The Blood Covenant (Pt. 1)
Hebrews Sermon Series
May 14, 2014 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A As Christians, we have dual citizenship in two worlds, the earthly/heavenly; physical/invisible; natural/supernatural.
1 Matthew 22:21 (NASB) 21 They said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."
a Believers walk a daily tight wire act in-between heaven & earth.
aa We must learn to walk by faith in a world that is governed by sight.
bb We must learn to see/acknowledge/depend/trust the invisible if we are to overcome the pull the world
Hebrews 11:24-27 (NASB) 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
b The world says “Seeing is believing!” But faith replies, “Believing is seeing.”
2 It is that “Believing is seeing” principle that we must apply to our relationship to the heavenly sanctuary that we’ll begin looking at in this message.
a We have never seen the sanctuary we’ll read about momentarily, yet we believe what the Bible tells us about it.
b We know . . .
aa That God isn’t worshiped today in temples made with hands.
Acts 7:46-50 (NASB) 46 "David found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 "But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. 48 "However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says: 49 'HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET; WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME?' says the Lord, 'OR WHAT PLACE IS THERE FOR MY REPOSE? 50 'WAS IT NOT MY HAND WHICH MADE ALL THESE THINGS?'
bb There is no special place on earth where God dwells.
Isaiah 57:15 (NASB) 15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.
Isaiah 66:1-2 (NASB) 1 Thus says the LORD, "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? 2 "For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being," declares the LORD. "But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.
John 4:19-24 (NASB) 19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." 21 Jesus *said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
c We call this the place, church, “The House of God,” but we know that God doesn’t live here.
aa The house is dedicated to Him and His service, but this is not His dwelling place.
bb He doesn’t dwell in places built by human hands.
B Hebrews 9 gives a detailed contrast between the Old Covenant sanctuary (Tabernacle) & the New Covenant heavenly sanctuary where Jesus, our Great High Priest, ministers at right now.
1 Covenant is another name for deal/contract between God & man (or between two people, ie., marriage.)
a In the OT, a covenant required two people and included . . .
aa An oath given between the two parties,
bb The slaughtering of an animal.
b The animals slaughter was indicative of the what would happen if one of the parties broke the covenant. (Stressed the seriousness of the oath/agreement.)
aa The old covenant included the Law & blood sacrifices of animals.
bb The person who broke the law was subject to the penalty of death (Wages of sin is death.)
cc God provided a system where animals could be slain to cover those sins that the people committed. (Cover, not forgive.)
2 The New Covenant supercedes the Old Covenant.
a The blood of Jesus was offered on Calvary to make the New Covenant official.
aa Now that the New Covenant has been made in the blood of Jesus, there will be no “New Deal” offered.
bb The Cross was Jesus’ last will & testament.
b At His death, all the blessings/promises of the New Covenant became available to those who believe on Him.
aa Salvation is not just a choice/decision we make.
bb Salvation is a covenant we enter into.
c The issues of salvation are matters of life, death, & eternity.
T.S.: In Hebrews 9, appear occurs many times in relationship to Jesus & it is His threefold appearing that guarantees His covenant.
I The Ratification of the Covenant (9.1-10, 26).
Hebrews 9:1-10; 26 (NASB) 1 Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. 3 Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
A Christ’s birth, life, death, & resurrection ratified (made official/notarized) the New Covenant, accomplishing two things.
1 He fulfilled the external (vv. 1-10)
a All the items in the Tabernacle (and the Tent itself) of the Old Covenant were copies (types) of the true sanctuary in heaven.
aa Jesus was the New Tabernacle/Temple.
bb Like the old, He was more glorious on the inside than the outside.
cc He is the Bread of Life, Light of the World (Shewbread & Menorah)
b The veil in the Old Covenant Tabernacle that separated the Holy Place & the Holy of Holies (separating humanity & the throne of God); the veil that tore from top to bottom is a picture of the Christ’s torn flesh (v. 3).
aa In the Ark of the Covenant we’d find: 1. Manna, 2. Aaron’s Rod, 3. Law.
bb Jesus is the bread from heaven, source of life (Aaron’s Rod), He is the Mercy Seat where sinners find grace to help in time of need.
c The Ark (Mercy Seat specifically) is the same word for “propitiation.”
aa (Show image I sent to your Email) It usually means something offered to appease anger.
bb IL. Men mess up, they buy jewelry/take out for a nice meal; Women mess up, they buy lingerie/make a favorite meal. . . to appease the anger of their spouse.
Cc Under the OC, the blood of animals “appeased” God’s wrath, didn’t remove it.
Dd The New Covenant, the offense isn’t covered over w/ jewelry or lingerie . . .the offense is removed, just as if it never happened!
d In the OC, the blood of a bull was applied to the Mercy Seat.
aa The Ark contained the Law, The Mercy Seat was where God’s presence rested. . . . the blood came between the Law & God.
bb In the NC, the blood of Jesus now comes between our sins and the Father! (Guilty sinners & God)
e All the worship/furniture of the Tabernacle was temporary & incomplete.
aa Not everyone could enter the Holy of Holies, burn incense, bask in the light of the lamp stand, approach the shewbread.
bb The Tabernacle & its ministry pointed the way, but it could not open the way; only Jesus could do that.
cc The rending of the veil was God’s object lesson to the Aaronic Priesthood that their days were over, that the temple was to be closed, that a new Priest has arisen after the order of Melchizedek.
dd Instead of receiving Jesus, the Jews repaired the veil, kept on offering sacrifices, until God in His wrath, sent Rome to destroy the city of Jerusalem.
ee Jesus not only fulfilled the external, He also . . .
2 He obtained the eternal (9.11-15, 26)
Hebrews 9:11-15; 26 (NASB) 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
a The New Covenant did what the Old Covenant could not do, namely make eternal atonement for the lost sinner.
b v.11, “But when Christ appeared . . .”
aa “appeared” (paragenomenos) means “to come alongside of his own accord once and for all.” (V.11); but in v.26 (KJV) the word is (pephanerotai).
bb The v.11, “appears” means that Christ came alongside us on the human scene, He left the conditions of heaven to walk our sod: He came from another world into ours.
cc He became subject to the same things you and I endure so that He might give us eternal life. (To change our condition!)
c Hebrews 9:26 (KJV) 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
aa This “appeared” refers to the display of the One who has changed the condition. . .
bb The High Priests use to on Yom Kippur offer the sacrifice on the Brazen Alter ONE day a year; This is a picture of Jesus on the Cross . . . offering Himself as a sacrifice once and for all (all time, all generations, all people.)
d By His blood, Jesus obtained “eternal redemption” (v.12) for us, once and for all.
aa Redemption comes from the slave market vernacular . . . bought with a price.
bb Jesus has purchased us by His blood in order to set us free.
e v.14, He offered Himself through the “eternal Spirit.”
aa What the OC could not do (cleanse the conscience), Jesus does through His offering on Calvary.
bb He cleanses the guilt and sets us free to keep serving God.
f By His death, we receive His “eternal inheritance” (v.15).
aa The riches of the Lord are not something we have to die to lay hold of or latch on to.
bb They belong to us NOW because He has already died!!!
cc We are the benefactors, recipients of a great inheritance that was bought by the blood of Jesus.
Conclusion:
A The blood covenant of Jesus is superior in every way to the old covenant.
1 He brings together the visible/invisible world.
a In heaven today, I’m as saved as I’ll be the moment I breathe my final breath.
aa Heaven is my home (My Father, My Savior are already there.)
bb My citizenship is there in the Heaven’s registry book (Lamb’s Book of Life.)
b If heaven is our home, then our treasure should be there also, along with our hope.
2 I’ve not seen heaven, Jesus, Tabernacle, Cross . . . but I know they are real.
a No matter what may happen on earth, a believer can be confident because everything is settled in heaven.
b I believe He died for me, shed His blood to save me . . . once & for all.
B There is a cartoon showing a lawyer reading the last will and testament of his client to a room full of greedy relatives. The caption reads: “I, John Jones, being of sound mind and body, spent it all!”
1 When Jesus wrote his will, He gave us all He had.
a Not only that but He also died so it could be in effect.
Hebrews 9:15-17 (NASB) 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.
b In Christ We Have:
A love that can never be fathomed
A life that can never die
A righteousness that can never be tarnished
A peace that can never be understood
A rest that can never be disturbed
A joy that can never be diminished
A hope that can never be disappointed
A glory that can never be clouded
A light that can never be darkened
A purity that can never be defiled
A beauty that can never be marred
A wisdom that can never be baffled
Resources that can never be exhausted.
2 In 1972, a shepherd had brought his sheep into a walled-off, enclosed area for the night, and he had just gone to sleep when he heard a commotion. He quickly rushed over to where the sound was coming from and to his horror he discovered that a wolf was in the process of dragging off one of his sheep through a hole in the wall. He was mauling this sheep and blood was flying.
a The shepherd quickly began hitting the wolf, and the wolf turned on him and began attacking him. He bit him over and over while the shepherd was striking him with his staff, and finally with one final blow of his staff, he killed the wolf as he himself collapsed into a bloody heap.
b He managed to crawl over to the half-dead sheep and began to bandage its wounds. He gave it some water, and then took it in his own bloody arms, and shepherd and sheep went to sleep together. The next morning the shepherd was found dead, his body literally draped over the sheep to comfort it and keep it warm. The following day the headline in the Jerusalem paper said, “Sheep Alive, Covered in Shepherd’s Blood.”
3 You and I have life now, and forever, because we are covered in the Shepherd’s blood!!!!
a It’s been said a man’s life can be summed in three phrases:
aa 20 years being asked where he’s going by his mom.
bb 50 years being asked where has he been by his wife.
cc 1 hour of everyone wondering where has he went at his funeral.
b Believer, the blood has been shed so you don’t have to wonder where you are going to. (Or where you are right now)
aa His blood removes the offense!
bb Brings blessing!
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Mike Fogerson
