Superior Supplanting

Today I somehow slept past church, so I ended up listening to one of the sermon CDs I had gotten when I was teaching Sunday School. It was a good sermon. Since I typed out my notes I thought I might as well put them up here. Note: Some of these notes may be abbreviated from the sermon, others may be my outline or paraphrase of the sermon. It’s not a transcription.

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Sunday Sermon, March 25, 2007. Hebrews 7:26-8:5. Pastor Bob Donohue.

[Sermon illustration: Compares the communication and transportation technology of John Adams' day with what we have today.] When something infinitely better arrives, the old must give way to what is infinitely more effective.

Why follow the law and the old testament priesthood when Christ, the great High Priest has come? He is more superior to them than any technological invention is to its predecessor.

His appointment was superior. He did not exalt himself, he was called, ordained, even audibly by God, not only as his mediator but also as his own offspring. The Son of God. “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind; you are a priest forever after the order of Melchisidek.”

His order is superior. Not descended from Adam, but of an eternal class. The duration of his mediation is eternal.

This morning, we will see three additional virtues in Christ, our High Priest:

1. Superior purity
2. Superior place in which he serves
3. Superior present in the unfathomable gift of himself

Hebrews 7:26—8:5
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.
For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.
Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.
They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”

We have such a high priest.

The Levitical priests served a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things. “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you upon the mountain.”

Christ fulfills and replaces all that was of the Levitical priesthood.

1. Superior purity.

He is holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted to the highest place.
The Law appoints men in their weakness, but the word of God’s divine, binding oath appointed Christ.

Christ is sympathetic to us because he became like us. Biblical sympathy is not just meant to soothe you in difficulty. It’s meant to care for and comprehend you in order to change you. We need another’s discernment. We need someone who can grasp the complexities of our souls in order to guide us out of our deception and sin. We do need someone like us who can understand us. But we also need someone unlike us, who is above us, greater in purity, who has the power to save us. We need someone who is holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted even above the heavens.

This purity was the obsession of a priest under the law. He had to be holy, unstained, very carefully separated from all that would offend. Read Leviticus and know what God required of his mediators. He requires clean flesh, clean animals, garments, land, cuts, vessels, fire, water, houses. He denounces unclean sacrifices, menstrual cycles, diseases, people carcasses, funerals, even bugs! It was the priest’s responsibility to maintain that purity for themselves and for the entire nation. Endlessly tring to accomplish this cleanness.

Today we are the same way about cleanliness. Take a look at Giant. They keep the place clean, set expiration dates to destroy “unclean” food. Take a look at the cosmetic and cleanliness aisle! Then go to paper products. Detergent. Air fresheners. Tub soap for mildew. “Pounce with tartar control” for your CAT! Are we not a society obsessed with being clean?  We are appropriately fixated on purity. We are meant for it. We need it. But like the levitical priests, we fail. We can’t keep clean. And far more seriously, our moral piety is soiled as well.

But Jesus is holy, innocent, unstained. He has no need like those high priests to offer sacrifices daily for his own sin. Christ has a superior purity.

2. Superior place.

He is said to be exalted above the heavens. 8:1-5: He is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven.

The sanctuary is different. The tabernacle has been replaced. The Levitical temple is secondary in comparison to the other one, which is not even of this world! It is a copy. It’s just a shadow. It was limited in size and location. It was subject to decay, fire, rain, moths, and theft.

The instructions given to Moses were derived from a sanctuary that already existed. “The true tent that the Lord set up, not man.” Heaven is in full what the Tabernacle and its attendants are only a faint reflection of.

All of our worship forms on earth are not essential. Music style, frequency of communion, how we dress, etc. They are copies. They are wonderful means of grace but they are not final. They point to that which is. The Bible doesn’t specify how we are to practice any of these things. Liturgy is a shadow. Worship is not external. It is centered on Jesus now. It has become intensely spiritual, enveloping all of life. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” That’s not just attending a church service 1-3 times a week. We are liberated to worship God wherever and whenever we are, all the time! We are not restricted to forms and shadows, for our high priest ministers and resides in the superior place, and he is qualified to occupy it because of his superior purity. And unthinkably, he gives us access through the offering of his superior gift.

3. Superior gift.

Christ’s superior sacrifice, his superior gift, is the sacrifice of himself. Christ had to  have something to offer. Don’t come before God empty handed, without the prescribed gift. The whole duty of a Levite consisted in making sacrifices, culminating in the high priest entering the Holy of Holies to offer the atoning blood on Yom Kippur. This was a fearfully sober occasion.

We read, “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifice daily, first for his own sins…” Because he can come based on his own merits. But, “…and then for the sins of the people?” Sure he need not atone for himself, but what about me and my constant iniquities? The answer is that Christ’s gift is so superior, so complete, it obviates (eliminates) the need for any more sacrifices. “Since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” No priest would ever think of offering himself as a sacrifice, since he needed a sacrifice for himself. Jesus’s offering of himself is the superior gift that brings us into the superior place, before God Himself. His gift is acceptable because of his purity. It is perfect, and therefore it is final.

So what is the application?

Believe.

“Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest.” We do have this! It is not only fitting that we have one, but we do have one!

Do you have such a high priest? Are you more grateful for His purity than you are grieved and preoccupied with your impurity? Is heaven more a reality of worship to you than all of the means here on earth? And is the gift of Christ’s sacrifice the only atonement you look to for being right with God?

Believe.

You can’t come because you raise your hands. You can’t come because you are sorry. You can’t come because you go to a good church. You can’t come because you had a good devotional week. You can only come because of Christ.

Come! leave the world, leave your reputation, leave your fears and anxiety. Come by the Blood, for there is no place like heaven, there is no place like Him! Will you come? You know who you are! If you’re condemned and you’re arguing, “what about my past? What about my sin? I know I’m going to fail again!” We have a high priest who has taken care of all of that, so come!