From Mark Copeland... The Promises Of God's New Covenant (Hebrews 8:7-13)

                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"

              The Promises Of God's New Covenant (8:7-13)

INTRODUCTION

1. Up to this point, the focus of "The Epistle To The Hebrews" has 
   been on Christ...
   a. His superiority to prophets, angels, Moses
   b. The superiority of His priesthood to the Levitical priesthood

2. With the transition in He 8:1-6, the focus shifts to the New 
   Covenant...
   a. A new covenant in which Jesus has already been described as:
      1) The "surety" (guarantor) - He 7:22
      2) The "Mediator" (one who intervenes) - He 8:6
   b. In both passages, this covenant was described as a "better" 
      covenant

3. Better than what?  Better in what way?  In Hebrews 8, we learn the 
   answer...
   a. Better than the "first covenant" - cf. He 8:7
   b. Better because of the "promises" contained in it - cf. He 8:6

[In this study, "The Promises Of God's New Covenant", we shall examine
our text (He 8:7-13) to ascertain how the New Covenant is better, 
especially with regard to its promises.

Let's begin by noticing...]

I. GOD'S PROMISE OF A NEW COVENANT (7-9,13)

   A. THE FIRST COVENANT WAS NOT FAULTLESS... (7)
      1. Otherwise, there would have been no need for a second covenant
      2. We have already seen concerning the first covenant that...
         a. The Levitical priesthood could not bring perfection - He 7:
            11
         b. The Law made nothing perfect, and was therefore annulled 
            due to its weakness and unprofitableness - He 7:18-19
      3. This inadequacy has special reference to the sacrifices of the
         first covenant...
         a. They could not make those who approach perfect - He 10:1-3
         b. The blood of animals offered by the priests could not take
            away sins - He 10:4,11

   B. THE PEOPLE OF THE FIRST COVENANT WERE ALSO AT FAULT... (8-9)
      1. God found fault because they did not continue in His covenant 
         - cf. Jer 11:7-10
      2. For this reason He disregarded them, allowing them to be taken
         away by their enemies - cf. Jer 11:11-14
      -- Even so, He did not leave them without some hope, for through
         the prophet Jeremiah He made a promise...

   C. GOD PROMISED A NEW COVENANT... (8-9)
      1. Promised in Jer 31:31-34
      2. In which God would make a "new covenant" with Israel and Judah
      2. A covenant different than the one made at Mt. Sinai (how, we
         shall see in a moment)

   D. THE NEW COVENANT HAS MADE THE FIRST "OBSOLETE"... (13)
      1. By even calling the promised covenant "new", God made the
         first covenant obsolete
         a. The old covenant actually continued on for about 500 years
            after Jeremiah
         b. But with the promise of the new, attention would be taken
            away from the old covenant and directed toward the new one
            that was coming!
      2. Its obsolescence was especially seen in the days of the Hebrew
         writer...
         a. It was "becoming obsolete and growing old"
            1) The death of Jesus rendered the sacrifices of the first
               covenant unnecessary
            2) Before long, the temple itself would be destroyed, and
               along with it, the last vestiges of the Levitical 
               priesthood
         b. Truly, it was "ready to vanish away"

[So God promised a "new covenant" to replace the "old covenant"; and 
Jesus is the "Mediator" of this covenant, which is "a better covenant".
Better in what way?

Better because it "was established on better promises".  Let's now 
consider some of...]

II. GOD'S PROMISES INVOLVING THE NEW COVENANT (10-12)

   A. IT WILL BE INWARD AND SPIRITUAL... (10)
      1. "I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their 
         hearts"
      2. The first covenant had its laws written on tablets of stone; 
         the new covenant is one that requires God's laws be written in
         our hearts
      3. It is not enough to have God's Word in our hands, on our 
         coffee tables, etc.
         a. We must plant God's Word into our hearts - cf. Jm 1:21
         b. For only then can we truly be born again by the 
            incorruptible seed, the word of God - 1Pe 1:22-23
      -- Are you living up to intent of the New Covenant, or are you
         little different than those under the first covenant, who had
         the Word, but not on their hearts?

   B. IT WILL PROVIDE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD... (10)
      1. "I will be their God, and they shall be My people"
      2. The actual terms of this promise is really nothing new - cf. 
         Exo 6:7; Lev 26:12
      3. But in each successive "age", its promise is filled with fresh
         meaning; for example...
         a. In "this age", we enjoy a closer relationship with God 
            - cf. 2Co 6:16-18; 1Pe 2:9-10
         b. But even more so, in the "age to come", which is in 
            eternity - cf. Re 21:1-7
      -- Are you utilizing the blessings whereby you can have a closer
         relationship with God?

   C. IT WILL BE WITH PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE LORD... (11)
      1. "None of them shall teach...saying, 'Know the Lord', for all
         shall know Me..."
      2. The New Covenant will be with people who have already come to
         know the Lord
         a. Unlike the first covenant, in which people entered it at 
            birth; as they grew up, they needed to be taught about the 
            Lord
         b. In the new covenant, one must come to know the Lord before
            they can enter the covenant
      3. So it is that one must believe in Jesus before they can enter
         into a covenant relationship with their Lord through baptism 
         - cf. Ac 8:36-38
      -- Does not this feature of the New Covenant preclude the 
         practice of infant baptism?

   D. IT WILL PROVIDE TRUE FORGIVENESS FOR SIN... (12)
      1. "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their
         sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more"
      2. Here is the ultimate basis of the blessing previously 
         described; by virtue of the forgiveness of sins can we truly 
         be God's people, and He our God!
      3. Thus the New Covenant provides what the first covenant could 
         not:  true forgiveness of sins! - cf. He 10:1-4,11

CONCLUSION

1. Such are "The Promises Of God's New Covenant"...
   a. As foretold through the prophet Jeremiah
   b. Now fulfilled through the coming of Jesus and His death on the 
      cross
   -- By virtue of "better promises", Christ is truly the Mediator of a
      "better covenant"!

3. But there is more to be said about why the New Covenant is a better
   covenant...
   a. It also has a better sanctuary
   b. It also has a better sacrifice
   -- But consideration of these things will be saved for later

At this point it might be appropriate to ask:

   Have you truly entered into a covenant relationship with the Lord?

The entrance terms of this New Covenant are simple:  They involve faith
in Christ and a confession of that faith (Ro 10:9,10), along with 
repentance of sins and baptism into Christ (Ac 2:36-39). 

The promised blessings of the New Covenant await any and all who are 
willing to so respond to the gospel of Christ!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... A MASTERPIECE OF....

You are someone special because God made you, Jesus died for you and God's Holy Spirit intercedes with the Father for you. You are special!!!  Although each one of the boxes in the graphic above could have a paragraph devoted to it (probably, much, much more than that), I would just like to make a few brief comments concerning the top one...

Ephesians, Chapter 2

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

Strongs dictionary # 4161: poiema
whence Eng., "poem," denotes "that which is made" (from poieo, "to do, make"), Rom. 1:20, "the things that are made;" Eph. 2:10, "(His) workmanship."

I really like the idea that we are "living poems".  Our lives flow with beauty and elegance that is a reflection of God's physical creation as well as HIS Spiritual creation within us through HIS word. Our poem has a purpose- good works, and that designed by the Almighty for HIS OWN PURPOSES. And we should do (walk in) them.   You know, I never really thought of God as a master poet before and I bet that his works don't even need to rhyme- they probably sound wonderful anyway!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Don't call us or we'll come!

Don't call us or we'll come!

The tiring truth is that we weaklings are demanding. If you go out, in the name of Christ, to call the weak and the needy, we’ll turn up—weak and in need! If you don’t want us, don’t call us!

We have no right to sulk, but we do; we wish we were finished with our sin, but we aren’t; we’d like to stand on God’s grace without having to lean continuously on you, but we can’t right now. We came because you called us in the name of God, and we believed the good news. Sometimes people act as though the invitation for us weak and needy people to come to Christ dissolves our needs—but it doesn’t! We come the way we are, weak and needy!

But many in the church want winners—self-motivated, go-getters who can run for miles on a glass of water and an occasional smile of appreciation—people who show no signs of fatigue, and if we do show fatigue, we will still refuse your help with a pained grin and plough on.

To bet only on winners or on those who give you reason to believe they soon will be winners is pagan! To choose only those who cannot burden you is unlike Christ. To choose only those who can help you is to be an exploiter, a taker...

Ministers and other leaders who are trying to "glorify God through the growth of a big church" [for the wrong reasons] especially feel the "burden" of the weak....and they’re the ones who get mad when we won’t get involved in their programmes...But the church isn’t the minister’s chariot on which he is to ride from glory to greater glory...It is a body of people to whom ministers are called to minister.

Paradoxically, as Bonhoeffer has taught us, this is true: it’s only when you feel people as "a burden" that you're getting a chance to know them as a brother or sister. It’s then that you realise they’re not something for you to "use". If you've never seen or experienced them as a burden you’re a "user".

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

From Mark Copeland... Our Glorious High Priest (Hebrews 8:1-6)

                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"

                    Our Glorious High Priest (8:1-6)

INTRODUCTION

1. With the beginning of chapter eight, we come to the close of the 
  first major section of "The Epistle To The Hebrews"...
   a. In which the key thought is "The Superiority of Christ"
   b. In which Jesus is shown to be superior to:
      1) To the prophets - He 1:1-3
      2) To angels - He 1:4-2:18
      3) To Moses - He 3:1-5
      4) To Aaron and his Levitical priesthood - He 5:1-10; 7:1-28

2. The next major section really begins in earnest with verse 7...
   a. In which the key thought will be "The Superiority of the New 
      Covenant"
   b. In which this covenant is shown to be based upon:
      1) Better promises - He 8:7-13
      2) A better sanctuary - He 9:1-28
      3) A better sacrifice - He 10:1-18

3. In He 8:1-6, we find a transition...
   a. In which the main point of the first section is summarized
   b. In which the main points of the next section are introduced
   -- Indeed, these six verses truly summarize what the author seeks to
      establish in the first ten chapters of this epistle!

4. It can all be summarized in these words:  "We have such a High 
   Priest..."
   a. In Jesus, we have a High Priest
   b. Not just any High Priest, but "such" a High Priest; i.e., a 
      glorious High Priest!

[In what ways is Jesus "Our Glorious High Priest"?  First, He is...]

I. SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD (1)

   A. THE PHRASE "THE MAJESTY IN THE HEAVENS"...
      1. A Jewish circumlocution meaning "God" (Believers' Study Bible)
      2. I.e., a roundabout way of referring to God - cf. He 1:3

   B. MANY PASSAGES REFER TO JESUS AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND...
      1. David prophesied that the Messiah would sit at God's right 
         hand - Ps 110:1
      2. Jesus said that He would sit at the right hand of God - Mk 14:
         60-62
      3. When He ascended to heaven, He then sat down at God's right 
         hand - Mk 16:19; He 12:2
      4. At God's right hand, He poured forth the Holy Spirit - Ac 2:33
      5. Peter preached Jesus as being exalted to be at God's right 
         hand as our Prince and Savior - Ac 5:30-31
      6. Paul taught that Jesus is at God's right hand, interceding for
         us - Ro 8:34
      7. He is at God's right hand, "waiting till His enemies are made
         His footstool" - He 10:12-13
      8. Yet while He sits and waits, He rules! - Ps 110:1-2,5; cf.
         1Co 15:24-26
      9. For at God's right hand, He is above all other authority 
         - Ep 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22
      -- In one place, we read of Jesus "standing at the right hand of
         God" (Ac 7:55-56); was Jesus showing His respect for Stephen,
         the first Christian martyr?
          
[Exalted to such a place of honor and authority, we truly have a 
"glorious" High Priest, one who is "the ruler over the kings of the 
earth" (Re 1:5)! As we look at the next verse in our text, we see
that He is also...]

II. A MINISTER OF THE TRUE TABERNACLE (2-5)

   A. ERECTED BY GOD, NOT MAN...
      1. We are now introduced to a contrast between two "tabernacles"
         a. There had been the earthly sanctuary or tabernacle
            1) As ordained under the first covenant (i.e., the Law) 
               - cf. He 9:1ff
            2) It was built by man
         b. But now we read of one "which the Lord erected"; i.e., a
            heavenly tabernacle
      2. The heavenly tabernacle is none other than heaven itself! 
         - cf. He 9:11-12; 23-24

   B. IN WHICH HE OFFERS "SERVICE"...
      1. As a High Priest, it is necessary for Him to have something to
         offer - He 8:3
         a. Every high priest is appointed for this purpose - He 5:1
         b. What Jesus has to offer is not mention here, but will be
            later - cf. He 9:12
      2. This service He renders in heaven, not on the earth - He 8:4
         a. If He were on earth, He couldn't be a priest!
         b. For the Law required priests from the tribe of Levi, and 
            Jesus was from Judah
      3. As for priests on the earth...
         a. They serve only the copy and shadow of the heavenly things 
            - He 8:5
         b. For Moses had been told by God to build the earthly 
            tabernacle according to pattern shown to him on the 
            mountain - cf. Exo 25:40

[As "Our Glorious High Priest", then, Jesus renders service in the 
true tabernacle, which is heaven itself.  This thought will be expanded
upon in chapters nine and ten.  But consider also how He is...]

III. THE MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT (6)

   A. HE HAS OBTAINED A MORE EXCELLENT MINISTRY...
      1. In contrast with the ministry of the Levitical priests
      2. Their ministry was simply a shadow and copy of His ministry 
         - cf. Col 2:16-17

   B. AS MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT...
      1. The word "mediator"...
         a. The Greek is "mesites" {mes-ee'-tace}
         b. It means "one who intervenes between two, either in order
            to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact,
            or for ratifying a covenant"
      2. By His death on the cross, Jesus has become the Mediator of 
         the new covenant  - cf. He 9:15; 12:24
      3. This new covenant is here referred to as "a better covenant"
         a. Better than what?  Better than the "first covenant" - cf. 
            He 8:7
         b. I.e., what had been established through Moses

   C. ESTABLISHED ON BETTER PROMISES...
      1. What makes the new covenant better than the old are its 
         promises
      2. Some of those promises are explained later - cf. He 8:10-12
      3. But Peter describes the promises we receive as "exceedingly
         great and precious promises" - cf. 2Pe 1:3-4

CONCLUSION

1. With this transition passage, then, we are introduced to things that
   will be expounded upon as we proceed through the epistle...
   a. The better covenant we have in Christ, based upon its better 
      promises
   b. The better ministry Christ renders as our High Priest in heaven,
      seated at God's right hand

2. When such things are properly understood, we can see how Jesus is 
   truly "Our Glorious High Priest"!
   a. One who stands ready to minister in our behalf
   b. He is "able to save to the uttermost those who come to God 
      through Him" - He 7:25
   c. He is "able to aid those who are tempted" - He 2:18

Have you accepted Jesus as your High Priest by obeying His gospel?  He
is truly...

   "...the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." (He 5:9)

For those who have not obeyed His gospel, we find this awesome warning:

   "...and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord
   Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming
   fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those
   WHO DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.  These shall
   be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the
   Lord and from the glory of His power..." (2Th 1:7-9)

Please render obedience to the gospel today if you have not yet done 
so! - cf. Ac 2:36-39

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... Sometimes, a tail is a good thing!!!

This is one of eighteen pictures that my good friend Harry Shepherd sent me today. While any one of them could have been used for a post, I chose this one because it shows how caring and communicative an animal can be. Perhaps another word for this would be loving...

1 Corinthians, Chapter 13

  4  Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, 5 doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;  6 doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;  10 but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.  11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.  12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.  13 But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.

I wake each day and by the time my feet hit the floor, two little poodles are running in to see me; excited as can be, with their tails wagging faster than seems possible. I wonder, why do dogs care about us, anyway? I doubt I will ever know the answer, but some things just need to be experienced. Love is one of those things!!!  Today, tell someone how you feel about them, do something for them, embrace them affectionately!!! And just think- you can do all of this- WITHOUT EVEN HAVING A TAIL!!!!

PS. Thanks for sending me the pictures, Harry!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... GIVE US SOME CREDIT

GIVE US SOME CREDIT

Not all non-Christians are as shallow as Sam Harris or as self-serving in his bitterness as Richard Dawkins or as loftily silly as Steven Weinberg or Daniel Dennett in their criticism of Christians. Still, plenty of criticism comes our way and we ask for a fair amount of it, especially when it’s leveled against those among us that lead and we need forgiveness. But allowing for legitimate criticism, we still need to say that the vast majority of believers in Jesus Christ are decent, law-abiding, kind, compassionate, sensitive and sharing people. It’s true we can be led down dead-end streets with really rotten theology and some bizarre religious celebrities as ramrods, but when we’re not parroting the religious nonsense we’ve been caught up in, we’re hard-working and honest people who are conscientious in life, we’re good neighbors and we make good friends.

No union or government or political party critiques itself as consistently as we do. Week after week entire congregations of Christians hear a call to greater commitment to God and the world he loves, to greater generosity and a more fervent outreach to the people on the fringes of life. Sadly some churches are verbally raped week after week and how they endure it for years only God knows, but the good news is that that isn’t the approach of all church leaders. Nevertheless there’s still a steady call for more, even while there’s praise for progress experienced. Whole assemblies are called to pursue truth and goodness as it’s seen in Jesus and they bow their heads and hearts and pray for that together.

We bring our children to worship, right from the beginning, to have them shaped in the likeness of the clean-souled, people-loving and brave self-giving Jesus Christ. We pray not only for ourselves and for our own, we pray for yours and for the hurting of the world. When we can't go ourselves we financially help organizations and communities to shelter and feed the poor, to bring clean water, vitamins and medical supplies to the sick and dying and pillaged. We band together and get jobs for the jobless, build houses for the homeless and share clothing with the destitute.

We weep over the motherless and in our tens of thousands we engage every day in voluntary work in nursing homes, hospital laundries and kitchens and we watch over the children of anxious parents who must go out to work. Together in our millions we confer tangible gifts on countless people but because we're followers of and believers in Jesus Christ we put a great message of bravery and hope in people.

For the breadth of good works, for the influence we've had on non-Christians that has shaped them so that they too engage in good works, for the amount of our financial aid and hands-on help there’s nothing like us in the world.

So don’t ask us to be Jesus—we'll gladly tell you there’s only one Jesus and he’s light years beyond us. Don’t be overly generous in your praise of us—we’ll tell you we’re not that good—yet. But be fair in your criticism of us because with all our flaws we’re probably the best thing you ever seen and almost certainly better than any organization you’re not involved with.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Superiority Of Christ's Priesthood (Hebrews 7:20-28)

                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS"

            The Superiority Of Christ's Priesthood (7:20-28)

INTRODUCTION

1. In the first seven chapters of "The Epistle To The Hebrews", the
   main thought is the superiority of Christ...
   a. To the prophets - He 1:1-3
   b. To angels - He 1:4-2:18
   c. To Moses - He 3:1-5
   d. To Aaron and his Levitical priesthood - He 5:1-10; 7:1-28

2. In showing the superiority of Jesus' priesthood, the author has done
   so step-by-step...
   a. Jesus is qualified to be a priest by virtue of His calling by God
      and His suffering - He 5:1-8
   b. He has been called to be "a priest forever according to the order
      of Melchizedek" - He 5:9-10
   c. The priestly order of Melchizedek is shown to be superior by 
      comparing Abraham and Melchizedek - He 7:1-10
   d. That Christ has become such a priest has several implications 
      - He 7:11-19
      1) The Levitical priesthood could not make one perfect before 
         God
      2) The Law upon which the Levitical priesthood was based has been
         annulled
      3) Christ now provides "a better hope, through which we draw near
         to God"

3. This brings us to He 7:20-28, in which we find a climatic 
   comparison...
   a. Where Jesus is contrasted with those who served in the Levitical
      priesthood
   b. Where "The Superiority Of Christ's Priesthood" is clearly 
      demonstrated

[In this passage, we find at least four points illustrating Jesus'
superiority, the first of which pertains to...]

I. HIS DIVINE APPOINTMENT (20-22)

   A. LEVITICAL PRIESTS WERE APPOINTED BY A "COMMAND"...
      1. Beginning with Aaron, he and his descendants served in the 
         Levitical priesthood
      2. It was a divine command that so appointed them - Exo 28:1-4
      3. While divinely commanded, it was not with an oath
 
   A. JESUS WAS MADE A PRIEST WITH AN "OATH"...
      1. Again, the reference is to Ps 110:4, in which God swore an
         oath concerning the coming Messiah and His priesthood
      2. We saw earlier that a promise joined with an oath really 
         confirms the "immutability" (unchangeableness) of God's 
         counsel - cf. He 6:17
      2. Appointed by an oath and not just a command, Jesus has become
         "a surety of a better covenant"...
         a. "surety" means "guarantor" (NEB)
         b. Appointed by such an oath from God, Jesus guarantees the 
            new covenant, that it is "better" (there is that key word 
            again!)

[The superiority of Christ's priesthood is also illustrated by...]

II. HIS ETERNAL INTERCESSION (23-25)

   A. LEVITICAL PRIESTS WERE LIMITED IN SERVICE BY "DEATH"...
      1. When one died, another took his place
      2. Of necessity there had to be "many priests"

   B. JESUS "EVER LIVES" TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US...
      1. That is because "He continues forever"
      2. As seen earlier, Jesus came "according to the power of an 
         endless life" - He 7:16
      3. He therefore "has an unchangeable priesthood"
         a. He is "able to save to the uttermost those who come to God
            through Him"
            1) He can do what the law could not do:  make one "perfect"
               - cf. He 7:19
            2) That is, make one "holy, and blameless" - cf. Col 1:21-22
         b. And "He ever lives to make intercession for them"
            1) I have always been impressed by this phrase
            2) For it suggests what Jesus is doing for us now, and is
               most willing to do!

[As we continue in our text, we see yet another contrast with Levitical
priests...]

III. HIS PERFECT CHARACTER (26-27)

   A. LEVITICAL PRIESTS WERE "SINNERS"...
      1. Some more so than others
      2. Even the best of them had to "offer up sacrifices"...
         a. On a daily basis
         b. For his own sins before offering sacrifices others

   B. JESUS IS "SEPARATE FROM SINNERS"...
      1. We see our High Priest described in regards to...
         a. His holy character:  "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate
            from sinners"
         b. His preeminent position:  "higher than the heavens"
         -- Thus He does not need to offer sacrifices for Himself
      2. This makes Him a High Priest "fitting" (becoming, seemly) for
         us

[Add to His perfect character another element that shows His superior
priesthood...]

IV. HIS PERMANENT SACRIFICE (27)

   A. THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS SACRIFICED "DAILY"...
      1. Every day they offered sacrifices for their own sins and for
         those of the people
      2. That they had to be continually offered implies a fundamental
         weakness in the efficacy of the sacrifices themselves
      3. Later we learn that the problem was the inability of animal
         sacrifices to make one perfect and to cleanse the conscience 
         of sins - He 10:1-4; cf. 9:9

   B. JESUS OFFERED HIMSELF "ONCE FOR ALL"...
      1. This implies the efficacy of His sacrifice
      2. The superiority of Jesus' sacrifice will be explained further,
         later on- cf. He 9:11-15; 10:11-14

CONCLUSION

1. In verse 28, we find a summary statement that contrasts the two 
   priesthoods...
   a. The "law", upon which the Levitical priesthood derives its
      authority, appoints men who "have weaknesses"; for example:
      1) They are sinners themselves, and death terminates their
         service
      2) Their sacrifices cannot truly remove sin, so had to be
         repeated daily and yearly
   b. The "oath", given after the law and the basis for Christ's
      priesthood, appoints the Son "who has been perfected forever";
      for example:
      1) His humanity and the obedience learned through suffering makes
         Him most "fitting" to be our High Priest - cf. He 2:17-18;
         4:14-16; 5:8-9
      2) His sinlessness makes the sacrifice of Himself the perfect and
         all-sufficient sacrifice, given once for all! - cf. He 10:
         12-14

2. In chapters 9 and 10, the focus of this epistle will center on the
   superiority of Christ's sacrifice; but for now, our attention has 
   been on those things that illustrate what our great High Priest:
   a. His appointment by an oath from God, not just a command
   b. His eternal intercession, not limited by death
   c. His perfect character, untainted by sin
   d. His permanent sacrifice, offered once for all when He offered 
      Himself

Don't you desire to have such a High Priest interceding in your behalf?
Then as Christians...

   "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we 
   may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." - He 4:16

Let us never forget that "He ever lives to make intercession" for those
who come to God through Him!

xecutable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011