POPULARITY
Please turn in your Bibles to Malachi chapter 2. Our sermon text is verses 1-9. That can be found on page 953 in the pew Bible. Last week, we learned that the people had been bringing polluted offerings to the temple. They were supposed to bring unblemished offerings for the sacrifices. Instead, they brought lame and sick and blind animals. By doing so, they were dishonoring the Lord. I usually don't spend a lot of time on sermon titles. But last week's title and this week's title are connected. Last week's title was The Polluted Offerings and the Pure Offering. This week, it's The Polluted Priests and the Perfect Priest. That is because last week's passage and this week's passage are connected. The problem was not only that the people were bringing impure offerings. The problem was also that the priests were allowing it. And not just allowing it, supporting it and failing to lead the people in God's way and will. Let's now come to God's Word Reading of Malachi 2:1-9 Prayer In 1794, a young man was ordained to pastoral ministry in Berlin. He was brilliant and eloquent. This man had studied theology and philosophy at a Protestant university named after the great Martin Luther. As a young pastor, he witnessed the younger generation in Germany walking away from the church. That greatly grieved him, as it should. But, to win them back, he developed a new kind of theology which he hoped would make Christianity more attractive to modern minds. He began to teach that the essence of faith was not trusting in God's revealed truth, but feeling God's presence within. The Bible, he said, was not divine revelation itself, but a record of human experiences with the divine. Repentance gave way to sentiment, and the cross of Christ became a symbol rather than a saving act. His name was Frederich Schliermacher. Sadly, his sermons and teaching spread across Germany. Even worse, after he became a professor at the University of Berlin, his influence spread to all of Europe and into America. In the last two centuries, Schleiermacher's beliefs have led thousands of churches and millions of Christians astray. Few men in modern history have done more to undermine the Gospel while claiming to defend it. I bring this up as an example of what Malachi 2:1-9 warns against. The priests were supposed to lead the people. They were the ones who were to direct the people to the Lord and were to faithfully teach his truth. But they failed. Look down at verse 7. I know we are jumping ahead. But this is an important verse about the role of priests. It says, “For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” The priests were not only to oversee the temple and sacrificial system, but they were to faithfully teach God's truth. By the way, that is different from a prophet. A prophet was given new revelation from God. A priest was to teach what God had already reveled. Does that make sense? Well, as you know, we do not have priests today. No, the priestly function in the Old Testament has been fulfilled in Christ. That is why there are no priests in the New Testament. There are no more animal offerings, because, as a reminder from last week, Jesus offered himself for us as the ultimate offering for sin. However, there are some parallels between priests and pastors… or priests and teachers of God's Word. Both are to direct people to God, and both are to faithfully teach his Word and live out his ways. So, a big part of the application of these verses today is about preachers and teachers. And as you will see, the stakes are high. Now, you may be tempted at this point to check out. Maybe you are thinking, “I'm not called to teach the Bible, so this doesn't really apply to me.” Well, I want to say a couple things. · First, one of the passages we read earlier in the service was from 1 Peter 2. In 1 Peter 2:9, God's people are called a royal priesthood. Maybe you've heard the phrase, “priesthood of all believers.” In some ways, we are all to teach and model God's Word. You may not have a formal teaching role in the church, but you may be called to disciple others at some point in your life. Or if you are married, you have a responsibility to lead or participate in leading your family. · Second, this passage teaches us to know what to look for in a Godly leader in the church. In the Old Testament times, the priests were descendants of Levi, one of Jacob's 12 sons. However, in the New Testament, elders and pastors in the church are appointed by the church. So, we have a responsibility to seek Godly men to lead. I'm just saying that these verses apply to everyone in the church. Which brings us to Malachi 2. We're going to look at three things: #1. The Curse. #2. The Corruption. And #3. The Covenant. 1. The Curse So, number 1. The Curse. Briefly look at verse 1. It says, “And now, O priests, this command is for you.” It's referring to the command in chapter 1 to bring pure offerings. Last week, our focus was on the people bringing their offerings. But the bigger problem was that the priests were letting them. The priests were not rejecting the offerings that the people were bringing. They were not reminding the people of God's command to bring unblemished offerings. Furthermore, the priests were taking the people's polluted offering, and they were the ones sacrificing them on God's altar – polluting God's altar. Also from last week, we saw that the end of chapter 1 was all about honoring the Lord. The people were dishonoring him by bringing inappropriate offerings. But it was the priests who were leading the people to dishonor God. That is why, in chapter 2, verse 2, God warns them. He says, “If you will not listen, if you will not… give honor to my name… then I will send the curse upon you.” That word “curse” is used three times here. God is warning of their damnation if they do not repent. “IF you will not listen or… honor me, THEN I will send the curse upon you.” Well, what was the curse? Three things would happen. · Number 1 – God would curse their blessing. In fact, verse 2 says that he has already cursed their blessing. The priests blessing was their blessing on God's people. Quite often at the end of our worship, Coleman or I will use the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6. You probably know it well, “may the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Aaron was the first High Priest – he was from the tribe of Levi. And he and the priests were to bless the people. Well, God had taken away their blessing. In fact, he had turned their blessing into a curse. Instead of blessing the people… through their words and actions, they were cursing the people. That's very sad. · Number 2 – The Lord also says that he would “rebuke their offspring” – their seed. This is about the Levitical line. You see, these priests were priests because their fathers were priests. Their fathers were priests because their father's fathers were priests. The priests in Malachi 2 were part of the priestly succession going all the way back to Levi. God was saying that their particular branch of the Levitical line would end with each of them. It was a devastating warning for them. · And Number 3 – this one was the worst… and most graphic. Middle of verse 3. “I will spread dung on your faces.” It's referring to the contents of the entrails of the offerings. When the people brought the offerings, the priests prepared the offering. They would remove the inner digestive system. You know, intestines and such. Those things were to be carried off and burned outside the temple area. It was all unclean. God was saying that the priest's acts were so shameful that God metaphorically would spread the unclean intestinal dung on their faces. They were to be carried off like the innards to be burned. It's a stinging warning they would be cursed like the dung. Add those three things together and it is a pretty condemning curse upon them. #2. The Corruption Which brings us to point #2, The Corruption. We're going to move down to the second half of our passage next. We'll come back to the middle section in a minute. We've already looked at verse 7 which is about their responsibility to teach. But now look at verse 8. It begins, “you have turned aside from the way.” The priests own lives did not display the godliness and wisdom of God. They were not living out God's commands. And that makes sense, doesn't it. It stands to reason that if they were not directing the people to fulfill God's commands then they themselves were not doing it. Not in every case, but often a pastor who begins to teach false doctrine or who does not direct his people in righteousness, has himself fallen from the way. And the result of turning aside is found in the second half of verse 8. “You have caused many to stumble by your instruction.” I want you to think of the gravity of what they were doing. The priests were leading people to destruction. That is why the curse, as we just considered, was so condemning! Their sin not only impacted them, it impacted many. A friend once said to me, “you know, all sin is the same before God.” He was trying to argue that his sexual sin was the same as telling a white lie. But that is not true. Yes, each and every sin deserves God's judgment. Our sin, no matter what it is, condemns us before our holy God. No matter our sin, we need Christ. That is all true. However, there are degrees of severity with sin. It is not the same to think of murdering someone in your heart as it is to actually murder someone. Some sin, like actual murder, is more heinous. Some sin is more grievous in God's eyes. All sin deserves God's judgment, but some sin is more severe. And one of the worst sins in all of Scripture is when the leaders of God's people abuse the sheep or lead them astray. Malachi 2 here is just one of several Old Testament judgements against godless and morally corrupt leaders. Ezekiel 34, Isaiah 56, Jeremiah 23, and Zechariah 10 all speak of God's condemnation of the “corrupt” and “worthless” so-called “shepherds” and “watchmen” of Israel. Think of Jesus anger against the Pharisees. Or in James chapter 3, verse 1, it says “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” Now, if you're a math or science or English teacher, the Lord is not necessarily talking about you. Rather, his greater judgment will be upon teachers in the church. That is why the hammer is so heavy here in Malachi 2. They, themselves, had fallen from the way and they were leading people astray. You need to fire me… the moment I begin to teach false doctrine. If I ever start teaching things contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ or in direct contradiction to the Word of God, I should no longer be allowed to be a minster. I think you know this, I'm talking about tier one things that are very clear in Scripture. Things that we share with the Bible-believing Protestant world. For example, that salvation is found in Christ alone. There is no other way. Jesus death on the cross satisfied the wrath of God, for those who believe in him. We receive Jesus' righteous when we come to him by faith and in repentance. And furthermore, that the Bible is the very Word of God. It testifies to its own authority. You should boot me out if I ever undermine essential doctrines like those. You also need to fire me… the moment I commit a sin that undermines my responsibilities… like abuse or infidelity or a pattern of ongoing sin that is not being delt with or of which I will not repent. Obviously, like any elder, I sin and need the grace of God. However, just like the priests of old, a leader in the church should model faith and repentance. 3. The Covenant Which brings us to that very point. #3 The Covenant In the middle verses here, verses 4-6, we are given the picture of what a priest should be like! By the way, you'll see the word “Covenant” used several times in these verse. When I first saw that, I thought it was referring to the Covenant of Grace. You know the covenant that God had established with his people. The Covenant of Grace includes the covenant with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. They all, in different ways, are part of the Covenant promises fulfilled in Christ. After all, verse 7 speaks of life and peace and reverent fear. Those are all benefits of God's Covenant with his people. However, I realized that the word Covenant here is actually referring to the specific responsibility that God had given to Levi and his descendants. Verses 4, 5, and 8, specifically refer to God's “covenant with Levi.” To be sure, the priestly order and responsibilities given to Levi directed God's people to the Messiah, so it's not unrelated. But it's different. By the way, there's not a single passage in the Old Testament which describes the covenant with Levi. However, we are given their priestly responsibilities in the book of Leviticus. That is why it is named Leviticus, of course. Also, we read from Deuteronomy 33 this morning which speaks of God's blessing upon Levi and his descendants. They were to keep the covenant; they were to observe and teach the word. The Levites were also to administer the offerings on the altar, and they were to protect the people from false teachers. And now look at the end of verse 5 into verse 6. “…he feared me.” As we talked about before, that's a reverent worship-filled fear of the Lord. “He stood in awe of my name. [verse 6] True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.” That description is the opposite of the priests of Malachi 2. It's the model. The priests were to give honor to God's name. They were to teach the truth of God's Word. Furthermore, walk with God in uprightness. And instead of leading people astray, they were to turn many people from sin. This is God's call for teachers and pastors in the church. I read a really good book last year. It's titled, Pastor as Leader. The author, John Currie, is a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary. He teaches and trains future pastors. The whole book is about the character and responsibilities of a pastor. The book is very rich and it's full of Scripture. Currie summarizes a pastor's role this way: “for the glory of God, a man of God, appointed by the Son of God and empowered by the Spirit of God, proclaims the word of God so that the people of God are equipped to move forward into the purposes of God together.” That's helpful, isn't it? Let me read that again… [repeat] That really captures the heart of Malachi 2:5-6. This is the kind of pastor that each and every church needs. A man who seeks God's glory and not his own. A man who leads his sheep in God's Word through his Spirit, and who cares for and loves them in Christ. I'll say, it's both sobering and inspiring to me. It's sobering because I know my own weaknesses and propensity for sin. I know I've failed at these responsibilities many times and perhaps even at times have hurt you without even knowing. I feel inadequate. But it's also inspiring because God doesn't call without equipping. He doesn't leave pastors to their own strength. No, God gives clear guidance to the role and responsibilities of a shepherd. His Word clearly reveals his salvation and clearly reveals his truth and his way. God furthermore gives his Holy Spirit to lead in righteousness and truth. And God provides earthly accountability in the process. And there's one more related thing. Look again at verse 6. “True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.” Who is this referring to? Is it referring to Levi? Well, Levi failed in many ways – he was vengeful and a murderer. What about Aaron, one of Levi's descendants? He was Moses's brother and the first High Priest. Is verse 6 referring to him? Well, don't forget that it was Aaron who led the people to melt their gold and create the idolatrous golden calf. He, at first, led many people astray. Verse 6 certainly doesn't describe Aaron's sons, who brought unauthorized fire and experienced God's immediate judgment. In Numbers 25 we are given the example of Aaron's grandson, Phinehas. He was identified as a faithful Levite who fought against unrighteousness. Perhaps verse 6 alludes to him. But in the end, there is only one who meets this description. He is the one in whom all the Levitical requirements are fulfilled. He is the perfect High Priest. Every single word he spoke was true instruction. Absolutely no wrong was found on his lips. He followed the way of God, keeping all the commandments of God. He not only walked in peace, as verse 6 describes, he bought and brought peace with God - peace beyond measure. And last, he turned many from iniquity. And the word “many” is a vast understatements. He had led billions in the way of truth and righteousness. Beloved, this is your Savior Jesus. In him is truth and righteousness, and through him is the only way to God. May each and every one of us as a priesthood of believers look to him for he is the way, the truth, and the life. And may every single pastor and teacher point to him as the great shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep… and may they point to his Word. And may we each follow his lead and model for he is the perfect priest.
Powerful word, perfect priest. Type: Sermon
One way to understand God's plan of salvation for His people is to look at the Old Testament Leaders God appointed. 1) prophets- spokesmen who guided the people 2) priests- ministers who healed the people 3) kings- rulers who protected the people. Each had a role to fulfill if Israel was to thrive. The New Testament reveals Jesus is the Final Prophet, the Perfect Priest, and Consummate King. To be healthy, a Church must recognize and honor Christ in all His Offices. In this sermon, Pastor Joel explains the role of Jesus as our Final Prophet.
Jesus is our Eternal King of righteousness and peace. Jesus is our Perfect Priest who mediates for us and welcomes us in His family.
Sermon on Leviticus 21-22 titled Perfect Priest; Spotless Sacrifice. It was preached by Jeremy Fritz on July 27th, 2025 at Manhattan Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Manhattan, Kansas. You can learn more at ManhattanPres.com
God's Word is alive—and it speaks straight to our hearts. In Hebrews 4–5, we encounter the truth that both convicts and comforts. Learn how the Word and Jesus, our High Priest, meet us in every struggle.
Pastor Ray Bentley says we should intercede for others just as Jesus intercedes for us before the father. Jesus loves you, therefore he talks. Intercession means prayer. He talks to his Father about you because he loves you. When you and I grow in love, we'll start talking to God about our family and our loved ones. Love for God will bring a love for people in our lives.
In the Old Testament. Priests and their idiosyncracies would come and go. But pastor Ray Bentley says, under the New Covenant, Jesus is our priest. The beauty of the New covenant and our perfect grace Jesus. Number one, he is a man. So he resonates with us, but also he is perfect. He never has a bad day. He is always the same.
We have every reason to draw near to Jesus today because he is saving us and serving us forever.
This week Pastor Dave Colburn walks us through Malachi 2:1-9, discussing the importance of God's covenants.
Hebrews 9:1-14 The post Hebrews 9:1-14: Perfect Priest, Perfect Sacrifice appeared first on Christ the King Presbyterian Church.
Hebrews 7:26-28 // Jesus, the sinless and eternal High Priest, offered Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice, surpassing the Levitical system and securing our eternal salvation.Anchor of the Soul // Michael Crosswhite
Matt Ng • Hebrews 7:20–7:28 • Grace on Campus UCLA
Passage: Leviticus 20:26 Sermon Notes: Part 1: Leviticus 20:26 1. Jubilee: A year of Restoration a. The book of Leviticus is to point you towards Holiness i. God dwells with His people 1. Frightening 2. Amazing ii. Levitical laws that allow Gods people to draw close to Him. 1. Law for Holiness in the Priests (Lev 1-15) 2. Law for Holy Place (Day of Atonement) (Lev 16) 3. Law for Holiness in People (Lev 17-27) b. The book of Leviticus is to show you none can be Holy i. You cannot do it on your own c. The book of Leviticus is point you towards Jesus i. True and Perfect Priest, Person, Sacrifice 1. Brings Complete Restoration Luke 4:18-19 ii. He restores us to be a vessel of restoration 1. Restoration of our relationship to HIM 2. Restoration of our own SELF in Light of Jesus 3. Restoration of our relationship to OTHERS 4. Restoration of our relationships with THINGS 5. Restoration of our MISSION to the CITY Part 2: Leviticus 25:8-12; 39-40 1. The Year of Liberty and Release a. Jubilee of the land (Liberty) b. Jubilee of the people (Release) 2. Proclaiming liberty a. Proclaim Liberty for the poor/in need of second chances b. Jesus is true and perfect Jubilee To give please visit: wearetruelove.com/give Join TLC on our social media for updates! YouTube @truelovecommunity Facebook @truelovecommunityministry Instagram @truelovecommunity
In this episode, Caleb is joined by Dennis Johnson (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) professor emeritus of practical theology at Westminster Seminary California and assistant pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Tennessee to discuss his new book, Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims: A Theology of Hebrews. Together, they discuss the purpose, main idea, structure, and key themes as well as teaching tips for better communicating the message of Hebrews to others.Resources:Perfect Priest for Weary Pilgrims: A Theology of Hebrews by Dennis JohnsonHebrews in the ESV Expository Commentary Series by Dennis JohnsonThe Epistle to the Hebrews by F.F. BruceHebrews: Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary by Tom SchreinerThe Teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews by Gerrhardus VosHebrews by Richard PhillipsHebrews by William Lane
Because of what we already have in Christ, what are Christians to do? I. Let us draw near to God in faith, v22. II. Let us hold fast our hope, v23. III. Let us love one another, vv24-25
The Anchor for the Soul: Perfect Priest
In our “Jesus Is” message series we're taking a look at the many facets of Jesus through the book of Hebrews. With so many different definitions of Jesus floating around our culture today we wanted to give you a close look at how the Bible defines Him and see how that definition can actually change your life. No matter what your background or your doubts, you're welcome to explore who Jesus really is with our community. Be blessed as you listen to this word. For more information about our church, visit npfcc.org To help support the ongoing work of NPFCC and our mission partners around the globe, you can make a donation at npfcc.org/give
Why is Jesus able to provide us an eternal salvation? I. He's the flawless high priest, v26. II. He's the final sacrifice, v27. III. He's our forever Mediator, v28.
Pastor Ben Wiechmann preaches on Hebrews 7:26-28 with the theme The Perfect Priest, the Perfect Sacrifice.
When someone loves another so much that it's obvious to everyone around them, they're often described as “wearing their heart on their sleeve.” In medieval times, knights would wear a handkerchief, embroidered with the name of a lady, tied on their sleeves during a tournament. They wanted their love for to be known by all. Wait until you hear what Jesus has worn in love for you, as both the perfect High Priest, and the Sacrifice for all of your sins!
Sunday, February 25, 2024
Kyle Kauffman | Feb. 25 2024 In Hebrews 4:14-5:10 we see Jesus described as a Perfect Priest. While the original readers of Hebrews would have understood their need for a priest, the idea of a priest likely seems foreign to us today. And yet we still look to people to play the role of a priest in our lives. We look to others who will listen to us, understand us, advocate for us, and help to solve our problems. In our day perhaps the people we most often look to as our priests are counselors and therapists. We go to counselors to have them listen to us, offer help to us, and help provide solutions to the problems in our lives. But what we need is not just a counselor or therapist, we need a Priest. Hebrews 4:14-5:10 tells us why we still need a Priest today and why Jesus is the Perfect Priest.
Teaching from Sunday AM service by Pastor Jeff Miles
Main Idea: Jesus, Our Perfect PriestText: John 16:16–24Outline: 1) Jesus, our perfect priest, knows our struggles (vv. 16–19)2) Jesus, our perfect priest, promises joy to match every sorrow (vv. 20–22)3) Jesus, our perfect priest, commands us to entreat God for joy in his name (vv. 23, 24)
Jesus fulfills the Old Testament role of the High Priest - but not just in the ways we expect.
It is difficult to comprehend the gospel's richness without understanding Christ's role as perfect priest. Because we do not live in the same religious and sacrificial system that the early church was so familiar with, we may struggle to savor the nuances of all this divine position entails. Throughout the promises of the old covenant,... The post Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids: Unit 26, Session 4—Jesus Is Our Perfect Priest appeared first on The Gospel Project.
Listen as Pastor Doug Agnew preaches a sermon called The Perfect Priest from Hebrews 5.
"A Perfect Priest" by Pastor Gary EspesethFollow along with today's sermon using the Bible App.http://bible.com/events/49147435Connect with us: crosslakechristian.com/connectGive online: crosslakechristian.com/giveWatch Live Sundays @ 10:45 - live.crosslakechristian.com
Rev. Brian Flamme, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Roswell, NM, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Leviticus 21:1-24. The LORD lays out requirements for priests who will serve in His presence. Because they draw near to God's presence, they must take great care lest any uncleanness from death upon them profane God's holiness. Requirements for a potential wife for a priest further emphasize that he must not be defiled as he serves as a mediator between God and sinners. Physical requirements serve a practical purpose and also emphasize the need for a perfect priest. As the people saw their priests throughout Israel's history, the LORD was teaching them that none of those priests was the completely perfect priest, thus proclaiming Jesus as the Great High Priest who is the sinless mediator between God and men. “The Holiness of God” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Leviticus. Because God desired to dwell among His sinful people for their blessing rather than their destruction, He gave them the sacrifices and regulations of Leviticus to bestow His holiness upon them. In this way, the book of Leviticus points us to Christ who is our great High Priest who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to make us holy before God.
In this episode of Pray the Word on Zechariah 6:12–13, David Platt shows us how Jesus was portrayed in the Old Testament.