WEBVTT 00:00:01.155 --> 00:00:04.436 I know we're going to read through it quickly, 00:00:04.436 --> 00:00:05.931 so it's not going to be like 00:00:05.931 --> 00:00:07.776 when you're sitting with an open Bible 00:00:07.776 --> 00:00:09.483 and you're reading all by yourself 00:00:09.483 --> 00:00:14.585 and you can actually stop and think. 00:00:14.585 --> 00:00:17.549 But as we go through this, 00:00:17.549 --> 00:00:20.255 try to make sense of this. 00:00:20.255 --> 00:00:26.207 Try to follow the flow of thought. 00:00:26.207 --> 00:00:29.892 Hebrews 13:7 00:00:29.892 --> 00:00:32.131 "Remember your leaders, 00:00:32.131 --> 00:00:34.291 those who spoke to you the Word of God. 00:00:34.291 --> 00:00:38.384 Consider the outcome of their way of life 00:00:38.384 --> 00:00:41.964 and imitate their faith. 00:00:41.964 --> 00:00:44.329 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, 00:00:44.329 --> 00:00:47.715 and today, and forever. 00:00:47.715 --> 00:00:49.673 Do not be led away by diverse 00:00:49.673 --> 00:00:51.294 and strange teachings, 00:00:51.294 --> 00:00:52.737 for it's good for the heart 00:00:52.737 --> 00:00:54.857 to be strengthened by grace, 00:00:54.857 --> 00:00:58.499 not by foods which have not benefitted 00:00:58.499 --> 00:01:02.338 those devoted to them. 00:01:02.338 --> 00:01:04.497 We have an altar from which those who 00:01:04.497 --> 00:01:07.682 serve the tent have no right to eat. 00:01:07.682 --> 00:01:09.373 For the bodies of those animals 00:01:09.373 --> 00:01:13.662 whose blood is brought into the holy places 00:01:13.662 --> 00:01:17.038 by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin 00:01:17.038 --> 00:01:19.647 are burned outside the camp. 00:01:19.647 --> 00:01:22.457 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate 00:01:22.457 --> 00:01:24.010 in order to sanctify the people 00:01:24.010 --> 00:01:25.619 through His own blood. 00:01:25.619 --> 00:01:28.448 Therefore, let us go to Him outside the camp 00:01:28.448 --> 00:01:31.872 and bear the reproach He endured. 00:01:31.872 --> 00:01:36.513 For here we have no lasting city, 00:01:36.513 --> 00:01:43.853 but we seek the city that is to come." 00:01:43.853 --> 00:01:47.723 Now, in my opinion, 00:01:47.723 --> 00:01:51.753 this is the most difficult portion 00:01:51.753 --> 00:01:54.226 of the entire epistle to the Hebrews 00:01:54.226 --> 00:01:56.949 as far as just figuring out how it all 00:01:56.949 --> 00:01:58.704 fits together. 00:01:58.704 --> 00:02:00.500 I mean, what's the flow of thought? 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:03.059 How does v. 7 fit with v. 8? 00:02:03.059 --> 00:02:06.188 How does v. 8 fit with v. 9? 00:02:06.188 --> 00:02:10.156 I was checking an online Hebrews commentary 00:02:10.156 --> 00:02:11.390 the other day, 00:02:11.390 --> 00:02:13.486 and one of the commentators - 00:02:13.486 --> 00:02:15.787 PreceptAustin.org - 00:02:15.787 --> 00:02:17.405 I recommend that to you for study 00:02:17.405 --> 00:02:19.327 in any book. 00:02:19.327 --> 00:02:21.280 It's a tremendous online resource. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:22.459 But I was reading that, 00:02:22.459 --> 00:02:23.889 and one of the commentators 00:02:23.889 --> 00:02:27.941 had this to say about these very verses. 00:02:27.941 --> 00:02:30.163 His name is Steven Cole. 00:02:30.163 --> 00:02:31.523 Mr. Cole says this, 00:02:31.523 --> 00:02:36.475 "I confess (I'm quoting him) 00:02:36.475 --> 00:02:39.751 that the first twenty or so times 00:02:39.751 --> 00:02:41.902 that I read our text, 00:02:41.902 --> 00:02:44.106 it seemed to me to be a disjointed 00:02:44.106 --> 00:02:45.815 random bunch of verses. 00:02:45.815 --> 00:02:50.864 I could not see any unified theme." 00:02:50.864 --> 00:02:52.306 This guy's a pastor. 00:02:52.306 --> 00:02:55.064 He's a contemporary man. 00:02:55.064 --> 00:02:59.125 He is alive today. 00:02:59.125 --> 00:03:00.583 Twenty times through 00:03:00.583 --> 00:03:01.934 it was just disjointed. 00:03:01.934 --> 00:03:04.999 But, you have to hear in that, 00:03:04.999 --> 00:03:11.180 after twenty times, he began to see something. 00:03:11.180 --> 00:03:13.862 But you just look at the flow here. 00:03:13.862 --> 00:03:15.405 I mean, think with me here. 00:03:15.405 --> 00:03:16.823 What do we have? 00:03:16.823 --> 00:03:20.443 V. 7: Remember your leaders. 00:03:20.443 --> 00:03:23.578 These guys are speaking the Word of God. 00:03:23.578 --> 00:03:25.021 Imitate their faith. 00:03:25.021 --> 00:03:29.222 And then, bang, you get this abrupt 00:03:29.222 --> 00:03:31.118 doctrinal expression. 00:03:31.118 --> 00:03:32.977 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, 00:03:32.977 --> 00:03:34.513 and today, and forever. 00:03:34.513 --> 00:03:37.651 And then in v. 9, you get hit with this: 00:03:37.651 --> 00:03:39.635 Diverse and strange doctrines. 00:03:39.635 --> 00:03:41.841 Don't be led away by them. 00:03:41.841 --> 00:03:43.457 Then you get this comparison, 00:03:43.457 --> 00:03:48.006 this contrast of grace over against foods. 00:03:48.006 --> 00:03:49.282 And then in v. 10, 00:03:49.282 --> 00:03:52.343 you get an altar. 00:03:52.343 --> 00:03:56.581 Those who serve the tent? 00:03:56.581 --> 00:04:00.572 In v. 11, you get this idea about 00:04:00.572 --> 00:04:07.440 outside the camp. 00:04:07.440 --> 00:04:10.237 You get these sacrifices that are burned 00:04:10.237 --> 00:04:11.594 outside the camp. 00:04:11.594 --> 00:04:14.475 V. 12: Outside the gate. 00:04:14.475 --> 00:04:16.592 V. 13: Outside the camp. 00:04:16.592 --> 00:04:20.178 In v. 14, no lasting city. 00:04:20.178 --> 00:04:22.139 I mean, you can see 00:04:22.139 --> 00:04:27.221 that we have a lot of different thoughts here; 00:04:27.221 --> 00:04:28.832 a lot of different ideas. 00:04:28.832 --> 00:04:30.378 Now here's one thing that I want 00:04:30.378 --> 00:04:32.226 you all to think about, 00:04:32.226 --> 00:04:34.475 we're wrapping up Hebrews. 00:04:34.475 --> 00:04:37.174 This is the last stretch 00:04:37.174 --> 00:04:39.237 before you get some closing remarks. 00:04:39.237 --> 00:04:40.770 One thing that's interesting 00:04:40.770 --> 00:04:44.513 about the end 00:04:44.513 --> 00:04:46.379 is that the author is assuming 00:04:46.379 --> 00:04:51.356 that you've read the first 12 chapters. 00:04:51.356 --> 00:04:53.309 Here's the problem. 00:04:53.309 --> 00:04:56.374 We started - I looked back at my notes - 00:04:56.374 --> 00:05:00.753 we started the first message in Hebrews 00:05:00.753 --> 00:05:04.324 a little more than three years ago. 00:05:04.324 --> 00:05:06.321 But the epistle of Hebrews was not 00:05:06.321 --> 00:05:08.489 meant to be read in three years, 00:05:08.489 --> 00:05:10.561 so that by the time you get to chapter 13, 00:05:10.561 --> 00:05:13.945 you totally don't remember what's going on in chapter 1. 00:05:13.945 --> 00:05:15.401 On Thursday, I sat down 00:05:15.401 --> 00:05:16.697 and I said you know what, 00:05:16.697 --> 00:05:18.038 these are difficult verses, 00:05:18.038 --> 00:05:19.758 and I feel like I need to get a feel 00:05:19.758 --> 00:05:21.049 for all of Hebrews again, 00:05:21.049 --> 00:05:21.819 so I sat down, 00:05:21.819 --> 00:05:26.217 I read Hebrews in about 32 1/2 minutes. 00:05:26.217 --> 00:05:29.445 And that's how it's meant to be. 00:05:29.445 --> 00:05:31.853 Not necessarily 32 1/2, 00:05:31.853 --> 00:05:34.077 but typically you are going to read 00:05:34.077 --> 00:05:35.859 chapter 1 and chapter 13 00:05:35.859 --> 00:05:39.176 within approximately the same hour. 00:05:39.176 --> 00:05:41.247 So you have an idea when you're reading 13 00:05:41.247 --> 00:05:42.116 what went on in 1. 00:05:42.116 --> 00:05:44.101 But when we preach through it at the rate 00:05:44.101 --> 00:05:45.690 we've been preaching through it, 00:05:45.690 --> 00:05:48.297 you tend to forget what's back there. 00:05:48.297 --> 00:05:50.059 And so I think we're going to need to 00:05:50.059 --> 00:05:51.345 bounce around. 00:05:51.345 --> 00:05:53.505 Your faces are going to need to be 00:05:53.505 --> 00:05:54.514 in your Bibles today. 00:05:54.514 --> 00:05:57.188 We're going to spend the whole time 00:05:57.188 --> 00:05:59.103 in the book of Hebrews, 00:05:59.103 --> 00:06:02.117 but what I want to do this morning is this: 00:06:02.117 --> 00:06:03.709 We can't cover all of this. 00:06:03.709 --> 00:06:05.480 There's just too many thoughts here. 00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:07.094 What I want to try to focus on 00:06:07.094 --> 00:06:13.042 is v. 7,8 and 9. 00:06:13.042 --> 00:06:16.047 Remember your leaders. 00:06:16.047 --> 00:06:18.280 Those who spoke to you the Word of God. 00:06:18.280 --> 00:06:21.298 Consider the outcome of their way of life 00:06:21.298 --> 00:06:23.129 and imitate their faith. 00:06:23.129 --> 00:06:24.972 And then it's right here where you get 00:06:24.972 --> 00:06:27.888 the real abrupt change. 00:06:27.888 --> 00:06:29.438 Because trying to figure out, 00:06:29.438 --> 00:06:30.859 well, is there anything about 00:06:30.859 --> 00:06:32.875 these leaders in teaching the Word of God 00:06:32.875 --> 00:06:34.480 and outcome of their way of life 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:35.857 and imitating their faith 00:06:35.857 --> 00:06:37.754 that would lead us into a statement 00:06:37.754 --> 00:06:39.762 about Jesus Christ being the same 00:06:39.762 --> 00:06:42.324 yesterday, and today, and forever? 00:06:42.324 --> 00:06:45.600 I mean, where's the transition? 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:47.458 Or should there be? 00:06:47.458 --> 00:06:51.542 Maybe when the guy who made up - 00:06:51.542 --> 00:06:55.142 this is not inspired where verse divisions are 00:06:55.142 --> 00:06:56.738 and where chapter divisions are. 00:06:56.738 --> 00:06:59.046 Maybe there should be a chapter division there. 00:06:59.046 --> 00:07:00.724 Maybe that's the end of a thought 00:07:00.724 --> 00:07:01.930 and now you get something 00:07:01.930 --> 00:07:03.855 totally new. 00:07:03.855 --> 00:07:07.522 That's possible. 00:07:07.522 --> 00:07:09.473 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, 00:07:09.473 --> 00:07:10.685 and today, and forever. 00:07:10.685 --> 00:07:16.661 And then, you get maybe not as much 00:07:16.661 --> 00:07:18.508 of an abrupt change, 00:07:18.508 --> 00:07:19.911 but do not be led away 00:07:19.911 --> 00:07:23.310 by diverse and strange doctrines. 00:07:23.310 --> 00:07:24.909 Ok, is Jesus Christ being the same 00:07:24.909 --> 00:07:27.055 yesterday, and today, and forever 00:07:27.055 --> 00:07:29.606 contrasted over against diverse 00:07:29.606 --> 00:07:31.030 and strange teachings? 00:07:31.030 --> 00:07:32.517 Perhaps. 00:07:32.517 --> 00:07:35.815 But you don't see immediately 00:07:35.815 --> 00:07:39.072 what that connection is necessarily. 00:07:39.072 --> 00:07:41.273 And then he goes on not to say 00:07:41.273 --> 00:07:44.658 because some believe that Jesus Christ 00:07:44.658 --> 00:07:47.084 is changing, and you don't want to 00:07:47.084 --> 00:07:48.068 fall into those. 00:07:48.068 --> 00:07:49.402 He actually goes on to say, 00:07:49.402 --> 00:07:51.421 it's good for the heart to be strengthened 00:07:51.421 --> 00:07:53.292 by grace, not by foods. 00:07:53.292 --> 00:07:54.378 It's like why? 00:07:54.378 --> 00:07:55.810 You're telling us Jesus Christ 00:07:55.810 --> 00:07:57.661 is the same, but then it seems like 00:07:57.661 --> 00:08:02.999 the thing that is confronting grace 00:08:02.999 --> 00:08:04.518 is food; 00:08:04.518 --> 00:08:09.148 not the idea that Jesus can change. 00:08:09.148 --> 00:08:11.329 It's good for the heart to be strengthened 00:08:11.329 --> 00:08:13.130 by grace, but by foods, 00:08:13.130 --> 00:08:14.731 which have not benefitted those 00:08:14.731 --> 00:08:16.081 devoted to them. 00:08:16.081 --> 00:08:17.858 Where does food come in? 00:08:17.858 --> 00:08:19.130 What's food go to do 00:08:19.130 --> 00:08:21.455 with diverse and strange teachings? 00:08:21.455 --> 00:08:22.904 And so these are the things 00:08:22.904 --> 00:08:25.958 I want to try to unpack this morning. 00:08:25.958 --> 00:08:29.352 First, let's check out v. 7. 00:08:29.352 --> 00:08:31.375 You see there at the beginning, 00:08:31.375 --> 00:08:33.533 remember your leaders. 00:08:33.533 --> 00:08:35.814 Now, if you let your eyeball sort of drift 00:08:35.814 --> 00:08:39.212 down the page to v. 17, 00:08:39.212 --> 00:08:42.260 you find the same word again. 00:08:42.260 --> 00:08:45.536 Obey your leaders 00:08:45.536 --> 00:08:50.714 and submit to them. 00:08:50.714 --> 00:08:54.436 Now, we're going to deal with that text later. 00:08:54.436 --> 00:08:56.415 Obviously, the leaders in the church 00:08:56.415 --> 00:08:57.841 don't have authority outside 00:08:57.841 --> 00:08:59.931 of the Word of God. 00:08:59.931 --> 00:09:02.372 Our authority has been handed us 00:09:02.372 --> 00:09:03.924 by He Who has authority over us, 00:09:03.924 --> 00:09:05.511 and that authority comes through 00:09:05.511 --> 00:09:07.315 the Word of God. 00:09:07.315 --> 00:09:09.407 It's not for us to make up our own rules 00:09:09.407 --> 00:09:13.256 as far as the church goes. 00:09:13.256 --> 00:09:14.550 Obey your leaders. 00:09:14.550 --> 00:09:16.272 And then you see this word again 00:09:16.272 --> 00:09:18.494 down in v. 24. 00:09:18.494 --> 00:09:20.923 Greet all your leaders. 00:09:20.923 --> 00:09:23.449 Now, I think that's probably obvious to everybody 00:09:23.449 --> 00:09:26.099 that the leaders spoken of in v. 17 00:09:26.099 --> 00:09:29.177 and those spoken of again in v. 24, 00:09:29.177 --> 00:09:31.351 they're living leaders, right? 00:09:31.351 --> 00:09:35.022 I mean, if you need to be submitting to them; 00:09:35.022 --> 00:09:37.483 if they're keeping watch over your souls, 00:09:37.483 --> 00:09:39.267 they're alive to do that. 00:09:39.267 --> 00:09:40.890 If you're going to greet them, 00:09:40.890 --> 00:09:41.604 they're alive. 00:09:41.604 --> 00:09:43.636 It's not walking out to their tombstone 00:09:43.636 --> 00:09:45.294 and saying something to them. 00:09:45.294 --> 00:09:47.216 These are living leaders. 00:09:47.216 --> 00:09:49.886 But, it's not so obvious that the leaders 00:09:49.886 --> 00:09:52.580 spoken of in v. 7 are living. 00:09:52.580 --> 00:09:54.355 And I think if we look at the text, 00:09:54.355 --> 00:09:55.743 we can see that. 00:09:55.743 --> 00:09:58.316 Do you see in v. 7 where it says, 00:09:58.316 --> 00:10:00.103 "outcome?" 00:10:00.103 --> 00:10:03.619 Some of your Bibles may say "the end," 00:10:03.619 --> 00:10:05.549 or "the result." 00:10:05.549 --> 00:10:07.928 The NAS says result. 00:10:07.928 --> 00:10:10.331 The King James says the end of their conversation. 00:10:10.331 --> 00:10:12.333 Conversation doesn't mean what they speak 00:10:12.333 --> 00:10:13.187 with their mouth. 00:10:13.187 --> 00:10:14.848 It's their whole life. 00:10:14.848 --> 00:10:17.816 The ESV says, "Consider the outcome 00:10:17.816 --> 00:10:19.164 of their way of life." 00:10:19.164 --> 00:10:20.840 It's the outcome. 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:22.111 It's the end. 00:10:22.111 --> 00:10:24.955 It's the completion of the way of life 00:10:24.955 --> 00:10:27.976 of these leader-teachers 00:10:27.976 --> 00:10:30.021 that we're called upon to consider. 00:10:30.021 --> 00:10:31.737 Now, listen to this. 00:10:31.737 --> 00:10:34.256 Thayer's Greek Lexicon - 00:10:34.256 --> 00:10:36.499 it's just a Greek dictionary - 00:10:36.499 --> 00:10:39.316 says this about this word for completion 00:10:39.316 --> 00:10:41.318 or end: 00:10:41.318 --> 00:10:46.039 Thayer says, "it is used of the end of life, 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:49.410 and it's not merely just the end 00:10:49.410 --> 00:10:52.036 of their physical life, 00:10:52.036 --> 00:10:53.833 but it has that idea of the manner 00:10:53.833 --> 00:10:58.719 in which they closed their life. 00:10:58.719 --> 00:11:00.345 The manner of which they closed 00:11:00.345 --> 00:11:02.089 a well-spent life 00:11:02.089 --> 00:11:06.376 as exhibited by their spirit in dying. 00:11:06.376 --> 00:11:08.651 And you know, obviously, 00:11:08.651 --> 00:11:10.588 if we're called to imitate them, 00:11:10.588 --> 00:11:12.344 the author is assuming what 00:11:12.344 --> 00:11:13.966 about the outcome of their life? 00:11:13.966 --> 00:11:15.457 That it was good! 00:11:15.457 --> 00:11:16.663 Not that it was bad. 00:11:16.663 --> 00:11:18.126 He's not wanting us to imitate 00:11:18.126 --> 00:11:19.172 bad examples. 00:11:19.172 --> 00:11:22.606 He's calling us to imitate that which is good. 00:11:22.606 --> 00:11:24.520 Our author is assuming that the outcome 00:11:24.520 --> 00:11:26.877 of these guys' lives was victorious, 00:11:26.877 --> 00:11:28.055 it was successful. 00:11:28.055 --> 00:11:31.541 The idea is that they held firm 00:11:31.541 --> 00:11:33.980 to the faith until the end. 00:11:33.980 --> 00:11:35.772 Now, look, that is not a new idea 00:11:35.772 --> 00:11:37.652 in Hebrews. 00:11:37.652 --> 00:11:38.662 Right? 00:11:38.662 --> 00:11:40.357 Remember with me. 00:11:40.357 --> 00:11:41.892 Here's where I want you to do 00:11:41.892 --> 00:11:43.727 a quick survey. 00:11:43.727 --> 00:11:46.685 Go back to Hebrews 3. 00:11:46.685 --> 00:11:48.818 This is not a new idea. 00:11:48.818 --> 00:11:52.460 The idea that we should look at somebody 00:11:52.460 --> 00:11:54.056 and consider the outcome 00:11:54.056 --> 00:11:57.327 of a whole life. 00:11:57.327 --> 00:12:00.486 This idea of looking at those 00:12:00.486 --> 00:12:01.807 who made it to the end. 00:12:01.807 --> 00:12:03.896 Well, the idea of Hebrews of making it 00:12:03.896 --> 00:12:05.945 to the end - firm to the end. 00:12:05.945 --> 00:12:07.701 Holding our confidence to the end. 00:12:07.701 --> 00:12:10.431 Being one who endures 00:12:10.431 --> 00:12:11.814 all the way. 00:12:11.814 --> 00:12:13.585 One that makes it. 00:12:13.585 --> 00:12:15.015 That is a theme. 00:12:15.015 --> 00:12:17.109 Running well, but running all the way 00:12:17.109 --> 00:12:18.322 to the finish line. 00:12:18.322 --> 00:12:21.499 That is an emphasis in Hebrews 00:12:21.499 --> 00:12:24.536 that just hits us again and again. 00:12:24.536 --> 00:12:26.709 And I'm just going to hit on a few of these. 00:12:26.709 --> 00:12:28.666 Hebrews 3:6 00:12:28.666 --> 00:12:30.611 Christ is faithful over God's house 00:12:30.611 --> 00:12:35.307 as a Son, and we are His house 00:12:35.307 --> 00:12:37.182 if what? 00:12:37.182 --> 00:12:39.868 We are His house. 00:12:39.868 --> 00:12:42.489 A house is a place you live. 00:12:42.489 --> 00:12:45.241 We are the dwelling place of God. 00:12:45.241 --> 00:12:46.899 If what? 00:12:46.899 --> 00:12:49.127 If we hold fast our confidence 00:12:49.127 --> 00:12:51.156 and our boasting in hope. 00:12:51.156 --> 00:12:52.440 Our hope is in Him. 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:53.684 We boast in Him. 00:12:53.684 --> 00:12:55.174 Our confidence in Him. 00:12:55.174 --> 00:12:56.727 We have to hold fast to it 00:12:56.727 --> 00:12:59.803 all the way to the end. 00:12:59.803 --> 00:13:02.945 How about Hebrews 3:14? 00:13:02.945 --> 00:13:05.948 Hebrews 3:14 says we have come to share in Christ. 00:13:05.951 --> 00:13:07.258 Sharing in Christ means 00:13:07.258 --> 00:13:10.409 we share in what He did. 00:13:10.409 --> 00:13:13.252 The salvation He wrought. 00:13:13.252 --> 00:13:15.012 The death He died. 00:13:15.012 --> 00:13:17.854 We share in the victory that Christ has. 00:13:17.854 --> 00:13:20.345 We share in His salvation 00:13:20.345 --> 00:13:24.035 only if what? 00:13:24.035 --> 00:13:26.045 We hold our original confidence. 00:13:26.045 --> 00:13:28.172 Just for a week? 00:13:28.172 --> 00:13:30.548 Firm to the end. 00:13:30.548 --> 00:13:32.758 That's what this book is about. 00:13:32.758 --> 00:13:34.609 Remember how it starts? 00:13:34.609 --> 00:13:37.154 That we need to pay much closer attention 00:13:37.154 --> 00:13:38.769 to the things we have heard, 00:13:38.769 --> 00:13:40.618 lest what? 00:13:40.618 --> 00:13:43.022 Lest what? 00:13:43.022 --> 00:13:46.232 Lest we drift from them. 00:13:46.232 --> 00:13:48.708 Drifting from Christ is perilous. 00:13:48.708 --> 00:13:52.491 That is the danger that these Hebrews were in. 00:13:52.491 --> 00:13:54.278 Drifting from Christ 00:13:54.278 --> 00:13:56.008 for anything else. 00:13:56.008 --> 00:13:57.815 That's why food shows up there. 00:13:57.815 --> 00:14:00.502 Food has to do with false religion. 00:14:00.502 --> 00:14:02.437 Food has to do with religions 00:14:02.437 --> 00:14:03.986 that are just lists of rules. 00:14:03.986 --> 00:14:05.467 What you eat; what you don't; 00:14:05.467 --> 00:14:06.463 what you celebrate; 00:14:06.463 --> 00:14:09.597 the liturgy - everything that's just mechanical. 00:14:09.597 --> 00:14:11.789 You do this and you don't do that. 00:14:11.789 --> 00:14:13.699 It's a set of rules. 00:14:13.699 --> 00:14:16.423 That's not what true religion is all about. 00:14:16.423 --> 00:14:18.415 True religion is found in Christ, 00:14:18.415 --> 00:14:19.957 and hope in Christ, 00:14:19.957 --> 00:14:22.204 and hoping in what He has done. 00:14:22.204 --> 00:14:24.059 And that's got to be firm to the end. 00:14:24.059 --> 00:14:25.650 You don't want to let go of that. 00:14:25.650 --> 00:14:26.439 And as we see, 00:14:26.439 --> 00:14:28.544 if there's ever a book in the New Testament 00:14:28.544 --> 00:14:29.735 that is full of warning, 00:14:29.735 --> 00:14:32.215 that if you let go of Christ, 00:14:32.215 --> 00:14:35.618 it will end most miserably. 00:14:35.618 --> 00:14:37.359 Fearful destruction. 00:14:37.359 --> 00:14:42.374 Fearful fury of God. 00:14:42.374 --> 00:14:44.236 Beware, Hebrews says. 00:14:44.236 --> 00:14:46.703 Our God is a consuming fire. 00:14:46.703 --> 00:14:50.212 God and in His hands is the safest place to be 00:14:50.212 --> 00:14:51.755 if you're trusting Christ, 00:14:51.755 --> 00:14:53.596 but His hands are terrible 00:14:53.596 --> 00:14:55.406 if you are outside of Christ 00:14:55.406 --> 00:14:57.679 and you put your hope in anything else. 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:01.145 Look again at Hebrews 4:14. 00:15:01.145 --> 00:15:06.136 Since then, we have a great high priest 00:15:06.136 --> 00:15:07.928 Who has passed through the heavens. 00:15:07.928 --> 00:15:10.334 Oh, don't you love that imagery? 00:15:10.334 --> 00:15:11.529 Can you see Him? 00:15:11.529 --> 00:15:12.768 A great high priest. 00:15:12.768 --> 00:15:13.927 He is victorious! 00:15:13.927 --> 00:15:15.487 Passing through the heavens. 00:15:15.487 --> 00:15:17.701 That is a picture of Him ascending 00:15:17.701 --> 00:15:20.225 up to the right hand of Majesty on High. 00:15:20.225 --> 00:15:21.945 Can you see Him? 00:15:21.945 --> 00:15:24.467 I mean, He goes forth triumphant; 00:15:24.467 --> 00:15:26.406 scepter in hand to sit down, 00:15:26.406 --> 00:15:29.036 after having made purification for sins, 00:15:29.036 --> 00:15:31.871 at the right hand of the Majesty on High. 00:15:31.871 --> 00:15:33.047 That's the picture. 00:15:33.047 --> 00:15:34.564 Passing through the heavens. 00:15:34.564 --> 00:15:37.377 He's ascending to take His throne. 00:15:37.377 --> 00:15:38.692 He's victorious. 00:15:38.692 --> 00:15:40.045 He has conquered sin. 00:15:40.045 --> 00:15:41.768 He has conquered death. 00:15:41.768 --> 00:15:43.356 But here's the thing, 00:15:43.356 --> 00:15:44.809 we have a great high priest 00:15:44.809 --> 00:15:46.943 Who has passed through the heavens - 00:15:46.943 --> 00:15:49.653 Jesus, the Son of God. 00:15:49.653 --> 00:15:51.060 Because that's true, 00:15:51.060 --> 00:15:53.672 let us hold fast our confession. 00:15:53.672 --> 00:15:54.980 There it is again. 00:15:54.980 --> 00:15:57.394 Hold fast. Hold fast. Hold fast. 00:15:57.394 --> 00:16:02.864 How about turn over to Hebrews 6:11? 00:16:02.864 --> 00:16:05.166 Hebrews 6:11 - you jump in right there. 00:16:05.166 --> 00:16:08.375 "Show the same earnestness 00:16:08.375 --> 00:16:10.866 to have the full assurance of hope 00:16:10.866 --> 00:16:13.179 until the end." 00:16:13.179 --> 00:16:14.357 There you have it again. 00:16:14.357 --> 00:16:15.852 Until the end. 00:16:15.852 --> 00:16:17.045 Before in Hebrews 3:14, 00:16:17.045 --> 00:16:20.271 firm to the end. 00:16:20.271 --> 00:16:24.257 You have this "hold fast our confidence." 00:16:24.257 --> 00:16:25.820 Hold our original confidence 00:16:25.820 --> 00:16:26.864 firm to the end. 00:16:26.864 --> 00:16:29.005 Let us hold fast our confession. 00:16:29.005 --> 00:16:31.356 We are to have the same earnestness, 00:16:31.356 --> 00:16:32.982 to have the full assurance of hope 00:16:32.982 --> 00:16:33.905 until the end. 00:16:33.905 --> 00:16:35.820 How about Hebrews 10:23? 00:16:35.820 --> 00:16:37.467 Again, you get this idea again 00:16:37.467 --> 00:16:39.276 about holding, holding, holding fast; 00:16:39.276 --> 00:16:40.697 let us hold fast. 00:16:40.697 --> 00:16:42.968 Hebrews 10:23, Let us hold fast 00:16:42.968 --> 00:16:44.441 the confession of our hope 00:16:44.441 --> 00:16:45.681 without wavering; 00:16:45.681 --> 00:16:48.723 for He Who promised is faithful. 00:16:48.723 --> 00:16:49.995 I'll give you one more. 00:16:49.995 --> 00:16:53.039 Hebrews 12:1 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:55.204 Right there towards the end of the verse. 00:16:55.204 --> 00:16:57.449 "Let us run with endurance 00:16:57.449 --> 00:16:59.587 the race that is set before us." 00:16:59.587 --> 00:17:00.910 Here the word is endurance. 00:17:00.910 --> 00:17:02.240 But that's the same thing: 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:03.851 hold fast, keep enduring, 00:17:03.851 --> 00:17:04.979 keep going. 00:17:04.979 --> 00:17:06.660 So when it comes to those 00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:07.873 who taught us the Word - 00:17:07.873 --> 00:17:10.025 here's what the author of Hebrews is doing. 00:17:10.025 --> 00:17:13.438 He's saying those who taught us 00:17:13.438 --> 00:17:15.194 the Word of God - 00:17:15.194 --> 00:17:17.051 think about what the Word of God is. 00:17:17.051 --> 00:17:20.351 The Word of God is the Gospel. 00:17:20.351 --> 00:17:23.876 This is the message that Christ is set forth in. 00:17:23.876 --> 00:17:25.691 The very message of Christ. 00:17:25.691 --> 00:17:27.670 The message that we are to continue 00:17:27.670 --> 00:17:29.606 holding on to by faith 00:17:29.606 --> 00:17:31.100 until the end. 00:17:31.100 --> 00:17:32.269 We ask ourselves, 00:17:32.269 --> 00:17:34.539 how did those who taught us run? 00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:36.215 Did they hold fast? 00:17:36.215 --> 00:17:38.296 Did they continue themselves? 00:17:38.296 --> 00:17:39.792 Convinced of what they taught? 00:17:39.792 --> 00:17:42.559 Did they hold their original confidence firm to the end? 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:44.273 You see, this is a picture of those 00:17:44.273 --> 00:17:46.078 who have gone before us. 00:17:46.078 --> 00:17:49.162 Now, we're a young church. 00:17:49.162 --> 00:17:53.566 You guys don't have elders who 00:17:53.566 --> 00:17:56.139 aren't here anymore. 00:17:56.139 --> 00:17:57.583 But there are people - 00:17:57.583 --> 00:17:59.687 you sit under the teaching of Spurgeon, 00:17:59.687 --> 00:18:00.638 many of you. 00:18:00.638 --> 00:18:02.552 Yeah, he died over a hundred years ago, 00:18:02.552 --> 00:18:03.717 but you sat under him. 00:18:03.717 --> 00:18:05.008 Read his autobiography. 00:18:05.008 --> 00:18:06.423 Read what was said about him. 00:18:06.423 --> 00:18:08.094 Read how he died. 00:18:08.094 --> 00:18:10.548 I just this morning and yesterday, 00:18:10.548 --> 00:18:12.497 I pulled up that message. 00:18:12.497 --> 00:18:15.149 It wasn't long ago when Bob Jennings 00:18:15.149 --> 00:18:18.569 stood right here and gave the last message 00:18:18.569 --> 00:18:22.299 to our church that he would ever give. 00:18:22.299 --> 00:18:23.924 And I went back and I listened 00:18:23.924 --> 00:18:25.899 to his preaching. 00:18:25.899 --> 00:18:28.120 You know what the problem is with those 00:18:28.120 --> 00:18:31.050 who are living? 00:18:31.050 --> 00:18:35.023 What's the problem with those who are living? 00:18:35.023 --> 00:18:37.383 They haven't made it all the way to the end yet. 00:18:37.383 --> 00:18:39.603 You don't know if they're going to fall out. 00:18:39.603 --> 00:18:43.027 David mentioned Bill Gothard. 00:18:43.027 --> 00:18:44.509 How about Doug Phillips? 00:18:44.509 --> 00:18:47.250 I mean, we see guys fall out of the race. 00:18:47.250 --> 00:18:49.122 We see guys fall into sin. 00:18:49.122 --> 00:18:51.768 We see guys that don't make it to the end 00:18:51.768 --> 00:18:52.689 all the time. 00:18:52.689 --> 00:18:54.535 And sometimes they have big names. 00:18:54.535 --> 00:18:56.659 Sometimes they're at the high end 00:18:56.659 --> 00:18:59.497 of circles where you think the doctrine is good 00:18:59.497 --> 00:19:00.713 and it looks orthodox. 00:19:00.713 --> 00:19:03.586 And these guys make shipwreck. 00:19:03.586 --> 00:19:05.091 It happens. 00:19:05.091 --> 00:19:06.687 You know what? 00:19:06.687 --> 00:19:08.990 There are lots of things you can imitate 00:19:08.990 --> 00:19:10.672 in those who are living. 00:19:10.672 --> 00:19:12.374 But there's something that those 00:19:12.374 --> 00:19:14.185 who made it successfully to the end 00:19:14.185 --> 00:19:17.027 have that the living don't have. 00:19:17.027 --> 00:19:19.646 They have a testimony all the way to the end. 00:19:19.646 --> 00:19:20.877 They made it. 00:19:20.877 --> 00:19:22.221 They did well. 00:19:22.221 --> 00:19:26.299 They got through. 00:19:26.299 --> 00:19:29.750 The thing about men like Bob Jennings, 00:19:29.750 --> 00:19:31.548 they shined right to the end. 00:19:31.548 --> 00:19:33.353 Was he perfect? No. 00:19:33.353 --> 00:19:34.839 But his hope was in Christ. 00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:36.256 I pulled up that message. 00:19:36.256 --> 00:19:37.945 As he was closing the message, 00:19:37.945 --> 00:19:39.613 do you know what Bob was saying? 00:19:39.613 --> 00:19:43.350 This was just two months before he died. 00:19:43.350 --> 00:19:46.353 He says, "I'm going to keep on with Christ. 00:19:46.353 --> 00:19:48.462 I'm going to stay away from sin. 00:19:48.462 --> 00:19:50.398 I'm going to abhor the world. 00:19:50.398 --> 00:19:51.859 I'm going to live for Christ 00:19:51.859 --> 00:19:52.928 and for eternity. 00:19:52.928 --> 00:19:55.340 I'm putting my eggs in one basket. 00:19:55.340 --> 00:19:56.803 I want to do all for Him. 00:19:56.803 --> 00:19:58.264 I want to finish well. 00:19:58.264 --> 00:20:00.587 Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. 00:20:00.587 --> 00:20:02.986 That's it. That's the ultimate." 00:20:02.986 --> 00:20:04.891 Here's a man. He's at the end. 00:20:04.891 --> 00:20:06.619 He's run his race. 00:20:06.619 --> 00:20:08.425 And that's his testimony. 00:20:08.425 --> 00:20:11.434 He believed what he taught all those years. 00:20:11.434 --> 00:20:13.778 And that's what we're being told to imitate. 00:20:13.778 --> 00:20:15.433 Now, here's the thing that we need 00:20:15.433 --> 00:20:17.484 to understand about making it to the end; 00:20:17.484 --> 00:20:19.649 persevering; keeping on in the race. 00:20:19.649 --> 00:20:23.493 The perseverance itself is not what saves us. 00:20:23.493 --> 00:20:24.935 It's not like we're being told 00:20:24.935 --> 00:20:27.157 persevere because persevering saves you. 00:20:27.157 --> 00:20:30.944 Jesus said that if you make it to the end; 00:20:30.944 --> 00:20:32.251 you persevere to the end; 00:20:32.251 --> 00:20:33.563 you keep going to the end, 00:20:33.563 --> 00:20:34.557 you'll be saved. 00:20:34.557 --> 00:20:36.937 But the merit in our salvation 00:20:36.937 --> 00:20:38.946 is never in the perseverance. 00:20:38.946 --> 00:20:40.087 It's never there. 00:20:40.087 --> 00:20:41.484 The warrant for our salvation 00:20:41.484 --> 00:20:42.963 is found in Christ alone. 00:20:42.963 --> 00:20:46.126 The perseverance doesn't earn salvation for us. 00:20:46.126 --> 00:20:48.396 It doesn't earn forgiveness for our sins. 00:20:48.396 --> 00:20:49.922 Christ alone saves. 00:20:49.922 --> 00:20:50.908 But listen, 00:20:50.908 --> 00:20:52.727 those He saves, 00:20:52.727 --> 00:20:54.692 He saves well. 00:20:54.692 --> 00:20:56.647 And He pours His grace 00:20:56.647 --> 00:21:00.076 that their faith might maintain to the end. 00:21:00.076 --> 00:21:03.099 The proof that you have truly been saved 00:21:03.099 --> 00:21:06.273 by this God Who saves well 00:21:06.273 --> 00:21:08.882 is that you make it to the end. 00:21:08.882 --> 00:21:10.532 The fact is that if you fall out, 00:21:10.532 --> 00:21:12.237 you're showing that your salvation 00:21:12.237 --> 00:21:14.223 is not of God's making. 00:21:14.223 --> 00:21:16.158 It's something of man's making. 00:21:16.158 --> 00:21:19.896 It's some religion that you've dreamt up. 00:21:19.896 --> 00:21:22.852 God puts power in His people 00:21:22.852 --> 00:21:25.030 that their faith might make it to the end. 00:21:25.030 --> 00:21:27.875 He saves people. 00:21:27.875 --> 00:21:28.856 And you know what? 00:21:28.856 --> 00:21:31.180 Perseverance proves that the saving power of God 00:21:31.180 --> 00:21:32.990 is behind a person's being a Christian 00:21:32.990 --> 00:21:34.229 so that they finish well. 00:21:34.229 --> 00:21:35.279 That's the question. 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:38.188 That's the question on the table. 00:21:38.188 --> 00:21:41.341 The one who endures to the end will be saved. 00:21:41.341 --> 00:21:43.081 And look, this isn't the first time 00:21:43.081 --> 00:21:44.827 this idea of imitating those - 00:21:44.827 --> 00:21:48.203 just jump back to Hebrews 6 very quickly. 00:21:48.203 --> 00:21:50.430 V. 11 - you see this sort of language 00:21:50.430 --> 00:21:53.342 found there as well. 00:21:53.342 --> 00:21:57.826 This idea about imitating. 00:21:57.826 --> 00:22:00.024 Hebrews 6:11 00:22:00.024 --> 00:22:04.693 "We desire each one of you 00:22:04.693 --> 00:22:08.099 to show the same earnestness, 00:22:08.099 --> 00:22:10.562 to have the same assurance of hope until the end." 00:22:10.562 --> 00:22:13.256 Now, I know we just looked at that a few moments ago, 00:22:13.256 --> 00:22:14.875 but keep reading. 00:22:14.875 --> 00:22:16.386 We need to have full assurance 00:22:16.386 --> 00:22:17.916 of hope until the end, 00:22:17.916 --> 00:22:20.899 so that you may not be sluggish, 00:22:20.899 --> 00:22:23.713 but imitators of those who 00:22:23.713 --> 00:22:25.280 through faith and patience 00:22:25.280 --> 00:22:26.936 inherit the promises. 00:22:26.936 --> 00:22:28.460 So here's that idea again. 00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:31.856 Imitate. You have faith. 00:22:31.856 --> 00:22:34.305 Until the end. 00:22:34.305 --> 00:22:36.801 That's the idea. 00:22:36.801 --> 00:22:38.047 Until the end. 00:22:38.047 --> 00:22:39.694 Imitiate those who through faith 00:22:39.694 --> 00:22:42.441 gain the fulfillment of the promises. 00:22:42.441 --> 00:22:44.381 They make it. 00:22:44.381 --> 00:22:50.101 So that's the idea there in 13:7. 00:22:50.101 --> 00:22:51.431 Now, let's transition. 00:22:51.431 --> 00:22:57.598 Go back to chapter 13. 00:22:57.598 --> 00:23:01.102 Look at v. 8. 00:23:01.102 --> 00:23:05.024 This just seems abrupt. 00:23:05.024 --> 00:23:07.671 Now look, I don't think - 00:23:07.671 --> 00:23:09.149 you tell me. 00:23:09.149 --> 00:23:14.384 If I was talking to you and I told you 00:23:14.384 --> 00:23:17.199 that you were to imitate 00:23:17.199 --> 00:23:19.196 the outcome of the life. 00:23:19.196 --> 00:23:21.441 You were to look and study and remember 00:23:21.441 --> 00:23:23.168 the outcome of men's life 00:23:23.168 --> 00:23:25.377 and imitate their faith - 00:23:25.377 --> 00:23:26.852 men who made it to the end. 00:23:26.852 --> 00:23:32.026 For me to go right in to what that faith is, 00:23:32.026 --> 00:23:33.627 wouldn't be unusual. 00:23:33.627 --> 00:23:34.840 There'd be a connection. 00:23:34.840 --> 00:23:36.810 There'd be a flow there. 00:23:36.810 --> 00:23:40.280 Because faith isn't just some obscure thing. 00:23:40.280 --> 00:23:43.214 Faith is my eyes set on Jesus Christ 00:23:43.214 --> 00:23:46.198 and my full hope is set right there. 00:23:46.198 --> 00:23:49.884 So to have something about the object 00:23:49.884 --> 00:23:52.692 of our faith to follow immediately after 00:23:52.692 --> 00:23:54.917 is not strange. 00:23:54.917 --> 00:23:56.436 To me, what's strange about it 00:23:56.436 --> 00:23:59.487 is not that something is said about Christ. 00:23:59.487 --> 00:24:02.150 It's what is said about Christ. 00:24:02.150 --> 00:24:04.265 Christ is the same 00:24:04.265 --> 00:24:07.701 yesterday and today and forever. 00:24:07.701 --> 00:24:09.578 How does that fit? 00:24:09.578 --> 00:24:11.365 What does the sameness of Christ 00:24:11.365 --> 00:24:13.168 have to do with what he just said? 00:24:13.168 --> 00:24:16.248 Perhaps these guys have died; 00:24:16.248 --> 00:24:18.389 these leaders, these guys that have 00:24:18.389 --> 00:24:19.874 taught you the Word of God, 00:24:19.874 --> 00:24:22.785 they've died. Jesus doesn't die. 00:24:22.785 --> 00:24:25.394 Perhaps that's the connection. 00:24:25.394 --> 00:24:29.033 Let's look at it. 00:24:29.033 --> 00:24:32.749 As far as flow goes, 00:24:32.749 --> 00:24:36.703 if you look at the next verse - v. 9, 00:24:36.703 --> 00:24:39.737 it starts out with not being led away 00:24:39.737 --> 00:24:41.868 by diverse and strange teachings. 00:24:41.868 --> 00:24:43.713 It doesn't seem strange to me either 00:24:43.713 --> 00:24:46.682 that you would get the author 00:24:46.682 --> 00:24:51.447 giving us that which is not strange, 00:24:51.447 --> 00:24:52.976 and then constrasting it 00:24:52.976 --> 00:24:55.334 with that which is. 00:24:55.334 --> 00:24:57.176 But again, what's unusual to me 00:24:57.176 --> 00:25:01.700 is what is said about Christ. 00:25:01.700 --> 00:25:05.571 Jesus Christ is the same 00:25:05.571 --> 00:25:08.868 yesterday and today and forever. 00:25:08.868 --> 00:25:10.119 I mean think about this. 00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:11.462 The author is really wanting 00:25:11.462 --> 00:25:14.685 to encourage us to hold fast to Christ 00:25:14.685 --> 00:25:18.724 the way that our teachers held fast to Christ. 00:25:18.724 --> 00:25:22.367 But how does this statement help us do that? 00:25:22.367 --> 00:25:23.761 I mean, when you hear that, 00:25:23.761 --> 00:25:24.773 does that really... 00:25:24.773 --> 00:25:26.449 Oh yeah, that makes me 00:25:26.449 --> 00:25:31.341 really want to trust Him more! 00:25:31.341 --> 00:25:36.049 He's the same. 00:25:36.049 --> 00:25:38.607 How does knowing that Christ is the same 00:25:38.607 --> 00:25:39.785 help me not be led away 00:25:39.785 --> 00:25:42.406 by diverse and strange teachings? 00:25:42.406 --> 00:25:43.610 I mean, think about this, 00:25:43.610 --> 00:25:45.646 was there a prevalent error? 00:25:45.646 --> 00:25:47.255 Anywhere in the New Testament, 00:25:47.255 --> 00:25:49.507 do you come across a prevalent error 00:25:49.507 --> 00:25:51.845 in that day in the early church 00:25:51.845 --> 00:25:56.138 that said that Jesus Christ changes? 00:25:56.138 --> 00:25:58.912 I mean how does that statement help us? 00:25:58.912 --> 00:26:01.090 Where is that statement coming from? 00:26:01.090 --> 00:26:04.486 Jesus Christ is the same. 00:26:04.486 --> 00:26:06.655 Well, the same as what? 00:26:06.655 --> 00:26:09.371 What is He the same as? 00:26:09.371 --> 00:26:11.828 I mean, clear, the text tells us 00:26:11.828 --> 00:26:14.358 He's the same today as He was yesterday, 00:26:14.358 --> 00:26:15.732 and He's the same yesterday 00:26:15.732 --> 00:26:17.032 as He is today, 00:26:17.032 --> 00:26:18.646 and that the way He was yesterday 00:26:18.646 --> 00:26:19.784 and the way He is today 00:26:19.784 --> 00:26:21.138 is the way He's going to be 00:26:21.138 --> 00:26:22.883 through all the ages. 00:26:22.883 --> 00:26:24.345 It literally reads: 00:26:24.345 --> 00:26:30.201 Jesus Christ yesterday and today the same 00:26:30.201 --> 00:26:32.350 and through the ages. 00:26:32.350 --> 00:26:36.205 That's literally how it reads. 00:26:36.205 --> 00:26:37.664 But how is it applicable 00:26:37.664 --> 00:26:39.601 to imitating the faith of our teachers? 00:26:39.601 --> 00:26:41.200 How is it applicable to not being 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:43.196 led away by diverse and strange teachings? 00:26:43.196 --> 00:26:44.633 Do we know of any error 00:26:44.633 --> 00:26:46.466 that said that Jesus Christ changes? 00:26:46.466 --> 00:26:48.093 When we're told that Jesus Christ 00:26:48.093 --> 00:26:50.589 is the same - the same as what? 00:26:50.589 --> 00:26:52.276 I know He's the same 00:26:52.276 --> 00:26:53.818 yesterday, today, and forever, 00:26:53.818 --> 00:26:57.343 but what does the sameness apply to? 00:26:57.343 --> 00:26:58.883 Sameness. 00:26:58.883 --> 00:27:00.861 (Incomplete thought) 00:27:00.861 --> 00:27:04.224 In an of itself, if you think about it, 00:27:04.224 --> 00:27:07.978 if you tell me that something is the same, 00:27:07.978 --> 00:27:11.814 it isn't necessarily good news to me. 00:27:11.814 --> 00:27:14.172 I mean, you think about it. 00:27:14.172 --> 00:27:15.966 The devil was the devil yesterday. 00:27:15.966 --> 00:27:17.583 And the devil is the devil today. 00:27:17.583 --> 00:27:20.308 And the devil is going to be the devil forever. 00:27:20.308 --> 00:27:23.280 Just because there's an aspect 00:27:23.280 --> 00:27:25.557 about somebody that doesn't change, 00:27:25.557 --> 00:27:30.348 doesn't necessarily make it good news to us. 00:27:30.348 --> 00:27:33.826 What is it in this book of Hebrews 00:27:33.826 --> 00:27:36.290 that is really prompting the author 00:27:36.290 --> 00:27:37.541 to want to go here as he's 00:27:37.541 --> 00:27:41.472 shutting down this letter? 00:27:41.472 --> 00:27:43.153 And you know what the thing is? 00:27:43.153 --> 00:27:44.685 I can actually think of ways 00:27:44.685 --> 00:27:50.392 that Jesus Christ has changed. 00:27:50.392 --> 00:27:52.562 I mean, let's be honest about it. 00:27:52.562 --> 00:27:55.720 Yes, if we're talking about His deity, 00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:57.056 He doesn't change. 00:27:57.056 --> 00:27:58.475 He's the eternal Word of God. 00:27:58.475 --> 00:28:01.265 In the beginning, He was with God. 00:28:01.265 --> 00:28:03.460 In the beginning, He was God. 00:28:03.460 --> 00:28:05.538 That's how He was in the beginning. 00:28:05.538 --> 00:28:06.859 We know that as God, 00:28:06.859 --> 00:28:08.420 He has equality with the Father. 00:28:08.420 --> 00:28:12.248 We know that as divine, 00:28:12.248 --> 00:28:14.105 He doesn't change. 00:28:14.105 --> 00:28:14.938 But the truth is, 00:28:14.938 --> 00:28:18.217 there are a lot of things about Jesus that do change. 00:28:18.217 --> 00:28:19.291 Right? 00:28:19.291 --> 00:28:22.841 The Word became flesh. 00:28:22.841 --> 00:28:24.823 Think about that word "became." 00:28:24.823 --> 00:28:27.034 He became something 00:28:27.034 --> 00:28:28.499 that He wasn't before. 00:28:28.499 --> 00:28:30.170 That's what became means. 00:28:30.170 --> 00:28:31.377 He became flesh. 00:28:31.377 --> 00:28:34.045 He took on Himself 00:28:34.045 --> 00:28:36.579 the likeness of sinful flesh. 00:28:36.579 --> 00:28:38.004 He didn't have that before. 00:28:38.004 --> 00:28:39.676 I mean, that's one of the things 00:28:39.676 --> 00:28:43.192 in Hebrews that we find out about Christ 00:28:43.192 --> 00:28:45.361 is that for Him to become 00:28:45.361 --> 00:28:47.305 the perfect high priest, 00:28:47.305 --> 00:28:50.651 He had to become like His brethren 00:28:50.651 --> 00:28:52.916 in every respect. 00:28:52.916 --> 00:28:54.366 He had to become something 00:28:54.366 --> 00:28:55.762 He wasn't before, 00:28:55.762 --> 00:29:00.075 in order to become that perfect high priest. 00:29:00.075 --> 00:29:01.909 There was a time before which 00:29:01.909 --> 00:29:03.036 He rose from the dead. 00:29:03.036 --> 00:29:04.647 There was a time before which 00:29:04.647 --> 00:29:06.269 He made atonement for sin. 00:29:06.269 --> 00:29:07.978 There was a time before which 00:29:07.978 --> 00:29:10.827 He ascended to His Father. 00:29:10.827 --> 00:29:12.859 You see, there is a work Christ did 00:29:12.859 --> 00:29:14.693 that at one time wasn't done. 00:29:14.693 --> 00:29:16.376 A change took place 00:29:16.376 --> 00:29:19.138 in that it was accomplished. 00:29:19.138 --> 00:29:22.559 He became man when He was not man. 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:24.972 He took upon Himself humanity 00:29:24.972 --> 00:29:28.429 and He will be humanity forever more. 00:29:28.429 --> 00:29:29.994 You understand this. 00:29:29.994 --> 00:29:32.634 His nature as man at one time 00:29:32.634 --> 00:29:34.129 did not exist. 00:29:34.129 --> 00:29:35.738 Now, I know in the mind of God, 00:29:35.738 --> 00:29:37.369 God might count certain things 00:29:37.369 --> 00:29:39.605 true about Him before they happened, 00:29:39.605 --> 00:29:41.305 but the truth is, in time, 00:29:41.305 --> 00:29:42.885 many things happened. 00:29:42.885 --> 00:29:43.996 And one of them is 00:29:43.996 --> 00:29:45.394 He took upon Himself 00:29:45.394 --> 00:29:47.164 the nature of mankind. 00:29:47.164 --> 00:29:49.162 That's a change. 00:29:49.162 --> 00:29:51.358 I mean, we're not being honest 00:29:51.358 --> 00:29:53.858 with ourselves if we say it isn't. 00:29:53.858 --> 00:29:54.935 It is. 00:29:54.935 --> 00:29:57.029 And Scripture everywhere tells us 00:29:57.029 --> 00:30:00.546 He became something He wasn't before. 00:30:00.546 --> 00:30:02.257 He became... 00:30:02.257 --> 00:30:06.976 The Word became flesh. 00:30:06.976 --> 00:30:09.675 I'm just wanting to be honest with Scripture. 00:30:09.675 --> 00:30:11.229 These are questions we have. 00:30:11.229 --> 00:30:12.218 When we come across: 00:30:12.218 --> 00:30:13.474 Jesus Christ is the same 00:30:13.474 --> 00:30:15.010 yesterday, today, and forever, 00:30:15.010 --> 00:30:16.448 we need to be thinking about 00:30:16.448 --> 00:30:18.641 what this really means. 00:30:18.641 --> 00:30:22.575 Well, let me tell you what I believe this means. 00:30:22.575 --> 00:30:24.283 I think this has everything to do 00:30:24.283 --> 00:30:25.885 with what he's been talking about 00:30:25.885 --> 00:30:27.215 in the book of Hebrews. 00:30:27.215 --> 00:30:28.609 I'll tell you this right off. 00:30:28.609 --> 00:30:30.220 When it says the same yesterday, 00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:31.281 today and forever, 00:30:31.281 --> 00:30:32.864 a lot of people like to reach in 00:30:32.864 --> 00:30:34.375 and pull it out. 00:30:34.375 --> 00:30:37.332 They give you no context in Hebrews. 00:30:37.332 --> 00:30:38.630 They just pull it out. 00:30:38.630 --> 00:30:41.556 And they typically apply it to His deity. 00:30:41.556 --> 00:30:43.297 And I don't believe that's right. 00:30:43.297 --> 00:30:45.718 I don't believe that yesterday 00:30:45.718 --> 00:30:47.934 means eternity past. 00:30:47.934 --> 00:30:49.442 I don't believe that. 00:30:49.442 --> 00:30:51.407 Because I don't believe that's a message 00:30:51.407 --> 00:30:52.947 we've been getting in Hebrews, 00:30:52.947 --> 00:30:54.999 and I want to show you this. 00:30:54.999 --> 00:30:57.109 Listen. 00:30:57.109 --> 00:31:02.600 Hebrews is all about what changes 00:31:02.600 --> 00:31:05.466 and what does not change. 00:31:05.466 --> 00:31:06.941 And I want to show you this. 00:31:06.941 --> 00:31:08.500 Go back to chapter 7. 00:31:08.500 --> 00:31:10.709 I think you'll get a feel for this. 00:31:10.709 --> 00:31:13.023 If you want to interpret Scripture, 00:31:13.023 --> 00:31:16.110 we interpret Scripture with Scripture. 00:31:16.110 --> 00:31:18.199 And if you want to interpret Scripture, 00:31:18.199 --> 00:31:19.647 the best way to interpret it 00:31:19.647 --> 00:31:21.196 is to look at the same author 00:31:21.196 --> 00:31:22.409 in other places 00:31:22.409 --> 00:31:25.820 and preferably in the same book. 00:31:25.820 --> 00:31:29.545 Listen, Hebrews is a package. 00:31:29.545 --> 00:31:32.846 Hebrews has a message. 00:31:32.846 --> 00:31:35.240 Hebrews flows. 00:31:35.240 --> 00:31:36.883 The author starts somewhere 00:31:36.883 --> 00:31:38.439 and he's going somewhere. 00:31:38.439 --> 00:31:39.955 It's not just disjointed. 00:31:39.955 --> 00:31:41.999 It's not just random. 00:31:41.999 --> 00:31:45.255 There is a cohesiveness about Hebrews. 00:31:45.255 --> 00:31:47.566 And so when we get to a statement like this 00:31:47.566 --> 00:31:49.231 at the end of a book, 00:31:49.231 --> 00:31:51.170 you really want to go back and look 00:31:51.170 --> 00:31:53.306 throughout the book to see 00:31:53.306 --> 00:31:55.763 is there anything that leads us 00:31:55.763 --> 00:31:59.831 to be able to determine and define, 00:31:59.831 --> 00:32:03.620 to discern where this is coming from. 00:32:03.620 --> 00:32:05.312 So if you go back to Hebrews 7. 00:32:05.312 --> 00:32:06.675 Look at this. 00:32:06.675 --> 00:32:09.128 V. 11 00:32:09.128 --> 00:32:10.214 I'm going to tell you, 00:32:10.214 --> 00:32:13.265 I don't believe this statement has to do with Christ's deity. 00:32:13.265 --> 00:32:14.843 I believe it has to do 00:32:14.843 --> 00:32:20.506 with His priesthood, 00:32:20.506 --> 00:32:23.961 and with His sacrifice, 00:32:23.961 --> 00:32:28.363 and what was accomplished by it. 00:32:28.363 --> 00:32:35.086 The high priestly capacity 00:32:35.086 --> 00:32:37.667 of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:32:37.667 --> 00:32:39.972 is certainly a prominent message 00:32:39.972 --> 00:32:41.117 throughout Hebrews. 00:32:41.117 --> 00:32:43.312 Here we are right in the heart of it. 00:32:43.312 --> 00:32:45.431 But, watch this, Hebrews 7:11. 00:32:45.431 --> 00:32:47.648 "Now, if perfection had been attainable 00:32:47.648 --> 00:32:50.032 through the Levitical priesthood..." 00:32:50.032 --> 00:32:51.034 Now think about that. 00:32:51.034 --> 00:32:53.207 The Levitical priesthood was the priesthood 00:32:53.207 --> 00:32:56.779 you found in the Old Testament. 00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:59.496 Was perfection available through it? 00:32:59.496 --> 00:33:02.966 Was anybody perfected through that priesthood? 00:33:02.966 --> 00:33:05.212 No. 00:33:05.212 --> 00:33:07.438 And because of it, 00:33:07.438 --> 00:33:08.795 it was changeable. 00:33:08.795 --> 00:33:10.743 It needed to be replaced. 00:33:10.743 --> 00:33:14.641 It changed. 00:33:14.641 --> 00:33:20.081 "For under it, the people received the law." 00:33:20.081 --> 00:33:22.289 The whole idea here 00:33:22.289 --> 00:33:24.818 is if under that priesthood 00:33:24.818 --> 00:33:26.675 people would have been made perfect, 00:33:26.675 --> 00:33:28.575 what further need would there have been 00:33:28.575 --> 00:33:31.759 for another priest - that's Christ - 00:33:31.759 --> 00:33:35.770 to arise after the order of Melchizedek? 00:33:35.770 --> 00:33:38.060 Who's Melchizedek? 00:33:38.060 --> 00:33:41.099 Well, he's this really mystical, 00:33:41.099 --> 00:33:43.524 strange guy that shows up, 00:33:43.524 --> 00:33:46.098 just fleeting. 00:33:46.098 --> 00:33:48.852 Has this run-in with Abraham. 00:33:48.852 --> 00:33:50.735 But the thing about him 00:33:50.735 --> 00:33:53.950 that our author of Hebrews is gleaning 00:33:53.950 --> 00:34:00.191 is you never even know where he comes from. 00:34:00.191 --> 00:34:01.949 And he comes and he goes. 00:34:01.949 --> 00:34:04.053 And there's no indication of genealogy. 00:34:04.053 --> 00:34:06.363 There's no indication of who he's related to. 00:34:06.363 --> 00:34:09.874 There's no indication that he ever died. 00:34:09.874 --> 00:34:12.129 And the author of Hebrews picks up on that. 00:34:12.129 --> 00:34:14.736 In fact, God brought him 00:34:14.736 --> 00:34:16.366 into the biblical record, 00:34:16.366 --> 00:34:18.802 and took him out on purpose, 00:34:18.802 --> 00:34:20.917 so that later he could say 00:34:20.917 --> 00:34:23.464 about His own Son: 00:34:23.464 --> 00:34:26.794 You are a priest forever. 00:34:26.794 --> 00:34:29.755 Forever! 00:34:29.755 --> 00:34:35.559 Not after the order of Levi, 00:34:35.559 --> 00:34:38.002 but after the order of Melchizedek. 00:34:38.002 --> 00:34:40.620 And what was it about Melchizedek? 00:34:40.620 --> 00:34:42.195 There's no record of a death. 00:34:42.195 --> 00:34:44.398 He lives forever. 00:34:44.398 --> 00:34:46.172 And that's where he's headed here. 00:34:46.172 --> 00:34:49.437 "What further need would there have been for another priest to arise 00:34:49.437 --> 00:34:51.468 after the order of Melchizedek, 00:34:51.468 --> 00:34:52.795 rather than one named after 00:34:52.795 --> 00:34:54.083 the order of Aaron?" 00:34:54.083 --> 00:34:56.351 And by the way, Aaron and Levi - 00:34:56.351 --> 00:35:01.206 they're the same family. 00:35:01.206 --> 00:35:04.926 Aaron was the high priest. 00:35:04.926 --> 00:35:10.342 The Levites were the underling priests. 00:35:10.342 --> 00:35:13.217 They were priests - they were not the high priest. 00:35:13.217 --> 00:35:16.594 They could not enter the holy of holies. 00:35:16.594 --> 00:35:18.004 Now watch this, 00:35:18.004 --> 00:35:19.670 "when there is a change..." 00:35:19.670 --> 00:35:21.389 now think with me there. 00:35:21.389 --> 00:35:25.502 Jesus Christ is the same. 00:35:25.502 --> 00:35:29.167 Here there is a change. 00:35:29.167 --> 00:35:30.860 We don't have time to do this, 00:35:30.860 --> 00:35:33.318 but if you meticulously walk through Hebrews 00:35:33.318 --> 00:35:34.763 and look for every place 00:35:34.763 --> 00:35:37.104 where change over against 00:35:37.104 --> 00:35:39.657 what's being said about Christ. 00:35:39.657 --> 00:35:44.134 He doesn't change. 00:35:44.134 --> 00:35:46.531 His ministry is permanent. 00:35:46.531 --> 00:35:49.616 His sacrifice is once for all. 00:35:49.616 --> 00:35:53.539 His priesthood is forever. 00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:54.945 But there's a change. 00:35:54.945 --> 00:35:58.259 "Where there is a change in the priesthood, 00:35:58.259 --> 00:36:01.605 there is necessarily a change in the law." 00:36:01.605 --> 00:36:02.709 And you remember, 00:36:02.709 --> 00:36:05.041 there was a change in the old covenant. 00:36:05.041 --> 00:36:06.629 It was weak. 00:36:06.629 --> 00:36:09.306 It was imperfect. 00:36:09.306 --> 00:36:11.785 It's replaced. 00:36:11.785 --> 00:36:14.256 But what's the New Testament called 00:36:14.256 --> 00:36:15.866 in Hebrews 13? 00:36:15.866 --> 00:36:17.429 We haven't gotten to it yet, 00:36:17.429 --> 00:36:19.408 but what's it called? 00:36:19.408 --> 00:36:21.921 It's an eternal covenant. 00:36:21.921 --> 00:36:26.266 You find in Hebrews eternal salvation, 00:36:26.266 --> 00:36:29.245 eternal redemption. 00:36:29.245 --> 00:36:34.165 But here, you see things being replaced. 00:36:34.165 --> 00:36:37.059 "For the one of whom these things are spoken, 00:36:37.059 --> 00:36:39.276 (Christ) 00:36:39.276 --> 00:36:41.478 belong to another tribe 00:36:41.478 --> 00:36:44.010 from which no one ever served at the altar. 00:36:44.010 --> 00:36:45.361 Not under Moses. 00:36:45.361 --> 00:36:47.375 They were all from the Levitical line. 00:36:47.375 --> 00:36:50.269 Never from the line of Judah. 00:36:50.269 --> 00:36:51.961 "For it is evident that our Lord 00:36:51.961 --> 00:36:54.218 was descended from Judah, 00:36:54.218 --> 00:36:55.911 and in connection with that tribe, 00:36:55.911 --> 00:36:57.954 Moses said nothing about priests." 00:36:57.954 --> 00:36:58.814 In other words, 00:36:58.814 --> 00:37:00.151 Jesus Christ does not have 00:37:00.151 --> 00:37:01.759 His authority to be a priest 00:37:01.759 --> 00:37:03.618 coming from Moses. 00:37:03.618 --> 00:37:05.668 It came directly from God Himself 00:37:05.668 --> 00:37:07.469 Who pronounced Him a priest 00:37:07.469 --> 00:37:08.954 after the order of Melchizedek. 00:37:08.954 --> 00:37:10.720 And we'll see that. 00:37:10.720 --> 00:37:12.981 V. 15 "This becomes even more evident 00:37:12.981 --> 00:37:14.613 when another priest arises 00:37:14.613 --> 00:37:16.478 in the likeness of Melchizedek." 00:37:16.478 --> 00:37:18.149 And what was Melchizedek like? 00:37:18.149 --> 00:37:20.661 Well, we see it earlier in Hebrews 7. 00:37:20.661 --> 00:37:23.392 No genealogy. 00:37:23.392 --> 00:37:26.087 No death. 00:37:26.087 --> 00:37:28.508 V. 16 "Who has become a priest, 00:37:28.508 --> 00:37:31.352 not on the basis of a legal requirement 00:37:31.352 --> 00:37:32.885 concerning bodily descent." 00:37:32.885 --> 00:37:37.538 He's not a priest because He was descended from Levi. 00:37:37.538 --> 00:37:41.462 "But by the power of an indestructible life." 00:37:41.462 --> 00:37:43.070 Do you see that? 00:37:43.070 --> 00:37:45.496 The other priesthood changes. 00:37:45.496 --> 00:37:46.564 It's law changes. 00:37:46.564 --> 00:37:48.182 It's covenant changes. 00:37:48.182 --> 00:37:50.599 But here, it doesn't change. 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.726 Why? Because it's built 00:37:51.726 --> 00:37:53.074 on an indestructible life. 00:37:53.074 --> 00:37:54.865 Was the old priesthood built 00:37:54.865 --> 00:37:57.143 on an indestructible life? 00:37:57.143 --> 00:37:58.029 No. 00:37:58.029 --> 00:38:00.881 They died all the time. 00:38:00.881 --> 00:38:02.185 You'll see that. 00:38:02.185 --> 00:38:05.965 V. 17 "For it's witnessed of Him, 00:38:05.965 --> 00:38:09.389 'You're a priest forever.'" 00:38:09.389 --> 00:38:10.991 When you think of Jesus Christ 00:38:10.991 --> 00:38:14.531 the same yesterday, and today, and forever, 00:38:14.531 --> 00:38:15.750 think here. 00:38:15.750 --> 00:38:17.514 He is a priest forever 00:38:17.514 --> 00:38:20.433 after the order of Melichizedek. 00:38:20.433 --> 00:38:22.213 "For on the one hand, 00:38:22.213 --> 00:38:24.333 a former commandment is set aside." 00:38:24.333 --> 00:38:25.748 Again, change. 00:38:25.748 --> 00:38:29.498 That which was former is set aside. 00:38:29.498 --> 00:38:32.632 "Because of its weakness and uselessness. 00:38:32.632 --> 00:38:35.209 For the law made nothing perfect. 00:38:35.209 --> 00:38:36.522 But on the other hand, 00:38:36.522 --> 00:38:38.581 a better hope." 00:38:38.581 --> 00:38:39.539 Wow. 00:38:39.539 --> 00:38:40.427 Why is it better? 00:38:40.427 --> 00:38:42.589 Because it's based on an indestructible life. 00:38:42.589 --> 00:38:44.580 Because it's forever. He doesn't change. 00:38:44.580 --> 00:38:46.678 He's the same. 00:38:46.678 --> 00:38:47.848 When it says yesterday, 00:38:47.848 --> 00:38:49.037 I believe what he means 00:38:49.037 --> 00:38:52.516 is not necessarily looking into eternity past. 00:38:52.516 --> 00:38:53.993 I think he means yesterday 00:38:53.993 --> 00:38:55.781 in the days that those who have gone 00:38:55.781 --> 00:38:57.932 before us that taught you the Word of God; 00:38:57.932 --> 00:38:59.662 the One they put their trust in. 00:38:59.662 --> 00:39:01.533 They put their trust in Christ 00:39:01.533 --> 00:39:03.669 and yesterday that was good enough for them, 00:39:03.669 --> 00:39:05.280 and today, He is no different. 00:39:05.280 --> 00:39:07.757 And right out into eternity, 00:39:07.757 --> 00:39:09.652 He is going to be the same. 00:39:09.652 --> 00:39:12.355 Because His priesthood is indestructible. 00:39:12.355 --> 00:39:13.972 But remember, His priesthood 00:39:13.972 --> 00:39:17.742 was not from eternity past. 00:39:17.742 --> 00:39:20.246 His priesthood is based on the fact 00:39:20.246 --> 00:39:22.879 that He had to become like His brethren 00:39:22.879 --> 00:39:26.584 in every respect - and He had to suffer - 00:39:26.584 --> 00:39:28.382 in order to be this merciful 00:39:28.382 --> 00:39:29.820 and faithful high priest. 00:39:29.820 --> 00:39:32.202 He had to become like us in every respect. 00:39:32.202 --> 00:39:35.824 And He had to suffer like us. 00:39:35.824 --> 00:39:38.748 That's what the teaching of Hebrews says. 00:39:38.748 --> 00:39:43.250 Go back to the text. 00:39:43.250 --> 00:39:46.279 V. 19 Again, "(for the law 00:39:46.279 --> 00:39:47.635 made nothing perfect,) 00:39:47.635 --> 00:39:48.685 but on the other hand 00:39:48.685 --> 00:39:49.895 a better hope." 00:39:49.895 --> 00:39:51.835 Oh, brethren, have you ever 00:39:51.835 --> 00:39:55.070 thought about Hebrews here too? 00:39:55.070 --> 00:39:57.622 Christ is better than the prophets. 00:39:57.622 --> 00:40:01.814 Christ is superior to the angels. 00:40:01.814 --> 00:40:03.952 Christ is beyond His companions. 00:40:03.952 --> 00:40:06.939 Christ is worthy of more glory than Moses. 00:40:06.939 --> 00:40:09.448 He's greater than Levi. 00:40:09.448 --> 00:40:11.378 He's greater than Aaron. 00:40:11.378 --> 00:40:14.296 His altar is greater 00:40:14.296 --> 00:40:16.849 than the one that those guys eat from. 00:40:16.849 --> 00:40:19.696 His blood is greater - it's superior 00:40:19.696 --> 00:40:24.645 to the blood of Abel. 00:40:24.645 --> 00:40:26.340 It's a greater sacrifice. 00:40:26.340 --> 00:40:27.687 It's a greater covenant. 00:40:27.687 --> 00:40:30.784 Is He not the guarantor of a better covenant? 00:40:30.784 --> 00:40:32.273 It's built on better promises. 00:40:32.273 --> 00:40:33.989 He has a ministry that's better. 00:40:33.989 --> 00:40:35.299 All throughout this book: 00:40:35.299 --> 00:40:36.630 better, better, better. 00:40:36.630 --> 00:40:38.546 Here it is: a better hope. 00:40:38.546 --> 00:40:39.604 Why? 00:40:39.604 --> 00:40:41.554 Why is it a better hope? 00:40:41.554 --> 00:40:47.154 Because it's based on an indestructible life. 00:40:47.154 --> 00:40:49.095 And you'll see it. 00:40:49.095 --> 00:40:51.674 "Through which we draw near to God. 00:40:51.674 --> 00:40:53.873 And it was not without an oath." 00:40:53.873 --> 00:40:54.803 God made an oath. 00:40:54.803 --> 00:40:56.614 "For those who formerly became priests 00:40:56.614 --> 00:40:58.555 were made such without an oath." 00:40:58.555 --> 00:41:00.989 They were made priests according to 00:41:00.989 --> 00:41:03.287 bodily descent. 00:41:03.287 --> 00:41:04.715 They were descended from Levi. 00:41:04.715 --> 00:41:06.457 Not with an oath. 00:41:06.457 --> 00:41:10.896 But this one was made a priest with an oath, 00:41:10.896 --> 00:41:12.775 by the One, His Father, 00:41:12.775 --> 00:41:14.068 Who said to Him, 00:41:14.068 --> 00:41:18.671 'The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind. 00:41:18.671 --> 00:41:22.860 You are a priest forever.' 00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:24.626 This makes Jesus the gaurantor 00:41:24.626 --> 00:41:26.413 of a better covenant. 00:41:26.413 --> 00:41:28.425 The former priests were many in number. 00:41:28.425 --> 00:41:29.486 Here's the thing, 00:41:29.486 --> 00:41:31.912 their's was changeable. 00:41:31.912 --> 00:41:32.851 Why? 00:41:32.851 --> 00:41:35.189 Because those high priests were many in number. 00:41:35.189 --> 00:41:36.248 Why? Because they were 00:41:36.248 --> 00:41:37.979 prevented by death. 00:41:37.979 --> 00:41:39.169 There's change again. 00:41:39.169 --> 00:41:40.336 They came. They went. 00:41:40.336 --> 00:41:41.517 There was a high priest. 00:41:41.517 --> 00:41:43.598 Yeah, but he was only going to live so long 00:41:43.598 --> 00:41:44.528 and then he died. 00:41:44.528 --> 00:41:46.987 He was prevented from continuing in office. 00:41:46.987 --> 00:41:52.824 But, He (Christ) holds His priesthood permanently. 00:41:52.824 --> 00:41:55.640 Because He continues forever. 00:41:55.640 --> 00:41:58.713 You see, here is the sameness of Hebrews. 00:41:58.713 --> 00:42:00.538 Here is that upon which 00:42:00.538 --> 00:42:02.690 the author of Hebrews wants our minds 00:42:02.690 --> 00:42:03.729 locked in. 00:42:03.729 --> 00:42:05.560 Can you imagine? 00:42:05.560 --> 00:42:08.751 Remember when the Hebrews lived. 00:42:08.751 --> 00:42:10.294 They're living at a time 00:42:10.294 --> 00:42:13.468 when the Passover's going away. 00:42:13.468 --> 00:42:14.988 They're living at a time when 00:42:14.988 --> 00:42:16.856 the Day of Atonement is going away. 00:42:16.856 --> 00:42:18.043 They're living at a time 00:42:18.043 --> 00:42:20.819 when the temple is going to go away. 00:42:20.819 --> 00:42:23.154 All the Old Testament system - 00:42:23.154 --> 00:42:24.302 they're living at a time 00:42:24.302 --> 00:42:25.804 when there's all this change, 00:42:25.804 --> 00:42:26.973 change, change... 00:42:26.973 --> 00:42:29.551 Well, how do we know if that's all changing? 00:42:29.551 --> 00:42:33.652 The Jews put their confidence 00:42:33.652 --> 00:42:35.676 in that Old Testament system. 00:42:35.676 --> 00:42:36.948 And now, you're telling us 00:42:36.948 --> 00:42:38.018 it's going away? 00:42:38.018 --> 00:42:40.526 I mean, what if this thing with Christ 00:42:40.526 --> 00:42:41.831 is going away? 00:42:41.831 --> 00:42:44.759 We put our trust there that one day 00:42:44.759 --> 00:42:46.680 and our forefathers did? 00:42:46.680 --> 00:42:48.315 And you're telling us it's gone? 00:42:48.315 --> 00:42:50.024 You're telling us it's obsolete? 00:42:50.024 --> 00:42:51.938 You're telling us that it's incomplete? 00:42:51.938 --> 00:42:54.549 You're telling us that there's some weakness about it? 00:42:54.549 --> 00:42:55.916 Something isn't good? 00:42:55.916 --> 00:42:56.893 It's useless? 00:42:56.893 --> 00:42:58.168 You're telling us that? 00:42:58.168 --> 00:42:59.421 Well, what makes us think 00:42:59.421 --> 00:43:02.524 that this priesthood of Christ is any better? 00:43:02.524 --> 00:43:05.150 Because you yourselves know 00:43:05.150 --> 00:43:06.738 that that Levitcal priesthood - 00:43:06.738 --> 00:43:10.113 they couldn't continue in office because they were dying all the time. 00:43:10.113 --> 00:43:11.685 And if you remember your Bibles, 00:43:11.685 --> 00:43:13.488 you know about who Melchizedek was. 00:43:13.488 --> 00:43:15.262 And he didn't have an end of days. 00:43:15.262 --> 00:43:18.060 And you know that the psalm says 00:43:18.060 --> 00:43:20.779 that God swore to His Son, 00:43:20.779 --> 00:43:21.977 to the Messiah, 00:43:21.977 --> 00:43:23.799 that He was going to be a priest. 00:43:23.799 --> 00:43:25.421 What do we need a priest for? 00:43:25.421 --> 00:43:28.684 One Who is going to bring an offering 00:43:28.684 --> 00:43:32.626 to His Father on our behalf. 00:43:32.626 --> 00:43:35.712 That offering was one sacrifice. 00:43:35.712 --> 00:43:37.260 He is the priest 00:43:37.260 --> 00:43:40.435 and He is the Lamb. 00:43:40.435 --> 00:43:43.278 He is in His own hands. 00:43:43.278 --> 00:43:48.098 He offers Himself on that cross. 00:43:48.098 --> 00:43:49.829 Once for all. 00:43:49.829 --> 00:43:52.244 And the thing about the permanence here 00:43:52.244 --> 00:43:53.923 is it's done. 00:43:53.923 --> 00:43:55.418 It's complete. 00:43:55.418 --> 00:43:57.562 Who He is - victorious, 00:43:57.562 --> 00:43:59.004 passing through the heavens 00:43:59.004 --> 00:44:00.591 to the right hand of the Father, 00:44:00.591 --> 00:44:01.628 triumphant. 00:44:01.628 --> 00:44:02.702 It's done. 00:44:02.702 --> 00:44:04.109 And He doesn't change. 00:44:04.109 --> 00:44:05.775 This priesthood is solid. 00:44:05.775 --> 00:44:07.437 It's indestructible. 00:44:07.437 --> 00:44:08.757 It's there. 00:44:08.757 --> 00:44:10.417 And watch. 00:44:10.417 --> 00:44:12.888 You'll see where he's going with this. 00:44:12.888 --> 00:44:14.677 You are a priest forever. 00:44:14.677 --> 00:44:15.600 V. 22 00:44:15.600 --> 00:44:17.519 This makes Jesus the guarantor 00:44:17.519 --> 00:44:18.808 of a better covenant. 00:44:18.808 --> 00:44:20.793 Why? Because it's sealed in His blood 00:44:20.793 --> 00:44:22.341 and it's never going to change. 00:44:22.341 --> 00:44:24.027 The former priests, many in number, 00:44:24.027 --> 00:44:25.457 they were prevented by death 00:44:25.457 --> 00:44:27.038 from continuing in office. 00:44:27.038 --> 00:44:29.876 He holds His priesthood permanently. 00:44:29.876 --> 00:44:31.593 Because He continues forever. 00:44:31.593 --> 00:44:35.182 Consquently, here's why it is so glorious. 00:44:35.182 --> 00:44:39.250 Look, if you were reading this book 00:44:39.250 --> 00:44:40.745 straight through, 00:44:40.745 --> 00:44:42.669 you would have read this fifteen minutes 00:44:42.669 --> 00:44:50.139 before you got to chapter 13. 00:44:50.139 --> 00:44:51.940 This is what he wants our faith 00:44:51.940 --> 00:44:53.742 to lock into: 00:44:53.742 --> 00:44:55.537 The sameness of Christ. 00:44:55.537 --> 00:44:58.315 Consequently, He is able to save. 00:44:58.315 --> 00:44:59.133 Why? 00:44:59.133 --> 00:45:01.167 Consequently. Consequent on what? 00:45:01.167 --> 00:45:03.210 That He is a priest forever. 00:45:03.210 --> 00:45:05.124 Because He is a priest forever. 00:45:05.124 --> 00:45:07.077 And because His priesthood is permanent. 00:45:07.077 --> 00:45:09.111 And because it continues forever. 00:45:09.111 --> 00:45:11.340 And it's based on this: 00:45:11.340 --> 00:45:16.517 Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost. 00:45:16.517 --> 00:45:18.839 You see, whatever the Old Testament priests did, 00:45:18.839 --> 00:45:20.749 they couldn't save you to the uttermost 00:45:20.749 --> 00:45:23.407 because their time came to an end. 00:45:23.407 --> 00:45:28.138 Whatever they could do, it ran out. 00:45:28.138 --> 00:45:30.184 But "He is able to save to the uttermost 00:45:30.184 --> 00:45:32.410 those who draw near to God through Him 00:45:32.410 --> 00:45:35.658 since..." 00:45:35.658 --> 00:45:36.719 This is so important. 00:45:36.719 --> 00:45:39.271 I don't think we grasp this. 00:45:39.271 --> 00:45:43.380 "Since He always lives to make intercession." 00:45:43.380 --> 00:45:44.321 This is why. 00:45:44.321 --> 00:45:46.410 This is why it's so important that He doesn't change. 00:45:46.410 --> 00:45:47.345 You know why? 00:45:47.345 --> 00:45:49.346 If He once sets His love on you... 00:45:49.346 --> 00:45:53.573 Remember what happened right before this? 00:45:53.573 --> 00:45:56.666 In Hebrews 13? 00:45:56.666 --> 00:46:00.517 "I will never leave you or forsake you." 00:46:00.517 --> 00:46:02.465 Therefore, we can confidently say, 00:46:02.465 --> 00:46:04.930 "the Lord is my helper." 00:46:04.930 --> 00:46:07.666 You see, once He sets His love on you, 00:46:07.666 --> 00:46:10.022 it's rock solid. 00:46:10.022 --> 00:46:12.193 It's permanent. 00:46:12.193 --> 00:46:13.990 It doesn't change. 00:46:13.990 --> 00:46:16.971 The basis of His priesthood - it's forever. 00:46:16.971 --> 00:46:19.149 And because priests intercede 00:46:19.149 --> 00:46:20.607 and He doesn't ever die, 00:46:20.607 --> 00:46:24.403 He lives to make intercession for them. 00:46:24.403 --> 00:46:25.951 "For it was indeed fitting 00:46:25.951 --> 00:46:27.918 that we should have such a high priest - 00:46:27.918 --> 00:46:29.796 holy, innocent, unstained, 00:46:29.796 --> 00:46:31.245 separated from sinners, 00:46:31.245 --> 00:46:34.937 exalted above the heavens." 00:46:34.937 --> 00:46:38.369 He has no need like those high priests 00:46:38.369 --> 00:46:39.992 of old under Moses 00:46:39.992 --> 00:46:41.811 to offer sacrifices daily. 00:46:41.811 --> 00:46:43.999 He doesn't have to come back and do it. 00:46:43.999 --> 00:46:46.012 We don't need an offering over and over. 00:46:46.012 --> 00:46:49.954 We do not need to offer Christ up 00:46:49.954 --> 00:46:54.295 over and over and over and over. 00:46:54.295 --> 00:46:55.916 We don't have to. 00:46:55.916 --> 00:47:01.154 He's been offered once. 00:47:01.154 --> 00:47:02.608 But you see, 00:47:02.608 --> 00:47:05.650 we observe the Lord's Supper, right? 00:47:05.650 --> 00:47:08.065 But Jesus said, "do this in remembrance of Me." 00:47:08.065 --> 00:47:09.816 We remember His death. 00:47:09.816 --> 00:47:11.995 But in many religious circles, 00:47:11.995 --> 00:47:14.328 it is believed that the bread 00:47:14.328 --> 00:47:15.669 actually become His flesh 00:47:15.669 --> 00:47:17.596 and the wine actually becomes His blood, 00:47:17.596 --> 00:47:19.729 and He's offered afresh again. 00:47:19.729 --> 00:47:24.539 And you know why that's necessary oftentimes 00:47:24.539 --> 00:47:25.866 in the mindset, 00:47:25.866 --> 00:47:30.470 is because salvation is not complete 00:47:30.470 --> 00:47:32.765 and resting on Christ. 00:47:32.765 --> 00:47:33.927 More needs to be done. 00:47:33.927 --> 00:47:36.811 More needs to be done. 00:47:36.811 --> 00:47:39.185 And it comes back to the whole food thing 00:47:39.185 --> 00:47:44.634 that gets compared to grace in 13:9. 00:47:44.634 --> 00:47:46.647 Why the thing about food? 00:47:46.647 --> 00:47:49.563 Well, because we have to keep doing things. 00:47:49.563 --> 00:47:52.078 There's always something incomplete. 00:47:52.078 --> 00:47:54.252 We have this sin and we just have this sense 00:47:54.252 --> 00:47:56.049 that we have to keep doing something. 00:47:56.049 --> 00:47:59.250 We have to keep doing something. More and more and more is needed. 00:47:59.250 --> 00:48:01.503 Why? Because we're never sure if it's just right. 00:48:01.503 --> 00:48:03.404 We're never sure if enough has been done. 00:48:03.404 --> 00:48:05.612 They were never certain under that old covenant system. 00:48:05.612 --> 00:48:06.378 Why? 00:48:06.378 --> 00:48:08.455 Because they kept having to bring these, having to bring these. 00:48:08.455 --> 00:48:09.598 When you get to Hebrews 10, 00:48:09.598 --> 00:48:11.030 he says the very proof that 00:48:11.030 --> 00:48:12.623 it didn't accomplish anything 00:48:12.623 --> 00:48:14.376 was the fact that it had to be brought 00:48:14.376 --> 00:48:16.918 again and again and again... 00:48:16.918 --> 00:48:20.308 because if an offering was ever made 00:48:20.308 --> 00:48:23.227 that truly washed away sin, 00:48:23.227 --> 00:48:27.113 it would never have to be made again. 00:48:27.113 --> 00:48:30.466 And that's why with Christ, it's done. 00:48:30.466 --> 00:48:31.961 It's done. 00:48:31.961 --> 00:48:34.766 (Incomplete thought) 00:48:34.766 --> 00:48:36.596 What we have to do, 00:48:36.596 --> 00:48:38.883 is all the way to the end, 00:48:38.883 --> 00:48:42.693 we just hold on to Him. 00:48:42.693 --> 00:48:45.179 Firm to the end. 00:48:45.179 --> 00:48:46.543 We hold on to Him. 00:48:46.543 --> 00:48:48.562 Why? Because all the merit is there. 00:48:48.562 --> 00:48:50.671 He shed His blood. He lived His life. 00:48:50.671 --> 00:48:54.377 He is that high priest. 00:48:54.377 --> 00:48:57.273 Not just a priest - He's a King. 00:48:57.273 --> 00:48:59.681 He is the Priest-King. 00:48:59.681 --> 00:49:03.938 He came from the lineage of David. 00:49:03.938 --> 00:49:08.307 Melchizedek was a king and a priest. 00:49:08.307 --> 00:49:11.200 And He is of the order of Melchizedek. 00:49:11.200 --> 00:49:13.833 And He sits there triumphant. 00:49:13.833 --> 00:49:15.619 He made purification. 00:49:15.619 --> 00:49:16.665 Did you hear that? 00:49:16.665 --> 00:49:19.360 In Hebrews 1, He made - 00:49:19.360 --> 00:49:22.269 having made purification for sins. 00:49:22.269 --> 00:49:25.274 He sat down. 00:49:25.274 --> 00:49:26.817 The priests in the Old Testament 00:49:26.817 --> 00:49:30.217 never were allowed to sit down 00:49:30.217 --> 00:49:31.851 while they were at work. 00:49:31.851 --> 00:49:34.690 They had no chairs in the temple. 00:49:34.690 --> 00:49:37.421 They had no chairs in the tent. 00:49:37.421 --> 00:49:40.228 They had no chairs in the tabernacle. 00:49:40.228 --> 00:49:41.475 Why? 00:49:41.475 --> 00:49:43.760 Because their work was never done. 00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:45.546 But what the author of Hebrews says 00:49:45.546 --> 00:49:51.261 is Christ offered Himself and sat down. 00:49:51.261 --> 00:49:52.510 Done. 00:49:52.510 --> 00:49:54.055 It's finished. 00:49:54.055 --> 00:49:57.061 The work is complete. 00:49:57.061 --> 00:49:58.933 And it doesn't change. 00:49:58.933 --> 00:50:01.179 He is forevermore the same. 00:50:01.179 --> 00:50:03.936 The victorious Priest-King. 00:50:03.936 --> 00:50:08.288 His work is done. 00:50:08.288 --> 00:50:11.034 But you can see the changes with everything else. 00:50:11.034 --> 00:50:13.125 The old priesthood - it just changes. 00:50:13.125 --> 00:50:14.237 Everything changes. 00:50:14.237 --> 00:50:16.202 Even at the beginning of this book, 00:50:16.202 --> 00:50:18.211 it's like the heaven and the earth 00:50:18.211 --> 00:50:19.255 are going to change. 00:50:19.255 --> 00:50:20.722 They're going to be rolled up. 00:50:20.722 --> 00:50:22.744 But You - You don't change. 00:50:22.744 --> 00:50:24.514 There's so much change. 00:50:24.514 --> 00:50:26.268 Change throughout this book. 00:50:26.268 --> 00:50:29.713 Their leaders in 13:7 - there was change. 00:50:29.713 --> 00:50:32.065 They used to preach to us and they're gone now. 00:50:32.065 --> 00:50:33.600 Bob stood in this pulpit before, 00:50:33.600 --> 00:50:34.897 and he's gone now. 00:50:34.897 --> 00:50:36.684 Men come and they go 00:50:36.684 --> 00:50:38.350 and circumstances change. 00:50:38.350 --> 00:50:41.487 But what we have is this rock solid confidence. 00:50:41.487 --> 00:50:44.271 "I will never leave you or forsake you." 00:50:44.271 --> 00:50:46.011 It's unchangeable. 00:50:46.011 --> 00:50:49.465 We have a priest Who has a priesthood 00:50:49.465 --> 00:50:50.795 and He always lives 00:50:50.795 --> 00:50:53.531 to make intercession for them. 00:50:53.531 --> 00:50:57.180 And it goes on to say, 00:50:57.180 --> 00:50:59.218 v. 28 "The law appoints men 00:50:59.218 --> 00:51:00.794 in their weakness as high priest, 00:51:00.794 --> 00:51:02.094 but the word of the oath 00:51:02.094 --> 00:51:03.894 which came later than the law 00:51:03.894 --> 00:51:09.185 appoints a Son Who has been made perfect 00:51:09.185 --> 00:51:11.664 forever. 00:51:11.664 --> 00:51:18.858 Forever. 00:51:18.858 --> 00:51:22.047 What this is saying 00:51:22.047 --> 00:51:26.035 is He is the same, perfect Savior 00:51:26.035 --> 00:51:28.445 yesterday, 00:51:28.445 --> 00:51:32.152 and He is the same perfect Savior today, 00:51:32.152 --> 00:51:35.453 and He will be forevermore. 00:51:35.453 --> 00:51:38.332 And I know that before He actually came 00:51:38.332 --> 00:51:41.353 and poured out His blood 00:51:41.353 --> 00:51:43.867 and poured out His life, 00:51:43.867 --> 00:51:45.776 God looked forward 00:51:45.776 --> 00:51:48.389 and applied that work backward 00:51:48.389 --> 00:51:52.284 to men like Samuel and Moses 00:51:52.284 --> 00:51:55.159 and Abel. I know that. 00:51:55.159 --> 00:51:56.979 But Jesus Christ had to come 00:51:56.979 --> 00:52:00.559 and be made like His brethren in time 00:52:00.559 --> 00:52:03.271 to become this perfect high priest 00:52:03.271 --> 00:52:05.281 that He might be superior - 00:52:05.281 --> 00:52:07.444 Oh, His covenant is superior. 00:52:07.444 --> 00:52:08.633 His covenant. 00:52:08.633 --> 00:52:11.928 What a glorious better covenant it is! 00:52:11.928 --> 00:52:14.323 Why? Because it's not based on performance. 00:52:14.323 --> 00:52:16.786 It's not based on whether I eat the bread 00:52:16.786 --> 00:52:18.011 or don't eat the bread. 00:52:18.011 --> 00:52:20.785 It's not based on what festivals I observe 00:52:20.785 --> 00:52:22.238 or holy days I observe. 00:52:22.238 --> 00:52:24.754 It's not based on that. 00:52:24.754 --> 00:52:27.415 It's based on the merits; 00:52:27.415 --> 00:52:29.318 it's based on Him. 00:52:29.318 --> 00:52:30.401 It's superior. 00:52:30.401 --> 00:52:32.898 You know that old covenant 00:52:32.898 --> 00:52:35.870 said if you do this, 00:52:35.870 --> 00:52:39.746 then I will treat you accordingly. 00:52:39.746 --> 00:52:42.882 If you do good, I will treat you well. 00:52:42.882 --> 00:52:45.584 If you do bad, I will treat you bad. 00:52:45.584 --> 00:52:46.731 That's the old covenant. 00:52:46.731 --> 00:52:50.770 You know how much of the world lives on the old covenant still today? 00:52:50.770 --> 00:52:52.878 That covenant is death. 00:52:52.878 --> 00:52:53.805 You know why? 00:52:53.805 --> 00:52:55.726 Because none of us has kept it perfectly 00:52:55.726 --> 00:52:57.623 and that's what that covenant demanded. 00:52:57.623 --> 00:53:00.578 If you don't keep everything written in the book of the law and do it, 00:53:00.578 --> 00:53:02.043 you are under a curse. 00:53:02.043 --> 00:53:04.074 And yet, people come along and they say, 00:53:04.074 --> 00:53:06.402 oh, well, I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm trying to be good. 00:53:06.402 --> 00:53:08.501 Yeah, but that law said, 00:53:08.501 --> 00:53:12.871 do me and live; break me and die. 00:53:12.871 --> 00:53:15.064 The wage of sin is death. 00:53:15.064 --> 00:53:16.497 That doesn't mean ten. 00:53:16.497 --> 00:53:18.518 It's like Ray Comfort says. 00:53:18.518 --> 00:53:20.931 It's not like you tell a hundred lies 00:53:20.931 --> 00:53:22.080 and a bell goes off. 00:53:22.080 --> 00:53:23.826 Bing! 00:53:23.826 --> 00:53:28.642 One sin and Adam and Eve fell. 00:53:28.642 --> 00:53:32.649 One sin destroyed mankind. 00:53:32.649 --> 00:53:35.147 One sin will put you in hell. 00:53:35.147 --> 00:53:38.180 One unforgiven sin. 00:53:38.180 --> 00:53:42.282 Jesus Christ came with a superior covenant 00:53:42.282 --> 00:53:46.691 that's guaranteed by His blood. 00:53:46.691 --> 00:53:48.726 And you see, it's a promise not made 00:53:48.726 --> 00:53:50.759 between us and God; 00:53:50.759 --> 00:53:51.835 it's a promise made 00:53:51.835 --> 00:53:54.112 between the Father and the Son. 00:53:54.112 --> 00:53:56.253 Where the Son says I will die for them. 00:53:56.253 --> 00:53:57.770 I will pour out my blood 00:53:57.770 --> 00:54:00.828 to unleash the power of the Spirit of God 00:54:00.828 --> 00:54:04.515 into their life and to allow them to be forgiven 00:54:04.515 --> 00:54:06.444 for the sins that they've committed 00:54:06.444 --> 00:54:09.050 against God. 00:54:09.050 --> 00:54:11.035 And Christ says, I will come. 00:54:11.035 --> 00:54:12.926 I will be their sin-bearer. 00:54:12.926 --> 00:54:14.584 I will be their priest. 00:54:14.584 --> 00:54:16.656 I will be their sacrifice. 00:54:16.656 --> 00:54:19.586 I will purchase for them redemption. 00:54:19.586 --> 00:54:21.690 I will purchase eternal life. 00:54:21.690 --> 00:54:24.633 I will be crushed under the wrath of God. 00:54:24.633 --> 00:54:26.960 I will drink the cup of punishment 00:54:26.960 --> 00:54:28.514 that they deserve to drink. 00:54:28.514 --> 00:54:30.552 I will take it on Myself. 00:54:30.552 --> 00:54:32.288 And I will come under the law. 00:54:32.288 --> 00:54:35.500 And I will keep that law in their place 00:54:35.500 --> 00:54:37.381 so that they can be blameless 00:54:37.381 --> 00:54:39.908 when their sin is charged to Me 00:54:39.908 --> 00:54:41.473 and I suffer under it 00:54:41.473 --> 00:54:43.189 and My righteous law-keeping 00:54:43.189 --> 00:54:45.268 is given to them, 00:54:45.268 --> 00:54:47.201 so that they might be counted righteous 00:54:47.201 --> 00:54:48.625 in the courtroom of God. 00:54:48.625 --> 00:54:49.922 That's what happened. 00:54:49.922 --> 00:54:53.522 And Jesus said, I will give Myself. 00:54:53.522 --> 00:54:55.847 A body You have prepared for Me. 00:54:55.847 --> 00:54:57.951 And I need to become a man. 00:54:57.951 --> 00:54:59.985 And though I am equal with God, 00:54:59.985 --> 00:55:02.642 I count it not robbery at all 00:55:02.642 --> 00:55:04.657 being counted equal with Him, 00:55:04.657 --> 00:55:07.048 but He set His glory aside 00:55:07.048 --> 00:55:08.494 and He came down 00:55:08.494 --> 00:55:10.336 and He came down as a servant 00:55:10.336 --> 00:55:11.662 and down as a man, 00:55:11.662 --> 00:55:13.319 and He poured out His life 00:55:13.319 --> 00:55:15.716 all the way to that obedience to the cross 00:55:15.716 --> 00:55:17.742 and God crushed Him there. 00:55:17.742 --> 00:55:21.442 And thereby He is a high priest now 00:55:21.442 --> 00:55:23.921 that has done a work. 00:55:23.921 --> 00:55:25.527 And we rest. 00:55:25.527 --> 00:55:27.170 And we can rest. 00:55:27.170 --> 00:55:29.124 Because this covenant says 00:55:29.124 --> 00:55:31.253 that by faith in Him - 00:55:31.253 --> 00:55:34.169 just Lord, 00:55:34.169 --> 00:55:40.971 I trust that You have kept the law for me. 00:55:40.971 --> 00:55:44.173 And You have paid what my sins deserve. 00:55:44.173 --> 00:55:47.349 And I trust that You will give me Your Spirit; 00:55:47.349 --> 00:55:48.995 You will transform me; 00:55:48.995 --> 00:55:51.530 You will give me a new heart. 00:55:51.530 --> 00:55:52.996 My trust is all in Him 00:55:52.996 --> 00:55:54.880 and what His blood has done. 00:55:54.880 --> 00:55:56.498 And you see, I can rest on that. 00:55:56.498 --> 00:55:59.778 And that's where this is coming from. 00:55:59.778 --> 00:56:01.389 And I'll tell you this, 00:56:01.389 --> 00:56:03.586 when our author moves into v. 9, 00:56:03.586 --> 00:56:05.483 and he says you don't be taken away; 00:56:05.483 --> 00:56:06.792 you don't be carried away. 00:56:06.792 --> 00:56:09.565 You remember back in the beginning of this verse, 00:56:09.565 --> 00:56:11.828 we need to pay much closer attention 00:56:11.828 --> 00:56:15.315 to these things, lest we drift. 00:56:15.315 --> 00:56:17.671 You know why people drift? 00:56:17.671 --> 00:56:23.099 Because other things attract them. 00:56:23.099 --> 00:56:26.980 This whole book is about the glory of Christ. 00:56:26.980 --> 00:56:29.284 You know why people walk away? 00:56:29.284 --> 00:56:32.059 They stop seeing Christ as beautiful. 00:56:32.059 --> 00:56:34.077 They stop seeing Him as precious. 00:56:34.077 --> 00:56:37.108 They see the Spurs are better; 00:56:37.108 --> 00:56:39.354 my money's better; 00:56:39.354 --> 00:56:42.057 the world's better; food is better. 00:56:42.057 --> 00:56:44.270 Yeah, I'll have my religion, 00:56:44.270 --> 00:56:46.540 but they begin to drift away from Christ. 00:56:46.540 --> 00:56:49.957 And it says don't be carried away 00:56:49.957 --> 00:56:52.896 by diverse and strange teachings. 00:56:52.896 --> 00:56:55.629 It's good for the heart to be strengthened by grace 00:56:55.629 --> 00:56:57.075 rather than foods. 00:56:57.075 --> 00:56:58.527 The food doesn't profit. 00:56:58.527 --> 00:57:00.258 Grace profits. What's grace? 00:57:00.258 --> 00:57:02.199 It means all that Christ has done, 00:57:02.199 --> 00:57:05.305 I receive as a gift. 00:57:05.305 --> 00:57:06.825 That's grace. 00:57:06.825 --> 00:57:08.184 I don't deserve it. 00:57:08.184 --> 00:57:12.248 I'm not being good enough to get to heaven. 00:57:12.248 --> 00:57:13.861 See, that's not grace. 00:57:13.861 --> 00:57:15.743 That's falling in with the food. 00:57:15.743 --> 00:57:18.036 Well, I'm trying to do the right things. 00:57:18.036 --> 00:57:19.545 What about this food? 00:57:19.545 --> 00:57:21.561 Yeah, it comes up all over the place. 00:57:21.561 --> 00:57:23.867 Colossians: Therefore let no one pass judgment on you 00:57:23.867 --> 00:57:25.456 in questions of food and drink. 00:57:25.456 --> 00:57:29.069 Why? Food is one of the basic elements 00:57:29.069 --> 00:57:31.340 of this world that people get hung up on 00:57:31.340 --> 00:57:33.389 and think they have to do certain things 00:57:33.389 --> 00:57:35.870 with food in order to merit 00:57:35.870 --> 00:57:38.291 some kind of look from God. 00:57:38.291 --> 00:57:39.938 It's just one of the basic things. 00:57:39.938 --> 00:57:42.131 It works out a thousand different ways 00:57:42.131 --> 00:57:43.358 and other than food. 00:57:43.358 --> 00:57:45.022 It's just things we've got to do 00:57:45.022 --> 00:57:47.357 that we think that God's going to be happy with, 00:57:47.357 --> 00:57:48.923 and somehow it's going to get us 00:57:48.923 --> 00:57:49.751 a good place. 00:57:49.751 --> 00:57:53.412 It's going to get us acceptance in the end. 00:57:53.412 --> 00:57:55.900 But it's all grace. 00:57:55.900 --> 00:57:57.632 Look, any other way - 00:57:57.632 --> 00:57:58.930 do you notice what he says? 00:57:58.930 --> 00:58:00.131 It doesn't profit them. 00:58:00.131 --> 00:58:01.113 Which means what? 00:58:01.113 --> 00:58:02.329 It doesn't save them. 00:58:02.329 --> 00:58:04.350 It doesn't profit. 00:58:04.350 --> 00:58:06.571 It doesn't bring any advantage to them 00:58:06.571 --> 00:58:08.715 at all whatsoever. 00:58:08.715 --> 00:58:11.924 None. 00:58:11.924 --> 00:58:13.423 I mean, you don't want to trade 00:58:13.423 --> 00:58:15.693 being saved by this Christ 00:58:15.693 --> 00:58:18.716 freely by grace as a gift 00:58:18.716 --> 00:58:21.108 for doing things that you think 00:58:21.108 --> 00:58:22.971 are going to make you good 00:58:22.971 --> 00:58:24.437 or clean you up. 00:58:24.437 --> 00:58:26.266 That's the basic mentality 00:58:26.266 --> 00:58:27.906 with the religions of this world. 00:58:27.906 --> 00:58:29.502 I've got to do this little thing, 00:58:29.502 --> 00:58:30.647 you know, to clean up. 00:58:30.647 --> 00:58:32.257 I kind of lived out of control 00:58:32.257 --> 00:58:33.222 last weekend, 00:58:33.222 --> 00:58:34.324 and now I go to church 00:58:34.324 --> 00:58:36.744 and it's going to set me right. 00:58:36.744 --> 00:58:38.737 No. 00:58:38.737 --> 00:58:44.270 No, the true religion of the Scriptures 00:58:44.270 --> 00:58:46.680 is we have a high priest 00:58:46.680 --> 00:58:49.321 and He doesn't change. 00:58:49.321 --> 00:58:50.733 And He made an offering once 00:58:50.733 --> 00:58:52.502 and it satisfied His Father. 00:58:52.502 --> 00:58:55.270 Oh, it satisfied Him. 00:58:55.270 --> 00:58:57.147 We'll just end by looking at this. 00:58:57.147 --> 00:59:07.834 You look at Hebrews 2. 00:59:07.834 --> 00:59:10.695 Hebrews 2:14 00:59:10.695 --> 00:59:14.559 "Since therefore, the children share 00:59:14.559 --> 00:59:15.676 in flesh and blood..." 00:59:15.676 --> 00:59:17.560 He's talking about the children of God. 00:59:17.560 --> 00:59:19.247 He's talking about Christians here. 00:59:19.247 --> 00:59:21.906 "Since therefore, the children share in flesh and blood..." 00:59:21.906 --> 00:59:24.421 That means we're men; we're women. 00:59:24.421 --> 00:59:26.957 We're sons and daughters of Adam. 00:59:26.957 --> 00:59:28.803 We're human. 00:59:28.803 --> 00:59:31.743 Since we're that, He Himself (Christ) 00:59:31.743 --> 00:59:35.735 likewise partook of the same things. 00:59:35.735 --> 00:59:37.249 He had to. 00:59:37.249 --> 00:59:38.962 That through death, 00:59:38.962 --> 00:59:40.823 He had to become man, 00:59:40.823 --> 00:59:43.442 so that He could die as a man, 00:59:43.442 --> 00:59:45.682 and in so doing, destroy the one 00:59:45.682 --> 00:59:47.260 who has the power of death, 00:59:47.260 --> 00:59:49.345 that is the devil, 00:59:49.345 --> 00:59:52.078 and deliver us - 00:59:52.078 --> 00:59:53.939 all those who through fear of death 00:59:53.939 --> 00:59:57.235 and we do fear death by nature. 00:59:57.235 --> 01:00:00.118 We were subject to lifelong slavery. 01:00:00.118 --> 01:00:03.162 For surely it's not angels that He helps. 01:00:03.162 --> 01:00:05.219 He helps the offspring of Abraham. 01:00:05.219 --> 01:00:06.970 Therefore, He had to be made like 01:00:06.970 --> 01:00:08.559 His brothers in every respect, 01:00:08.559 --> 01:00:10.025 so that He might become 01:00:10.025 --> 01:00:12.164 a merciful and faithful high priest 01:00:12.164 --> 01:00:14.628 in the service of God. 01:00:14.628 --> 01:00:15.906 Why? 01:00:15.906 --> 01:00:18.135 To make propitiation. 01:00:18.135 --> 01:00:21.115 That's the removal of wrath. 01:00:21.115 --> 01:00:24.242 He removes the wrath for the sins 01:00:24.242 --> 01:00:27.007 of the people. 01:00:27.007 --> 01:00:30.464 Because He Himself has suffered when tempted, 01:00:30.464 --> 01:00:31.707 He is able to help those 01:00:31.707 --> 01:00:34.620 who are being tempted. 01:00:34.620 --> 01:00:35.848 And He doesn't change. 01:00:35.848 --> 01:00:37.141 He is a help to those 01:00:37.141 --> 01:00:38.621 who are being tempted. 01:00:38.621 --> 01:00:40.386 And He is victorious. 01:00:40.386 --> 01:00:41.272 He can help. 01:00:41.272 --> 01:00:43.321 He's laid down His life. 01:00:43.321 --> 01:00:45.135 He has help for the sinner. 01:00:45.135 --> 01:00:47.128 You can be ever so vile, 01:00:47.128 --> 01:00:48.335 ever so filthy, 01:00:48.335 --> 01:00:50.402 have commited ever so grave of sin, 01:00:50.402 --> 01:00:52.665 so many of them that you can't count 01:00:52.665 --> 01:00:54.651 and they're heaped up on your shoulders, 01:00:54.651 --> 01:00:57.240 and they're going to drop you into the lowest parts of hell, 01:00:57.240 --> 01:01:00.033 but this work that this high priest has done 01:01:00.033 --> 01:01:02.751 has made propitiation. 01:01:02.751 --> 01:01:06.159 That means total removal of wrath. 01:01:06.159 --> 01:01:07.398 It's all wiped away. 01:01:07.398 --> 01:01:09.260 That's what forgiveness is all about. 01:01:09.260 --> 01:01:10.997 All of it. All your sins. 01:01:10.997 --> 01:01:12.350 Past, present, and future 01:01:12.350 --> 01:01:15.169 are forgiven in their entirety. 01:01:15.169 --> 01:01:17.118 Propitiation has been made. 01:01:17.118 --> 01:01:20.122 But He had to become a man. 01:01:20.122 --> 01:01:21.539 But having become a man, 01:01:21.539 --> 01:01:24.501 His priesthood doesn't change forever. 01:01:24.501 --> 01:01:25.727 You think about this. 01:01:25.727 --> 01:01:31.649 He is going to wear His humanity forever. 01:01:31.649 --> 01:01:34.781 He saves those who come to God 01:01:34.781 --> 01:01:38.074 through Him to the uttermost 01:01:38.074 --> 01:01:39.997 because He as a man 01:01:39.997 --> 01:01:42.675 and as a victorious high priest 01:01:42.675 --> 01:01:44.933 being made like us in every respect - 01:01:44.933 --> 01:01:48.621 He's like that forevermore. 01:01:48.621 --> 01:01:52.686 He has taken the nature of humanity upon Him 01:01:52.686 --> 01:01:54.350 forever. 01:01:54.350 --> 01:01:57.711 That He might be a high priest forever. 01:01:57.711 --> 01:02:05.220 To make intercession for us forever. 01:02:05.220 --> 01:02:06.766 We'll we're going to press on 01:02:06.766 --> 01:02:11.767 through those verses next week. 01:02:11.767 --> 01:02:13.213 Father, we pray that You would 01:02:13.213 --> 01:02:15.840 just help us to see the glories of Christ 01:02:15.840 --> 01:02:17.396 in all of this as we wrap up 01:02:17.396 --> 01:02:19.859 these last verses in Hebrews. 01:02:19.859 --> 01:02:22.995 May we leave it going out 01:02:22.995 --> 01:02:26.391 reminded of how this book 01:02:26.391 --> 01:02:30.243 so exalts the supremacy of Christ; 01:02:30.243 --> 01:02:32.453 the preeminence of Him 01:02:32.453 --> 01:02:35.865 Who bought us with His blood. 01:02:35.865 --> 01:02:36.990 Thank You. 01:02:36.990 --> 01:02:38.148 Amen.