God's presence. And he hath made us all priests.
The old priests used to come with sacrifices. They had the
morning, evening, the noon sacrifice. They had different sacrifices.
They were named by different names. You and I bring sacrifices
to God. What are they? They're not the
blood of bulls and goats. Christ's blood has already been
shed. We bring the sacrifices of worship, of praise, of love,
of faith. But our sacrifices, every one
of them, are full of sin. Our righteousness
is a filthy rag. Our prayers are full of sin.
They're full of selfishness and all these things. Our faith is
imperfect. Our worship, don't you wish we
could worship God if he's worthy to be worshiped? When you bow
your head to pray, how many of you could pray a prayer without
ever, without ever your mind wandering without ever thinking
of anything but God himself and his glory. Because our sacrifices are so
frail and so human, we need a high priest right now to make them
perfect, to bring them before the Father in an acceptable way,
and that's what Christ is. Look at chapter 9, verse 12,
and I'll move quickly along. These Old Testament priests went
into the holy place made with hands, Christ into heaven itself,
where he is now our great high priest. And he makes us, the
comers, to God perfect. Look at verse 12, "...neither
by the blood of goats and canes." Now, these Old Testament priests
always had a blood sacrifice, but it wasn't their blood. No
man could offer his blood to God. But when he shed his blood
on the outside of the tabernacle, he'd be dead and couldn't go
in. But Christ, look at this, but by his own blood, he entered
once, once. The Mass is offered how many
times? Every Sunday. But Christ died once, he entered
once into the holy place, and what did he do? eternal redemption
for us. That's all it took, went off
with. Not all the blood of beasts on Jewish altars slain could
give the guilty conscience peace or wash away the stain, but Christ
the heavenly Lamb takes all our sins away, a sacrifice of nobler
name and richer blood than they. My faith would lay her hands
on that dear head of thine, while like a penitent I stand, and
there confess my sins." Believing, we rejoiced to see
the curse removed. We blessed the Lamb with cheerful
voice and seeing his eternal love. That's what that book is
all about. The Old Testament is Christ,
salvation through Christ in picture. The New Testament is salvation
through Christ in person. And the book of Hebrews sums
it all up. Of the things we have written,
this is the sum. These prophets, these priests,
these angels, Moses, all the great ones, Abraham, men of faith,
God's hall of fame, hall of faith. But this man hath a more glorious
priesthood. This man hath an eternal priesthood. This man hath an effectual priesthood. This man, when he came, put an
end to all types and all pictures and all shadows, and made us
unto our God, kings and priests. and open for us into the presence
of God through that destroyed veil, through that rent veil,
a new and living way whereby we can come boldly with full
assurance right into the presence of God. We must not just preach
to people, believe, believe. We've got to tell them who to
believe and what to believe. And brethren, we've got to have
a foundation if we're going to have true hope, and we're going
to have to be able to give to every man that asketh us a reason
for our hope. May God give you that knowledge
of Christ and that faith in Christ. Let's pray. Our Father, we give
thanks for thy word, with children all so ignorant of divine things,
so well versed in the things of this world, but so ignorant
in the things of God. so taken up with the vanities
that shall someday fade away, and so dull and indifferent to
those things which shall abide forever. Give us a hunger and
a thirst for righteousness. Give us a desire and a will to
seek the kingdom of God. And all these other things will
be added unto us. Minister to each of us individually
by thy Spirit for the glory of Christ. Give us a mind that thinks
on divine things, a heart that loves Christ. and a soul that's
committed to him. For Christ's sake we pray. Amen.

Christ - Our Glorious High Priest

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Christ - Our Glorious High Priest

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