MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT (HEBREWS 8:1-9:28) Penge Baptist Church 9 th March 2014 Who is Jesus? Fix our eyes on him!

Recap “Who is Jesus? He is God’s final word” (Hebrews 1:1-4) “Who is Jesus? He’s higher than the angels: he’s the Son of God” (Hebrews 1:1-2:4) “Who is Jesus? He’s our Brother, he’s the Son of Man (Hebrews 2:5-3:6) “Who is Jesus? He’s the only way to God’s rest” (Hebrews 3:7-4:13) “Who is Jesus? He’s the only one worthy of our faith” (Hebrews 5:11-6:20) “Who is Jesus? He’s the true Priest” (Hebrews 4:14- 5:10 & 7:11-28)

Jesus’ words at the Last Supper In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25) “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6)

What is a covenant? A binding agreement between two parties In the Bible, God’s promises to humanity May be unconditional or conditional Sealed by blood - sacrifice

Key Covenants of the Old Testament Noah – to no longer destroy all life by flooding (unconditional) Abraham – to grant the promised land (unconditional) and to be Abraham’s and his descendents’ God if they are consecrated to him as shown by circumcision (conditional) Moses in Sinai – to bless Israel and be their God, if they live by his law and consecrate themselves to him (conditional) David – that he would always have a descendent on the throne of Israel (unconditional)

Why was a new covenant needed? “For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said : “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.” (Hebrews 8:7-9 quoting Jeremiah 31:31-32)

The rebellion of Israel in the desert Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? (Hebrews 3:16-17) Ineffectiveness of the sacrificial system in Israel the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed…..the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order. (Hebrews 9:8, 9-10)

What form was the New Covenant expected to take? “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me,from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:10-12, quoting Jeremiah 31:33-34)

Based on inner principles “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts” Deep fellowship of the individual with God “I will be their God, and they will be my people” No more ignorance No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me,from the least of them to the greatest Forgiveness forever For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

Jesus mediator of the New Covenant Jesus the foundation of our faith and our great high priest Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess (Hebrews 4:14) A sanctuary in heaven and not on earth When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. (Hebrews 9:11)

Sacrificing with his own blood not that of animals He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12) Providing true cleansing from sin without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22) The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Hebrews 9:13-14)

On only one occasion “…now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people” (Hebrews 9:26-29)

The mediator of the new covenant “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” (Hebrews 9:15) But he was pierced for our transgressions,he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5) When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. (Genesis 15:17)

So let us remember “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)