Strathalbyn Church of Christ

Sometimes there can be a ‘falling out’ or breakdown in a relationship between two people, or between 2 groups, and someone is needed to bring the two together into harmony and to restore the relationship. We might call such a person a ‘mediator’ or a ‘go-between’, or an ‘intermediary’. In the Jewish religion such a person was called a ‘priest’ or ‘high priest’

In the Bible reading for today from the letter to the Hebrews we hear how Jesus Christ is the high priest we all need; and so this morning I’d like to think with you about Jesus being our high priest.

Let’s start by going back to the reading and hearing about the job or role of a Jewish high priest (ch 5) “Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”

And so the high priest was a representative of the people and related the people to God. He went to God, approached God, as their representative. In short, he got the people near God as the vital link between God and the people.

In the Old Testament God had made it very clear that only qualified priests and supremely the High Priest, were to enter his sanctuary in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and later the Temple, offering sacrifices and prayers for the people.

But why did they need a high priest or mediator or go-between? In short, because God is holy, pure, and light, in whom there is no darkness, and sinners aren’t fit to come too close.

Protestant Christians have rightly understood the New Testament teaching about the priesthood of all believers, each able to come to the throne of grace; but we still need a High Priest in the presence of God himself. In Jesus we have such a one, as we hear in today’s passage. Let me re-read the opening verse.

“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.” Heb. 4:14

Now the writer to the Hebrews is writing to Hebrew Christians, Jews who have come to believe in Jesus, and these people were being persecuted and tempted to go back to the safety of Judaism which was a legal religion at the time.

But this would mean denying Jesus; so the writer writes to show them that in Jesus they now have the best High Priest, so “hold fast your confession”, he says.

Now we aren’t Jews or Hebrews so we may not relate as well to this letter as they would have. However, we too can be strengthened and encouraged by this letter to continue on with Jesus because there is none better; he’s the best.

And one of the ways Jesus is better is that he is a better High Priest than all others. Why is that?

I want to share five reasons from this letter why, and so, why Jesus is the High Priest we, and everyone needs.

What we are going to think about is pretty meaty, solid food, so we will need to keep chewing! ( Let’s hope we’ve all got a good set of teeth!)

These 5 reasons why Jesus is the better High Priest could be summarised in the acronym ‘babes’ to help us to remember.

B for ‘Blameless’.

Jesus was blameless - that is without blame, or blemish, without stain or sin.

Now all other high priests needed to offer sacrifices for their own sins as well as for those of the people, but Jesus didn’t have any sins of his own for which to offer sacrifice.

All other high priests, we are told in this letter, were beset with weakness and so bound to offer sacrifice for their own sins as well as for those of the people. But although Jesus was “tempted at all points, yet he didn’t sin.”

However, because he experienced temptations he is able to be a sympathetic high priest who can sympathise with our weaknesses.

And so B for blameless - that’s one reason why Jesus is the better High priest we need.

A for Appointed.

Jesus was appointed by God.

Well, you can’t be appointed by anyone higher than God. Jesus was appointed by God as his Son; “he was appointed by God who said to him, ’’You are my Son, today I have begotten you.“ That’s the second reason why Jesus is the better High priest we need.

So, B for Blameless;

A for Appointed.

And now another B for Better.

Jesus offered a better sacrifice, and the letter to the Hebrews goes into this in some detail; so let’s think about this.

Christ offered a better sacrifice

1. because of what he offered,
2. because it only needed to be offered once,
3. because of what his sacrifice achieved.

We will take each of these 3 things in turn.

Firstly, Christ offered a better sacrifice because of what he offered. All other high priests offered an animal - for example, a lamb without defects, but Jesus offered himself. “our high priest offered himself to God as a single, sacrifice for sins, good for all time.”

He is “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”.

He is the lamb of God without defects - he had lived a perfectly obedient life. He could say “I always do what pleases my Father.”

Ultimately this was seen in his willingness to accept his Father’s will as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane shortly before his capture and cross -

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as you will.”

Jesus offered a better sacrifice because of what he offered - the voluntary sacrifice of a totally obedient life.

And Christ offered a better sacrifice because it only needed to be offered “once for all.” While all other priests offered the same sacrifices again and again, Jesus “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins.”

But why did all the other priests need to offer the same sacrifices ‘“again and again” ?

Well if you have to repeat something again and again it tells you that it is not complete, it is not achieving the desired result. This letter tells us “these sacrifices can never take away sins”, and “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

On the other hand, Jesus cried out on the cross, just before he died, _“It is finished!” (_This is the single word ‘tetelestai’).

John Stott says, ‘Being in the perfect tense, it means ‘it has been and will

forever remain finished.’

Jesus accomplished what he came into the world to do. He has borne the sins of the world. Deliberately, freely and in perfect love, he has endured the judgement in our place. He has procured salvation for us. At once the curtain of the Temple, which for centuries had symbolised the alienation of sinners from God, was torn in two from top to bottom, in order to demonstrate that the sin-barrier had been thrown down by God, and the way into his presence was opened.

‘And on the 3rd day he was raised from the dead.”

God reversed the human verdict that had condemned Jesus, and vindicated Him, decisively demonstrating that he had not died in vain!.

“It is finished!” No other high priest who offered other sacrifices, ever made such a statement.

This letter to the Hebrews tells us, “But when Christ had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.”

What do you do at the end of the day after work is finished? You sit down.

Or, if you go to a restaurant, say for an evening meal, you see some sitting and a few standing. The ones sitting have finished work for the day, while the ones standing are still working as the staff.

When Jesus “had offered for all time one sacrifice for sin, he sat down at the right hand of God.”

This emphasises that he achieved at last what sacrifice was meant to do. And this brings us onto the 3rd reason why Jesus offered a better sacrifice -

namely, because of what his sacrifice achieved.

So what did his sacrifice achieve?

I now refer to some things brought to our attention in this letter to the Hebrews; I have put them under 4 P’s - purify, penalty, presence, perfect.

Purify

Let me read from ch 9, “under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God.”

His sacrifice achieved a purified conscience for us.

Penalty

“For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.” 9:15

His sacrifice achieved our freedom from the penalty of sins.

Presence

ch 10 “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.” 10:19

“And since we have a great high priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him.”

Christ’s sacrifice achieved our open entry into God’s presence.

Perfect

“For by that single offering he perfected for ever those who have been set apart for God.” 10:14

The word perfect here means ‘complete, whole’.

He has made you complete in Christ. It is all there, once and for all.

You have all you need in Christ.

Nothing needs to be added to his work.

Coming back now to “Babes”, the next letter is

E for Everlasting.

Jesus is a better High Priest than all because his priesthood is ‘everlasting’.

Let me read, “The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Heb 7:23-25

Why is Jesus able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him? “since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Jesus will never have to stop praying for you because he always lives, he continues for ever. When Jesus prays he gets answers; and he ever lives to intercede for us.

When Jesus was on earth he prayed for Peter.

He said “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31,32

And so, Christ’s priesthood is everlasting, therefore he ever lives to intercede for us.

The next letter of our little word Babes is

S for suffered.

A fifth reason why Jesus is a better High priest and the one we all need, is because he suffered and has been made perfect. Let me read from today’s passage.

“Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”

“Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered”,

doesn’t imply that before he suffered he was disobedient. Rather he learnt from personal experience the real meaning and cost of obedience when suffering is involved.

In the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus went with his disciples to pray, his sweat was like great drops of blood. He learnt obedience the hard, not easy way. “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours be done.”

This cup was the cup of taking the judgment for the sins of the world, including mine and yours.

“and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him”.

In other words, because of all this, Jesus is fully fitted or qualified, to be our High priest and source of eternal salvation.

Let’s summarise the 5 reasons we have looked at the why Jesus is the better high priest we all need and have.

B.A.B.E.S.

Jesus is the better high priest because -

he is blameless;

because he was appointed by God;

because he offered a better sacrifice;

because his priesthood is everlasting;

and because he learned obedience through what he suffered and has been made perfect.

And now to encourage us let’s hear again these words in today’s passage.

“(For) we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted at all points, just as we are, yet without sinning.” 4:15

Apparently the phrase, “at all points” is a technical phrase taken from a soldier’s armour.

In a suit of armour, its plates are riveted together, but there are always some places that are weak. We call them chinks in the armour; that’s so the armour can move.

And so, Jesus was tempted at his most sensitive points; at all ‘chinks’, if you like.

Having felt the pressure, Jesus is a high priest who understands and can sympathise with our weakness. Jesus understands and feels for us when we are

conscious of our weaknesses.

And so, knowing Jesus can sympathise with our weaknesses and can help us, we are encouraged to do something. And what is that?

“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.” Heb. 4:16.

We need not draw back because of failure or shame; we won’t be turned away. It is a ‘throne’, yes, but a throne “of grace”.

We can come to receive mercy for the past if we have fallen, and grace to help in our time of need.

This morning we have been thinking about our high priest or mediator Jesus Christ, the Son of God, His divinity qualifies him, and him alone, to represent God to us; and it is his humanity he took back to heaven when he ascended that uniquely qualifies him to be our ideal representative before God. His own experience of temptation and suffering gives him sympathy for our weaknesses.

And he ‘is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Heb. 7:25, Rom 8:34

If no one else is praying for you, he is!

In fact, he speaks to the Father in our defence, if, as a Christian we sin - provided we have confessed it in repentance. And he invites us to use his name when we pray to our Father.

How necessary and good it is that we have such a High Priest to speak and act for us in highest heaven; His name is Jesus.

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Series: Hebrews

Topics: #Hebrews