Free sermons on Hebrews 7

Hebrews:  Run With Perseverance                                     David Owens

Sermon #12:  “The High Priesthood of Jesus”                                         

Text:  Hebrews 7:1-28

 

Introduction:

A.      This chapter is one of those “meat” chapters of the Bible that you have to chew on a while in order to grasp.

1.       You might even need a little tenderizer to help soften the meat a bit.

2.       For those of us who live on this side of the cross, Melchizedek and Abraham can seem a long way off.

3.       What happened in their lives might seem to be insignificant to ours, but the Hebrew writer thinks otherwise.

4.       He wants to show us something about Jesus through Melchizedek that we really need to know today.

 

B.      This chapter isn’t really about Melchizedek any more than the previous chapters have been about angels, Moses, Joshua or the Sabbath.

1.       All of the chapters have really been about Jesus.

2.       For the Hebrew writer and for us, everything is about Jesus!

3.       He is greater than all and he is the only one we need.

4.       By the skillful use of a couple of OT texts, the Hebrew writer is going to supply one more reason for his readers to take heart and to hold on.

5.       If we can grasp his points today, then we too will be encouraged by this chapter.

 

C.      Chapter six ended with the statement that Jesus has been made a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

1.       This priesthood in the order of Melchizedek is the most characteristic thought in the book of Hebrews.

2.       There are only three verses about Melchizedek in the book of Genesis and one verse about him in the Psalms.

3.       So, until we get to the book of Hebrews, Melchizedek is at best a shadowy figure who emerges out of the Judean hills, offers his blessing to Abraham, and then as quickly as he arrives, he’s gone.

4.       Gone, that is, until we get to the NT book of Hebrews where this first-century writer uses seven times the amount of space on Melchizedek than was used on him in the OT.

 

D.      One of the few things we know about Melchizedek is that he is a priest of the Most High God.

1.       The Latin word for priest is “pontifex” – which means bridge builder.

2.       Priests were bridge builders who built bridges between humanity and God.

3.       But Melchizedek was a priest like no other priest until Jesus came.

 

E.      Now the reason that we need to understand the priesthood of Melchizedek is because Jesus is a priest in the ancient order of Melchizedek, and so are we.

1.       We, Christians are a royal priesthood in the order of Jesus and in the order of Melchizedek.

 

F.       Now that fact is very exciting for us, but consider how it was a difficult one for the early converts to Christianity.

1.       Most of the early Christians were Jewish.  They knew and loved the priestly system of Aaron in the Jewish faith.

2.       As you know from our study of Hebrews up to this point, they were at a very dangerous place in their spiritual pilgrimage.

3.       They were being tempted to defect from their commitment to Jesus and go back to the security of their former religion and lifestyle.

4.       But the lesson of Melchizedek is the Christianity supersedes Judaism.

5.       Going back to Judaism would be like exchanging a diamond for a piece of coal.

 

G.      First generation Christians have always faced the temptation to go back to their former ways.

1.       When the Jews came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership, many wanted to return to Egypt when they faced suffering in the desert.

2.       How quickly they forgot how awful their life had been under Egyptian slavery!

3.       Now these recipients of this letter are considering doing the very same thing – leave the promise land for slavery under the Law of Moses.

4.       We, too, face a similar temptation to turn back from Christ to our former lives, even though we know those lives were full of emptiness and hopelessness.

 

H.      So, what then is the message of Hebrews 7?

1.       The message is that the High Priesthood of Jesus is not really a new way but is actually the oldest way.

2.       The line and order of Jesus’ priesthood goes all the way back to Melchizedek, who goes back before Judaism even began, before the Law of Moses was even given.

3.       Let’s notice the points that the Hebrew writer makes as he presents the idea that Jesus’ priesthood is superior to the old priesthood of Aaron.

 

I.        First, the new priesthood is superior because Melchizedek was greater than Abraham.

A.      It must have really stung those early Jewish converts to have read verses 6 and 7, “This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.  And without a doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.”

1.       All their lives they had been taught to revere the Jewish priesthood, and now to discover that a Gentile priest was superior to their own father, Abraham, must have been quite a shock.

2.       Why is Melchizedek greater than Abraham and Aaron?

 

B.      First, the Hebrew writer points out that Melchizedek has no genealogy.

1.       The fact that his mother and father were not named, or that his birth and death dates are not cited, does not mean that he was without any of these.

2.       Nevertheless, the writer’s focus on Melchizedek, a priest without a genealogy, is very important.

3.       If you have ever spent much time in Genesis, you know that genealogies are a feature of Genesis.  There we find long lists of a man’s ancestors, but not so with Melchizedek in Genesis 14.

4.       Far more important, though, is the fact that the Aaronic priesthood depended entirely on descent.

5.       Under Jewish law a man could not under any circumstances become a priest unless he could produce a certified pedigree going back to Aaron.

6.       Character and ability had nothing to do with it; the one essential was that pedigree.

7.       So then, the first important difference between the two priesthoods was that the Aaronic priesthood depended on genealogical descent and the priesthood of Melchizedek depended on personal qualifications alone (the Hebrew writer calls it the “power of an indestructible life”[vs. 16]).

 

C.      Second, we also note that the Hebrew writer points out the significance of Melchizedek’s name and title.

1.       The name Melchizedek literally means “king of righteousness.”

2.       The word “Salem” means “peace.”  (Salem is a place we know today as Jerusalem.)

3.       So, Melchizedek is the king of righteousness and the king of peace.

4.       Did the priesthood of Aaron ever lead to righteousness and peace?  Not like Melchizedek’s priesthood through Jesus.

 

D.      A third thing the Hebrew writer notes about Melchizedek is that he is “without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever” (vs. 3).

1.       Therefore, Melchizedek had no beginning and has no end and his priesthood lasts forever.

2.       That certainly makes his priesthood superior to that of Aaron.

 

E.      Next, the Hebrew writer makes three points from the story in Genesis 14 that show the superiority of Melchizedek.

1.  First, he points out that Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe.

a.       The Aaronic priests also exacted tithes, but there are two differences.

b.      The Aaronic priests exact tithes from their fellow Jews according to the Law, but Melchizedek exacted a tithe from Abraham without any racial connection or Law requiring it.

c.       Melchizedek exacted the tithe because of an unquestionable personal right.

2.  Second, the Hebrew writer points out that Melchizedek blessed Abraham.

a.       It is always the superior one who blesses the inferior one.

b.      Therefore, Melchizedek was superior to Abraham, even though Abraham was the founder of the Jewish people and the unique recipient of the promises of God.

3.       Third, he points out that because Aaron and Levi are descendants of Abraham, when Abraham gave the tithe to Melchizedek, then Aaron and Levi also paid the tithe because they were to be the offspring of Abraham. (They were still in the body of their ancestor).

 

II.        Second, the new priesthood is superior because the new priesthood was promised by an Oath.

A.      If the old priesthood had fulfilled the function of bringing men to God then there would have been no need for any other.

1.       But there was a need for a new priesthood and the new priests could come out of a tribe other than the tribe of Levi.

2.       This showed that the whole old system was superseded.

3.       Someone and something greater than the Law had come.

4.       And all of this came along with an oath from God, Psalm 110:4 says, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

5.       Clearly God does not swear lightly.

6.       He did not introduce the Aaronic priesthood with an oath, so clearly something new and better is happening in Christ.

 

III.       Third, the new priesthood is superior because it is a perfect and forever priesthood.

A.      Jesus the new priest offered no sacrifice for himself.

1.       The ordinary priests always had to make sacrifices for their own sins before they could do so for the sins of the people.

2.       But Jesus Christ, the new High Priest, was sinless and needed no sacrifice for himself.

 

B.      Jesus the new priest was and is forever.

1.       Under the old system the priests died and there was no permanency.

2.       But Jesus lives forever and therefore can serve as a priest forever.

 

C.      Jesus the new priest did not need to endless repeat the sacrifices.

1.       Jesus made the one perfect sacrifice, which never needs to be made again because it has opened the way to the presence of God.

 

Conclusion:

A.      Let me summarize the ideas that the Hebrew writer has made as he points to Jesus the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek:

1.       Jesus is the High Priest whose priesthood depends not on any genealogy but on himself alone.

2.       Jesus is the High Priest who lives forever.

3.       Jesus is the High Priest who himself is sinless and never needs to offer any sacrifice for his own sin.

4.       Jesus is the High Priest who in the offering of himself made the perfect sacrifice which one and for all opened the way to God.  No more sacrifice needs to be made.

 

B.      Ultimately, the Hebrew writer wants us to conclude that there is no better high priest than Jesus.

1.       Why in the world would anyone leave Jesus and tie himself or herself to anyone else?

2.       Jesus is perfect, sinless.

3.       Jesus is faithful.  He has been tested, but has passed with flying colors.

4.       Jesus is merciful.  He is merciful beyond comprehension.

 

C.      Two reassuring truths that provide stability for our hearts arise from this study.

1.     Through Christ alone we are able to know God.

2.     Through Christ alone we are able to reach God.

3.     The Hebrew writer tells us,

a.         “A better hope is introduced by which we draw near to God.” (vs. 19)

b.        “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (vs. 25)

c.         “Such a high priest meets our need.” (vs. 26