Christ Appointed As High Priest By God

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you a son of GOD? Are you GOD's priest?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we are like CHRIST in this world.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 5:5 (Amplified Bible)

5:5 So too Christ (the Messiah) did not exalt Himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed and exalted by Him Who said to Him, You are My Son; today I have begotten You;

Parallel verse:

Psalms 2:7 (Amplified Bible)

2:7 I will declare the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, You are My Son; this day [I declare] I have begotten You.

V. THESIS:

I am the FATHER's begotten because GOD, the FATHER has appointed and exalted me as priest, and called me His son.

VI. TITLE:

CHRIST appointed as High Priest by GOD

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Date of writing: Before AD. 70

B. Style of writing: Best Greek style

C. Authorship: Not specific, but generally attributed to Apostle Paul. Can be also ascribed to Barnabas, Luke, Apollos

D. Audience: Hebrew Christians

E. Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels—J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

F. Purpose: The chief doctrinal purpose of the writer was to show the transcendent glory of the Christian dispensation, as compared with that of the Old Testament.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

G. Keyword: better

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. CHRIST did not exalt Himself as high priest

"So too Christ (the Messiah) did not exalt Himself to be made a high priest,"

John 7:18 (Amplified Bible)

7:18 He who speaks on his own authority seeks to win honor for himself. [He whose teaching originates with himself seeks his own glory.] But He Who seeks the glory and is eager for the honor of Him Who sent Him, He is true; and there is no unrighteousness or falsehood or deception in Him.

John 8:54 (Amplified Bible)

8:54 Jesus answered, If I were to glorify Myself (magnify, praise, and honor Myself), I would have no real glory, for My glory would be nothing and worthless. [My honor must come to Me from My Father.] It is My Father Who glorifies Me [Who extols Me, magnifies, and praises Me], of Whom you say that He is your God.

CHRIST desired to give honor to FATHER GOD, not to Himself, that's why GOD, the FATHER honored Him by exalting Him to Great High Priest.

B. CHRIST was appointed and exalted by GOD, the FATHER

"but was appointed and exalted by Him"

Micah 5:2 (Amplified Bible)

5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, you are little to be among the clans of Judah; [yet] out of you shall One come forth for Me Who is to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from ancient days (eternity).

John 7:42 (Amplified Bible)

7:42 Does not the Scripture tell us that the Christ will come from the offspring of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?

Genesis 49:10 (Amplified Bible)

49:10 The scepter or leadership shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh [the Messiah, the Peaceful One] comes to Whom it belongs, and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

Numbers 24:17 (Amplified Bible)

24:17 I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but He is not near. A tar (Star) shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter (Scepter) shall rise out of Israel and shall crush all the corners of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth [Moab’s sons of tumult].

CHRIST was both appointed and exalted as Great High Priest by GOD ,the FATHER.

C. GOD, the FATHER said "You are My Son, today, I have begotten You"

"Who said to Him, You are My Son; today I have begotten You;"

Romans 8:3 (Amplified Bible)

8:3 For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice],

Acts 13:33 (Amplified Bible)

13:33 This He has completely fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, You are My Son; today I have begotten You [caused You to arise, to be born; formally shown You to be the Messiah by the resurrection].

Begotten is "gennao" in Greek meaning:

1. of men who fathered children

2. in a Jewish sense, of one who brings others over to his way of life, to convert someone

3. of God making Christ his son

IX. CONCLUSION:

Declare "I am the FATHER's begotten because GOD, the FATHER has appointed and exalted me as priest, and called me His son."