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Well, please turn with me in 
your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 7 for a meditation this evening, 
Hebrews chapter 7. Our focus will be on verses 20 
to 28, but I'll begin reading in verse 11. A larger context, 
the apostle is dealing with the priestly office of our Lord Jesus. 
He begins in chapter 5 at verse 1, and then he ends that discussion 
concerning the priestly office of Christ in chapter 10 and verse 
18. He does take a couple of digressions 
once he starts his discussion in chapter 5. But he comes back 
here and highlights the reality that our Lord Jesus comes according 
to the order of Melchizedek. He is not connected to the Levitical 
priesthood. He is not of the tribe of Levi, 
but rather he is of the order of Melchizedek. So I'll begin 
reading in chapter 7 at verse 11. Therefore, if perfection 
were through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received 
the law, what further need was there that another priest should 
rise according to the order of Melchizedek and not be called 
according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, 
of necessity there is also a change of the law. For he of whom these 
things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no 
man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord 
arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning 
priesthood. And it is yet far more evident 
if in the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest who 
has come. not according to the law of a 
fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 
For he testifies, you are a priest forever, according to the order 
of Melchizedek. For on the one hand, there is 
an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness. For the law made nothing perfect. 
On the other hand, there is the bringing in a better hope, in 
of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch 
as he was not made priest without an oath, for they have become 
priests without an oath, but he with an oath by him who said 
to him, the Lord has sworn and will not relent. You are a priest 
forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. By so much more, 
Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Also, there 
were many priests because they were prevented by death from 
continuing. But He, because He continues 
forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, he is 
also able to save, to the uttermost, those who come to God through 
him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For 
such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, 
undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the 
heavens, who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer 
up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the people's. 
For this he did once for all when he offered up himself. For 
the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the 
word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the son 
who has been perfected forever." Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
we thank You for the written Word. We thank You for the priestly 
office of our Lord Jesus. We thank You that He is our King, 
that He is our Prophet. We know, God, that we need a 
priest desperately. For apart, without the shedding 
of blood, there is no remission. And we have in this priest not 
only the offerer, but the one offered, the victim himself. 
And how we praise you, Lord God, that you sent him into this world 
to function in this capacity. How we thank you for his finished 
work at Calvary, for that once-for-all sacrifice that was rendered to 
the Father. How we praise you for the benefits 
that have accrued to us as a result of his finished work. We thank 
you for the forgiveness of sins. We thank you for the imputation 
of righteousness. We thank you that we have every 
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We ask 
now that you would forgive, that you would cleanse, that you would 
wash us and fit us to listen, to receive the word of God, to 
celebrate the ordinance of the supper in a few minutes. And 
our Father, we just pray to this end that you would supply the 
Holy Spirit cause Him to guide, direct, and encourage our hearts, 
cause us to worship in spirit and in truth. And we pray these 
things through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Well, as I said, 
the apostle introduces the doctrine of Christ's priesthood, not introduces 
the doctrine, but discusses the doctrine in chapters 5 to 10. In chapter 5, very specifically, 
he highlights in verse 10 that Christ is according to the order 
of Melchizedek in terms of the priesthood. He then goes on a 
bit of a digression, as I mentioned, to deal with various practical 
issues affecting the people of God. He reproves them for spiritual 
immaturity in chapter 5, verses 12 to 14. He then gives an exhortation 
to pursue maturity in chapter 6, verses 1 to 3. He then underscores 
the dangerous peril of apostasy in chapter 6, verses 4 to 8, 
and then he ends that section with an encouragement to persevere 
in chapter 6, verses 9 to 20, wherein, again, he highlights 
the reality that Christ is High Priest according to the order 
of Melchizedek, verse 20 of chapter 6. That then leads to this discussion 
concerning Melchizedek, and I leave that to you for your study later. 
We don't have the time to investigate all of those particulars involved 
with who Melchizedek was and how he relates to our Lord Jesus 
Christ. But as I said, we're focusing 
on verses 20 to 28. In the first place, we ought 
to appreciate the appointment of Christ according to the divine 
oath in verses 20 to 22. Secondly, the permanent priesthood 
of Christ according to the divine plan in verses 23 to 25. And 
then the perfect priesthood of Christ according to His person 
and work in verses 26 to 28. Now, certainly, if you do not 
concentrate or focus upon or ever think about the priestly 
office of Christ, you are missing a world of benefit. We need Christ 
as priest. We need one to intercede on our 
behalf. In fact, there are two-fold application 
of priesthood, or two-fold function of a priest, and one is oblation 
or sacrifice or offering, and the other is intercession. And 
here, particularly in this passage, we see us both ascribe to our 
Lord. We need both. We need that intercession. We need his sacrifice on our 
behalf. But notice how Christ assumed 
office. It was appointment by divine 
oath. Notice in verse 20. And inasmuch 
as he was not made priest without an oath, for they have become 
priests without an oath, but he with an oath by him who said 
to him." Now essentially what is happening in the larger context 
is Aaron was the high priest. The Levitical order came about 
as a result of succession. It wasn't divine appointment 
in terms of an oath-bound statement regarding their functioning as 
priests. The book of Exodus in chapter 
28 highlights that it would be the tribe of Levi from whence 
the priests would come. So they were essentially born 
into it. That's why the author in the 
section that I read indicates that no one from the tribe of 
Judah ever officiated at the altar. But Christ is of the tribe 
of Judah, therefore He is not one of the Aaronic priests. He 
is not connected to the Levitical priesthood. He is of the order 
of Melchizedek. So there is an absence of an 
oath with reference to the Levitical order. But notice with reference 
to Christ, this is by divine oath. But he with an oath by 
him who said to him, now notice in verse 21, the Lord has sworn 
and will not relent, you are a priest forever according to 
the order of Melchizedek. That is Psalm 110. Pastor Porter 
read that at the outset of worship. And we need to appreciate that 
Psalm 110 came in the context when there was a temple standing, 
when there was a Levitical priesthood officiating, when there were 
sacrifices being made. So that system, that structure, 
that particular covenantal arrangement, that priesthood, if you will, 
was always temporary in the plan of God. It was never viewed as 
the end-all, be-all. And that is what the apostle 
highlights several times in his discussion here. But with reference 
to his citation, notice in verse 17, he quotes the relevant passage 
to Christ being of the order of Melchizedek. You are a priest 
forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Here now he wants 
to solidify it and demonstrate that it is by divine oath. So 
he highlights that first part of Psalm 110.4 when he says, 
the Lord has sworn and will not relent. The addition of that 
clause, and I will not relent, indicates something of the covenantal 
transaction between the Father and the Son. I think it harkens 
back to what we call the covenant of redemption. But notice that 
it was by divine oath that Christ assumed His particular office. 
And when it comes to God swearing, and when it comes to a statement 
that God will not relent, God cannot relent. That language 
is for us. It is not describing a potential 
world wherein the living and the true God might actually change 
His mind or heart. When we see this language, it's 
appropriated to us, it's accommodated to us. This idea of God swearing 
an oath, if you look back in chapter 6 at verse 17, with reference 
to Abraham and the covenant with him. 617 says, thus God, determining 
to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability 
of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable 
things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have 
strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the 
hope set before us. In other words, when I take an 
oath, I am making a statement of my validity or my veracity. I am communicating to you that 
you can take me at my word. When God swears an oath, it is 
nothing to do with himself, but rather it is accommodated to 
us. Listen to Philip Hughes. I think he explains this well, 
that God should bind himself by an oath is a reflection, not 
on the divine credibility. You see, God doesn't need to 
swear on a stack of Bibles. God doesn't need to affirm by 
oath. It is not a matter of, or not 
a reflection on the divine credibility, but on the perversion of the 
human situation. God's oath indeed, though in 
itself redundant, since his word is absolute truth, is a condescension 
to human frailty. And I suspect that this language 
of oath, This language of God's swearing is a reflection of that 
covenantal act between the Father and the Son with reference to 
the salvation of His people. But for us, we can find great 
benefit and great comfort in this reality. God sanctioned 
Christ. God swore Christ to activity. God installed Him for that particular 
function to do all that the Apostle highlights here with reference 
to our redemption. And note quickly, before we move 
on, the implication drawn by the Apostle here. Verse 22, he 
says, By so much more, Jesus has become a surety of a better 
covenant. Now this idea of surety is beautiful. The word was used in the papyri, 
those are great sort of slips of paper, if you will, and promissory 
documents to designate a guarantor or one who stands security. Jesus 
Himself is our security, that there will be no annulment of 
this new and better covenant. He is our surety. He has sworn, 
and He has indeed undertaken by Himself. John Owen says, he 
undertook as the surety of the covenant to answer for all the 
sins of those who are to be and are made partakers of the benefits 
of it. That is to undergo the punishment 
due unto their sins, to make atonement for them by offering 
himself a propitiatory sacrifice for their expiation. redeeming 
them by the price of his blood from their state of misery and 
bondage under the law and the curse of it." He is the surety 
of a better covenant. And this is the first reference 
to better covenant in this particular book. He's going to develop this 
theme over the next couple of chapters, but this better covenant 
is the new covenant, and notice it is founded on better promises, 
according to the context in chapter 8, verse 6, and then it affords 
a better hope. The reference recalls the better 
hope of verse 19, and it sets the stage for his discussion 
of the new covenant in chapter 8. So this covenant prophesied 
by Jeremiah in Jeremiah chapter 31, identified as the new covenant, 
is here in the book of Hebrews described as a second covenant, 
the new covenant, the better covenant, and ultimately in chapter 
13 at verse 20, the eternal covenant. So we need to appreciate the 
reality that Christ's appointment to office was not because He 
was born into that tribe, but rather He was instituted, He 
was sworn in by God most high. Now notice secondly, the permanent 
priesthood of Christ according to that plan. Notice in verses 
23 to 25, there was a succession of Levitical priests, right? 
I mean, they died and they were born and they lived and they 
functioned. Josephus said there were 83 high priests from the 
time of Aaron to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. So there 
was a whole host of them. It says in verse 23, there were 
many priests because they were prevented by death from continuing. That makes sense, doesn't it? 
You can't continue to function as a priest if you die. You can't 
continue to offer up oblation. You can't continue to intercede 
if you die. The contrast here is between 
the endless life of our Lord Jesus Christ and the death of 
these particular Aaronic priests. John Gill says death has a power 
to forbid a long continuance in this world. We might call 
him the master of the obvious with that particular statement, 
wouldn't we? This is just the time to wake 
up, brethren, listen to what Brother John Gill says. Death 
has a power to forbid a long continuance in this world, and 
no man does continue long here. Death puts a stop to men's works 
and to exercise, and to the exercise of their several callings. No 
office, even the most sacred, exempts from it. No, not the 
office of high priests. These were but men, sinful men, 
and so died. And their discontinuance by reason 
of death shows the imperfection of their priesthood. You see 
the contrast between these many priests who died versus the one 
priest who lives forever. This indicates his superiority. It indicates his supremacy, which 
is a chief aim of the apostle throughout the book of Hebrews. 
Christ is superior to the prophets. Christ is superior to the angels. 
Christ is superior to Moses. Christ is superior to Joshua. 
Christ is superior to Aaron. Christ is superior in his person 
and in his word, and he accomplishes the task for which the Father 
sent him. Now notice, it highlights his 
unchangeable priesthood in verse 24. It says, but he, because 
he continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Isn't 
that good news? Your priest isn't going to die. 
He isn't going to go the way of all flesh. He isn't going 
to be buried and contained by the tomb. Now certainly he did 
die, but he was raised the third day. He is both God and man and 
one glorious person. Both natures functioning according 
to the divine mind, according to the divine will, for the redemption 
of His people from their sins. He continues forever, and then 
notice what He goes on to say in verse 24, He has an unchangeable 
priesthood. Now, let's just get real practical. That means that if you close 
with Christ today, if you come to God through Christ today, 
you're not going to be lost on Thursday. You're not going to 
be cast off in two years. His is an unchangeable priesthood. Those for whom He died, those 
for whom He raised again, those will indeed be secure for all 
eternity. His is an unchangeable priesthood. You may have gone to those Aaronic 
priesthood and got them on a good day or perhaps on a bad day. 
You may go to friends or persons that help you and find them on 
a good day or on a bad day. You may see that there is change 
in their character and the way that they conduct themselves 
with you, but you will never find that change with Christ. 
You will never find that variation with Christ. You will never hear 
of Him. Abandoning any for whom He died, 
any for whom He sacrificed Himself, any for whom He continually makes 
intercession. It cannot be the case. There 
is a world of encouragement in this specific statement in verse 
24. But He, because He continues 
forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Now the apostle, 
as he is wont to do in several places in his writings, draws 
out a salvific implication, an implication relative to salvation, 
and that's verse 35. Let's just take it apart. In 
the first place, he identifies his power. Notice in verse 25, 
Therefore, as an implication, therefore, as a conclusion, therefore, 
as an inference from what is followed, and it follows as a 
necessary consequence. Therefore, he is also able to 
save." Now, this idea of able is not like it is with us. Someone might say, I think I'm 
able to climb Mount Sham. I may not be able to. There's 
almost a bit of contingency in the use of this word able, but 
it's not to be understood this way with reference to Christ 
here. It's not understood that way in the rest of the book of 
Hebrews, and it certainly is not used here in that manner. Notice, he is able to save. This is what Christ does today 
at the hospital ministry. We looked at Luke chapter 19, 
and you'll remember therein, specifically at verse 10, the 
Lord Jesus describes his mission in very clear terms, not only 
for the benefit of Zacchaeus, of whom He just saved, but for 
that crowd, that notorious group of sinners that grumbled, whined, 
and complained. They were offended at the grace 
of God Most High when Jesus stood at the base of that sycamore 
tree and He told Zacchaeus to hurry down. What do the sinful 
people there do? They grumble, they whine, they 
murmur, they complain. This is carnal man's reaction 
to the grace of God. He's going to be a guest at the 
house of a sinner. Well, Jesus defines his mission. 
He says, the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which 
was lost. You see, we don't need in the 
first place a new religion. We don't need in the first place 
a political revolutionary. We don't need in the first place 
a social justice warrior. We need in the first place the 
priestly office of our Lord Jesus Christ as specified in this particular 
passage with the grand and blessed implication that He is able to 
save. He is able and powerful to draw 
men unto Himself. in salvation. And it's based 
on this reality, this 725 reality, that he is also able to save 
to the uttermost that other blessed statements are made in the book 
of Hebrews. Notice in Hebrews chapter 2. 
Hebrews chapter 2. And I love the way the New King 
James renders that. He saves to the uttermost. Certainly 
completely is a legitimate translation. Certainly forever is a legitimate 
translation. But that idea of uttermost. He 
saves to the uttermost. He leaves nothing undone. He 
leaves no stone unturned with reference to the redemption of 
his elect. He doesn't leave anything to chance, but rather he saves 
to the uttermost. It's another indicator why we 
know that Abel there doesn't have any degree of contingency 
whatsoever. because he is able to save to 
the uttermost. And because he is able to save 
to the uttermost, there are other blessed cordials that we find 
in the book of Hebrews that indicate the blessed connection we have 
with our high priest. Notice in 2.17. Therefore, in 
all things, he had to be made like his brethren, that he might 
be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to 
God to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Now, 
we shouldn't just run through that word, propitiation. I realize 
that a lot of people here have heard it defined in a multitude 
of ways or a multitude of times, rather, but we ought to just 
spend a moment to consider. Propitiation has to do with God's 
wrath. You see, God is angry with the 
wicked every day. If you are not a Christian here 
this evening, you are under the wrath of God. This is the clear 
teaching of John 3.36. He that believeth a son hath 
everlasting life. He that believeth not shall not 
see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. This is a present, 
active, indicative situation. If you are an unbeliever, here 
now, the wrath of God abides on you. Well, this idea of propitiation 
means this, that Christ at the cross propitiates the wrath of 
God. He doesn't deflect it, He doesn't 
send it away, but rather He absorbs it. He takes it in Himself. He 
drinks the cup of God's wrath to its dregs. He exhausts God's 
wrath on behalf of all those whom the Father has given Him. 
So this word propitiation assumes God is wrathful. It assumes that 
we are sinful and under God's wrath and that justly. We are 
liable to all the curses of the wrath of God. But then notice 
what it goes on to say, for in that He Himself has suffered, 
being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. You 
see, we have that benefit because He is able to save to the uttermost. Notice as well in Hebrews 4. 
Again, these are just blessed corollaries of the reality that 
He has saved us from our sins. We have one who is able to aid 
us when we are tempted. Maybe we shouldn't leave chapter 
two too quick. You see, it can't be the case 
that you can't kill sin if you're a believer. This happens with 
us, doesn't it? Oh, I just can't get victory 
here. I just can't kill this sin. Why not? Now, I'm not preaching 
perfectionism. I'm not suggesting that, you 
know, I'm John Wesley and I'm going to teach you all about, 
you know, higher life and second work of grace or second blessing 
and all that sort of thing. But brethren, we have divine 
aid. We have divine resources. We 
have one who is able to aid all those who are tempted. See, I 
wonder if in the midst or in the crux, when we're about to 
choose that pathway to sin, are we crying out for our priest? Are we crying out for help from 
outside of ourselves? Are we crying out to the one 
who is able to aid us when we are being tempted? Or do we reject 
or resist Him and just press on, pursuing our lusts with that 
old adage, well, sometimes it's better to ask for forgiveness 
than for help in this particular instance. Notice in chapter 4, 
another corollary connected to the reality that Christ saves 
to the uttermost. Chapter 4, verse 14, seeing then 
that 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 
weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without 
sin." Have you ever contemplated verse 15? We do not have a high 
priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses. I don't 
think he's just saying theoretically he can, but that he does. He has omnipotent compassion 
to utilize the language of John Murray. The apostle then draws 
out this implication or exhortation, let us therefore come boldly 
to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace 
to help in time of need. It's all connected to this reality 
in Hebrews 7 that he is able to save to the uttermost. And 
then notice the apostle highlights his particular office as mediator. He is able to save to the uttermost 
those who come to God through him. You see, this is an important 
subject that we ought to give attention to with reference to 
our own apologetics in this world. All religions do not lead to 
heaven. All religions do not lead to 
God. All religions ultimately lead 
to hell if they are Christ-less religions. Christ says this in 
the Upper Rome Discourse, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 
No one comes to the Father except through me. You see, Christians 
are oftentimes portrayed as being these bigoted persons, these 
prejudicial persons, these sorts of persons that are narrow-minded, 
these sorts of persons that are very exclusive. Exactly. We follow 
our Master, and our Master says that apart from Him, you will 
die in your sins, John 8. If you do not believe that I 
am, Christ says, you will perish, you will die in your sins. But we have here an emphasis 
on the reality that if a sinner is to be saved, he must come 
to God through Christ. There is no true religion. There 
is no redemption. There is no salvation apart from 
Jesus Christ. Now, I believe we all affirm 
that, and we certainly confess it in our London Confession of 
Faith, but do we live like that? Do we operate like that? I'm 
not suggesting we run all over the world and say, if you don't 
have Jesus, you're going to die in your sin, though that wouldn't 
be a bad thing. But brethren, in our apologetic, 
in our witness, in our testimony, in our desire to see sinners 
saved, has it really affected us that apart from Christ, sinners 
go off to the pit? You know, I think that ought 
to affect us with reference to gospel missions. You know, there's 
a whole host of people that have never heard of Christ. What ought 
we to conclude from Hebrews 7.25? Those who have not heard of Christ 
are going to perish without Christ. So it ought to cause us to pray 
for gospel missions. It ought to cause us to give 
as we are able to finance gospel missions. It ought to promote 
in us a concern for those who have not yet heard of Jesus Christ, 
because if He is the one alone who is able to save to the uttermost, 
and the means by which He does that is that those who come to 
God through Him are those who are saved, then we ought to be 
concerned with and interested in getting the gospel out there. This is an emphasis in 1 Timothy 
chapter 2. You can turn there, passage dealing 
with salvation, 1 Timothy chapter 2, very specifically in verse 
4. Well, let's just pick up in verse 
1. You'll see how Paul applies it even to the civil government. 
He says, therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, 
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 
for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a 
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. Now, 
I don't think Paul says, I want you to pray for them only that 
you may have these benefits. Certainly pray for their salvation. 
Certainly pray that God will work in their hearts. I mean, 
I think as we pray for people, our chief concern ought to be 
to see them come to the Savior, right? Oh, no, not us. We just 
pray for peaceable and quiet lives. That's not his point. 
That's not the emphasis. And he underscores this by verse 
3, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 
who desires all men to be saved. Now, the old man there doesn't 
mean each and every man without exception, but I think it means 
men without without distinction. There's a particular category 
of men that Paul says we are to pray for. Kings, governors, 
all who are in authority. And so when he says in verse 
4, who desires all men, I don't think it means all men without 
exception, but all kinds of men, whether they're kings or paupers, 
whether they're black or they're white, whether they're Canadian 
or American, whether they're whatever. Notice in Acts 4. Acts, chapter 4, the early church 
believed this doctrine, that Christ was alone mediator. And in Acts, chapter 4, at verse 
12, it says, nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no 
other name under heaven given among men by which we must be 
saved. So as we go back to Hebrews chapter 
7, the apostle highlights Christ's power to save, His particular 
function as mediator, and then He underscores His intercession 
for His people. Notice verse 25, He is able to 
save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since 
He always lives to make intercession for them. since he always lives 
to make intercession for them." Again, the context feeds this 
whole idea. He's got the power of an endless 
life. He is unchanging. He's not going to die. He's not 
of the order of Aaron. He's not a Levitical priest. 
He's not going to breathe his last and go into the ground and 
we'll hear from him no more. No, he always lives to make intercession 
for us. And this whole idea of Christ 
making intercession for us probably would take, you know, several 
hours just at a brief glance. But there's a couple of passages 
we ought to consider. In 1 John, chapter 2, verses 
1 and 2, John says, my little children, I write these things 
so that you may not sin. It's a beautiful thing, isn't 
it? John writes what he's written up to that point so that the 
people of God will not sin. I'm not writing to you so that 
you'll go out and sin. I'm not writing to you so that 
you'll go revel in the doctrine of justification by faith alone 
and draw out some ungodly implications that we can continue in sin that 
grace may abound. No, I write these things so that 
you may not sin. But, I love John, he's a realist. On one hand, he's an idealist. 
I write these things so that you may not sin. Now, this isn't 
idealism and realism with reference to the philosophical schools 
of thought connected to those terms. It's just he's an idealist. I write these things so that 
you may not sin. All you parents are idealists. 
I want you to go and clean your room, and I'm sure that in 15 
minutes it's going to look spick and span. That's being an idealist. Being a realist is, I suspect 
that you're going to struggle with cleaning your room in 15 
minutes. So at about minute eight, I'm going to shout up from the 
bottom of the stairs and tell you to get a move on. That's 
realism. You see, what John says is, I 
write these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does 
sin, we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ 
the righteous. It's beautiful, isn't it? Brethren, 
you're not supposed to sin, but when you sin, you have an advocate 
with the Father. We're not supposed to go out 
and violate the Decalogue. We're not supposed to go out 
and do things that are wicked. We're not supposed to go out 
and break God's law. But if anyone does sin, he has 
an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. 
Intriguingly, John uses the word propitiation in that context 
as well. It's a beautiful concept. What our Lord Jesus affects for 
the good of His people. He always lives to make intercession 
for us. John Owen makes this observation 
concerning Christ's intercession. He says, this intercession of 
Christ is the great evidence of the continuance of His love 
and care, His pity and compassion toward His church. Now think 
about it, Christ is king, Christ is prophet. We need him in each 
of these offices. We need him as a king to rule 
us, to defend us, to protect us, to legislate to us on how 
we are to march. We need Christ as prophet so 
that he communicates to us the word of the living God. He does 
that through the written word by the power of His Holy Spirit. 
We need His prophetic ministry, don't we? But we need this priestly 
office of Christ to continue. And this is what Owen suggests. This intercession of Christ is 
the great evidence of the continuance of His love and care, His pity 
and compassion toward His church. Had He only continued to rule 
the church as its King and Lord, He had manifested His glorious 
power, His righteousness and faithfulness. And that's all 
good stuff. The scepter of His kingdom is 
a scepter of righteousness. But mercy and compassion, love 
and tenderness are constantly ascribed unto Him as our High 
Priest. It's beautiful, isn't it? I think 
we see those twin concepts in the passage we read from Hebrews 
chapter 4. Seeing then that we have a great 
high priest, Jesus who 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 weaknesses, 
but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. The 
same idea is in 2.18, for in that he himself has suffered 
being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. You 
see, we have a kingly priest, and this is precisely what Psalm 
110 specified. The Lord, Yahweh, said to my 
Lord, Christ, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies 
your footstool. That's the kingly office of Jesus. That's his royal reign. But smack 
dab in the middle of the psalm, you are a priest of the order 
of Melchizedek. Our Jesus fulfills those offices 
of prophet, priest, and king for the benefit of His people, 
for the good of His church, for their encouragement, and so that 
they will go to Him on a regular basis. Now let's look finally 
at the perfect priesthood of Christ according to His person 
and work. In some sense, what we have here is a description 
of his character. It's a description of his qualification. It shows his fittingness for 
his task. In fact, that's how it starts. 
Notice in verse 26 where the apostle highlights his personal 
qualification. For such a high priest was fitting 
for us. I've always thought, you know, 
he goes on to say, holy, harmless, and undefiled. It's fitting for 
us to have him because we are unholy, we are harmful, and we 
are thoroughly defiled, aren't we? Not only are we not separate 
from sinners, we're right there in the mix. We are right there 
busying ourselves with all of the ungodliness that sinners 
perpetuate. But this one is fitting for us 
because we're unholy, because we are harmful, and because we 
are thoroughly defiled. It was fitting that he would 
be such a high priest who is holy, harmless, undefiled. This 
describes his sinlessness. This describes his perfect qualification 
for the function as priest. This goes along with the book 
of Leviticus. Remember when the sacrificial 
animal was chosen from the flock? What were they forbidden from 
doing? They were forbidden from picking one that was disqualified. They were forbidden from taking 
one with a broken leg. They were forbidden from taking 
one that was blind or maimed in some other way. They had to 
pick the best animal. This is the whole rationale for 
the prophet Malachi, because in Malachi's days the people 
were indeed offering up the worst of the animals in order to bypass, 
or probably in order to secure for themselves the good animals 
in their own flock. But you see, Christ is fit, Christ 
is qualified, Christ is indeed the man that answers to the particular 
focus of God in the salvation of His people. Now this idea 
of holy, it's personal piety, His obedience to the Father, 
the reality that He accomplishes the Father's will, the harmlessness 
of our Lord Jesus, free from all guile, His innocence, His 
moral qualification as High Priest. Notice in our studies in the 
book of Matthew. I mentioned this morning how 
Jesus called or referred to that third slave as wicked and lazy. You see, it's not harmful to 
use such verbiage if it's true. So we're being pummeled in submission 
today. We can't say anything that may sound unpolitically 
or unpolitically correct, I don't know if that's it, unpolitically 
correct, probably, because it might offend somebody. But if 
it's true, how is it harmful? Right? So Jesus is able to refer 
to Herod as a fox. He's able to refer to the religious 
leaders of his day as hypocrites, as bags of snakes. And in all 
that, he is harmless. You see, I think that we have 
imbibed this political correctness and reinterpret Scripture in 
a way it was never intended to be. But notice, he is holy, harmless, 
undefiled. O'Brien says, taken together, 
these three adjectives forcibly describe the sinlessness of the 
high priest. Notice it goes on to say, he 
is separate from sinners. Now, when it says that, it's 
not like the Pharisees were separate from sinners. It's not like some 
of us might be. We're too pure and holy to get 
around anybody that's not like us. Those people do this in their 
homes, so we're not going to have any truck with them. Those 
people do this in their homes, so if they ever invite us over 
for dinner, we're busy. We can't have any association 
whatsoever with anybody that's not just like us. That's not 
what it means. The separate from sinners here 
cannot mean he was away from sinners. Because in his earthly 
ministry, this was one of the chief complaints of the Pharisees, 
vis-a-vis Luke 15. This man receives sinners and 
he eats with them. Remember what happens after he 
saves Matthew. What does Matthew do? Matthew 
throws a feast. Jesus is the star of the show, or the one 
who is honored at this particular feast. And who does Matthew invite? All the rabble that he is associated 
with. All the sinners that he is associated with. Jesus doesn't 
run out of the house and say, oh, I can't be near them because 
I'm separate from sinners. No, it was the Pharisees who 
said, why does the master or why does your rabbi, why does 
your teacher have truck with these sinners? And Jesus says, 
I didn't come to call the righteous, but I came to call the sinners 
to repentance. Being separate from sinners in 
this context must be according to the holiness, the harmlessness, 
and the undefiledness. He is separate from them in that 
he's never participated in their sin. It underscores the reality 
of His holiness, harmlessness, and undefiledness. He is separate. Not that He doesn't draw nigh 
to us when we cry out and give us aid in our temptations. Not 
that He doesn't sympathize with us in our weaknesses. Not that 
He doesn't save to the uttermost all that draw nigh unto God through 
Him. He's not separate in that sense. In fact, Christ is accessible. Christ is available as the high 
priest for his people. The separateness has to do with 
him never having sinned. It's a beautiful thing. You see, 
He is indeed the Lamb of God. He is indeed the choice of the 
flock. He is indeed the one that is 
without maiming, without laming, without blindness, without any 
defect whatsoever. When God dealt with sinners, 
He sent His Son. When God dealt with sinners, 
He sent the best. So His personal qualifications 
are indicated in verse 26, and that leads finally to the discharge 
of His sacrifice in verse 27. Notice, he does not need daily 
sacrifice. John Owen has a masterful section 
here on why the Roman priesthood is such an aberrant piece of 
theology or practice. Why in the world would we need 
priests to minister before God when we have a great high priest? 
Why would we want to duplicate these sacrifices? Notice the 
emphasis, and it's not just here in Hebrews chapter 7. It's littered 
throughout the book of Hebrews. It's a once-for-all sacrifice. for a popish priest to stand 
up and say we're engaged in an unbloody sacrifice is blasphemous. That's why Pastor Porter no doubt 
tonight will indicate that we're not doing transubstantiation. There is no change of bread and 
wine. They are not becoming something other to facilitate a priestly 
ritual wherein we offer up again the Son of God. That's not happening 
here. That is not taking place here. 
That is abominable. That is wretched. That is against 
the scripture. How the Roman priesthood has 
managed to stay intact in light of the book of Hebrews shows 
us something about the deceitfulness, not only of Roman Catholicism, 
but the duplicitousness of people. I mean, no one should read their 
Bibles and say, wow, we need a priest so that they can engage 
in an unbloody sacrifice. How could you get that from the 
book of Hebrews? How could you finish this book of Hebrews with 
its emphasis on this once-for-all sacrifice of a perfect sacrifice 
and say, hey, how about if we duplicate that in our worship 
services? This is a non-duplicated thing. Notice, he does not need daily 
sacrifice and he does not need sacrifice for himself. Notice 
in verse 27, he does not need daily as those high priests to 
offer up sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the 
people's. Look back at 5.3. 5.3, what we 
have there is a bit of a contrast between Aaron and Jesus, and 
by Aaron I mean the Levitical priesthood. But notice in 5.3, 
it says, because of this, he is required as for the people, 
so also for himself to offer sacrifices for sins. You see 
this in the book of Leviticus in chapter 16. When the priest 
goes about that ritual on the day of atonement, that one day 
a year, what's one of the aspects of the sacrifice? It is to cleanse 
the high priest. He can't wander into the presence 
of God uncleansed or defiled. He needs cleansing. And that 
comes through the sacrifice that is offered. Not so with Christ. He does not need to sacrifice 
for himself because he is sinless. And then notice, it says, for 
this he did once for all when he offered up himself. O'Brien 
makes this observation, by contrast with the Levitical priests, Christ 
offered the definitive and ultimate sacrifice of himself once for 
all. Now listen to this, he did not 
make an offering for himself, but of himself for the sake of 
others. You see that subtle difference 
that's most powerful and reflects the theology taught here in this 
section. He did not make an offering for 
himself, but rather he made an offering of himself for the sake 
of others. John Owen, in a bit longer sentiment, 
as you'll read Owen on Hebrews and note for the, the faint-hearted, 
it's seven volumes on Hebrews. And it's not like reading, you 
know, the Chilliwack Progress, it's dense. And it makes you 
feel dense after you've read, you know, a page. You don't just 
skim through Owen, but I want to read this because I think 
he captures something beautiful. He says, he died as a priest. They died from being priests. He died as a priest because he 
was also to be a sacrifice. But he abode and continued not 
only vested with his office, but in the execution of it in 
the state of death. Through the indissolubleness 
of his person, his soul and body still subsisting in the person 
of the Son of God, he was a capable subject of his office." Now, 
we may not have all got that last sentence. Bandy that around 
at the next time we meet in our studies for Birkhoff. But listen 
to what he says. Listen to what he says. He died 
as a priest. They died from being priests. 
He died as a priest because he was also to be a sacrifice. But he abode and continued not 
only vested with his office, but in the execution of it in 
the state of death. He was raised, and He secured 
salvation. Notice in verse 28, it summarizes 
the argument up to this particular point. It essentially says the 
law of the Levitical priesthood is contrasted with the divine 
oath by which Christ was appointed. It says the many Levitical priests 
are contrasted with the one priest of the order of Melchizedek, 
and then it contrasts the weak and sinful priests with the Son, 
who has been perfected forever. I want to conclude with two observations 
before we move on. In the first place, I think this 
passage does display to us the glory of our Savior, the glory 
of our high priest. Now, there's certainly a whole 
host of things that we can say from the scriptures concerning 
the kingly office and the prophetic office. Those are offices we 
desperately and we crucially need. But we need this priestly 
office. We need one who is not only an 
intercessor for us, but he is also one who is the sacrifice. 
He sacrificed himself for us. He was the perfect offering unto 
God. In chapter 10, verse 4, it'll 
tell us that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away 
sin. That in the larger section dealing 
with the reality that without the shedding of blood, there 
is no remission of sins. That doesn't mean those sacrifices 
in the Old Testament didn't have any effect. It doesn't mean they 
were useless. It doesn't mean they were bad. It simply means 
they were typical. They pointed forward to the Lamb 
of God who takes away the sin of the world. What we see in 
the priestly office of Christ is His glory, His majesty, His 
excellence, His beauty, His purity, and His compassion, His mercy, 
His grace, His kindness, His desire, not desire, His willingness 
rather, to draw nigh unto His people. his ability with reference 
to the saving of sinners. Brethren, we ought never to be 
ashamed. We ought never to be weary of 
preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ because he alone is the 
one who is able to save to the uttermost all who draw near to 
God through him. That is good news. If you are 
not a believer here tonight, look at verse 25, appropriate 
verse 25. The scripture says, if I come 
to the father through the son, he will not cast me out. I believe 
by the grace of God. I believe I want to hold on to 
Christ. I want to know something of his 
priestly office. I want to know this mediator. 
I want to know what it is to be saved. This Christ is able 
to deliver the goods. This Christ is able to benefit 
all who draw nigh unto God through Him. With reference to His intercession, 
as Owen said, it speaks to His mercy, His continued pity for 
the church, His continued compassion on our behalf. You see, I think 
at times when we consider who God is, we see Him as we ought, 
as this lofty, majestic being. Scripture calls Him the Holy 
One of Israel. He's referred at times as the 
Lofty One. What do the Old Testament men 
often refer to God? God most high. All of these are 
appropriate and lovely and beautiful terms. But you know what it can 
tend toward in the lives of God's people is to highlight the distance 
between God and us. And that's a good thing to highlight. 
God is creator. We are creature. There is a vast 
chasm. He is not in the same order of 
our being. He is all together. He is transcendent. But He is not that at the sacrifice 
of His imminence, His presence, His nearness, His goodness, and 
that priestly office of Christ ought to remind the people of 
God of that access. We have by grace come to the 
Father through Him and have known what it is to be saved to the 
uttermost. Let us every day come to the Father through Him. Let 
us in our worship come to the Father through Him. Let us live 
our lives coming to the Father through Him. You see, this priestly 
office speaks great benefit to the people of God. And that's 
the second observation. We need to use this high priest. And I don't mean in a sinful, 
wicked way. But brethren, consider the passages 
that we've looked at tonight. Those few in Hebrews 2 and 4, 
here in chapter 7, excuse me, and then in 1 John. You're going 
to sin. You may be sinning right now. 
I'm going to step out and say, you probably are. Don't offend 
me, brother. What's the two greatest commandments? 
Love to God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love 
to your neighbor as yourself. If you've had a thought that 
wandered any time during the last half hour, you haven't loved 
me as yourself. Just kidding. You need his priestly 
office, don't you? My little children, I write these 
things so that you do not sin. Wake up tomorrow with the resolution 
that I'm going to go out and I'm not going to sin. Now, when 
you're moving your legs off the bed, you'll realize, I've already 
sinned. Thank the Lord God most high. I have an advocate with 
the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. What is John telling 
us? John is telling us, I think at least by way of implication, 
maintain short accounts with God. See, I think this is destructive 
in marriage, when we sin against each other and we don't clean 
it up. I think it's destructive in interpersonal relationships, 
when we sin against each other and we don't clean it up. We 
don't maintain short accounts. In other words, if I sin against 
you, I ought to seek to fix it. If you sin against me, you ought 
to seek to fix it. We ought to maintain short accounts 
with the ones whom we sin against. Why do we forget that when it 
comes to our vertical dealings? Well, I think we actually forget 
it in our interpersonal dealings, but we certainly ought not to 
forget it with reference to God. What do you do when you sin? 
You engage in a form of evangelical penance. You put ashes in your 
soup, you make yourself feel really bad, and then you'll work 
yourself up to going back to the Father. That's not what 1 
John 2 says. My little children, I write these 
things so that you may not sin. And if anyone does sin, we have 
an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. 
What is that supposed to imply for us? When I'm conscious of 
the fact that I've sinned against God, I have to go to my God through 
the advocate. I ought to confess my sins, 1 John 1, 9. I ought 
to ask Him to forgive me of my sins, and I ought to trust that 
He is faithful and just to forgive me. You see, brethren, you need 
to utilize the priestly office of Jesus Christ. I suspect that 
if you get your mind wrapped around 1 John 2, 1 and 2, you're 
going to be using that office very often. You know, apply to 
God through Christ very often because you sin very often, but 
as well, Not even with reference to sin, you're undergoing temptation. 
Maybe it's a particular challenge in your life. Maybe you've tried, 
maybe you've failed. Have you tried the high priestly office 
of Jesus Christ? You cried out to him, was able 
to give aid. When you're tempted, you see 
brethren, when you're tempted, that's when you need divine aid. When you're tempted, that's when 
you need to invoke the promises of God. When you are tempted, 
you are not to lay down passively and engage in sin. You see, we 
sing those hymns relative to the second coming of the Lord 
Jesus. We see these passages on how we ought to live in light 
of the second coming of our Lord Jesus. And what do they envisage? 
They envisage a fighting people, a warring people, a battling 
people. They envisage a people that are described as the church 
militant. Not the church passive, not the 
people of God just falling prey to every wind of doctrine, falling 
prey to every sin that comes along. Brethren, invoke the high 
priestly office of Jesus Christ when you're undergoing that particular 
temptation. Trust Christ to provide aid. 
That's what the scripture says. And as well, you need somebody 
to sympathize with you in your life. I'd like to be that guy, 
but you know what? I'm not the most sympathetic 
fellow in the world. If you ask me to pray for you, 
I will try to pray for you. You cry out to Jesus and realize 
that he always lives to make intercession for you. You ever 
told somebody I'm gonna pray for you and then you didn't? 
Let's try to make sure that if I tell somebody I'm gonna pray 
for them, I try to pray for them right away, because I know my 
memory. If I don't do that, then it's not good. But I think we 
do that in the church, don't we? I'll pray for you. So I prayed 
for you. Did we really? I mean, I'm not 
sure that we need to tell everybody that we're praying for them. 
I mean, Jesus says, when you pray, go into your secret room 
and pray. Don't tell everybody, hey, guess 
what? I prayed for you. Now, I think it can be a means of 
encouragement. I prayed for you. I certainly appreciate it when 
people say, hey, I've been praying for you. Great. Wonderful. Thank 
you. I appreciate that wholeheartedly. 
But you know, as men, as women, we are fallible. As men, as women, 
we forget. As men, as women, especially 
as we get older, if we don't write things down right away, 
it's just going to pop right out the other side. Christ never 
forgets. Christ never falters, Christ 
never fails, Christ rather always lives to make intercession for 
his people. So if his people continue to 
founder, his people continue to wallow, his people continue 
in rebellion, it is no reflection upon his priestly office, it 
rather is a reflection on the fact that they don't utilize 
the priestly office that has been afforded to them in the 
person of Jesus Christ. If we could summarize this section 
of the book of Hebrews, it would go like this. Christ is a wonderful 
high priest, and you people need to use him. You need to avail 
yourselves of the divine resources and the great riches that are 
wrapped up in the person and in the work of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Go to him, invoke his aid, invoke 
his sympathy, and invoke his advocacy when you sin against 
the Father. Well, let us pray. Our God and 
our Father, we thank you for the word of truth. We thank you 
for the priestly office of our Lord Jesus. What a great high 
priest he is, not only as the one who offered the sacrifice, 
but as the very sacrifice himself. I pray that this gospel would 
be proclaimed throughout the earth. I pray that many would 
come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. I pray for those here 
that are outside of Christ, that by your grace, they would come 
to God through the Son, and they would be saved to the uttermost. And bless those people at the 
Heritage Village as well. God, we pray that you'd open 
their eyes and their hearts to the truth, many of them near 
the end of their lives, getting ready to cross into eternity. 
May they be clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 
And it's in his name that we pray. Amen.