Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

Heb 7:1-28

Introduction:
Parents foreshadow their children!

I.          Who Was Melchizedek?
A.        The story, Genesis 14
~ Several kings of the valley, including the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were subject to the King of Elam – 13 years
~ In the 14^th year the kings of the valley rebelled.
~ The King of Elam, Kedorlaomer and his cronies came a knocking.

4 kings against 5.  So the 5 kings and their men ran for their lives.
~ The King of Elam marched into Sodom and Gomorrah and snatched up tons of loot and also took many captives, including Abraham’s kin folk, Lot and his family.
~ Someone escaped and came running to Abraham.
~ Abraham and his 318 trained warriors gave chase! Overtook the 5 kings who stole Lot.  Abraham won!

B.        Melchizedek!, Genesis 14:19-20

On his way back, Abraham stopped in the King’s Valley – Kidron
Melchizedek came out to greet him.  Brought him lunch.
King of Salem
Priest of the Most High God
He blessed Abraham saying

Gen 14:19-20 “And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;  and blessed be God Most High, who
has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. “

C.        The offering
1/10 of all the spoils = symbol that all belongs to God.
Abraham gave it all away – he wanted nothing for himself

Aaron Shust! You Gave It All Away
Search my heart, search my mind, search my soul
Make me clean, make me new make me whole
All of my plans, all of my dreams, I lay them down before Your feet
All of my time, all that was mine, I now submit to Your design
‘Cause You are the one who can make my life complete
You are the one who can give light to my feet
You are the one and only one who dared to give it all away for me
You are my strength, You are my God, you are my King
You make me laugh, You make me dance, You make me sing
Everything inside, everything outside, I give it all away
You never change, but You rearrange my heart more everyday
Thanks to the Lord

Thanks to Sabrina for these lyrics

D.        Just think how great Melchizedek was!

Genesis
~ King
~ Priest

Hebrews 7:1-3
Melchizedek = King of Righteousness
King of Salem = King of Peace

~ To bring us back to him – 7:25

All the descendants of Abraham were to give 1/10 to Levi
But Melchizedek didn’t trace his linage from Levi
~ yet Abe gave 1/10 to him
~ You might say that since Levi descended from Abe that he also gave offerings to Mel.
~ and Mel blessed Abe – the lesser is blessed by the greater!

II.         There was a need for Change!, 7:11-
The Aaronic Priesthood needed to be changed.
And the Law needed to be replaced!

Judaism and Christianity
Do you see here that the writer is saying that the two great institutions of Judaism were inadequate and had to be replaced?  Judaism is outdated!  The new has come!

Why?
A.         The Levitical priesthood couldn’t perfect anyone!
B.         Melchizedek was foreshadowed the coming of another priest
C.        When the order of priests is changed and of necessity there has to be a change away from OT law to the New Covenant!
D.        This new priesthood is not one based on the law
Based on the power of his indestructible life!, 7:16

God declared to King David that a new priest would come:

Psa 110:1-7 A Psalm of David.
The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.”

Do you see it?
The former regulation (priesthood and the law) is set aside as weak and useless since it could not cleanse from sin or give power to obey!
Jesus is a better priest.
He is our priest through the power of his indestructible life!
The law made no one perfect – how good is good enough?
So we draw near to God through Jesus Christ who is a better hope!
Jesus is the guarantee of a better covenant!
Because Jesus lives forever he is our permanent priest!
Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him – because he always lives to intercede for us!

Through his unique sacrifice Jesus fulfilled the responsibilities of the Aaronic priesthood

And through his endless life he assumes the priesthood of Melchi!

III.        Jesus Meets Our Need For Security and Assurance!, 7:20-28

A.        The Oath – Psalm 110:4  “The Lord has sworn”

B.        The guarantee
Heb 7:22 “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.”

Only here in the NT.
Jesus is not only the mediator of a new covenant.
As the mediator of the NC he offers it to us.

Because he lives forever…
He is the guarantor of the New Covenant!

As the guarantor he sees to it that it’s provisions are fulfilled

C.        The Result
Heb 7:25 “Consequently, he is able to save completely those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Jude 1:24 “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy”

Rom 8:31-34 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died–more than that, who was raised–who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

He lives to meet our real needs!
We are saved completely by the work and prayers of Jesus!

D.        Summary of the qualities that make him our perfect King-Priest

He is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens and he doesn’t need to offer sacrifices for his own sins.

He sacrificed for our sins once for all!
He has been made perfect forever!

Davie Crowder Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w7t9DyGkqg&feature=PlayList&p=A76CFC1B68FDE59C&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=19

(Chorus 2x)
Here is our King, Here is our Love (Priest!)
Here is our God who’s come to bring us back to him
He is the one, He is Jesus

(verse 1)
From wherever spring arrives to heal the ground
From where ever searching comes to look itself
A trace of what we’re looking for, so be quiet now, and wait
(Pre-Chorus)
The ocean is growing, The tide is coming in
Here it is:

(Chorus 2x)
Here is our King, Here is our Love
Here is our God who’s come to bring us back to him
He is the one, He is Jesus

(verse 2)
And what was said to the rose to make it unfold
Was said to me, here in my chest
So be quiet now, and rest.

(Bridge 2x)
Majesty!   Finally!