Thanks to our brother Sam and again it's a joy to be with you today on the Lord's Day and to minister the word of the Lord and thank you for your prayers. Thanks also to our brother Sam and his dear wife Ruth for their lovely hospitality this afternoon. We had a great time of fellowship together. Now we're turning tonight please to Hebrews and chapter 7 please. Hebrews chapter 7, continuing on the subject that we began this morning on this man Melchizedek, this time in the Gospel this evening. Hebrews chapter 7, and we're commencing to read from verse 19. Hebrews 7 and verse 19, For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest, for those priests were made without an oath, but this with an oath by him that said unto him, the Lord swear and will not repent. thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth, to make intercession for them. Amen. And we'll end there at verse 25. Trusting the Lord to bless the reading of His precious word to our hearts. We will be referring to other verses both in chapter 7, 8 and 9, but we'll just end there at verse 25 tonight. How many people today are looking to a man or a woman to represent them? It isn't difficult to see, especially from recent events, both here and in the United States of America, how much hope and confidence is placed in political leaders. And it would seem at times to many as though their leaders were infallible. Those leaders to many people represent all of their aspirations and ambitions. But when that particular leader fails to meet their expectations or fails to be elected, their hopes and dreams, as it were, are shattered. And recent events in America over the past couple of weeks would bear that out to be true. But I wonder how many of those people ever take the Lord Jesus Christ into their consideration. The one who promises in this very same epistle, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Chapter 13 and verse 5. Now what leader in any country or nation ever made such a promise as that? Or to get at the very heart of the gospel, What leader ever made the promise contained here in verse 25 of chapter 7? Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him. There's one fundamental truth that shines forth in the pages of scripture here and it is simply this. There is no other priest who can take away sin but Christ. There's no other priest who can represent a sinner before a just and holy God but Christ. We looked at Melchizedek this morning. He is repeated here in Hebrews time and again because he shows something absolutely essential in relation to Christ. He was appointed priest by God and not man. And so it is with Christ as we see here. And the simple truth is this. You need no other priest to represent you before God. This truth is a theme emphasized over and over again in the epistle to the Hebrews, that the Lord Jesus Christ himself alone is our High Priest. But a remarkable truth concerning the origin of this order of priesthood is revealed and we mentioned it already this morning that God used Melchizedek to establish an order that only Christ could fulfill. The expression here after the order of Melchizedek appears 7 times between chapter 5 and verse 6 and chapter 7 and verse 21. Now on one of those occasions the expression is after the similitude of Melchizedek chapter 7 and verse 15 but I believe the meaning there is so close to the word order that I have included it here because as we know 7 in scripture is the number of perfection. It was a priesthood that was perfect in every aspect not like the so-called priesthood that has existed in the Church of Rome for centuries and indeed numerous other of the world's religions. You see dear friends, here is an office that has been perfectly suited, perfectly fitted and perfectly prepared for our Lord Jesus Christ and no other. However, in bringing to our attention this glorious aspect of Christ's priestly ministry, the writer to the Hebrews brings something else before us. He brings before us certain other truths first in these verses. Essentially there are three things in view here in this passage. First of all, there is the law. Then secondly, there is the testament. And then thirdly, there is the priesthood. And God willing, with the help of the Lord, we're going to consider those three things this evening. Now first of all we have the law and that is the reflection of our sin. Verse 19 begins, For the law made nothing perfect. The law was the holy standard of God. It was not devised by man like many of the statute laws that we have in our society today. It was given by God through Moses. It showed the perfect holiness of God and his righteous requirements. But the scripture tells us here that it made nothing perfect. It tells us that it was only able to show itself to be perfect. It could not reconcile a transgressor. It could not make atonement for sin. And several other scriptures come to mind which bear out this same truth. First of all we have Romans 8 and verses 3 and 4. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Think of it this evening, that the Son of God would condescend to be just that, the likeness of sinful flesh for a sinner like me. Beloved, I cannot even take it in tonight, but yet I believe it with all my heart, because the eternal destiny of my soul depends upon that truth tonight. The text in Romans there in chapter 8 of Romans continues. And for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after in spirit. The righteousness of the law fulfilled in us because God's own Son was made in the likeness of sinful flesh and condemned sin in the flesh. Sin needed to be condemned. Romans 3 in verse 20 tells us therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in the sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin and that was the simple purpose of the law to teach us the knowledge of sin Galatians 3 in verse 24 wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. It's wonderful to see how these scriptures all harmonize together one with the other. And think of the illustration of a schoolmaster there in Galatians that Paul uses. A schoolmaster might be able to teach, but a schoolmaster can never justify. The law was weak through the flesh. Sinful flesh can never keep the law. I know I certainly never could. And that is why I need a mediator as well as a schoolmaster. The schoolmaster's role and the schoolmaster's duty is to bring us to the mediator, the only one through whom the law is fulfilled. Allow me to illustrate this. In the old public elementary schools of the 1800s and early 1900s there would have been a schoolmaster. And one of the most important roles of a schoolmaster was to instil discipline in his pupils. And he or she would generally have been very strict. and sometimes harsh. Perhaps some of the mature brethren here this evening may remember them. Corporal punishment was standard procedure for any misbehavior. But that's the same picture we have here of the law. Because the law of God is strict and it should be. God is infinitely holy. Would we expect his law to be anything less? Would we expect a thrice holy God to be lenient with his own standards? No, certainly not. And just as the schoolmaster instills discipline into a child, the law instills the fear of the Lord into a sinner. And the fear of the Lord we know from Scripture, from Proverbs, is the beginning of wisdom. But let us take the illustration a little further if I may. The schoolmaster's manner and the schoolmaster's methods may be hard, but the intentions are good. The lessons and the discipline and the rules and the hard work are all for that child's benefit in preparing him or her for adult life. A child's education is vital to prepare that child for future employment and to prepare that child for the responsibilities of life. And mind you, judging by the way things are progressing in the education system today, and the things that the government are trying to make compulsory for children to learn I can tell you for one thing I'd rather have those old public elementary schools any day than some of the schools we have today. But the illustration that Paul uses there in the epistle to the Galatians is so clear that a schoolmaster can train and discipline a child for adult life but it can never take that child through adult life. There will come a point in time when that child will come of age and that child will leave the schoolmaster behind them never to return again. And in the same way, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Just as the earthly schoolmaster can never take a child all the way through life, so the law can never impart eternal life. No, for the law made nothing perfect. Verse 19. But the bringing in of a better hope did. It could never make a sinner like me or like any of us perfect. But praise God it brings us to the one who is perfect. It brings us to the one who fulfilled the law and to the one through whom is the gift of eternal life. You know the law has often been described as a mirror. You know it's a reflection of our sin. And mind you there's much talk today about equality. And the law reflects us just as we are and like a mirror it tells no lies. It shows us the Bible's definition of equality. Found in Romans 3 in verse 23. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Every single one of us, preacher included. We've sinned and come short of the glory of God. And the law is like that mirror that reflects that very truth in our own hearts. The law is also a reflection of the glory of God. And because of our sin we have fallen short of it. And those are very solemn words. Those words fallen short when we really consider them this evening. And the illustration is this. It's like the glory of God shining away in the distance. And the sinner longing to reach it. It tells us that some try to reach heaven by their own good deeds and good works. Others, because of their own pride and self-righteousness, think that they're already worthy of heaven, as though God were somehow obliged to reward them. Others still refuse to believe in God, or in Christ, or in heaven or hell. And dear friends, it really makes no difference, because in front of that splendor of the glory of God and heaven, those words fall in short. speak to me of the great chasm of hell into which sinners are ready to fall. But yet the Savior's arm is outstretched to you in mercy, dear friend, because He has taken the punishment and He has paid the debt of sin owed by you and me. Note the end of verse 19, by the which we draw nigh unto God. The law could never bring us near to God, but Christ can. The bringing in of a better hope, the law, It's the reflection of our sin. But then we come to the second thing in view here, and that, as we have already mentioned this evening, is the testament. The testament. And the testament to us this evening is the revelation of God's salvation. The law is the reflection of our sin, and the testament is the revelation of God's salvation. Verse 22 tells us, By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. Now that word testament is very significant. It is similar to the word covenant which features heavily in chapter 8 but it's not quite the same. Now look over if you will please just briefly at chapter 8 and verses 6 to 9. Chapter 8 and verses 6 to 9. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry. By how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. Now look over again if you will please at chapter 9. Chapter 9 and verses 15 to 17. Chapter 9 verses 15 to 17. And for this cause he that is the Lord Jesus is the mediator of the New Testament. Now note the difference there between the word covenant and testament. He is the mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is a force after men are dead, otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Now I see a distinction here between the word covenant and testament. A covenant is an agreement, in this case between God and man, That is the children of Israel to whom the law was given. Chapter 8 and verse 7 teaches clearly that this covenant was not faultless. Now how could something that God established not be faultless? And yet there was a fault. Now was the fault with God? No, it was with the people. They failed to keep the covenant. But in chapter 9 it is the testament and not the covenant being spoken of. And notice here that the word thought is not present in chapter 9. Now what is the difference? If I read this right tonight, it is very simple. A covenant is something made between two parties. But a testament is something given from one party to another. A covenant depends upon both parties. But a testament depends upon the word of one. The one who left it. The one who gave it. The one who gave the testament. And that is why we have that promise in chapter 8 and verse 10. The new covenant is between God and his people Israel. Chapter 8 and verse 10 if we look over at it for a moment. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord. I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a people I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. The new covenant is between God and his people Israel. And at the present time, we know that blindness in part has happened unto Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved. Romans 11 and verses 25 to 26. But when we come to the Testament, something is stated in chapter 9 of Hebrews here that doesn't feature in chapter 8. There is a word that accompanies the word Testament that doesn't accompany the word Covenant and it's simply the word Inheritance in chapter 9 verse 15 Now when someone leaves an inheritance it has to be written in a will and testament not in a covenant or agreement and it is unmerited but it is of no effect until the person dies chapter 9 verse 16 And that is why the word testament is so vital to the person and cross work of our Lord Jesus Christ because it was through his death that we receive both the redemption and the inheritance. The covenant in chapter 8 doesn't speak of our Lord's death but the testament does in chapter 9. And then there was the blood And from verses 18-22 of chapter 9 the writer to the Hebrews expounds on the subject of the blood and upon its necessity under the Old Testament. Look at verses 22-24 of chapter 9 for a moment. And we know this verse so well we preach the gospel on it. Verse 22 of chapter 9. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood. And without shedding of blood is no remission. Verse 23. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these. Our brother Bert has been ministering on the tabernacle and we've seen these already. But the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hand. which are the figures of the tree, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. His death. His precious blood, redemption, remission of sins, and the eternal inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1 verses 4 and 5. And that expression that Peter uses, ready to be revealed in the last time, does not refer to salvation. because salvation has already been revealed in this testament in Christ no rather it refers to those who are kept by the power of God all true believers as part of the bride who will be revealed at the marriage supper of the Lamb Revelation chapter 19 and all of these exceeding great and precious promises are contained in the Lord Jesus who here in verse 22 of chapter 7 is made a surety of a better testament. Again the testament is the declaration of God of the grace of God which bringeth salvation that hath appeared unto all men. Titus chapter 2. Unmerited grace and salvation through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. The revelation of God's salvation. That's the testament. But the third thing in view here that likewise cannot be overlooked and that is simply the priesthood. the priesthood and I call that this evening the intercession of our Savior. The Testament is the revelation of God's salvation and the priesthood is the intercession of our Savior. Verse 23 of chapter 7 takes us back to the Old Testament showing us that the death of the priests required there to be many of them and they truly were many priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. Now notice the difference between the priests here and the testator of chapter 9 and verse 16. The death of the testator that is our Lord Jesus Christ brought in the New Testament and the inheritance thereof but not the death of the priest. The death of the priests during the Old Testament accomplished nothing. and only required another priest to take their place. That was the reason our Lord's office of High Priest was never according to the order of those priests after Aaron. No, this takes us back to verse 21 and the last part of it. The Lord swear and will not repent, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was recorded in scripture as verse 3 tells us, without father. without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually. That was the order of priesthood established by God that the priests under Aaron could never fulfill. Only Christ could. Verse 24, But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. What was the role of the priest? It was to intercede before God on man's behalf. And that is where the Gospel comes to the eternal aid of the sinner outside of Christ, without hope and without God in the world. Verse 25, wherefore, wherefore, what does that mean? The previous verse gives the answer, because he had an unchangeable priesthood. And dear friend, outside of Christ this evening, there's no other priest who can intercede for your soul. And there's no other priest who died for your sins and mine. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost. To the uttermost. There's no limited atonement there. There's a scripture, one of many, that proves without a shadow of doubt that God's salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ cannot be limited. We see that so clearly in this scripture. To the uttermost, to the farthest corner of the earth, without respective persons, to the whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, and shall be saved. Romans 10 and verse 13. Would our blessed Lord Jesus have commanded the disciples in Mark 16 and verse 15, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature, if it was only for some, would he have commanded in Acts 1 verse 8 and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost the uttermost part of the earth that was the gospel to the Jew first and then also to the Greek to the whole world Romans 1 and verse 16 mark the word uttermost he's not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2 and verse 4. Dear friends, that's the desire of God. And when we consider the word will, there's a clear distinction in scripture between the desired will of God and the decreed will of God. His decreed will is revealed, of course, in prophecy, among other things. The things that he himself will bring to pass, they cannot change. But those things that men and women themselves bring to pass are of their own will and not God's. God has certainly foretold in prophecy some of the things that men will do, but it does not follow that God decreed those things to come to pass. God is not the author of sin. And there's a difference. There's a difference here between the foreknowledge of God and the foreordaining of God. When God foreordains in scripture that he will do something that is unchangeable, that we might call his decreed will. But when God foretells us in prophecy, for example as in 2 Timothy 3 and verses 1-2, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers and so on. That's not the desire of God. That is not His will. He wills, that is, He desires all men to be saved, not to remain in the camp of the wicked. And mind you, there's scarcely been a time, I believe, when men and women have never been more lovers of their own self. Men and women have never been more covetous, or boasters, or proud, or blasphemers. And dear friend, listening to this message tonight, we cannot put the Gospel message any simpler. You need to be saved. Take it not from my words, but from the words of the Savior himself in John 3 in verse 7. Ye must be born again. And the word ye there is plural, more than one. And the message is for all who will hear. And that same Lord Jesus who declared ye must be born again is the same Lord Jesus here who is able to save them to the uttermost. He's able to save you, friend. And perhaps you ask tonight, how? How can I be saved? Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, by him, not by the church, not by good works or deeds, not by any earthly priest, not by a clergyman, not by a man or woman of the cloth so called, not by anything or anyone else other than this man, the one and only High Priest. Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them, It's an intercession that never ends because he has an unchangeable priesthood. What a saviour we have this evening. Friend, there is no other. Look at verse 26. For such an high priest became us. We didn't read verse 26 at the beginning, but it does behoove us to look at these next two verses because they bring before us some wonderful truths concerning the person and work of our blessed Lord Jesus. The beginning of verse 26, For such an high priest became us. Only the Lord Jesus Christ became us. He alone as the Son of God was made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2 verse 7. Our brother Burt ministered from it this morning. Yea, even in the likeness of sinful flesh. Romans 8 verse 3. And yet he himself is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Our brother David reminded us this morning from his ministry around the Lord's table that he knew no sin, and he did no sin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth. Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Once he was made in the likeness of men, not created, begotten, as the hymn rightly puts it. Once he was made in the likeness of men, now he's made higher than the heavens. The work of the testator in chapter 9 is finished, because he accomplished that work by his death, but the work of the great high priest, it continues forever, because he continueth ever. And verse 27 teaches us another fundamental truth. This high priest offers no sacrifice. Verse 27, who needeth not daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifice for his own sins. He hath no sins. And this is why there is such a vast difference between the priests of the Old Testament and the Lord Jesus himself. The very thoughts of our Lord Jesus having to offer sacrifices for himself is unthinkable. It is such a blasphemy to consider such a thing. Such a thing could never be condensed because he is holy and harmless and undefiled and separate from sinner. That's why there had to be this great separation between the order of the order of the priesthood that our Lord Himself fulfilled and those priests under Aaron. Because they were just sinners, just like you and I. And that is why there is this great distinction here between Melchizedek and the other priests. There is a great separation between Melchizedek and the priests who ministered in the earthly tabernacle. And that great separation speaks to us of the truth here in verse 26 that this high priest, our Lord Jesus Christ himself, is separate from sinners. And yet from that high and lofty place of infinite holiness that he now occupies in the true tabernacle made without hands, he's able to save sinners to the uttermost. Dear friends, no man is comparable to this man. You know, when we consider that wonderful type of our Lord Jesus Christ, Melchizedek, whom we considered this morning, remember that there's not a single sin recorded against Melchizedek. That is why, as a type of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, he holds such an important place in the pages of Holy Scripture. Why? Because of his separation from sin. And as we saw this morning from Genesis chapter 14, when the king of Sodom arrived in the veil to meet Abram, Melchizedek stood in absolute holiness and separation. It reminds me of what Paul commanded Timothy. Neither be partaker of other men's sins, keep thyself pure. 1 Timothy 5 and verse 22. Speaking of course in the context of the church. But here in the Old Testament, or rather back there in the Old Testament, Melchizedek was there before God to bless Abram and to glorify the Most High God. So no plan of the King of Sodom was going to hinder that work. Friend, the Lord Jesus is the High Priest of the heavens now. Melchizedek was only the type. He was only the foreshadowing. And just as the King of Sodom came with his own agenda, as it were, to hinder the blessing of God, So the devil is the God of this world who hath blinded the minds of them that believe not. Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. And dear friend you can be certain that Satan is like Sodom as it were. He has his own devices and he'll come along with all manner of lies and deceptions and temptations to entice the sinner away from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The devil knows that God is able to save them to the uttermost to come unto God by Christ. And you can be certain that he does not want you to be saved. And he'll do everything in his power to stop you from being saved. But friend, don't let him get an advantage of you tonight. He'll never undo the work that Christ has done. The law, that is the reflection of our sin. The testament, that's the revelation of God's salvation. And the priesthood, that's the intercession. of our blessed Saviour. Where would an ungodly sinner like me be without a mediator to intercede on thy behalf? Verse 27 again, Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's? For this he did once when he offered up himself. That is why there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, because there's none needed. That's why you and I can know that our sins are gone, put away forever, cast into the sea of forgetfulness, separated as far as the East is from the West, thus far has He removed our transgressions from us. And on the authority of His blessed Word, we can rest our eternal soul on the authority of His infallible Word. Praise God for the finished work of our Great High Priest who abideth forever in the heavens for us. May He bless His Word to our hearts. Let's close with a word of prayer. Our Father, we bless Thee for Thy Word to our hearts tonight. Take away, Father, anything of man that has been a distraction or a hindrance to the Gospel of Christ. And may thy spirit speak on, long after the voice of this man has fallen silent. And we pray, our Father, that thy spirit would bring conviction of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come. We thank thee, Father, for our blessed Lord Jesus, our great High Priest, who has entered into the true tabernacle made without hands, into the holiest of all, ever to make intercession for us, for guilty sinners. We pray, Our Father, for those who are listening to this message on the internet tonight. We pray, Our Father, that Thy Spirit would speak to their hearts. Bless the saints of God. We pray, Our Father, that their hearts might be edified and encouraged. Remember our dear brother Jordy and his wife Sadie. and their granddaughter at this time. We pray, Father, that Thy hand would be upon this little girl, Ruby, that Thou wouldst undertake for her. And pray for this assembly, Father. We thank Thee for it, and for the testimony here, and for the work that continues here. We thank Thee, Father, for the zeal of the believers here. And we pray, Father, that indeed Thou wouldst bless them and lead them on with Thyself. And souls, we pray, we pray that souls might be saved and added to the church, and we pray that we might see true, genuine, biblical revival in these days in which we live. Bless our time together and our fellowship together now, and take us later to our homes in safety, for we ask it in Jesus' precious and worthy name. Amen. Amen.