Prophet, Priest and King

Take your Bibles if you would please and turn to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 1 verses 1 through 4 are where we're at today and I'd like to preach to you on this title, "Prophet, Priest, and King." Jesus is the wonderful, the ultimate prophet, priest, and king. It's so good to see all of you today and I hope you have something to take notes with because today we're going to turn and have plenty of references to chase down together. Verses 1 through 4 have a main idea that I want you to put at the forefront of your mind and that is God is a speaking God and He has spoken finally and He has finalized His Word in His Son. And so God has spoken and finalized His Word in His Son and He's going to give us some of the ways in which He has spoken.

In verse 1 it says, "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers and the way that He spoke long ago was in different ways. He spoke through narrative and hymns and proverbs and poetry and parables, love songs, wisdom, apocalyptic literature, types, shadows, prophecies, and the list kind of goes on and on and on. In the Old Testament God has spoken in many different ways but He's also spoken through prophets, many different prophets. Some of those would be Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Saul, David and the Kings and the prophets and the list kind of goes on and on and on, on how God has spoken. And so when it comes to God having spoken, it's a reference there to the entire Old Testament. Now His Word is finalized in His Son.

Look with me if you would. "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers and the prophets in many portions and in many ways," just talked about that. That's a reference to all of the Old Testament. "In these days He has spoken to us in His Son." And so all of what God has spoken has been finalized in His Son to us. But believe it or not God's Word was already finalized. In Psalm 119 verse 89 the Bible says, "Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven." And so God's Word has already been settled in, signed, sealed and now delivered to us. It's a done deal. And so those who would believe a new revelation or a word from God are out of bounds. Just quote for them Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 2. We can't get a word from God or new revelation from God. This is something that God says He has done. He has spoken and His Word is finalized in His Son and it has already been said and settled in heaven. This is precious to be able to see this is that the New Testament era is here.

We have a New Testament prophet who is the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament prophecies and now we have the last Adam who was better than the first Adam. Not one who was created but one who creates and is the Creator. Not an Adam who disobeyed but one of perfect obedience. The Adam that disobeyed is referenced in Romans chapter 5 verse 12. He disobeyed and all of sin then spread to all of humanity. And then in Romans 5 18 you see that Christ is now our perfect obedience fulfilling the demands of the law. This New Testament prophet you need to see that Jesus is this New Testament prophet just the way that the woman at the well recognized and perceived that Jesus was a prophet.

The woman at the well in John chapter 4 verse 19 said, "Sir, I perceive you are a prophet." Yes, he was a prophet but today I'm proclaiming to you what the Bible says. He is the Prophet and she would go on to better understand as time would go on. And so now we have this Prophet, this wonderful Prophet, Priest, and King. In Hebrews chapter 1 verses 1 through 4, I want you to see that Christ is the ultimate Prophet. He is the one who has been chosen by God to be His spokesman, His foreteller. He is the one who was now warning. He is the one who is now preaching the truth of God's Word.

In Matthew chapter 5 and verse 17, turn with me if you would there, I want you to see in Matthew 5 17 that the Bible says that Jesus did not come to abolish the law or to get rid of the Old Testament prophets or whatnot. He came to fulfill these. And this is important for you to see that He is the fulfillment. And keep it in mind that the New Testament is the New Testament. We're still living in the Old Testament days so to speak. And so in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 17 the Bible says, "Do not think that I came to abolish the law," this is Jesus, "or the prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." Not only did He fulfill all of the proclamations from the Old Testament prophets but now He is the Prophet to come, the Messiah.

In Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 15 it says that of Moses a prophet like me would come. And Jesus is the fulfillment of that Deuteronomic prophecy. In John chapter 4 verse 19 it says, "Again I perceive that you are a Prophet and so now she and I hope that we as well would understand Jesus to be the Prophet." A wonderful thing to grasp and to understand. Jesus is the ultimate Prophet. God has progressively revealed this truth of His Son throughout history. And you see that as the Bible unfolds and gets clearer and clearer and clearer.

And so the persons and events and institutions recorded in the Old Testament, these are used of God to foreshadow His Son, to even prefigure Christ and to even utilize institutions to be able to reveal Christ. Some of these that are prominent in the Old Testament that you perhaps already know of such as the prefiguring of Christ would be Melchizedek. Some of these things that you would perhaps understand since we've gone through Ephesians clearly is the tabernacle. Some of these things that you perhaps already know of is the Sabbath. These things reveal Christ and such as the promised land. The promised land would symbolize our heavenly inheritance in Christ. And so all the promises and all the richness and all the fullness and all the hopes and dreams of Israel headed towards Canaan land symbolize at a greater extent, a much, much greater extent.

I mean you can hardly put the riches into words comparing the riches in Christ even to the dirt of Canaan land as what heaven will be for us. And so think on a grander scale in regards to Christ being foreshadowed for us to be able to ascertain Him. And then as well the Sabbath represents our rest in Christ. We'll get there one year. It's in Hebrews chapter 4. And when we get there we will understand what it is to truly rest in Jesus Christ. There's a lot of misconceptions on the Sabbath and what is that? Do we adhere fully to it today? Do we live by the law or are we free in Christ? How do we do that and be completely in alignment with all of the Word of God?

But nevertheless the greater idea of the Sabbath is us resting in Him. No more striving, no more dealing with the thorns, no more dealing with the birth pains, and no more dealing with sin. We can actually rest and be at perfect peace. Praise God. And then as well another prefigure of Christ is the temple and that symbolizes what I would deem as the richest of them all is fellowship with Christ. To tabernacle with Jesus. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 22 we explored what it was to tabernacle with Jesus. And so to the extent that we are able to be in union with Christ and to enjoy His presence now is simply a foretaste to what we will be able to enjoy for eternity in heaven.

And I hope that we can now look at this Prophet, this perfect Prophet and the promises that were laid before us and be a people of hope and to be a people who enjoy the fellowship of Christ now and to be a people who truly, truly, truly enjoy walking with the Lord. And this is to be done today. It's a foretaste of heaven. We can enjoy these promises, these promises of this Prophet today because He is true and real. Not only does the temple symbolize fellowship but even Israel itself. You see the Christians are grafted in are now the Israel of God. That's Galatians 6 16. We are the Israel of God and that is rich to know that now we've been grafted in and even Jesus Himself is the fulfillment of all the promises of Israel.

And so now you see that all of these things have been promised through the Prophet, the Prophet Jesus. But look at it how it says in these last days in verse 2, in these last days He's spoken to us. In these last days should be interpreted this way. The days of the Messiah and the New Covenant age. You see the Old Covenant has been fulfilled and now is actually obsolete. It's done. Just put a check mark on that thing. And now move on to the New Covenant. We are New Covenant Christians. We are in Christ. He's fulfilled the Old Testament law which we could have never fulfilled.

And now by grace through faith we live in Him. Not only live as in being made alive in Him, being born again, being saved, but to continue to work out our salvation, to live unto Him, and to work out our salvation and be pure before Him. And so these are the days of the age of the New Covenant age. Christ has inaugurated this. And so Christ now is our ultimate Prophet who has ushered in a new era. Hebrews chapter 8 verse 8 says this, "I will affect a New Covenant." A New Covenant. And so why would you hang on to the Old? It's been fulfilled.

In this passage you can see the difference between verses 1 and verses 2 like this. Some say this, and I have a lot of respect for this interpretation and this stance. They would say "law and gospel." But I would perhaps change the word "and" to a biblical word right here. In these last days He's spoken to us in the Son. I think that it would be more appropriate to say "law to gospel." You see, it's pretty much the difference between how you interpret the Old Testament law. If you're going to adhere to the dietary rules, if you're going to adhere to the Sabbath day and all of its laws, if you're going to really, really, really, really stringently hold to it, then it's law and gospel.

But you see the law is a foretaste. It's pushing towards our Prophet and it's fulfilled. You see from verses 1 to 2 that it is law to gospel. Let me read it to you and you as well can see what the Bible is saying. "God, after He spoke long ago," a reference to the Old Testament, right? "to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways. Now in these last days He has spoken to us in the Son." So the progression here is to Christ. We are great commission Christians. We're of the gospel. And so now this is law to gospel. It is Old Covenant to the New Covenant. And this is a glorious thing because those who try to live up to the law put a very heavy yoke upon their shoulders.

Those who try to live up to the law of the Old Testament weigh themselves down with a weight that they were never intended to carry. Those who try to fulfill the Ten Commandments to achieve salvation are approaching God's law incorrectly. God gave us a law so that we could see our sin, that we see that we are sinners, and that He sent His Son to fulfill the law because He is the perfect Prophet, Priest and King. He perfectly fulfilled all of the law in our place as a substitute. And so if you try to live up to the Old Testament law then you're usurping the role of Jesus Christ and what He did for you. You're nullifying grace.

And that's exactly what Hebrews is all about. It's calling the Christians who have come out of Judaism and now into Christianity who are now by persecution shrinking back to the way that they've always done things, back into the fullness of Christ, to Christ, to the gospel, to freedom, to this grace. It's an awesome lifestyle. And so in Hebrews 8-8 Jesus says, "I will affect the New Covenant." And the Old is obsolete in 8-13. It's even ready to disappear. Obviously it can. Now you see that the ultimate Prophet has fulfilled the Old Covenant and inaugurated it new and He is now the Spokesman. The Spokesman in these last days in verse 2 has spoken to us in His Son.

And so the Son of God is the only begotten Son of God. In John chapter 1 in verse 14 it says this, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and behold we beheld His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." And so we know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the Spokesman. He is the Proclaimer. He has spoken. Done it's settled. And so to know Jesus is to know truth. And so you think, okay, He is a Prophet. We're talking about the fact that Jesus is a perfect Prophet right now. There's a test in the Old Testament as to what perfect prophets are.

The test is found in 2 Chronicles chapter 18 verse 13 and they are to say what God says. And so true prophets simply say what God says. In 2 Chronicles chapter 18 and verse 13 the Bible says this, "As sure as the Lord lives I can tell him only what my God says." So a true Prophet is only going to say what God says. In John chapter 12 and verse 49 the Bible says this, "And I did not speak on my own but the Father has, what the Father has, commanded me to speak." And so Jesus subordinates to the Father in that He only said what the Father told Him to say is proclaimed in John chapter 12 and verse 49.

This is the perfect Prophet. And as this Prophet continues through the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and types and shadows and characters and institutions and people to proclaim to you true freedom in Him. And He proclaims only true freedom but He is proclaiming to you a future complete victory over sin. He's also proclaiming to you and has said to you that you have a heavenly inheritance to enjoy and this perfect Prophet is proclaiming to you that you can have today a peace and a rest in Him. And He's also promising and proclaiming this deep and wonderful fellowship day by day by day.

Sometimes dear in the day, don't you need the fellowship of Christ even at night when you wake up? You need peace all the day long, every day, in and out of life. This is what the perfect Prophet is proclaiming and promising to you. These are grandiose promises. In Hebrews 13 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. And so as one who has promised these things, I'm saying to you today to look to Jesus with hope and joy and continue in Him because of who He is.

That claim of deity in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 8, Jesus is, is your stability. How many of you have found it hard in the past to work for someone who is of low integrity? How many of you have found it very hard to work for someone who lies or perhaps cuts corners and cheats? How many of you have found it very, very, very difficult to be committed to perhaps a company or an institution in whom you do not agree with the values? Oh, that's difficult. But we don't have that in Christ. We have a perfect person. We have a perfect Prophet, a perfect King, a perfect Priest who makes all kinds of wonderful promises.

And as we see them being fulfilled over and over and over, His track record is absolutely perfect. That, my friends, puts us at peace. And that makes us to be confident in Him and His grand plan. He's got everything in control. There's no reason to worry or to fret or to be stressed. God's Word is settled. We rest in His wonder and in His awe. And when you are striving in Him, there is peace. When you are striving in the flesh, there is unrest. Somehow you feel like it's up to you. But remember, He's already done it. This thing called Christianity is a done deal. Right? It's not, it's not that we are human doings. We are human beings. It's who you are in Christ.

If you are human doings, then you are to be doing what it would be to fulfill the law and live up to but we are human beings. Be a Christian. Be in Christ. Be at peace. Do what He says His way and rest in His promises. This Prophet, Jesus, I'm proclaiming to you today, is not only a perfect Prophet but He has made promises to you that we can see throughout all the scriptures and we need to embrace these because it changes the way that we live. Children, look at me for just a moment. Have you been made a promise and perhaps the promise maker forgot about that promise?

Oh yeah, see you remember, don't you? You're like, oh yeah, I remember. My daddy told me we're going to the fun spot he forgot. You know, I get it. You remember everything. I say that by way of this, Jesus never forgets. He's the perfect Prophet, the perfect King, the perfect Priest. He is wonderful. Our hope and peace are in Him. His promises are fulfilled already. He says, there's promises that have not been fulfilled in the Bible. Uh-uh. It's already settled in heaven. It's done. Did you not know that Revelation is already written? The eternity is already done, settled. We've rested Him. This is something that puts you at peace when you comprehend His sovereignty, His lordship. And when we understand who Jesus is, we can rest in Him.

In Acts chapter two, verse 36, they were accused of separating Jesus from His lordship. And we do too, all the time. We want Christ as Savior, but we don't oftentimes remember that He is also Lord, this Jesus whom you crucified as both Lord and Savior. He's not just our Savior. He's both Lord, Master, Controller, and Savior. Oftentimes we live internally and I'm talking to Christians here today, us. I'm not talking abroad generically right now. I'm saying most oftentimes we live as if Christ has saved us. Amen. But I'm going to go and try and work it out in the flesh because He's not Lord, but that is a point of growth for us to recognize that our perfect Prophet has already fulfilled His promises. He's not only in control, He's already allowing and working out the settled plan to come to fruition.

You see, we are watching it unravel, but He already sees it unraveled. That'll put you at peace when He recognized that our birth and our death preplan. Right? We trust in God. I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying this is a point of growth for Christians oftentimes to recognize that we have a Prophet and His track record is perfect and His promises are being fulfilled before our very eyes. So He is not only a perfect Prophet and He's not only a Spokesman, but He's also one who has been appointed. Look at verse 2 again in these last days. "Has spoken to us in His Son whom He appointed."

Now this is fascinating. The Father ordained Christ to be His Spokesman. He is the incarnate God-man. Jesus is deity wrapped in flesh. He didn't reduce His deity to take on flesh, He added to His deity flesh. And so He is the perfect revelation of God's Word. It's a foundation. In 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 20, the Bible proclaims that He indeed was ordained before the foundation of the world to manifest to us Himself in God's Word. In Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 10, regarding this plan as the fullness of times to bring things together in Christ, things in the heaven and things on the earth. Everything is coming together. You have the second law of thermodynamics that we observe that things are falling apart or separating or coming unraveled, but in Christ things are coming together. It's the opposite of things in Christ.

Yes, the body is decaying and getting older and such and the world's and such, but in Christ are we not coming together and into His plan. Praise God for that. Hebrews 2 16 says this, it proclaims this for indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. And so God aiding His plan through Christ. To do what? Well, Hebrews 10 5 says this, "Therefore, when He comes into the world," He says, "you have not desired a sacrifice and an offering, but you have prepared a body for me." This plan is that God would save souls through the gospel and give them to Christ, preparing a bride for His Son, preparing a body, preparing a church. This is beautiful once you really, truly, truly see this.

Turn to John chapter 17, if you would, in verse 2 and see that Jesus recognizes that saved souls are a gift from God to Himself. So Christ inherits believers. In John chapter 17 in verse 2, this is the high priestly prayer and Jesus is praying to the Father and He says in verse 2, "even as you gave Him authority over all flesh." And so again, Jesus has now all authority. He proclaims that again right before His ascension and at the commission of Christians in Matthew 28 and 19 and 20. So all authority is Jesus's. And then He goes on to say, "even as you gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom you have given Him He may give eternal life."

God has given Christ believers as an inheritance. And He repeats that in the prayer again in verse in verse 6 it says, "I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours and you gave them to me." There in verse 6 you see that God gifted believers to the Son as an inheritance. What a wonderful thing to see this. And so that idea continues in verse 2 as Christ is the heir of all things. In chapter 1 verse 2 of Hebrews, "in these last days He has spoken to us in His Son whom He appointed heir of all things." This is a tremendous allusion.

And if you were in the audience of this sermon, you would have heard this being alluded to from chapter 2 verse 8. Turn if you would to Psalm chapter 2 verse 8 and see how Christ is the heir of all things. And we're going to have to put some allusions together. I mentioned to you that God's one plan comes together over time. And you're going to see how this is put together in Christ. And so Christ is the inheritor in one prophecy of nations. And He is the inheritor in another prophecy of believers of Israel. And then you'll see them come together in Christ. And so trek with me if you would this allusion, heir of all things, to Psalm chapter 2 and verse let's start in verse 7. 7 and 8.

"I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord, He said to me, you are my Son." I read that verse just so that it's clear. We're talking about Jesus Christ the Son. Today I've begotten you, okay? His one and only begotten Son. Clear established, right? Verse 8. So the psalmist is talking about Jesus Christ. "Ask of me God, and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance." And so this being an inheritance going to the Son, Jesus is the heir of the nations. At this point you should say, "Clarification please." A little bit more details.

As God's plan continues to unravel past the psalmist into the prophet Jeremiah chapter 3 verse 19, please. Chapter 3 verse 19 and Jeremiah. Jeremiah 3.19 is going to continue this idea of Jesus as the heir and having an inheritance. Okay? Jeremiah chapter 3 verse 19. "Then I said, how I would set you among my sons and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of the nations." So you see again Jeremiah prophesying of the Son that He would inherit the nations. At this point you would say, "Oh please keep going. Give me some more details."

Well I'm thankful for your desirous mind. Continue in the prophet Jeremiah to chapter 10. And chapter 10 will be here for just a moment because you're going to see just clearly some wonderful things about Jesus being an heir and inheriting not only the nation but Israel, not only Israel but believers. Jeremiah 10. Let's look at verse 12 first. In Jeremiah chapter 10 and verse 12 it says, "It is He who made the earth." Now do we have to turn to Colossians chapter 1 and read verse 16 to prove to you that Jesus is the Creator? No. We know that. And so here we know that it's talking about Jesus. It is He, Jesus, who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom. In Hebrews chapter 1 verse 2 by the way if you don't remember we just read it. It says that He made the world. Oh this is beautiful. Is it coming together? Yes.

And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens. Oh yes. Scientists today see how the universe was stretched out. And these really, really smart scientists are only figuring out what the Bible has already said. Oh this is good. And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens. Did you know Isaiah chapter 40 verse 22 it says this, "He stretched out the heavens like a curtain." Oh yes. God did it that way. Not only this, the Bible says in chapter 44 and verse 24, "The Lord your Redeemer, maker of all who stretched out the heavens." And so Isaiah the Prophet is saying the same thing that Jeremiah the Prophet is saying. Do you think they collaborated? Do you think they came together and let's collaborate our information to make sure that we're authentic before the people? No. This is a word from God because God spoke to the fathers through the prophets, the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah.

Let's continue down in the chapter as we see that Jesus is not only the Creator here in verse 12, the maker of the heavens and the earth, but He is also the inheritor. In verse 16, "The portion of Jacob is not like these, for the maker of all is He, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance." The Lord of hosts is His name. Oh please bear with me for just another moment as I unpack this just a little bit. Think of verse 16 as a really big box on Christmas morning and as you open it up you see, oh there's more in this box and you can't even get to the bottom of this box. This is a box that goes really, really, really deep into wonderful rich treasures like box after box after box after box.

Have you ever gotten one of those gifts? You got to keep opening the next box and the next box the next box. Here the portion of Jacob, okay, Jacob the grandson of Abraham and the father of the 12 patriarchs. Follow me. Israel is Jacob's second name. Now let's read this verse, "The portion of Jacob is not like these, for the maker of all is He, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance." Now Israel, not only Jacob's second name, Israel is the name of the nation and now is synonymous with those who are saved. And Jesus inherits Jacob, or shall I say Jesus inherits Israel, or shall I say Israel inherits believers as this gift, this verse, verse 16 continues to get deeper and deeper and deeper and more and more wonderful.

You can see it being fulfilled in Galatians chapter 6 verse 16 as now we are the Israel of God. We already just proclaimed in John chapter 17 and verse 2 that believers are a gift to Jesus and so we are Jesus's inheritance, okay, the perfect Prophet fulfilled all these prophecies and He has said after the crucifixion it is finished. What does He get for this? He gets a lot. Some of it would be us as an inheritance to Him and the Bible continues in Jeremiah chapter 10 and verse 16.

Not only is it His inheritance but also a clarification. The Lord of hosts is His name. I'm glad that we don't have to wait like the Old Testament saints to get better clarity on these types of things. You see we can understand in Philippians 2 11 that the Bible says let every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And so in Jeremiah chapter 16 verse 16 the clarification is the Lord of hosts is His name. And in Philippians 2 11 it's Jesus is the Lord but not only that in Luke 2 11 it says born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who was Christ the Lord. And so when you read in the Old Testament you oftentimes see the word Lord as perhaps Yahweh or Adonai or Elohim all these different wonderful names for God but you know from the New Testament looking back to the Old Testament to see clearly that Jesus is God and now He is the inheritor of all things.

Now just in case you're not convinced Revelation chapter 19 and verse 16 says this that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. This is so true to know that Jesus inherits us and He has promised and kept His promises and it's beautiful. He is the inheritor of all things. Did you know that inheritance is like a really big theme in the book of Hebrews. It's going to come up again and again and again in chapter 1 verse 4 is what we're looking at right now again and verse 14 again in chapter 1 chapter 6 verse 12 chapter 9 verses 15 and following and on and on and on we see that Christ is King.

At the end of verse 3 it says that He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. This is King Jesus after His work is finished and now He is in the lineup as the inheritor of all things. One more little tidbit in regards to John chapter 17 verses 1 through 5. It clearly proclaims that Jesus has all authority all the many souls that have been saved have been given to Him and now glory goes to King Jesus and the glory which you gave me Jesus said to the Father I have given them that they may be one just as we are one I am them and you and me. Get this guys if you see that all of what God has done in His Son now is being selflessly shared with His children. If you're a father you know just what it is to share with your children brings you a lot of joy. In fact you would give beyond what you have if you could to your children just, just joy. Here God's glory infused in His Son demonstrated He is the radiance of God is now being shared with you and so we should be a people not only ambassadors but ones who also demonstrate the radiance of Christ.

We should be bright people, we should be beautiful, we should be proclaiming these things in a way that we are not only living victoriously but confident in the hope and in all of the promises of Christ. I mean listen again the promises that we see prefigured, the promises that we see promised to us even through institutions and people and things just a short list freedom from sin. Oh I look forward to that day and victory over Satan. I truly look forward to seeing Him squashed and thrown into the lake of fire. Also know that His promises are true for us to inherit heaven as illustrated through the promise land and then as well the perfect peace within my soul. One of the things that's very difficult for children of God to continue is in the peace of Christ. He is our peace and maintaining Him as Lord of our life means that He is our peace. Keeping our eyes on Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith every single day when we wake up doing these things helps us to walk not only sacrificially but humbly in Him and this is truly wonderful.

So Jesus is the inheritor. We see this and now moving forward. I want you also to see that He's not only that but He's the brightness and He upholds everything and He's the ultimate Prophet here. Let's just continue and say this. Who's your Prophet? I sketched down these notes as a point of apologetics to be able to drive this point home to defend the truth and oppose the opposition. What opposes Christ as the Prophet? Well there are other self-proclaimed and self-appointed prophets out there and I'll just name a couple. The flawed Muhammad is the prophet who requires obedience of Muslims. Is he your Prophet? He better not be. He's not your Prophet. Jesus is our Prophet but this whole country and especially the country above us in Canada is yielding to Muhammad the Prophet. Laws are being enacted in Canada right now that substantiate Muslims and their law. I'm telling you this is a real thing and at the same time really disparaging and eliminating anything to do with Christ and that is so true here in our country.

These tenets are coming. There's laws that are being set forth in our country to make it to where Islamic law is okay but the Old Testament is hate speech. These things are right before our very eyes. Muhammad's not our Prophet. Jesus is. What about the flawed Joseph Smith is the prophet of Mormons that requires obedience. He was born in 1805, died in 1844. He died still dead but not our Prophet. He's alive and He's perfectly fulfilling His promises and He rules presently and is reigning and this is exciting. So Jesus Christ our perfect Prophet He also requires obedience.

These pseudo prophets that are copying the true Prophet by making up their own laws and rules and commandments and scriptures and such the Quran and all that. It's just in my opinion it's satanic wisdom. It's only the wisdom of Satan that could write something like the Quran. I think it's only the wisdom of Satan that could do something like has been done through the Jehovah's Witnesses or through the Mormons and all the other cults out there and I say that with a broken heart with a means to be able to reach those who are trapped in those areas to come from darkness and into the light of Christ. It's important that we are able to apologetically defend who we are in Christ and have an answer to those who are trapped because they're not trapped in these little mouse traps. Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Islamic thought, these are not soft, little, friendly traps.

I mean if you put your finger in a mouse trap it would hurt but you could even pull the mouse trap off its hand. But these traps when it comes to Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Islamic stuff, these are like bear traps. And when a bear trap that weighs approximately three or four hundred pounds of steel, when a bear trap clenches onto your thigh, four grown men could not pull that off. I'm telling you, when it comes to rescuing those who are trapped in darkness, it takes skill. And so you're wise if you can lead souls to salvation, the Proverbs say.

Okay, we need to be wise in the scriptures. We need to know our Prophet and to be able to see requires obedience. In John chapter 3, most everybody quotes John 3 16, but the last verse requires obedience as evidence of one who is truly saved. If you haven't seen this important point, I would like for you to see it for yourself. Turn to John chapter 3 and verse 16 because He who believes in the Son does have eternal life. And we should be all a people of John chapter 3, not just one particular verse isolated. In John chapter 3, and let's just look at verse 3, "Jesus answered and said to him, 'Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, He cannot see the kingdom of God.'" Okay, so you must be born again. In chapter 3 and verse 16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Wonderful.

And as it continues to gain clarification, look at verse 36. In the last verse in chapter 3, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life." That's an affirmation of belief. And so whoever believes, if you believe in the death, in the burial, in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, as a substitute, as a payment for your sin, you can be saved. Confess Him as Lord. Be saved. Come to Jesus. Now, as your life continues to progress in sanctification, there's evidence that you have truly been saved because you obey. In verse 36 it says, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but," it's a conjunction, "he who does not obey the Son will not see life." And so you cannot be one who says, "I'm saved, gloriously saved," and disobey all of what the Word says.

If you want to say that you're saved, you had better line up with the Word of God and be obedient. Did you know that the Great Commission is teaching obedience to all that I've commanded you? It's not just the gospel to go, and it's not just baptizing, and it's not just teaching the Word. Look at it for yourself. In Matthew chapter 28, the Great Commission is teaching obedience to the Scriptures. It's not just belief. It's not just baptism. It's just not knowledge from being taught the Word. You are to teach them all that I have commanded, to be obedient to all that I have commanded. Obedience is a big deal with God. John chapter 15 drives it home with, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me shall bear much fruit." The fruit is the proof of a saved life. The fact that the Prophet is saying these things, you're going to abide, then you're going to produce fruit, but those who are not abiding don't produce fruit. You will know them by their fruit.

And so, as we love our Prophet, as we love our King Jesus, recognize that He is no pushover. Not only did He conquer the cross, but now He commands obedience. And as humble ones who have been rescued and been saved, gloriously saved, it is a joy to align ourselves with King Jesus, because He is Lord. He's my Master. He's who I live for. I don't live for a flawed Prophet who lets me down all the time, who I'm discouraged in. I don't live for a Prophet that who has missed some promises. I don't live for a Prophet who has not fulfilled His promises. I promised you a raise 10 years ago. No. The promises that He has proclaimed to you are right and real. And so, He is this.

Take home truth number one is listen to your Prophet. Take home truth number one is listen to your Prophet. In Luke 13.3, it says that unless you repent, you shall likewise perish. Listen to your Prophet. This is a matter of life and death. Listen to Him. He has said, unless you repent, unless you repent of your sin, turn from your wicked ways, turn from them and turn to Jesus, you see repentance is key that precedes salvation. Actually, when you're saved, you will repent. You just need to repent and keep repenting. Right? And as we go through life, we confess our sins as we do them. If you confess your sin, He in first John one nine says He is faithful. This is a promise. Another promise, a promise from our Prophet. If you confess your sin, if you repent He is faithful and just to forgive.

Justly He drops the gavel here and forgives you. You're exonerated. Praise God. But more than forgiveness. Not only does He say that if you confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin. So you have been justly forgiven. And this is for the believer as well as you are walking with Christ. Beyond that, He says He will cleanse you from your sin. Now, sin is like a grenade. Oftentimes, we get hit by shrapnel. Right? Innocent parties in war get shrapnel. Sometimes we as innocent ones get hit by sin. You didn't do it, but you got hit by it. Right? Does not sin have repercussions? Yes.

Now, listen to me. Jesus Christ cannot only forgive sin if you forgive sin, but also the sin that perhaps you have by way of unfortunate circumstances been exposed to or been a victim of. He can wash that away. Not only does He forgive, but He also cleanses. Look at it for yourself. In first John one nine, He says, "If you want peace, perfect peace in walking with Christ, you need to be cleansed by Lord Jesus." And He has a tool for which He does that. That's not the Word of God. He does that through the preaching, through the teaching, through the reading, and through the study, and through the meditation, and through the prayer on Scripture. He can cleanse you. Your Prophet is a perfect Prophet, and He has promised to you not only to forgive sin and save you, but also by way to believers to cleanse you.

And so if you're walking in an imperfect peace, perhaps wounded, yield to Jesus and embrace this washing of the Word and ask Him, "Please cleanse me of this filth." But not only should we listen to our perfect Prophet, point number two, take home truth number two is to enjoy your Prophet. The legalistic mindset approaches God as one who has a hammer, and they live in fear and dread all the time. Now it is right to fear your God, and it is right to have a respect and a reverence for the Almighty. It is right to live humbly before Him, but when you get beyond the legalistic fear and embrace who He truly is as Father, the Lord is my Shepherd, as a Shepherd, as a Father, and Jesus modeled for us to call Him our Father, who art in heaven. When you embrace Him as Father, now you're getting somewhere. Now you can enjoy His presence.

You only need to view God as with a hammer as if you're living in sin. But if you are not intentionally sinning and if you don't have unconfessed sin in your life, then view God as Father. You have respect for Him because you obey Him, but you don't live in fear of Him. A good Father displaces that unfortunate fear and brings the child in close and has an intimate with His Son. And this is an unspeakable joy. And so if perhaps you today view your Prophet as one who may scorn you if you don't obey, well okay, align your heart with His Word, abide in His Word, and start walking in Christ so that you can enjoy a closer relationship. In Psalms 16:11, it says, "In His presence is fullness of joy." And so the joy should be full in your heart and soul as you are walking with King Jesus because of who He is.

Hebrews 13.8, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He's not going to change on you. He's not going to turn on you. He's not going to pounce on you. You don't have to live in fear. Just obey and abide and love and walk with Christ. Enjoy your Prophet. Take home truth number one, listen to your Prophet. Take home truth number two, enjoy your Prophet and take home truth number three, be a great inheritance. Inheritance is key in Hebrews. It's a key theme. And we see that He is the heir of all things in verse two. But in Hebrews chapter one and verse 14, it says this, "And they, not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation." And so now the dial is switched to those who will inherit salvation.

And first in Hebrews chapter one verse four, He is the inheritor of all things, including us as believers according to John chapter 17 verse two and verse six. And so Christ inherits us as believers. But in Hebrews chapter one and verse 14, now we inherit Him. He is our Son. And so now this is a shared benefit. And since not only have we inherited salvation and Christ is inheriting us, I'm saying to you today, be a good, glorious, pure, wonderful, delightful inheritance for Christ. Every single one of you who have been saved, gloriously saved, is a reward for Christ keeping His promises, for Christ being the perfect obedience in your place, for Him going to the cross in your place, for Him continuing to sanctify you every single day. Can I say it like this? For Him dealing with us, right? I mean, how glorious is it to think that God loves us. So be being perfected, be being sanctified, work out your salvation because you're an inheritance of Christ.

In Revelation chapter 19 and verse seven, it says, "Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His Bride has made herself ready." We as the Bride of Christ now have the task of making ourselves ready. Well, what does that mean? Read verse 18 with me. Revelation chapter 19 and verse 8, "It was given to her to clothe herself." Clothe herself. We the Bride are to be clothing ourselves with fine linen, in James chapter one and verse 19, you are to be stainless without stain. Pure and undefiled religion is this, is to keep yourself undefiled or unstained, right? And so now we are right now clothing ourselves with fine linen. What is the fine linen? Bright and clean. For the fine linen is, I'm so glad it defined what it is, it is the righteous acts of the saints.

And so your righteousness and your righteous deeds and acts right now are going to be recognized in and through you for eternity. I'm saying to you, be a good inheritance for Jesus because of what He's done. Every single day, be committed to becoming more like Christ. Every single day, focus your eyes on Jesus. Set your gaze upon Him. One of the climax themes of Hebrews is in chapter 12, well, we are also to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfecter of our faith. And so I hope that these points have encouraged you to look to the ultimate Prophet, Jesus, in hope of a future with Him because of His track record being perfect here on earth. His promises are so perfect to us. And now you can see that we are headed towards freedom and sin, victory from Satan, hearing His perfect Word, heaven as our inheritance, perfect rest and peace in a deep and wonderful fellowship within Him.

And now as we continue in Him, come next week as we continue to study verses one through four as to what it is, as to what Christ is as Prophet, Priest and King. Next week, Priest and King, Lord willing, pray with me. Lord, thank you for this time together as we have opened up Your Word. It's been such a gift to be able to see who You are. We praise Your wonderful name. Thank you for Your promises. Thank you for keeping Your promises and forgive us for not focusing on Your promises. Forgive us, dear Jesus, for getting wrapped up in the things of this world and not being one who is resting in Your promises. Forgive us, dear Jesus, for we have lost sight of heaven and we've lost sight, dear Jesus, of Your deep and wonderful fellowship. Forgive us, Lord, for ignoring You when we have.

And I pray, dear Jesus, that You would help us to be better, a better inheritance for You to be being sanctified, to be walking closely with You not far and aloof. I pray, Lord, as You have drawn the Hebrews closer to You through this sermon, this humbling, this letter that reached them, just as You are reaching and drawing those who are drifting away from You back to You, I pray, dear Jesus, that You would do the same. And if anyone here is hearing Your voice, if You're tugging on them, if You are drawing them by Your Word into conformity or even to salvation, I pray that Your work would be done and that they would be saved and continue in being sanctified, and that they would follow You in believers' baptism, and that they would join and belong to this church, if not another, and then as well go forth and study the Bible and make disciples. God, we love You and we ask all of these things in Jesus' name, Amen.