The following is a sermon transcript from our Sunday Service at The Rock Church in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Each week, we gather to worship, learn from God’s Word, and grow together. This transcript is provided as a free resource to encourage and equip you in your walk with Christ. While you’re welcome to read and share this content for personal use, we kindly ask that it not be redistributed or published elsewhere without prior written consent from The Rock Church.
Introduction
We have money in savings, so we’ll be okay. We have each other, so we’ll get through this. We have a plan, so we know what to do next. And no doubt it’s good to have savings, people that we can lean on, and a plan for tomorrow. But what happens when we solely rely on money, relationships, and plans to keep us secure? Well, savings can run out. People can’t always be there for us. And even the best plan can’t control what happens next.
So let me ask you, when fear or doubt creeps in, how do you finish this sentence? I’ll be okay because I still have questions. We take comfort in these things, things that we can see and count and control. But those things can’t give us lasting security. And our deepest need goes beyond being prepared for whatever happens tomorrow.
We need to know that our sins are forgiven. That God has accepted us. That He will never let us go. But even when it comes to our standing before God, we often start looking at ourselves. We might look to how much we do for the church, the teachings we’ve received, or the traditions that we’ve followed. We may know a great deal about God, but still struggle to rest in Christ. Serving, learning, and belonging to a church — these are all good things. But none of them can grant us acceptance before God. Our confidence rests in the person and work of Christ, as revealed in Scripture.
The author of Hebrews reminds his audience that their security does not rest in any earthly priesthood. They could point to priests, to sacrifices, to the sanctuary. These were visible, these were familiar, but right now, Jesus is serving his people in the very presence of God. His ministry accomplishes what those earthly priests could never do. We can’t see him there, but God’s word tells us that he is there, that he’s serving us. So we need the Lord to help us trust what He says. That’s why our mission as a church is to glorify God by holding out Christ to weary sinners. We need Him held out to us, shown to us, displayed to us again and again, especially when fear rises and the things that we have so depended on begin to give way.
So let’s look again to the high priest that we already have as we consider the central truth. We have Christ, who brings us into God’s presence and keeps us secure. The author unfolds that reality through these four declarations. We have Christ, number one, who reigns and serves for us. Number two, we have Christ who offered himself for us. Third, we have Christ who represents us in God’s presence. Lastly, we have Christ who secures God’s better promises for us.
Point One: We Have Christ Who Reigns and Serves for Us (Verses 1–2)
Read with me verses 1 to 2 again as we consider we have Christ who reigns and serves for us. Hebrews chapter 8, 1 to 2.
Now the point in what we’re saying is this. We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.
The author now is bringing together what he’s been explaining. There’s a reason he’s taken us through the Levitical priesthood, the family line, Melchizedek. And here’s where the argument has been leading us. We have this high priest seated at God’s right hand and serving for us in heaven.
Notice those two words. We have. We have a confidence and a certainty. We who trust in Christ have this high priest now. We have him. He’s ours and we are his. We’ve been brought near to God. Cleansed of our sins, rescued from the power of darkness. We belong to Christ.
What kind of high priest do we have? The one who shed His blood on the cross. The one who rose from the grave and ascended into heaven. The author tells us that He is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven. He is seated there. That tells us something about His finished work. As we’ll see more fully in Hebrews, the earthly priests continued offering sacrifices because those sacrifices could never take away sin. But Jesus offered Himself once for all. His sacrificial work is complete and He is seated on a throne.
He occupies the place of honor and authority at God’s right hand. The priest who offered himself for us now reigns over us. He has all authority to carry out all of God’s purposes, and nothing happening in the life of a believer falls outside of his rule and his care. That means He’s working all things together for our good, according to Romans 8:28. And what is that good? Making us more like Christ. His reign does not mean that every circumstance will be comfortable or that we’ll understand everything that He allows. But even in circumstances we would never have chosen, He is at work. We may not understand all the details, what’s happening, but we still can trust the King who rules over us.
The King Remains on His Throne
Isaiah 6:1 says this: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on the throne, high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
An earthly king had died. But the Lord was still on the throne. Think about that picture. His robe fills the temple. His majesty overwhelms the room. And he is seated. The king’s death had not unsettled his rule.
Our lives change. People that we depend on are taken from us. Plans fall apart. But the Lord remains on his throne. And Hebrews tells us that our high priest is seated at God’s right hand. The one who gave himself for us now reigns over us.
But perhaps you’re thinking, Pastor, if He rules over everything, does He really have time to deal with me? Look at verse 2. The one who’s seated on the throne is also a minister in the holy places. His greatness does not diminish His care for us. The King who reigns over us is the priest who serves for us.
Here the minister refers to his service as our priest. Jesus serves God on behalf of his people. As we’ve said before, the earthly priests had to deal with their own sins as well as the sins of the people. And on the annual Day of Atonement, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place. The people could not simply walk in there. But Christ has entered heaven itself.
Hebrews 9:24 says, For Christ has entered, not into holy places made by hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. On our behalf. That is where He is. And that is why His presence there matters to us.
Verse 2 calls this the true tent set up by the Lord. We’ll return to the contrast with the earthly sanctuary in verse 5. But for now, notice that our high priest serves in the very presence of God. His sacrifice is completed, but His ministry continues. He lives to make intercession for His people. In other words, He is pleading on our behalf before the Father.
So when you’re ashamed to pray, remember who’s there for you. When you’ve sinned again, that same sin, and think, how could I come to Christ now? Bring that very sin you’re ashamed of, that very weakness that you cannot overcome, bring it to God in prayer. Confess your sin. Ask Him to strengthen you in your weakness. And when you feel weak and you wonder, man, I don’t know if I can keep on going, remember that Christ has not ceased caring for you.
Shame can leave you standing outside a door that Christ has already opened, wondering whether you’re allowed to enter. This is why Hebrews 4:16 calls us to draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need. For those who come through Christ, this is the throne that we approach with confidence. Our high priest opened the way.
We have Christ who reigns over us, serves for us. That is the Christ who brings us into God’s presence and keeps us secure. Our security rests in Him. Completely in His sacrifice, His perfected rule, His prayers for us. We are His people. Purchased, adopted, forgiven, and forever His. So rest in Christ today. Rest in His reign. Rest in His priestly care. The one who has all authority is the one who appears before God on your behalf.
Point Two: We Have Christ Who Offered Himself for Us (Verses 3–4)
Now let’s look more closely at the offering our high priest has made for us. Read with me verses 3-4.
So we consider that we have Christ who offered Himself for us. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices, thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, Jesus that is, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.
Every high priest was appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. The priests served on behalf of God’s people. They brought before God the offerings that he required. Those were grain offerings, animal sacrifices. It was God who determined what they were to offer and how they were to offer them. So if Christ is our high priest, he too must have something to offer.
What did he offer? We’ve already seen the answer in Hebrews 7, verse 27. He offered himself. Ephesians 5 says, Christ loved us, gave himself for us, a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. The one who serves as our high priest gave his own life as our sacrifice.
But verse 4 raises a question here. The author says that if Christ were on earth, he would not be a priest at all. How can that be? Well, under the law of Moses, the priesthood belonged to Aaron’s family. And as we learn in chapter 7, Jesus came from which tribe? Judah. Under that law, Jesus could not serve as a priest. But God appointed Christ to a greater priesthood. God himself appointed him with an oath. He is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus offered himself as our high priest when he died on the cross. And now he serves for us in the heavenly sanctuary. Think about what he offered. The priests, they brought blood of animals. Jesus shed his own blood. Hebrews 9:22 reminds us that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Those sacrifices of old, they pointed to the sacrifice Christ would make. When he was willing to give his life for sinners, he accomplished what those sacrifices pointed toward.
The Precious Blood of Christ
Think for a moment how precious his blood is. The precious blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19. Peter tells us that we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb, without blemish or spot.
The one who shed his blood for us, the eternal Son of God who became man. He never sinned. He perfectly obeyed the Father, and he willingly gave his life for sinners like us. His sacrifice is sufficient to save all, and it surely saves his own. No one who comes to Christ is beyond the cleansing power of His blood. We sing about this in the hymn, “Nothing but the Blood.” Oh, precious is the flow. It’s precious because the blood of Christ is what cleanses guilty sinners and makes them white as snow.
Think about the sin that you wish that you could erase. The words that you wish you could just take back, or the thing that you hope no one will discover. Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient to cleanse you of that sin.
Man, that speaks to us when our conscience keeps telling us there must be something more that we have to pay. And maybe you’ve confessed your sin, but you still think you need to punish yourself. You need to feel worse. You need to try harder. You need to have a few better days before you come to God.
Dear Christian, what could you add to the perfect sacrifice of the Son of God? Your sin is serious. It required Jesus’ death. But He has offered Himself and His sacrifice is sufficient. Your forgiveness rests on what He has done. Not on you. So confess your sin. Turn from it. Even do what you can to put right the harm that you may have caused. And rest your hope of forgiveness entirely in Christ.
As you seek to make things right, remember that Christ has already paid for your forgiveness. The peace of your conscience rests on the completed sacrifice. But you may have finished praying and you still feel the weight of what you’ve done. Forgiveness does not depend on how relieved you feel when you say, Amen. Keep bringing your troubled conscience back to Christ, to what He’s done. His sacrifice remains sufficient even when your feelings tell you otherwise.
We have Christ who offered Himself for us.
Point Three: We Have Christ Who Represents Us in God’s Presence (Verse 5)
So where does this high priest now serve for us? Well, the earthly sanctuary pointed to something greater. And now the author directs our attention to heaven itself. Oh, glorious. Read with me verse 5 as we consider we have Christ who represents us in God’s presence.
Verse 5 we read: They, the priests that is, the earthly priests, they serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, he was warned by God, saying, see that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.
The priest served in an earthly sanctuary, that pictured a heavenly reality. That’s what the author means by a copy and a shadow.
Think about having a photograph of someone you love. It’s precious. Why? Because it truly represents them. But when that person walks into the room, you’re gonna put the photo down and go to embrace them. Being with them is far better than looking at their picture.
God gave Israel the earthly sanctuary to represent heavenly things. And let’s be clear, God really did dwell among his people in the earthly sanctuary, in the tent, in the tabernacle, in the temple. But it also pointed beyond itself, to the heavenly reality where Christ now serves for us.
This is why Moses had to follow the pattern that God gave him. God gave him very specific instructions. And Moses wasn’t thinking, you know what, I got some great ideas about this tent. I’ve been thinking colors and design and wonderful things. This is going to be the greatest tent ever. No. God said it’s designed because God determined what it was meant to show.
Exodus 25, verses 8 to 9, explains his purpose. Read with me. Take note. You don’t have to turn there. And let them make me a sanctuary. Why? That I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and all its furniture, so you shall make it. And then verse 40 of Exodus 25 gives the instruction quoted in Hebrews here today. And see that you make them after the pattern for them which has been shown you on the mountain.
God was showing his people how he would dwell among them and how they could approach him. Israel’s tabernacle was God’s provision. This was not a human attempt to manufacture his presence.
From Eden to the Tabernacle
And the theme of God dwelling with His people, this goes all the way back to the garden, to Eden. Adam and Eve, they enjoyed fellowship with God in the garden. But sin entered the world through Adam, and God drove them out. Their fellowship with God was broken. They couldn’t just simply walk back into the garden. Later, in the tabernacle and then the temple, God would graciously dwell with His people. Yet the curtains, the priests, the sacrifices, all were to teach the people that sinful people needed someone to represent them before a holy God.
Our need for access to God, it reaches all the way back to the fall. And Christ answers that need. The earthly sanctuary pointed to the heavenly reality. Our high priest now ministers in God’s presence for us. That means our confidence rests in the one who represents us.
Yet we can still look to our surroundings to somehow assure that, oh yes, God must be near. We might think, if the music builds just the right way, if the lighting is just — oh, just hush the lighting, oh, just ever so — and if I feel something powerful, then God must be here. Or we think we can only meet with God in a particular building or some quiet place in the mountains. Or maybe we put our confidence first in our church culture. We have the right hymns, we got the right confession, so I don’t know, worship, and we know all the right words, you know all the theological terms, surely that will guarantee God’s favor and presence among us.
Music can move us, and it does. A quiet place can help us to sit and concentrate. Sound doctrine and faithful worship, you better believe it matters intensely. But none of those things can make us right with God.
And yes, God really does — He really does strengthen and meet with His people through His appointed means. Through His Word, through prayer, through baptism, through the Lord’s Supper. We call all these things the ordinary means of grace. Through them, God nourishes our faith. God strengthens our faith in Christ. God works through these means without us having to create the right atmosphere or perform well enough.
So let me ask you, what happens to your confidence when the familiar setting, that strong emotion, or that trusted leader is absent?
Listen to what Hebrews 12:22 tells believers. But you have come to Mount Zion. You’ve come to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering. See those words? You have come. Through Christ, we can already draw near to God in heaven, even as we wait to see Him face to face. Verses 23 to 24 go on to describe our coming to God and to Jesus, mediator of the new covenant, whose blood secures our welcome.
Our access to God rests entirely on what Christ has done to bring us near. The building does not create that access. Our emotions do not do it. And the atmosphere does not create it. We have Christ, who represents us in God’s presence, and that is enough.
Point Four: We Have Christ Who Secures God’s Better Promises for Us (Verse 6)
We’ve seen that Christ, who reigns and served for us, who offered himself for us, who represents us in God’s presence, now the author directs our attention to the better covenant he mediates and the better promises it contains. Read with me verse 6.
But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old, as the covenant he mediates is better, since it’s enacted on better promises.
Hebrews 1:4 reminds us that the Son is superior to the angels and he has inherited a more excellent name. Here in verse 6, the author tells us that Christ has a more excellent ministry. He mediates a better covenant established on better promises.
Now what is a covenant? Well, it’s a binding relationship God establishes with His people through His promises and commands. Jesus is the mediator of this better covenant. He brings sinful people into fellowship with God. He secures blessings for them. As we learned in Hebrews 7, God establishes Christ’s priesthood with an oath. Jesus guarantees the better covenant.
So how does he secure these blessings for us? Hebrews 9:15. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Our confession summarizes this beautifully, chapter 8 and paragraph 5. Jesus has fully satisfied the justice of God. He has procured, He’s obtained reconciliation between us and God with a broken relationship. He’s purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. It never ends. And that means He has secured our peace with God and our everlasting home with Him.
Jesus personally bore the cost of bringing us to God. Through him we receive forgiveness, new life, a place among God’s people. And the Father lovingly provided this mediator. Jesus carries out God’s own saving purpose. He’s not persuading an unwilling Father to love us. The Father sent His Son because He loves us.
Notice also that Christ’s death redeems sins committed under the first covenant. To be clear, the Old Testament believers received forgiveness through the same Savior whose work was still to come. God gave the Old Covenant a very good and real purpose. Its priests and sacrifices pointed toward salvation Christ has now accomplished.
A Better Promise
So what’s the author mean by the better promises? Think about a father whose son is far from home. Before the son leaves, his father promises and says, son, I’ll write you every week. And he does. Every week, another letter arrives. His son reads those letters and treasures them. His father has kept his word. And then one day, another letter arrives with a new promise. It says, I’m coming to bring you home. Both promises are good. Both can be trusted. But think how much more that second promise means to the son. He will be home with his father.
This helps us understand how one promise can be better than another. The difference is in the greatness of the blessing promised.
So what blessings does God promise in this better covenant? Well, the author tells us in verses 10 to 12, God writes His law in our hearts. He changes us from within, giving us new desires to want to obey Him. He receives us as His people. We belong to Him. He gives us the privilege of knowing Him, and He forgives our sins. We’ll consider these promises more fully next time, but already we can see what they hold out to us. God brings sinful people into fellowship with Himself and changes their hearts.
Think about what a mediator secures for us. Think about the benefits of salvation we have through Christ. We have forgiveness. Our sins are pardoned. We have justification. God accepts us as righteous on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. We have adoption. We belong to God as His children. We have peace with God. We have been reconciled through the blood of His cross. We have new life. His Spirit renews our hearts with new affections and desires, enabling us to obey Him. We have His preserving care. Christ continues to intercede for us and will keep us. And we have the hope of resurrection and glory. Our bodies will be raised and glorified and we will dwell with Him forever.
All these blessings come through Christ. The Savior in whom earlier believers placed their hope has now come and accomplished our redemption.
Strength for the Weak
These truths matter, especially when we feel weak. I remember feeling that way the other day. I said, Lord, I need your strength right now. Just go outside, sit by the fire pit, just think on the Lord. And as I did that, I sensed strength coming upon me. The fire pit was simply where I sat. I would call upon God. I could call upon God because I have Christ. I don’t need to approach another person to approach God for me. I could go directly to the Father through His Son. And brothers and sisters, that’s available to any of us at any moment. Sometimes the prayer is as simple as, Lord, help.
We may not always feel strengthened immediately. His care does not depend on how quickly our feelings change. We can keep trusting what He’s promised. The one who receives us is our Father. The one who represents us is His Son. And the one who works within us is His Spirit.
So when you wonder whether you can keep going, remember the Savior who has secured your eternal inheritance. His promises give us firm ground on which to stand.
We have Christ, who secures God’s better promises for us.
Closing
So let’s return, as we close, to the question we began with. When fear creeps in, how do you finish the sentence? I’ll be okay because I still have what?
Listen, we’re thankful for savings. We’re thankful for people who love us. We’re thankful to have plans for tomorrow. But we know how quickly life can change. An unexpected expense comes. Someone we depend on is no longer there. A plan just falls completely apart.
Dear Christian, through every change, you have Christ. He reigns and serves for you. He offered Himself for you. He represents you in God’s presence. And He secures God’s better promises for you. That means you can bring Him the fear that you haven’t told anybody about. You can confess the sin that has been weighing on your conscience. You can ask strength when you don’t know how you’re going to make it through another day. And you may leave here today with circumstances that remain very difficult. You still have questions about tomorrow. But your high priest lives. His sacrifice is sufficient and his promises remain secure.
And if you’ve never trusted Christ, hear this invitation this morning. Come to Him. You don’t need a better record before you come. You need the Savior who gave Himself for sinners. Turn from your sin. Agree with God that you violated His holy law and character. And place your trust in Christ alone.
Brothers and sisters, that is why we hold out Christ to weary sinners. Because we need him ourselves. And the people all around us need him too.
So as you go into this week, remember whom you have. When fear rises, remember his promises. When guilt troubles you, remember his sacrifice. When you feel alone, remember where he is and whom he represents. We have Christ who brings us into God’s presence and keeps us secure.
Having heard what Christ has done for us, let’s come to the Father through Him. We’ve put our confidence in the things that cannot save us. We have trusted our own efforts. We’ve allowed shame to keep us from prayer. Our high priest invites us to draw near for mercy. So let’s confess our sins together as I lead you in this prayer of confession.
Prayer of Confession
Our gracious Father, you have given us your Son. Yet we confess how often we look elsewhere for security. We trust what we can see and control. We lean on our own possessions, our plans, and the approval of others. We become fearful when these things begin to give way.
God, we confess that we’ve tried to earn your favor through our own efforts. We’ve taken pride in what we know and what we do. We’ve allowed our feelings to determine whether we believe your promises. We’ve also hidden our sins, delayed coming to you.
Forgive us, God, for doubting the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and the welcome that you give us through him.
Lord, we thank you that Jesus, you offered yourself for us and now represent us in your presence. Cleanse us from our sins by your Spirit. Teach us to trust your word. Turn us from what displeases you and help us to obey with grateful hearts. Strengthen us to put right the harm we’ve caused. And help us to extend to others the mercy we’ve received.
We rest our hope of forgiveness entirely in Jesus Christ, our Savior and High Priest. And it’s in His name we pray. Amen.
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