The New Testament Story

‘Helping you find your way from Matthew to Revelation’

Regular Baptist Press

Unit 4  ‘Christ’s Second Coming: His Present Ministry and Return

Session 11  Christ’s High Priestly Ministry  

Overview  

   This session concentrates on the Book of Hebrews. It examines Christ’s present ministry in Heaven as the believer’s intercessor and high priest. It also investigates our responsibility to live for Christ in light of his ministry toward us.

 Theme

   Jesus Christ finished his work of redemption on the cross. Now he is in heaven carrying out his work of intercession on behalf of all believers.

Aims

   By the end of this class, you will be able to:

   1. Briefly describe Christ’s superiority as our Great High Priest

   2. Briefly describe eh believer’s responsibility toward Christ

Introduction

Question: What big thoughts about the New Testament story do you think will be looked at in this unity?

·   Christ’s high priestly ministry

·   The end times

Key Verse

‘Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,

Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.’   Hebrews 4:14

Question: What basic instruction does this verse give to believers?

·   Hold fast to our confession.

Question: What is the ‘confession’ we are to hold fast to?

·   ‘…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.’  Romans 10:9-10

Question: What circumstances in life could prompt the need to remember and apply this instruction?

·   Illness, loss of a job, trouble with children, a spouse, death of a loved one, church troubles, or other trials that may come your way.

I. An Introduction to the Book of Hebrews

   A. The Writer

Question: Who wrote the Book of Hebrews?

·   We really don’t know. But we have an idea.

   Some scholars believe Paul wrote Hebrews. Some believe Peter wrote Hebrews.

   However, the problem is that both the words ‘I’ and ‘We’ are used to reflect perhaps two   or more writers. So, since we know Paul and Luke traveled together, I place my vote for a   joint collaboration between Paul and Luke. Why? The grammar and word usage looks   like what Paul and Luke would write.

   B. The theme, key chapter and key word.

   Theme: the superiority of Christ our Great High Priest.

   Key Chapter: 11

   Key Words: Faith (31) eternal / forever (13) Heaven/heavenly (16)  better (12)

   C. Circumstances of the writing of the book of Hebrews

   Written to non Christians who are searching for a place to place their faith and Christians   who are stumbling in their faith.

   Hebrews has a close connection to the Book of Leviticus.

   Leviticus gives us the types and Hebrews gives us the antitypes.

II. The Superiority of the Person of Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-4:14)

   The Big Idea: Jesus is BETTER than everyone else.

   A. Jesus is better than the Prophets (Heb. 1:1-3)

Question: According to Hebrews 1:1-3 why is Jesus better than the prophets?

   1. Jesus is the full and final witness for the last days

   2. Jesus possesses deity

   3. Jesus is God’s heir

   4. Jesus is the creator of all things

   5. Jesus possesses full divine glory

   6. Jesus sustains the universe

   7. Jesus is our redeemer

   8. Jesus is our intercessor

Question: According to Hebrews 1:5-14 why is Jesus better than the angels?

   B. Jesus is better than the angels (Heb. 1:5-14)  

   1. Jesus has a better name (Phil. 2:9)

   2. Jesus is God’s Son

   3. Jesus is before all

   4. Jesus is worshipped by angels

   5. Jesus is Lord/master over the angels

   6. Jesus is called God by the Father.

Question: According to Hebrews 3:1-6 why is Jesus better than Moses?

   C. Jesus is better than Moses (Heb. 3:1-6)

   1. Moses was faithful serving in God’s house (spiritual economy) but Jesus built the   house.

   2. Moses was a faithful servant but Jesus is God’s Son

III. The Superiority of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 4:15-10:18)

   A. Christ is our Great High Priest

Question: Jesus, our Great High Priest finished the work of redemption. How?

·   By his sacrificial and substitutionary death on the cross of Calvary.

   ‘When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his   head and gave up his spirit.’ Jn 19:30

   Jesus has now passed through the heavens and gone back to the place of his glory, at the   right hand of God the Father.

   Because God the Son became Jesus, the man he can identify and sympathize with our   weaknesses.

Read: Heb. 4:16

   He was man yet without sin, therefore, through his death, resurrection and ascension he   has transformed God’s throne of holy judgment into a throne of grace to all who believe.   (Heb. 4:16)

Question: What thoughts go through your mind when you read Heb. 4:16?

   B. Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek

Question: Who was Melchizedek?

·   ‘Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High’ Gen 14:18

Question: Which family were priests chosen from for Jews of the OT?

·   Aaron

·   That’s why you may have heard the term ‘The Aaronic Priesthood’.

   These priests who would make sacrifices for the sins of the israelites, also had to make   sacrifices for their own sin.

   The Aaronic priests had to make regular and continual sacrifices, Jesus, in the order of   Melchizedek made one sacrifice, once for all and it does not need to be repeated.

   Melchizedek was not from the line of Aaron, he was not an Israelite either.

   Aarons priesthood was temporary. Aaron and his sons died. Melchizeded has no   recorded beginning or end (no birth or death record although he was born and did die)

   Melchizeded was a type of Christ.

   C. Hebrews includes some parenthetical thoughts

Question: What are ‘parenthetical thoughts’?

·   They are ‘O, by the way’ statements that are sandwiched between the main thrust of the text.

   The Book of Hebrews has 5 parenthetical thoughts.

   1. Heb. 2:1-4 warns against neglecting what we have heard and the offer of   salvation.

   2. Heb. 3:7-19 warns against unbelief.

   3. Heb. 5:11-6:20 warns against immaturity and apostasy

   4. Heb. 10:26-39 warns against willful sin

   5. Heb. 12:25-29 warns against disobedience

   IV. The Believer’s Responsibility Toward Jesus. (Heb. 10:19-13:17)

   The Book of Hebrews follows Paul’s style of writing in that it begins with the doctrinal   section and then the application follows.

   Knowing is one thing, doing is another. God want’s both.

   A. The Call to Faith (full confidence) in Jesus. (Heb. 10:19-11:40)

Read: Heb. 10:19-25

   Believers are urged to approach God’s throne of grace. We can do this because of the   finished work of Jesus on the cross.

Question: The word ‘spur’ is the same was to ‘provoke’, what does it mean to ‘provoke’?

·   to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.

·   to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity): The mishap provoked a hearty laugh.

·   to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.

·   to give rise to, induce, or bring about: What could have provoked such an incident?

·   to rouse from inactivity, quiet, contentment, indifference, etc.

Dictionary.com

Question: Do you know anyone who is good at provoking you to do something?

Question: God expects us to be good at provoking people to what, according to this text?

·   Love and good deeds

·   Regular worship attendance

   B. The Call to faith in Jesus continued.

   Hebrews 11 is the great chapter in Scripture on faith. Here we find examples of OT men   and women of faith, exercising that faith to the glory of God.

Action: Turn to Heb. 11:1

Question: Who are the great people of faith and what did they do to get on the list and he so honored by God?

   1. Abel (Heb. 11:4) offered a sacrifice that included blood and looked forward to Jesus’   sacrifice on the cross. Not only was Abel’s heart better than Cain’s so was his   sacrifice.

   2. Enoch (Heb. 11:5) his whole life was a walk of faith. He lived a life that pleased God.   He was the first man to bypass death and go straight to heaven.

   3. Noah (Heb. 11:7) believed that God was going to send a worldwide flood and he acted   on his faith by building an ark. His faith and obedience brought deliverance for him   and his family.

   4. Abraham (Heb. 11:8-10, 17) believed God enough to go wherever God sent him. He   also showed his faith when he was willing to offer his son, Isaac, to be sacrificed   because he believed God would either raise Isaac from the dead or provide another   sacrifice.

   5. Sarah (Heb. 11:11-12) was a woman of faith. Her faith gave her the physical strength   to bear a son n her old age.

   6. Isaac and Jacob (Heb. 11:20-21) by faith gave blessings to their sons; which showed   that they believed God would carry out what he had promised concerning their future.

   7. Joseph (Heb. 11:22) by faith asked that his bones be carried back to Israel. This request   showed that he believed God would bring his people back to the land he promised   them.

   8. Moses parents (Heb. 11:23) believed that Israel had a future; therefore they were   willing to protect their son. They feared God more than Pharaoh. 

   9. Moses (Heb. 11:24-29) sided with Israel instead of basking in the opulence of Egyptian   life because he believed the Messiah would come from Israel. His faith carried him   through the conflict with Pharaoh, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the 40 yrs of   wandering in the wilderness.

   10. Joshua (Heb. 11:30) had faith to believe that God would overthrow Jericho…even   though Jericho is not specifically mentioned here.

   11. Rahab (Heb. 11:31) showed her faith in Israel and Israel’s God by hiding and   protecting the Israelite spies when they came to Jericho.

   Hebrews also mentions some people we would not think of as giants of faith, yet they are   mentioned here.

   Barak, Deborah, Samson, Gideon.

   They are mentioned because God wants us to know and be assured that he honors all acts   of faith, great and small.

   C. The Call to Hope and Love (Heb. 12:1-29)

   The writers of Hebrews use the illustration of an athletic contest, calling believers to ‘run   with patience’ (Heb. 12:1)

   Believers are to lay aside all that would hinder them from winning the race…particularly   the heavy burden of sin.

   When we don’t lay aside our sin, when we continue to carry it with us, God will correct   or discipline us.

Question: According to Heb. 12:6 why does God discipline us?

• Because he loves us