Sunday sermons | Passionate worship

This sermon was preached by Pastor Keith Cardwell at Swift Presbyterian Church.

Jesus Is Greater Than Priests
Hebrews 4:14–5:10
Feb. 12, 2017
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

W HO IN THE HECK is Melcheizadek? We might need help answering that question — but remember, the writer of Hebrews sends this sermon to a Jewish Christian congregation. If they’ve been to Hebrew Sunday school they know.

Melchizedek is an obscure figure who appears in the story of Abraham in Genesis 14. Abraham goes into battle to rescue his nephew Lot, who has been captured by an enemy. Once Lot is rescued, Abraham is met by Melchizedek, King of Salem (probably early Jeru-Salem) and priest of the Most High God. This man, whose name means the “king of righteousness,” blesses Abraham and the Most High God who gave victory to Abraham. In return for this blessing, Abraham gives a tithe (10 percent) of all the spoils of war to Melchizedek. By this act, Abraham acknowledges Melchizedek’s position as the high priest of God.

His name shows up again in Psalm 110. This psalm about the coming Messiah says he will also be a priest in the order of Melchizedek. That verse from Psalm 110 is quoted in our reading today. “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” To fully explain how Hebrews applies Psalm 110:4 to Jesus’ status as high priest would require more time than we have today. But briefly: Jesus could not be a regular Jewish priest because, as the Messiah, he is from the tribe of Judah. Priests must come from the tribe of Levi. Melchizedek, however, provides an alternative priesthood. Through Melchizedek the Messiah can be identified as a high priest even though he is not a Levite.

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SO, WHO IS LEVI? Abraham’s great-grandson Levi was singled out by God to be the father of the priestly tribe. When the Law was given on Mount Sinai, the Levites were identified as the servants of the Tabernacle, with the family of Aaron becoming the priests.

Now, these priests made intercession to God for the people by offering the many sacrifices that the law required. One priest was selected as the high priest, and he entered into the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement to place the blood of the sacrifice on the Ark of the Covenant. By these sacrifices, the sins of the people were temporarily covered.

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LIKE THESE PRIESTS, JESUS OFFERED a sacrifice to satisfy the Law of God, when He offered Himself for our sins. Unlike the sons of Levi, who had to continually offer sacrifices, Jesus only had to offer His sacrifice once, gaining eternal redemption for all who come to God through Him. Jesus is greater than the priests.

The high priest had to present a sin offering for himself as well as for his people. Priests, preachers, religious leaders are sinners. They must seek forgiveness for their actions and inactions. Sins of commission and omission. They, we, have to ask for forgiveness because we are tempted in every way that you are — non-priests, lay people. And like you, we find many ways to sin. We lose sight of God’s desires, plans, call for our lives. We treat others with less than Christ-like love. We ignore our neighbors. We give in to temptations of passion, greed, self-preservation, power.

Yes, priests, religious leaders are called by God but we also fail God. You must never accept without question what you read written by a religious authority. Religious leaders are often interviewed on TV. Their quips are sent around Facebook. As with the angel on your shoulder and with leaders/lawgivers you must never buy into, without question, what you hear from any pastor, preacher, religious teacher. It must always be screened through the lens of Christ. Not the lens of your wants or desires. Not the lens of your biases. Because Christ is greater.

It is Christ whom we worship. It is Christ who is the Word who has the final word. It is Christ who is the head of the church. It is the voice of Christ, the person of Christ, the Christ who is the exact representation of God, to whom we submit.

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PRIESTS IN THE OLDEN DAYS had to offer a sin-sacrifice for themselves. Religious leaders today have to come into confession. Jesus — being holy, guileless, undefiled — had no need to offer a sacrifice for himself. Jesus was tempted in every way that we are yet without sin. It is by enduring the common weaknesses and temptations that we face, not by giving in to them, that he has established his power not only to sympathize with his people but to bring them help, deliverance and victory.

Jesus, through his self-sacrifice, succeeded in taking away human sin forever. Later on in Hebrews we read:

“Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.” (Heb. 7:27)

“When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, ‘he sat down at the right hand of God.’ . . . For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Heb. 10:12, 14)

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JESUS IS GREATER than priests, preachers, pastors, spiritual leaders. Jesus is able to relate to us in every way but sin, and offered a once-for-all sacrifice for our sins. Because we have such a great high priest, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

— Keith Cardwell

Hebrews 4:14–5:10
New International Version

Jesus the Great High Priest

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

5 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.”[b]

6 And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”[c]

7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.