Perfect High Priest Forever

I. EXORDIUM:

If you are royal priesthood, then who is your Great High Priest?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that JESUS can never be stopped by death, JESUS stopped death and remained our High Priest until now in the Heavens until forever.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 7:28 (Amplified Bible)

7:28 For the Law sets up men in their weakness [frail, sinful, dying human beings] as high priests, but the word of [God’s] oath, which [was spoken later] after the institution of the Law, [chooses and appoints as priest One Whose appointment is complete and permanent], a Son Who has been made perfect forever.

V. THESIS:

Thank You FATHER GOD for the LORD JESUS CHRIST is My High Priest forever and I have the LORD JESUS CHRIST as my Mediator

1 Timothy 2:5 (Amplified Bible)

2:5 For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

VI. TITLE:

Perfect High Priest Forever

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

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. The Law appoints human priests in their weaknesses

"For the Law sets up men in their weakness [frail, sinful, dying human beings] as high priests,"

Hebrews 5:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

5:1 FOR EVERY high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in things relating to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

5:2 He is able to exercise gentleness and forbearance toward the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is liable to moral weakness and physical infirmity.

Aaron was weak and can be swayed by the people when Moses was absent:

Exodus 32:21-22 (Amplified Bible)

32:21 And Moses said to Aaron, What did this people do to you, that you have brought so great a sin upon them?

32:22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord blaze hot; you know the people, that they are set on evil.

Leviticus 4:3 (Amplified Bible)

4:3 If it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he has committed a young bull without blemish to the Lord as a sin offering.

Under the Law, human priests are appointed as priests and high priests, in their weaknesses, and they die not to continue the priesthood.

Illustration:

Oh well, no matter what happens, there's always death. Napoleon Bonaparte

—Great Thoughts

I am told that an Indiana cemetery has a tombstone (more than a hundred years old) which bears the following epitaph:

Pause Stranger, when you pass me by, As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you will be, So prepare for death and follow me."

An unknown passerby read those words and underneath scratched this reply:

To follow you I'm not content, Until I know which way you went.

—Illustrations Unlimited

The master preacher Donald Grey Barnhouse was widowed at a young age. The death of his wife left him and a six-year-old daughter in the home. He had real difficulty working through his own grief, but the hardest part was to comfort and explain the death to his daughter. He later recalled that all of his education and theological training left him at a loss.

One day he and the little girl were standing on a busy corner at a downtown intersection waiting for a light to change. Suddenly a very large truck sped by the corner, briefly blocking out the sun and frightening the little girl.

To comfort her, Dr. Barnhouse picked her up, and in a moment, the wisdom of God broke through and he was able to explain to his daughter:

"When you saw the truck pass it scared you, but let me ask you, had you rather be struck by the truck or the shadow of the truck?" She replied, "Of course, the shadow."

He went on to explain that when "your mother died, she was only hit by the shadow of death because Jesus was hit by the truck (death)." The Psalmist reminds us that God is with us even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

—Illustrations Unlimited

B. The Promise appoints the SON of GOD as Perfect High Priest forever

"but the word of [God’s] oath, which [was spoken later] after the institution of the Law, [chooses and appoints as priest One Whose appointment is complete and permanent], a Son Who has been made perfect forever."