Message: Jesus, Our High Priest

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:11-14

 Jesus came as the incarnate Christ, and at the age of 30 years old His public ministry began.  For 3 ½ years Jesus preached repentance-- for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  After fulfilling all of His purpose here on this earth, He is now at the right hand of the Father in His high priestly roll where He ever liveth to make intercession for us.  He is the high priest of good things to come such as:

            The priest—our high priest

            The sanctuary – our body

            The blood – perfect sacrifice

            The way into the holiest – through the blood and the Name

Jesus is our Messiah, Christ the high priest of better things to come; the greater, more perfect tabernacle; His own blood; and His entering into the holiest of all.  The tabernacle in the wilderness was shadow:  it was symbolic.  The holiest is God’s immediate presence. 

The blood of Christ, how powerful is that blood?  It was in the blood of the eternal covenant that God brought again our Lord Jesus from the dead.  He cleansed the heavenly things themselves with His own blood and entered the Holiest.  In those heavenly places our sins were in God’s book and our sins had as a thick cloud darkened God’s presence.  For the sake of the blood, sin was blotted out, and access is given us to the Father.  We find in heaven, Christ, the mediator of the New Covenant, but most importantly we find His high priestly duties. 

            A merciful and faithful high priest, Hebrews 2:17

            The high priest of our confession, Hebrews 3:1

            He admonishes us to hold fast to our confession, Hebrews 4:14-16

He was called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec who was the priest of the most High God, Hebrews 5:10.  Jesus’ blood is powerful, and it speaks better things than that of Abel.  Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance and Jesus’ blood calls for mercy.  “And to Jesus the Mediator (go between, agent) of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood which speaks [of mercy] a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance], Genesis 4:10 Amp.  The power of the blood of Jesus consists of two things: 1) The holy obedience – He offered without spot to God.  2) The eternal Spirit was the life in the blood – through the eternal Spirit He offered Himself, and that Spirit will forever work with and in the blood.  Also, the blood of the covenant has three great promises.  1) Pardon and peace, 2) Purity and power,  3) God’s presence opened up to us.

To be continued ………

Elder Carolyn Prescod