Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty
Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty
Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies
O Word of God Incarnate
There Is a Redeemer
On Our Way Rejoicing
Praise Ye the Lord, for It Is Good
(Galatians 3:10-14 ESV)
[11] Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? [12] For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. [13] For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. [14] For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
[15] This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, [16] who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. [17] For it is witnessed of him,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
[18] For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness [19] (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
[20] And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, [21] but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
‘You are a priest forever.’”
[22] This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
[23] The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, [24] but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. [25] Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
[26] For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. [27] He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. [28] For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
( Hebrews 7:11-28 ESV)
Sermon Notes
The problem is though.....all of us have sinned, slaves to wickedness.
We by nature, hate God.
Jesus taught us about hell. Minding us that the wicked go there and it is an eternal punishment. We have sinned against an eternal God, so our punishment must be eternal.
We cannot claim that God is unjust when we are the ones who chose to turn from the path that God set us on in the first place.
God created us able to follow him full well. We made the choice to thumb our noses at him.
So we are in a condition of misery. How can the price for our sin be paid? Justice demands it.
Either you have to pay it or some one must pay it for us.
The only way we can do it is if we keep every single law absolutely perfectly. We can't do this since even if we start trying to it doesn't cover the fact that we have already sinned. We simply cannot do it. Even one deviation nullifies all our efforts. It just doesn't work.
Trying to do it ourselves only heaps up more guilt.
Therefore we are left with only one other option. Someone or something else to pay it for us.
1. God will not punish another for us. Animals cannot take our sin away from us. Human punishment for human sin.
2. Only a human can pay for human sin.
3. Justice can be satisfied if the right person is found. It must be a person with no debt of their own to pay.
4. A common high priest will not do. They have their own sin to cover. Must be a special high priest, one who is sinless already.
5. We have such a high priest: holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Only Jesus can met those requirements.
6. Christ pays the price. He satisfies the justice of God. He is God who came in human form. The only one who can pay the price.