The Blood Covenant Pt. 1 Series

The Blood Covenant (Pt. 1)

Hebrews Sermon Series

May 14, 2014 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A As Christians, we have dual citizenship in two worlds, the earthly/heavenly; physical/invisible; natural/supernatural.

1 Matthew 22:21 (NASB) 21 They said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."

a Believers walk a daily tight wire act in-between heaven & earth.

aa We must learn to walk by faith in a world that is governed by sight.

bb We must learn to see/acknowledge/depend/trust the invisible if we are to overcome the pull the world

Hebrews 11:24-27 (NASB) 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

b The world says “Seeing is believing!” But faith replies, “Believing is seeing.”

2 It is that “Believing is seeing” principle that we must apply to our relationship to the heavenly sanctuary that we’ll begin looking at in this message.

a We have never seen the sanctuary we’ll read about momentarily, yet we believe what the Bible tells us about it.

b We know . . .

aa That God isn’t worshiped today in temples made with hands.

Acts 7:46-50 (NASB) 46 "David found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 "But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. 48 "However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says: 49 'HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?' says the Lord, 'OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE? 50 'WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?'

bb There is no special place on earth where God dwells.

Isaiah 57:15 (NASB) 15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 66:1-2 (NASB) 1 Thus says the LORD, "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? 2 "For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being," declares the LORD. "But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.

John 4:19-24 (NASB) 19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." 21 Jesus *said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

c We call this the place, church, “The House of God,” but we know that God doesn’t live here.

aa The house is dedicated to Him and His service, but this is not His dwelling place.

bb He doesn’t dwell in places built by human hands.

B Hebrews 9 gives a detailed contrast between the Old Covenant sanctuary (Tabernacle) & the New Covenant heavenly sanctuary where Jesus, our Great High Priest, ministers at right now.

1 Covenant is another name for deal/contract between God & man (or between two people, ie., marriage.)

a In the OT, a covenant required two people and included . . .

aa An oath given between the two parties,

bb The slaughtering of an animal.

b The animals slaughter was indicative of the what would happen if one of the parties broke the covenant. (Stressed the seriousness of the oath/agreement.)

aa The old covenant included the Law & blood sacrifices of animals.

bb The person who broke the law was subject to the penalty of death (Wages of sin is death.)