Our Small Town Summits theme for 2024 is “Our Extraordinary Christ.” All six Summits in the New England states will include expositions from Hebrews as we see together that the supremacy of Christ is rocket fuel for a joyfully tenacious life and ministry. In light of this theme and goal, our Small Town Summits Articles for 2024 will highlight one chapter of Hebrews each month.

Who is that guy? We all have people that we’ve looked up to. Some of the people that I’ve looked up to the most include: Charles Spurgeon, John Piper, Mark Dever, and Derek Jeter.

There are also plenty of names of people that we wouldn’t recognize. When I began serving aspastor at Hebron Church of Hope I encountered a volume of documents from the 1700s and1800s. Not long ago I encountered one of my favorite documents to date. It included the namesof all the pastors who had served the church and for how long they served. My name would bethe 30th on that list of pastors, and the most intriguing name of all was - Benjamin Pomeroy. Pomeroy served as pastor of the church from 1734-1785. His tenure was the longest of any of the pastors in this church’s history by 20 years! His name was not one I had encountered before reading this document, but is now one that I often think of due to his gospel impact. In these records I found that Pomeroy was arrested for causing disorder among the churches through his preaching. Others wrote that he was a gifted orator and unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. An unknown name became a testimony to aspire to.

One name that may be unfamiliar to many is right here in Hebrews 7—Melchizedek. It may come across as unfamiliar, but we’ll find out that it was quite significant. Throughout the book of Hebrews, the author has exposed the immense pressure on those that are seeking to live for the glory of Christ. There is inward pressure as these believers struggle with temptation, with doubts, and with running away and giving up on the faith. There is the outward pressure of living in a society that views following Jesus as foolishness, and from their former community to abandon this new fad and return to the ways of old.

At the end of Hebrews 6 the author delivers a promise of hope to these believers. It is built upon the certainty of God’s action on his promises. He is faithful to his word. The sure and steady anchor of hope for the believer lies in the inner place behind the curtain “where Jesus has gone on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (6:20). The Jews argue that Jesus comes from the wrong tribe and the wrong name. They thought of Jesus as another guy, whose name was insignificant, and whose followers had caused a ruckus. Hebrews shows us that Jesus isn’t just anybody. He is our extraordinary priest. That’s why this quirky chapter, with quirky names matters. It exposes to us what is so extraordinary--the eternal nature of Jesus’s priesthood and the eternal effects of that priesthood.

The Eternal Nature of Jesus’ Priesthood (Hebrews 7:1-10)

Melchizedek is only ever mentioned specifically in Genesis 14. According to Hebrews 7:1-3 he is the king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. He met with Abraham in Genesis 14 after the battle of the kings and received a tithe from him. The author explains a bit more about Melchizedek by way of translating his name. It literally means king of righteousness and king of peace. He further explains in verse 3 that this man has no father or mother or genealogy. That is, he has no beginning record of his life nor ending record of his life. So, the conclusion becomes that “resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever” (7:3). This is significant because the Jews would have been standing on the certainty of their inheritance because of the blessing passed down through Abraham. Abraham was the great figurehead of their faith. There is one problem though—Abraham has a beginning and ending. The author of Hebrews, however, shows that Abraham looked to Melchizedek as a superior. “See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!” (7:4). There is another issue too: the descendants of Levi take tithes from the people and their brothers, receiving blessing from their brothers. Melchizedek received blessing from Abraham and blessed Abraham who had the promises. The point is clear—Melchizedek comes from an order that is different from that of the Levites. Their order is mortal, and his is eternal.

What does this imply for those serving in small places?

Exalt Jesus not yourself. The name of our king and priest is the one that saves. Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Your name may fade into volumes of books that are stored away in a barn for years. Yet what’s most significant isn’t necessarily if you’re remembered. It’s whether or not you’ve proclaimed the name of Jesus. Set your aim on exalting Christ and not yourself.

Learn to value good fruit that’s come before you. My predecessor had to make some really tough calls. The church he walked into had more people interested in their family heritage than in their gospel heritage. The building and many of its books and resources had become idols to be worshipped. He had to remove these stumbling blocks, some literally physically and others figuratively, in order to get back to what was most important—the gospel. Despite those tough calls he had an appreciation for how the Lord had shown his faithfulness over a period of time there. I’m so glad for the fruitful labor he put in to remove distractions and place the Word in the center of the life of the church again.

The passage doesn’t end with this eternal note. It’s not just that Melchizedek had no beginning or end, or that he served as a priest and king. The point is that Jesus’s eternal kingly priesthood delivered on promises that the mortal one could not.

The Eternal Effects of That Priesthood (Hebrews 7:11-28)

There are at least four ways that the rest of this passage lays out the effects of Jesus’s eternal kingly priesthood. Jesus delivers a perfect conscience, unending access to God, a better covenant, and never-ending intercession.

First, Jesus delivers a perfect conscience (vv.11-14). The Law of the Old Testament could not bring perfection. In fact, in Romans 2:12-29 Paul tells us that the Law was given to show us our need for God because of sin. The author of Hebrews makes the point that if the law was perfect, we would not need to have another priest after Melchizedek.

Second, Jesus delivers unending access to God (vv.15-19). As priest after priest died the people remained far off from God. The only way that they could draw near was through the intercessory work of the priest. Jesus though does not die. He is indestructible. By his work on the cross for our sins and resurrection from the grave we have life in God. As we draw near to Jesus we draw near to God.

Third, Jesus delivers a better covenant (vv.20-24). The guarantee of this covenant is set in the Lord’s unwavering will. God established the oath that Jesus would serve in this way. He continues to serve because he is without end. Therefore, we have in Jesus a continual intercessor and continued access to God.

Fourth, Jesus never stops interceding for us (vv.25-28). Notice the way the author describes this, “he is able to save to the uttermost.” It’s not just that he is capable, but that there is nothing that can stop him! Jesus the intercessor doesn’t just do the work of intercession, he does it perfectly! He is described in verse 26 as holy, innocent, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need to offer up sacrifices for his sin because he offered himself up. God’s appointment of Jesus to this work is forever and better.

What does this imply for those in small places?

Run to Jesus. What brings you worry in your ministry? Is it your lack of preparation? Is it that you’re not sure you were clear in your expectations and communication with a church member? Is it that the budget doesn’t seem to be adding up? Is it that sin is wreaking havoc in the church body? There is only one solution for all our worries in ministry: run to Jesus. Cast all your cares on Him. As Matthew 11:28 says “come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

Use the access. How do we draw near and access God? One of the ways that the Bible answers this is through prayer. In John Currie’s book “The Pastor As Leader” he develops a theology and practice of pastoral leadership. The first practice he writes of is prayer. We often put prayer at the tail end of things or as the add-on to ministry. What if instead, we ran to God in prayer first? The solution may be found here!

Take heart in his intercession. When you don’t know the answer to the immediate problem in gospel work remember who is interceding for you: Jesus. As Hebrews 4:14-16 reminds us, “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Jesus is our extraordinary priest who eternally reigns as King and delivers eternal results in his service to us.