Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Notes

Note God is human now, which is astounding

He learned obedinance not by gaining some perfection which he lacked, but by experianceing imperfection which was alien to Him

Hebrews 4:14–5:10 ESV

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. 1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

High Priest

Passing through the heavens comparasion with Joshua crossing over the Jordan

Yet His is a more perfect victory in a more perfect promised land

Joshua warred for seven years in three days Christ conquered heaven and earth declaring all authority in heaven and on earth had been given Him

We covered this back in 2:8 but its good to go over again, why not yet? Why is the world still bad

Arrow analogy

But why not now, because while the author of play may be in the play as an actor, the moment he steps onto the stage as author, the play is over.

C. S. Lewis analogy Frenchmen and lying down

Despite His glory and power He can still sympathize

Like the passage from Isaiah man of sorrows

In every respect tempted yet without sin

Narrow in, it may be easy to think that He living in the first century is unfamilar with modern temptations

No temptation but which is common to mankind

What a comfort! He knows every temptation and trial we go through, which leads to the next part

We can have confiedence to draw near to throne of grace to recieve mercy and help becasue on that throne sits a very peculiar king

A king who begged, who cried, who was hurt, who died and yet lived

Think back to a moment when you were utterly broken and praying because you didn’t know what else to do.

Now see yourself on your knees in that moment before the throne of God making your plea. Christ seated at the right hand of the Father turns and intercedes for you knowing what you need in that moment more than you do yourself. Because He went thorugh on His knees in the garden praying and begging swetting blood in agony.

Before the throne of God above we find mercy to cleanse of sin and grace to stand firm

To say though He was troubled and tempted is not to say He sinned

More full knowledge of sin since spotless

Did not chose the honor but was place on Him almost as a burden by God

Did not seize an honor but was bestowed on Him

He offered up prayer and was heard not because He was the Son of God but because of His reverence

Note it says days plural

Learned obedience does not imply imperfection nor does being made perfect either

Rather what is the thing a perfect God might know, but hadn’t experianced. Imperfection

Aseity of God, pain sorrow, want experienced for the first time

Courage Chesterton

Son always obeyed Father and lived it out the fire of human experience proving His perfection

Source of salvation is not some path or knowledge but a man

Forever after Melechizdiak king of peace and king of righteousness

Application of idea

God is human, think about that for a second

Matter of fact think about God for a minute without thinking about Christ

Try to think about God without any human features, without a face, without a body, unbound by time or place

Realize again the glory of the Incarnation

To paraphrase John 1 God became and man and lived with us

God has a face like yours, like mine with eyes, teeth a nose, hair, not even neglecting the silly things we call eyebrows

The ruler of all creation has a body like yours and mine

Now do the opposite think about Christ as a man without mixing in His divinity

I think while can say and know intellectually that Christ is fully God and fully man we end up thinking of Him as human on the outside and God on the inside

So for the moment think of Christ as a man, a normal man and you will be much closer to the truth than we normally are

It was a man who cried out in agony in the garden, it was a man who was beaten mocked and crucified, it was a man who died, He is the man is raised and seated at the right hand of God enthroned over all creation

That is why we must insist that Christ is not just God looking like a man or some blend of God and man, but fully man. 100% God 100% man

For if He was only God disguised as a man He could not be a perfect high preist, He would not have suffered temptation like we do, know pain like we do, sorrow like we do

But He did

Becoming our perfect high priest He suffered all the pain of our imperfect state while remaining perfect Himself

That is our high priest, our source of salvation, our king of righteousness and our king of peace, our Brother. For as He reunites man and God in His resurrection so also are God and man united in His person

Application of Action

Application Idea vs Action

Draw near to the throne of grace to the perfect man and perfect mediator

In every circumstance of testing or of failure

Like we said last week go to Him all you who are weary and heavy laiden and He will give you rest.

Hunter’s best/worst moment student telling him sucked at his job

He hopes students remeber genuine love and care geniune love and care and relationship with wife and kids

Remember its all about Him