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Understanding Christ's High Priesthood: A Call to Spiritual Maturity

This presentation delves into the qualifications of Jesus as the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, exploring how His Sonship, kingship, and unique priesthood connect in the Book of Hebrews. It emphasizes Christ's humility, suffering, and His role as a merciful intercessor for believers. The significance of spiritual maturity is highlighted through exhortations against drifting from God’s word and the dangers of apostasy. Ultimately, it calls Christians to embrace a deeper understanding of Christ’s sacrifice and to seek mature teaching.

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Understanding Christ's High Priesthood: A Call to Spiritual Maturity

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Summer 2013 Better Things

  2. “Christ” • He did not hold on to his heavenly state (Phil. 2:6-8) • He came to earth, but did not campaign for the office of high priest • Psalm 2:7 • Psalm 110:4 • These passages affirm his sonship, his priesthood and his call from God • In Hebrews the connection of sonship/kingship/messiaship/priesthood is made • Hebrews also explains how Jesus could be high priest without being a descendant of Aaron Hebrews 5:5-10 – Qualifications of Jesus

  3. 5:7-10—”Hymn of the high priest” • In the “days of His flesh” • He had/has other days that are not “fleshly days” • He offered up “prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears” • His prayer in Gethsemane • Was His prayer answered? • Yes! Hebrews 5:5-10 – Qualifications of Jesus

  4. Two-fold petition in His prayer • Physical deliverance • Humble submission to the will of God • Perfection through suffering (2:10) • Sonship didn’t spare Him from suffering • Learning and suffering • emathen – he learned • epathen– he suffered • “perfect through suffering” • Perfectly (completely) qualified Hebrews 5:5-10 – Qualifications of Jesus

  5. Christ was the one designated by God as “a high priest after the the order of Melchizedek” • A new order of priesthood • Necessitates the ending of the old order, the Aaronic order Hebrews 5:5-10 – Qualifications of Jesus

  6. Christ supersedes all previous high priests, and He can deal gently with us. • He suffered. And through His suffering He was made perfect. • Not every prayer will be answered “Yes”. • God’s love is not always what one would expect. He loves us unconditionally. His love includes divine wisdom. Hebrews 5 – Some Practical Lessons

  7. Five announcement themes in Hebrews • Christ, Superior to the angels (1:4) • Christ, a merciful and faithful high priest (2:17) • Christ, a priest like Melchizedek (5:10) • People of faith (10:39) • Peaceful fruit of righteousness (12:11) • Distinctive features of the middle section • Exhortation: on to mature teaching (5:11-6:20) • Christ, like Melchizedek (7:1-28) • Christ, the source of eternal salvation (8:-10:18) • Exhortation: a call to draw near (10:19-39) Hebrews 5:11-6:20 – Exhortation: On to mature Teaching

  8. Three exhortations so far: • Exhortation against drifting from God’s word (2:1-4) • Exhortation against disbelieving God’s word (3:7-4:16) • Exhortation against dullness toward God’s word (5:11-6:20) • The danger of their condition • Might lead them to apostasy (3:12) • Irreversible consequences to apostasy (6:4-8) • Not likely a sudden departure, but a bit by bit slip into a state of spiritual apathy Hebrews 5:11-14 – Solid Food

  9. The original readers had been Christians for a long time and should be able to receive “advanced” instruction • To think and act maturely • Yet, they were like children and needed to be taught the elementary principles all over again (milk) • Solid food is for grownups • stereos is the Greek word for “solid” • Mature Christians need “stereo food” Hebrews 5:11-14 – Solid Food

  10. Who are the mature? • Those who have their powers of discernment trained • By constant practice • Can distinguish good from evil • “practice” – gegymnasmena • Milk has its value, but these Christians need “stereo food”—a fuller, deeper, maturing vision of Christ, our high priest Hebrews 5:11-14 – Solid Food

  11. Two-fold exhortation • Let us leave • And go on • If they will understand the meaning of Christ’s priesthood and his sacrifice, this will be enough to keep them from apostasy • They must decide: Is Aaron (and his descendants) or Christ high priest? • Who offers the real sacrifice for sins? Hebrews 6:1-3 – Pressing On To Maturity

  12. Six basics that need no further emphasis • Repentance from “dead works” • Faith in God • Washings (baptisms) • Laying on of hands • Resurrection of the dead • Eternal judgment Hebrews 6:1-3 – Pressing On To Maturity

  13. “Impossible” to bring some back to repentance • Those “once enlightened” • Who have “tasted the heavenly gift” • Have shared in the Holy Spirit • Have “tasted the goodness of the word of God and of the age to come” • And have then “fallen away” • Why? • They crucify again the Son of God • They don’t just disbelieve Him, they denounce and disgrace Him before the world Hebrews 6:4-8 – A Warning Against Apostasy

  14. Apostasy illustrated by two kinds of soil • Well-watered and cultivated • Receives a blessing from God • Worthless soil of “thorns and thistles” • Near to being cursed • To be burned • Apostasy • Not the same as “falling short”, but not falling away • It is to “deliberately” keep on sinning • “Wobbling” Christians need to face the peril of their situation Hebrews 6:4-8 – A Warning Against Apostasy

  15. Summer 2013 Better Things

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