THE PECULIARITIES, POWER AND PROVISIONS OF OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST

SWS 20MAY2018

THE PECULIARITIES, POWER AND PROVISIONS OF OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST

HEBREWS 4.14-16, HEBREWS 5. 1-10, HEB. 8.1-4, 6

Our Lord and Saviiur Jesus Christ was ordained of God as a propitiation for our sins and to become a mediator between the Holy God and the sinful man. He therefore become our Great High Priest. After Christ took upon Himself the punishment of our sins by giving His life as a sacrifice, He went into heaven and continues to make intercession for us in the presence of God. This priesthood ministry has the following concepts as we could see in our text today. Jesus was both the priest and the sacrifice, ii, Jesus mediate before God to bring forgiveness of sins and other inheritance and provisions to the partakers of his priesthood (Heb. 9.15-22), (iii) Jesus is presently in heaven making grace available for those who believes (Heb 4.15-16), (iv) Jesus is now the inly solution for the sin of the world. No other sacrifice is acceptable for remission except the sinner run to the cross for pardon and forgiveness (1John 2. 1-2), (v) Jesus priesthood is permanent as He continue to intercede and sympathize for our temptation before the father (Heb. 2.18, 7.25). Indeed, Christ is not just a High priest like Aaron, He is our only great High priest who liveth forevermore to make abundance of grace available for us to overcome trials, troubles and temptations in every situation. Our knowledge of this should draw us closer to Him who is touched by the feeling of our infirmities and to prayerfully inherit the blessings of His priesthood.

The peculiarities and the purpose of christ’s priesthood Heb. 5.1-3, Heb 2:17; 8:3-4; 9:9; 10:11, Matthew 1.21, Eph. 1.7

The primary purpose of Christ our Saviour is to mediate between us and God. He came to purchase salvation for the sinful world and to make reconciliation for the sinner before the father so that eternal life could be restored to man. This purpose was fulfilled at the cross of Calvary through His compassionate sacrifice. His blood, shed for our sins brings pardon from sin and  purity from the guilt of sins. However, Christs priesthood is highly peculiar and completely higher than that of Aaron in many areas. Unlike Aaronic priesthood, Christ doesn’t have to make intercession for himself before he pleads for the people. He had no sin and therefore needed no forgiveness to pray for. His sacrifice is not for Himself but for you. In quality, he offered a more acceptable sacrifice in that He was sinless and He offered Himself (No body could do this than God’s holy son incarnate). Also, in quantity, he offered the sacrifice once and for all. No one is allowed to offer any other sacrifice again in the New testament as Christ sacrifice is full and wholly acceptable (1 John 2.1-2). And in Value, Christ’s priesthood and sacrifice is more valuable as He perpetually makes intercession for believer for ever before God (Heb 7.25, Heb 8.34). Therefore, sinner should heed the call and come to the plead of Christ today for pardon and purity so as to become partakers of His divine provisions.

PARTAKERS OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST AND HIS PURPOSE Heb. 7. 15-25, Ro 8:34; 1Ti 2:5; Heb 9:24; 1Jo 2:1

Partakers of the priesthood of Christ and His benefits are those who humbled themselves to Him and bow under His cross for the salvation of their souls. They heed the call of Christ and they took His yoke and follow Him. Those who partake in the priesthood of Christ enjoys His intercession and His grace perpetually. They are those who have the following Christ-like characters as taught by Christ in His earthly ministry. (i) They must have come to the throne of grace for pardon praying “have mercy on me oh Lord” (Psalm 51.1), (ii) They must have prayed for the purity of heart and be made sanctified and holy through the blood of Jesus (2 Tim. 2.21), (iii) Such a believer must have crucified the flesh and its affections (Gal. 5.21), (iv) Like Christ, they must be compassionate on sinners as He was compassionate on sinners (Matt. 9.36), (v) They must demonstrate passion for souls and love sinners and be willing to sacrifice themselves to win them to the Lord (1 Cor.9.16), (vi) They must be men and women of intercessions for souls of men before God bringing the trials of the people before the Lord perpetually (Ezekiel 22.30), (vii) They must be people who are consecrated, and perseveringly preaching in obedience to Christ while they wait for the Lord’s return (Luke 19.13).

THE POWER AND PROVISIONS OF CHRIST TO HIS PRIESTS  Rev. 1. 5-6, Matt. 28.18-19, Mark 16.18, Luke 10.19,  Ac 5:15-16, Gal. 3. 13-14

Christ priesthood is to recon ciliate men with God. This commission was passed across to His disciples (His new testaments appointed priests) at His departure.  He therefore transferred the power of attorney to us to demonstrate the same authority to bring sinners to the saving knowledge of the Lord, and to set the captive free from the dominion of Satan. Believers are therefore to come boldly to the throne of grace to receive power and provisions already made available so as to be effective priests before the Lord. Our power must be in all areas of life namely (i) power over their own flesh (Rom. 6.13-14), (ii) power over their lust and desires (Gal. 5.17-18), (iii) power over Satan and his agents (Luke 10.19), (iv) Power to receive divine healing and benefits from God (Gal. 3.13-14), (v), Power to intercede for sinners and preach the Word with boldness (Acts 4.31), (vi) Power to work mighty miracles like Christ (John 14.12-14), (vii) Power to rein with Him here and hereafter. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4.16)

GHS 242, 82, 216

KEEPING THE ENTIRE FAMILY SAFE IN THE ARK

TRETS 3/5/2018                 KEEPING THE ENTIRE FAMILY SAFE IN THE ARK

Gen 6. 9-18, 22; 7.

The Ark of Noah was a safety haven for his entire family of seven. Noah lived in a very corrupt and polluted world upon which the judgment of God became inevitable. But Noah met God’s conditions of righteousness and holiness. His life and character pleased the Lord, therefore he found grace with God.  While God planned to destroy the earth for their disobedience, he planned a means of safety for Noah and his family. Noah was to build the Ark, and warn the people of God’s impending judgment. By instruction, He kept his family safe in the ark while the entire corrupt world perished in the flood. God is still interested in our families. His plan for us is to be safely preserved from the pollutions of this world and its impending doom. Today, Jesus Christ is the Ark of safety that can safely secure us and our families. As leaders and parents, our principal duty is to bring our family members to the Lord and to keep them consistently safe under God’s protection to the end.

Crisis and fiery judgment of Sinners without Christ

Matt. 9.36, Luke 15.17, Job 21.17-20, Isa 33.14, Rev. 20.11-15, Luke 16.19-31

Sinners are all of the same destiny before the Lord except they repent. Those that are within the church building and those that are without. Whichever way they may fall, they stand completely separated from the living God and the fiery indignation of God’s judgment looms upon them. The uniform experience of all sinners is fear and fainting of God’s judgment anytime because their sins are not forgiven. Being separated from God makes them to be living in the wilderness of life without direction and without hope of tomorrow. They are separated from God’s protection, separated from God’s provisions and separated from God’s presence. The prodigal son realized that without his father, he was completely separated from the source of life and livelihood (Luke 15.17). So also is the sinner in this world including our unsaved family members, and if they are not won to the savior before death, they will cry in eternity. This was the fate of the rich man in the days of Lazarus. In hell, he remembered his unsaved family members but it was too late for him. Sinners are under the ruin of Satan and are being tormented day by day. Though some of them may have the good of this life, yet they are impoverished spiritually which spells their doom. Why must you know the truth of salvation and hide same for your loved ones who are on their way to hell fire? Therefore, we must do everything within our power to bring them to Christ at all cost.

Conditions of Family’s Safety in Christ Gen. 7. 1-7, Gen. 18.19, Acts 20. 18-21, Rom. 12. 9-10,

God’s saw that Noah was a righteous man and his family was obedient to him. The condition of safety for Noah’s family was their obedience in entering and staying in the ark. Their trust and faith in God through the command of their father made them obey and abided in the ark. This gave them the needed safety and security from the destructive flood of God’s judgment. God also testified the same of Abraham and this extended God’s blessings to the entire family as well.

The same conditions still apply today. Firstly, We must be born again. The head of the home must know the God Almighty as his Lord and Saviour. Then he must take the pain to minister this grace to the other members of the family by preaching to them repentance from sin and faith in the Lord jesus Christ. Secondly, he must endeavor to lead a life that complement the message of Salvation by being kind to them as the Lord has taught us. Thirdly, every family member must be taught of the importance of quiet time and family devotion where the word of God is being read, established and prayed over every day (Mark 1. 35).

Continuous Faithfulness for security through Christlikeness. John 15. 1-7, John 8.31, Matt. 24.13

After giving their lives to the Lord, the family members must know that continuous abiding faith in the Lord is the only way to be permanently secured to the end. We must encourage everyone to continue in Christ as the only way to our eternal home. Always remind them that failure to abide might lead to perdition like Lot’s wife (Luke 17.32). To avoid her experience, we must consecrate our lives to the Lord as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12. 1-2), teach them to live a life that is separated from the world and render effective service to God. Doing this will make them rapture ready and make our entire family to avoid the great tribulation. Benefits of keeping our families saved includes tremendous blessing from God and eternal reign with Him in Heaven