WEBVTT 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:06.234 Alrighty, I like chapter eight, 00:00:07.014 --> 00:00:08.574 Hebrews. Chapter eight. 00:00:08.614 --> 00:00:10.006 The object of our worship. 00:00:10.006 --> 00:00:13.550 We have been talking about the book of Hebrews since the first of the 00:00:13.550 --> 00:00:16.238 year. And we've been making our way sort of verse by verse, 00:00:16.238 --> 00:00:17.518 section by section. 00:00:17.646 --> 00:00:20.118 All of God's word is about jesus. 00:00:20.166 --> 00:00:22.958 And you can Find it all the Way back to Genesis, 00:00:22.958 --> 00:00:23.638 chapter three. 00:00:23.686 --> 00:00:26.750 And it just keeps Pointing us in the direction of jesus. 00:00:26.750 --> 00:00:30.622 And so the book of Hebrews was sort of the outline title that I gave. 00:00:30.622 --> 00:00:32.358 It was the object of our faith, 00:00:32.358 --> 00:00:35.534 because the book of Hebrews kind of knits it all together for us. 00:00:35.150 --> 00:00:40.798 It sort of puts it together in a fashion that explains kind of how and 00:00:40.846 --> 00:00:44.870 what, and sort of the progression of what God was doing throughout the 00:00:44.870 --> 00:00:47.526 Old Testament through the man, 00:00:47.590 --> 00:00:49.354 Abraham, the family, 00:00:49.854 --> 00:00:51.086 the people group, 00:00:51.150 --> 00:00:52.034 the nation, 00:00:53.374 --> 00:00:54.262 the temple, 00:00:54.318 --> 00:00:55.134 the tabernacle, 00:00:55.174 --> 00:00:55.742 the temple, 00:00:55.742 --> 00:00:56.942 the sacrificial system, 00:00:56.998 --> 00:00:57.806 all of it. 00:00:57.806 --> 00:01:01.818 God sort of constructed it all for us to point to Jesus. 00:01:01.986 --> 00:01:03.642 And so we get to the book of Hebrews, 00:01:03.642 --> 00:01:06.986 and the book of Hebrews points to Jesus because it says that in these 00:01:06.986 --> 00:01:10.506 last days God has spoken through his son, 00:01:10.570 --> 00:01:12.314 Jesus. And Jesus is the son, 00:01:12.314 --> 00:01:13.690 and he's the heir of all things, 00:01:13.690 --> 00:01:17.354 and he is the creator of all things. 00:01:17.394 --> 00:01:19.202 He's the sustainer of the universe, 00:01:19.202 --> 00:01:21.182 he's the radiance of God's glory. 00:01:21.082 --> 00:01:24.614 He's the exact expression of the essence of God. 00:01:24.964 --> 00:01:26.244 Jesus said himself, 00:01:26.324 --> 00:01:27.436 if you've seen me, 00:01:27.436 --> 00:01:28.944 you've seen the father. 00:01:29.444 --> 00:01:29.972 He said, 00:01:29.972 --> 00:01:31.292 if you knew the father, 00:01:31.292 --> 00:01:32.504 you'd know me. 00:01:33.364 --> 00:01:34.660 And then Jesus also said, 00:01:34.660 --> 00:01:35.980 I am the way. 00:01:36.004 --> 00:01:38.868 Now, that's the cool thing about today's passage, 00:01:39.036 --> 00:01:42.516 is that we're going to continue with this idea of what Jesus says. 00:01:42.220 --> 00:01:43.908 I am the way. 00:01:44.036 --> 00:01:45.212 Not a way. 00:01:45.388 --> 00:01:47.452 Not many roads lead to God. 00:01:47.628 --> 00:01:48.288 Jesus says, 00:01:48.324 --> 00:01:50.052 I am the way. 00:01:50.188 --> 00:01:51.324 Absolute article. 00:01:51.484 --> 00:01:53.196 Okay, definite article. 00:01:53.260 --> 00:01:53.692 That's it. 00:01:53.692 --> 00:01:56.924 See, it's been a long time since I took English. 00:01:56.924 --> 00:01:57.996 Hebrews, chapter eight, 00:01:58.020 --> 00:01:58.556 one, six. 00:01:58.556 --> 00:01:59.876 Here's how it reads. 00:01:59.420 --> 00:02:03.504 Now, the main point of what is being said is this. 00:02:03.884 --> 00:02:08.300 We have this kind of high priest who sat down at the right hand of the 00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:10.404 throne of the majesty in the heavens, 00:02:10.404 --> 00:02:14.740 a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:16.260 the Lord and not man. 00:02:16.260 --> 00:02:19.564 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. 00:02:19.564 --> 00:02:23.320 Therefore, it was necessary for this priest also to have something to 00:02:23.320 --> 00:02:24.056 offer. Now, 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:24.872 if he were on earth, 00:02:24.872 --> 00:02:26.522 he wouldn't be a priest. 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:29.624 Since there are those offering the gifts prescribed by the law. 00:02:29.624 --> 00:02:33.672 These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. 00:02:33.728 --> 00:02:37.688 As Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. 00:02:37.736 --> 00:02:38.536 For God said, 00:02:38.536 --> 00:02:42.344 be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was 00:02:42.344 --> 00:02:44.568 shown to you on the mountain. 00:02:44.616 --> 00:02:48.368 But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, 00:02:48.416 --> 00:02:49.656 and to that degree, 00:02:49.656 --> 00:02:54.200 he is the mediator of a better covenant which has been established on 00:02:54.312 --> 00:02:55.832 better promises. 00:02:56.008 --> 00:02:56.544 All right, 00:02:56.544 --> 00:02:57.312 let's pray. 00:02:57.448 --> 00:02:58.912 God, we thank you for your word. 00:02:58.912 --> 00:02:59.480 And we thank you, 00:02:59.480 --> 00:03:04.192 God, that your word always shines and points us to Jesus. 00:03:04.368 --> 00:03:05.184 God, this morning, 00:03:05.184 --> 00:03:10.204 we thank you that it's in this passage that we're given the main point. 00:03:10.704 --> 00:03:11.272 So, God, 00:03:11.272 --> 00:03:12.416 help us to pay attention, 00:03:12.416 --> 00:03:14.528 as we've said all year long so far, 00:03:14.528 --> 00:03:17.168 help us to pay attention to Jesus more. 00:03:17.924 --> 00:03:20.700 God, I know that you loved us first. 00:03:20.852 --> 00:03:22.268 God, help us to love you back. 00:03:22.268 --> 00:03:24.700 Help us to love you not just in word, 00:03:24.700 --> 00:03:26.036 but God with our hearts, 00:03:26.036 --> 00:03:26.652 our minds. 00:03:26.652 --> 00:03:28.260 Help us devote ourselves to you. 00:03:28.260 --> 00:03:29.944 Help us to adore you. 00:03:30.604 --> 00:03:33.804 God, I pray for each person in the room this morning that we would take 00:03:33.804 --> 00:03:35.904 stock of our lives, 00:03:36.364 --> 00:03:41.224 but God also to really evaluate how much we love you back. 00:03:42.844 --> 00:03:45.724 So help us to pay attention to you this morning in Jesus name. 00:03:45.724 --> 00:03:46.634 Amen. Amen. 00:03:47.054 --> 00:03:50.862 I like this passage because any passage in the Bible that starts off with 00:03:50.862 --> 00:03:51.566 these words, 00:03:51.670 --> 00:03:55.394 now, the main point of what is being said is this, 00:03:55.734 --> 00:03:56.982 man, you know, 00:03:56.998 --> 00:03:57.454 when God, 00:03:57.454 --> 00:03:58.954 by inspiration says, 00:03:59.334 --> 00:04:00.078 right here, 00:04:00.126 --> 00:04:03.230 guys, pay attention to this. 00:04:03.422 --> 00:04:04.914 Don't miss this. 00:04:05.614 --> 00:04:07.674 This is a big deal. 00:04:08.374 --> 00:04:12.088 We have this kind of high priest. 00:04:12.246 --> 00:04:13.036 What does it mean, 00:04:13.036 --> 00:04:14.380 this kind of high priest? 00:04:14.380 --> 00:04:15.924 Well, if you go back to chapter seven, 00:04:15.924 --> 00:04:16.584 he's holy, 00:04:16.596 --> 00:04:17.628 innocent, undefiled, 00:04:17.676 --> 00:04:18.980 separated from sinners, 00:04:19.092 --> 00:04:21.404 exalted above the veil. 00:04:21.524 --> 00:04:25.100 He is not as the weak men who were appointed as priests, 00:04:25.100 --> 00:04:26.500 but he is a son. 00:04:26.500 --> 00:04:27.052 What does that mean? 00:04:27.052 --> 00:04:28.702 He's the son of God. 00:04:28.964 --> 00:04:30.980 He's the heir of all things. 00:04:31.052 --> 00:04:34.556 That's what I just read through that whole list of what we've learned so 00:04:34.556 --> 00:04:37.852 far in the first seven chapters of the book of Hebrews. 00:04:37.580 --> 00:04:39.948 It's really interesting to me that God, 00:04:39.996 --> 00:04:40.892 by inspiration, 00:04:40.948 --> 00:04:42.372 through the writers of Hebrew, 00:04:42.372 --> 00:04:45.970 has given us chapters to make the case, 00:04:46.122 --> 00:04:47.074 to say. 00:04:47.234 --> 00:04:52.094 Now, the main point is we've got a high priest. 00:04:52.914 --> 00:04:55.602 We've got this kind of high priest. 00:04:55.738 --> 00:04:56.858 He's perfect. 00:04:57.026 --> 00:04:58.962 He's separated from sinners. 00:04:59.138 --> 00:05:00.434 He's the son of God. 00:05:00.434 --> 00:05:02.194 He's the heir of all things. 00:05:02.194 --> 00:05:05.874 And that one line in there that says the exact expression of the essence 00:05:05.874 --> 00:05:06.570 of God, 00:05:06.682 --> 00:05:08.002 that's a deity statement, 00:05:08.074 --> 00:05:09.962 folks. I mean, 00:05:09.978 --> 00:05:15.474 there's no human being that is the exact expression of God, 00:05:15.554 --> 00:05:16.734 except God. 00:05:17.834 --> 00:05:21.034 So we have the birth of Jesus in a manger, 00:05:21.034 --> 00:05:22.570 and we love that part of it, 00:05:22.570 --> 00:05:23.334 don't we? 00:05:23.634 --> 00:05:24.162 You know, 00:05:24.162 --> 00:05:27.194 we got movies out there that point out the whole baby Jesus thing, 00:05:27.194 --> 00:05:28.914 right? Because we like Jesus, 00:05:28.954 --> 00:05:29.854 the baby. 00:05:30.994 --> 00:05:31.882 You know, 00:05:32.058 --> 00:05:32.746 it's funny, 00:05:32.770 --> 00:05:33.730 I listened to one preacher, 00:05:33.730 --> 00:05:34.010 he said, 00:05:34.010 --> 00:05:35.498 yeah, we like the baby Jesus. 00:05:35.498 --> 00:05:37.418 We like the Jesus with the free healthcare. 00:05:37.418 --> 00:05:40.050 We like the Jesus with the free buffet. 00:05:39.738 --> 00:05:41.454 We like all that Jesus. 00:05:42.554 --> 00:05:46.306 But the truth is we've got a high priest because we need a high priest. 00:05:46.306 --> 00:05:47.594 Why do we need a high priest? 00:05:47.594 --> 00:05:48.794 What is it that a high priest does? 00:05:48.794 --> 00:05:52.434 Priests serve to represent mankind to God, 00:05:52.554 --> 00:05:57.294 to bring the gifts and sacrifices for repentance and forgiveness. 00:05:57.634 --> 00:06:01.714 And we've been told up to this point that the earthly representation of 00:06:01.714 --> 00:06:07.330 priests and the sacrifice and the tabernacle and the temple and the 00:06:07.362 --> 00:06:11.768 offerings and all of that sort of thing did not accomplish perfection. 00:06:11.896 --> 00:06:14.032 So when we get to the end of this passage, 00:06:14.032 --> 00:06:17.616 where it says a better covenant and better promises is the promise of the 00:06:17.616 --> 00:06:21.240 perfection that only Jesus can accomplish in us. 00:06:21.392 --> 00:06:24.120 Okay? Jesus is that high priest. 00:06:24.272 --> 00:06:25.368 And so when I look at this thing, 00:06:25.368 --> 00:06:25.888 I'm thinking, 00:06:25.888 --> 00:06:27.864 wow, I like it. 00:06:28.024 --> 00:06:31.560 We have this kind of high priest who sat down at the right hand of the 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:34.444 throne of majesty in the heavens, 00:06:34.944 --> 00:06:37.284 a minister of the sanctuary. 00:06:37.914 --> 00:06:39.334 What sanctuary? 00:06:39.874 --> 00:06:42.722 That place where God dwells. 00:06:42.898 --> 00:06:44.610 Right? You know, 00:06:44.682 --> 00:06:46.178 you hear a lot of songs. 00:06:45.970 --> 00:06:50.810 I know there's a song that we sang as a singing group back in the 00:06:50.810 --> 00:06:53.162 seventies, Beulah land. 00:06:53.218 --> 00:06:54.810 How many of y'all know that song? 00:06:54.810 --> 00:06:55.922 You're probably old. 00:06:56.058 --> 00:06:56.814 All right, 00:06:58.274 --> 00:07:00.854 sorry. Beulah land, 00:07:01.474 --> 00:07:03.684 how I'm longing for you. 00:07:03.794 --> 00:07:07.704 Right? This idea of going to heaven, 00:07:07.784 --> 00:07:09.176 going home, 00:07:09.320 --> 00:07:12.120 going to this paradise, 00:07:12.192 --> 00:07:13.936 this eternal dwelling place. 00:07:14.040 --> 00:07:16.000 What makes it all that? 00:07:16.152 --> 00:07:18.644 It's not simply that it's a place, 00:07:19.064 --> 00:07:21.064 a construction of some sort, 00:07:21.104 --> 00:07:21.632 though it is. 00:07:21.632 --> 00:07:22.952 It is a place. 00:07:23.224 --> 00:07:25.816 What makes it that place is. 00:07:25.840 --> 00:07:27.644 It's where God is, 00:07:28.024 --> 00:07:28.980 you see? 00:07:29.152 --> 00:07:32.344 It's where we get to spend eternity with God, 00:07:33.084 --> 00:07:35.340 right? And so when I look at this, 00:07:35.340 --> 00:07:38.356 I'm thinking about all the nuance of this passage, 00:07:38.380 --> 00:07:38.852 because it says, 00:07:38.852 --> 00:07:41.108 a minister of the sanctuary, 00:07:41.236 --> 00:07:43.264 the dwelling place of God, 00:07:43.684 --> 00:07:48.824 and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord, 00:07:49.644 --> 00:07:50.476 not by man. 00:07:50.476 --> 00:07:52.836 Remember the tabernacle in the Old Testament? 00:07:52.940 --> 00:07:55.164 Moses was the one who set that up. 00:07:55.164 --> 00:07:57.956 And he had all the artisans and the specialists, 00:07:57.956 --> 00:07:59.002 those people who, 00:07:59.148 --> 00:08:03.030 who constructed the parts and the pieces and the tents and the drapes and 00:08:03.030 --> 00:08:04.246 the poles and the, 00:08:04.246 --> 00:08:05.710 and all the pretty stuff, 00:08:05.710 --> 00:08:08.422 right? But that's all human, 00:08:08.558 --> 00:08:10.238 earthly, man made, 00:08:10.366 --> 00:08:11.434 put in place. 00:08:12.534 --> 00:08:15.366 See, what this is referring to is that Christ, 00:08:15.366 --> 00:08:18.326 when he had completed his work. 00:08:18.470 --> 00:08:19.438 And many times in this, 00:08:19.438 --> 00:08:22.070 you say when his work had been perfected. 00:08:21.862 --> 00:08:23.310 When he had been perfected, 00:08:23.310 --> 00:08:30.312 he passed through the heavens atmospheric veil into heaven, 00:08:30.448 --> 00:08:31.304 the sanctuary, 00:08:31.384 --> 00:08:33.124 the dwelling place of God, 00:08:33.624 --> 00:08:37.208 and sat down at the right hand of majesty, 00:08:37.256 --> 00:08:40.564 the throne of majesty in the heavens. 00:08:41.184 --> 00:08:42.456 For in this verse three, 00:08:42.456 --> 00:08:47.404 for every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. 00:08:48.024 --> 00:08:52.296 So all the high priests throughout Israel's history were appointed 00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:55.972 firstborn of the firstborn of the firstborn of the firstborn to be the 00:08:55.972 --> 00:08:56.900 high priest, 00:08:57.012 --> 00:08:59.784 to go into the tabernacle, 00:09:00.124 --> 00:09:05.264 to pass through the inner curtain into the holiest place, 00:09:05.684 --> 00:09:07.172 the most holy place. 00:09:07.228 --> 00:09:10.100 But we've heard it for years as the holy of holies, 00:09:10.100 --> 00:09:11.956 because the outer place was a holy place, 00:09:11.956 --> 00:09:13.892 but the inner place was the holier place. 00:09:13.892 --> 00:09:16.708 And so the priest would go in with what? 00:09:16.388 --> 00:09:21.146 With blood from sacrifice first to offer sacrifice for his sin. 00:09:21.260 --> 00:09:21.902 What does that mean? 00:09:21.902 --> 00:09:26.758 That means he sprinkled that blood on the ark of the covenant so that God 00:09:26.758 --> 00:09:31.838 didn't see the priest sin and strike him down at the moment of his 00:09:31.886 --> 00:09:36.034 presence. Because the glory of God abiding in that place, 00:09:36.574 --> 00:09:37.630 often referred to as, 00:09:37.630 --> 00:09:39.434 like that Shekinah glory, 00:09:40.294 --> 00:09:42.534 that burning glory of God. 00:09:42.574 --> 00:09:44.030 And you walk in there with sin. 00:09:43.854 --> 00:09:44.926 So what does he do? 00:09:44.926 --> 00:09:48.150 He spreads the blood of the sacrifice on the ark of the covenant. 00:09:48.150 --> 00:09:50.904 So God sees him through the blood, 00:09:51.604 --> 00:09:54.732 right? So that's what the priest does. 00:09:54.788 --> 00:09:57.388 He comes in and brings gifts and sacrifices. 00:09:57.156 --> 00:09:59.028 It was necessary for this priest, 00:09:59.028 --> 00:09:59.916 our priest, 00:09:59.980 --> 00:10:01.236 our high priest, 00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:03.904 to also have something to offer. 00:10:05.724 --> 00:10:07.860 And this is what we're breaking down for the next. 00:10:07.860 --> 00:10:08.756 We're in chapter eight, 00:10:08.756 --> 00:10:10.406 nine and half of ten. 00:10:10.484 --> 00:10:14.044 See, we spent seven chapters getting ready for these two and a half 00:10:14.044 --> 00:10:18.960 chapters because now God's going to give us sort of the breakdown of the 00:10:18.992 --> 00:10:20.524 high priesthood of Christ. 00:10:20.984 --> 00:10:24.120 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. 00:10:23.856 --> 00:10:26.680 Therefore, it was necessary for this priest also to have something to 00:10:26.680 --> 00:10:27.856 offer. Now, 00:10:27.880 --> 00:10:28.592 if he were on earth, 00:10:28.592 --> 00:10:30.242 he wouldn't be a priest. 00:10:30.344 --> 00:10:33.688 Since there are those offering the gifts prescribed by the law. 00:10:33.688 --> 00:10:37.576 We know that Jesus comes from the tribe of Judah. 00:10:37.680 --> 00:10:40.518 And Judah never had the priesthood. 00:10:40.696 --> 00:10:41.770 They had kings, 00:10:41.922 --> 00:10:43.902 but they didn't have the priesthood. 00:10:44.154 --> 00:10:46.746 Only priests came out of the tribe of Levi. 00:10:46.746 --> 00:10:47.898 Levitical priesthood, 00:10:47.946 --> 00:10:49.574 the ironic priesthood. 00:10:51.074 --> 00:10:57.706 These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. 00:10:57.770 --> 00:10:59.082 Now what does that mean there, 00:10:59.082 --> 00:10:59.818 this copy, 00:10:59.866 --> 00:11:00.654 shadow? 00:11:01.914 --> 00:11:08.414 There's the ideas being that God showed Moses something. 00:11:10.554 --> 00:11:12.482 What did God show Moses? 00:11:12.538 --> 00:11:15.494 God showed Moses the tabernacle. 00:11:16.194 --> 00:11:18.130 Now, you know, 00:11:18.162 --> 00:11:19.922 and I listened to one preacher this week, 00:11:19.922 --> 00:11:25.106 got real heavy in the whole idea that there is a spiritual unseen, 00:11:25.170 --> 00:11:26.160 and there is. 00:11:26.210 --> 00:11:27.402 We see that in scripture, 00:11:27.402 --> 00:11:28.898 in a lot of places. 00:11:28.898 --> 00:11:34.834 And that what God did was create an imperfect creation, 00:11:35.494 --> 00:11:36.230 a shadow, 00:11:36.262 --> 00:11:39.054 and a copy of his dwelling place. 00:11:39.214 --> 00:11:39.694 And yet, 00:11:39.694 --> 00:11:40.462 at creation, 00:11:40.518 --> 00:11:42.554 what God did was create perfection. 00:11:43.174 --> 00:11:43.726 He said, 00:11:43.726 --> 00:11:44.794 it is good. 00:11:45.374 --> 00:11:47.606 It is very good. 00:11:47.790 --> 00:11:48.674 You see? 00:11:50.374 --> 00:11:51.034 Guess what? 00:11:50.950 --> 00:11:52.766 And God hung out in that garden, 00:11:52.766 --> 00:11:54.754 that sanctuary of creation. 00:11:56.054 --> 00:11:57.062 So creation, 00:11:57.118 --> 00:11:58.070 by God's hand, 00:11:58.070 --> 00:11:59.418 by God's word, 00:11:59.566 --> 00:12:03.014 was perfect sin. 00:12:04.274 --> 00:12:06.254 Sin is what caused the fall. 00:12:07.074 --> 00:12:13.042 And we know that from romans that even creation groans under the effects 00:12:13.058 --> 00:12:16.334 of the fall and is waiting to be redeemed. 00:12:16.994 --> 00:12:18.362 So when we see this, 00:12:18.362 --> 00:12:19.146 it's not like, 00:12:19.146 --> 00:12:19.514 you know, 00:12:19.514 --> 00:12:20.266 there's. 00:12:20.450 --> 00:12:22.186 Heaven is where God is. 00:12:22.330 --> 00:12:26.010 And God showed Moses a tabernacle to construct. 00:12:26.082 --> 00:12:27.072 And he says, 00:12:27.954 --> 00:12:28.938 for God said, 00:12:28.938 --> 00:12:33.626 be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was 00:12:33.650 --> 00:12:35.630 shown to you on the mountain. 00:12:35.954 --> 00:12:39.418 So Moses was warned about how to construct the tabernacle, 00:12:39.466 --> 00:12:43.746 because what God was doing was preparing all of mankind, 00:12:43.810 --> 00:12:45.002 all of humanity, 00:12:45.178 --> 00:12:47.802 for entrance into the sanctuary, 00:12:47.978 --> 00:12:50.134 the heavenly tabernacle. 00:12:52.654 --> 00:12:53.262 God said, 00:12:53.262 --> 00:12:54.154 be careful. 00:12:55.534 --> 00:12:56.686 And then he says this. 00:12:56.686 --> 00:13:01.198 But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, 00:13:01.366 --> 00:13:02.414 and to that degree, 00:13:02.414 --> 00:13:04.622 he is the mediator of a better covenant, 00:13:04.622 --> 00:13:07.714 which has been established on better promises. 00:13:08.654 --> 00:13:10.558 So Jesus, 00:13:10.606 --> 00:13:12.166 the priest of heaven, 00:13:12.350 --> 00:13:14.534 okay? The priest, 00:13:14.574 --> 00:13:15.998 the highest priest, 00:13:16.166 --> 00:13:17.782 the perfect priest, 00:13:17.958 --> 00:13:20.082 the now forever priest, 00:13:20.278 --> 00:13:22.918 sitting at the right hand of the majesty. 00:13:22.922 --> 00:13:25.410 A tabernacle that God pitched. 00:13:25.522 --> 00:13:28.082 A tabernacle that God constructed. 00:13:28.218 --> 00:13:30.618 The sanctuary of God, 00:13:30.746 --> 00:13:33.066 the place of God's presence. 00:13:33.210 --> 00:13:35.602 Right? You know, 00:13:35.658 --> 00:13:39.034 it's interesting to me that we revere these buildings. 00:13:39.074 --> 00:13:40.724 We sit in like this, 00:13:41.394 --> 00:13:43.774 right? We make them tall, 00:13:44.514 --> 00:13:45.974 we make them pointed. 00:13:46.984 --> 00:13:47.576 You know, 00:13:47.576 --> 00:13:51.072 we decorate them up and do all kind of stuff to them. 00:13:51.072 --> 00:13:53.052 And then we call them church. 00:13:54.304 --> 00:13:55.404 But it's not. 00:13:56.864 --> 00:13:58.404 See, church is people. 00:13:59.384 --> 00:14:00.844 Church is not building. 00:14:01.704 --> 00:14:04.032 Okay? The building is. 00:14:04.088 --> 00:14:04.684 I. 00:14:05.024 --> 00:14:06.304 Every time I say this, 00:14:06.304 --> 00:14:07.536 somebody gets mad at me. 00:14:07.536 --> 00:14:08.856 But the truth is, 00:14:08.984 --> 00:14:10.312 this is just bricks, 00:14:10.368 --> 00:14:12.012 mortar and sheetrock, 00:14:12.208 --> 00:14:17.540 okay? You know what makes it special is that you're here and God meets us 00:14:17.572 --> 00:14:20.964 here. That's what makes the place special. 00:14:21.084 --> 00:14:24.744 So what makes the sanctuary of heaven special? 00:14:25.084 --> 00:14:26.380 God is there. 00:14:26.532 --> 00:14:29.372 What gives us entrance into the sanctuary, 00:14:29.468 --> 00:14:31.972 heaven. It's the high priest of heaven, 00:14:32.068 --> 00:14:33.704 which is Jesus himself. 00:14:34.524 --> 00:14:36.036 See, Jesus would not, 00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:38.410 could not be a priest on earth. 00:14:38.774 --> 00:14:40.510 The priests of earth were weak. 00:14:40.334 --> 00:14:42.150 That's what this text even says. 00:14:42.150 --> 00:14:42.550 Oh, well, 00:14:42.550 --> 00:14:43.334 no, let me go back. 00:14:43.334 --> 00:14:43.894 Here you go. 00:14:43.894 --> 00:14:45.662 Listen to verse 28 of chapter seven. 00:14:45.662 --> 00:14:49.474 For the law appoints as high priest men who are weak. 00:14:50.254 --> 00:14:52.078 But the promise of the oath, 00:14:52.078 --> 00:14:53.590 which came after the law, 00:14:53.590 --> 00:14:57.542 appoints a son who has been perfected forever. 00:14:57.678 --> 00:15:06.486 This work of God that Jesus did is this perfecting of God sin through his 00:15:06.550 --> 00:15:07.914 own sacrifice. 00:15:08.494 --> 00:15:16.074 See, the earth's sacrificial system was but a shadow because of the sin 00:15:16.774 --> 00:15:18.354 that pervaded it. 00:15:18.854 --> 00:15:24.686 And so sin separated the sanctuary of God on earth and the sanctuary of 00:15:24.710 --> 00:15:25.834 God in heaven. 00:15:27.334 --> 00:15:28.558 So I started thinking, 00:15:28.558 --> 00:15:31.314 wow, I used to wonder when I was a kid, 00:15:31.314 --> 00:15:32.578 and I'll be honest about this, 00:15:32.578 --> 00:15:34.338 and this is going to point badly on me, 00:15:34.338 --> 00:15:36.648 but I'm going to do it anyway. 00:15:36.794 --> 00:15:39.674 I heard my preacher get up one Sunday and say, 00:15:39.674 --> 00:15:42.314 this is what heaven's going to be like. 00:15:43.234 --> 00:15:45.214 And I remember sitting there going, 00:15:45.674 --> 00:15:46.242 oh, my, 00:15:46.242 --> 00:15:47.892 I'm going to be bored. 00:15:50.834 --> 00:15:52.614 I remember thinking that, 00:15:53.754 --> 00:15:54.414 you know, 00:15:54.442 --> 00:15:58.106 a little twelve year old kid sitting at Cali self Memorial Baptist church 00:15:58.106 --> 00:15:59.652 thinking, oh, 00:15:59.708 --> 00:16:02.004 no, man, 00:16:02.044 --> 00:16:02.900 I really, 00:16:03.012 --> 00:16:06.024 really, really hope heaven's better than this. 00:16:07.164 --> 00:16:09.984 Well, that's what this text promises us, 00:16:10.724 --> 00:16:13.276 the earthly sanctuary. 00:16:13.420 --> 00:16:15.332 And a lot of people call it worship center, 00:16:15.332 --> 00:16:15.992 a sanctuary. 00:16:16.052 --> 00:16:18.404 A lot of people call it that around here. 00:16:18.404 --> 00:16:19.236 You know, 00:16:19.380 --> 00:16:21.012 a lot of people call this, 00:16:21.012 --> 00:16:21.708 oh, yeah, 00:16:21.756 --> 00:16:23.406 this is what it's got. 00:16:22.588 --> 00:16:24.514 No, folks, 00:16:24.644 --> 00:16:32.046 we can't even find a multiplier that would give us any idea of what the 00:16:32.150 --> 00:16:36.894 difference of being in the presence of God is going to be like when we 00:16:36.894 --> 00:16:38.834 enter the sanctuary of heaven. 00:16:39.974 --> 00:16:40.398 You know, 00:16:40.398 --> 00:16:41.302 I came in, 00:16:41.302 --> 00:16:43.942 I was pumped up this morning coming in. 00:16:44.094 --> 00:16:45.142 Think the problem was, 00:16:45.142 --> 00:16:47.274 I started drinking coffee last night, 00:16:49.334 --> 00:16:53.234 but I walked in the door this morning there Lee was here and a couple 00:16:53.234 --> 00:16:54.666 others, and I walked in the door and I went, 00:16:54.666 --> 00:16:57.894 whoa. Right? 00:16:58.674 --> 00:16:59.194 I mean, 00:16:59.194 --> 00:17:01.694 I'm excited to gather and worship. 00:17:02.194 --> 00:17:04.842 I'm excited to be in the room with you guys. 00:17:04.842 --> 00:17:06.762 I'm excited to open the word. 00:17:06.762 --> 00:17:10.314 I'm excited to tell you what God's been speaking to me out of the word 00:17:10.314 --> 00:17:10.994 this morning. 00:17:11.114 --> 00:17:13.418 But I want to guarantee you one thing. 00:17:13.418 --> 00:17:13.874 This. 00:17:13.994 --> 00:17:17.250 When we walk into the presence of God in heaven, 00:17:17.250 --> 00:17:19.230 it's not going to be this, 00:17:20.954 --> 00:17:21.854 you see. 00:17:22.594 --> 00:17:23.690 It's going to be, 00:17:23.690 --> 00:17:24.414 whoo. 00:17:26.874 --> 00:17:32.018 Right? More excellent Jesus ministry is. 00:17:32.066 --> 00:17:35.266 The more excellent ministry, 00:17:35.410 --> 00:17:37.282 the better covenant, 00:17:37.378 --> 00:17:39.374 the better promises. 00:17:39.874 --> 00:17:44.974 Everything about it is better than anything we can possibly know. 00:17:45.704 --> 00:17:46.684 This place, 00:17:47.664 --> 00:17:49.752 folks, if we can't get excited about that, 00:17:49.752 --> 00:17:54.884 we got a problem or we're not taking it seriously, 00:17:55.744 --> 00:17:56.648 okay? 00:17:56.816 --> 00:18:02.880 See, God has given us promises of his abiding presence. 00:18:02.952 --> 00:18:04.004 Yes, here, 00:18:04.464 --> 00:18:06.160 but there in person. 00:18:06.272 --> 00:18:09.284 Then we shall see face to face, 00:18:09.664 --> 00:18:13.854 and we shall know as we have been known, 00:18:14.514 --> 00:18:15.546 man. I mean, 00:18:15.570 --> 00:18:17.122 Paul even says at one time, 00:18:17.122 --> 00:18:18.722 in vision or whatever it was, 00:18:18.722 --> 00:18:19.330 he says, 00:18:19.330 --> 00:18:24.054 I can't even describe the glories of what I've seen, 00:18:26.234 --> 00:18:30.042 folks. That's the main point of what is being said, 00:18:30.098 --> 00:18:34.414 is that our high priest has made this possible. 00:18:35.514 --> 00:18:36.822 Don't miss it. 00:18:37.018 --> 00:18:38.874 Don't miss what God's done. 00:18:39.734 --> 00:18:40.678 See, this morning, 00:18:40.678 --> 00:18:42.074 if you know Jesus, 00:18:42.454 --> 00:18:44.914 that's the promise God made you, 00:18:45.734 --> 00:18:48.750 right? You've seen the videos and the stuff. 00:18:48.782 --> 00:18:53.198 I used to do a little thing with 6th graders where it was career day. 00:18:52.942 --> 00:18:53.550 And yes, 00:18:53.550 --> 00:18:57.646 public school system invited the youth pastor to come and share on career 00:18:57.646 --> 00:18:59.430 day. Here's how it worked. 00:18:59.462 --> 00:19:01.734 I'd go in there and do a thing on choices, 00:19:01.734 --> 00:19:03.676 making right choices, 00:19:03.870 --> 00:19:05.520 and I'd have sealed envelopes. 00:19:05.536 --> 00:19:07.272 One was decorated and one was not. 00:19:07.272 --> 00:19:09.920 And I'd have 6th graders pick an envelope. 00:19:09.952 --> 00:19:12.524 They'd always pick the decorated one, 00:19:12.904 --> 00:19:15.874 and it always had the worst stuff in it. 00:19:16.664 --> 00:19:18.216 So then the second time around, 00:19:18.216 --> 00:19:20.848 I'd fool them and I'd put the good stuff in the decorated one, 00:19:20.848 --> 00:19:21.640 and they'd come up and go, 00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:24.568 okay, the last person picked a decorated one and it was bad. 00:19:24.568 --> 00:19:28.198 So I'm gonna pick the undecorated one and it'd be bad, 00:19:28.884 --> 00:19:30.784 right? I'm tricking them. 00:19:31.124 --> 00:19:33.104 God's not trying to trick us. 00:19:32.884 --> 00:19:36.344 God is telling us what the good stuff is. 00:19:36.964 --> 00:19:42.724 God is explaining to us how we are to not simply pay attention to Jesus, 00:19:42.764 --> 00:19:43.524 but we're to. 00:19:43.524 --> 00:19:45.380 We're to focus our hearts, 00:19:45.412 --> 00:19:46.020 our lives, 00:19:46.020 --> 00:19:46.612 our minds, 00:19:46.612 --> 00:19:49.804 our identities on the person and work of Jesus Christ, 00:19:49.804 --> 00:19:53.434 who has provided for us a perfection that we can't earn. 00:19:53.684 --> 00:19:55.994 We can't get there on our own. 00:19:56.424 --> 00:19:58.204 It's dependent on him. 00:19:58.664 --> 00:20:02.124 And it requires our devotion, 00:20:02.784 --> 00:20:05.204 it requires our surrender. 00:20:06.224 --> 00:20:06.712 You see, 00:20:06.712 --> 00:20:10.744 in this part of what the outlines of Hebrews say is that he is our 00:20:10.744 --> 00:20:13.204 superior king. 00:20:14.664 --> 00:20:17.856 He is our superior high priest. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.884 See, Israel had known kings, 00:20:20.664 --> 00:20:21.656 the hebrew people. 00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:23.312 And for the most part, 00:20:23.312 --> 00:20:26.648 the book of Hebrews is written to hebrew Christians who are fighting with 00:20:26.648 --> 00:20:28.298 the idea of going back. 00:20:28.744 --> 00:20:31.440 I've known some Christians who kind of get a little acquainted with Jesus 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:31.680 and go, 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.200 ah, it didn't work for me. 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:33.712 I go, 00:20:33.712 --> 00:20:35.504 ah, you just didn't get there, 00:20:35.504 --> 00:20:36.244 did you? 00:20:36.904 --> 00:20:40.864 See? And hebrew people were fighting with going back to the law. 00:20:41.184 --> 00:20:46.576 So the writer of Hebrews makes this case for why would you choose the 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:50.164 inferior over the superior? 00:20:51.024 --> 00:20:54.184 Why would you choose an earthly king over a heavenly king? 00:20:54.184 --> 00:20:58.474 Why would you choose a weak high priest over a perfect high priest? 00:20:58.496 --> 00:21:01.256 That's the whole question that we're gonna get into for the next two and 00:21:01.256 --> 00:21:01.768 a half chapters. 00:21:01.768 --> 00:21:03.748 You're gonna hear this a lot. 00:21:04.424 --> 00:21:04.984 And I, 00:21:04.984 --> 00:21:05.644 you know, 00:21:05.648 --> 00:21:06.404 I mean, 00:21:07.144 --> 00:21:08.184 I'm looking at it going, 00:21:08.184 --> 00:21:08.744 all right, 00:21:08.744 --> 00:21:09.512 you know what? 00:21:09.232 --> 00:21:11.212 I'm gonna preach what it says. 00:21:11.584 --> 00:21:15.874 Cause we're gonna get into some Jeremiah and a little bit of Joel. 00:21:16.024 --> 00:21:18.384 Gonna get into some of the prophetic things that says, 00:21:18.384 --> 00:21:19.992 this is what I'm promising you. 00:21:19.992 --> 00:21:21.880 This is what I'm making a way for. 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:25.216 This is what I'm handing you. 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:26.604 Don't miss it. 00:21:27.064 --> 00:21:28.324 Don't miss it. 00:21:29.184 --> 00:21:32.164 I was reminded this week of a video. 00:21:36.104 --> 00:21:41.240 It just reminds me of what God's done for us. 00:21:41.432 --> 00:21:44.024 See, if you don't know Jesus this morning, 00:21:44.024 --> 00:21:45.472 you need Jesus. 00:21:45.648 --> 00:21:47.672 And I love it that you're here. 00:21:47.672 --> 00:21:49.420 I love it that maybe you're here. 00:21:49.420 --> 00:21:50.740 Cause somebody invited you. 00:21:50.732 --> 00:21:52.716 Yay. You know, 00:21:52.780 --> 00:21:55.750 that's the greatest compliment that the gathering can get, 00:21:55.772 --> 00:21:57.764 is that somebody invited somebody. 00:21:57.884 --> 00:21:59.084 Yay. Thank you. 00:21:59.244 --> 00:22:00.804 It's funny that right before Easter, 00:22:00.804 --> 00:22:01.260 Kyle said, 00:22:01.260 --> 00:22:04.604 do you think we should do a postcard mailing for Easter to invite people 00:22:04.604 --> 00:22:05.444 to come to worship? 00:22:05.372 --> 00:22:06.188 I was like, 00:22:06.188 --> 00:22:08.168 you think we need more people? 00:22:09.004 --> 00:22:09.460 I mean, 00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:10.324 in the next hour, 00:22:10.324 --> 00:22:12.012 there won't be a seat in the room. 00:22:12.012 --> 00:22:13.332 See, y'all got space. 00:22:13.396 --> 00:22:14.384 Be grateful. 00:22:15.924 --> 00:22:17.060 But here's the point. 00:22:16.860 --> 00:22:18.748 We want folks to know Jesus. 00:22:18.748 --> 00:22:21.058 We want folks to hear about Jesus. 00:22:21.404 --> 00:22:22.964 If you don't know Jesus this morning, 00:22:22.964 --> 00:22:24.614 we want to introduce you. 00:22:24.884 --> 00:22:27.944 So I'm going to encourage you to know Jesus. 00:22:28.244 --> 00:22:29.196 I'll be right here. 00:22:29.068 --> 00:22:31.378 We're going to sing one more song. 00:22:31.924 --> 00:22:33.012 If you don't know Jesus, 00:22:33.012 --> 00:22:33.532 come on down, 00:22:33.532 --> 00:22:34.260 we'll introduce you. 00:22:34.260 --> 00:22:37.044 We got folks down here on the front row tell you who Jesus is, 00:22:37.044 --> 00:22:38.694 tell you about the gospel. 00:22:38.772 --> 00:22:39.844 Maybe you know him, 00:22:39.844 --> 00:22:41.356 but the distractions of the world, 00:22:41.356 --> 00:22:46.294 the sin that's out there is just way overwhelming to you. 00:22:46.454 --> 00:22:48.874 That's a conversation between you and Jesus. 00:22:49.334 --> 00:22:51.644 Maybe you want to join the gathering. 00:22:51.774 --> 00:22:52.502 That's a thing, 00:22:52.502 --> 00:22:53.550 too. You can come down. 00:22:53.550 --> 00:22:54.550 As long as you love Jesus, 00:22:54.550 --> 00:22:55.270 and you've been buried, 00:22:55.270 --> 00:22:56.358 you're baptized, 00:22:56.526 --> 00:22:57.886 meaning you've been under the water. 00:22:57.886 --> 00:23:00.278 Then you can be a member of the gathering. 00:23:00.038 --> 00:23:02.502 But it's really more about what God's doing here. 00:23:02.502 --> 00:23:04.038 So I'm going to invite you to pray with me, 00:23:04.038 --> 00:23:05.182 and then we're going to sing. 00:23:05.182 --> 00:23:07.478 Father, thank you for today and what you're doing. 00:23:07.478 --> 00:23:09.554 Thank you that you've accomplished much. 00:23:10.024 --> 00:23:10.520 And so, 00:23:10.520 --> 00:23:12.128 God, we want to give back. 00:23:11.904 --> 00:23:13.832 We want to surrender ourselves to you. 00:23:13.832 --> 00:23:15.784 We want to give you ourselves. 00:23:15.784 --> 00:23:17.104 Hear our hearts this morning, 00:23:17.104 --> 00:23:21.264 God. And if there's even one here this morning that doesn't know you, 00:23:21.264 --> 00:23:25.244 God, we want to introduce him to Jesus. 00:23:25.664 --> 00:23:27.314 Thank you for loving us. 00:23:28.104 --> 00:23:30.084 Thank you for loving us first. 00:23:30.264 --> 00:23:30.832 Now, God, 00:23:30.832 --> 00:23:32.482 I pray that you would. 00:23:34.144 --> 00:23:38.726 God, just help us to love you back every day, 00:23:38.910 --> 00:23:39.954 all day. 00:23:40.414 --> 00:23:43.142 God, we praise you and we thank you in Jesus name, 00:23:43.142 --> 00:23:43.334 amen.