Introduction
Psalm 121:1–2 (ESV) — 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
- Human, you need help.
Hebrews: Jesus makes God's help available to you.
- The author had hinted at the high priestly ministry of Christ already, but now he is going to fully develop the thought.
- The next 4-5 chapters will deal with his modern high priestly ministry.
- In a sense, we are getting back to the thought of the letter, but he was forced to exhort his readers to continue on in faith.
Today:
Who is Jesus?
- Our great high priest.
- Why is he great?
How should I respond?
Hold fast your confession.
Draw near to the throne of grace.
14 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. 15 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. 16 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.
Who Is Jesus?
14 Since then we have a great high priest
Our great high priest.
This is a significant message in Hebrews, so we should focus on it for a moment today.
How they understood the high priest's office:
- He served as a representative and mediator between the people and God.
- He descended from Moses' older brother, Aaron, who was the first one.
- He was to make sure the covenant was enforced, and to encourage people to complete the duties of the sacrificial system in the law of Moses.
- He was supposed to be godly, but often was not.
- He handled sacrifices regularly, and annually went into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).
But JESUS is our great high priest.
In the following chapters, we will learn that Jesus is our true and great high priest today. We will learn what he does for us.
- But the author begins with a few amazing details.
14 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. 15 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.
What makes him great?
Jesus Is Our Great High Priest, Reason #1 -- He passed through the heavens. (14).
- He's gone into the very presence of God (Good News Translation)
- The high priest went into the emblem, but Jesus went into the reality (see Hebrews 10:1 -- but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form).
- New Testament witness:
- Luke 24:51 (ESV) — 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
- New Testament witness:
- The Holiness of God:
- 1 Timothy 6:16 (ESV) — 16 ...who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see....
- Separate from the ordinary or profane -- moral purity.
- But also transcendent and above -- majestic, different.
- Remember: The high priest could only take them into the Holy Of Holies once per year, and that was a mere representation of the real throne-room of God, but Jesus went into the real thing.
- You must put yourself in the shoes of the worshipper on this point. Waiting. Hoping. Dreaming. Wishing. Wanting. Hoping. Annually.
Jesus Is Our Great High Priest, Reason #2 -- He is Jesus, the Son of God (14).
- Mentioned for two reasons:
- He has a better line than Aaron.
- Israelite High Priest: From Aaron, Levi, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham.
- But we will discuss his line later (Melchizedeck).
- Israelite High Priest: From Aaron, Levi, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham.
- He is human and divine.
- He has a better line than Aaron.
- Mentioned for two reasons:
Jesus Is Our Great High Priest, Reason #3 -- He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (15).
Why does he change from the positive to the negative form? We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.
- Perhaps the writer feels an objection swelling: Hey, Jesus, as the Son of God, is too distant from us. With the temple and the high priest we have something we can relate to!
- So he responds by saying that Jesus can!
- Categories of weakness:
- Physical
- Moral
- Spiritual
- Intellectual
- Personality
- Perhaps the writer feels an objection swelling: Hey, Jesus, as the Son of God, is too distant from us. With the temple and the high priest we have something we can relate to!
How can Jesus sympathize with our weaknesses? He was in every respect tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus was tempted to a greater degree that anyone else.
- Luke 4:2 (ESV) — 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.
Jesus dealt with temptation with full resistance, meaning he knows the full extent of temptation's force.
- 1 John 3:5 (ESV) — 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
Jesus, on the cross, became familiar with sin.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) — 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
- Isaiah 53:4–5 (ESV) — 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Through all that, he sympathizes with us humans.
- Lusts / Attractions / Tempers / Anger / Foolishness / Shortsightedness / Greed / Hate / Sins / Imperfections
How Should I Respond?
14 ...let us hold fast our confession.
16 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.
Hold fast your confession.
Confession: The gospel.
Context: Jesus is enough.
Hold fast to that gospel confession.
Become willing to live as an exile.
Jeremiah 29:7 (ESV) — 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
1 Peter 2:11 (ESV) — 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Draw near to the throne of grace.
Definition: The throne of grace is the place where the sovereign God of the universe reigns, and dispenses grace for his people.
Attitude: With confidence.
- The Holy God, we now approach him with confidence.
- Other translations: Bravely, boldly, courageously, without fear, with a joyful heart!
- Ephesians 3:12 (ESV) — 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
- Romans 8:15–16 (ESV) — 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God...
- This is a shocking announcement that we have the true rights of priestly approach granted to us.
- Bottom line: What the high priest did on the day of Atonement, we can do at all times.
Why?
- To receive mercy -- for failures.
- To find grace -- for fruitfulness.
When? In time of need.
What? Draw near to the throne of grace.
- Isaiah 55:6 (ESV) — 6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near...
How Is That Response Different From Other Religious Messages?
- He understands and can sympathize with our weaknesses and temptations.
- His throne is one of grace now.
- He delivers both mercy and grace.
- He delivers them in our time of need.