Hebrews 8:1-5 # 25 
 Jesus, Mediator of a better covenant

I. The New Tabernacle

II. The New Covenant

In chapters 5-7 , the Holy Spirit has established the authority of the high priesthood of Christ. Jesus is superior to all previous Priests because he is the perfect High Priest, God in the flesh. He is superior to Aaron’s High priestly line in that he is after the order of Melchisedec, who was superior to Aaron.

But having established the superiority of the high priesthood of Christ, our writer now begins to relate that priesthood to the themes of covenant, sanctuary and sacrifice with which the Aaronic priesthood was bound up. And even as the Levitical, or Aaronic priesthood had to give place to the superior priesthood of Christ, so too must the old covenant give place to the new covenant. And this New Covenant was predicted by Jeremiah so people couldn’t say it is sudden or not of God. ( Jer 3131-:34 This is a covenant not based on the law but based on Grace.

So, the old tabernacle, the earthly one, gives place to the new or true tabernacle, Heaven. But more importantly, the old sacrifices, which were temporary, give place to the new sacrifice which is eternal and effective. It is as if the old system were just a color negative of what was to come.

But the New is the completed print, the actual or the real, God’s perfect, the real or the true. God’s perfect, true tabernacle.

Again we would note some repeated concepts in verses 1-2.

Christ is seated, the sacrifice Is done.

He is at the right hand, in effect the Authority of God, and NO MORE SACRIFICE IS NEEDED. And the completed sacrifice is in the TRUE tabernacle, heaven itself, not a tent.

Contrasted with all earthly tabernacles this one is called “Real.” or “True” Tabernacle. The Superior priest has to discharge his duties in the superior tabernacle. This is the pattern for the earthly temple, but it is real, not an attempt to copy something better than itself it is Tops.

The fact that Jesus reigns in the Authentic sanctuary says much about the nature of his ministry. The premise in verse 3 is : “If there is a high priest he must offer sacrifices and so he needs a place designed for that purpose, a temple or tabernacle. In verse 19 of chapter 9 we will look at the nature of Jesus’ offering, a spotless, blood sacrifice, but we still need to examine some contrasts between the old and the new order of worship. It is not suggested here that Jesus is eternally offering , 7:27 excludes this ,saying it was a one time deal.”

Verse 4 says that Jesus ministry could only be offered in the real sanctuary is shown in that there would be no space for him to offer because the priests offered according to the law, continually. This high priest has concluded it and Jesus must exercise beyond the law. Also there is no room for Jesus in the earthly temple because he isn’t of the right tribe, he was a layman, not a priest. But this only ads to the dignity of Jesus Christ’s priesthood because a priesthood exercised in an earthly sanctuary is far inferior to his priesthood which depends for it’s exercise on a perfect sacrifice, once for all.

Now verse 5 goes on: For the earthly sanctuary, from the outset, was only intended to be a mere copy, or shadow of heaven’s reality.

In Exodus 25:40, Moses saw the real, the pattern and from that, according to God’s instructions, he fashions the temporary. It may have been the heavenly dwelling place of God that Moses saw as the tabernacle intended to serve as God’s dwelling place on earth. As the hi priest of Aaron’s line ministered in the earthly, so the greatest high priests ministered in the heavenly, of which the earthly one was just a replica. The earthly tabernacle, priesthood and sacrifices simply were a foreshadow of what God had in store in Jesus Christ for us.

Did you catch that? FOR US/ For us he doesn’t use replica, but real. For us, for our faith it is the real, not a cheap imitation. Think about that because ONLY GOD is capable of producing the real.

Now get this! If we say we are children of God, and if God produces real, then guess what he expects of us? BE REAL! Not counterfeiters.

They tell me that the best way to be familiar with the real is to KNOW the real. If you want to know what counterfeit is, know the real and you will spot the counterfeit. It used to be that way with money in lower tech days, now they need a special pen I guess.

The US treasury department used to have, probably still do, a special counterfeit task force and they needed to be able to recognize counterfeit and they way they did that was to know the real. Study REAL money.

We don’t have a special pen to spot fakes do we? As servants of a real God, you need to know what real looks like so as to be real. That means you better be studying him to know what real is. Sadly many people create a God in their own image, one who dances to their tune and it can be a costly error. We have a real high priest that ministers in a real tabernacle for us. He gladly interceded for us with the Father. He is our advocate, according to first John 2:1, and even though we are admonished to not sin, will intercede for us should we sin.

REAL also equals authentic. God’s abode is authentic, Jesu temple is authentic. Are you?

I see Authentic leather book covers, o “genuine” cowhide, or a “real” diamond. All terms which are tacked onto something to certify that they are not false or imitation. We also hear the term “real Christian.”

As opposed to what? A fake? An Imitation? What are you. Do you get God’s good housekeeping seal?

First John 3 warns us that in this world there are pretenders, counterfeit Christians. Verse 10 calls ‘em “devil Kids.” And how do you tell the real from the fakes?

3:10 says: 1. A true child of God (1-10) practices righteousness and loves others in spite of differences . If you are born of God, says John, you will practice doing right, and will love the brothers.

Practice doing right means you won’t be the same as you were, the old lifestyle of dishonesty or meanness will go away and a new one will begin to be formed.

You will, get anew worldview, an other oriented outlook on life. John says “if you love the world you don’t love God.” That doesn’t mean you don’t like or love people, it is speaking of a world view. It means avoiding behaviors that are harmful to yourself or to others.

Over in Ephesians Eph 4:1 -4 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling,

Someone said “you can’t tell the world Jesus can deliver them from sin if you are a slave to it. Ask any non-believer how a Christian is SUPPOSED to look and act and they will tell you. They will also point out that there are hypocrites here so they stay away. You know what I say right? Room for one more. Jesus said “here’s how people will know you are my disciples, by the way you love each other, do the right thing for each other.” Sometimes love corrects. Sometimes it cuddles. Relationships help us to know the difference. Some people want a line to God but a life to themselves, we said.

You need to know that God says if we claim to be his then we will live his way. Not religion, but relationship.

Real as opposed to fake. You know I can be fake? I can stand up here and preach stuff I don’t live? I need you to know that I am human, and I fail, but because I love God, I am getting better. Because Jesus came in those years ago he is growing me up. I read in Romans 6 that the one I yield myself to is the one I belong to. The same goes for you. God is from Missouri, if you say “I love God, am his child, then he might say “show me.” Don’t claim a life you don’t live. You can live any way you want to, but don’t try to claim it is God. Don’t rewrite God according to your own specs because that’s fake. Either live the way you live and say “MY CHOICE STAY AWAY GOD.” or decide to follow him and live how he wants. Just don’t be fake.

One of the real proofs to me that this whole faith is real is that after 2000 years they still get uncomfortable, are still threatened by Jesus. They say we are hypocrites? They are too. If they really don’t believe there is a God, then why get all upset about him. Ever think about that? I expect them to be real too. So there

But, they are not my problem, you are, I am. I want you to be real. I want you to be surrendered to God and live like it.

Peter, Jesus friend and mine, said “2Pe 1:2-12 -May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!

I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence. Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love.For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately. But concerning the one who lacks such things — he is blind. That is to say, he is nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin. For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you. Therefore, I intend to remind you constantly of these things even though you know them and are well established in the truth that you now have.

Jesus said “Follow Me.” Peter understood that. Faith, that isn’t productive, is not saving faith.

Are you real? Are you a genuine follower of Jesus?Can they tell by your love for others?By what you have added to your faith?

You think about that. Amen.