Passion Sunday , 5th Sunday in Lent

 Hebrews tells us about an eternal priest and a better covenant

Hebrews tells us about the way Christ went for our Salvation

I do not know how one can read the New Testament and especially the Book of Hebrews without coming away with a deep sense of gratitude and awe and what Christ did for us. Some wish to write another Gospel than this, but if one is at all interested in what the Bible is saying , Hebrews is definitely a place to begin and stay for it mines the deep riches of the sacrifice of Jesus , His life and Blood for our eternal salvation. With some people this is not a very popular idea. In fact there is a whole theology that rejects it ,and especially the Book of Leviticus which is the background for Hebrews. ( much of the modern rationalist liberal theology does just that for example and some of us have heard messages that reflect this kind of thinking) If we are to be Biblically faithful , we must take it very seriously and understand the message of Hebrews for us .

First we must ask ourselves are we willing to try and understand the depth of this book or are we going to reject it? As I have said, it is popular to just reject it outright and especially the idea of sacrifice and especially the sacrifice of life and blood as a substitutionary atonement for sinners. Actually this is the heart of our religion and many a denomination has had its teachers that teach the opposite and revel in that.

1. " Without shedding of blood there is no remission.." 9:22 This is a quote from Leviticus 17:11 We understand from the context of the book, " This the thing which the LORD hath commanded." 17:2 . Later on Moses records this, " For the life of the flesh is in the blood....it is the blood that maketh atonement for your souls.." 17: 11

Again, this is at the heart of the Bible. That is what the Testament is all about, the will cannot be read without the death of the Testator, that is Christ. Read Hebrews 9:15-18 " For where a testament is , there must be the death of the testator."

Our sin required this. We must have perfect righteousness to enter heaven, and as we are not perfect, Christ is our righteousness. Blood had to be shed, and this was not our blood, but Christ's.

2. Christ is our Great High Priest and entered the Holiest of Holies with His own Blood. 9: 11 We mentioned before that the High Priest of the Old Testament 9:7 went into the Holy of Holies but once a year. He entered with blood, " which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people...." Note the writer to the Hebrews clarifies this saying in vs 8 that the " Holy Ghost this signifying tht the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest..." We have a new covenant now , and " a more excellent ministry" 8: 6 and a " better covenant" which Christ is the mediator of.

3. Christ obtained eternal redemption for us. 9:12 The old covenant purified the flesh , but we have no need to repeat the Sacrifice for as our Holy Communion says it so well, "a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world." page 80 Book of Common Prayer. 9:28 " once offered." The Sacrifice of Christ does not need to be repeated, because it is perfect. He is perfect and in His nature both eternal and divine. This is why it is perfect too.

Conclusion- The Book of Hebrews is a hard read, but it is well worth our time because the deep things of the kingdom and its application through our eternal High Priest in our redemption and eternal life is explained. We are safe in the arms and righteousness of Jesus Christ , our Mediator our High Priest Christ is the House that Moses built. Hebrews 3:3 Hebrews 3:6 says we too are His House " if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."