Not Who You’d Expect

Preparing for the Lord's Day

Jesus is Better

In professional basketball, as in other sports, people love to rank the all-time best players. This week I heard that NBA All-Star, Steph Curry, was asked to pick his all-time starting five NBA players. He picked Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O’Neal as his top five. As you might expect, there were some who questioned his list. Not for who was on it, but who wasn’t on it.

Of course, we don’t just rank the best athletes, we rank the best restaurants, the best movies, the best songs, and the best vacation spots. And all of these lists, no matter what we’re ranking, are subjective…suited to our own perspectives and preferences.

The writer of Hebrews makes such a list as he names the five most important figures in Israel’s history. He does that so he can show these Jewish Christians how Jesus is the better Savior, the true Messiah. So who’s on that list? Abraham, Moses, Aaron, David and Melchizedek. I doubt we would push back on the first four, but Melchizedek? He’s not who we’d expect to be on that list.

So why is he on the list, especially when he seems more like a footnote in Biblical history or the answer to a Bible trivia question? We answer that question as we look at Hebrews 7:1-10.

As we gather for worship this Sunday, we do so mindful of the greatness of our God and his glorious salvation in Jesus Christ. To give us that mindset, we'll sing "Tell Out, My Soul, the Greatness of the Lord," "Before The Throne of God Above," and "I Know that My Redeemer Lives." To prepare us for the message, I would encourage you to read Hebrews 7:1-10, Genesis 14:18-20 and Psalm 110:4.  

Sermon Information: 

Text: Hebrews 7:1-10

Title: Not Who You’d Expect

Outline:

1. Unexpected Greatness:

2. Unending Greatness:

3. Undeserved Greatness:

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