Proper 24 - “One of a Kind”
Notes
Transcript
Hebrews 5:1–10 (NIV)
Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.
In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.”
And he says in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Sermon
If you’ve ever sat down to read the Bible from cover to cover, you probably became aware that not all of it has the “wow” factor. In fact, the truth is that there are parts of the Bible that can seem rather dry. Chuck Swindoll once compared reading through the Bible to driving the United States from California on the West to the East Coast. Along the way, there will be different terrains and experiences: some parts will feel like a scenic, easy drive, while others might seem like trudging through deserts or enduring tough weather. If you and I were to start in California and take route 66, you know, to get our kicks, as we left California, we’d drive through parts of the Mojave desert in Arizona and the Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico. Places where the road would seem long and lonely with wide open expanses. Reading through the Bible can be like that at times.
We start off with the creation story as Genesis opens. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. All of the wonder and majesty as God brings this world out of nothing. The stories continue to come. Sin in the garden. Cain and Abel. Noah with his ark and the flood. The generations of people rebuilding, Abraham and the promise God makes to him. Isaac and his life. Jacob and his life. And we go to Joseph and we close the book of Genesis with the people doing really well in Egypt. As we open Exodus, we find another twist in the journey. Now instead of being freely invited to be in Egypt, the people have become slaves and are unable to get away. And so God sends them Moses. And we have the plagues and the escape and the journey of God’s people through the wilderness until they come to the promised land.
These first two books have some pretty exciting stories, you have to admit. Lots of action and adventure. Could probably be made into a movie, or perhaps several movies. But then you come to Leviticus. And the book of Leviticus deals mostly with the law and the rituals that God tells His people to fulfill. Talk about dry. In 2002, one pastor used the book of Leviticus as the text for a sermon series in a relatively new church. When asked why, he responded that if he could make Leviticus relevant to people who lived in this culture, they would have an easier time believing the whole Bible was relevant. Even though it may be dry, it is a part of the Biblical record, and it has something to tell us today as we look at the text in Hebrews.
Because it was in the book of Leviticus that God installed Aaron and his sons as priests for the nation of Israel. It is Leviticus that tells us how important this relationship was that God wanted to have with His people and that He ordains the priesthood so there is a mediator between God and humanity. There was someone who would stand in the gap between sinful humanity and a Holy God.
But the writer to the Hebrews notes that even this was not a “perfect” system because the priest was subject to weaknesses as well. Although the priest was chosen by God as an heir to Aaron, they were not free from temptation. Like every other human being, born into the world, these men struggled with weaknesses. In fact, once a year, as the high priest entered the holy of holies to make atonement, they tied a rope around their wastes. Because if they entered this part of the temple where the presence of God was with sin in their hearts, they would die on the spot and the people would have to drag them out, because only the priest was permitted to enter. And again, this was only once a year.
And the writer of Hebrews says that even Christ did not Himself pick to be a priest but God called Him. Now there are some intricacies in the relationship of the divine that you and I probably won’t grasp this side of heaven. I mean, did God the Father really have to tell God the Son, or ask God the Son to be a priest on behalf of the people. In my mind the conversation goes a little more like this. Hey Son. Yeah, Dad. You know. Yeah. I know.
But the writer’s focus is on Christ’s willingness to humble Himself. By entering into our world and living as one among us, Christ was allowing Himself to feel the difficulties and struggles with which you and I deal. Christ was tempted. Now, I know, when I say that, we think of the experience in the wilderness where Christ met with the devil and faced the three temptations. But if you think that’s the only time Christ was tempted, you need to think again. Peter once told Jesus that He didn’t need to face the cross. That Peter would help Him and defend Him. To which Jesus responded, “Satan, get behind me.” Jesus, in that moment was being tempted but He rebuked the tempter and refused to give in.
Now, twice in this passage, the writer mentions a man by the name of Melchizedek. Now, counting these two, there are only two other mentions of this man. One in Genesis and one in the Psalms. And this is the only place outside of the account in Genesis where this name is mentioned in the entire Bible. And Genesis 14:18–20“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
But about Jesus, the writer says He will be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. If we break this down, it means that Jesus is “one of a kind.” The line of priests that began with Melchizedek, moves to Aaron, his sons and grandsons, and so on and so on, is completed by Jesus Christ. His birth, life, death on a cross, and resurrection makes Him one of a kind. Not only was He God’s priest, He was also the sacrifice for our sins. While other priests sacrificed animals to redeem people, every year, Christ sacrificed Himself, that we all might be saved once and for all. Jesus Christ really is, “one of a kind.” And here we are to worship.
