WEBVTT 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:08.640 Hello, I'm Pastor Creighton, and thank you for tuning in to New Sun Churches Podcast. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:15.359 We're a gospel centered church in Port Perry, Ontario, proclaiming the true and life-giving word of Jesus as we love and serve our neighbors. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:18.399 May God bless you today through his life-giving word. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:25.920 Our first reading this morning is taken from Leviticus chapter 16. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:47.200 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, and the Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:51.359 For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. 00:00:51.520 --> 00:01:00.320 But in this way Aaron shall come into the holy place, with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:10.719 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:13.599 These are the holy garments. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:26.640 Heath he shall bathe his body in water and then put them on, and he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:35.519 Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:41.519 Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:49.439 And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for Azazel. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:56.400 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord, and use it as a sin offering. 00:01:56.560 --> 00:02:07.200 But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:20.960 And it shall be a statute to you for ever, that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns with you. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:25.599 For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:29.280 You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins. 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:34.000 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves. 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:36.319 It is a statute forever. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:44.800 And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father's place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:56.639 He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 00:02:56.879 --> 00:03:06.879 And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:11.280 And Aaron did as the Lord commanded Moses. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:13.520 This is the word of the Lord. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:26.240 The second lesson is from Hebrews chapter 9, starting at the 11th verse. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:49.840 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 00:03:50.080 --> 00:04:10.400 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 serve the living God. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:18.319 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:24.879 Since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:27.680 The word of the Lord, Christ is God. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:53.680 Lord Jesus Christ, great high priest, we come to you with nothing to offer but our guilt and our burdens, our sins and offenses, and you, Lord, are delighted to bear those away and bring us to the very heart of our Heavenly Father, and so reconcile us. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:05:02.720 Lord, through the ministry of your word and Holy Spirit, would we rest secure in your eternal redemption? 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:04.560 In your name we pray. 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:05.519 Amen. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:07.279 Please be seated. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:21.600 Well, I don't know about you, but I have a mixed relationship at best with Dr. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:22.480 Google. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:24.720 Do you ever consult Dr. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:25.519 Google? 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:26.240 Dr. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:36.959 Google is who you consult when you've got a slight headache and your stomach kind of hurts and your eyes are a little red and you decide to type in your symptoms and it's a terminal diagnosis every time. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:38.160 You know, Dr. 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:43.199 Google's gonna give you the worst possible diagnosis every single time. 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.240 And probably that's true for a lot of areas of my life. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:52.079 When I, you know, think I can do carpentry and I go onto YouTube, that never seems to work out for me either. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:57.439 If I decide I'm gonna, you know, I've watched enough Law and Order, I could probably be my own lawyer, so to speak. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:00.319 Then uh again, I'd probably just as helpless. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:01.120 Dr. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:10.399 Google convinces me that I know things I don't know, and therefore I can have a confidence I really have no right to have. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:15.759 Now, like I say, this could be, you fill in the blank. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:20.800 It could be medical knowledge, it could be law, it could be carpentry, it could be whatever. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:26.879 The fact is, I need, when I'm in need, I need to go to someone who knows what they're talking about, right? 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:35.680 When I'm when when my when I'm feeling ill, I need to go to my GP, and I love my GP, I really like my GP, and she is so knowledgeable. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:39.759 And I go and I tell my GP the symptoms, and she tells me, you need to stop worrying about it. 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:42.240 That's probably why your stomach hurts so much, you know? 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:46.560 In other words, we know we need something more than just Dr. 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:51.279 Google, which is really just looking in a mirror and convincing ourselves we know what we're doing, right? 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:52.720 I know what I'm doing. 00:06:52.959 --> 00:07:07.360 We need to go and consult with someone who has the access, the knowledge, the uh participates in this world of medical knowledge in a way that I don't, but yet can communicate that knowledge to me, right? 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:12.319 In other words, I need someone who mediates the knowledge that I wouldn't otherwise have. 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:20.399 I need some, I need someone who can stand in the gap between me and what I don't know and point me in the right direction. 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:23.680 We need a mediator, is what we need. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:37.120 And what's true for our medical knowledge, what's true for perhaps any number of those disciplines or crafts that we have very little knowledge of, we need a mediator between us and ultimate knowledge in God. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:57.680 We've been going through this series beginning last week on prophet, Christ is prophet, priest, and king, and we're reminded by the Church Reformer John Calvin that in order that faith, our faith, may have a firm basis for salvation in Christ, if we want a firm and unshakable faith, this principle must be laid down, he said. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:04.160 The office enjoined upon Christ by the Father consists of prophet, king, and priest. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:19.519 In other words, if we want to understand the significance of who Jesus is and what he's accomplished on our behalf as mediator, we need to understand Jesus as fulfilling the office of prophet, priest, and king that we find in the Old Testament scriptures. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:21.600 We need Christ to be our mediator. 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:27.360 We need Christ to stand in the gap between us and God. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.160 And that's exactly who Jesus is. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:36.799 We can understand his work through the lens of the Old Testament as the great high priest. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:43.679 As the great high priest, Jesus Christ reconciles us to God. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:49.600 He does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, no matter how confident I may be. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:09:00.799 As the great high priest, Jesus Christ reconciles me, he reconciles you, he reconciles us, his people, to our holy God. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:15.600 So as we look at part two in this series, Prophet, Priest, and King, and understand Jesus' significance and his work, I hope that we are today going to arrive at a greater sense of assurance of what Christ has accomplished. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:23.919 And I hope we have a better sense of how it is that we are called to participate in this ongoing work of his priesthood. 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:27.039 Now, I'll make no apologies for it. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:29.440 This is a bit more of a theological series, isn't it? 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:34.159 I mean, we were looking at some heavy texts last week, and we're going to be looking at some heavy texts this week, too. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:36.799 But number one, I'm convinced y'all are ready for it. 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:38.159 Y'all are good for it. 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:42.000 And number two, I think it's just too important to overlook. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:44.320 And maybe I'll add a third one. 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:47.039 It is just too beautiful to overlook. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:49.039 So let's catch a glimpse of all of this. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.360 I want us to interrogate that main idea. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:54.480 Jesus is the great high priest, reconciles us to God. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:58.799 I want us to interrogate that idea with three questions, much like we did last week. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:00.799 Number one, what is a priest? 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:04.480 Number two, how is Jesus Christ the great high priest? 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:09.600 And then number three, what does that reconciliation mean for me, right? 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:12.320 So let's ask question number one, what is a priest? 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:14.639 Let's get a sense of our bearings here. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:19.039 A general definition of what a priest is might be something like this. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:32.399 A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and the divine, be it one or more deities. 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:33.679 And yes, that comes from Dr. 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:34.240 Google. 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:35.360 So there you go. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:43.679 The interesting thing about priests, and I'm just talking in the biggest generalities we can right now. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:50.559 The interesting thing about priests and priesthood to me is that they are ubiquitous across time and culture. 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:56.879 It's not just like an oddity that you find in this one particular culture in the ancient Near East or something like that. 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:06.879 Across time and across cultures, you find people acting as priests, as mediators between humanity and the divine, understood in whatever sense. 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:14.799 In some sense, across time and cultures, there's a gap between where we are and where God or the divine is. 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:21.759 And someone needs to be appointed to stand in that gap to give us the access we wouldn't otherwise have. 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:29.120 Now, that religious intuition takes on a particular clarity as we look at the Old Testament scriptures. 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:46.000 We look at priesthood in the Bible, especially in passages like Exodus 28 and 29 or Leviticus 7, the priesthood in the Bible is God's answer to the question of how can sinful humanity enter into God's holy presence? 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:46.480 Right? 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:58.159 How can a sinful, wayward, estranged, transgressing humanity enter into full fellowship on right terms with a holy and just God? 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:00.639 The priesthood is the answer here. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:09.120 The role of priesthood was to mediate God's presence to the people, to offer sacrifices, to reveal God's will. 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:12.799 That's what theologian Elizabeth Mbaru writes. 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:16.480 So as here's what's really interesting to me. 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:18.000 Do you ever notice this? 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:34.000 So Book of Genesis, first book in the Bible, right, ends with the people of Israel, right, refugee as refugees in Egypt, and now by the time the next book starts in Exodus, right, they're under oppression in Egypt and they need to be led into freedom by God by way of Moses, right? 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:37.039 We talked about Moses last week as kind of the archetypical prophet. 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:45.840 Okay, so they get freed from Egypt, and now they're, you know, at Mount Sinai, and Moses delivers the Ten Commandments, God's great law to his people. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:49.279 And that's Exodus chapter 20, and there's 20 more chapters to go. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:51.200 And do you know what those 20 chapters are? 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:53.120 It's everybody's favorite part of Exodus. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:13:04.399 It's endless laws about, you know, tabernacle and purity and you know, crafting ornaments and all these things, and we think, boy, the narrative really ground to a halt here, didn't it? 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:07.120 Those are everybody's favorite passages, aren't they? 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:08.960 But here's the significance of those things. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:15.120 Here is God sharing with Moses and sharing with the people of Israel by way of Moses. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:19.919 Here's the basis on which I am going to dwell with you, my people. 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.559 Because there is a serious issue between us, and that issue is transgression. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:26.000 That issue is sin. 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:35.600 But by way of my own gracious condescension, I am going to make my presence known among you as the holy God who sanctifies you. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:47.600 And all of these laws, all of these ornaments, all of these details are meant to focus Israel's attention on this God who chooses to dwell with them by way of grace. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:53.120 And so by the end of Exodus, you've got the tabernacle where God is going to meet with his people established. 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:54.320 But did you notice this? 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:59.519 Moses couldn't enter into the tabernacle because there was too much glory radiating from it. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:02.799 And that lead that that leaves us with a problem, doesn't it? 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:07.440 Well, we've got the tabernacle set up, but how are we supposed to commune with this holy God? 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:11.440 Now you get the book of Leviticus, everybody's favorite book, right? 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:15.600 If you liked, you know, purity laws, boy, you're in for a treat with Leviticus. 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:17.200 But again, the point is the same thing. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:19.840 How can we commune with this holy God? 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:21.200 By God's way. 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:23.360 That's the bottom line for Leviticus. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:28.399 By God's way, we have fellowship with this holy God. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:47.519 And the office he established to be an intermediary, to mediate or oversee all of these ritual ways of proclaiming God's grace in forgiving our sins and in drawing us near to himself, this office that he establishes is the priesthood, right? 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:50.879 A hereditary priesthood, descending from Aaron, right? 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:57.200 Bearing ongoing witness to God's word amongst his people and God's acts of redemption amongst his people. 00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:08.399 Functioning to help God's people discern what God's will is and instruct them in the scriptures, but also to oversee sacrifices that would propitiate sin. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:14.159 And propitiate is a fancy word that we use in our communion prayers, and it means to send away. 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:27.039 This is what the priests are entrusted to oversee: a living, vivid, bloody witness that God sends away sin and puts it to death. 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:29.039 That's what priests are meant to do. 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:36.240 And so in the book of Exodus and Leviticus, as we see this office as being established and practiced, this is what we're seeing. 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:46.480 We're seeing priests act as mediators, intermediaries, I should say, between God and his people, offering sacrifices, revealing God's will. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:56.159 And all of this culminates in the kind of climax of the sacred calendar, which is the Day of Atonement that we read about in Leviticus 16. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:01.759 And Leviticus 15 and 16 are well worth the read if it's been a while since you've been in Leviticus. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:04.960 The Day of Atonement is called by one commentator. 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:10.480 It's uh, pardon me, all the other purificatory rituals hinge on this day. 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.440 That's how one commentator describes the Day of Atonement. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:15.759 It is the day of days. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:21.600 So let me just read some of what we read in Leviticus 16 and offer some commentary here. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:29.360 So in this way, Aaron, so functioning as the high priest, right, shall come into the holy place. 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:36.639 That's where God's presence is made most manifest amongst his people, right? 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:43.919 He'll come into the holy place with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:45.360 So two offerings, right? 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:53.440 Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and his house. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.320 That's interesting. 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:55.919 Aaron's still a sinner. 00:16:56.240 --> 00:17:04.559 Aaron still needs to offer sacrifice for himself and for his household before he's ready to perform any further duties. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:11.200 And he shall then take two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting, continuing verse 9. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:19.599 And Aaron shall present the goat on which a lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering. 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:27.359 But on the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel, which is a little unclear in translation, but I would suggest it means something like the scapegoat. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:30.000 It's going to be the goat who is going to be sent away. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:40.079 On the goat that which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it that it may be sent away into the wilderness. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:44.960 On this day, verse 30, shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:48.240 You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins. 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:51.839 Verse 32, the priest shall make atonement. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:18:01.519 Okay, so first thing Aaron does is sacrifice for the sake of his own sin, the sin of his household, and then he's ready to perform the rest of his high priestly duties. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:13.440 He sacrifices one goat as a sacrifice as a as an offering as propitiation for the sins of the whole people, Israel. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:17.359 And then the other goat, it's very interesting to me. 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:27.599 He would place his hands and confess all of the sins of Israel, as if to transmit those to the goat, and then he would lead it away into the wilderness, never to be seen again. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:31.440 Two very vivid illustrations of how God deals with sin. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:38.240 God puts our sin to death, and God sends our sin away, never to be seen again. 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:42.319 That's what the people are meant to see in this ritual. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.519 Are we starting to see gospel in the Old Testament, by the way? 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:51.200 Because we have this idea that gospel belongs to the New Testament and law belongs to the Old Testament, but it's not true, is it? 00:18:51.359 --> 00:19:00.319 We're starting to see how God vividly portrays how he deals with our sin right here in the Old Testament, right in the middle of the book of Leviticus of all places. 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:09.200 So the priest sacrificed for his own sins, he sacrifices for the sins of the people, and symbolically he removes Israel's guilt via this scapegoat. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:12.640 But notice this, and this is key, it's temporary. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:18.640 It's got to be performed every single year as an ongoing witness, as ongoing dependence. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:21.119 This isn't the final full act. 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:25.279 This is an anticipation of greater things to come. 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:38.480 So maybe let's sum it up this way: a priest under the old covenant is a mediator through whom God has graciously chosen to make manifest his ministry of reconciliation, right? 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:42.240 Of restoring us to right relationship with himself. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:43.440 So a couple of things. 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:45.759 Let's just pull a couple of significances out of this. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:50.720 Significance number one, probably this, this seems obvious, but I think it's worth stating. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:53.200 We need reconciliation with God. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:54.240 Right? 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:56.720 That's what we need, more than anything else. 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:03.200 If we're going to relate ourselves rightly to God, we sinners need to be reconciled with our holy God. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:05.599 We don't need more moralism. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:08.000 We don't need to be nicer people. 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:12.559 I mean, maybe some of us should be nicer people, but that's not gonna do it for us. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:14.960 That's not gonna placate God. 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:17.759 That's not gonna restore us to full fellowship of Him. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:22.720 We don't need to be more spiritual people, just more enlightened people, more well-read people. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:26.400 What we need is we need our sins sent away. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:29.519 And there's no way we can do that for ourselves. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:31.599 We need God to do it for us. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:42.640 We need reconciliation with God, significance number one, significance number two, reconciliation is principally God's ministry to us, not ours towards God. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:43.759 Did you notice that? 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:46.160 Who's establishing these rituals? 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:47.279 It's God. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:50.960 Communicating his gospel, his good news to his people. 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:53.759 Reconciliation is God's ministry towards us. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:56.400 We are recipients of it. 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:05.359 And so what we should see in all of these Day of Atonement rituals is what the people of Israel would be meant to see. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:09.759 It's the gracious heart of God the Father on display. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:13.599 He loves his people too much to overlook their sin. 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:20.480 He loves his people too much to just pretend like it's not there, but he also loves his people too much not to deal with it. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:22.559 And deal with it he shall. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:35.680 All of this is putting God's gracious, generate, abundant, generous, abundant heart towards his people on display because God will be the one to deal with sin conclusively. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:38.640 That's what he's saying to God's people. 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:45.440 All of this is an anticipation of greater things to come, because over and over and over the Day of Atonement would have to be performed. 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:47.759 But there's an anticipation here. 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:51.279 There's something off just across the horizon here. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:58.960 We start to catch glimpses of it as the Old Testament story develops, but we catch an especially brilliant glimpse. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.359 Flash of light here in Psalm 110. 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:06.640 The Lord has sworn and will not recant. 00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:09.599 Speaking of the anticipated Messiah, right? 00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:16.319 God's chosen one, you are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:17.839 A priest forever. 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:20.000 Not a priest for your lifetime, right? 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:24.720 The priesthood was hereditary in the Old Testament because priests died and their sons took over. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:30.400 This priest lasts forever and has an eternal priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:33.680 Now Melchizedek deserves a sermon all his own. 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:52.319 You can read about Melchizedek in Genesis chapter 14 and how he and Abraham relate to one another, but it's understood that the Messiah is going to fulfill an eternal and everlasting and superior priesthood to the priesthood we see here in Exodus and Leviticus. 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:54.240 There's going to be a greater one to come. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:57.680 All of this is just like signposts pointing forward. 00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:03.359 And now the real deal, at some point, Psalm 110 says, the real deal is going to show up. 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:06.079 And guess who the real deal is? 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:13.599 The New Testament concludes Jesus Christ is the priest who is forever, after the order of Melchizedek. 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:34.799 The New Testament quotes this Psalm 110 amongst, it's one of the most oft-quoted Psalms in the New Testament, precisely because the earliest Christians understood that Jesus is the fulfillment of what the priesthood has always anticipated: the final and full and conclusive dealing with sin and reconciliation with God. 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:40.079 Let's look at Hebrews chapter 9, if we're going to answer how is Jesus Christ the great high priest. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:43.200 I'm just going to quote from a few of these verses here. 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:56.160 When Christ appeared as a great high priest of the good things that have come, Christ entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, right? 00:23:56.319 --> 00:24:04.559 Remember Leviticus, that's what we're dealing with, but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:16.480 And the conclusion is this: therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:27.599 Jesus Christ is a superior priest to all the priests who've come before because his priesthood is eternal, it doesn't come to an end, and his redemption is eternal. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:29.440 It's once for all. 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:34.000 But Jesus doesn't deal in sacrifice of blood and goats. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:37.599 He's got a far greater sacrifice to offer on our behalf. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:43.039 We see it in Matthew chapter 20 as Jesus addresses his disciples on the way to Jerusalem, right? 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:45.839 Where the temple sacrifices would have taken place. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:52.160 The Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. 00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:53.599 That's very interesting to me. 00:24:53.759 --> 00:25:01.440 Jesus is saying, Much like the lamb on the Day of Atonement, so I'm going to be delivered over to the chief priests, and they're going to put me to death. 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:02.160 And why? 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:09.759 Well, he answers that a few verses later, so that the Son of Man may give his life as a ransom for many. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:27.200 I'm going to be put to death by chief priests, so I can effect reconciliation, ultimate reconciliation between God's people and God, so that I can effect atonement, and sin can be no more. 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:38.400 Paul puts it this way in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:51.039 For our sake, God the Father made Christ to be sin, made him to be no sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:53.279 Do you see the great exchange there? 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:56.799 Do you see the exchange that's taking place? 00:25:57.119 --> 00:26:07.599 Christ, the sacrificial Lamb, who takes our sin on himself and bears it away on the cross, and yet doesn't just bear away our sin, but gives us his righteousness. 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:16.160 Everything that allows Christ to be in right and full and intimate relationship with the Father is exactly what he attributes to us. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:20.880 That's the exchange that is taking place by way of the cross. 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:24.400 Christ is the perfect priest, right? 00:26:24.640 --> 00:26:29.279 Because he's the perfect priest, he offers no sacrifice for himself like Aaron had to. 00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:32.079 Christ is fully obedient to God's will. 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:34.640 He has no reason to offer sacrifice to himself. 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:38.559 He's the only one who's ever fulfilled God's law fully. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:44.799 But nevertheless, he effects reconciliation through his own self-sacrifice. 00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:53.440 He gives himself to the Father as the sacrificial lamb and therefore bears our sins away in his body. 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:55.279 And this is not temporary. 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:59.440 This is not something that needs to be repeated year after year after year. 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:01.519 This is once for all. 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:04.319 It is an eternal redemption. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:06.880 It is finished. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:26.319 Jesus Christ is the great high priest who fulfills the purpose of the priesthood once for all, affecting reconciliation between sinful humanity and our holy God through his eternal and acceptable sacrifice himself. 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:30.960 So let me pull one bit of significance out of this for us. 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:37.759 There is now no need for any further atonement. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:39.359 Right? 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:43.839 To live in full fellowship, right relationship with God. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.480 It is not Christ plus anything else, it is Christ. 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:50.559 And to Christ we run. 00:27:50.880 --> 00:27:56.880 And when we embrace Christ, he takes our sin from us and he gives us his righteousness. 00:27:57.200 --> 00:28:05.200 And we therefore have every right to come before the Father clothed in the goodness and glory of Christ. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:10.160 Christ has secured our reconciliation with God once for all. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:15.279 There is nothing we can add to Christ's cross. 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:18.559 We can rest secure in it. 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:21.920 We don't have to sacrifice animals. 00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:30.799 I heard once about a church that did barbecue and style of Leviticus, which is a little bit too vivid for me. 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:38.000 And the idea is we're going to somehow, you know, lean into this kind of like sacrificial whatever, and I just kind of think, oh, we missed the point. 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:42.319 We've completely missed the point if we go down that route. 00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:44.640 We have no need to offer for the sacrifice. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:47.039 The sacrifice has been made for us. 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:52.720 And not hesitantly, by the way, not an angry father with a son who's just saying, but dad, let me look. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:58.720 Can I just a father who is longs to have his wayward children come home. 00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:11.599 And Christ, our brother, who is eager to stand in our place and offers with a full heart a sacrifice to his father, which is acceptable, and it is received with a full and gracious heart. 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:16.880 That's the heart we see put on display on the cross by Christ. 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:20.480 Everything else that took place is just signposts pointing to him. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:29.359 There's no other need for pulling at God's forgiveness or offering him our merit. 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:37.440 We just have to go to the cross and be reminded that God has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and he has done it conclusively. 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:53.359 So there's one particular politician, I won't mention his name, but there's a steady drumbeat I hear in interviews of his lately, and it's something like this I really want to go to heaven, and therefore, dot, dot, dot. 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:58.240 And he talks about whatever the latest goodwill project he's he's up to. 00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:01.680 And my heart just kind of sinks. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:06.240 Because I think that's that's often the question in my heart and our hearts, isn't it? 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:11.200 We want to be with God, we want to enjoy that fellowship with God, we want to be with God eternally. 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:12.559 And so what do we do? 00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:22.160 We often go about all these little projects, we think we can accomplish something, and God will look at us and think favorably about us and our little project that we accomplished for Him. 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:24.960 And we are anxious, aren't we? 00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:33.119 We are so anxious, and we are so burdened, and we have no assurance of whether or not these things are good enough. 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:36.960 What do I have to do if I want to go to heaven? 00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:38.640 What do I have to do? 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:42.400 What do I have to do if I want a relationship with God? 00:30:42.640 --> 00:30:47.599 Well, Jesus says, Come to me, all who are weary are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:50.240 He's secured that by way of his cross. 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:58.960 We have only to go to the cross, wrap ourselves in Jesus, and know that there is no more secure place that we can be. 00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:02.720 He has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves. 00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:15.359 All we have to bring him is a praise is a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, a response of gratitude for what he has accomplished for us, because Christ has done it. 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:22.480 Christ is our great high priest who has secured our eternal redemption. 00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:25.599 So, question number three, let's land here. 00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:28.000 What difference does all this make to me? 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:29.920 I want to offer at least two things. 00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:42.400 Number one, Christ's reconciliation, bringing us and God back together in right fellowship, means that we have full assurance in Christ's mediation, right? 00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:54.640 His resurrection and his ascension is a vindication of his sacrifice, that his sacrifice was found acceptable to God, and now he who has ascended into heaven lives to make intercession for us. 00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:57.359 That's what the author of Hebrews says in chapter 7. 00:31:57.519 --> 00:31:58.079 Think about that. 00:31:58.240 --> 00:31:59.839 What's Jesus doing right now? 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:04.160 He is interceding for you and for me and for his people. 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:10.319 He is lifting us up before the Father in prayer with fullness of heart. 00:32:10.559 --> 00:32:12.720 That's what Jesus is doing for us right now. 00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:18.160 The priestly mediation of the ascended Christ, one theologian writes, means he is interceding for us. 00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:22.799 He is creating and sustaining the church through the gospel of forgiveness in him. 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:33.839 He is granting us his Holy Spirit, who convicts and assures us of this forgiveness through the gospel in preaching, in baptism, and in the Lord's Supper. 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:37.440 And boy, it's the Lord's Supper, I'd just love to pause on for a moment if I can. 00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:39.039 I've got a picture to show. 00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:40.720 It's a little bit of a show-and-tell situation. 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:42.000 Let's see if we can get it up there. 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:42.799 Can you see that? 00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:45.839 That might be a little obscure, but you can check it out afterwards, maybe. 00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:51.039 This is an English Reformation uh sketch of the Lord's Supper. 00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:54.319 And it's meant to communicate theology at the time of the Reformation, right? 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:58.960 So maybe you can see the congregation gathered in the lower part of the picture there. 00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:05.279 And then maybe you can see the Anglican priest, you know, in his nice robes, uh, celebrating the Lord's Supper at the Lord's table. 00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:07.279 But the picture is meant to be suggestive. 00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:10.640 There's more going on than meets the eye when we come to the Lord's table. 00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:11.680 What's going on? 00:33:12.079 --> 00:33:13.200 What's at the very top there? 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:18.880 We're seeing Christ in the heavenly throne room making intercession for his people at God's altar. 00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:27.039 The whole idea is this: when we come to the Lord's Supper, we are coming to participate in the ongoing work of Christ. 00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:27.599 Right? 00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:32.319 We are coming to participate in Christ Himself, who lifts us up before the Father. 00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:39.440 When we say as a congregation, lift up your hearts, and we say, we lift them up to the Lord, this is the spiritual dynamic we are entering into. 00:33:39.680 --> 00:34:02.720 We are coming prepared to receive heavenly gifts, gifts that assure us of God's salvation in Christ, that our redemption is eternal, and that he has borne away our sins, and he has given us his righteousness, and there is no more secure a place than we can be than where Christ is, because his body has been broken for us and his blood has been shed for us. 00:34:03.839 --> 00:34:09.039 We are coming to appropriate Christ's righteousness as we receive this gift by faith. 00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:11.199 So thanks for that picture there. 00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:14.880 In other words, don't worry about how God thinks or feels about you. 00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:16.000 Do you ever worry about that? 00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:18.079 But what does God think about me really? 00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:27.440 When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see him there, who made an end to all my sin. 00:34:28.719 --> 00:34:29.679 The theologian T. 00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:29.840 F. 00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:51.840 Torrance writes, In Jesus, God Himself descended to the very bottom of human existence, where we are alienated and antagonistic, into the very hell of our godlessness and despair, laying fast hold of us and taking our cursed condition upon himself in order to embrace us forever in his reconciling love. 00:34:52.320 --> 00:34:57.920 There is no length to which Christ has not gone to secure your redemption. 00:34:58.480 --> 00:35:04.320 And therefore, in Christ we participate in his priesthood, as a priesthood of all believers. 00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:17.440 You are a chosen race, writes Peter, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you, church, may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:34.000 We serve as priests together in Christ, when we offer prayers to Christ, when we intercede for one another, when we offer one another assurance of Christ's forgiveness, because faith seems shaky sometimes. 00:35:34.239 --> 00:35:52.239 When we come together to worship and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, when we evangelize and share the gospel and make known the excellencies who've called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light, we are serving as Christ's priest in a world that desperately needs reconciliation with God. 00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:55.199 We need a mediator, friends. 00:35:55.440 --> 00:36:01.599 And that mediator is Christ, the great high priest who reconciles us with God. 00:36:02.719 --> 00:36:04.719 So come to the cross. 00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:13.760 Come and know that Christ has reconciled you with your Heavenly Father and has withheld nothing. 00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:19.199 And share in his priesthood with confidence. 00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:20.320 Amen. 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:26.960 We hope that you've been blessed by God's Word today. 00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:32.480 If you live in the Port Perry area, we hope that you'll come and worship with us in person on Sunday at 10 a.m. 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:36.239 If you'd like to learn more about Newsong Church, we'd love to connect with you. 00:36:36.400 --> 00:36:41.199 Please find our contact information at newsongportperry.ca and reach out to us. 00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:46.639 Newsong's ministry is entirely funded by the generous giving of those who worship and journey with us. 00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:54.960 If you feel called to support our ministry with a financial gift, please go to newsongportperry.ca slash giving to make your contribution. 00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:57.920 Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.