HIS SWEEPING EXCELLENCE-II—Hebrews 8:1-13
Attention:
A pair of chickens walk into a public library, find the librarian & say, ’Buk Buk BUK.’ The librarian decides that the chickens want three books, & promptly gives them some. Without further ado, the chickens walk out.
Around midday, the two chickens are back & looking quite annoyed. One leans over to the librarian & says,’ Buk Buk BuKKOOK!’ The librarian decides that the chickens want another three book, one of them being a cookbook, & promptly gives them the books. The chickens leave as before.
About an hour later the two birds march in, approach the librarian, looking very angry now & nearly shouting, ’Buk Buk Buk Buk Bukkooook!’ The librarian is now starting to get worried about where all her stock is going. She decides to give them more books but also to follow them & find out what’s happening.
She followed them out of the library, out of town, & into to a park. At this point, she hid behind a tree, not wanting to be seen.
She saw the two chickens throwing the books at a frog in a pond, to which the frog kept repeating, "Rrreddit Rrreddit Rrreddit..."
The frog needed better representation before the chickens.
Praise God, we will NEVER need a better representative & representation before God than Jesus the Christ the Son of God, our Savior!
Need:
If God is Almighty as you say, then how can I possibly relate to Him?
If I have changed my opinion(repented) toward this God, how can I relate that to Him?
How can I plead my case or be represented properly before His absolute perfection?
The writer to the Hebrews took a specific Old Testament prophecy & confirmed it as being fulfilled in Christ.
Hebrews divulges the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ ministry(High Priesthood) as confirmed thru the New Covenant.
The sweeping excellence of Jesus’ High Priesthood is confirmed thru the New Covenant.
What confirms the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ Priesthood?
Last time we looked in Hebrews, we found
3 confirmations of the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood were...
1. His SEATING(:1-2)
2. His OFFERING(:3-5)
3. His COVENANT(:6-7)
4—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His FULFILLMENT(:8-13)
A. FUTURE(:8)
B. Past FAILURE(:9)
C. PLACEMENT(:10)
WITHIN(Knowing Intimately) vs. WITHOUT(Knowing About)
D. HEAD(Rote) vs. HEART Knowledge(Experience)(:11)
E. DISCOUNT/Disregarding(:12)
F. OBSOLESCENCE(:13)
4—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His FULFILLMENT(of the New Covenant)(:8-13)
:8—“Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel & with the house of Judah--”
:9—“not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, & I disregarded them, says the LORD.”
:10—“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind & write them on their hearts; & I will be their God, & they shall be My people.”
:11—“None of them shall teach his neighbor, & none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.”
:12—“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, & their sins & their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” ”
:13—“In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now :what is becoming obsolete & growing old is ready to vanish away.”
Fulfillment:
Mat. 5:17-18—““Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven & earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”
Lk. 24:44-48—“Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses & the Prophets & the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, & thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer & to rise from the dead the third day, & that repentance & remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.”
Lord’s Supper & the New Covenant:
Mat. 26:26-28—“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed & broke it, & gave it to the disciples & said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, & gave thanks, & gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Mk. 14:22-24 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed & broke it, & gave it to them & said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, & when He had given thanks He gave it to them, & they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.”
Lk. 22:19-20—“And He took bread, gave thanks & broke it, & gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”
1Cor. 11:23-26—“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; & when He had given thanks, He broke it & said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread & drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
Mediator & the New Covenant:
Heb. 12:22-24—“But you have come to Mount Zion & to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly & church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, & to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”
4—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His FULFILLMENT (of the New Covenant)(:8-13)
A. FUTURE(:8)
Explanation:
:8—“Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel & with the house of Judah--”
However, God did “find fault” with “them”(1)the “promises” of the law(:6), 2)individuals of the priesthood or 3)the laws themselves)...This is because ‘The Old Covenant was not false but it had faults’—MacArthur. It was limited in what it could do in relation to bringing man to fulfill God’s righteousness.
The New Covenant in Christ was expected & was specifically detailed by the prophet Jeremiah(629-669BC)(Jer. 31:31.
The limitation of the Old Covenant is evidenced in the declaration of future days which will hold hope. God promises a “New Covenant” which will be intended for the divided kingdoms of Israel & Judah, yet is extended due to its universal nature, to all mankind.
Like a marriage covenant that is strong—as long as it is based on love rather than law.
“I will Make”—suntelew—1) To end together or at the same time; 2) To end completely—2a) Bring to an end, finish, complete; 3) To accomplish, bring to fulfilment—3a) To come to pass; 4) To effect, make, (conclude); 5) To finish—5a) To make an end of, 5b) To bring to an end, 5c) Destroy. Strong—To complete entirely; generally, to execute (literally or figuratively):-- End, finish, fulfil, make.
From—sun—&—telew— ‘To end together” or with.
Argumentation:
Rev. 22:18-19—“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; & if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, & from the things which are written in this book.”
The future History—pre-written particularly in Revelation...is certain yet not fully experienced as of yet.
Application:
?Has Jesus met the New Covenant’s FUTURE aspects?
?The excellence of of Jesus’ priesthood confirmed in His FULFILLMENT?
?Has the Excellence of Jesus’ priesthood Swept all others away?
4—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His FULFILLMENT (of the New Covenant)(:8-13)
B. Past FAILURE(:9)
(CONT...)4—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His FULFILLMENT (of the New Covenant)(:8-13)
B. Past FAILURE(:9)
:9—“not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, & I disregarded them, says the LORD.”
This new covenant will not be like the covenant made when Israel came out of Egypt. This is speaking specifically of the law in general. This Old Covenant was faulty in that they did not “continue in” God’s covenant. Because of their reneging on their end of the covenant, God “disregarded them.”
Likewise, today, the new covenant is dependent upon one obligation which we must fulfill. If we do not fulfill that obligation then the New Covenant is no good for either party. That obligation is faith in Christ as one’s Savior & Lord. Without Christ, one cannot “continue in” God’s “covenant.” ” Likewise God “disregards” those who
“Continue”—emmenw—1) To remain in, continue; 2) To persevere in anything, a state of mind etc.; 3) To hold fast, to be true to, abide by, keep. Strong—To stay in the same place, i.e. (figuratively) Persevere:-- Continue.
“Disregarded”—amelew—1) To be careless of, to neglect. Strong—To be careless of:-- Make light of, neglect, be negligent, no regard.
Argumentation:
The picture of the ‘conquest’ of Israel(Joshua & Judges) is indeed bleak. It is fraught with failure after miserable failure.
The tribe’s decisions to NOT destroy all of the Canaanites. The rest of the OT testifies to their failure thru compromise.
Num. 33:55-56—“‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes & thorns in your sides, & they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.’””
Jos. 23:13—““know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares & traps to you, & scourges on your sides & thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.”
Though none can measure up for “all have sinned”(Rom. 3:23)
The New Covenant’s fulfillment is found in our faith in Christ.
Illustration:
Rash decisions made in the flesh.
A person choosing a mind-altering substance(feel good)) rather than the leadership of life-changing Spirit of God(do good)/FAILURE
Career path/What guides you?/1)God who calls you to be a stay-at-home-Mom or 2)Flesh desirous of worldly recognition at the expense of husband & family/FAILURE
Application:
?Has Jesus met the New Covenant’s reliance upon past FAILURE?
?The excellence of of Jesus’ priesthood confirmed in His FULFILLMENT?
?Has the Excellence of Jesus’ priesthood Swept all others away?
(CONT...)4—Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
His FULFILLMENT (of the New Covenant)(:8-13)
C. PLACEMENT(:10)
WITHIN(Knowing Intimately) vs. WITHOUT(Knowing About)
:10—“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind & write them on their hearts; & I will be their God, & they shall be My people.”
What follows is a description of the coming covenant, now fulfilled in Christ. This new covenant will be made “with the house of Israel”. This is because by the time of the covenant’s initiation, Israel will no longer be a divided kingdom having been reunited with Judah following the Babylonian exile.
A basis of this New Covenant will be God’s placing His very “laws” “in the mind” of those taking part in the covenant. God’s laws are not to be eradicated in the New Covenant but they are to be fulfilled in that the laws will become part of the very “mind” of the covenant keeper. God’s Holy Spirit will bring to “mind” all that Jesus said & He will glorify Him.
Jn. 16:7, 13-14—““Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”....““However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; & He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine & declare it to you.”
This is why the Christian must voluntarily be transformed, having his mind renewed(Rom. 12:1-2).
Rom. 12:2—“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good & acceptable & perfect will of God.”
Eph. 4:21-24—“if indeed you have heard Him & have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, & be renewed in the spirit of your mind, & that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness & holiness.” The covenant’s fulfillment is found in God’s laws being “written” on the hearts of the covenant keepers. This has been God’s intent all along, that though independent persons, we will not be independent from God.
Upon God’s laws becoming part of the “mind” & permanently inscribed upon the “hearts” of covenant keepers, God then declares that only then will He be the covenant keeper’s God & only then will the covenant keepers be true covenant keepers....they will thus be God’s “people.” Both will recognize the other in the fullness of the meaning of those terms.
If any-thing/one is loved, appreciated, adored in the heart, then mind, body & soul work together to honor it/Him. This works with sin but also with one’s God.
“Put”—didwmi—1) To give; 2) To give something to someone.
“Mind”—dianoia—= ‘Thru(dia) Thinking(noia)’—1) The mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring; 2) Understanding; 3) Mind, i.e. spirit, way of thinking & feeling; 4) Thoughts, either good or bad. Dianoia meant originally activity of thinking, but has borrowed from nouv its common meaning of faculty of thought. It is more common than nouv, & has largely replaced it in its usual meanings. Strong—Deep thought, properly, The faculty (mind or its disposition), by implication, Its exercise:-- Imagination, mind, understanding.
“Write...on”—epigrafw—1) To write upon, inscribe; 2) metaph. To write upon the mind. Used 5X.
Argumentation:
Eze 11:19-21 ““Then I will give them one heart, & I will put a new spirit within them, & take the stony heart out of their flesh, & give them a heart of flesh, “that they may walk in My statutes & keep My judgments & do them; & they shall be My people, & I will be their God. “But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things & their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.”
Ezek. 36:26-28—““I[YaHWeH] will give you a new heart & put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh & give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you & cause you to walk in My statutes, & you will keep My judgments & do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, & I will be your God.”
Jn. 3:6-7—““That which is born of the flesh is flesh, & that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
Jn. 14:16-18, 26-27—““And I will pray the Father, & He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you & will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”.....““But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, & bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Jn. 15:26—““But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”
Rom. 5:5—“... the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Rom. 7:5-6—“For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit & not in the oldness of the letter.”
Rom. 8:1-5, 10—“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin & death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”.....“And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
2Cor. 1:21-22—“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ & has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us & given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
2Cor. 13:14—“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, & the love of God, & the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”
Illustration:
Batteries in a mobile phone/Attach them anywhere but the inside & the phone will not work/PLACEMENT—
—WITHIN(Knowing Intimately) vs. WITHOUT(Knowing About)
Application:
?Has Jesus met the New Covenant’s PLACEMENT aspects?
?The excellence of of Jesus’ priesthood confirmed in His FULFILLMENT?
?Has the Excellence of Jesus’ priesthood Swept all others away?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Frog needing better representation before the chickens.
Action:
Confirming the sweeping excellence of Jesus’ priesthood is...
4. His FULFILLMENT(of the New Covenant)(:8-13)
A. FUTURE(:8)
B. Past FAILURE(:9)
C. PLACEMENT(:10)
WITHIN(Knowing Intimately) vs. WITHOUT(Knowing About)
1. His SEATING(:1-2)
2. His OFFERING(:3-5)
3. His COVENANT(:6-7)
Presented 08/07/2011am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
