A Better Location, A Better Arrangement
(Hebrews 8)
1. An Arab was walking through the Sahara desert, desperate for water, when he saw something, far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he walked towards the image, only to find Hymie sitting at a card table with a bunch of ties laid out on it.
The Arab asked "Please, I'm dying of thirst, can I have some water?".
Hymie replied "I don't have any water, but why don't you buy a tie? Here's one that goes nicely with your robes."
The Arab replied, "I don't want a tie, I need water."
"OK, don't buy a tie. But to show you what a nice guy I am, I'll tell you that over that hill there, about 4 miles, is a nice restaurant. Walk that way, they'll give you all the water you want."
The Arab thanked him and walked away towards the hill and eventually disappeared. Three hours later the Arab came crawling back to where Hymie was sitting behind his card table.
Hymie said "I told you, about 4 miles over that hill. Couldn't you find it?"
The Arab rasped, "I found it all right. But they wouldn't let me in without a tie."
2. Sometimes something strange like a type qualifies a man for entrance into a fancy restaurant, although I don’t know how many of those kind of restaurants are still around. The point is that we all operate within the boundaries of criteria.
3. Today’s text tells two truths Jesus Christ. One about His superior place of service as a priest, the other about the superior covenant He initiated.
Main Idea: We serve a Savior Who is superior to all, and Who relates to us from the inside out.
I. A Better LOCATION: The Heavenly Tabernacle (1-5)
A. The earthly tabernacle CORRESSPONDS in concept to the (real) heavenly one.
• Marylu and I went to Italy to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We had known many people from Italy, seen pictures, videos, and little replicas of the Tower or Pisa. But those things are not the same as being there.
The earthly tabernacle only corresponds in concept.
B. Jesus is not qualified to serve in the earthly one, but UNIQUELY qualified to serve in the heavenly (real) one.
C. We must remember there are TWO realities which intertwine.
1. The spiritual and physical complement one another.
2. Realism, idealism, representationalism
3. The earthly Jerusalem corresponds to the New Jerusalem.
4. Behind some of what transpires are angels and demons.
II. A Better ARRANGEMENT: The Internal New Covenant (6-13)
A covenant is a contract, and agreement, the stated terms of a relationship. Some are conditional (if you then I will); some are unconditional (I will even if you don’t.).
When we bought our house four years ago, it seemed like I signed a lot of documents. We had agreements in writing, a modern version of “covenant.”
A. Jesus initiated the New Covenant during the Lord’s SUPPER.
B. The Old Covenant was good, but did not TRANSFORM lives.
Romans 8:3, “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh…”
1. The Old Covenant was a PLANNED failure to convince us we are defective. (It also restrained sin & revealed right and wrong, but did not regenerate.)
• The Law’s purpose is not to save our souls. Example: I have a chip on my front tooth? Why? When a young man in electronics, I used my teeth to strip wires. I learned the technique from my friend, Lester. Teeth not intended.
2. Better to be forgiven once for ALL.
3. Better to have God’s Law INTERNALLY rather than only externally. God wants your life transformed, a better arrangement. He will be by your side to help you walk with Him. Surrender.
C. God has given the New Testament (Covenant) as TORAH (6)
1. Nomos is used 14 times in Hebrews, always referring to the Torah.
2. Compound word (establish) nenomoqe/thtai no/mos + tiqeimi/
3. Connected in concept to 7:12.
4. Although some parts of the Old are obsolete (temple/priesthood), it is not so much a change of rules as a change of relationship.
5. God relates to us from the inside out.
D. The New Covenant was promised to the nation of ISRAEL, but that promise is never said to be LIMITED to them alone.
Both conditional (believe) and unconditional (end time Israel will believe)
E. The New Covenant is only experienced by those who KNOW the Lord.
1. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” (I Cor. 13:12).
2. The full effects of the New Covenant are not completely rolled out.
F. In the end times, ALL Israel will come to believe in Jesus and will thus know the Lord (Zechariah 12:7-11, 13:8-9, Romans 11:26, Jeremiah 23:6, Ezekiel 11:16-21).
G. What is your RELATIONSHIP to God like?
1. Someone to keep appeased? Earning points? Achievement?
2. Someone you avoid, accept to do your duty?
3. Someone you have downgraded to an exalted human?
4. Someone to call on when you are desperate?
5. Or One you reverence and serve, Who is yet your Friend?
