Christ IS The Better Covenant
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Opening:
Story
A priest, a minister and a guru sat discussing the best positions for prayer while a telephone repairman worked nearby. "Kneeling is definitely the best way to pray," the priest said.
"No," said the minister. "I get the best results standing with my hands outstretched to Heaven."
"You're both wrong," the guru said. "The most effective prayer position is lying down on the floor."
After listening to all of this the repairman could contain himself no longer. "Hey, fellas," he interrupted, "The best prayin' I ever did
was when I was hangin' upside down from a telephone pole."
Recap/Intro
Christ is the Better High Priest
Better Priest brings Better Covenant
The Minister
The Minister
Person (vv. 1, 2).
Christ whose a better priest resides in heaven with God in the Place of honor
He ministers on our behalf in God’s presence
The Tru Place of Worship - Not human made
Practice (v. 3).
All priests offer gifts.
Christ offered the best gift, His life (John 3:16).
Problem (v. 4).
Christ could not be an earthly priest,
since the earthly priest must follow the Old Testament laws.
Pattern (v. 5).
Moses built the earthly tabernacle according to heavenly standards given by God.
Promises (v. 6).
“But Christ, as a minister in heaven, has been rewarded with a far more important work than those who serve under the old laws, because the new agreement which he passes on to us from God contains far more wonderful promises” (LB).
Because of the greater gift, Jesus receives greater reward
This greater reward he has promised to pass on to those who believe
Peril (v. 7).
The old covenant couldn’t stand alone
it needed Christ (cf. Rom. 10:13; 1 John 1:9).
The Ministry
The Ministry
The promise (v. 8).
“But God himself found fault with the old one, for he said, ‘The day will come when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and the people of Judah’ ” (LB). Verse 8 is a quotation from Jeremiah 31:31–34.
God Promised a better covenant
The punishment (v. 9).
The people did not and could not keep the old covenant
so God cancelled it. Under the Old Testament law one could not light a fire on the Sabbath, cook, feed animals, etc. They could not keep this law.
They werent meant too
The Meaning
The Meaning
People (v. 10).
God’s law would be put in the minds and hearts of the people. God would be their God, and the people would be His people and know His commands and obey them (John 14:15).
Proof (v. 11).
The people would know God. They would know Him by His works.
Purging (v. 12).
God would show His mercy and forgive them their sin (see Ps. 103:3, 12).
Promises (v. 13).
“God speaks of these new promises, of this new agreement, as taking the place of the old one; for the old one is out of date now and has been put aside forever” (LB).
We are saved by grace—not good works (Eph. 2:8, 9).