Recap on:
“So I Really Do Need a Priest”
Dr. Al Mohler
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Every Christian needs a priest. Every Christian needs someone to intercede for them. On our own and in our sinful state, we cannot be the one. How can we, in uncleanness, come before the perfect holy throne of the Father and seek the forgiveness of our sin?
The answer is we can’t. Not on our own.
“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness...for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins...by this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all...therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promises is faithful.”
Hebrews 9:22; 10:4, 10, 19-23
This passage holds so much hope! Jesus Christ is our mediator; our intercessor. He alone, the perfect sacrifice, the perfect Son of God can stand blameless in the perfect presence of God and plead for sinners like you and like me.
He is eternally Prophet, Priest, and King.
His death was without fault and complete, once for all.
He did not shed the blood of an animal. He gave His own blood.
Blood is always required for atonement.
Blood is only necessary if you want to be saved.
Christ’s death was full atonement for all who were His. None of us could die to save ourselves. If we are to enter into His divine covenant of salvation, a blood sacrifice had to be given, and given it was in the Lamb of God.
And He has not left us here to merely know this covenant and obey it.
He is coming again for us.
Know His love:
He suffered for us – Hebrews 9:12 “And not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
God, in His love for the world, crushed His one and only Son. His suffering was for our salvation. Jesus gave Himself for us. He is the good Shepherd.
He lays down His life for the sheep.
He is our sacrificing High Priest – Jesus, being the great High Priest, did not offer up a sacrifice for us but became the final and only perfect sacrifice for us. Death was made dead in the death of Christ. He is our saving High Priest.
He is the substitutionary High Priest – Jesus’ death was the predetermined plan of God before the beginning of time. If His death was not full substitution, we are not saved. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
He is the superior High Priest – He is Lord in all, through all, and over all.
Psalm 47:2, “For the LORD Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.”
He is a supernatural High Priest – He does not have to offer sacrifices first for Himself and then for the people. Christ is sinless! He lives forever! He is the eternal Son of God!
He is the solitary High Priest – He is the only One! Isaiah 46:9 says, “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me.”
He is our sufficient High Priest – Hebrews 10:18 clearly shows us that Christ’s sacrifice was all sufficient, “Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.” He is enough!
He is our sovereign High Priest – Hebrews 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
He is the sympathetic High Priest – There is nothing He has not known. He is able and ready to sympathize with our weakness.
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:14-16
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
“So I Really Do Need a Priest”
Dr. Al Mohler
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Every Christian needs a priest. Every Christian needs someone to intercede for them. On our own and in our sinful state, we cannot be the one. How can we, in uncleanness, come before the perfect holy throne of the Father and seek the forgiveness of our sin?
The answer is we can’t. Not on our own.
“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness...for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins...by this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all...therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promises is faithful.”
Hebrews 9:22; 10:4, 10, 19-23
This passage holds so much hope! Jesus Christ is our mediator; our intercessor. He alone, the perfect sacrifice, the perfect Son of God can stand blameless in the perfect presence of God and plead for sinners like you and like me.
He is eternally Prophet, Priest, and King.
His death was without fault and complete, once for all.
He did not shed the blood of an animal. He gave His own blood.
Blood is always required for atonement.
Blood is only necessary if you want to be saved.
Christ’s death was full atonement for all who were His. None of us could die to save ourselves. If we are to enter into His divine covenant of salvation, a blood sacrifice had to be given, and given it was in the Lamb of God.
And He has not left us here to merely know this covenant and obey it.
He is coming again for us.
Know His love:
He suffered for us – Hebrews 9:12 “And not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
God, in His love for the world, crushed His one and only Son. His suffering was for our salvation. Jesus gave Himself for us. He is the good Shepherd.
He lays down His life for the sheep.
He is our sacrificing High Priest – Jesus, being the great High Priest, did not offer up a sacrifice for us but became the final and only perfect sacrifice for us. Death was made dead in the death of Christ. He is our saving High Priest.
He is the substitutionary High Priest – Jesus’ death was the predetermined plan of God before the beginning of time. If His death was not full substitution, we are not saved. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
He is the superior High Priest – He is Lord in all, through all, and over all.
Psalm 47:2, “For the LORD Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.”
He is a supernatural High Priest – He does not have to offer sacrifices first for Himself and then for the people. Christ is sinless! He lives forever! He is the eternal Son of God!
He is the solitary High Priest – He is the only One! Isaiah 46:9 says, “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me.”
He is our sufficient High Priest – Hebrews 10:18 clearly shows us that Christ’s sacrifice was all sufficient, “Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.” He is enough!
He is our sovereign High Priest – Hebrews 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
He is the sympathetic High Priest – There is nothing He has not known. He is able and ready to sympathize with our weakness.
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:14-16
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!
Words by Charitie Bancroft
Powerful, powerful intro video! I've listened to more than 100 Piper sermons and seen many of his videos. This is one of the best. So very glad to have stumbled on to it here. Good post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBrad