Christ: The Perfect High Priest and New Covenant

Heaven and earth are perfectly united in Jesus Christ, who is not a mere copy or shadow of God’s nature, but the exact imprint—God in the flesh. Through Christ, our sin and fallen nature are no longer barriers to the presence of God; his perfection has wiped away our sin, granting us full access to God’s presence. This is something the old covenant and its priesthood could never accomplish. The old system, with its rituals and sacrifices, was only a shadow, a pattern pointing to the ultimate reality that would come in Christ.

Hebrews 8 reveals that Jesus is our high priest, seated at the right hand of the throne of majesty in heaven. He is both the perfect priest and the perfect sacrifice, having offered himself once for all. Unlike the earthly priests, who served in a sanctuary made by human hands and offered sacrifices repeatedly, Jesus ministers in the true, heavenly sanctuary. His priesthood is not just morally perfect, but it is the fulfillment—the perfection—of what the priesthood was always meant to be. He is the champion who stands between God and humanity, and now, having accomplished his work, he is seated, signifying completion and authority.

The old covenant, with its patterns and rituals, was a necessary accommodation for fallen humanity, providing a way to approach God through copies and shadows of heavenly realities. Every detail of the tabernacle, every act of worship, was meant to point beyond itself to something greater. Yet, these acts were only meaningful when they were connected to heaven—when they embodied true, heavenly meaning. Without that connection, even the right actions were empty.

In Christ, the new covenant has come. This covenant is not based on our ability to keep rules, but on God’s promise and Christ’s faithfulness. God’s law is now written on our hearts; we know him directly, from the least to the greatest. We no longer need to strive to enter God’s presence or perform rituals to be accepted. In Christ, we are already seated with him in the heavenly places. Our worship, our creativity, our very lives can now embody true heavenly meaning, because heaven and earth are united in him. We are called to create, to live, and to worship in spirit and truth, making visible the invisible realities of heaven in our everyday lives.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus is the true and perfect high priest, not just a moral example but the fulfillment of all that the priesthood was meant to be. His perfection is not abstract; it is the completion of the role Adam failed to fulfill, and through his suffering and obedience, he became the source of eternal salvation. In him, we see the union of heaven and earth, and through him, we have access to the very presence of God. [14:56]
• 2. The old covenant and its priesthood were only copies and shadows of heavenly realities. Every ritual, every detail of the tabernacle, was designed to point to something greater, but in themselves, they could not bring perfection or true access to God. The meaning of these acts was only realized when they were connected to the heavenly reality they symbolized. [25:54]
• 3. True worship is not about external actions or rituals, but about embodying heavenly meaning. Actions without connection to heaven are empty, no matter how correct they appear. God desires worship in spirit and truth—a union of the visible and invisible, where our hearts and actions are aligned with the reality of God’s presence. [32:30]
• 4. In the new covenant, God’s law is written on our hearts, and we know him directly. Our relationship with God is no longer mediated by rituals or human priests, but by Christ himself. This means that every believer, regardless of background or knowledge, has full access to God and can live out the reality of his presence. [41:52]
• 5. Our creativity and daily lives are now empowered to embody heavenly truth. Because Christ is our mediator and we are seated with him, we can create art, music, stories, and acts of service that truly reflect the realities of heaven. We are called to make visible the invisible, to be participants in the new creation, and to point the world not to ourselves, but to Jesus—the true Mr. Perfect. [49:48]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:03] - Introduction to Hebrews 8 and Bible Study
• [02:18] - Invitation to Deeper Study and Context
• [03:33] - The High Priesthood of Christ
• [08:20] - Mr. Perfect: Wrestling and the Creator’s Vision
• [10:05] - Adam’s Calling and the Broken Relationship
• [12:17] - The Point: Our High Priest
• [14:56] - The Perfection of Jesus’ Priesthood
• [16:19] - Jesus as Champion and Mediator
• [18:01] - Perfection Through Suffering
• [19:35] - Christ’s Ongoing Ministry in Heaven
• [23:27] - Earthly Priesthood: Copies and Shadows
• [25:54] - The Meaning Behind the Tabernacle
• [28:33] - Shadows, Meaning, and True Worship
• [32:30] - Worship: Heaven and Earth United
• [34:13] - Patterns, Meaning, and the Blueprint
• [39:02] - The New Priesthood and Better Promises
• [41:52] - The New Covenant: Law on Our Hearts
• [45:47] - Worship in Spirit and Truth
• [46:36] - Creativity and Embodying Heavenly Truth
• [47:52] - The New Covenant Meal
• [49:48] - Creating Symbols of Heavenly Reality
• [50:44] - Seated with Christ: Our Perfection
• [51:33] - The Ultimate Sacrifice and Victory
• [52:49] - Jesus: Forever Mr. Perfect

Bible Reading

Hebrews 8 (ESV) — Now the point in what we are 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. 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, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 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 is enacted on better promises.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”
In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Observation Questions

1. According to Hebrews 8, what is different about the place where Jesus serves as high priest compared to the earthly priests? (see vv. 1-2)
2. What does the passage say about the old covenant and its rituals—how are they described in relation to Christ? (see vv. 4-5)
3. What does God promise to do in the new covenant regarding his law and our relationship with him? (see vv. 10-12)
4. In the sermon, what was the significance of the “pattern” God gave Moses for the tabernacle? [[35:45]]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says Jesus is not just a moral example, but the fulfillment of what the priesthood was always meant to be. Why is it important that Jesus is described as the “exact imprint” of God’s nature and not just a copy or shadow? [[40:38]]
2. The old covenant rituals were called “copies and shadows” of heavenly realities. What does it mean for an action or ritual to be empty if it’s not connected to heaven? [[32:30]]
3. The new covenant is described as God’s law written on our hearts, and that “we all know him, from the least to the greatest.” How does this change the way we approach God compared to the old system? [[41:52]]
4. The sermon talks about Jesus being “seated” at the right hand of God, signifying completion and authority. What does it mean for us that Jesus is seated and that we are “seated with him”? [[50:44]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon says that in Christ, our sin and fallen nature are no longer barriers to God’s presence. Is there anything in your life right now that makes you feel distant from God? How does the truth of Jesus’ finished work challenge those feelings? [[41:52]]
2. The old covenant rituals were only meaningful when they were connected to heaven. Are there any “rituals” or habits in your spiritual life that have become empty or disconnected from real meaning? What would it look like to reconnect them to God’s presence? [[32:30]]
3. The new covenant means we don’t have to strive to be accepted by God or perform rituals to enter his presence. Do you ever find yourself trying to “earn” God’s approval? What would it look like to rest in the access Jesus has already given you? [[41:52]]
4. The sermon says our worship, creativity, and daily lives can now embody true heavenly meaning. Is there a specific area of your life—work, art, relationships, service—where you want to invite God’s heavenly reality to be more visible? What’s one step you could take this week? [[46:36]]
5. The preacher encouraged us to “make visible the invisible realities of heaven” in our everyday lives. Can you think of a recent moment where you saw or experienced this? How could you intentionally create more of these moments? [[49:48]]
6. The new covenant means every believer, no matter their background or knowledge, has full access to God. How does this truth affect the way you see yourself and others in the church? Are there ways you can encourage someone else to live in this reality? [[41:52]]
7. The sermon talked about Jesus as “Mr. Perfect” who fulfilled what Adam and every priest failed to do. How does knowing Jesus is your perfect mediator change the way you pray, worship, or face challenges? [[14:56]]