“CHRIST: THE BETTER PRIEST”
Hebrews 7:1-10
August 31, 2008
Pastor John L. Harper
Warden Assembly of God
Introduction: “The painting of Lucretia”
Back in the 17th century, the Dutch artist Rembrandt painted two portraits of a famous Roman heroine named Lucretia. One portrait was painted in the year 1664. Two years later, he painted a second portrait of Lucretia in a different pose. For over 300 years, the two paintings were never seen together. Different private collectors owned one or the other of the paintings.
They were two paintings of the same person, painted by the same master, but no one was aware of their connection … until 1991. At last, the two paintings were displayed side by side where they could be compared.
In a similar way, the portraits of Melchizedek and Jesus Christ had never been compared until the 7th chapter of Hebrews. Ever since Abraham encountered the mysterious Priest called Melchizedek, his name was held as a masterpiece of God.
Over 2000 years later, another masterpiece appeared in the form of Jesus Christ. In Hebrews chapter 7, the two portraits are finally displayed together and we see an amazing similarity.
I. A PRIEST HOOD WITHOUT END (vs. 1-3)
A. Melchizedek, King of Salem
1. High Priest of God
2. Met Abraham after the slaughter of the kings
B. Melchizedek, received tithes from Abraham
1. Abraham gave a tenth of all
2. He gave to the “King of Righteousness” or “King of Peace”
“Righteousness” refers to the moral character, attitude, and behavior of our Lord. Jesus Christ alone incarnated righteousness. He is declared to be “the Righteous One” (I John 2:1) Michael Blankenship
“King of Salem,” is explained to mean “king of peace.” The ancient city of Jerusalem was likely the place referred to in this title of Melchizedek. There he exercised a godly rule and the city was blessed with peace. But his title was simply a shadow of the lasting, eternal peace that comes through Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesied that He would be called, “the Prince of peace” (9:6). Paul declared Christ to be our peace who through His own death delivered us from being at enmity with God (Eph. 2:14-16). The need for peace has never changed. Circumstances may be different, but the struggle of humanity to live at peace with God has existed since Adam. It is only through the justification that is in Christ, received by faith, that “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
Let’s go back to our first century audience for a moment. All of life was coming unglued for them. Threatened by persecution on one hand, and fear of having embraced the wrong religion on the other, they were distraught and needed assurance. The entire Epistle breathes an air of assurance for these embattled saints. They could count on the reign of Jesus Christ to be righteous. He would exercise his rule in demonstration of the perfections of his character. And they could count on the rule of Christ over their lives eventuating in peace. Their peace was threatened. So this pastoral writer uses the shadow of the ancient Melchizedek to show them the substance of Jesus Christ as their king of peace. Michael Blankenship
Illustration: Statistics on peace
A group of academics and historians has compiled this startling information: since 3600 B. C., the world has known only 292 years of peace! During this period there have been 14,351 wars large and small, in which 3,640,000,000 people have been killed. The
value of the property destroyed is equal to a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Since 650 B. C., there have also been 1,656 arms races, only 16 of which have not ended in war. The remainder ended in the economic collapse of the countries involved.
Over 3,000 American Servicemen and Servicewomen to date have perished in the War in Iraq. World peace continues to elude us. Is there any hope it will ever become a reality?
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow felt the same hopeless despair during Christmas of 1863 when our Nation was in the midst of Civil War and he penned his poem that became our Christmas Carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” He laments in stanza three: And in despair I bowed my head: “There is no peace on earth,” I said, “For hate is strong, and mocks the song Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
But his despair quickly turns to hope as he receives divine assurance in stanza four: Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
C. Melchizedek, a priest forever
1. He was without mother or father (He was meant to be elevated above common man) It means one who is eternal
2. He was without beginning of days or end of life
3. He was made like the Son of God, a priest forever
Application: Are you trying to be the priest of your life? Are you trying to enter the presence of God through good works or something else?
II. A PRIESTHOOD OF HONOR (vs. 4-6 )
A. The greatness of Melchizedek
1. Father Abraham gave a tithe to him
a. He was acknowledging Melchizedek was greater than the priesthood that would come from his family.
b. He was recognizing that mediation for man’s sin would not come through the Levitical Priesthood.
c. He was looking forward to the coming mediator (Christ)
2. He was not of the tribe of Levi
a. This was the tribe of priests
b. This (Levi) was the great grandson of Abraham
B. The genealogy of Melchizedek
1. It is not derived from them who are the priests
2. It was not necessary for his God given office
3. Melchizedek was both priest and king (picture of Christ)
a. this was not to be for the priests to come (corruption)
b. No one before or after with the exception of Christ could hold both offices.
c. Ask Saul and Uzziah about their experience
C. The gift of Melchizedek
Application: Have you recognized that Christ is the only mediator?
III. A PRIEST HOOD OF BLESSING (vs. 7-10 )
A. The greater blessed the lesser
Jesus is the Blesser
Who blesses the lesser
We are the lesser
Who have been blessed by the Blesser
The lesser
responds to the Blesser
Who has blessed the lesser
By giving back to the Blesser.
And as the lesser
Gives back to the Blesser
The Blesser
Just keeps on blessing the lesser.
Frank Lay © 2004
B. The gift received proves that he lives
1. He was not a figment of Abraham’s imagination
2. He was a foreshadow of Christ that was to come
C. The gift given by Abraham
Application: What about you, have you received God’s blessings, and have not been given the opportunity to give? If you will give back what God gives, you will never be in lack.
CONCLUSION: And we come to this conclusion: The only reason this guy Melchizedek is written into the story is so that we - so that you, right now, where you sit, as you read this - can find the Son of God.
How are we to relate this to our lives? So what if Jesus is superior to the Levitical priests? We probably don’t care much about Jewish priests, anyway. What did they ever do for us? We are in no way tempted to choose them over Jesus. But we do have our priestly formulas, don’t we? There are more comfortable ways of attempting to relate to God than going through Jesus: good works, church attendance, Bible study, quiet time, devotionals - all potentially valid enterprises. If they are void of Jesus, however, what good are they? If they become our priests, who in our concept keep the deity satisfied and at bay, they are worse than useless; they are worse than inferior; they are destructive. The witnesses speak to us - Abraham, Genesis, Levi. All of them proclaim the superiority of Jesus. All of them plead with us from the pages of the scriptures to acknowledge his greatness. Will we do it?
Larry Crabb tells this story: "An 84-year-old man wanted to speak with me after I preached at a Bible conference. I saw him waiting while I chatted with a group that had gathered. When the folks left, I quickly made my way over to this short, elderly man. He put both hands on my shoulders and told me a story: ’Dr. Crabb, I am an 84 years old. Five years ago my wife died after 51 years of a good marriage. I cannot express the pain that I feel every morning as I drink my coffee at the kitchen table alone. I have begged God to relieve the terrible loneliness that I feel. He has not answered my prayer. The ache in my heart has not gone away. But ... ’ and here the gentleman paused an looked past me as he continued ’ ... God has given me something far better than relief of my pain. Dr. Crabb, he has given me a glimpse of Christ. And it’s worth it all. Whenever you preach, make much of Christ!’ He turned and walked away." The writer of Hebrews in this passage makes much of Christ.
Only one command
In all of Hebrews 7:1-10, there is only one command. It is in verse 4: "Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils." Observe Melchizedek, as he points to Christ. As noted earlier, observing contains within it the idea of appreciating. Behold. That’s the imperative, that’s the message, of these 10 verses. Behold the greatness of Jesus.
All who will come in faith to Jesus Christ will find Him to be an all-sufficient priest who saves for eternity. Do you know Jesus Christ as your priest?
Story from “Crazy Love” (Girl’s funeral, Bibles in garage)
