The Superiority of Christ

Hebrews is a sermon for Christians who are being tempted to fall back into their traditions and what they have grown up with rather than keeping Christ as supreme in their life. Hebrews is a sermon that keeps Christ as superior, and this sermon is going to help us to see how Christ is above all the things that oppose Christ. At the same time, it's a sermon to help prod us as believers to remain faithful and steadfast in Christ.

Hebrews is a sermon to Jewish Christians and it is persuading and warning them that they need to continue in Christ. At the same time, perhaps some would think that it's a letter apologetically defending the singularity of Christ and refuting the opposition. But also, sometimes you could see it as an essay reporting the data that exposes the futility of everything raised against Christ as supreme. Today's sermon will be an overview of the entire book of Hebrews. We'll have seven points and I will try to dip our interest into this wonderful book. We must grasp, in my opinion, the whole book of Hebrews before we can dive into the minute details going verse by verse.

By way of a brief introduction before we get into verses 1 through 3, I would like to mention to you that studying Hebrews and thinking about Hebrews is a serious undertaking. Hebrews tops all of the theological scales. Hebrews maxes out the theological scales of greatness in enormity and in complexities. The vast amount of information in the book of Hebrews is daunting, and at the same time, the complexities of Hebrews are daunting as well.

The readers are presumed to have a good grasp on the sacrificial system in the Old Testament, Jewish law, a high level of Greek, theological depths and comparisons. You have also these dogmatic, apologetic statements in Hebrews that are dependent upon your knowledge of the small details in the Old Testament. It alludes to the Old Testament and refers to the Old Testament over and over and over again to solidify its points. It also has types and shadows and other things that we'll learn. It is written in such a simplistic way like the Gospel writer John who writes the Gospel of John in 1, 2, and 3 John. It's written in a simplistic way that everybody can understand, and at the same time, it has both a mind-boggling aspect of it.

John Owen was known as one of the greatest theologians to come of the Puritans and his main work was a seven-volume, two-million-word exposition of the book of Hebrews. He's known as one of the greatest Puritans and this prolific masterpiece that he wrote has reached the status of a classic. John Owen says of Hebrews that it is bringing the most glory to Christ, and that's the reason why he wanted to pour himself into Hebrews. Secondly, for John Owen, Hebrews is a sermon on the sovereign grace of God against all the errors of the day.

John Owen lived from 1616 to 1683 and was also a chaplain for Oliver Cromwell and also a vice chancellor of Oxford University. Most importantly, he was a preacher of the Gospel and prolifically wrote on the supremacy of Christ from the book of Hebrews. All that to say is simply to you now that Hebrews displays Christ as supreme. Hebrews, it will be overwhelming at times, but the overwhelming sense will be being overwhelmed in the person of Christ. It's high Christology. Hebrews 13:8 says so.

Hebrews will also change you to a person who was a better representative of Christ through prodding you to repent of your errors in your wicked ways and to take on Christ. It'll boggle the mind and yet at the same time build up the soul. Hebrews will single out errors also in our day, but it'll also build your conviction of inerrancy. Hebrews will cause you to hate carnality and to hate sin, but yet at the same time love Christ deeply. Hebrews will cause you to see your short failings and at the same time depend upon your faith and what you know of Christ.

Hebrews 5:12 says this, and it's very interesting: to the readers He says, "By this time you ought to have been teachers." This is the mind-boggling part of Hebrews that had me a bit stammered. Hebrews is deep doctrine about Christ. You can't read Hebrews in one sitting and see that it's not a sermon at the same time, be reminded of all the deep doctrines, and as you add them all up it is daunting. But it's written to shallow Christians—deep doctrine to shallow Christians.

Hebrews is a sermon that includes all kinds of deep and wonderful truths about Christ, and it's aimed at shallow Christians. Now does that not fly in the face of today's church growth movement and today's church growth methods? Oh, you got to dumb it down so that they can understand. No, the Bible gives us Christ in His fullness, and so deep doctrine to shallow believers. Wow, take that for the modern church day growth movement. Let's just go verse by verse and continue in the Word of God and let God's Word have its will in its way in our hearts, amen?

Hebrews 6:1 says, "Let us press on to maturity." This is going to be a book that's going to press you on to maturing in Christ. We've said it like this in the past: you're not going to be the same person five years from now than you are today, and if you are the same person today as you were five years ago, there's a problem. We need to continue in God's Word and so prove that we are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you ready to lock in and dig in?

Point number one is the Word of Christ is superior. Point number one is the Word of Christ is superior. Let's read Hebrews 1, 1 and 2 together. Hebrews 1, 1 and 2 says, "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets, in many portions and in many ways, in these last days, has spoken to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world."

Now in these last days, God introduces here His Son as the spokesman to the audience of Hebrews in these last days, which we are still in these last days. Jesus is the Creator and He is the glory and the representation and the upholder of all things. He's the conqueror of the cross and now He sits in the throne of Heaven. In verse 3, He says, "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. And when He made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high."

One of the wonderful things that you're going to see in the book of Hebrews is not just references to the Old Testament, but also allusions to the Old Testament. Psalm 110, verse 1 is where the writer of Hebrews gets this allusion and when He says, "He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high," He is not only referencing, but He's alluding to the audience of this truth and we'll learn more about that. For right now, I want you to back up to verse 2 and concentrate on the first allusion in the book of Hebrews. It says, "In these last days has spoken to us in the Son, whom appointed heir of all things." He is the heir of all things. This is fascinating.

Now turn with me, if you would, to Jeremiah chapter 3, verse 19, and I want you to notice where He says this heir of all things, how He is the inheritor. Now keep it in mind that the audience for whom the author is writing are Jewish Christians, and they would have been expected to know the Old Testament well. To allude to Jeremiah chapter 3 and verse 19 would be very common language to them. Jeremiah 3:19 says, "Then I said how I would set among my sons and give you a pleasant land the most beautiful inheritance of nations."

This inheritance, this idea of Christ inheriting the nations is what the author of Hebrews is alluding to in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 2. This is amazing. Not only is it in Jeremiah chapter 3, verse 19, but it's also in Jeremiah chapter 10 and verse 16 where the Messiah to come is to inherit Israel. That is fascinating. And then at the same time, Psalm chapter 2, verse 8 talks about how this Messiah to come is going to inherit the nations.

The readers of this sermon, Hebrews, would have automatically understood what the author of Hebrews is alluding to because that is, so to speak, the air they breathe. That is how they talk. That is how they understand life. That is their biblical worldview. That's not the same for us, but we will study ourselves true to be able to find all of these truths as we go. Chapter 1 starts with introducing His Son. I also want you to know before we move on that chapter 1 also begins with a comparison—the comparison between the Old Testament law of Moses and how it's moving to now the gospel in Jesus Christ.

Let's look at verses 1 and 2 again and maybe you'll pick up on this comparison as well. I'm sure you will. In Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1, it says, "God, after He spoke in the past tense here, long ago to the fathers in the prophets." Okay, it's very easy to understand. "And in many portions and in many ways we will dissect these things in sermons to come." But just know that God spoke already to the prophets through to the people through the prophets and in many ways.

Now in verse 2, here's the comparison: "In these last days He spoke unto us in His Son." And so now we are going to read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament. We're going to understand what the Bible is saying through the light of Christ. We see this comparison or this continuance here on how we're moving from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Notice the words "to" in the text. We're moving from the Old Testament to the New Testament. A lot to be said there. But moving forward, so now that Jesus has been made the focus and the author, these comparisons will further substantiate His supremacy.

This is one of the techniques that the author of Hebrews is using. He's using comparisons. By way of overview of the whole book of Hebrews, we're going to examine these comparisons because this is something that the author does consistently and that's going to help us to get a grasp on the whole book. Point number one is the Word of Christ is superior, okay? It's being superior to the law.

Point number two is this: Christ is superior over angels. Let's read verse 4 and you'll see this for yourself. "Having become as much better than angels as He has inherited a much more excellent name than they." I added a word or two in there, but it's true. Christ has inherited a better ministry than the angels.

Now angels, while very amazing, they are highly used of God but they are not God's Son. In the rest of chapter 1, you'll see that Jesus has been named as God's Son. While angels are amazing, they're not God's Son and they're not to be worshipped. That's said in verse 6. And then also, they're not on the throne, but Jesus is on the throne in verse 8. "And they did not create the world and all of the heavens, but Jesus did," in verse 10 it says. "And God has not placed even one of these angels at His right hand on the throne, verse 13, but Jesus is."

Yet now we see that Christ is above and superior to angels. This is important. Jewish Christians, the readers there, they knew that God delivered the message, the law, to Moses by angels. And so the hearers of this text would have truly had a lot of merit and value in regards to angels. Turn if you would to Galatians 3:19. This is even mentioned in the New Testament by the Apostle Paul on how angels brought the law or ordained the law to Moses.

In Galatians chapter 3, verse 19 it says, "Why the law then? It was added because of transgressions having been ordained or put into place through angels. By the agency of a mediator being Christ until the Seed, Christ would come to whom the promise had been made." This is interesting because for you to be able to grasp why the author brings up the fact that Christ is superior to angels will have not only insight into their context but application for our life which we will get to.

Point number three is that Christ is superior over Moses. Now as we move past chapters 1 and 2, go to chapter 3 with me and see how Christ has more glory than Moses. Point number three: Christ is superior over Moses. You'll see this all the way through chapter 3 through chapter 3 to chapter 4, verse 13. But let's just read chapter 3 in the first three verses to see that Christ has more glory than Moses.

Hebrews chapter 3, verses 1 through 3: "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus the Apostle and High Priest of your confession, and He was faithful to Him who appointed Him as Moses also was in all of His house, for He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses." Well, just pause right there. You see that Christ has been granted more glory than Moses. Moses was one of the key figures in the Old Testament and so the hearers would have heard Moses's name and their ears would have been perked up for sure.

He was born Hebrew, and Moses's name being synonymous with God's law is what his reputation upholds. The Hebrews would esteem Moses highly. Thus the author will show Christ's supremacy over even Moses. God called Moses to lead Israel. The burning bush marks God's calling upon Moses's commission in Exodus chapter 3, verse 10. Moses was a big figure for Old Testament Jewish, now, Christians. God called Moses to lead Israel and now God has made Moses the primary prophet according to Deuteronomy chapter 18 and verse 18.

Now this is fascinating because Deuteronomy 18:18 not only establishes Moses as the primary prophet of the day, but it also points toward the Prophet to come who is the main Prophet which is Christ our Lord. Deuteronomy chapter 18 and verse 18 says this: "I will raise up a Prophet from among their countrymen like you. So that's being like Moses. And I will put My words in His mouth and He shall speak to them all that I command Him."

Deuteronomy 18:18 is an important verse to be able to show that Moses is not the end all. We still have a Prophet to come that's greater than Moses and being Christ. Jesus emphasized this in His teachings and you must see this. Turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 5. John 5:46 and see exactly what Jesus had to say about this prominent figure in the Old Testament: Moses and what He wrote. Moses was the main Prophet of the day and He was a foretaste or a foreshadow of a better Prophet to come, a perfect Prophet.

If you're not convinced of that yet, you will be by the time you look at John chapter 5 and verse 46. John 5:46, Jesus' own word says this: "For if you believed Moses," now that is to presume that the authors truly wholeheartedly believe and love the law of Moses. So He says, "If you believe Moses, you would believe Me." Now He doesn't stop there. He actually moves forward on this concept and says, "For He wrote about Me." This is staggering. This kind of claim will get you stoned in the New Testament. This kind of claim will get you crucified in New Testament days.

How in the world could a mere rabbi, a teacher, a Prophet, a commoner like Christ, is how they viewed Him, how could He claim that Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy were all written about Him? Who is He to make Himself the center of all things, especially the Word of God? God now shows us in the writing of Hebrews that Christ is superior to Moses. Yes, Moses wrote the Torah and Christ has certainly now claims and proclaims that all these prophecies and teachings are pointing to Him, but Christ doubles down a little bit more in John chapter 5 and verse 47.

Continue to read with me: "But if you do not believe His writings, right? You don't. Now He's kind of switching the angle of His approach here. If you don't believe these writings, how will you believe My words?"

This is clear that Moses' ministry is a foreshadowing of Christ. The similarities between the two are fascinating. They're both mediators. They both were spared from death. You remember how Moses was spared from death as He was put into a basket and floated down the Nile River. They both renounced authorities, Moses being one who renounced Pharaoh. They both made intercession. The high priestly prayer in John chapter 17 is Christ's intercessory prayer for Christians, for those who would believe. Moses also interceded for Israel. They both spoke with God and they both mediated a covenant. Moses the old covenant and Christ the new covenant.

Jeremiah would foretell in Jeremiah 31:31 that a new covenant's coming. This ministry of Moses now foretells Christ. In Hebrews chapter 10 in verse 1 it says, "The law is only a shadow of the good things to come." Moses being synonymous with the law is now foreshadowing Christ to come. Point number three again: Christ is superior over Moses and the author spins chapter 3 and into chapter 4 on this point.

Point number four is that Christ is superior over priests. This is the next item that this sermon brings up. The one who wrote Hebrews—my best guess is the Son who's speaking to us today, according to Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2. We will have a technical answer soon to come as to our speculations as to what really could have been the authorship for Hebrews. Nevertheless, keep coming back. I want to tease you to keep coming back.

Christ is superior over priests. Let's read chapter 4, verses 14 and 15. Hebrews chapter 4, verses 14 and 15: "Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we yet without sin." This High Priest is yet without sin. The High Priest that they perhaps would know of would be Moses' brother Aaron. What did He do? Oh my, this guy committed treason and idolatry.

How could a High Priest commit such atrocities? But in the text, the writer is going to compare the High Priest now to Christ. The sinning that happened because of Aaron the High Priest really reduces us to whom we really are—even if you are a High Priest, in light of Christ, in the sinlessness of Christ. Christ is superior over priests in chapter 4, verses 14 through chapter 7, verse 28.

Aaron was in charge of the tabernacle. Aaron was in charge of the worship of God and yet as the High Priest He committed these atrocities. But Christ is sinless. In Hebrews chapter 4, verse 15, it says that Christ was tempted in all things yet without sin. He is much better than any priest, much better than any High Priest. The High Priest held one of the highest positions available to man and yet it was also designed just to make an offering once a year.

Here's one of the comparisons that's in the text for us to be able to see why Christ is superior to the priest. Not only because Christ is sinless and the High Priest was also a sinner, but also the High Priest in Hebrews 9:7 made an offering once a year. But yet Christ made one offering. See the comparison? In Hebrews chapter 9, verse 7 you see that the priest made an offering once a year. That was a sin offering and it's being compared to Hebrews 10:10. Christ made one sin offering and it says, "By this we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all."

Christ is superior even to priests because He made one sacrifice being Himself. Boy, that just seals the deal there. This is just point number four. We still got to get all the way to point number seven. This is a sermon that is aimed at making Christ superior above and above all things that would come against the authority and the sufficiency and the superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I introduced the book of Hebrews about two years ago, I just simply read the entire book from cover to cover as the first sermon. I did that with Hebrews in my office and it took me like 56 minutes just to read the book of Hebrews straight through. I thought, you know what, when we go to take and really break open verse by verse, we'll just read the whole chapter one at a time, one at a time, one at a time.

The only reason why I bring that up is because you need to do that so you got homework this week. Read the book of Hebrews all the way through and think of it as a message to Christians who are in danger of shrinking back from Christ as Lord of their life. Think of it as encouragement to prod Christians who are slipping away from Christ's authority and supremacy. Think of it as encouragement to prove that Christ needs to be absolute Lord of every area of your life and you will see the comparisons as we're going through today.

Point number five is Christ made a superior covenant. Christ made a superior covenant in chapter 8 in the first 13 verses. Now we've established the fact that Christ is the great High Priest and now He's mediating a better covenant with better promises. Turn to chapter 8 and verse 6 and see how Christ has now mediated a better covenant. Chapter 8 and verse 6:

"But now He, being Christ, has obtained a more excellent ministry by as much as He also is the mediator of a better covenant which has been enacted on better promises." That's Hebrews 8:6. Hebrews 10:4 says it's impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. You see the comparison in how the old covenant could have never taken away sins, but the new covenant in Christ does. Hebrews 8:13 says that a new covenant has been made the first is obsolete.

You see the comparison continuing that was established in Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 and 2, and how moving from the law to Christ, from the law to the Gospel, from the law and now into the New Testament. Jeremiah 31:31 has pointed Israel some time ago to look forward to this new covenant and that says, "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant."

A covenant is an alliance between two. It's an agreement, it's a party, it's a pledge, it's a treaty in between God and man and we'll explore the details of the covenants there.

Point number six: Christ is superior over the tabernacle. In chapter 9, verses 1 and 2 we see the argument that Christ is now better than the tabernacle. In chapter 9, verses 1 and 2 it says, "Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and an earthly sanctuary, for there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread and this is called the holy place."

Now this is fascinating because now we're going to see the tabernacle is not something to abide in and do but to dwell in. We're not obligated to all of the rituals that are in the tabernacle. We actually tabernacle or dwell with Christ. The tabernacle is being used by the author as a symbol. Look in verse 9. In chapter 9 and verse 9 you see which is a symbol. In verse 8 it is signifying. What does the sign do? It points right, it directs. The whole tabernacle is signifying or signaling or showing you Christ.

Everything that God established in the temple is now going to be enjoyed by dwelling in Christ. All of the meaningfulness of the Old Testament tabernacle, all the prayers, all the sacrifices, all of these things now are accomplished when we are dwelling richly with Christ. This is the reason why it's a greater blessing, greater promises. The symbol is Christ and the sign is the temple.

Revelation 21:3 says, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people and God Himself will be among them." In Ephesians 2:22 we learned this as well. It says, "You also are being built together in a dwelling of God," and you see the reference there is dwelling, being tabernacling, being in Christ. In verse 21 of chapter 2 of Ephesians it says, "Growing into a holy temple," and so we are the temple of the Holy Spirit of God.

Jesus is our peace truly on the inside of us. He's our enjoyment. Here's a big difference. Israel entered into the tabernacle to dwell with God, but now Christ enters into Christians to dwell together. It's completely different. The difference is insurmountable. Christ is better. How is He better? Well, our fellowship is unbroken. You don't have to go to church to be in the presence of God. We are the church now. It's unbroken. Your fellowship, your koinonia, your enjoyment of Christ is unbroken—can be, I should say. Your meetings together and your prayers together and your fellowship together, your communion and your worship is all together with Christ, in Christ, walking with Christ.

Ephesians made a big deal out of being in Christ, the richness of what it is to be in Christ, to walk with Him, to dwell with Him, to commune with Him. Now the argument in Hebrews is that Christ is superior even over the tabernacle and the tabernacle was rich and wonderful and the symbolism is chapters and chapters and chapters long in the Old Testament. It's amazing how much detail has gone into explaining the Ark of the Covenant and so on, but now it's even richer and better in Christ.

Point number seven: Christ is superior over our life and this is perhaps climactic for the writer's argumentation. It's a call for steadfastness in faith. Hebrews chapter 10 is where we're at now in verses 19 to 23 summarizes the points for which Christ is superior over our lives. Hebrews 10:19:

"Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil that is His flesh and since we have a great priest over the house of God let us draw near with a sincere heart and full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled clean from the evil conscience of our bodies with pure water. And here's the kicker: let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."

This is Christ's lordship over every area of our life as you read the entirety of the chapter. In fact, in chapter 10 and verse 23 we're to hold fast without wavering to Christ. In verse 24 we're to do good deeds in the name of Christ. In verse 25, not forsaking our own assembling together to worship and to learn about Christ. Then in verse 39 we are not of those who shrink back from Christ.

In chapter 11 the author goes on to continue His argumentation by giving us examples of those who have gone before us by faith and been examples of faith—the hall of fame chapter of faith and all of the wonderful men and women in the Old Testament who have been examples of faith. Then in chapter 12, verses 1 and 2, He calls us to fix our eyes on Jesus. The examples in chapter 11 and now a call for us to fix our eyes on Christ the Author and the Perfecter of our faith.

In chapter 12 and verse 14 He instructs us to pursue peace with all men and without that, without sanctification, no one—chapter 13 goes on to explain the supremacy of Christ in all of these areas of our life. In verse 1 we are to love the brethren. In verse 2, not to neglect strangers. In verse 3, to remember prisoners. Verse 4, to honor our marriage. In verse 5, not to love money and to be content. In verse 6, not to be afraid because God helps us. In verse 7, to remember our teachers and imitate them.

In verse 8, to recognize the immutability of Christ. In verse 9, not to be fooled by false doctrine. In verses 10 through 12, we're to be sanctified by Christ and to remember that it's also because He suffered that we're able to do this. In verse 13, to bear reproach alongside of Christ. I'm just going to tell you: you must have Christ as Lord of your life to be a Christian who is able to suffer well.

In verse 14, seek lasting things in the city to come. Our ambition should be eschatological. It is to be futuristically driven. We're to be citizens of Heaven and not primarily focused on the things of this earth. In verse 15, to continually praise Jesus and give thanks. In verse 16, not to neglect sharing with others. In verse 17, to obey those who watch over our souls.

In verse 13 we have a benediction. We see that the author now has made a clear case for the supremacy of Christ and to continue to persuade Christians that Christ is to be superior in every area of life and not to shrink back but to continue even through persecution.

In the benediction in chapter 13 in verses 20 and 21 the author states: "Now the God of peace who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ to whom be the glory forever, Amen."

In conclusion I state the summation: Christ is superior and we shall remain faithful and steadfast in Christ. If you need a summary here it is: Number one, Christ is superior in word. Number two, Christ is superior over angels. Number three, Christ is superior over Moses. Number four, Christ is superior over priests. Number five, Christ is superior in a new covenant. Number six, Christ is superior over the Old Testament tabernacle. Finally, Christ is superior over our lives.

I'd like to end polemically with you to help us to digest why this sermon is so important. You see, God's word straight up front is authoritative and if we do not have a standard for it, if we don't have a rule to go by, if we don't have a rubric so forth to go by, if you don't submit to the Word then Christ is not superior in your life. There cannot be any areas of our life that are not fully submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you break even part of the law you've broken it all, and so we need the authoritativeness of God's Word.

Angels are just merely messengers and if we do not adhere to the Word of God then perhaps you're going to reduce the supremacy of Christ and listen to something like an alternative messenger such as an angel or an alternative messenger such as a priest or an alternative messenger such as a self-proclaimed false prophet like we see in our day, perhaps like a self-titled bishop. If we do not truly see the author's intention behind bringing up the subject of angels here then we will make the same mistake and go through our lives. Maybe you won't say it but in practice do it. If we esteem man or esteem angels better or more than Christ then essentially you're denying the supremacy of Christ and living as Lord of your own life. This ship will topple real fast in our own lives if we don't get the gravity of why the author brings up angels to this audience.

Moses is synonymous with God's law. We too need to make sure that we are not leaning legalistically. It's real easy in our passion to obey the Bible not to become legalistic, perhaps to judge others because they are not adhering to the letter of the law like you understand it to be and perhaps making too much out of God's law. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is guilty of this and making dietary laws and legalism in the Old Testament more important than Christ in the New Testament, the New Covenant. That is a topple we don't need to swerve off of the road and fall into the pit of legalism.

Priests cannot forgive sins. The largest false denomination in the world today would have their adherence go into a box on the side of the church and confess their sins to a man, and that's not what the Bible is substantiating. Priests can't forgive sins. We need to go to Christ as the supreme Author of our salvation to forgive us of our sins.

We must rest in the New Covenant and put away the striving and the worrying and the feelings of being condemned. We are New Testament believers. We are in a covenant. Our salvation has been signed, sealed, and delivered. We rest in that. We're going to learn what it is to truly rest in Christ.

The Old Testament tabernacle was just a shadow of Christ and we need to live and dwell today in light of Christ. If we perhaps would think that I can't wait to get to the church so that we can be in the presence of the Lord then you don't have a right comprehension for which the author of Hebrews is trying to set before you in your daily life. Not to think that perhaps you got to, you got to, you got to, you got to muster up or drum up the Holy Spirit's work in your life as if you just got to get to church and then maybe that entertaining worship team is going to usher in the presence of God. All of that are temptations in our day that is synonymous with what has been being tempted to the weakened Christians in the day for which Hebrews was written.

The same things that they were dealing with then, it's the same things that we deal with now. We should truly grab on to this sermon and understand it point for point, for point so that in every area of our life we are able to have Christ as supreme. If Christ is supreme in your life then you are a temple and you tabernacle with God. You are a shadow pointing to Christ as a new covenant believer. You are for others a foretaste of Christ. You help others to taste and see the beauties of Jesus Christ.

Like we talked about last week as we ended Ephesians, the peace that we have in Christ and Christ being our peace should be on display daily. That is a strange peace because we are able to be truly at peace, not having a fake false front right, but truly exuberating the peace of Christ. That is different from the peace that the world has. As we are truly dwelling with Christ and living on display daily, this is New Testament Christianity and not leaning towards the law and checking a box: "I went to church, I'm good for the next week" or "I gave my certain percentage to God and so I bought Him off from punishing me for a certain time" or "I've bought His blessings." All of these are the same things that were a temptation for the readers then.

This has got to be you: one who has repented of your sin and placed your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as not only Savior but also Lord of life. If that's you, if you never truly repented of your sin, in the antithesis of all of these points I want to make it clear to you: it is sin in all of these for which we do not adhere to Christ as supreme. It is sin whether it's a way that we worship or it's the way that we live or the way that we don't live. All these areas are short fallings and sin. We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but that's the reason why the perfect Son offered the perfect sacrifice on behalf of you and me, because we couldn't do it. We don't have the worth. We don't have the merit. We don't, we don't have what it takes to eradicate sin.

You cannot do a surgery on yourself and take out the sinful heart that you have and put in a clean one. That's ludicrous. Nobody can do that, but Christ can. He can give you a new heart, which comes with new desires, which is coupled in a changed life. The evidence of a true believer is not only his lips but his life and what he does. That life will be a gradual increase as demonstrating Christ as supreme in their life.

Don't get legalistic and judge somebody whether or not they're saved because you don't see the fruits in their life. Don't get like that. Just continue to encourage them in Christ, give them the Gospel, and give them the way forward. Continue to help them in their next steps in Christ. This is Christianity. The Hebrews now have been prodded and persuaded to know the supremacy of Christ and to live as having Him as Lord in every area of their life despite the sufferings that they may be going through.

I pray that true for us today as well. If anybody's here that has never been saved and perhaps you feel the Holy Spirit of God on your heart, what that feels like is that your heart becomes sorrowful. You actually truly are comprehending that your sin is against Christ and it calls Him to go to the brutal cross to be murdered, to be beaten, battered and bruised, to be shredded and torn apart, to be crucified, to have nails like, like vines forced upon His head. These vines with nails forced upon His head—He did that for you as a payment for your sin.

How does that work? God's wrath is against sin and God's wrath makes it just so that you can be free. God's wrath had to justly be poured out on sin so that Christ could now be Lord of your life. These things, now when it comes to the Gospel, are things that sometimes gradually are comprehended but once they hit the heart they become a conviction. Not only will you feel sorrowful for your sin against Christ and against God and against the Holy Spirit, but you will repent sorrowfully and cry out to Him and place your faith and trust in Him. You will externalize your faith. You will verbalize your faith. You will confess Christ as Lord and also believe in your heart that He died and rose again for your sin.

Let's pray together. Lord, thank you for helping us to understand a little bit of Hebrews today, this wonderful sermon designed to lift up You and have You visualized in our mind as seated on the throne, ruling and reigning over everything that You own, which is everything, and to have us submit to You as King. I pray God that if You would help us to understand gradually this wonderful book and that You would grow us gradually as we go through it verse by verse, that You would change us over time, that You would continue to form us into Your image and to make us to know what it is to truly dwell with You, increase our ability not only to know but to walk with You, to be able to have what Paul said: the ability for us to be able to rejoice and again I say rejoice and to rejoice evermore.

I pray, dear Jesus, the riches of Ephesians for this congregation, for me especially, and the wonders of Hebrews for us, not only to comprehend it but to know it and to live it out. Thank you, dear Jesus, for Your blessings upon us. May You continue to see that they not only would be saved but that they would come forth and be biblically baptized and not only baptized, Lord, that they would join the church and become a vital member of the one hope that You have for the world, a local church, to spread the Gospel and make disciples and worship You and preach Your Word and teach it and have fellowship and prayer and communion.

Lord, I pray as well that they would move forward from being saved and baptized and local church to having the skill set to be able to rightly divide and understand and study Your Word and then as well to go forth and teach Your Word and make disciples. Lord, these are tall prayers. You're a big God. They're small for You, big for us. Help us in these areas we pray in Christ's name, Amen.