Who is the Way to God? Christ Alone
January 29, 2017

Scripture: Hebrews 7:23-28

I. Christ alone is the priest to bring us to God.

A. The book of Hebrews has a simple theme: Jesus is better. Here in Hebrews 7 the author is saying that Jesus is a better priest than the Old Testament priests who worked in the temple. The author of Hebrews gives five reasons why Jesus’ priesthood is far superior to the Old Testament priesthood. First, Jesus is a sinless priest. Vs. 26 says that “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” What is the writer saying about Jesus? He’s sinless.

B. Second, Jesus is a better priest in that because he was sinless he didn’t have to offer God sacrifices for himself, but instead could offer himself as a sacrifice (vs. 27). There was one perfect priest who could offer himself. Who was that priest? Christ alone. The third way in which Jesus is a better priest is that he only needed to offer one sacrifice once for all. This is what we read at the end of vs. 27: Jesus, “did this once for all when he offered up himself.” Old Testament priests made daily sacrifices. After Jesus no more sacrifices needed to be made. 2 Timothy 1:9: “(God) saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” God gave us His grace in who? In Christ alone.

C. The fourth way that Jesus is a better priest is that He was appointed by God’s oath as a perfect son while the other priests were appointed by the Law in their weakness (vs. 28). Psalm 110:4: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’” The fifth way that Jesus is a better priest is that Jesus is an eternal priest (vs. 28). Jesus brings an end to the need for other priests. Who is the priest that we need to bring us to God? Christ alone.

II. Union with Christ alone unites us with God.

A. Look again at vs. 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.” Who is it who is able to save you? Christ alone. The grand story of the Bible is a romance. It is a story about marriage: the union of Christ and His church. The apostle Paul described his union with Jesus this way in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

B. Another picture of our union with Christ is the picture of baptism. We are united with Jesus in dying to sin and rising to new life. Romans 6:3-4: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

Application:
Christian, ask yourself, “How righteous is Jesus?” Non-Christian, trust Christ alone to save you.

Sources:
The letter to the Hebrews
Commentary on Hebrews by William Lane
Sermon by John Piper
“Why the Reformation Still Matters” by Michael Reeves and Tim Chester