God's New Deal Series

God’s New Deal

Hebrews Series

Hebrews 8.1-13

May 7, 2014 Chester FBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A In our text we will see a glimpse of Jesus’ heavenly work.

1 It’s inspiring, encouraging, exciting to know that this moment, One who bears the scars of His love represents us in heaven.

a The same Jesus who walked the dusty trails of Israel, died on a cross, arose from the dead, and ascended on high is now our Mediator with God.

b Hebrews 8.1, says that the “sum” (KJV) or “crowing point” or “main point” (NASB) of Jesus’ present ministry is the fact that He is acting as our Great High Priest this evening.

Hebrews 8:1 (NASB) 1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

2 He lives in Heaven as our Priest, Mediator, Minister, Forerunner & Intercessor.

a As the office holder of these ministries He is fulfilling the types & shadows of the Old Covenant to God’s people; Jesus is the New Covenant.

b When FDR was running for President, he promised America a “New Deal.”

aa That promise pales in comparison to the “New Deal” God put in place through Jesus Messiah.

bb We’ll explore three aspects of the New Covenant/New Deal that God established 2,000 years ago.

B

I The Priest of the New Covenant (8.1-3)

Hebrews 8:1-3 (NASB) 1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.

A The Great High Priest stands apart from any other priest.

1 He is a saving Priest

a The fact that Jesus has sat down is evidence that the sacrifice for sin was finished (10.11).

Hebrews 10:11 (NASB) 11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

aa Nowhere in the O.T. do we see the Levitical priest seated.

bb He is seated at the right hand of the throne in heaven, a place that Aaron couldn’t occupy.

cc The New Deal Jesus brought is far superior to deal the Israelites had under the Old Covenant.

dd The Levitical Priests were never finished, but Jesus’ work was completed on the cross.

b We can stand with gratitude for the salvation provided by our Great High Priest, because He has ransomed our souls.

2 He is a Sovereign Priest

a Our Jesus sits in heaven, fully God/man, in all the unmatched dignity of deity.

b There is nothing that remains to be done for our salvation, for the Lord sits on the throne of grace with absolute authority to save.

B He is a saving, sovereign, seated priest who is also a serving priest.

1 If He’s seated, how can He be serving at the same time?

a v.2, “minister” is leitourgos, which is where we get our word “liturgy” from.

aa It means “order of worship.”

bb Jesus, seated at the right hand of God, had authority to give order and keep order in worship.

b Romans 12:1 (NASB) 1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

aa As we offer ourselves to Jesus, He offers us to the Father.

bb Because our Great High Priest offered Himself up as the ultimate sacrifice, we can offer ourselves to Him.

2 Jesus is superior to Aaron since He serves in a superior sanctuary and offers us a superior offering in the New Covenant (Testament).

II The Prophecy of the New Covenant (8.4-9)

Hebrews 8:4-9 (NASB) 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN." 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says, "BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; 9 NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.