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Well, if you would turn in the scriptures to Hebrews, chapter 7.
We’re looking at Hebrews, chapter 7, looking particularly at verses 20 through 28.
But I’ll begin reading in verse 18, Hebrews, chapter 7, verse 18.
For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness,
for the law made nothing perfect.
But on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
And it was not without an oath.
For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath.
But this one was made a priest with an oath.
By the one who said to him, the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind.
You are a priest forever.
This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
The former priests were many a number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office.
But he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever.
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him.
Since he always lives to make intercession for them.
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest,
holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
He has no need like those high priests to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins,
and then for those of the people.
Since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priest.
But the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a son who has been made perfect forever.
Amen. You may be seated.
Let’s pray.
Our Father in heaven, we would ask that you would be with us.
That the same spirit that inspired the writing of this text thousands of years ago,
and preserved it that we might read it today.
That you might be present as you have promised to be in our worship.
Based on the merits, the work of Christ.
That that spirit might open this word to our hearts.
That you might pierce us with this.
That we might be changed.
That we might receive the life from your spirit.
We ask this in Jesus name.
Amen.
Well, I’ve titled the message this morning, The New Covenant’s Underwriter.
What is an underwriter?
My wife thought maybe a ghostwriter.
But an underwriter is a name, another name for Garen Tor.
Someone who assumes responsibility for a loan, or perhaps an insurance policy.
Jesus is the underwriter of the New and Better Covenant.
Any and all cost incurred, injury inflicted, payment required, will be charged to Christ’s account.
God’s sworn oath has solidified and codified this agreement.
The previous priests were attempting to pay for something they couldn’t cover.
They’re issuing policies which they weren’t able to cover personally.
But Christ issues a policy that he personally guarantees.
The New Covenant is backed by the account and advocacy of Christ.
I’m convinced that we fail to fully appreciate what this means many times.
I think we also underestimate the importance of Christ’s intercession and our own need for it.
But the title of our message comes from verse 22 of our passage, Hebrews 7-22.
This makes Jesus the Garen Tor of a Better Covenant.
Jesus brought in the New Covenant.
Remember on the night that he was betrayed?
He lifted up the cup for the Passover meal and said, this is the New Covenant in my blood.
This verse says that Hebrews is the Garen Tor, and of course, as we said,
the Garen Tor is another word for underwriter.
An underwriter is someone who assumes that liability.
If someone underwrites an insurance policy, they are contractually bound
to pay all the costs that may be incurred.
If someone underwrites a loan, they’re giving up the cash up front that’s being borrowed.
The New Covenant that Jesus inaugurated wasn’t free.
It was established at great cost, even infinite cost.
But for forgiveness to be offered to the beneficiaries of the New Covenant,
the penalty for sin had to be underwritten.
Jesus’ installation as the Melchizedekite was the first of the New Covenant.
The penalty for sin had to be underwritten.
Jesus’ installation as the Melchizedekite high priest of God, his own choosing,
made him responsible for shouldering the immense cost of this unbelievable offering
of complete coverage for sins with no deductible.
There’s nothing for the recipients to pay before the benefits kick in.
As we explore our passage this morning, we’ll see three key aspects
of the New Covenant underwriter.
First, we’ll examine the underwriter’s legitimacy,
how his divine appointment and unchanging nature set him apart from any other.
Second, we’ll consider the underwriter’s ability,
his power to save completely and forever because he lives to intercede for us.
And finally, we’ll reflect on the underwriter’s advocacy,
how he stands in our defense, offering mercy and grace as our perfect representative before God.
So number one, the underwriter’s legitimacy.
As we consider our passage, we see that the writer of Hebrews is intent
on demonstrating Jesus’ legitimacy to be the underwriter or the guarantor of a better Covenant.
So the first thing we see is that Jesus is sworn in.
This gives him even greater legitimacy than the previous priests.
Verses 20 and 22 highlight this difference.
The previous priests were dedicated, installed, and ordained by God according to the law.
And Hebrews is not suggesting that they were illegitimate,
but they didn’t have God’s oath.
They weren’t sworn in personally to their office.
Why was that?
Well, if we look back to Hebrews chapter six, we see that the writer stressed
the importance of God’s oath to Abraham.
God’s oath doubled up on his promise in order to give extra assurance
that it was never going to change, verse 17 of chapter six.
The previous priests weren’t sworn in because they were not permanent.
Before the people even entered the promised land, Aaron died,
and passed the priesthood on to his sons.
The Levitical priesthood was initiated on a legal but temporary basis.
That’s why although they were made priests according to the law,
none of them was ever sworn into their office the way that Christ was.
Christ is sworn into his office as the final priest from the superior order of Melchizedek,
because he was taking up a permanent position.
Only an eternal being could be installed into an eternal priesthood.
To make sure we understood the permanency of Christ’s priesthood,
God confirmed his appointment with an oath.
The permanency of Christ’s priesthood gives him unparalleled legitimacy.
It’s forever unquestionable.
But the confirming of Christ’s appointment with an oath
links his priesthood uniquely with God’s oath to Abraham,
that was highlighted in chapter six of Hebrews.
Christ was sworn into his priesthood because his priesthood
is indispensable to the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham.
God’s promise to bless Abraham and subsequently all the nations through him
can only happen through the priesthood of Jesus.
That’s why God unchangeably swears that Christ is appointed to an everlasting priesthood.
But the second thing that we see relating to Christ’s legitimacy in verse 26,
for it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest,
holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens.
The language it is fitting is describing the rightness,
the properness, the deservedness of Christ’s appointment.
We’ve seen this language in Hebrews already back in chapter two, verse 10.
For it was indeed fitting that he for whom and by whom all things exist
in bringing many sons to glory should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
In Hebrews two, the writer was emphasizing the rightness and importance
that Christ suffered in his role as priest.
He had to be fully man.
Priests were called to represent the people they mediated for
as well as be able to sympathize with them.
So Christ had to do that for his people.
Christ’s legitimacy as underwriter of our salvation
required him to pay a great cost of suffering.
Salvation may be free for the many sons that he is bringing to glory,
but only because the great cost was shouldered by Christ.
C.S. Lewis reflecting on this says,
God became a man to turn creatures into sons,
not simply produce better men of the old kind, but a new kind of man.
It’s not like teaching a horse to jump better and better,
but like turning a horse into a winged creature.
It’s from your Christianity.
In Hebrews, chapter seven, however, the emphasis is on the moral quality
and inherent value of Christ as priest and sacrifice.
Christ had to be fully God, holy, innocent, unstained,
separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens.
And as priest, this gives Christ unparalleled right of access to God and his throne.
And as a sacrifice for sin, it gives him inestimable right of access to God and his throne.
And as a sacrifice for sin, it gives him inestimable value.
This is reinforced in verse 28 of our passage.
For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests,
but the word of the oath which came later than the law
appoints a son who’s been made perfect forever.
Mere men are contrasted with God’s son, the second person of the Trinity.
Which one has more legitimacy standing before God?
Let’s make a comparison.
As the son of God has been fully appointed to his permanent priesthood by God’s direct oath,
Jesus is confirmed to be phenomenally legitimate.
His divine nature as the second person of the Trinity not only positions him
to be the most legitimate guarantor of a better covenant,
but it also gives him unparalleled ability to fulfill his office.
So secondly, we see the underwriters ability.
Jesus everlasting life provided him with unparalleled ability to perform his priestly office.
We see this in the first part of verse 25.
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him.
The word uttermost is literally to the end of the age.
It’s very similar to the reassurance that Jesus gave his disciples in Matthew 28 20,
commonly called the Great Commission.
Where he said, and behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.
In Matthew 28, Jesus was assuring his disciples,
they were not alone in their mission to make disciples of all nations,
because he would be with them every step of the way, all the way to the very end.
And the idea in Hebrews chapter seven is that Jesus is able to save eternally, for all time,
once and for all, to the extreme, because he can carry his work all the way through to the end.
He never has to give it up.
Related to this is his singularity as priest.
Look at verses 23 and 24.
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented
by death from continuing in office.
But he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
The Israelites in the Old Testament had to rely on an imperfect, weak, and constantly changing priest.
The priests weren’t all the same.
Some were better than others.
You never knew who you might get.
If you’ve ever had to hire an attorney, represent you,
you might be able to relate.
Not all are equal.
We recently had to sell a house.
After almost a year of it being on the market, and going through three different realtors,
I can tell you not all realtors are the same.
Some are better than others.
In first Samuel chapter two, we read of some extremely corrupt priests.
Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phineas, were committing fornication with the women serving at the temple,
and they weren’t offering the sacrifices according to God’s command.
Think about how you would feel as an Israelite trying to bring up your offering,
and having to rely on a priest like Hophni to present your offering to God.
It was in this context that God sent a prophecy through Samuel.
He spoke of the impending deaths of Hophni and Phineas, the wicked priests,
and the establishment of a faithful priest in first Samuel chapter two verse 35.
God says, and I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,
who shall do according to what is in my heart and my mind,
and I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.
This promise lay ultimately unfulfilled until Jesus.
You want a priest who can do more than just go through the motions.
You want a priest who has an utterly blameless life, and who has unparalleled rapport with God.
There’s no one like Jesus, no one whom God is more inclined to listen to.
There are some traditions within Christianity, like Roman Catholicism,
which elevate historic saints and even Jesus’ mother Mary as people who have God’s ear, so to speak.
But they miss the fact that if you have Jesus to intercede on your behalf,
why would you even think of going anywhere else?
There’s no one else with Jesus credentials, connections, character,
compassion, or competence as priest. He’s the only one we need, and there’s no one like him.
Hebrews chapter 7 verse 26 doesn’t just describe the appropriateness of Jesus to hold his position
as priest, but it also is describing his ability. When it says, it was fitting that we should have
such a high priest, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Jesus’ holiness gives him the ability to offer the perfect sacrifice for sins.
Since it’s only on behalf of the people’s sins. The previous priests had to offer double the
number of sacrifices. We saw in Leviticus 9 that Aaron and his sons had to offer sacrifices
first for their own sins, and then for those of the people. Jesus is undivided.
He’s focused on us and us alone. And Jesus’ innocence makes him the perfect sacrifice to offer
as that perfect priest. The previous priests were offering inferior sacrifices.
They constantly had to be repeated. Their atoning work was always incomplete.
Jesus offers himself as the ultimate sacrifice for all of eternity.
His once for all sacrifice reverberates like shockwaves, obliterating a need for any further
sacrifices. His sacrifice was infinitely superior and is sufficient for all sins for all time.
His own worth as the most exalted son of God combined with his absolute purity
and separation from sin make his sacrifice utterly unequaled. Nothing even comes close
to the value of the sacrifice itself or his lack of deserving such a punishment.
No one has ever deserved the punishment for sin less than Christ himself. And yet no one
ever has or ever will experience more punishment for sin than he. The repeated priests and repeated
offerings point at best to their merely partial payment. But the fact that Christ is the last
priest and that he offered a once for all sacrifice means that he paid it in full.
No one ever has or ever will complete the payment.
The sufferings of hell are eternal, partly because the sufferers continue to sin,
but also because they can never fully repay their own debt. Their own sufferings
are insufficient to absolve their guilt and thus hell lasts an eternity. Always an incomplete
payment. But there’s only one priest and one sacrifice which has the ability to completely
propitiate God, satisfy his wrath, and in accord with absolute justice complete the payment for sin.
Jesus’ ability to save is unparalleled. He alone has the ability to save to the uttermost
those who draw near to God through him. But this isn’t just because of his
uniquely sufficient sacrifice for sins. It’s also because of his unending ability to advocate for us.
So we see thirdly the underwriters’ advocacy.
The underwriters’ ability is expressed as his ongoing advocacy in verse 25. Consequently he is
able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him since he always lives to make
intercession for them. Now that word make intercession is the same word used in Romans 834.
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that who was raised who is at the
right hand of God who is indeed interceding for us. The most important thing that Jesus does now
on our behalf is advocate for us. Now the Greek word in both Romans 834 and Hebrews 725 implies
more than just prayer. One commentator says, Jesus is not merely pleading for his people,
he’s representing them. He stands before the Almighty God and allows himself to be held
accountable for the people. This is one of the most amazing and precious things about Jesus.
No other religion offers comfort that comes anywhere close.
That the Almighty, who created all things and upholds the universe by the word of his power,
takes up your case before the judgment seat. His defense is rooted in his own perfect sacrifice
and he knows the judge better than anyone. What makes Jesus’ advocacy so comforting is its
effectiveness. We could contrast this with Moses’ advocacy in Exodus 32.
In Exodus 32 we see Moses intercede on behalf of Israel. You’re welcome to turn there if you
would like. When Moses appeals to the oath that God swore he obtains mercy and keeps Israel as a
nation from destruction. But verse 11 of Exodus 32 comes on the heels of Israel having just
worshiped the golden calf as Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments.
God threatens to destroy the nation and make a new nation out of Moses alone. But Moses turns
and pleads with God not to destroy Israel. In verse 11 of Exodus 32 where we pick up
just a few verses here, Exodus 32 11, but Moses implored the Lord his God and said,
O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people whom you have brought from the land of
Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say with evil intent did
he bring them out to kill them in the mountains consume them from the face of the earth?
Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants to whom you swore by your own self
and said to them, I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and all this land that I
have promised I will give to your offspring and they will inherit it forever. And the Lord
relented from the disaster they had spoken of bringing on his people. But if we keep reading
but if we keep reading in Exodus 32 we see something different. By appealing to God’s oath
to Abraham, Moses is able to save the Israel from obliteration as a nation.
But just a few verses later when Moses tries to offer himself in order to obtain forgiveness
for each individual Israelite who sinned he fails. If we look down at verse 30 of Exodus 32
the next day Moses said to the people you have sinned a great sin
and now I will go up to the Lord perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.
So Moses returned to the Lord and said alas this people have sinned a great sin they have made for
themselves gods of gold but now if you will forgive their sin but if not please blot me out of your
book that you have written. But the Lord said to Moses whoever has sinned against me I will blot
out of my book. Moses attempts to offer himself in the place of the people but God rejects his offer.
It’s hard to think of anyone in the Old Testament with a closer relationship to God than Moses
yet even Moses falls short when he attempts to secure forgiveness for sins.
Moses offers himself in the people’s place but he’s rejected because he is a sinner just like them.
The question is who would you rather have advocating for you?
The result Moses got sinners will still suffer for their own sin.
The result that Christ gets is that his plea for forgiveness is heard. He offers himself
in our place and his sacrifice is accepted. Christ never fails when he asks for forgiveness
it is always granted. That’s why we need a high priest who is holy innocent unstained
separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens.
When Christ told the paralytic your sins are forgiven it was considered done and this is
the confidence available to those who place their trust in Christ. We need this comfort
when we face difficulties in our lives. Recall Jesus’ words to Peter the night before he was
crucified in Luke 22 verses 31 and 32. Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to have you
that he might sift you like wheat but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail
and when you have turned again strengthen your brothers. In these two verses we have one of the
most bone-chilling statements followed by one of the most comforting things that could ever be said
Satan has demanded to have you the lord of all darkness the arch enemy of God and ourselves
that being entirely depend intent on destroying our souls has demanded to have you he wants to
sift you like wheat sorting through all your thoughts and intentions in order to expose you
as a sham but Jesus follows those terrifying words with unspeakable comfort but I have prayed
for you. Robert Murray McShane once said if I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room
I would not fear a million enemies. Have you ever been prayed for?
Prayer is a regular part of the Christian life. We pray and ask for prayer all the time.
We might not always admit it but not all prayers are the same. Every so often you meet a special
person who can really pray. They pray with unusual understanding, compassion, and power.
I’ve known some people like that in my life. In fact in the short time that I knew him at
Grace I would say that Pastor Dan Knox was a powerful prayer. His prayers and prayer
meeting always hit right on the target were filled with scripture and biblical truth.
Imagine hearing Jesus pray for you. You’ve just lost someone dear to you.
You received a scary diagnosis. You’ve just lost your job. You fall into temptation and let down
your friends and family. You’ve had a difficult day at work. You’re thinking of giving up on
Christianity. It’s just too hard. You’re thinking of just giving up on life itself
but right then Jesus taps you on the shoulder. Do you mind if I pray for you?
The previous priest had to go to bed every night right when those doubts are creeping in at night.
When the unexpected emergency turns your world upside down, they’re fast asleep. Not Jesus.
He’s never tired. He doesn’t take a day off. He’s ready to pray for you before you’re even ready
to ask him. Dear saints, this knowledge is meant to be of immense comfort to your souls.
God didn’t have to tell you that Jesus was praying for you but he wanted you to know.
Just like he told Peter, he’s telling you, I’m praying for you. Robert Murray McShane also said
about prayer, when old companions, old lusts and sins crowd upon you, when you feel that you are
ready to sink, what can save you, sinking sinner? This alone, I have a high priest in heaven
and he can support in the hour of affliction. This alone can give you peace. I have a high priest in
heaven. When you are dying, when friends can do you no good, when sins rise up like specters around
your bed, what can give you peace? This. I have a high priest in heaven. Remember, Jesus isn’t
advocating for you in heaven based on your merit. Jesus told Peter he was praying for him right
before Peter did the most despicable thing in his life. Later that night, Peter would swear up and
down that he never knew or had anything to do with his beloved friend and teacher whom he knew to be
the messiah of God. Jesus wasn’t asking God to take into account anything that Peter had done.
It was based on what Jesus was about to do for Peter’s sake. Jesus didn’t say to Peter,
if you are restored, he said when. When Jesus prays, there’s no question he gets what he asks for.
What a precious thing for Peter to hold on to when he had just disowned God himself and was
wondering if he could have done anything worse. Jesus prayed for me. Probably made him feel worse
at first. While Peter was boasting about his virtue and then cowardly denying that he ever knew Christ,
Jesus was enduring the most excruciating pain ever endured and advocating for Peter the whole time.
If you are in Christ, your salvation is secure because he will never stop praying for you.
This is your better hope through which you draw near to God.
Jesus, appointed as the Melchizedekian high priest of God, is unsurpassed in his legitimacy,
ability, and advocacy as the guarantor, the underwriter of God’s superior covenant.
He alone is able to shoulder the debt that we owe and endure the punishment that we deserve for
sin. So he alone is worthy of our admiration, worship, and trust as the underwriter of our
salvation. When Jesus guarantees our salvation, it is certain. He alone can say to the uttermost
because he always lives to make intercession for us and advocate on our behalf.
All that we deserve he received and all that he deserves we receive. Praise God. Amen. Let’s pray.
Our Father in heaven, we come to you and thank you and praise you for telling us that Christ
prays for us, that we have a high priest who is advocating for us, not with arguments based on our
merit, but arguments based on his, his perfect sacrifice, his perfect priesthood, his perfect
offering, his perfect understanding of us and our need. And so, Father, we thank you for telling us
this and we thank you for comforting us with this knowledge, with this truth. Lord, we ask that you
would impress upon our hearts that we might live in the light of this comforting truth.
We ask this in Jesus’ own name. Amen.
Well, let’s respond by turning to hymn 274. Jesus, my great high priest, and let’s stand as we sing
hymn 274.