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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/scott-macleod/our-great-high-priest/
I'd like to pick up on what our brother mentioned, that little comment that he mentioned. This ties back into the doctrine of the gospel. How could he ever say that all of our sins have been forgiven?
Well, none of us were born when Christ died. And that's the carefulness of the word of God, the spirit of God, as he gave us the word of God. So in John, it doesn't say, if we ask for forgiveness, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
John, as you know, is a family apostle, and our brother mentioned that it's all about the restoration of fellowship. The word confess is simply saying the same thing as. That's all it is. It's what you did the moment you got saved, you agreed with God, it's repentance, genuine.
When sin comes into a believer's life, I don't have to go to God and ask for forgiveness. Based on what I understand from the gospel, and what I will show you in a minute, when Christ died, it is finished.
According to the book of Romans, raised for our justification, it was all done. The wrath was exhausted, it was consumed, the holiness of God was vindicated, God is satisfied. Now sin comes into my life, and it causes a bad feeling.
I look at that, God looks at that, what you did Scott, the Bible says is wrong. That's right. Don't. Don't live in guilt, dear child of God. Well that couldn't have been enough. I'll have to go back. I'll have to say it better, like I really mean it.
You're emphasizing your effort, not what Christ has done. It's actually unbelief not to take God at his word. So, these things are paramount to get into your life as a young Christian. Because, let's look at Hebrews chapter 12.
There's a reason why we rejoice, we boast, Romans chapter 5, in the person of the Lord Jesus. He is everything, and he's everything to God. Now, we're going to read an expression, and I've heard a number of different explanations to this, I'll give you my personal understanding of it, what I see from the Bible, and we'll look to the Lord for help.
Hebrews chapter 12, verse number 2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, please notice, who for the joy, the joy, that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God.
Now, if something's in front of you, you don't set it in front of you. It's in front of you. Obviously, something was placed in front of the Lord Jesus, and he focused upon it. Now, our brother left us with a nice little comment about having a word from the Lord.
Vital, because the devil will attack you, and there's nothing like going back to a word from the Lord. It settles everything just like that. What is the joy that was set before him in the book of Hebrews?
What is it? Well, some people, I've heard some people explain it this way, well, we can go to the Gospel of John, and the Gospel of John records more of a father and a son coming from heaven, going back to heaven, and him looking forward to going back to heaven, and that was the joy.
That is a lovely thought, I would agree 100%. I don't think that's it in the epistles to the Hebrews. What Hebrews is doing, if you want to understand, for the younger people, I know the older will know this, if you want to understand the epistles to Hebrews, you have to study the tabernacle system.
It's not Solomon's temple, it's the tabernacle system. You have to be a little bit acquainted with the offerings, a little bit acquainted with the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16. Because what's going to happen in the book of Hebrews, the Lord Jesus is going to be compared and contrasted with every little piece of that Mosaic Levitical system in the Old Testament.
Now there is something that we're going to find that God was looking for, but the Levitical system could never give it to him. Why? We find out in Hebrews that the whole Levitical system was on the foundation of animal blood.
Animal blood, the blood of bulls, could never take away sin. Never! But what Christ has done, the New Covenant, the Old Covenant, the New Covenant, law, grace, foundation of animal blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son.
You couldn't get a greater contrast. So why would I be exercised to speak on this? Why have I been studying this? Well, as I've been mentioning in Waterloo, we're on prophetic events, Reformed theology, there's a lot that the Reformers gave us we're thankful for, the Bible we have in our hand.
But there's a lot of things that the Reformers gave us that would not square with the Bible. Take the thousand year reign of Christ. It's all spiritualized to them. It's literal in the Bible. Reformed theology, and it's all different flavors, just like ice cream and things.
You know, I'm just generalizing, so don't be too hard on me. Israel has failed. Therefore, all the promises have been transferred over to the church. They call that replacement theology. Therefore, there is no future for Israel.
According to the Bible, there is. There will be a literal city, Jerusalem. And Jesus Christ will sit on a literal throne, ruling over this earth for a thousand years. That's just dispensational theology that we have in the Bible.
This law, if you go into Reformed theology, not only do they deny the rapture, the future for Israel, they emphasize heavenly works. That spin is elevated. If you're familiar with the Tulip Doctrine, the very last one, the perseverance of the saints, where the focus is put upon you keeping your salvation.
That is rising to the top again. Maybe it's because I'm getting older and I see these things. People are wanting to mix law and grace. You can't. If you want to do a little study, Hebrews will do this well for you, the book of Galatians.
The book of Galatians is Paul masterfully, by the Spirit of God, contrasting law and grace. When you're in Galatians, you'll be introduced to two mountains. The mountain where law was given, and the mountain of blessing, Zion.
You'll be introduced to two women. There will be a Hagar, and then she's contrasted to Sarah, Abraham's wife. You'll be introduced to two children, Ishmael. And you read this awful expression, after the flesh.
Then you're introduced to another boy, Isaac. After the Spirit, the promise of the Spirit. That's what is happening. That's what's happening broad speaking. This, in the book of Galatians, law, we're told that it was only temporary.
Until Christ should come. Once Christ, the promised seed, the Deliverer, would come, He would actually fulfill all of those pictures. So that lovely morning meeting that we had this morning, and there was a lot of references to sacrifice, and incense, and animals, All of that was only picturing a greater, the ultimate sacrifice.
So when my brother made that comment, all our sins, past, present, future, all forgiven, all covered, under the blood, it's because of the worth of the Lord Jesus. That's it. So God is not measuring your success with Christ's success.
Now hold that. We've got a wicked heart in here that will not accept that. How many Christians live their Christian life filled with guilt? Feeling bad? Feeling like they somehow have to work their way back into the graces of God?
No, you don't. The Bible teaches, Ephesians chapter 1, In Christ, we have received all blessings. Now, coming back to Hebrews chapter 12, I know you thought it wasn't ever going to change, but it almost came down that rabbit hole.
Hebrews chapter 12, the joy that was set before him. It was always on the heart of the Father to forgive sinners. And I want to do it permanently. It's the joy. Now let's read a little bit about it. Look at, let's turn over to chapter 10.
Go just back to chapter 10 for a minute. I'm going to read another expression. Chapter 10, look at, we have a contrast, of course, to sacrifice, verse 5. Sacrifice and offerings, thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me, in burnt offerings and sacrifices.
There's a whole biblical system. For sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, here's the Lord Jesus, Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will. There's the joy. Go down to verse number, verse 8.
Lo, I come to do thy will. There's the joy again. O God, he, Christ, taketh away the first. Lo, Levitical system. That he may establish the second. Notice, by the witch will. There it comes again. We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
That's why God found no pleasure in the death of a bullock. God enjoyed the heart behind it, from the person. But when he looked at that thing, that thing had no intelligence. That thing didn't know it was going to the altar.
That thing couldn't comprehend the will of God. It was only a temporary thing. What it actually caused the mind of God to do, when David, or when they all offered, it caused God's mind to go down the road to the ultimate sacrifice.
Please understand, dear child of God, that David and all those Old Testament people were as much forgiven as you and I. It wasn't a temporary band-aid. Oh, let's hope this holds. You have to understand that God dwells in eternity.
And all of those Old Testament people,.
Faith, we understand that from the book of Romans, all looked forward to that day when he would come. We are now after post, and we look back. Everything centers on the Lord Jesus. That's why we make much of him.
That's why we love to sing about him, and worship him. Because without him, we would have absolutely nothing. So just keep that in mind. Now here's another, just a little, keep my hand off the top here, here's just another little thing that will help you.
Do you ever remember reading, with this tabernacle system, an expression called a savor of rest? What in the world was that? Well, I used to love when my mother made chocolate fudge. I still say it's the best ever.
And we used to come in as kids, and it had to reach softball, and we saw it would never come. You that cook would know what that means. And it took hours. And we would just, I would particularly, probably why most of my kids were out of there today, I would just put my nose over the pot, and just breathe in that cocoa as much as I could.
Man, it was good. And then you gotta breathe in again. It was a savor that you rested over. All the Levitical offering was, it was just a smell. Can you imagine if the mother looked at me and said, enjoy the smell, that's all you're getting.
What? I want the actual stuff in my mouth.
Now you just look at the Bible, all God got was just a lovely odor. Oh, that reminds me of my son. But I'm not happy to rest here. I want him. He's the ultimate. So that's what we're looking at here. We're looking at the will of God.
Go to chapter seven, and look at verse number 11. Chapter seven, verse number 11. This is a lovely thought here. If therefore perfection, now that's a word, and similar words to it that comes up in the book of Hebrews.
So we have to ask ourselves, what is perfection in the book of Hebrews? If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest, another of a different kind of priest.
So you know in the Greek language you have our English word other, but it can mean another of the same kind, or another of a different kind. The Spirit of God has carefully chosen another of a different kind.
That is why, you'll get this, should rise after the order of Macalzadeth. Not Aaron. Aaron was linked with the Levitical system. In the book of Hebrews, for those that know your Bible and would like to study this out, you will get that expression once in Hebrews.
Not after the order of Aaron. What will you get six times? After the order of Macalzadeth. We go to Genesis, Abraham's life. Genesis chapter 14, he's coming to the battle that our brother mentioned. He's on the way back from the battle.
And you're introduced to this man, first time in scripture. He's a king, and he's a priest. And what he's holding in his hand is bread and wine. Now prior to Genesis 14, when bread is mentioned by itself, Noah cursed.
Prior to Genesis 14, when wine is mentioned by itself, Noah cursed. Now all of a sudden for the first time, being held by a king priest. Where did he live? Salem, Jerusalem. King David's not even on the throne.
He's not even born. It was King David that went and captured Jerusalem. Do you think God has a program? God is not reacting through time. God is laying down all these different events of the Old Testament with that ultimate goal of not only bringing Christ to the cross, but bringing him to the throne.
We need to get a hold of these things. We read our Bibles in this piecemeal attitude. Like, oh, that's an interesting story.
It's all connected to your child of God. There's a reason.
And all of a sudden this man just appears,.
And Abram doesn't even know he's coming. And all of a sudden what happens?
He strengthens him. Gives him a word from God. You'll notice that when he leaves Macaulay's Dick and he meets the king of Sodom, the temptation, he quotes the very thing that Macaulay's Dick gave him, the word of God.
You're linked with the most high God who ruleth, owner of everything, heaven and earth. That's our high priest today, the Lord Jesus. That's something Aaron could never do. But now this man, Macaulay's Dick, just all of a sudden, he just drops out of nowhere.
And in the Bible, no record of his birth, no record of his death, no record of his mother, no record of his father. He's made to appear eternal.
What was common in the Levitical system?
This priest died, replaced. Died, replaced. Died, replaced. Died, replaced. I could keep going. Christ is eternal. He'll never leave me. He'll always be my priest. That's why you never get the expression in the Old Testament, great high priest.
But you get it in the book of Hebrews. Because now Christ has come. And to me, it's the most exciting thing in the book of Hebrews. This is the sum. It's almost like the writer has peaked. We have such a great high priest.
Dear child of God, are you enjoying your high priest? Great high priest. Wonderful thing to come to a conference, enjoy a conference. Wonderful thing to go to gospel meetings, support gospel efforts. Wonderful thing.
Are you reading every day? Are you praying every day? Don't substitute this for private walking with your Savior. Don't. You know what happens in this? We run into people that are not like me. And the problems start to rise and the personalities.
When I'm all by myself, I think I'm great. Something about me talking to Christ, it just sort of levels you down a little bit. I need personal communion to handle this. Can't survive without it. So I would encourage you, if you don't have a systematic, disciplined reading schedule every day, please start tonight.
Please. Don't give it up for nothing. Your Savior is too valuable. Don't fall out of fellowship with him. He's a marvelous person. I wish I knew him better. Look at verse number 11. So we, before we move, we found this thing.
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, obviously we're just taking the word of God at face value. Perfection, whatever it is at this point, it did not come through the Levitical system.
But now we're being told it has come. And it's linked with this other priest and this other person. Look at verse number 19. Okay, let's get the word perfect again. Verse 18. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before.
Law for the witness of the prophet must throw out law. For the law made nothing perfect. There's your Levitical system. But the bringing in of a better hope did. Here it is. By the witch we draw knowledge of God.
That's perfection. Now in order to be brought into the presence of God, something has to be done with your sins. The animals couldn't do it. The blood of Christ has. That's why this whole contrast is happening.
What was the, it was referred to in the Levitical system as the great day. I mentioned it already, the day of atonement, Leviticus 16. It's the only time recorded in the Bible, Leviticus 16. It was to happen in the fall of their calendar year.
And that's, go read about it, Leviticus 16. What did that one day produce? It only allowed one man, the high priest, on three different occasions in that day to actually move through the tabernacle, go through that veil, and into the holiest of holies.
Right where God is. In that Old Testament system. So, the Jewish people follow a 360 day calendar of the moon. For 359 years, 359 days, all they could do was look at that tabernacle structure. We can move into the holy place as much as we want, but that back room of the holiest of holies, don't go in there, you'll die.
God only allows us on one day to go in there. And just be the high priest. That was the best that law could produce. What does the blood of Christ produce? 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I have direct access to the holiest of holies.
Because you're a preacher! I wish there was a big bell up here. No! Because of the person of Christ. What does that mean, dear child of God? I hear these words all the time. And I have to be honest with you, it irritates me.
I hear people stand up and pray. You know, they tell God, God, we're not worthy. We're not worthy, you should come under our roof. God has made us worthy. We can never lose that. We can't add to that.
Why is it that we have such a hard time enjoying the exalted position that God has given us? Do you understand, dear child of God, when you get ahold of, I've been saved for over 30 years, I'm no more saved today.
I'm not getting closer to God positionally. Oh, enjoying life practically, feet on the ground, yes, I hope so. I'm no more forgiven. God can't justify me anymore.
Than what happened the second I put my feet in it.
I stand absolutely before the holiness of God. No fear.
That's why a number of times in the book of Hebrews, we have boldness to enter in,.
Right into the very presence of God. Boldness, lovely word. It's made up of two words,.
All in speech. Do you hesitate to tell God things? You tell God your darkest secrets, because he knows them anyway. It's good for us to hear ourselves say it. It's good for us when we do sin to actually hear myself verbally say, Lord, when I said that lie, it was wrong.
I think that's good. And I don't have to slink into the, no, I have, I want you to get a hold of this. I have full access to the God of eternity. It's all because of what Christ has done. This is the new covenant.
This is what we have. Now, quickly, let's go to chapter two, Hebrews chapter two, and look at this lovely verse, Hebrews chapter two, and verse number 10. Hebrews two, verse number 10. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory.
Here's what I want. To make the captain. It's the idea of someone who opens up a road, a trail later. Think of that. The captain of our salvation, perfect through suffering. This is, of course, bringing in the high priest, the work of our Lord Jesus.
As a man, as a sinless man, God allowed him to suffer for righteousness sake, in the plural. Experiencing not things because of sin in his life, sin from other people, death and all that sort of thing.
And that brought a level of full growth. Christ as a man, so that he can relate to us now that we're not on that right now. I just want you to appreciate the idea that there's someone out front, and they've gone before, and they've opened up this trail.
Go to chapter six, and this will be our last reading. Chapter six. I touched on this last week in Kansas City. I feel like I should touch it here just to encourage us. Look at verse number 17. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability, that's a big word, we don't use that today, of his counsel confirmed it by an oath.
Do you know what that word immutable means here, Father God? It's something. It's an object viewed from two points. Take this microphone. If I look at that microphone here, and I look at that microphone here, very different picture.
Time does nothing to God. Your experience is your age. God and God's word is the same. These promises are eternal. This is not some half measure. And I love how that's nothing will ever change what Christ has done.
Marvelous. Based on the word of God. So come back to verse number 18. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope? So we start with the Lord Jesus and the joy. Now as a result of us coming in contact with him, having fulfilled the Father's will, having us saved and brought in, that produces a tremendous hope.
I'm forced to think of that. You don't deserve it. Set before us which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. I believe it is the person of Christ. Both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the veil.
It's your old tabernacle system going through the holy place, into the holies of holies, the very presence of God. Whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus made a high priest forever out of the order of Maccabees.
Greek words are very pictorial. So what's behind a lot of these words, the anchor? There would be a big galley ship and she'd want to get into the harbor in the bay and this boat would come out to meet the big galley ship, they tell us.
And there would be the offloading of that big anchor from the galley ship into the boat. And that boat would take that anchor right into the harbor, the safe place and would drop the anchor. And then the galley would start to wind in the anchor.
And the ship would just follow the anchor. And I encourage you, if you're going home, I will feel 100 comfortable in God's presence because of what Christ is. Not because of what I've done or could ever do.
And he actually, can you imagine the contact? This must have hit these Hebrew, these Jewish people, can you imagine Aaron on the day of atonement looking behind him saying, come on David, follow me.
I'm going down the hallways of the hall. People would have stood up and said, don't, you'll die. Only Aaron's allowed in there. Christ looks at you and I and says,.
Follow me. Dear child of God, when you pray at home, where do you worship? When we pray here today collectively, where do you worship? He's like, come on. We're in a building, our feet are on the ground.
Now according to Hebrews, when you bow your knee privately, when we bow collectively, the Bible tells me that we enter into the third heavens. Spiritually speaking, we leave this place. We left it this morning.
So you've got to understand, the tabernacle, God came down and dwelt in a little building. What's the new covenant? You have Christ up in heaven. He's the forerunner. He's the anchor. And we actually go to where he is in spirit.
Right into the homes of others. My advice to you is what God would say to the children of Israel, when I bring you into the promised land, enjoy it. Enjoy, take time to enjoy what Christ has done for us.