Sunday
Morning Bible Study
August
26, 2018
Announce
Servant School
Our Thursday night Servant School sessions run concurrently with our weekly
Bible Study. The classes give you
opportunities to grow in specific areas of your walk with Christ. Our next session starts Sept. 13.
You heard Neil share about his new class.
Daniel Grant will also be leading a class through the book “Fresh Wind,
Fresh Fire”, about prayer and the Holy Spirit.
In our November session, I’ll be teaching a class on Greek, though I’m not
sure what level to aim at – I’ll be putting up a Facebook poll soon to see who
is interested and whether you would prefer a basic overview class, or a more
serious college level class.
Baptism:
What is baptism all about?
Baptism is a step of obedience we take after we’ve decided to follow Jesus.
Some of you were baptized when you were babies, and though we appreciate
your parents’ desire for you to get connected to God, the Bible teaches that
baptism is for believers, not babies.
It will not save you – you are saved by trusting in Jesus.
It will not change your life – your life is changed by following Jesus.
It will make a statement – you can invite your family and friends and let
them see that you are going to follow Jesus.
Baptism is an outward expression of what God has already done in your life.
If you want to know more, look at our website, under “About” / “Baptism
FAQs”, or talk to a pastor.
Here’s a taste of what some of our previous baptisms have looked like:
Introduction
We don’t know for sure who wrote the book of Hebrews, but we do have a
pretty good idea of who it was written to.
Hebrews was written to Jewish believers.
The author expects the
readers to be well acquainted with Levitical worship and sacrifice.
He will constantly quote the Old Testament in a way that expects that the
reader understands what he’s talking about.
We also know that these believers were encountering very strong
persecution.
Times were so bad that some were beginning to wonder if they shouldn’t quit
following Jesus.
We will see three elements woven throughout this letter to the Hebrews.
1. Both Testaments
Even though the Old Testament has become “obsolete” (Heb. 8:13), the entire
book of Hebrews is built upon the clear foundation of the Old Testament.
(Hebrews 8:13 NKJV)
In
that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what
is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
You aren’t going to understand Hebrews, or even the New Testament correctly
unless you learn the Old Testament.
2. Jesus is superior
He’s superior to angels.
He’s superior to Moses and the Torah.
He’s superior to the Levitical priests and their sacrifices.
3. Don’t quit
The ultimate goal of the book is to encourage those who are struggling with
difficult times, and help them to endure.
There’s much to find strength from and not quit.
If these Jewish believers were to quit following Jesus, they would be going
back to the Law of Moses and the priests that were set up with the Law of
Moses.
In our current section, the author has been showing how Jesus is so much
better than the Levitical priests by introducing us to the mysterious priest
named Melchizedek, who lived during the time of Abraham.
It was King David who prophesied that the Messiah would be from the order
of Melchizedek.
So far he’s given us five reasons why Jesus is
better, and he’s been doing this by contrasting Melchizedek (who is connected
to Jesus) with Abraham (who is connected to the Levitical priests)
1. Melchizedek blessed Abraham (v.7)
2. Levi tithed to Melchizedek (v.9)
3. Levites weren’t permanent (v.11)
4. Jesus lives forever (v.16)
5. Only Jesus makes perfect (v.19)
This week we’ll see five more reasons.
7:20-28 Our Great High Priest
:20 And inasmuch as He was not made
priest without an oath
an oath - horkomosia - affirmation made on oath, the taking
of an oath, an oath
:21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by
Him who said to Him: “The Lord
has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According
to the order of Melchizedek’ ”),
sworn - omnuo - to swear; to affirm, promise,
threaten, with an oath; in swearing to call a person or thing as witness, to
invoke, swear by
relent - metamellomai - it is a care to one afterwards; it
repents one, to repent one’s self
Once again the author is quoting David’s prophesy
about the Messiah in Psalm 110:4.
(Psalm 110:4 NKJV) The Lord has sworn And will not
relent, “You are
a priest forever
According
to the order of Melchizedek.”
:22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
so much - tosoutos - of quantity: so great, so many
better - kreitton - more useful, more serviceable, more
advantageous; more excellent
covenant - diatheke - a disposition, arrangement, of any
sort, which one wishes to be valid, the last disposition which one makes of his
earthly possessions after his death, a testament or will; a compact, a
covenant, a testament
surety - egguos - a surety, a sponsor
:21 but He with an oath
When God “swore” that the Messiah would be a priest after Melchizedek, He
was invoking an “oath”.
One of the purposes of an oath was to establish the truth of what’s being
said.
God was “super serious” about the truth of His statement concerning the
Messiah being a priest.
Aaron and his sons were made priests because God commanded it to happen
(Ex. 28:1), but there was no “oath” involved.
(Exodus 28:1 NKJV) “Now take
Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel,
that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab,
Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
:22 a surety of a better covenant
This “oath” that God has sworn (Ps. 110:4) places Jesus right in the middle
of man’s new contract that connects us to God.
We’ll see in a few weeks this contract is called the “New Covenant”.
Jesus becomes the “surety” or “guarantor” of this better contract.
The “guarantor” is the one who makes sure the promise is kept.
If you go out looking to buy a new car, and they do a credit check, you
might get turned down if your credit is bad.
Yet if you have a friend with good credit who is willing to “co-sign” on
the loan, they become the “guarantor”, the one who promises that all the
payments will be made.
Jesus will guarantee that the New Covenant will work for you.
This leads us to reasons #6 as to why Jesus is better than the priests.
6. God’s binding oath (v.21)
Jesus guarantees your salvation because of God’s oath.
:23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from
continuing.
many - pleion - greater in quantity; the more part,
very many
prevented - koluo - to hinder, prevent forbid; to
withhold a thing from anyone; to deny or refuse one a thing
continuing - parameno - to remain beside,
continue always near; to survive, remain alive
:24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.
he continues - meno - to remain,
abide
Same word used was used to describe Melchizedek:
(Hebrews 7:3 NKJV) without
father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor
end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
forever - aion - forever, an unbroken age, perpetuity
of time, eternity. Here it is literally, “unto eternity”.
unchangeable - aparabatos -
unviolated, not to be violated, inviolable; unchangeable and therefore not
liable to pass to a successor
:23 they were prevented by death from continuing
In comparing the two priesthoods, we’ve already seen a contrast between
life and death:
(Hebrews 7:8 NKJV) Here mortal
men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed
that he lives.
The underlying contrast in the Greek was the Levitical priesthood being
chained to limitations by death (“mortal”), while Jesus’ priesthood was
characterized by life.
The “problem” with an ordinary Levitical priest, was that they all tended
to die.
That meant there needed to be another priest to replace him.
We get it when it comes to batteries.
Would you rather have a battery that runs out after a couple of months,
or one that lasts FOREVER?
Jesus doesn’t have those kinds of limitations.
He did die, but He also rose again, ascended into heaven, and remains alive
forever, never needing replacing.
Another reasons Jesus is better:
7. No need of replacement (v.24)
Jesus lasts forever.
And because He as a priest lasts forever…
:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to
God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
to save - sozo - to save, keep safe and sound, to
rescue from danger or destruction
is able - dunamai - to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state
of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by
permission of law or custom; to be able to do something; to be capable, strong
and powerful
who come to - proserchomai - to come to, approach; draw near to;
to assent to
We will come back to this in the end.
:26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy,
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the
heavens;
:26 such a High Priest was fitting for us
was fitting - prepo - to stand out, to be conspicuous, to
be eminent; to be becoming, seemly, fit
“it was fitting” (NAS); “meets our need” (NIV); “he is the kind of high
priest we need” (NLT)
(Hebrews 7:26 HCSB)
For
this is the kind of high priest we need…
:26 holy, harmless
holy – hosios – undefiled by sin, free from
wickedness, pleasing to God
harmless - akakos (“not” + “bad”) - without guile,
harmless, innocent
You don’t have to be afraid when you’re close to Jesus. He’s not going to
hurt you. He died to save you, not hurt you.
Some people have grown up in abusive situations. They have grown to
mistrust people, expecting to eventually be ripped off by them.
Not so with Jesus.
It is truly a sad thing that many people have been harmed by priests and
pastors.
That is so extremely outside the nature of Jesus.
:26 undefiled, separate from sinners
undefiled - amiantos - not defiled, unsoiled, unstained
It’s a difficult thing when you are looking to another person for help, and
then you find out that they are super messed up.
It’s especially tragic when a child is betrayed by someone who should have
protected them.
I’ve seen this over the years when a pastor has a moral failure. The fallout is terrible
and people feel disillusioned about God.
separate from sinners
separate - chorizo - to separate, divide, part, put
asunder, to separate one’s self from, to depart.
This doesn’t mean He doesn’t hang out with sinners.
In fact, Jesus was called the “friend of sinners” (Luke 7:34)
(Luke
7:34 NKJV) The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a
glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Jesus is separate from sinners in the sense that He doesn’t join in their
sins.
Lesson
Mature Ministry
There is a sense in which we will never be as good of a “priest” as Jesus.
Yet we are called to be “priests”. (Rev. 1:6)
(Revelation 1:6
NKJV) and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be
glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Do you want to help others? Do you
want to be effective with others? Then
realize the importance of these traits.
You are in training. Not for a prize
fight, but for ministry.
Don’t get me wrong, God can speak through a donkey.
Every person God has ever used is a sinner.
Yet I think God would rather work through people who are learning to be
“holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners”.
:26 has become higher than the heavens
higher - hupselos - high, lofty; exalted on high
Could this refer to Jesus being greater than angels (which was the point of
the first chapter)?
Since His resurrection, Jesus has become greater than anyone else, except
for God the Father.
(Philippians 2:9
NKJV) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name
which is above every name,
Once again this adds to our list of why Jesus is “better”, better than any
other High Priest.
8. Better qualifications (v.26)
That’s all the things listed here in vs. 26.
:27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices,
first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all
when He offered up Himself.
need - anagke - necessity, imposed either by the
circumstances, or by law of duty regarding to one’s advantage, custom,
argument. Here it is literally, “who does not have according to the day a
need”.
offer up - anaphero - to carry or bring up, to lead up; to
put upon the altar, to bring to the altar, to offer
:27 first for His own sins and then for the people’s
Priests were sinners.
Before any priest could take your sin offering and offer it up to God to
cover your sin, he had to first take care of his own sins.
Jesus on the other hand never sinned.
That didn’t just make Him a better priest, it made Him the perfect
sacrifice.
Another reason Jesus is better.
9. No sacrifice needed for Jesus
(v.27)
:27 this He did once for all
once for all - ephapax - once;
all at once; once for all
This rare word is used three times in the book of Hebrews (also 9:12; 10:10), and is at the heart of what Jesus has done for us on the
cross.
(Hebrews 9:12 NKJV)
Not
with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most
Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
(Hebrews 10:10
NKJV) By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins was so superior to any other sacrifice, that
He was able with one sacrifice, to pay for all the world’s sins, all at once,
for all time.
He didn’t sacrifice the life of a goat or a lamb.
He didn’t sacrifice a human life.
He laid down an infinite life.
He did this to die in our place.
Again, this is why Jesus is better.
10. Jesus paid once for all (v.27)
Do you ever think your sins are so bad that you are beyond forgiveness?
Think again. Jesus is more than
enough of a sacrifice for even you.
:28 For the law appoints as high priests men who
have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints
the Son who has been perfected forever.
appoints - kathistemi - to set, place, put; to set one over a
thing (in charge of it); to appoint one to administer an office
weakness - astheneia - want of strength, weakness, infirmity
oath - horkomosia - affirmation made on oath, the taking
of an oath, an oath
after - meta - with,
after, behind
forever - aion - for ever,
an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity
who has been perfected - teleioo - to make perfect, complete; to carry
through completely, to accomplish, finish, bring to an end;
to complete (perfect)
:28 but the word of the oath
This is a wrap up of the contrast between the priests of the order of Aaron
(Levitical), and the priest of the order of Melchizedek.
The Levitical priests were appointed by the law, and they had weakness.
They sinned. They died.
Jesus was appointed by the “word of the oath” (Ps. 110:4), an oath that
came after the Law was given, and He is the eternal perfect priest.
:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to
God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
:25 able to save to the uttermost
to the uttermost – panteles (“all” + “end”) – all complete; perfectly,
utterly
Lesson
From the farthest
Jesus can save the sinner who seems farthest from God.
This is because of who Jesus is, not because of what you’ve done, or how
guilty you feel.
Every once in a while, someone hears that Jesus
will forgive anyone, and they will say, “Well would God forgive Adolph Hitler
if he had received Christ?”
Let me say clearly, I’m not sure I know of another human in history with a
greater guilt than Adolph Hitler.
Yet the answer is simple.
Yes, even Adolph Hitler could have been saved if he had turned to Jesus.
Salvation isn’t based on you making amends (that’s what fixes broken
relationships), salvation is based on whether Jesus’ sacrifice was enough to
cover our sins.
And Jesus is more than enough.
Think about the apostle Paul (once known as Saul).
Before becoming a believer, he was a horrible person.
He persecuted the church, throwing people into prison and
putting people to death.
Paul wrote,
(1
Timothy 1:15 NKJV) This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
Paul knew how bad he was, but he also found out how great
a Savior Jesus was.
Are you sitting here today, overwhelmed with the guilt of what you’ve
done? It’s possible that you are the
only human in this room that knows what you’ve done.
And as much as you’ve tried to run from it, you can’t get away from your
guilt.
Jesus’ salvation extends all the way to you.
How can you be saved?
Come to God through Jesus. It’s
about knowing Jesus.
Illustration
One fellow wrote about his last college test, a final in a logic class
known for its difficult exams:
“To help us on our test, the professor told us we could
bring as much information to the exam as we could fit on a piece of notebook
paper. Most students crammed as many facts as possible on their 8-1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. But one student walked into class,
put a piece of notebook paper on the floor, and had an advanced logic student
stand on the paper.
“The advanced logic student told him everything he needed
to know. He was the only student to receive an “A.””
Do you want to be saved?
Do you want that “A” from God?
Then ask Jesus to come to the test with you.
Only He can save you.
Lesson
To the very end
Some of you are struggling because you’re not sure you’re going to make it
to the end of the race.
Some Christians live their whole life in fear.
Their life is characterized by one neurosis after another.
They are afraid of the next “horrible tragedy” that never
comes.
My friend, memorize this verse.
Jesus is able to save you “to the
uttermost”.
Some of us have seen parents struggle with dementia, and some who were
strong believers can sound as if they no longer believe.
Will that happen to us?
I believe Jesus is able to save
us to the uttermost.
There might be a sin in your life that you have difficulty getting away
from.
You might experience “victory” for a time, but then you
fall, and get caught once again in sin.
Video: Sheep
in a tire swing
We’re that sheep that keeps getting caught in the wrong
thing.
Please don’t misunderstand me.
Sin is very, very serious.
God wants you to know the victory He’s provided over your sin.
Yet when you are a sinner who has come to God through
Jesus, He will save you to the uttermost.
Your salvation doesn’t depend upon what you do. It never has.
Your salvation depends upon what Jesus has done for you.
You just have to trust Him.
Illustration
In the late 1800s, Charles Berry, an English preacher, became the pastor of
the great Plymouth Church in Brooklyn. One day Berry described how earlier he
had come to Jesus Christ.
There had been a time in Berry’s early ministry when he preached a very
thin gospel-really no gospel at all. As did the Corinthians, he looked upon
Jesus as merely a noble teacher but not as a divine redeemer.
Late one night during his first pastorate, as he sat in his cozy study,
there came a knock. He opened the door and found a typical Lancashire girl with
a shawl over her head and clogs on her feet.
“Are you a minister?” she asked. Getting an affirmative answer, she went on
breathlessly. “You must come with me quickly. I want you to get my mother in.”
Thinking it was a case of some drunken mother out in the streets, Berry
said, “You must go and get a policeman.”
“No,” said the girl, “My mother is dying, and you must come and get her
into heaven.”
Berry got dressed and followed her for a mile and a half through lonely
streets in the night. He knelt at the woman’s side, and he began telling her
how good and kind Jesus was and how he’d come to show us how to live.
Then the desperate woman cut him off. “Mister,” she cried, “that’s no use
for the likes of me. I’m a sinner. I’ve lived my life. Can’t you tell me of
someone who can have mercy upon me and save my poor soul?”
“I stood there in the presence of a dying woman,” said Berry, “and I
realized I had nothing to tell her. In the midst of
sin and death, I had no message. In order to bring
something to that dying woman, I leaped back to my mother’s knee, to my cradle
faith, and I told her the story of the Cross and of a Christ who is able to
save to the uttermost.” The tears began to run down the woman’s cheeks.
“Now you’re getting it,” she said. “Now you’re helping me.”
Berry concluded the story by saying, “I got her in, and blessed be God, I
got in myself.”
-- Gordon MacDonald, "The Centerpiece of the
Gospel," Preaching Today, Tape No. 137.
:25 since He always lives to make intercession for them
always - pantote - at all times,
always, ever
to make intercession - entugchano (“in” +
“hit the mark”) – to go to or meet a person; to pray, appeal, intercede
Wouldn’t it be great to know someone who’s prayers always hit the mark?
(Romans 8:26–27
NKJV) —26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not
know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows
what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for
the saints according to the will of God.
(Romans 8:34 NKJV) Who is
he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for
us.
Lesson
Your Prayer Warrior
Do you ever have one of those days (or weeks, or years) when everything
just seems difficult and you have one enemy after another coming after you?
It’s good to have people who will pray for you. It’s good to ask for prayer.
Yet sometimes the people I want to reach are unavailable, and I’m not sure
where to turn.
I’m in trouble and I’m out of bullets.
And then, right out of the blue, Jesus shows up to help, kind of like
Indiana Jones’ dad, and Jesus does something totally unexpected.
I wonder sometimes if Jesus has been praying for me.
I think He has.
Sometimes it’s just something to encourage me and remind me that Jesus
knows what’s going on.
There were a couple of times in the early years of our church where I asked
Pastor Chuck to pray for me.
With some people, like Chuck, you just have this notion
that God is going to listen to them a little bit more than others.
The year before we started the church, I asked Chuck to
pray for me at a Pastors’ Conference as I was thinking about starting Calvary
Fullerton.
Another time I asked Chuck to pray because we were having
some troubles in the church.
Yet as much as I valued those times, Chuck was just a man.
When we moved into the Ice House, I tried to see if I
could get Chuck to come and dedicate the building for us, and I never got an
answer.
I get it. I have
trouble answering everyone’s phone calls and we’re just a little tiny
church. I couldn’t imagine what Chuck
used to face.
A few years ago I was sitting in my office and
struggling with some of the usual things that go on in church.
My secretary, Laurie, handed me a phone message from some
guy named Chris from Boynton Beach in Florida. A guy I’ve never met. I returned
his call.
He said he had been praying and that my name came to his mind, and that God wanted him to be praying for
me. He didn’t ask me for anything. He didn’t ask me to vote for anything. He
didn’t try to sell me something. He just told me that God wanted him to be
praying for me. I can’t tell you how much that hit me to think that God cared
enough about me to put my name on some stranger’s heart.
It’s a really good thing to have people pray for
you, but don’t underestimate what Jesus is doing right now, interceding for you
in heaven.
He’s on your side.
He wants you to make it.
Illustration
During the Revolutionary War a pastor named John P. Miller once learned
that one of his greatest enemies was to be hanged for his crimes. Upon hearing this, Miller set out on foot
sixty miles to visit General George Washington and intercede for the man’s
life. The general, upon hearing the
request, stated that he was sorry but he could not
pardon Miller’s friend. “Friend!” said
Miller, “that man is my worst enemy.” “Well then,” said Washington,” that puts
matters in a whole new light.” Seeing the
preacher’s forgiveness for his staunchest enemy, the general signed the
pardon. Then Miller quickly carried it
another fifteen miles to the execution site, arriving just as the condemned man
was trudging toward the scaffold.
On This Day, by Dr. Carl D. Windsor (Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville, 1989) p.93
Illustration
There was a soldier in the Union army, a young man who had lost his older
brother and his father in the war. He went to Washington, D.C., to see
President Lincoln to ask for an exemption from military service so he could go
back and help his sister and mother with the spring planting on the farm. When
he arrived in Washington, after having received a furlough from the military to
go and plead his case, he went to the White House, approached the doors, and
asked to see the president. However, he was told, “You can’t see the president!
Don’t you know there’s a war on? The president’s a very busy man. Now go away,
son! Get back out there and fight the Rebs like
you’re supposed to.” So he left, very disheartened,
and was sitting on a little park bench not far from the White House when a
little boy came up to him. The lad said, “Soldier, you look unhappy. What’s
wrong?” The soldier looked at this young boy and began to spill his heart out
to this young lad about his situation, about his father and his brother having
died in the war, and how he was the only male left in the family and was needed
desperately back at the farm for the Spring planting.
The little boy took the soldier by the hand and led him around to the back
of the White House. They went through the back door, past the guards, past all
the generals and the high ranking government officials
until they got to the president’s office itself. The little boy didn’t even
knock on the door but just opened it and walked in. There was President Lincoln
with his secretary of state, looking over battle plans on the desk. President
Lincoln looked up and said, “What can I do for you, Todd?”
And Todd said, “Daddy, this soldier needs to talk to you.” And right then
and there the soldier had a chance to plead his case to President Lincoln, and
he was exempted from military service due to the hardship he was under.
Such is the case with our ascended Lord. We have access to the Father
through the Son. It is the Son who brings us to the Father’s throne and says,
“Daddy, here is someone who wants to talk to You.”
The Roman Catholic and Orthodox church have a tradition of praying to the
saints.
It’s the idea of asking someone better than you, somebody closer to God
than you, to pray for you.
Yet why do you need to do this if Jesus is already interceding for you?