1 00:00:00,100 --> 00:00:03,000 We're going to be in Hebrews chapter 7 verses 1 through 10 2 00:00:03,300 --> 00:00:07,700 for this Melchizedek king of Salem priest of God, most high 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:11,600 Met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:15,100 Kings and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. 5 00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:17,900 First, his name means, king of righteousness. 6 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:22,000 Then also king of Salem, meaning, king of peace, without 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,900 father, mother, or genealogy having neither beginning of 8 00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:29,200 days, nor end of life. But resembling, the Son of God, 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,700 he remains As a priest forever. Now consider how great this man 10 00:00:33,700 --> 00:00:37,400 was even Abraham, the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunger to 11 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,500 him. The sons of Levi, who received 12 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:45,300 the Priestly office have a command according to the law to 13 00:00:45,300 --> 00:00:48,500 collect a 10th from the people that is from their brothers and 14 00:00:48,500 --> 00:00:52,700 sisters though, they have all descended from Abraham but one 15 00:00:52,700 --> 00:00:56,300 without this lineage collected a tent from Abraham and blessed. 16 00:00:56,300 --> 00:01:00,400 The one who had the promises without a doubt, the inferior is 17 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,500 blessed by the Superior. In the one case, men who will 18 00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:08,400 die receive a 10th. But in another case scripture 19 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:12,900 testifies that Lives and in a sense, Levi himself who receives 20 00:01:12,900 --> 00:01:16,900 a tenth has paid attend through Abraham for he was still within 21 00:01:16,900 --> 00:01:19,600 his ancestor. When Melchizedek met him, this 22 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,600 is the word of God. How many of you remember? 23 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,400 The character called the most interesting man in the world, by 24 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,200 remember that guy? Yeah, some of y'all. 25 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,000 Okay? All y'all people fast-forward 26 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,600 through beer commercials, I guess he was featured in the 27 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:35,800 Dos. Equis beer commercials almost 28 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,300 started by showing one of the commercials, but I figured maybe 29 00:01:38,300 --> 00:01:39,300 I shouldn't show a beer commercial. 30 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:40,400 Marshall. But it can't be much worse than 31 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:41,700 the office and we've done that before. 32 00:01:41,700 --> 00:01:46,000 But anyway, so if you never saw the commercials, each commercial 33 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,800 was just a narrator saying a bunch of absurd. 34 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,200 But supposedly true, things about this fictional character 35 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,000 called the most interesting man in the world. 36 00:01:56,100 --> 00:01:58,100 They're very similar to maybe some of the old Chuck Norris 37 00:01:58,100 --> 00:02:00,400 jokes. You know, you had grown up kind 38 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,100 of reminded me of that so these are some of the things they 39 00:02:02,100 --> 00:02:06,600 would say he once ran a marathon because it was on his way. 40 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:10,699 And of course, they say this with this narrator, you know, 41 00:02:10,699 --> 00:02:12,200 voice, that's a lot better than mine. 42 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,400 And here's another one. If opportunity knocks and he's 43 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:21,500 not home opportunity weights and the last one, once a 44 00:02:21,500 --> 00:02:25,900 rattlesnake, bit him after five days of excruciating pain, the 45 00:02:25,900 --> 00:02:30,100 snake finally died. So he would always each 46 00:02:30,100 --> 00:02:33,000 commercial would have a few of these clips and then it would 47 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,000 end by panning to the actual Most Interesting Man himself 48 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,400 this actor, you know, playing them and he would look directly 49 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,500 at the camera and he would say, I don't always drink beer but 50 00:02:42,500 --> 00:02:46,500 when I do, I prefer Dos Equis and the idea here. 51 00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:50,200 You know, it's this mysterious larger-than-life character. 52 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:54,000 You don't know much about this guy but he's like large and in 53 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,500 charge and you know, it and the idea here is that if this dude 54 00:02:57,500 --> 00:03:01,000 prefers Dos Equis He's then you better also, prefer Dos Equis 55 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,900 because you're not near as interesting and mysterious and 56 00:03:03,900 --> 00:03:07,200 as in charge as this guy. And so, when I was reading 57 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,600 through, and even study in this character, in the scriptures of 58 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,900 Melchizedek, the most interesting man in the world is 59 00:03:13,900 --> 00:03:16,400 kind of what my where my brain went. 60 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,200 I know y'all probably had more like, spiritual things to think 61 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,400 about, but that's what I thought, I'd like this milk is 62 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,200 it at guy is an extremely mysterious character. 63 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,500 It's like he is, so just in charge, that he can just show. 64 00:03:28,700 --> 00:03:31,800 Up on the scene and leave you get no background. 65 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,400 He is one of the most mysterious characters in all of scripture 66 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,100 and what this has done is it's left a lot of people up to their 67 00:03:39,100 --> 00:03:42,800 own imaginations, to try to figure out who this guy really 68 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,200 is. The reality is no one really 69 00:03:46,300 --> 00:03:51,800 knows but regardless of who this person is, what is clear is that 70 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,300 he was a powerful figure and the preacher of Hebrews is going to 71 00:03:56,300 --> 00:04:01,400 use this mysterious character. To further affirm the supremacy 72 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:07,100 of Christ, if this mysterious character Melchizedek is greater 73 00:04:07,100 --> 00:04:10,800 than the respected patriarch Abraham and if he is of a 74 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,800 Priestly order greater than the levitical one that was revered 75 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:20,100 and honored for centuries been how much greater is Jesus, who 76 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:24,300 is of the priesthood that Melchizedek could only shadow. 77 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:28,000 So good morning again. Church does something smell. 78 00:04:28,300 --> 00:04:32,900 Okay, this somebody microwave a cup because those black cups 79 00:04:32,900 --> 00:04:34,100 make noise. Can you go check? 80 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:37,400 Okay, it was Andrew. All right, cool. 81 00:04:37,900 --> 00:04:40,200 Well I mean I'm assuming nothing is on fire. 82 00:04:41,100 --> 00:04:42,900 Is the microwave smell bad? Or is it out here? 83 00:04:44,100 --> 00:04:47,000 Okay, somebody so heads up don't like those little black cup 84 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:50,100 state do something and so I need to get a sign up. 85 00:04:50,700 --> 00:04:52,800 Yeah it multiple people have done it just not on a Sunday 86 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,500 morning so Andrew. Over to at distracting us. 87 00:04:56,900 --> 00:05:01,700 So yeah, so yeah. Anyways, that's the smell, 88 00:05:01,700 --> 00:05:04,500 everything's good. So at least we didn't cut the 89 00:05:04,508 --> 00:05:07,200 fire cables and we were replacing a light recently, so 90 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,000 alright. Yeah. 91 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,300 Alright. I was saying, good morning. 92 00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:14,700 So I was like, getting through that to get through my intro 93 00:05:14,700 --> 00:05:16,800 like I could smell it, but I was like, let me get through this. 94 00:05:17,700 --> 00:05:20,800 All right, anyways, so good morning. 95 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,600 My name is Joel. If you don't know me, I have the 96 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:25,600 privilege of serving as one of the Pastors here. 97 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,500 So, if I ever got a chance to meet you, I'd love to do. 98 00:05:27,500 --> 00:05:30,100 So, we'll just let that. All right, we've all acknowledge 99 00:05:30,100 --> 00:05:31,400 the burning. I'm going to keep smelling it. 100 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,500 But was it a black cup? Is that? 101 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,700 Yeah, yeah. Don't microwave those. 102 00:05:36,700 --> 00:05:38,600 I told them those little cups, don't microwave them. 103 00:05:38,700 --> 00:05:43,200 So if you need to heat something up, there is mugs in the Shelf. 104 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,400 They work better. So that's not Andrews fault. 105 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:50,800 I litter and well, I'll literally. 106 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:52,500 We're now we're back to the Garden. 107 00:05:52,500 --> 00:06:00,700 So blaming the spouse. So I was trying to keep this 108 00:06:00,700 --> 00:06:02,900 sermon shorter. There's like five minutes of it. 109 00:06:03,700 --> 00:06:06,100 Literally this week, I'll take ownership this week. 110 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:09,400 My wife did that. And I said, I need to put a sign 111 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,300 there. That says don't microwave the 112 00:06:11,308 --> 00:06:14,900 little black cups but I didn't so that's what happens. 113 00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:23,000 We are in Hebrews chapter 7 so if you are not familiar, we 114 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,400 typically preach expositionally through the text and we are 115 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,200 doing that this week through Hebrews chapter 7 verses 1 116 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:30,600 through 10. That's what that means. 117 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,700 If you don't know it just means we allow the text to kind of 118 00:06:32,700 --> 00:06:35,400 dictate what the meaning of the sermon is. 119 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:36,600 And so that's what we're doing today. 120 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,400 So Hebrews 7, 1 through 10, if you've been with us during our 121 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,700 time and Hebrews, you will remember that our author or 122 00:06:43,700 --> 00:06:47,000 preacher as we call him. Sometimes he has been unfolding, 123 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,700 how Jesus is Better than all these things that the listeners 124 00:06:50,700 --> 00:06:53,400 once held in high esteem or value? 125 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,600 Jesus is better than the old priesthood order. 126 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,200 He's better than the old Covenant, he's better than the 127 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,500 animal sacrifices and what we're getting to is the point in his 128 00:07:02,500 --> 00:07:04,200 letter. We're really he's kind of been 129 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:06,300 building to this. He's talked about how Jesus is 130 00:07:06,308 --> 00:07:09,100 better than angels and Moses but he's really been building to 131 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:13,100 present to us Jesus as the high priest and so he's hinted at it. 132 00:07:13,100 --> 00:07:16,500 But now from chapter 7 all the way into chapter 10, he's going 133 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:20,600 to be unfolding what this Like but all of this starts with this 134 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,900 mysterious figure named Melchizedek in our text that you 135 00:07:24,907 --> 00:07:27,300 heard read a moment ago, you might have been a little 136 00:07:27,300 --> 00:07:30,900 confused but our original listener knew that the readers 137 00:07:30,900 --> 00:07:33,500 the listeners of the sermon. The original author knew that 138 00:07:33,500 --> 00:07:36,500 the listeners of this sermon or reading this, letter would have 139 00:07:36,500 --> 00:07:38,500 known more about Mackenzie deck than we do. 140 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,300 And so before we even really dive into Hebrews chapter 7, we 141 00:07:42,300 --> 00:07:46,000 need to kind of Zoom back a little bit and see what story 142 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,000 he's referencing and the main thing. 143 00:07:48,100 --> 00:07:51,600 Thing about Melchizedek is Genesis chapter 14. 144 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:53,600 So we'll have some verses on the screen. 145 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,800 I'm going to give you a little bit of contact so few chapters 146 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:57,800 earlier. There's a little bit of 147 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,200 background for us and Genesis chapter 12 in the midst of a 148 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:05,200 very corrupt, Humanity. God calls a man named Abram or 149 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,900 sometimes referred to as Abraham later in his life and he tells 150 00:08:08,900 --> 00:08:11,500 Abraham, hey, I'm going to bless you and you are going to be a 151 00:08:11,500 --> 00:08:14,500 father of many nations, leave your land. 152 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,600 And so he kind of does this and start some this little journey 153 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:21,700 and then Couple chapters later in chapter 14 is where we get 154 00:08:21,700 --> 00:08:25,600 this story about Abraham meeting Melchizedek. 155 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:28,200 So there's a lot going on in the chapter, I'm going to do a 156 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,500 little bit of summary for you. Basically, there are nine 157 00:08:31,500 --> 00:08:32,900 different kingdoms that are at War. 158 00:08:32,900 --> 00:08:35,299 It's kind of like this localized World War, there's five 159 00:08:35,299 --> 00:08:38,000 kingdoms, that Allied a fight against four. 160 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,799 Other kingdoms, all these weird names, you can go read it later. 161 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:45,200 What happens is the Four Kings win the battle against the five. 162 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:50,500 And one of the five kings that was Defeated was the kingdom of 163 00:08:50,500 --> 00:08:53,100 Sodom. Now what happens here in Genesis 164 00:08:53,100 --> 00:08:56,800 13 lat move to Sodom lot is Abraham's nephew. 165 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,100 So Abraham is kind of out of this Scurry but then lot because 166 00:09:00,100 --> 00:09:04,000 Sodom was captured gets also captured lot all his people that 167 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:05,500 are with him and all his possessions. 168 00:09:05,500 --> 00:09:08,600 And so Abraham hears about this and he's like, all right we're 169 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,000 going on a rescue mission. Now he gets we're told he has 170 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,700 318 trained men. So it's those three hundred 171 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,700 eighteen men against these five kings that have just won this 172 00:09:17,700 --> 00:09:19,100 battle. It's these four other kings 173 00:09:19,100 --> 00:09:20,600 right now. I think the Four Kings won the 174 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,500 battle against the five, but either way, he's going against 175 00:09:22,500 --> 00:09:27,100 these four Empires and somehow he defeats all of these four 176 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:28,900 Kings, we're not told how it happens. 177 00:09:28,900 --> 00:09:31,600 We're just told he wins the battle and then the story picks 178 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:36,100 up with Abraham back on his way from this battle in Genesis 14. 179 00:09:36,100 --> 00:09:39,000 I'm going to read for us from her seventh day. 17 through 20, 180 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:40,100 the versus will be on the screen. 181 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:44,500 It says, after Abraham returned from defeating kedorlaomer a 182 00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:48,300 practice that like 40 times and the Kings who were with him, him 183 00:09:48,500 --> 00:09:50,600 the king of Sodom. So one of the Kings he actually 184 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,100 just rescued, not that wasn't his purpose, his purposes rescue 185 00:09:53,100 --> 00:09:55,600 lat, but Sodom was one of the ones that was rescued as well. 186 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:57,900 He goes out to meet him in the shop, a valley. 187 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,100 That is the Kings Valley. And here's where I'm a kills it 188 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:04,800 at just shows up Melchizedek king of Salem brought out Bread 189 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,100 and Wine. He was a priest to God most 190 00:10:08,100 --> 00:10:11,100 high, he blessed him. So he's blessing Abraham. 191 00:10:11,100 --> 00:10:15,800 And he says, Abram is blessed by God, most high creator of Heaven 192 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:20,300 and Earth, and blessed, be God. Most high who has handed over 193 00:10:20,300 --> 00:10:24,300 your enemies to you and Abram gave him. 194 00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:27,400 Milk is attack a tenth of everything. 195 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:33,100 So no warning or background. Melchizedek just gets dropped 196 00:10:33,100 --> 00:10:36,300 into this story and it's very interesting because if you've 197 00:10:36,300 --> 00:10:40,000 read much of the Old Testament, the scriptures value genealogy 198 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,300 and connection their big story points. 199 00:10:42,300 --> 00:10:46,800 But here we get nothing, he just swoops in, he gives Abraham 200 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,500 Bread and Wine which Surely this also probably meant an entire 201 00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:54,700 feast and He blesses him and then just as quickly he vanishes 202 00:10:54,700 --> 00:10:56,800 away and we literally never hear from him. 203 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,500 Again in the biblical story. The only thing we get is a small 204 00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:04,300 quote from Psalm 110, that will see a little bit later in. 205 00:11:04,300 --> 00:11:06,600 Genesis 14 to look a little bit closer at this. 206 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,100 We are told a few things about Mike is attack the things that 207 00:11:09,100 --> 00:11:11,000 are important. First of all we're told he was a 208 00:11:11,008 --> 00:11:14,900 king and a priest which was very unusual. 209 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:19,300 Now, this story is presented. Well before, The temple system 210 00:11:19,300 --> 00:11:22,700 and the Royal line of kings, and Israel was ever even thought of 211 00:11:22,700 --> 00:11:24,100 right. So, that's in the future. 212 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:28,500 But it's the, as if this idea of a priest and a king is 213 00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:31,100 introduced to us in the narrative to get us to start 214 00:11:31,100 --> 00:11:35,500 thinking that way, we're looking for someone to fulfill this role 215 00:11:35,500 --> 00:11:37,700 of priest and King together in one person. 216 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:39,700 But if you keep reading the story, it never happens. 217 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,100 And even the different priests and kings that were separate 218 00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:45,400 people in separate roles, they were really bad. 219 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:49,700 At it, the priest became corrupt the Kings became corrupt. 220 00:11:49,700 --> 00:11:54,600 But Melchizedek is presented as a faithful priest king of God 221 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,200 most high. So he has this great character 222 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,900 but he Stoops down to bless Abraham. 223 00:12:02,300 --> 00:12:05,900 He brings out Bread and Wine in a feast and He blesses Abraham, 224 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,500 he invokes the blessing from the one true God, most high for the 225 00:12:10,500 --> 00:12:12,900 sake of Abraham. So he has some sense of 226 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:16,900 knowledge about the one true. God, the priest king Melchizedek 227 00:12:16,900 --> 00:12:19,200 is in need of nothing from Abraham. 228 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:24,900 Rather he is coming to give to Abraham and then Abraham not out 229 00:12:24,900 --> 00:12:29,000 of Duty, but purely out of gratitude for this blessing and 230 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:33,600 this Feast he gives a tithe or a tenth of the possessions to this 231 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,000 mysterious King and priest milk. Is it at culturally? 232 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,800 This would have signified that Abraham was giving his 233 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,800 Allegiance, and he was trusting, this King, it's why he refuses 234 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:45,900 to kind of do a deal with the king of Sodom, because he 235 00:12:45,900 --> 00:12:49,200 doesn't trust him. It was at that milk is attack 236 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,300 needed the tithe to survive Melchizedek was self-sustaining. 237 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:56,300 Clearly he's this King priest who has all these possessions 238 00:12:56,900 --> 00:12:59,200 and then it's it on a cursory reading. 239 00:12:59,700 --> 00:13:02,100 Nook is attack is gone. The guy just comes and goes 240 00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:06,600 later. In Psalm 110 we see this story 241 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:11,500 actually really just his name invoked and quoted Psalm 110 is 242 00:13:11,500 --> 00:13:14,600 a Messianic Psalm Hebrews. The author has already quoted at 243 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:16,700 multiple times, it's where he says today. 244 00:13:16,700 --> 00:13:19,800 You are my son. The Lord said to my Lord, and 245 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,700 it's a song about the one who rules and Reigns, and in it, the 246 00:13:23,700 --> 00:13:27,300 Lord swears an oath that this person who's going to be the 247 00:13:27,300 --> 00:13:30,900 Messiah would be after the pattern of Melchizedek. 248 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,600 The idea that he would be Eternal, okay? 249 00:13:33,700 --> 00:13:36,300 And so that's all we know about my kids attack but that's all 250 00:13:36,300 --> 00:13:37,800 the background. We need to know to. 251 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,600 Now go to Hebrews chapter 7 and see what our preacher is going 252 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:43,800 to do with this person of Melchizedek. 253 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:47,100 So let's step back into today's passage Hebrews. 254 00:13:47,700 --> 00:13:51,100 Even let me read the first couple verses again, it says for 255 00:13:51,100 --> 00:13:56,400 this Melchizedek king of Salem priest of God, most high Met 256 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,300 Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the 257 00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:00,600 king. So he's talking about the story 258 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,600 from Genesis, 14 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything, 259 00:14:04,700 --> 00:14:07,700 okay? Now before we even continue to 260 00:14:07,900 --> 00:14:11,800 zoom in a little bit deeper one question, always, I feel like 261 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:13,100 comes to mind. We're talking about milk is 262 00:14:13,100 --> 00:14:15,600 attack. Which is who is this guy, right? 263 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:16,900 Like we're like, whose milk is attack. 264 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,700 Some people down through the years, have had their own ideas, 265 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,600 something he was shim, one of the three sons of Noah. 266 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,000 If you do the math he would have still been alive, he was one of 267 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:27,000 the great, great, great, great great. 268 00:14:27,100 --> 00:14:30,000 Something ancestor of Abram, he would have still been alive, he 269 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,100 lived a long time so that's one possibility. 270 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:38,700 Other people see this as a clear pre-incarnate Christ coming and 271 00:14:38,700 --> 00:14:42,400 showing up to Abraham and blessing him as a priest king. 272 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:44,800 That's also I think another valid View. 273 00:14:45,100 --> 00:14:47,600 And another one is that simply is a historical figure. 274 00:14:47,700 --> 00:14:49,700 Sure. He's one of these kings that are 275 00:14:49,700 --> 00:14:50,900 ruling and reigning during this time. 276 00:14:50,900 --> 00:14:54,200 And he's a priest and somehow he has knowledge of the one true 277 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,800 God and he's presented in the text the way he is because he is 278 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,600 a foreshadowing or a type of Christ. 279 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,200 Okay. So those are all I think a few 280 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,200 valid options. The reality is none of us really 281 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,400 know the text tells us what's important and that's it. 282 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,900 I think his mysterious like his mystery is a part of the point 283 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,700 because the focus, both in Genesis 14 and especially here 284 00:15:16,700 --> 00:15:20,700 in our Hebrews text, Is not on who this person is and his 285 00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:23,400 identity. But rather on who he reminds us 286 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:28,000 of and what he points us to. And that's what Hebrews versus 287 00:15:28,100 --> 00:15:31,400 chapter 7 verse 2 and 3 explicitly, tell us, he begins 288 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:35,000 unpacking this Melchizedek. He says first, his name means 289 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:39,500 king of righteousness, then also king of Salem OR Shalom. 290 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:42,500 We might hear that interpretation meaning, king of 291 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:47,500 peace, without father, mother or genealogy, having neither 292 00:15:47,500 --> 00:15:49,600 beginning. Beginning of days nor end of 293 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:55,900 life but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever 294 00:15:56,500 --> 00:16:00,100 and so it's very clear that when talking about Melchizedek the 295 00:16:00,100 --> 00:16:03,200 author of Hebrews does not want us to get to use a Kevin Perry 296 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,100 word wrapped around the axle of stole that from him because he 297 00:16:06,100 --> 00:16:08,200 says that all the time. He doesn't want us to get 298 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,500 wrapped over the actual about who is Melchizedek. 299 00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:13,000 Rather he doesn't want us to worry about figuring out that 300 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,000 mystery. But to see through that lens of 301 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:19,500 what it points us to He first says that Melchizedek resembles 302 00:16:19,500 --> 00:16:22,500 the Son of God. Now I think this is super 303 00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:25,000 important because I think it's easy for us to think, like 304 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,400 Melchizedek. And the old system was plan a 305 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:31,300 and then Jesus was Plan B. Now, he says milk is attack 306 00:16:31,300 --> 00:16:36,400 resembles Jesus, right? So it's not as if Jesus is 307 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:39,200 resembling Melchizedek, it's the other way around. 308 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:40,700 Now, kiss the deck is like Jesus. 309 00:16:40,700 --> 00:16:44,000 The plan is always been Jesus, he's the starting point. 310 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,900 Jesus is the real thing now. Is it because only a shadow. 311 00:16:48,700 --> 00:16:51,600 So, even in a passage this is highlighting the superiority of 312 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,000 Melchizedek over the levitical Earthly priesthood and over 313 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,000 Abraham. But there is no mistaking. 314 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:00,000 That the ultimate point is that Jesus is better. 315 00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:05,000 The author also reminds us that the named Melchizedek means king 316 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:09,099 of righteousness and also king of peace or shalom. 317 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:14,400 Ancient tradition also says that the Salem that he was King over 318 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,500 as none other than what eventually came to be called 319 00:17:16,500 --> 00:17:20,300 Jerusalem Salem, right? This is the place where the 320 00:17:20,300 --> 00:17:22,599 Tabernacle of God's presence. Dwelt. 321 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:27,500 This is where true peace and righteousness could be found. 322 00:17:27,700 --> 00:17:31,200 And so these are all foreshadowing that Not only was 323 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,600 he the king of peace and righteousness but he was 324 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,400 eternal. The text does not tell us who 325 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:40,300 his father or mother was when he was born or when he Died. 326 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,000 Now, does this mean that Melchizedek literally never 327 00:17:43,100 --> 00:17:46,000 actually died or was born? Well, we don't know again. 328 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,200 If he was a pre-incarnate Christ figure, maybe not. 329 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,600 But if this is a real person, he did live and die but the 330 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:54,100 narrative the text does not present on that way, which again 331 00:17:54,100 --> 00:17:58,200 was very unusual for Genesis. And so in all of this, the 332 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,100 preacher is getting ready to set up his argument. 333 00:18:01,100 --> 00:18:05,100 That the Earthly priesthood. And the Royal lineage of Kings 334 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:09,700 was never meant to be the final thing that brought humans back. 335 00:18:09,900 --> 00:18:15,500 Into God's presence. We need a better priest king. 336 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:21,300 To make sure his here is grasp. This he goes further to point 337 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:24,900 out that Melchizedek is greater than both Abraham and the 338 00:18:24,900 --> 00:18:29,200 levitical priests Li line. Excuse me. 339 00:18:30,900 --> 00:18:33,400 So Abraham was a patriarch that was revered. 340 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,900 An honor, the levitical priest Li line was also revered and 341 00:18:36,900 --> 00:18:40,800 honored but our preacher points out that Melchizedek is better. 342 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:42,900 He does this through some logical arguments, we're not 343 00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:45,900 going to read through it again. Basically he says, Hey, Abraham 344 00:18:45,900 --> 00:18:49,100 actually tied, Tithes to Melchizedek, okay. 345 00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:53,400 And this came from the idea of tithe came to fruition when the 346 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,200 nation of Israel was actually established. 347 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,800 So this is years later there were Twelve Tribes. 348 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,700 One of them, the levite tribe received, no land. 349 00:19:00,900 --> 00:19:04,100 And land in this culture was what allowed you to live and 350 00:19:04,100 --> 00:19:06,100 have sustainability and resources. 351 00:19:06,700 --> 00:19:09,200 So, instead of them getting land, what they get is from each 352 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,600 of the other tribes, they get 10%. 353 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,000 And so, they were selected to serve on behalf of the people 354 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,500 and it was this Duty. It's a command because the 355 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,800 Needed to serve the people, and the people needed them to serve 356 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:21,700 them as priest. That's where all the priest was 357 00:19:21,700 --> 00:19:25,100 chosen from, and so the people gave this tithe for them to live 358 00:19:25,100 --> 00:19:28,300 off of. But with Melchizedek, it's not a 359 00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:30,300 command. This is before any laws were 360 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:33,500 established. He just freely gives a tithe 361 00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:35,800 Abraham does. We're not told why it's 10%, but 362 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,700 it gives that 10%. And, and the text says, even 363 00:19:39,700 --> 00:19:43,900 more in a sense, Levi, who was technically in the loins of 364 00:19:43,900 --> 00:19:46,000 Abraham, I think is the literal translation there, and in a 365 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,500 communal culture. This It made sense, but 366 00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:50,200 basically Levi in a sense through his family is also 367 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,200 tithing to Melchizedek. And so he said, hey, the one who 368 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,900 is tithing? He is given to someone greater 369 00:19:55,900 --> 00:19:57,900 than who they are. That's his argument. 370 00:19:57,900 --> 00:20:01,300 And for this culture, in those people, it made sense, okay? 371 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,400 On top of that, Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and the author 372 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,500 says, clearly, the one blessing, the other is, the one of Greater 373 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:10,600 significance. Okay. 374 00:20:11,100 --> 00:20:14,600 So milk is attack is great. We see that in the text, but 375 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:16,300 what does that do for us? Okay. 376 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,400 Do we take away from this weird dude, named Melchizedek and his 377 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,900 tithe conversation. When you read this as a lot 378 00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:26,100 about Ty, maybe our takeaway in our application today as you all 379 00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:29,300 need to give 10% to the church. That's a joke. 380 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,000 I'll get there in a minute. Just last night, I read a 381 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:35,000 headline that a mega church was being sued because they force 382 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,600 their staff to tithe, 10%. I've seen other churches for 383 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:43,000 staff to sign things that pledges to do the same to give 384 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,700 10%. Yeah. 385 00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:47,300 Well, I was right. Even if we don't force Force 386 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,800 others, to sign commitments, to give 10% of income. 387 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:53,800 I have seen passages like this and others in the, in the 388 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:58,800 scriptures like Genesis 14 used to say that this idea of a 10% 389 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,200 tithe is binding on Christians today. 390 00:21:02,500 --> 00:21:06,100 And unfortunately I think that's missing the point of passages 391 00:21:06,100 --> 00:21:07,100 like these. Okay. 392 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:09,800 We are called to contribute and hold everything we have with an 393 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,700 open hand but what that looks like that's different from 394 00:21:12,700 --> 00:21:15,200 person to person. And as your heart, your call to 395 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:16,800 give cheerfully, we are not under the law. 396 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,900 So, a 10% tide is not required for Christians, and if you 397 00:21:19,900 --> 00:21:22,100 really want to be under the rule, go talk to Joe Wallace. 398 00:21:22,100 --> 00:21:25,600 I'll tell you, the percentage is closer to what 20-something it 399 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,700 depends 2030. Yeah, it's something crazy. 400 00:21:28,700 --> 00:21:30,700 So if you really want to do it will go there, and I'll take 401 00:21:30,700 --> 00:21:34,600 your money. But so, yeah. 402 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:36,700 So, so there's a lot of different times. 403 00:21:36,700 --> 00:21:38,800 I mean, depend on the scholar you ask, but it's definitely 404 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,200 more than 10%. And here's the thing, the 405 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,300 ultimate Point here, the tithing is something like we get in our 406 00:21:44,300 --> 00:21:46,800 culture, kind of caught up on the play. 407 00:21:46,900 --> 00:21:49,600 Ain't here is not the tithe. The point is not even actually 408 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:54,000 the identity of Melchizedek or even Abraham or Levi, the tide 409 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:59,100 used here is only a point to prove about the superiority of 410 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:01,400 Christ. Over the Earthly priesthood. 411 00:22:01,900 --> 00:22:03,800 Okay, let me kind of flush this out a little bit. 412 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:08,300 How does the tithe point us to Jesus the tide under the old 413 00:22:08,300 --> 00:22:10,800 Covenant? See the reality is if you think 414 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:14,400 that all God requires of you to be right with him is to give 10% 415 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,100 of your paycheck. You're not really listening to 416 00:22:17,100 --> 00:22:19,800 the words of Jesus. You're not really reading the 417 00:22:19,808 --> 00:22:23,100 scriptures. Jesus does not call us to give 418 00:22:23,100 --> 00:22:25,500 up 10%. He calls us to give up our whole 419 00:22:25,500 --> 00:22:29,400 lives. But even that is not because 420 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:33,400 he's of the old priesthood order and he needs our 10% to survive 421 00:22:33,500 --> 00:22:37,200 or our whole life to survive. It is because we need it to 422 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,900 survive. That's why he says, if you don't 423 00:22:39,900 --> 00:22:42,600 lose your life, you can't find it. 424 00:22:43,100 --> 00:22:46,400 The one who tries to gain the whole world will lose their 425 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,400 soul. That's why he says, if you don't 426 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,100 forsake all to follow me, you can't be my disciple. 427 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,000 C for humans to be in, right? Standing with God. 428 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,100 It's not a 10% tithe or a bunch of works or going to church 429 00:22:59,100 --> 00:23:01,800 every Sunday or whatever, for us to be in, right? 430 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:04,000 Standing with God. Every ounce of, our being must 431 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,600 be fully surrendered to him at all times. 432 00:23:07,300 --> 00:23:11,800 We were each created to be that priest-king, figure to rule and 433 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:15,100 reign with God as His Image bears in the world and to take 434 00:23:15,100 --> 00:23:17,900 that as priests and spread that to the entire world. 435 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:23,000 But we have all failed. We have all rejected that and 436 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,000 going our own way. There is none of us who have 437 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:28,100 given 100% of who we are to God's kingdom. 438 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,000 And so this passage is not ultimately about the need for a 439 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,400 tithe. It is about the need for a high 440 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:38,900 priest who has entered the most holy place to atone for the sins 441 00:23:38,900 --> 00:23:43,700 of humanity. Here's of this sermon would have 442 00:23:43,700 --> 00:23:47,200 been intimately familiar with the way the sacrificial system 443 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,600 in the economy worked? They understood tithing as both 444 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:52,800 a religious and economical requirements. 445 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,800 They saw it as this Exchange in order for Earthly priest, to 446 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,700 bless the people and intercede for them. 447 00:24:00,700 --> 00:24:05,000 On behalf of God, they had to then support and tied to them. 448 00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:08,900 It was this give and take, you give me the tithe. 449 00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:11,600 I'll give you the blessing. I'll go make the sacrifices on 450 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:15,800 your behalf. The blessings were a response to 451 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:19,600 the commitment of tithe. But under the order of 452 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:24,500 Melchizedek Abraham gives tithe not because Melchizedek is in 453 00:24:24,500 --> 00:24:29,500 need, not to earn some blessing as this transaction, but because 454 00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:32,100 he had already been freely blessed milk. 455 00:24:32,100 --> 00:24:35,500 Is it that comes out of nowhere? And just lays out the table with 456 00:24:35,500 --> 00:24:37,700 bread and wine and gives a blessing. 457 00:24:38,300 --> 00:24:40,600 He doesn't demand anything from Abraham. 458 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:46,300 Under the Eternal priesthood. The order is swapped, this is 459 00:24:46,300 --> 00:24:48,700 how it is. Under the new Having it. 460 00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:52,200 There is nothing that we could ever do. 461 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,600 No amount of money that we could ever give. 462 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,200 No amount of good works. We could do no amount of 463 00:24:58,200 --> 00:24:59,900 sacrifices. We could offer. 464 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,700 That could manipulate God to bless us. 465 00:25:03,500 --> 00:25:06,600 All of our righteous works are filthy rags. 466 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:11,700 In the sight of God. We need a priest king mediator. 467 00:25:12,300 --> 00:25:16,300 And that's what Melchizedek points us to the biblical 468 00:25:16,300 --> 00:25:20,000 narrative is always looking this priest, king figure, a king who 469 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:24,700 has the authority and resources, but also one who will crawl down 470 00:25:24,700 --> 00:25:29,000 and intercede for the people as a priest and this is ultimately 471 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:34,700 fulfilled in Jesus. The Son of God according to the 472 00:25:34,700 --> 00:25:42,700 order of Melchizedek, he was the word, a creation always existing 473 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:48,000 uncreated and eternal, yet this word became flesh and dwelt 474 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,900 among us. He was the king who lived as a 475 00:25:51,900 --> 00:25:55,000 peasant. So he is not like a high priest 476 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,000 who doesn't understand our weakness. 477 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,000 He is a king who spoke with authority. 478 00:26:00,100 --> 00:26:02,900 You know what he quotes when he's talking Into the religious 479 00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:06,000 leaders. He quotes Psalm 110 claiming to 480 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:10,000 be the Son of God, this Messianic fulfillment and when 481 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,500 he went around he lived like a priest, he healed people of 482 00:26:13,500 --> 00:26:16,100 their diseases. So they could be in the presence 483 00:26:16,100 --> 00:26:18,900 of God in the temple. He was restoring them to, right 484 00:26:18,900 --> 00:26:22,200 relationship with each other because diseases kept them on 485 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,000 the fringes. But even more than that, the Son 486 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,000 of God had authority to forgive people of their ultimate 487 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:32,600 disease, their sin And he's dealing with that. 488 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:38,700 And with his death. He gives us the greatest gift 489 00:26:38,700 --> 00:26:45,000 ever not because we gave him 10% and it was his duty to bless us. 490 00:26:45,300 --> 00:26:47,500 It was this transaction. No rather. 491 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,900 It was because he wanted to bring us back into the family of 492 00:26:50,900 --> 00:26:54,600 God for his own glory and of his own free will. 493 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:59,300 Like Melchizedek. In the upper room, he lays out a 494 00:26:59,300 --> 00:27:04,400 feast of bread and wine. But the bread and wine that he 495 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:13,500 offers us is his body and blood and he says, come feast and 496 00:27:13,500 --> 00:27:18,100 you'll never hunger again, you who are thirsty, come and drink 497 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:23,500 without price. There is no learning of this. 498 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:29,400 It is a free gift and all the curses of the sin that we 499 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:32,200 deserve, because we broke the Covenant terms, they were all 500 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:36,100 placed on. His back and he upholds, the end 501 00:27:36,100 --> 00:27:38,300 of the Covenant by willingly dying. 502 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:42,500 He is the sacrifices, the theme all the way back in Genesis 15 503 00:27:42,500 --> 00:27:46,600 to Abraham and Isaac, he is the one who crawls up on the cross, 504 00:27:47,300 --> 00:27:51,400 not out of obligation, not out, of Duty, not out of command. 505 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:58,500 But out of love, out of delight for the joy set before him, he 506 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:04,200 endured and then with authority as a king and with empathy, like 507 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:09,100 a priest, he hangs on the cross and he says, father Forgive 508 00:28:09,100 --> 00:28:12,800 them. For they know not what they do. 509 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:15,700 He trusts his life to his father. 510 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:21,500 He breathes his last breath. He's laid in a cold dark tomb. 511 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:27,200 But in in verse 8 of our text today, we're told that in the 512 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,500 one case men who will die receive a 10th. 513 00:28:29,500 --> 00:28:35,400 But in the other case scripture testifies that he lives, this is 514 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:37,900 not an Earthly priest who dies in The needs. 515 00:28:37,900 --> 00:28:40,900 Another descendant to come and take his office. 516 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:47,100 Jesus is the Risen final king of righteousness and peace. 517 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,700 He is the final risen priest who today, intercedes at the right 518 00:28:51,700 --> 00:28:53,500 hand of the father, on your behalf. 519 00:28:55,300 --> 00:28:57,600 And through his life, death burial, Resurrection. 520 00:28:58,900 --> 00:29:03,400 He gives us his very best, God has not withheld, any good thing 521 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:07,200 from you and the proof of that is that it gave us his only son 522 00:29:07,500 --> 00:29:10,700 right up front. We might not always see the good 523 00:29:10,700 --> 00:29:13,500 that he has in our lives but we can trust him. 524 00:29:14,700 --> 00:29:19,000 He prepares for us a feast of blessing based on his work. 525 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,600 Not ours says, come through me, you don't have to earn it to sit 526 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,400 at his table. And even more mysterious than 527 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:31,600 Melchizedek is the mystery of the Gospel, as Paul calls it in 528 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:35,600 Ephesians, the mystery. That Christ Jesus came into the 529 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:39,900 world to save Sinners. You can never give enough to buy 530 00:29:39,900 --> 00:29:42,600 this. You can never do anything to 531 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:44,400 earn it. It's good news. 532 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,000 That's why it's called good. It's the gospel it's based on 533 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:51,000 free grace alone and Jesus frees us from the curse of the law. 534 00:29:51,300 --> 00:29:54,400 He fulfills the covet Covenant. We are now no longer under the 535 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:58,300 obligations of the old system. We are free indeed. 536 00:29:58,700 --> 00:30:01,800 All of the old Covenant, the tithe included it was just a 537 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,900 shadow of heavenly realities again not even just pointing 538 00:30:05,900 --> 00:30:09,100 forward to but pointing back to what's always existed in the 539 00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:13,800 Heavenly Realm. And will we begin to grasp this 540 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:17,500 when we like Abraham? Who after defeating all these 541 00:30:17,700 --> 00:30:20,800 enemy Kings? Because it it comes in and make 542 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,700 sure he knows that is because God most high gave you the 543 00:30:23,700 --> 00:30:26,300 victory. We don't beat our sin in our own 544 00:30:26,300 --> 00:30:29,000 self or our own flesh, or by our own Merit. 545 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,300 The enemy of Sindh was defeated by Christ and when we recognize 546 00:30:33,300 --> 00:30:35,200 that that God has worked in her life. 547 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:39,600 This begins to transform us. Not based on duty, not based on 548 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:42,300 command but we say, Here's my life. 549 00:30:42,900 --> 00:30:46,400 It is all yours because I've seen what happens when I try to 550 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:51,500 take control. We surrender everything, not 551 00:30:51,500 --> 00:30:57,200 just 10%, that's weak. We give our resources gives 552 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:00,100 money, whatever it is. And this is how to trust and 553 00:31:00,100 --> 00:31:03,800 gratitude when we realize that God did not withhold, his only 554 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:07,200 son from us but gave him to us to redeem us. 555 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:11,300 This releases our grip on things of this age now, this doesn't 556 00:31:11,300 --> 00:31:13,200 mean you literally give everything away. 557 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:18,400 But it could mean that you give more way than you think you're 558 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,800 supposed to. And it does mean this, let me 559 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:23,600 explain this. Like this means that everything 560 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:26,200 we have is to be used for the kingdom and that can look a 561 00:31:26,208 --> 00:31:27,800 million different ways. We need to get a little more 562 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:30,000 creative than just writing a check to the church. 563 00:31:30,100 --> 00:31:33,900 Okay? Here's an example. 564 00:31:33,900 --> 00:31:36,100 I use like like the things were given. 565 00:31:36,100 --> 00:31:38,300 Okay, I believe they're called, do two things with them. 566 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,600 Glorify God by both enjoying them and sharing them, so 567 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:44,500 something you just enjoy it. Like, enjoy a good vacation or 568 00:31:44,508 --> 00:31:45,900 something. Like if you have the means to do 569 00:31:45,900 --> 00:31:47,100 that, that's awesome. Enjoy it. 570 00:31:47,100 --> 00:31:50,400 Teach your kids to enjoy good gifts, but not to hang on to it 571 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:52,700 so tightly that were never willing to share it. 572 00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:56,600 An example might be if you have a place of your own to live in 573 00:31:56,900 --> 00:31:59,600 that home is God's. Not a 10% Corner over here. 574 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:01,300 Like let's make our little Shrine to God of hearing him. 575 00:32:01,300 --> 00:32:03,500 This 10% know, like the whole thing. 576 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,800 It's all God. So so what I say, fix it up, 577 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:11,000 paint it, renovate it, make it beautiful, make it a home where 578 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,300 it's, there's rest and there's laughter, and there's joy and 579 00:32:14,300 --> 00:32:16,900 your kids experience. This place of Shalom. 580 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:19,800 This place of Peace. That's, that's beautiful or you. 581 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:22,300 And your roommate, your family, whatever your situation is. 582 00:32:22,700 --> 00:32:26,100 But it's also how with the Open hand, you got that new paint job 583 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:28,900 and you host community group and some kid comes dragging a pin 584 00:32:28,900 --> 00:32:31,400 down the wall. I'm not slapping their hand out 585 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:33,900 and I might tell him stop, you know, that's why I tell my kids 586 00:32:33,900 --> 00:32:35,300 hey take care of stuff, Stuart it. 587 00:32:36,300 --> 00:32:40,200 But if the walls get marked up, it's okay, it's alright. 588 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:45,500 And that goes for anything, we've been giving our cars, our 589 00:32:45,500 --> 00:32:48,800 money, our careers, our gifts, these are all good gifts, that 590 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:53,100 God has given you to freely. Enjoy, and then also to share, 591 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:56,400 not out of compulsion or duty, but out of love and Delight 592 00:32:57,400 --> 00:32:59,200 going to look different for everyone, that's why we need 593 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,200 Community. That's why we need the spirit, 594 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,200 we have needs as a church. We invite you to partake in what 595 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:07,600 God's doing, right? I mean there's principles about 596 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,700 caring for pastors and taking care of things. 597 00:33:09,700 --> 00:33:11,400 That's awesome. Like we could talk about those. 598 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:14,200 When we get to those expositionally, the point is you 599 00:33:14,300 --> 00:33:16,000 that needs to be freely. It's very clear. 600 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,700 Paul says, out of cheerful, not out of compulsion and I mean 601 00:33:19,700 --> 00:33:22,600 that so much that I say, if it's a compulsion stop until that 602 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:24,600 heart is figured out. Like, I mean that go do some 603 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,300 work, we've got let's figure that out, right? 604 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:28,600 Going to look different for everybody. 605 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:31,500 Put a number on it and make a new law is easy. 606 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,700 That's what that ten percent comes from God's Not after your 607 00:33:34,700 --> 00:33:38,600 money, he's after your heart. I believe that's why we're not 608 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:42,700 giving hard and fast guidelines. We can't reduce Union with 609 00:33:42,700 --> 00:33:46,000 Christ to a 10% tithe and again if that's where you want to 610 00:33:46,008 --> 00:33:47,000 start. That's awesome. 611 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,300 There is nothing wrong with that. 612 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:51,900 I'm not demeaning that the Jesus is way bigger than any of, this 613 00:33:51,900 --> 00:33:54,800 is what I'm getting at, okay? And at the end of the day, it's 614 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:58,700 all of Grace we can only freely give when we realize what we've 615 00:33:58,700 --> 00:34:01,900 been freely given and for some people that might be point five 616 00:34:01,900 --> 00:34:06,700 percent like it's okay. At the end of the day, it's all 617 00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:09,800 of Grace Philippians tells us, God will provide every need for 618 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,300 us in accordance with the riches of Jesus. 619 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:16,000 We believe that there is a wealth of treasure at his feet. 620 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,100 There is a feast, awaiting us. So, before you ever start 621 00:34:20,100 --> 00:34:23,000 thinking, what can I do for God, what can I give to him? 622 00:34:23,699 --> 00:34:28,699 First, I implore you to fully receive the feast that's offered 623 00:34:28,699 --> 00:34:32,199 you in the gospel. No Christ and him crucified. 624 00:34:32,500 --> 00:34:35,400 No, the free gift of Grace, offered you in the gospel. 625 00:34:35,500 --> 00:34:39,300 And when we begin to grasp that, then this fruit of the spirit 626 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:44,199 will produce and you a spirit of gratitude and selflessness, so 627 00:34:44,199 --> 00:34:48,000 go and be free in Christ live. In light of that truth. 628 00:34:48,699 --> 00:34:52,500 Jesus is a high priest of the order of Melchizedek and his 629 00:34:52,500 --> 00:34:57,800 life is given freely to you at no cost and for no price, he is 630 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,000 so much better than a tithe five.