Earthly and Heavenly Functions of Christ

An Israelite could simply watch his priest take the offering, shed its blood, and carry blood within the veil. Since we cannot watch Christ, we need a careful biblical framework to conceive of His priestly activity.

You say, Christ is my priest. My salvation depends upon the activity of my priest. How shall I think of his activity? If I were an Israelite, I could conceive of the activity of my priest by watching him.

13:44 - 13:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not mistake indisposition to deep doctrine for simple faith — recognize it as carnality and press on to richer understanding of your Melchizedekan priest.

First passing a beautiful landscape at 60 mph to see outstanding features, then returning on foot to pause at particular delights — picturing an overview approach before detailed exposition.

Should we take these things one by one in detail? And I said, no, I find it more helpful when I'm coming to new territory to go by it rather quickly at once to get an overview, and then when I feel I see the thing in its wholeness, then to go back in greater detail. We've used the illustration of going by a beautiful piece of scenery at 60 miles an hour in which you catch just the outstanding features, then you go back by the same scenery on foot and can pause and look at the particular delights that would meet your eyes. Well, we're going by at 60 miles an hour this morning, and I want to sug...

18:19 - 19:06 Read in full sermon

Christ brought into heaven a reservoir of human sympathy drawn out in the crucible of His own temptations — picturing His present manward succoring ministry.

And the parallel to this is, of course, Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 14. Having then a great high priest who hath passed through the heavens, that's where he now is, Jesus the Son of God, Let us hold fast our confession, for we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one that hath been, it's behind him, hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near. You see the emphasis? He is now in the glory, but he came there by way of suffering, suffering the temptation similar to our state, and he has brought with ...

20:23 - 21:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Think of your worship and service as only acceptable to God through Christ — never through the sincerity or fervor of your own offering.

The High Priest takes all our acts of worship and, as it were, clothes them in His own mediation before presenting them acceptably to the Father.

Through Him let us offer the sacrifice of praise Acceptable to God through Him What does our High Priest do? Our High Priest takes all of our acts of worship All of our drawing near to God All of the expressions of service And He as it were clothes them in His own mediation And makes acceptable presentation not only of our persons, but all of our activities to the Father. This then is what I suggest is something of how we ought to conceive of the heavenly priestly activity of our blessed Lord,

29:42 - 30:27 Read in full sermon

The point: When the path of duty looks painful, remember you have a priest in heaven who has suffered being tempted and can succor you in the pain of obedience.

We are such a perplexing bunch — fervent in love one moment, cold as ice the next — like vacillating Peters who deny their Lord.

Well, until that salvation comes to the uttermost and we are glorified, what do we need in the meantime? We need someone who can minister to us in this mixed state where we are such a perplexing bunch of people who one moment are fervent in our love and the other is cold as ice. One moment determined with holy resolve to follow our Lord no matter what comes. In the next moment, like vacillating Peter's, we deny him.

36:02 - 36:32 Read in full sermon