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Sermon Introduction

The main point of the author is that Christ is the perfect High Priest in the heavenly tabernacle. He sits at the highest authority and is the mediator of a  better covenant. No earthly priest or religious leader is like Christ. No one can compare to who He is. Moreover, the New Covenant, which Christ mediates, is far superior to the Old Covenant. The New has better promises than the Old, but the most significant difference is Christ Himself. Therefore, Jewish believers should not even think of leaving the faith. Why would anyone leave Christ if they have known Him? People who leave Christ do not belong to Christ even if they think they do. 

Dr. Steve Bonilla Elder

Hebrews 8:7-13 NASB

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 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 did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 NASB

31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, [h]though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their [i]hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Notes

The main point of the author is that Christ is the perfect High Priest in the heavenly tabernacle. He sits at the highest authority and is the mediator of a  better covenant. No earthly priest or religious leader is like Christ. No one can compare to who He is. Moreover, the New Covenant, which Christ mediates, is far superior to the Old Covenant. The New has better promises than the Old, but the most significant difference is Christ Himself. Therefore, Jewish believers should not even think of leaving the faith. Why would anyone leave Christ if they have known Him? People who leave Christ do not belong to Christ even if they think they do. 

1. The first covenant was not without fault; that was why there was a need for a new covenant to replace it. God found fault in the people, who kept breaking their commitment to obey. He rendered the Old obsolete (7-8,13). 

2. The new covenant is unlike the former that God made with the Jewish ancestors. God led them by the hand out of Egypt, but they did not remain faithful. Thus, God turned away from them, which meant judgment (9). 

3. The author mentioned that God would write His laws in their minds and hearts; thus, they would be His people. They will know God personally, and God would forgive and forget their sins. (10-12).

Application

1. Understand the relevance of the New Covenant in Christ. The Old Covenant revealed the guilt of the people. It led to judgment because the people could not obey. But the New Covenant has a perfect high priest to mediate it, and it has better promises, which includes forgiveness.

2. Praise God for the New Covenant and sincerely thank Him. God would write His commands in the minds and hearts of all who genuinely believe. God would also make Himself known in a personal way. God’s people would have the desire to obey Him. This phenomenon is called regeneration.

3. In the New Covenant in Christ, God forgives and forgets sins. Thus, we must proclaim the gospel of Christ. He commanded that His followers should proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The result of genuine repentance is the supernatural transformation of heart and mind. Only the grace of God can make it happen.

Discussion / Reflection

1. Why was there a need for a New Covenant

2. What are the promises in the New Covenant based on the text?

3. Do you think God has written His commands in your mind and heart? Why?