Christ the True and Better - Hebrews 5:9-14 - The True and Better High Priest - pt.3

Father, I just want to thank you for your faithfulness and goodness.

Thank you for these opportunities.

Lord, we're not a people that have been called to stand on political stances and we are

people that have been called to stand on your word and I pray that as we walk through it

we understand the importance of it and that we really understand the importance of it

for your people.

Help us to rightly divide it, to teach full counsel of your word, to really stand on the

side of righteousness, on the side of truth, not on the side of opinion or political stance

but really help us to be sanctified separate, different than the world in every way and

I pray that your word impacts us in a way that this kind of really starts to transform

our minds in understanding who you are and what your purpose and plan is.

Lord, we thank you for your faithfulness and goodness and we thank you for these opportunities

to present the truth before people for them to decide for themselves the reality of your

goodness and faithfulness but yet also that through the power of the Holy Spirit truth

is revealed and truth comes.

So Lord we thank you for that and we praise you in Jesus' name, amen.

So we're going to be dealing with some very tough issues today as a matter of fact dealing

with that particular issue itself.

So if you would go to verse 7.

I feel led to say this, so I'm going to say it.

A lot of times I think what preachers do is they get on their soap boxes about certain

things and they're not really on the soap box of truth biblically, they're on the soap

box of wanting to be accepted among their peers or among other quote unquote believers.

Though there are times when that is a good thing, I think in many cases it can be a detrimental

thing because the preacher should always be pushing and driving people to Jesus and that

Jesus is the one who should be bringing the reflection of holiness and righteousness as

we look at ourselves compared to him and that's what should be reorienting us.

So I'm saying that because I think this is going to be important as we go through verse

7 through the rest of the chapter.

So verse 7 of chapter 5 says this, in the days of his flesh Jesus offered up prayers

and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death

and he was heard because of his reverence.

Although he was a son he learned obedience through what he suffered and being made perfect

he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God

a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Without this we have much to say and it is hard to explain since you have become doll

of hearing for though by this time you ought to be teachers you need someone to teach you

again the basic principles of the oracles of God.

You need milk not solid food for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the world

of righteousness since he is a child but solid food is for the mature for those who have

heard for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish

good from evil.

Now very important because verse 9 really starts to deal with a particular conversation

a particular statement.

So first I want us to understand this Christ is the king of righteousness our high priest

our Melchizedek.

Now what's interesting about the word Melchizedek he is means king of righteousness but do you

know where he is from?

He is from he is the king of Salem or Salam right.

Salem is the king of peace.

He is the king of peace the king of righteousness.

Now the question would be many would say well that's Jesus but isn't isn't God Yahweh the

king of righteousness.

Isn't God Yahweh the king of peace.

Is he not as the triune God the king of all things.

I mean what would change only Jesus being the king of righteousness and the king of

peace when in reality God himself is king.

Jesus being the second person of the Trinity representing the triune Godhead.

Now I want you to think about that because I there in my opinion I think Melchizedek

may be a little different than what you're thinking.

I want you to think about that in the next couple of weeks as we get into chapter 7.

Now that was principle number one Christ is the king of righteousness our high priest

our Melchizedek Christ being our source of eternal salvation requires a high priest who

was and is and always will be the priest of the most high God.

And remember we talked about a couple weeks ago that Jesus is the exact imprint the exact

representation of the father that he and the father are the exactly the same and if he

and the father are exactly the same then so is the spirit of God.

There's a hint.

Now when we're looking at Hebrews chapter 5 verse 9 here's some very important words

Hebrews 5:9

here and being made perfect was Jesus made perfect.

The word perfect here is not that he was imperfect to become perfect.

This word perfect actually is the is this is the statement exalted to the state of heavenly

majesty.

So Jesus being exalted to the state of heavenly majesty.

Remember Jesus says in chapter 17 of John that he is going to the father and that he

specifically prays in the beginning of his prayer that God the father would glorify the

son and bring him back to the same glory he had before.

That's this idea right here exalted to the state of heavenly majesty.

Okay.

That's the word perfect.

He became the source the ideas ideas means the cause.

He became the cause of eternal salvation.

He causes eternal salvation.

I want you to hear that.

You know what causing is right.

Something that's not to something that becomes he causes it.

He is the cause of eternal salvation to who to all who obey him to everyone or only to

those who obey him.

And Jesus says if you love me you obey me.

He also said that you will know them by their fruit.

So we know some very important things here.

God's people obey him.

That's what we talked about last week.

Obedience is the key to knowing who is of who and who is not.

So when we're looking at this issue of the cause of eternal salvation it is the cause

of eternal salvation to all who obey him.

Chapter verse 10 being designated.

What's interesting about this word designated is it's to address salute or call by name

in public.

God the father has addressed Jesus.

Good Jesus has called Jesus by name in public as a high priest.

That's my high priest.

Now what's interesting about this high priest is he has always been a high priest.

Remember Jesus was crucified before the foundation of the world which means he was priest of

his people before the foundation of the world.

That the very things that he had to represent concerning the priesthood had to be applied

to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all of the saints before his crucifixion.

Isn't that interesting.

So the very act of the priest coming before the father on behalf of his people saying

I got them covered.

I'm their sacrifice.

We talked about that last week also.

So the father addressed Jesus and calls Jesus by name in public as high priest and this

particular high priest by God a high priest after Kata the word here is the word Kata

means according to.

So he is a high priest according to the order.

Now many people would think that the word order would mean oh he's got to be secret

society.

I'm not just a joke.

You guys got serious on that.

So when you think of an order of something you're like whoa.

Well actually it's not the word order.

The word actually is the character the fashion the quality the style or after the manner

of the priest considering of Melchizedek.

So Jesus is according to the character fashion quality style and manner of Melchizedek.

Isn't that interesting.

Doesn't that sound familiar that he would be the exact imprint of Melchizedek that he

is of the character fashion quality and style of Melchizedek.

That's the point here.

In other words the consistency of the scripture is applied here that Jesus is the high priest

and he is the exact character fashion and quality of Melchizedek.

That's what this word means.

It's an interesting word.

You can go a little bit deeper dive and that's where you'll find that information in the

lexicon.

Now turn to Genesis chapter 14.

Genesis 14 · chapter mention

Genesis chapter 14 just so that you understand a little bit about Melchizedek.

Genesis 14 · chapter mention

In Genesis 14 there is only three places in all of scripture that Melchizedek is mentioned.

One is right cheer.

Right cheer I know for you guys who are like from the city you know what cheer is right.

Here.

That's just a silly thing.

When you grow up in the hood you kind of know what cheer.

Well how y'all I'm from right cheer you know that's I you guys I lost you.

It's okay.

It's all right Ben's going squirrel.

I got it.

Who squirreled me.

That was my wife.

Chapter 14 verse 17 says this and after his return from the defeat of chair Delorma and

the kings who were with him the king of Sodom and went out to meet him in the valley.

And the question is who.

So what happens is Abram gets done having a war with the kings and during this time

of the kings the king of Sodom comes with Abram and he specifically asked for something.

Now how do we know that this is the king of Sodom because the scripture says so and God

hasn't destroyed the city of Sodom and Gomorrah yet.

That doesn't happen until chapter 18.

So we're in chapter 14.

Okay.

And then he says this he comes out to meet him in the valley of Shiva.

That is the king's valley and Melchizedek king of Salem or Salam.

Now the king Melchizedek the king of righteousness is the king of peace because that's what Salam

means.

Okay.

Brought out bread and wine.

He was priest of God most high.

Now it's interesting is many would say see that's Jesus because he brought bread and

wine out.

Couldn't the Holy Spirit bring out bread and wine if he was Melchizedek or couldn't the

father bring out bread and wine if he was Melchizedek.

I mean aren't they God Yahweh the triune.

So verse 19 says and he blessed him.

He blessed Abram and said blessed be Abram by God most high possessor of heaven and earth

and blessed be God most high who has delivered your enemies into your hand.

And what did Abram do.

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

It's an offering a tithe to end the king of Sodom and Sodom said Abram give me the persons

but take the goods for yourself.

And Abram's like no I don't think so.

No way because if I do that you're going to be like I'm taking credit and it's going to

be bad and I really don't like you.

So Abram was like you're not getting a penny you're not getting anything from me.

And that's how the story goes because four chapters later the city is in ruins.

What's interesting about Melchizedek is the name of Melchizedek where Melchizedek is from

what Melchizedek does and Abram's response to Melchizedek.

This is not a mere man.

And this is important because as we continue to read we're going to understand a little

bit more about Melchizedek.

I think you guys are starting to see where I believe who the person Melchizedek is.

Okay now let's keep going.

Principle number two.

What God has said in his word is meant to be understood starting with the simple to

the difficult.

God has said it not to make it difficult for you.

What God says he means.

It's not confusing.

He says exactly what he means and he means what he says.

He's not trying to do some mystery.

So if you have some dude on stage or some lady on stage going I have a mystery of God

and all that kind of stuff run for his run.

No mystery.

There's no secrets.

It is exactly what he says he is and he does exactly what he says he's going to do.

And so salvation is easy to understand.

We're sinners.

We're dead in our trespasses and sins.

The only way to go to heaven Jesus says I am the way I must die for the sinner shed

my blood to cover their sin be buried so that they will have victory over the grave because

I know about you.

We have an entire cemetery of bodies that have not been resurrected yet that one one

day will.

OK.

So that being said he resurrected from the grave.

So we now have victory over sin death in the grave.

That's why I shared with the kids.

Now let's clarify this a little bit.

If salvation is that easy to understand then why do so many people don't understand it

because most of you guys if you're believers go I totally get that.

Go tell it out there and they're going to look at you like you're crazy like what are

you talking about makes no sense.

Well so let me say it this way.

Salvation is easy to understand with the Holy Spirit but impossible without him.

Want you to grab that salvation is not your decision.

Salvation is a work of God.

And when the Holy Spirit comes upon the heart and changes the heart they come to the truth

illumination the doctor of illumination to the reality of salvation at which point they

confess the impossible.

Jesus is my master.

That's what this means.

And so First Corinthians chapter two verse 14 I've said this 20 million times.

I'll continue to say it.

It's a verse I use quite a bit but it's very clear.

The natural person does not accept the things of the spirit of God for they are folly to

him and he has not.

He is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

You hear that they do not accept the things of the spirit is the gospel of the spirit

of God.

Jesus says in John 3 when he's having a conversation with Nicodemus Nicodemus you must be born

of the water and of the spirit.

Well how can a man enter his mother's womb a second time.

He says that which is born of flesh is flesh.

You got to be a human being that which is born of the spirit of spirit.

You don't see the wind.

You see the effects of the wind.

You don't know where the wind came from.

So it is with the spirit.

There you go.

Context scripture interpreting itself.

Excellent thing.

I love it.

I don't need to work at it.

You just got to present it.

And so he clarifies a little bit more in Hebrews 5 11.

He says about this about what this word this this Perry Perry us the word concerning this

or concerning that.

What is that the whole statement previously said.

That's what us means.

So Perry us means concerning the entire statement I previously said let's go there.

What did he say though he was a son.

He learned obedience through what he suffered and being made perfect.

He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.

Isn't that interesting.

In other words because of what I just said to you you guys should know this.

And then he clarifies a little bit more.

We have much to say about eternal salvation and the work of Christ.

But it's hard to explain.

First of all if it's an easy doctrine it's something we should know.

Why would the writer say it's difficult for me to talk about with you.

I'm going to explain it to you.

This is what he says since you have become doll of hearing since you have since you have

come to the point that you're not listening and the reason why you're not listening is

because you aren't mature.

So here we go.

Clarify this.

Jesus actually shows this principle in Luke 24 verse 25 through 27.

Luke 24:25–27

If you remember there were two guys walking on a road to Emmaus and Jesus shows up and

they don't recognize him he's like yo have you heard what's going on like over these

last couple days.

And Jesus is like no go ahead and tell me.

He didn't say no but he was like what what happened.

And this is what Jesus says to them after the conversation.

He said to them oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have

spoken was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into

his glory and beginning with Moses and all the prophets he interpreted to them in all

the scriptures the things concerning himself.

In other words why aren't you believing.

I've already told you this stuff.

Not only have I told you it but the prophets and Moses told you this.

Why don't you believe.

Because they were foolish immature without life.

So here comes the next statement.

Principle number three you will not grow and mature in faith if you do not learn the fullness

of God's word especially the basic doctrines of faith.

You must grow you must go beyond the Gospels and dig deep into the Old and New Testament.

You need the full counsel of the word of God.

That's what this means.

That's exactly what this particular writer is talking about.

Now to prove this out a little bit let me give you a supporting scripture.

Until we until we all attain the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the son of

God to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that

we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by waves and carried about by every wind

of doctrine by cunning by human cunning by craftiness and deceitful schemes.

Ephesians 4 13 through 14.

What is the purpose of us teachers is to teach you the full counsel of God of God's word.

What is your responsibility.

Guys I'll clarify that right now.

Hebrews chapter 5 verse 12 to 13 for though by this time Dia ho Kronos.

Hebrews 5:12–13

That's what by this time in other words you guys should be beyond this already.

Ouch.

That hurts.

Why are we even talking about this.

This should be simple for you.

Actually he's writing to Jewish people.

The Jews know it's not a secret when he brings up Melchizedek he knows exactly they know

exactly who he's talking about.

And he's saying you by this time you should know this already.

You ought to be teachers.

You should be doing teaching not sitting as a student.

You need someone to teach you again the basic principles.

The archaic the beginning the origin the story the story high on you guys should be on should

be beyond the archaic story high on this year this word beginning or origin of the first

things the simple teachings like the alphabet doctrine of salvation the doctrine of righteousness

the doctrine of justification the doctrine of sanctification the doctrine of election

the doctrine.

All of those are simple basic truths.

We should be talking about the deep things of God.

How does God totally transform our lives.

What can we do to continue working for the kingdom.

Like that's what he's talking about here.

But we're so too stuck on the little things.

So we saying listen I got to go back and teach you the alphabet.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P.

You guys know.

Come on.

That's what he's saying here.

So by this time you ought to be teachers.

You need someone to teach you again the basic principles the origin the beginning of the

simple things like the alphabet.

Because that's literally what this word means.

Stoichayan.

What specific simple things like the alphabet the oracles of God.

Can't even obey the simple things.

That's one of the things that's so important about baptism.

It is simple.

It requires no knowledge.

It requires an attitude of obedience.

That's it.

I want to do this because he's asked me to.

And I love him and I'm going to do it because I love him.

That's why we do it.

No secret.

No mystery.

There's no salvation and baptism.

It's the work of God upon the life.

Now he says you need milk not solid food.

This is what this writer says.

I can't feed you the deep things of God that you'll choke.

I got to give you milk.

I got to you got to start suckling again.

For everyone this word everyone is the word pas and this word pas literally means any.

So it's not every single believer.

It means any believer who lives met to echo or mateco is another way to say it.

Mateco to partake of or to feed on.

So this particular truth this reality of feeding you milk is for anyone who feeds on milk.

If all you're going to do is go to church because you want to hear a happy message this

ain't the place for you.

You know as Stephen Furtick would say if you're coming for doctrine go get fat at another

church wear that wear that church come and get fat with the truth of God because mature

people preach the gospel because when all craziness breaks loose guess whose church

is going to be empty because there's no mature believers there.

Real men need to lead.

And so the reason why he says this to them for any who feed on milk is unskilled.

I pie Ross I pie Ross this word I pie Ross means inexperienced or without experience

with a specific thing.

It means you don't have any experience with a specific thing.

What thing the Bible.

You know it's 30 years of walking with Christ.

I'm a little bit more than that but I'm not even halfway as efficient as R.C.

Sproul was before he went home to be with the Lord or John MacArthur or some of these

guys they know the word far better than I do.

But people ask how Pastor Joe how can you know that because I work out I spend time

in it.

I think about it constantly.

Why do you think about it because I love it.

How can you not love this thing.

You're like well I don't like reading.

Listen you don't even got to read you got Bible apps that'll talk to you.

I mean pretty easy nowadays.

How could you not.

And that's exactly what he says here that they are they are they are inexperienced with

the word of righteousness is the word here in their inexperienced in the word of

righteousness.

He tells you what they're inexperienced.

The reason why they're unskilled the reason why they're on milk is because they just want

to be told how wonderful they are.

Vodi Bakum called that this sissified Jesus.

They want the Jesus that's tolerant but they don't want the Jesus that tells the truth.

They just can't live any way you choose to live.

And so what happens is this logos.

Dike Yasuna is the word here.

Dike Yasuna the doctrine concerning the way which man may attain the state of approval

of God.

When it talks about the word of righteousness he's talking about the doctrine concerning

the way of the Christian life.

Now this is true then we can understand why they're on milk.

Why because they are napias napias means they're childish untaught.

One thing you'll know you're going to get taught here and it's going to be hard and

it's meant to be hard.

It's not.

It's hard for me.

You think I don't struggle with some of these things when I'm in it.

If I don't struggle I have to wonder where my mind and heart is that I want to be radically

transformed for Jesus even now.

And I want to test everything.

Your job is not to take me at my word.

Your job is to prove it.

And if you're going to prove it write it down.

Show me show the show the elders show us.

Let's reason together through the scripture.

Everyone has that responsibility.

That is what he's talking about in the next verse in chapter in verse 14.

You need to be able to discern the difference between good and evil.

And so here's some scripture to clarify the prove this out acts chapter 20 verse 26 through

Acts 20:26–27

27.

Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all for I did

not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Listen to me I don't care how you feel about what I'm teaching.

If it is biblical and true and the scripture interprets the scripture that is not my problem.

My problem is to love you through it and let us reason together with it.

And if I'm wrong trust me I will write this ship.

But you need to understand if I don't teach the full counsel of the word of God your blood

is on my shoulders not going to happen.

I will not be looked at by my God and my Savior as as inefficient and a failure to preach

and teach the full counsel of his word.

I won't do it.

That's on me.

How do we know this because he says this in Second Timothy 316 for all scripture is breathed

out by God and profitable for teaching for reproof for correction and for training and

righteousness that that you that I the man of God may be complete and equipped for every

good work all scripture not just the ones that make us feel good the ones that are difficult.

That being said it's very important.

You guys know the five solace.

Well here's one I have not given to you yet.

Sola scriptura the scripture alone is only the scripture alone.

Scripture is the only thing given to God's people to renew the mind.

There is nothing on the planet that will change your thinking.

You're like well I don't need the word of God the spirit will do that.

The spirit uses the word of God.

The scripture says that God sends his word out and it will not return to him void.

The whole point of the word of God is to change you.

We'll prove that in a minute.

It's the only thing on the planet that will convert the heart change the mind of man which

the Holy Spirit uses to convert the heart.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing that of the word of Christ.

The very gift of faith comes through the gospel through the word of God.

Now how do we know this.

John 17 14.

If you got to get a chance come on out on Wednesdays.

We are here.

John 17.

And this is what he says I have given them your word.

There's more to it but I want you to hear that and I'll clarify this again because in

Psalm 1 verse 1 and 2 it says blesses the man who walks not in the council the wicked

Psalms 1:1

nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers but his delight is

in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night.

You want to be a man blessed a woman blessed meditate on his word.

You know what meditate means.

Chew the cud.

How many guys know what cows do.

They chew cud.

How many stomachs does a cow have.

Four.

You know as that's called every time he swallows and throws it back up.

Cud.

Why does he chew the cud.

To get every single bit of nourishment that that cow can get out of that.

That's why you guys got milk.

Chew the cud.

Now let's clarify this a little bit more.

Verse 14 but solid food stereos the firm immovable the hard the rigid the solid food the food

food here is trophy.

What's interesting it's not talking about food.

It's talking about the substance for instruction or the food of the mind.

So this immovable rigid food of the mind the substance of instruction is for the mature.

In other words you notice the opposite of the mature is the milk.

So you want to drink milk.

Keep enjoying your milk.

Eventually it will rot.

But food chew it up.

Right.

For the for it is for the mature for those who have their powers of discernment trained

by constant practice.

Notice where your powers of discernment come from.

It comes from the gymnasial the exercising vigorously the hexes word here practice.

So this word trained by constant is the word gymnasial vigorous training and the word practice

is the word hexes.

Now what's interesting about this word hexes this word means power acquired by practice

or use.

In other words you don't get like Arnold Schwarzenegger by taking a pill.

You actually have to lift weights.

So you've got to exercise your spiritual muscles.

Just pull it up start doing curls thinking about it.

All right.

So practice the power acquired by practice or use.

What is the power acquired by practice or use discernment.

You need to vigorously exercise biblical truth.

Now what's interesting about what you're going to discern is you're going to discern the

difference between the good the callous or the evil the Kakos.

So the callous is this the beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life praiseworthy morally

good and noble.

So in order for you to exercise what is good the callous so that you can know what is beautiful

you got to spend time in the word.

And then he says in order for you to know the Kakos the evil the contrary to divine

and human law that which is a crime.

Did you know when you sin you're committing a crime.

You may not commit crime against man but you're committing a crime against Jesus.

So how does it feel to be a criminal.

I'm a criminal.

We're all criminals.

We're committing a crime.

We are we are living in a way and failing to discern that which is contrary to divine

law.

That's a crime.

Wow.

Ouch.

That's the point.

So how do we live in such a way that we avoid committing the crime.

How do we live in such a way that we can have the powers of the sermon trained by vigorous

exercise so that we can acquire this discernment through practice and use so we can know the

good and the evil.

Psalm 119 verse 9 through 16.

Psalms 119:9–16

And this is for all of all of you young men and all of the old men and women and everyone

else.

This is for everybody.

But the scripture here specifically uses this term.

How can a young man keep his way pure by guarding it according to your word.

With my whole heart I seek you.

Let me not wander from your commandments.

For I've stored your word up in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Blessed are you O Lord.

Teach me your statutes.

With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth in the way of your testimonies your

commandments your truth I delight as much as in all riches.

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.

I will delight in your statutes.

I will not forget your word.

Memorize it.

How can a young man keep his way pure by living according to your word.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

That's an IV if you guys want to know.

I memorize this as a 22 year old.

Just to clarify this in a New Testament statement pretty simple Romans 12 to do not be conformed

to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so you can test and approve what

God's will is his good pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12 to why is this important because it's the word that transforms.

Why is this important because you should be eating meat by now not drinking milk.

Why is this important because you need to grow and until you grow in the fullness of

Christ then you will not know the work that you're supposed to do.

That's what this whole thing's about.

And it's important because that's the responsibility of the priest and he's saying this so that

you understand when I'm talking to you about Christ and his eternal salvation and his priesthood

this is basic truth for you.

So when you get into chapter six your mind's going to explode because there's some deep

things there and then you get into chapter seven you're going oh my goodness I didn't

see that and then you go deeper and deeper and you go into chapter 10 and you understand

you have to suffer and you got to consider it pure joy brothers when you go through suffering.

How many of you guys are willing to allow the plundering of your property for the sake

of other believers.

You're going to give up your house and go out there in the street while people get persecuted

and beaten.

That's what they did is that you actually went and participated.

Why because they knew of a better treasure.

That is meat.

It's a lot of truth coming.

So that's why the writer writes what he writes here.

Man feast on the word.

The word is full of goodness.

It is what?

Filling for the soul is sweet as honey.

It tastes good.

It is your spiritual manna.

So enjoy it.

More to come in next week as we get into chapter six.

So let's pray.

Father I want to thank you so much for your faithfulness and goodness.

Thank you Lord for your word.

Thank you for challenging us to be people who vigorously exercise your word in our lives.

Help us to test everything to know your truth.

You have promised that you would guide us in it.

To you be honor and glory and power and might forever in Jesus name.

Amen.