The Exaltation of Christ

Really? Anyway, all right, so again, we want to talk about this reality of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King and We dealt mainly with the idea of Him as Prophet last week and Remember what we said now that the

Prophet speaks for God to us the

Priest speaks To God for us and the

King certainly is one who rules in that very kingdom That God has established and so as we think about it as we think about Christ as the as the priest

I think it's important that we begin to understand a number of things and certainly the reality is that Christ is the

He -Priest not only is he the priest but he is the high priest and so certainly that's something that's

Distinct in that he only can hold that office as the high priest and so I want to look at a bunch of scriptures or at least a number of scriptures that help us to understand that and then

Maybe some thoughts will come out of it. So let's start in Psalm 110

So if you want to go there, that'd be great Just to get some understanding of how

Christ fulfills the office of the priest and As we think about it,

I think it's important that we understand that There were many priests in the Old Testament, right?

And certainly there was The line of Aaron who had to be they had to come to through Aaron's Loins if you will to become

Be the high priest and certainly then there was the Levites and we can think about all the priests in the

Old Testament but let's just read a couple of Scriptures that talk about Christ.

So it's on 110 it David says this the

Lord said to my Lord Sit at my right hand Until I make your enemies a footstool

The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion rule in the midst of your enemies your people which is this verse is really good verse for the

If you will the effectual call of God, which is what we've been talking about on Wednesday night, right?

Look what it says your people will be I like it better and the

King James in the New King James says your people will be volunteers But in the King James, I believe it says your people will be willing in the day of your power in the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning you have to do to do of Your youth the

Lord has sworn and will not repent you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek and so let's just think about Something I want to ask us to think about So From what you know the

Scriptures. What was the distinction? about Melchizedek, I mean what was

What was said about Melchizedek? And if you remember the story, right?

Well The story was that the account was that he came

That he met Abraham as he was coming back and that Abraham Did what he actually paid?

Tides to Melchizedek, right? What is it about Melchizedek from what you remember from the

Scriptures? What is it about Melchizedek that makes him so unique? And no beginning right so he has no beginning what do we know about him?

He's the king of Salomon. What by the way, what is Salomeon? I was saying

Yeah, absolutely and so when you think about that and Really, which means peace.

Yeah. Yeah So we don't have any beginning of Melchizedek nor do we have any

History, it's not like Aaron. Aaron was the brother of Moses who came from Out of the parents that and there was

Miriam so we know a lot about them We know a lot about Levi and the Levites and and and how they came to be and be put into the priesthood but he has no beginning and the difference between him and the other priest was his order of priesthood is totally unique and that No one fulfills that place

And I think we need to think about it. Remember if the priest speaks to God for us and now we meet someone and Certainly, we'll see it in the book of Hebrews as we go through this that Christ ultimately is

That great king of Melchizedek. I mean that great priest of out of Melchizedek's Genealogy but when you think about it and you think about how

You and I live in a day when people depend on On other people to speak to God for us, right?

Whether you see a priest or I Always get a kick when I see the collar.

I mean around someone's neck and as if all of a sudden they are to be distinguished from everyone else and I guess supposedly there's

There's some truth to that because if you see if you walk in through the store and you see somebody with a collar on What what goes through your mind?

Goes through my mind is he's a priest What right or wrong or indifferent, but I still relate that to him

And so when we think about Christ, he is a priest and he's a greater priest ultimately than the

Aaronic priesthood, which was again set up by God because if you think about it, even as it says it says

Levi paid tithes remember when Abraham gave him a tenth of all that he had and and so certainly

Abraham and it says and we'll see it says the less is blessed by the greater, right?

And so right away it is a distinction that whenever we understand about Melchizedek It's superior to or give you will

Above the the high priest who by the way carried a whole lot of weight

I mean again, it was something that was absolutely unique so Thinking of that thinking of Christ as high priest.

I want you to now turn to If you will Psalm 40, I'm gonna look at this because it begins to give us further understanding and in Psalm 40

We read about Christ and this is one of those

If you will messianic prophecies where we you can relate much

Not all but much of what is said with the

Lord Jesus Christ himself, so Again a psalm of David And I want you to look starting from verse

Five It says many O Lord my

God Are your wonderful works which you have done and your thoughts which are towards us cannot be recounted to you in order

If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered now. Look what it says in verse 6

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire my ears you have opened burnt offering and sin offering

You did not require and then I said behold I come in the scroll of the book.

It is written of me I delight to do your will and your law is within me now

When we apply this to the Lord Jesus Christ Let's think about the priesthood for a minute the priest was to to offer a sacrifice on behalf of The people to God to if you will satisfy what

God required agree Okay When we read about Christ It says and if you think about it, it's a sacrifice and offering you did not desire my ears

You have opened and then he says behold I come And so when you think about the priesthood he was to offer a sacrifice

But if we think about the Lord Jesus he is sacrifice

Do you not see a distinction between that that he himself Became the sacrifice that was offered to God and that only his sacrifice could ultimately

Satisfy what God required? Because again the priest And we'll see it as we go through this the priest would have to How many times did the priest go in for the day of atonement once a year right and He went into where?

Where in the temple did he go? He went into the holiest of holies, right? And he offered a sacrifice and that atoning sacrifice was done every year year after year and The Levites who were also priests they

Worked in the temple and they had Assigned tasks to them, but it's really important for us

So now I want to go and I want to look at something in Hebrews Well, we're gonna look at a couple things in Hebrews because one of the things one of the themes of the book of Hebrews Is this idea of Christ being?

Way above and far superior in everything And not only that but certainly in the in the area of the priesthood so go to Hebrews 5 for a minute

Let's look at this and It's almost self -explanatory, which is really

Want you to think about this as you turn it to Hebrews 5 God took centuries

God took millenniums to develop Not only the fact of the seed of the woman that would that would crush the serpent's head right but God Allowed the priesthood to develop and he brought it to pass and then in the last days

Remember how the book of Hebrews opens up? It says God who had spoken so hundred times in times past To the fathers by the prophets has spoken in these last days by the

Son and that God had slowly Unfolded this whole idea in a priesthood.

And so when we get to Hebrews 5, it's not like we're reading something that we have no

Background for but we do have an understanding that God has taken If you will and I want to make it sound wrong, but God has

Patiently developed this whole idea in a priesthood Because if you think about when you read about the priesthood in the

Old Testament and all the sacrifices I guess in my fleshly thoughts.

It must have been one continual giant barbecue. I Mean just think about it

They were burning stuff that there was something on the fire all the time. I don't know about you, but when there's

When there's something on the fire whether it's in my own house or next door I don't know how many times we have said it to each other

Somebody's cooking something good And this is there's this aroma that fills the air right and you could almost pick it out

Well, that smells like chicken or that smells like steak or with this daddy other thing Now I want you to read this with me

So look what it says and listen to the if you will the argument for every high priest

Taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin

He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray Since he himself is also beset by weakness, right?

That's pretty self -explanatory that the priest can relate because he himself is just a

Man who is of like passions Because of this he is required as for the people so also for himself

To offer for sins and no man takes this honor to himself

But he who is called by God just as Aaron was do you remember when people tried to if you will?

Put themselves into a priestly office and it didn't go. Well, it didn't go

Well, so it had to be an appointment and had to be appointment by God.

So now look at what it says in verse 5 So also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest

But it was said of him You are my son today. I have begotten you and then he also says in another place

You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek again when we think about kids deck we think of him as Above if you will all other priests no beginning being the king if you will or being the priest over Salem which ultimately

Becomes Jerusalem and and that he is that very

Sacrifice it brings us to a point where we can Think of nothing else other than Look at verse 7 who in the days of his flesh when he offered up prayers and supplication with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to say from death and was heard because of His godly fear though.

He was a son yet. He learned obedience By the things which he suffered and having perfected

Having been perfected he became the author of eternal salvation According to a called by God as high priest according to Melchizedek of whom we have much to say and hard to explain since you are

Dull of hearing and that was one of the problems certainly, right? Now we talked about I know, but he did been talking about this if you go to 1st

John 2 2 and If you've been here on Wednesday night, that was one of the scriptures that Where it says that he is the propitiation for our sins and not only for our sins

But for the sins of what? the whole world Okay, and then what is propitiation mean?

Yeah, it appeases the righteous Indignation of God against sinners.

And so when it says that he's the propitiation what it's really doing It's highlighting that he is that ultimate sacrifice because the reality is

Those sacrifices that were often in the Old Testament, let's just think about this

Whether we've been the daily sacrifices the burnt offerings and the sin offerings and the trespass offerings and the freewill offerings and all the different ones that were established or if you want to say even the

Atonement that took place once a year Could that ever?

Satisfy God completely No Why?

Because again It had to have and think about this was not all those sacrifices

They were to be what they were to be without blemish, right again speaking of Christ ultimately

Because you remember what it says when Paul says he made him who what knew no sin

To become sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God in him and so it had to be if you will a perfect sacrifice it had to be a

Sacrifice that was without blemish and you and I begin to think about this

Look at this scripture if you will since you're right near it look at first Peter chapter 3 minute

And when you begin to put all these things together, it begins to make a lot more sense if you will

In first Peter chapter 3 and in verse 18 look what it says about Christ for Christ also suffered once for sins the just For the unjust that he might bring us to God Being put to death in the flesh, but alive by the

Spirit again that sacrifice of Christ that offering that he made

That place that he took as The type was

Melchizedek and as all the other types that were in the Old Testament Christ became the

Perfect Lamb of God not just a lamb but the perfect Lamb of God who became the became this came the

Substitution and by his what is what is

Isaiah saying Isaiah 53 by his stripes We are healed

Isn't that such a if you will how people? Let's just say in the

Roman Catholic faith how people think that that priest has some divine authority to actually

Offer a sacrifice and how even in Roman Catholicism in their doctrine how you confess your sins to who a priest a man a man of like passions,

I mean and yet When you think about it, there's really only one

Sacrifice and there's only one Substitution that will ultimately

Render us free In your Romans 5 and you don't turn here But it says we glory in God through our

Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement what a tragedy it is for people to try to Approach God other than this sinless perfect sacrifice and it wasn't in a system.

It's not in a religious activity It's in Christ and again

It had to have been a sinless Sacrifice and with that I want now to ask you to turn to Hebrews go back to Hebrews and I want to read

There's gonna take a few minutes, but I think it's worth a while. I want us to read Hebrews 7

Because Hebrews 7 brings this whole thing if you will to a head and I will back up and I'm going to start in verse 18 speaking about God's Counsel and it says that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie

We have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope that is in us

This hope we have is an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which enters the presence

Behind the veil. Do you remember that's what the high priest had to do, right? He had to go into the holiest of holy and no one else was allowed in there

And he only was allowed in there once a year where the forerunner has entered for us even

Jesus having become High priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek and that it's again presented to us now

Let's just read the if you will the biblical Argument that's presented for this

Melchizedek King of Salem priest of the Most High God who met

Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and Blessed him to whom a

Abraham gave a ten part of all first being translated King of Righteousness and then

King of Salem meaning King of Peace Without father without mother without genealogy having neither beginning of Days nor end of life, but made like the

Son of God remains a priest continually now Consider how great this man was to whom even the patriarch

Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils And indeed those who are the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood

Have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law Remember that how the people when they offered a sacrifice the priest got his if you will he got his cut

He got his Portion of it for his own livelihood

That is from their brethren though. They have come from the loins of Abraham but he whose

Genealogy is not Derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises now

Beyond all contradiction the less is blessed by the great by the better He immortal men received tithes

But there he received them of whom it is witnessed that he lives even Levi who received tithes

Paid tithes through Abraham so to speak for he was still in the loins of his father when

Melchizedek met him That's what we had just said now Therefore if perfection were through the

Levitical priest Priesthood for under it the people received the law what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek and Not be called according to the order of Aaron For the priesthood being changed of necessity.

There is a change of the law The he of whom these things are spoken of belongs to another tribe

From which no man has officiated at the altar for it is evident that our

Lord Jesus arose from Judah of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood and It is yet far more evident if in the likeness of Melchizedek There arises another priest who has come not according to the law of fleshly commandments

But according to the power of an endless life for he testifies and here's again

You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek For on the one hand there was an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness

For the law made nothing perfect on the other hand there is bringing in of a better hope

Through which we draw near to God and in as much as he was not made priest without an oath

For they become priests without an oath, but he with an oath By him who said to him

Again the Lord has sworn and will not relent you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek By so much more

Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant For there were many priests because they were prevented by death from continuing but he

But he because he continues forever has an Unchangeable priesthood

Therefore he is able to the uttermost able to save to the uttermost those that come

To God through him since he ever lives to make intercession For them for such a high priest was fitting for us who is holy harmless undefiled

Separate from sinners and has become higher than the heavens who does not need daily as those high priests to offer up Sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people for this he did once When he offered up himself for the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness

But the word of an oath which came after the law appoints the son whom he has perfected forever

Now this I'm gonna read just a little bit more this is the main point of the things we are saying we have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the

Majesty on high a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the

Lord erected and not man Every priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices

Therefore it is necessary that this one also have something to offer

For if he were on earth He would not be a priest since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law and you can continue to read through this and that's why

I say there is a uniqueness in the office of priest concerning Christ that no one could ever attain to and that when you think about it all the things that have been given to us in Christ and Even what we read in Hebrews 7 where it says he ever lives to make intercession for us

That is remarkable that you and I are able to Call unto

God Directly that we don't need to call them Don't call anybody father on earth and and and we don't need a priest we don't need a a

Go -between. We don't need a mediator Why because Christ is the mediator and it says he and you'll see it if you were to continue to reading

Through this that Christ is a mediator and he's the only mediator between God and man

That's what first Timothy says first Timothy. Let me just read it exactly what it says Well, there was one

God and one mediator between God and man the man

Christ Jesus So again as we think about these things and think about all the misapplications and all the misconceptions that people have what a travesty what a

What sadness and really to me what sorrow it is to have to go to someone

Who Is not only plagued just the way I am but he whoever it is that I go to He himself needs a mediator, right?

You and I have a mediator who is Seated at the right hand of the throne of God And again, the multitudes of people that are stuck if you will almost a bit like like the hamster in the wheel all

I can do is go around around around around around around because They have yet to realize that Christ is

If you will that ultimate sacrifice Himself and that that was given to him by the father and that's why it says over and over and over again

He is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek to distinguish between and from Those other

Priests and that you and I can Rejoice in that you and I can find comfort in that you and I can find satisfaction in that and ultimately

That's why Jesus could say he that believes on me has life right

Because he by his person by his work by his crucifixion burial resurrection and ascension and Session if you will and what

I mean by session is he's seated at the right hand of the throne of God, right? He he does reign.

He doesn't he's not waiting to reign. Is there a consummation that is to come and ultimately?

Yes At the end of whatever time is but right now you and I have a have a priest who is truly unique And if that doesn't

That doesn't encourage us. I'm not sure what will if that doesn't bring us some comfort

That and you remember what Jesus said in the Gospels? He said at one point he said you at this point you have not asked anything in my name

He says from now on You ask what in my name

And the father will grant it And so you and I have this mediator priest intercessor substitution

If you will even as it says in the book of Job Where Job said he had he couldn't find an umpire between God and man

And if you remember what the umpire does he's the one who? settles the account on both sides

So you and I have this if you will high priest And that we don't need a man

We don't need a system We don't need an offering. I don't really want to go into this, but I wonder sometimes with people who have a

Premillennial thought I see you smiling brother because I I guess you know where I'm going and how they still think

That there's going to be what? another temple and That it's going to be

Sacrifices offered again for at least a thousand years and Yet when you put that contrast that to what we have just briefly looked at this morning.

What would be the purpose? Do we need a sacrifice no because he

Offered himself and memorable read once for sin

So we I don't understand that part of the pre -millennial thinking and If you were to try to Understand Premillennial thought of dispensation so whatever way you want to term it

I think they have a real problem when it comes to Christ as high priest You want anything to that brother?

No, just But I will say that there is kind of Nuances there's probably two main schools of thoughts on that so that for them because of the distinction between Israel and the church

Those sacrifices though Ezekiel says they're for sin. Yeah, they say it's

Yeah, and I know and to me that's just a neat way of getting out of what

I just said Right because you can't really if you're sincere with the scriptures you really can't void

The fact that Christ is the sacrifice once for all and so yeah, I mean this there's always nuances and different splits

Among among that but just that whole thought of to me the the pre -millennial thought really has to deal with if you will the thought of a sacrifice and the thought of a priesthood and For what reason what is it really accomplish?

And yeah, I know you can get around it by saying it's a memorial and whatnot. So Okay, I said

I really wanted to just touch on this prophet priest and Now and I think we have enough well

We have almost enough time to just think about it as far as Christ as King and if you read it and what

I said to you in the beginning I think we need to remind ourselves. Although there were those who

Foreshadowed Both prophet priest and King Has there been anyone or?

Anything that would reveal to us that ultimately all three of those offices prophet priest and King would be fully met in one person and That person is of course

Christ and there is none other like him and you and I should be able to Rejoice in that and think about it.

Okay, so Let's think about him as King, you know,

I'll just like to do this because to me I say

King and you say what will come to you mind. I think of King and I think of this

Well, come on Authority, yep, when you say ruler ruler over what?

Yeah, so so if there's a ruler that means there has to be what

Servants right. I mean if you're a king, you gotta have a kingdom make sense

King has power has authority. He's the ruler. Yes servants he is

Beyond he's beyond challenge.

I'm terrible at spelling Only people here are really good. It's fine. You're really good at spelling.

All right, did I spell challenge, right? Or is it e n g e?

You're not sure See neither am I sure I don't know.

There's your French, huh? If you're French, it's China No, I'm from New York, Georgia All right, so think about it

King Scott power he's got authority he's got he's a ruler that Insinuates he has servants.

He's beyond challenge. He's beyond Question. So now let's think about it concerning Christ Prophet he's the one that God says this is my beloved son.

Hear you him, right? There's authority even in that right? As priest and he speaks to God for us

Everything goes through who Christ because he is the true high priest forever now we think about him as a king and There is a reality for you and me you read through the

Gospels Would you not come away if you did a sincere reading of the

Gospels? And even the Apostles book in the Gospels Would you not come away with a thought that what's presented to us of Christ is that he is a king?

Right and remember that was the great argument and ultimately until he gets to 20s before pilot and pilot says are you a king and what does

Jesus say? But my kingdom is not of this world nevertheless, he is a king who

Has come and I don't think we're going to be able to finish But I just want to read one scripture.

I want you to go to Psalm 2 for a minute and And this one if you will it reveals so much and again

Does it have a fulfillment in a historical setting? Yep, but ultimately it's

I believe This is again a messianic psalm and it's speaking of Christ And I think it applies to today too, right?

So it says this Psalm 2 Why do the nation's rage and The people plot a vain thing in the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the

Lord and against his anointed saying Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh The Lord shall hold them in derision

Then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress him in his deep displeasure Yet I have set my king on My holy hill of Zion, and I will declare the decree the

Lord said unto me You are my son Today I have begotten of you ask of me and I will give you

Nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession and you shall break them

With a rod of iron and you shall dash him in pieces Like a potter's vessel now, therefore be wise

O Kings Be instructed you judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling kiss the son

Lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little

Blessed are all those who put their trust in him, and you know as I was thinking about this, you know, and I thought about yesterday, you know what they said about The Ayatollah and I don't even know how to pronounce his last name

Khomeini or whatever that he was considered as second to God and that he was it was such a shock for those people that this guy who

Has if you will ruled with a rod of iron For 40 years or whatever it was

Guess what? He gone And and me and Katie were talking about this yesterday everybody has their day and Although he was an evil ruler and though he was a suppressor and though he had power and though he had authority

And though he had servants and though he was not really challenged much

He's Nobody in comparison to the king the true king and that you and I can find comfort that we serve more than a human king and That we serve the mighty

God the everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace and we'll continue this I think at least

Next week for a little while But I wanted to at least get that going in our mind to think about Don't take care of it, baby, but I think it's still running.

That's my problem There we go You and I serve a mighty king and so when we think about Christ's prophet priest and King It is it is meant for our own instruction and edification and ultimately for our own comfort

So I hope in some extent that that's something that we can come away from that our

Savior is A complete Savior And our

God is a complete God and he not only provided His son he provided the sacrifice and that son has all the authority and we'll look at some more verses next week

Okay, brother Gary Thank you for this time that you've given us

We serve our God that can see all things see the innermost parts of our minds. Hmm test the parts of our hearts

Lord God Guide us through your Holy Spirit and we thank you for all that you do He did get hot