Jesus - The Great High Priest of the New Covenant - Part 3

I don't know if you noticed, but we kind of had an all men's choir this morning, isn't that right? I enjoy it when our ladies are singing, but it's something about it when it's all men up there singing. I enjoyed that. It blessed me. I'm very thankful for everybody's efforts in leading us in the music portion, the ministry of our church. Very thankful. Well, if you would, take your Bible and turn back to Hebrews 9, verses 1 to 14. I know that's quite a large portion of scripture, but I believe we can handle all of these verses this morning.

And I did mention that this could be a part one and a part two, but I think it'll be good for us to keep these verses together in one message this morning. Now before we get into our verses, I want us to remember that chapter 7, chapter 8, chapter 9 really form one message. See in these three chapters, the author was writing to correct the erroneous understanding of the old covenant and covenant life that was in the lives, some of the Jews here in this congregation.

He was writing to show them that the old covenant and life under the old covenant was not the end, but the old covenant and covenant life was meant to lead them to a new and a better covenant under a greater and superior high priest and priesthood. So what we have here in chapter 9 really is just a part of that same message and the same work that the author was doing with this original audience. Now I know that I have said this over and over and over. I know I sound like a broken record. When I was writing some of these things out this week, I thought about the fact that I may age myself here.

I don't know about you, but I grew up with a record player, a turntable. You know if that record had a scratch in it, it would just skilt and say the same thing over and over and over. You either had to bump it or move the needle. Now I don't want to hear any comments about age. But we are seeing here over and over, over and over that these Jews in this congregation were struggling to see that everything in the old was temporary and meant to prepare them for the new covenant. Therefore the writer was being very, very methodical, even repetitive, and he was purposeful in all of these things.

Now right here, this brings me to what I believe is a much needed encouragement and a much needed lesson. We as born again believers can struggle and struggle and struggle in the Christian life. We can struggle with sin. We can struggle with laziness and apathy spiritually. We can struggle to accept biblical teaching. We can struggle to obey certain things that we see in the Scriptures. As believers we can struggle in many different ways, even in ways that we do not even see and understand.

And the encouragement for us right here is this, if God was patient with these struggling Jewish believers in this church, well then we can see that God has to be patient with us. God has to be patient with us. Right, listen to your pastor. Don't let that be a license to be lazy and lazy with sin and apathy and such. But the lesson here, when we see brothers and sisters struggling in the life of the church and we really think they should be further along, maybe being better at dealing with sin or maybe being more mature or maybe being better in everything, we should love them and encourage them. We should not roast and toast them.

We should not throw them out like burnt toast. And what I'm trying to show you is this. There are sometimes folks in the life of the church can really write brothers and sisters off because they just won't be where we think they should be. And what we should do is come along beside them and help them because that's what the body of Christ does. Now at this time I want us to see that what we have here in verses 1 to 14, here the writer really is just picking up with something that he mentioned in chapter 8, specifically chapter 8 verse 3. Look at chapter 8 verse 3.

The writer says, "For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices, thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer." So here in these verses the author just mentioned the fact that every high priest must have something to offer in their service. We know that those things were prescribed by the Levitical law. But here in the verses before us this morning he comes around to describe the offering our great high priest Jesus offers up against the old covenant offerings.

And as an introduction to this teaching the author gives a quick overview of the design and the regulations of the old covenant tabernacle in worship. But let's not forget this is all about the new covenant being superior to the old and Jesus our great high priest being superior in every way. Now that leads me to the title of the message. This is all about Jesus the great high priest of the new covenant. And this is a part 3 because this is really just a continuation of chapter 8. So this is Jesus the great high priest of the new covenant.

Now I want to read our verses again because I want us to get them in our minds and then I will explain to you how we will approach the verses. Verse 1. Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness for a tent or a tabernacle was prepared. The first section in which were the lampstand in the table and the bread of the presence. It is called the holy place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the most holy place.

Having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold in which was a golden urn or a bowl holding the manna and errands staff that budded and the tablets of the covenant. That would be the 10 commandments. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made the priests go regularly into the first section performing their ritual duties.

But into the second or the second section only the high priest goes and he but once a year and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates or makes known that the way unto the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing which is symbolic for the present age. According to this arrangement gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshipper but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of Reformation.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest, I keep wanting to say as our high priest of the good things that have come even through the greater and more perfect tent or tabernacle not made with hands that is not of this creation. He entered once for all unto the holy places not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood thus securing an eternal salvation.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer sanctify for the purification of the flesh how much more the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without blemish to God purify our conscience from dead works to serving the living God. Now I want us to see that the author actually makes two major points in the message. First he describes the old covenant sanctuary and he explains the ineffectiveness of those things to bring a man into the presence of God. We see that in verses 1-10.

Then second he describes the new covenant sanctuary in heaven and he explains the effectiveness of Jesus to bring a man into the presence of God perfectly, eternally. We see this in verse 11-14. So the breakdown of these verses is really simple. So let's get started in what I call the body of the message. Number one, I want us to see the description of the old covenant sanctuary. That's in verses 1-10. The description of the old covenant sanctuary. Now before we get into the old covenant sanctuary and where the author is going here we need to make sure we see what exactly the author is referring to.

He is speaking of the tabernacle and not the temple there in Jerusalem and it can be confusing for some. He is speaking of the tabernacle not the temple. Now the tabernacle was basically a large tent like structure where God dwelt among the Israelites from the time of their encampment at Mount Sinai up to the building of the temple. Now we see this starting in Exodus 25. Now the area around the actual tabernacle was seen as an outer court and the outer court was encircled by something that we would see as a fence and it was made with bronze posts with linen cloth stretched between the posts.

We would see this as a giant curtain between the bronze posts. Now the Jews entered the outer court of the tabernacle through the gate that always faced to the east. When they entered they came to the altar of burnt offerings which is where the animal sacrifices were killed, offered, and burned. Then they came to the laver which was a large bronze stand containing water where the priests would wash their hands and sometimes their feet. Now the actual tabernacle was about 45 feet long, about 15 feet wide, and about 15 feet high and the tabernacle was divided into two rooms.

The first room was the holy place which was about 30 feet long and the second was the most holy place. Sometimes it is called the holy of holies and it was about 15 feet long. Now to me and my thinking it is helpful to think of the actual tabernacle as a large type of tent. The tabernacle had a frame of wood and it was covered over by goat hair, curtains, and drapes of animal skins. And these things covered the top and the back and the sides of the tabernacle but the front of the tabernacle had this embroidered veil. Now here is where I want to give you a challenge. Go and read about these things in Exodus chapter 25 to chapter 27.

It's a good read, it will help you. And maybe do something else. Go and look in your study bible or some of the resources you have and find a drawing or a diagram of the tabernacle and when you do it will all come together for you. I know what this looks like from my years of study but this week I went and dug up my wife's John MacArthur study bible and he has a nice illustration, a nice diagram there that helps us see what the tabernacle would have looked like. Now that we have the understanding that the author is talking about the Old Testament tabernacle.

Now the English standard uses the word tent but it's best to see this as the tabernacle. I want us to see that he gives us what I see as three pictures here. First he gives us the picture of the Old Covenant tabernacle and we see that in verse 1 to 5, especially verses 2 to 5. But in verse 2 the author mentions the first section. This is a reference to the division between the Holy Place which is the first section and the Most Holy Place which is the second section. And each of these rooms or petitions had its own furniture and each piece of furniture had its own meaning.

Now in the Holy Place there was the lampstand which was a seven branch lampstand made of solid gold and the lampstand had a practical use. It provided light in the Holy Place because there were no windows for light. Then there was the table with twelve loaves of bread. Sometimes this bread is referred to as the show bread and the scriptures tell us that each Sabbath the priest would remove the old bread and replace it with fresh bread. And only the priest could eat the bread and it was to be eaten in the sanctuary. Last was the golden altar of incense that was just before the veil that divided the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies.

The altar of incense was made of acacia wood and covered over with gold. It was about one foot six inches square and about three feet high. And it was there that the burning coals from the bronze altar in the courtyard were placed where the sacrifices were made. So that is what is seen in the first section. That would be the Holy Place. We have the lampstand, the table of sacred bread and the altar of incense. But what was the meaning of these things? The lampstand pointed to the responsibility of the nation of Israel. According to Isaiah 42.6 and Isaiah 49.6 Israel was to be the light of the truth of the one true God to the nations.

But ultimately the lampstand pointed to Jesus. He was and is the light of the world according to 812. And then the table of show bread was meant to be a reminder to the Jews of how God sustained them in the wilderness with bread from heaven. That would have been manna. But ultimately the table of bread pointed to Jesus. He was and is the bread of life who came into the world. John chapter 6. And then the altar of incense. Warren Wiersby points out how every morning and every evening a priest would burn incense on this altar. And how David suggested that this is a picture of prayer rising up to God according to Psalm 141.2.

And so ultimately this is a picture of Jesus. Just like the burning incense Jesus is making continual intercession for his people according to Romans 8 33 and 34. Then we have what was behind the second curtain. Or what was actually inside the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place. Actually there was only one piece of furniture in the Most Holy Place. And that was the Ark of the Covenant. Now the Ark of the Covenant was a chest made of wood and covered over with gold. It was about three feet nine inches long about two feet three inches wide and two feet three inches high. And on the top of the Ark there was a lid that was the Mercy Seat.

And the Mercy Seat was made of gold with cherubim or golden angelic beings at each end of the Mercy Seat. And there were three items in the Ark. First there was a golden bowl that contained some of the manna. Second there was Aaron's staff that had butted. And then third there were the tablets which were the Ten Commandments. But what was the meaning and the purpose of the Ark? The Mercy Seat between the cherubim which was the top of the lid of the Ark of the Covenant was the very throne of God on earth there in the tabernacle in the Holy of Holies right there in the center of the people.

And once a year only on the Day of Atonement only the high priest could enter into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the appropriate blood offering on the Mercy Seat to cover the tablets of the law within the Ark. And this blood offering was for the purpose of making atonement for the sin of the people. And notice what God did there. On the Mercy Seat there God met men between those angelic beings.

In Exodus 25, 22 God said to the people, "There I will meet with you." And from above the Mercy Seat from between the two cherubim that are on the Ark of the testimony, "I will speak with you about all that I have given you in commandment for the people of Israel." John MacArthur goes on to say, "If God and man were to meet it could only have been there." But ultimately the Ark of the Covenant was a picture of Jesus. Jesus provided an atoning sacrifice for sin on the cross and the cross was and is our Mercy Seat.

John 2, 2, that verse says, "He," thus Jesus, "is the propitiation for our sins." And that word propitiation means atoning sacrifice. And Romans 3, 25 says, "Whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood." But unlike the blood that was poured out on the actual Mercy Seat that covered the law temporarily and unlike that sacrifice that had to be made year after year, Jesus' blood did not simply cover over sin, Jesus' blood took away sin once and for all.

Hebrews 10, 12 says, "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins He set down at the right hand of God." So here we have the picture, a quick picture of the Old Covenant tabernacle. Then second, He gives us a picture of the Old Covenant service in the tabernacle and we see this in verses 6 to 10. Now here in verses 6 to 7 we have only a few words but as we will see this speaks to and represents quite a lot. But before we get into the details of what we see here, we must understand that worship for these Jews was much different than worship for us. Let me explain.

In and under the New Covenant believers can draw near to God. In Hebrews 14, 16 the author says, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Now what we see here in this verse is this, a gracious call to draw near to God. You see, a gracious call to draw near to God. William McDonald says, and I'm quoting, "We are assured of a hearty welcome because He has told us to come." But that was not the life of the Jew. That was not the life of the Jew. They could not draw near to God like we see here.

Only the priests and the Levites were allowed to enter into the tabernacle, outer court, or area. No one else was allowed to enter. And more, although the priests ministered before God in the holy of places daily, only the high priest entered into the holy of holies, and that was only once a year on the day of atonement. So the priests were continually going in and out of the holy place, ministering on behalf of the people and for the people. Simply the people could not draw near to God in the holy place. And the high priest was going into the holy of holies once a year, year after year, on the day of atonement.

And he did this to provide the appropriate blood sacrifice for sin and the sin of the people. Simply the people could not draw near to God in the holy of holies. This is a very basic description of what life was like for those Jews. But there's a little more. The Jew sinned, his relationship with God was broken. So the appropriate sacrifices for sin were provided according to the law of Moses. Therefore, the sacrifices for sin were never finished because sin never ceased. So the work of the priest was never done. And even in providing the appropriate sacrifices for sin according to the law, there were unknown sins. There were forgotten sins.

And the accumulation of those sins. And within the law, there was no sacrifice for those sins. So on the day of atonement, the sacrifice for those sins was made by the high priest in the holy of holies, year after year, year after year. And the point I'm making here is this. These Jews could not draw near to God and into the presence of God. A Jew who obeyed God according to the law relied on the service of priests to go before God on their behalf. And this is what the author was speaking to in verses 6 to 7, the service of the priests in the tabernacle. Listen to verse 6 and 7 in the Amplified.

Maybe with all that I explain in the Amplified red, it'll just come to the surface for you. Verse 6. Now when these things, having been prepared in this way, the priests continually enter the outer or the first section of the tabernacle, that is the holy place, performing their ritual acts of the divine worship. But into the second, enter tabernacle, the holy of holies, only the high priest enters, and then only once a year, and never without bringing a sacrifice of blood, which he offers as a substitutionary atonement for himself, for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

So this is the picture of the Old Covenant service within the Old Covenant tabernacle. But then third, a picture of the significance of these things. We see this in verses 8 to 10. A picture of the significance of these things. Now the significance of these things is described in these verses, and it is quite pessimistic. Simply the entire structure and furnishings of the tabernacle, as well as the service of the priests in the tabernacle, speak of, as one commentator said it, restriction, imperfection, limitation, and exclusion. That all says pessimism to me. That all has a depressing ring to me. That all is sad to me.

This is all about restriction, imperfection, limitation, and exclusion. But notice that in verse 8 the author mentions the Holy Spirit. He says that the Holy Spirit indicates or makes certain things known, and these things are found in the verses. First in verse 8, the Holy Spirit makes known that the tabernacle and all it represented in Old Covenant worship was restrictive. He says that the way into the Holy Places to God was not yet open. Second in verse 8, the Holy Spirit makes known that the tabernacle and all it represented in Old Covenant worship was temporary.

He says that as long as the tabernacle was standing or in use, the way to God had not yet been opened. But when those things were fulfilled in the death of Christ on the cross, the way to God was open. Therefore making the tabernacle unnecessary, obsolete, and set aside. And then third in verses 9 to 10, the Holy Spirit makes known that the tabernacle and all it represented in Old Covenant worship only dealt with the external part of the man and not the inside of the man. Here he says that all that was done in worship at the tabernacle could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper.

These things could only cover over sin temporarily and these things could never bring about a clear and a clean conscience. And he goes on to say that the tabernacle and service and worship in the tabernacle only dealt with the externals like food, drink, physical washings, and regulations prescribed by the law. So we see the significance of these things. So in summary, notice what we have here in verses 1 to 10. The author was describing the Old Covenant tabernacle, service in the tabernacle by the priests and the significance of those things.

Simply the tabernacle, service in the tabernacle, and those sacrifices could not provide unhindered access to God. Even the priests and the high priests did not have unhindered access to God. Only these things could only provide a temporary covering for sin and they only dealt with the external part of a man and never the inside of the person. Now I want to wrap up verses 1 to 10 by touching on two things from verses 9 to 10. First this phrase, which is symbolic for this present age, the English Standard Version reads which is symbolic for this present age. The King James says which was a figure for the time then present.

Now what's the point here? The author wasn't his saying that the tabernacle and services and worship in the tabernacle, those things were a symbol of a representation of things to come in the future. And we know that these things were a symbol of and represented Jesus and the gospel. You see? It's all about Jesus and the gospel. But then second this word "reformation" in verse 10. I'm referencing the English Standard Version. This word "reformation" here simply means to straighten out, to put something as it should be. Now what's the point here?

The author was and is saying that in the future a time would come when true reformation would come to God's people. In the future they would truly be set straight or straightened out. And we know that it was to be and is Jesus and the gospel that reforms or straightens out a person. You see? You see how it all comes together? It all comes together? So we have a description of the old covenant tabernacle in service in that tabernacle. And then number two, I want us to see the description of the new covenant tabernacle. In verses 11 to 14 we see a description of the new covenant tabernacle. Let's read those verses again.

You see a transition, "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent," or tabernacle, "not made with hands," that would be human hands, "that is not of this creation or of this world. He," that's Christ, "entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serving the living God?" Now I think it's obvious. Here we see a brief description of the new covenant tabernacle, which is in heaven, and the service that was performed there. And although certain descriptions of the heavenly tabernacle have been seen before, we will see a little more, a little more about the heavenly tabernacle.

And we will see that the author was also highlighting two things, the ineffectiveness of the old covenant sacrifices to bring about redemption for man, and the effectiveness of the sacrifice of Christ to actually bring about permanent and eternal redemption for mankind. Now notice I will approach the verses. See the author mirrors what he wrote previously in verses 1 to 10. So I want us to see three pictures here as well. First, the picture of the tabernacle in heaven. We see this in verse 11. Here the author refers to a tent, I'm reading from the English Standard, a tent not made with hands, that is not of this creation.

The New American says, "The greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is to say not of this creation." Now the comparison here is obvious. He says that the old covenant tabernacle was made by men according to Exodus 35, 30 to 35. And this tabernacle was made from the creation, but not the new covenant or heavenly tabernacle. And notice how he describes its greatness in three ways. It is a greater tabernacle because it was not made by man but by God. It is a greater tabernacle because it was not made to be temporary but made to be eternal. It is a greater tabernacle because it was not imperfect but perfect.

And notice this tabernacle in heaven is not only great, it is perfect in every way. It is perfect in that the services performed in this tabernacle are able to provide perfect redemption for men and men. And those services are able to provide perfect peace between God and man, between man and God. So we have the picture of the heavenly tabernacle. It is better, it is greater, it is perfect. And then second, the picture of the service in heaven in this tabernacle. Let's look at verses 11 and 12 again. Notice the service here.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent tabernacle, verse 12, he entered once for all into the holy places, the holy places in that tabernacle. Not by the means of blood, bulls, or excuse me, of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Now here the author presents Jesus as high priest. And then he describes his service in contrast with the service of those old covenant high priests and priests. Here we see that Jesus entered the holy of holies in the heavenly tabernacle, but not like those old covenant high priests.

He entered not through the blood of animals, but by his own blood. I love a comparison that Albert Barnes gives here. He says first, the offering Jesus made was holy for others, while the offerings the priests made were for themselves and for others. Second, the blood offered by the priest was out of animals, while the blood of Jesus that he offered was his own. Third, the offerings of blood offered by the priests were type shadows and promises, but the blood of Jesus fulfilled those promises and actually took away sin. But notice what else happens as a result.

He made a once and for all sacrifice that was sufficient for all people of all time, not just the Jews. And he provided eternal redemption, which means forgiveness for past sins, present sins, and future sins. Again, listen to Hebrews 10, 12. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Now, I'll make one statement here. This is for the redeemed. Are you not so happy and full of praise that we live in these things? Believer, listen, we do not have to bring animal sacrifice after animal sacrifice after animal sacrifice.

We don't have to have our conscience appeased, only to have it violated again because there's no sacrifice for sin that's permanent. You see, we should be full of praise and honor and glory to our Lord. And look, folks, I'm only scratching the surface, if that, of what these things mean. And honestly, I believe we should catapult ourselves to study this more and more and more because we have the great joy and privilege and honor to live under the new covenant whereby we have a permanent forgiveness for sins, past, present, and future. So the picture of the service in heaven, it was better, it was greater, it was perfect.

As one commentator put it, "He was a better priest and a better tabernacle, providing a better sacrifice." It just gets better and better. Third, a picture of the significance of these things. Again, I want to read verses 13 to 14. "For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more would the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Now here the author is saying what he has been saying all along.

The Old Covenant and all those Old Covenant sacrifices were totally unable to change the heart of a person. Those things were weak, those things were imperfect, but we must see that the Old Covenant was not wrong or sinful, for it was instituted by God and for God's purposes. And we must see that a Jew who served God as best as he knew under the Old Covenant was certainly serving God and enjoying true, meaningful worship. The Old Covenant was unable to change a man because it was powerless to do so. And notice how the author tells us this fact. He says that the blood of animals was unable to do two things.

First, the blood of animals was unable to sanctify. Now this word sanctify here is not speaking of progressive sanctification but of salvation. And this word sanctify, it means to make holy, to separate, to consecrate, to set apart. So the blood of animals was unable to bring a person into a holy state, therefore separated permanently under God. And then second, the blood of animals was unable to purify. This word purification here, it spoke of that which is clean and pure. So the blood of animals was unable to bring a person into a clean and pure condition in regards to sin before God, but not so with the blood of Jesus.

In verse 14, the author explains that the blood of Christ was able to sanctify or to set apart or make a man holy, as well as to make him clean and pure in regards to sin before God. He is able to do even more. He says that Jesus through and in the power of the Holy Spirit, he made the perfect sacrifice with his own blood on the mercy seat of the cross to purify the conscience of a man from the guilt of dead religious works and unto serving the living God because he is able to draw near. I like a comparison that John MacArthur makes here. I really put it in my words. The old covenant priest cleaned up the outside of a man.

And in all those things, it was only symbolic, imperfect, and temporary, but Christ Jesus provides a cleansing on the inside of the man where the real problem is. He does more than cleanse the old man. He replaces the old man with the new man. He goes on to say that those of us who are in Christ Jesus, we are not cleaned up old creatures, but we are redeemed new creatures. This brings me to 2 Corinthians 5, 17 where Paul says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come." Now let me change that verse and use some of our language.

Paul's saying, "Therefore, if anyone is a true Bible Christian, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, the new has come." The old covenant could not perform that work. Now a couple of questions here, and I'm aiming these questions at two different people. Are you slaving away at Christian works? Are you slaving away at Christian works trying to read your Bible, trying to pray, trying to serve in the church, trying, trying, trying, trying, trying all while you do not have a purified and clean conscience? Is that you? See we have a terrible disadvantage in living in the South. Sadly, we have been inundated with easy believers.

You can meet anybody in Walmart and stop them on the street corner and most everybody will tell you they believe in Jesus. They're a member of a church and they've been baptized. But so many of them are not new creations in Christ. And at best, so many of those people are in churches and they're trying, trying, trying, and all they're doing is wallowing in dead religious works. They do not have purified and clean consciences. Is that you? Is that you?

And another question, is it not an indescribable feeling of peace, security, freedom, and cleanliness to know that your sins have been forgiven and your conscience is clear from trying, trying, trying, and trying and more in dead works? I have seen so many through the years grow up religious, be Baptist, be baptized, be up from another denomination, be church members, and they grew up their whole life at best, trying, trying, trying. And I've seen so many of them come to true saving faith.

Oh, they were cultural Christians before, professing Christians before, but when they finally came to saving faith, they didn't have to keep trying, trying, trying. Their conscience was clean. They were purified. They were at peace. No more trying. No more trying. Just resting in Christ. And I see some of you nodding your head because you know exactly what I mean. So in summary, notice what we have here in verses 11 to 14.

The author was and is describing the new covenant, our heavenly tabernacle, and the service of our great high priest Jesus when he, by his own blood, entered into the holy place once and for all and made purifications for sins. Therefore, providing what the old covenant tabernacle and those sacrifices never could provide, that is perfect forgiveness for sin. Now in closing, this reminds me of what we have been studying in Acts and what we will study in Acts. Now I'm going to pause here before I move on here. If you're not a part of our Wednesday night Bible study through Acts, I encourage you to come. You're missing out.

You're missing out on some wonderful fellowship. You're missing out possibly in serving our children and our teenagers, but you're missing out. We have a strong exposition week in and week out on Wednesday nights. It's been rich and good for me. But in Acts chapter 2, when Peter was preaching gospel to the crowd of Jews that had gathered there on the day of Pentecost, in verse 37 they asked, "What shall we do?" Peter preached the gospel, he preached Christ crucified, and they cried out, "What shall we do?" One in Acts 16, when Paul was preaching and ministering in Philippi, he and his companions were arrested, beaten, and thrown in jail.

And while they were singing and worshiping God in jail, God sent an earthquake to open the doors of the prison. Well, what was the result? The Philippian jailer came to them and asked, "What must I do to be saved?" In response to all of these things, he said, "What must I do to be saved?" Well in one sense, there is nothing a man can do to be saved. God has done all the work. Do you see? Christ Jesus has entered through the heavenly tabernacle into the Holy of Holies through his own blood, having obtained and secured eternal redemption. So there is nothing a man can do to be saved. It is finished. Salvation has been provided.

But in another sense, there is only one thing that is needed for one to be saved. There is one thing that a person must do, for a person must savingly believe in Christ for his salvation. A person must repent and turn from their sin and sinfulness and turn to God believing in Jesus, this Jesus, for salvation. So it is finished. And those of us who are redeemed, we rejoice. It is finished. We are living in peace and security and great praise and honor and blessing to our Lord that we are under and in the new covenant.

And the only thing that man can do to obtain it is to be saved by believing savingly in Christ and that folks in and of itself is of grace. So it is all of Christ. It is finished. And this leads me back to the title of the message. Again, it is a part three. This is all about Jesus, the high priest of the new covenant.