OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST

Our Great High Priest 

Scripture: Heb 4:15

Theme: To know and understand that our high priest will forever be the answer

Intro: 

Problem and solution… the concept is used every day in society whether you notice it or not

The concept is broken down like this “you have a problem. A challenging situation, issue, or obstacle

And then the solution is the remedy or action you take or use to fix the problem which is at hand

For example if the problem at hand is that you are sick  well then the solution would be medicine

If the problem at hand is that you are hungry your solution would be to eat

I am not telling you anything you don't already know, but i have a question for you, what if the problem at hand is so severe that it doesn't seem like there is any hope.

What if the problem at hand seems so great that your faith in a solution is close to none,

 what if the problem at hand is so overwhelming and almost unbearable that it causes you to try something that seems like it could be a great solution but in reality it jus lead to a bigger problem

Or what about this? What if the problem is so big in your life that you just ignore it and move it to the side. And when you come back to fix it, the problem has grown…

The problem 

The solution 

The invitation 

The Problem: Sin 

A. The problem

We have a problem in this world… and it has reigned for a very long time. This problem has brought evil, pain, suffering, murder, idolatery, and so on into this world that it made men unrighteous in the sight of God.

It is the transgression against God, it is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, it has shaped the way ppl live, think, act, speak because this world has submitted to it and its wickedness IT IS SIN

The beginning of the problem (Gen 3:6-13) 

It is the beginning of sin, the beginning of man’s unrighteousness and wrong doing against God, it is when the problem of this world was laid down…

One simple mistake changed the course of life going from living in perfect harmony with our God, living in the garden of eden without sin or death, no weakness, no shame, no brokenness, only peace and love built on an eternal relationship with God

Instead of having pureness, goodness, and peace, with a perfect relationship with God we received a life where we are separated from God. That's a scary problem to be separated from God

Separation (Isa 59:1-4) Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, nor does anyone plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.”

The separation of God was the fall of mankind and will forever be the fall of mankind

Because when you are separated from God you are separated from forgiveness, grace, and mercy.

You become alienated which means you are disconnected with what he has to offer you. Why? because we decided to go our own way…

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way

Gone astray, separated from our shepard, what happens when a sheep is separated from his shepherd? Predators and wolves come seeking to devour the sheep. Death is what happens… 

Death

You see you can have a problem that doesn't need an urgent solution but when the problem can bring forth death and not just a physical death but a spiritual death that's when things should start to get serious in our lives…

Spiritual death has reigned in this world for a long time simply because people don't take the problem of sin seriously.

Why do people not take the problem of sin seriously? Where there is sin there is separation from God, where there is separation from God there is darkness, where there is no darkness there is no light, where there is no light there are inequities and where there is inequity there is death. It is a problem that needs to be handled asap.

Rom 6:23 the price you will have to pay if you keep living with the problem of sin and choosing not to deal with it will be death, the price you have to pay if you choose to love the problem more than the solution will be death the price you will have to pay if you do not turn to the solution will beee death…

This is no ordinary physical death, no this is punishment of fire… a punishment of eternal pain and suffering, a punishment to where Christ says it is better to cut thy hand off or pluck out thy eye rather than dealing with the punishment of sin… 

Example

Take those for example in Gen 6:5-7

THIS PROBLEM OF SIN REIGNED SO BAD THAT GOD SAID HE REGRETTED MAKING MEN ON THIS EARTH. AND WHAT WAS THE WAGE OF THIS PROBLEM DEATH… God said he will destroy man and he was sorrowful that he made them…

What about those of sodom and gomorrah Gen 19:13-15

Sin… it ruled in the city of sodom and gommorah… what was the price they had to pay… death… angels were sent to destroy the city so he told lot leave you and your family lest you be consumed by the punishment by the death of the city… 

What about when Achan sinned against God

Achan fell into sin under the aspect of the lust of the eyes

“When i saw the beautiful babylonian garment, when i saw two hundred shekels of silver, When i saw the wedge of gold that weighed 50 shekels

He sinned against the lord and not only was death brought upon him but it was brought upon the 36 men that died in the battle of Ai, his very own family. He and his family were stoned and burned with fire because sin brings forth death…

If you have this problem reigning in your life you are putting yourself and possibly people you are close to in danger also…

Where sin reigns, death reigns just as much…

Is this problem reigning in your life?? Is it a great burden that you keep pushing to the side to deal with later? Or answer this are you feeding and building the problem up…

You see that the problem is there. Do not act oblivious to the problem (James 4:17)

2. The solution (Our great high priest) 

Was the solution

The problem of sin is scary, frightful, and what seems to be hopeless thought, but I know that for just about every problem there is a solution. And the solution I know has already defeated the problem of sin. That solution being Jeus Christ

Gen 3:15, at this point it was set in stone, he was going to come out on top…

Isaiah 25:8-9 he was going to without a shadow of a doubt come out on TOP…

he was going to be our victory, he was going to be our solution he was he was he was but now he is.

Is still the solution

1 Cor 15:55-57 O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

He is our solution, he is our victory, he is our savior, he is our living hope. Have you turned to our solution Jesus Christ for the problem of sin. That is the question… 

Have you taken the problem of sin off your shoulders and gave it to Christ our solution 

John 14:6

In a short summary jesus said i am the solution to the worlds problem (Sin) 

WAY (Acts 4:12) no man can save you from the problem of sin except Jesus Christ

To be saved you must get rid of that problem of sin and the only way to get rid of that problem is through Jesus Christ 

Truth (John 8:32) what does the truth do? Sets you free, free from what? The problem of sin. 

Life.. you want to leave that problem of sin behind and get to heaven, you must choose life. 

Was named the solution in Gen 3:15, was named the solution in Matthew 1:21, proclaimed to be the solution in John 14:6, and even until this day he still is the solution

He is the solution 

No matter what buddha is not the solution, the pope is not the solution, alcohol is not the solution, money is not the solution, nothing of this world or no human of this world is the solution. But Jesus is…, and he is the GREATEST SOLUTION…  and he is the great high priest

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,

Why is he so great, because he passed through the heavens.. JOHN 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

You show me someone who passed through the heavens and became our high priest and our solution outside of Jesus I’ll wait… you will find no one which means there is no greater solution than our great high priest…

He is so great because he was appointed by God to become our great high priest… (Heb 5:5) 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'".

Name someone better and more fitting to be our Great high priest than THE SON OF GOD WHO WAS APPOINTED BY THE FATHER AND CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN… YOU CANT… NO ONE IS TOPPING THAT OF JESUS CHRIST AND NEVER WILL..

We will never have another high priest because the one that was given to us was more perfect and fitting than we could possibly imagine…

Verse 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession

Lets not forget who our great solution, our great high priest is

He is the son of God

Lamb of God

He is the lord of lord, the kings of king

The alpha the omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the  almighty 

HE IS JESUS THE SON OF GOD, dont u dare forget it

Heb 4:14-15 Seeing then taht we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the son God, let us hold fast our confession For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 

Holy in conduct

He is great because he passed the heavens, he was appointed by God and he was holy in conduct.

You try to show me someone you think is the solution and should be our high priest and i will show you how foolish you are because you showed me someone that is imperfect

And then ill show you a man that lived sinlessly, perfectly, and why he is already our great high priest.

1 Peter 1:22 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for [e]us, leaving [f]us an example, that you should follow His steps Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

Understand how hard it is for a man to liv on this earth 33 years without sinning not once, without having evil, corrupt, vain words coming out of his mouth or without doing anything sinful

Alot of people cant go a day without sinning, some ppl cant even go a hour without sinning and Jesus went 33 years without doing it

He was tempted matthew 4, he was sad at ties joh 11 35, he was hung on a cross, beaten, mocked, spat upon, yet no sin entered his life… YOU CANNOT SHOW ME A GREATER HIGH PRIEST

Heb 4:26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;

Notice how he is described, fitting for us, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, higher than the heavens. No man, no woman, no one is more fitting than our lord and savior Jesus Christ.. End of discussion…

Offered the greatest atonement of sin

You show me someone who took away all the sins of the world… you cant because theyd have to be sinless and perfect and that has only been one man OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST

John 1:29 “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John proclaimed… he did not proclaim anyone else but the one and only Jesus Christ… HE DID NOT PROCLAIM ANYONE ELSE BUT JESUS CHRIST. WHY? BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE COULD HAVE DONE WHAT OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST DID.

In the old testament they had to use bulls and goats for atonements… over and over and over again… but with this Great high priest there was no need for the blood of bulls and goats there was something better… Himself…

 Heb 10:12-14 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being [a]sanctified.\

High priest in the old testament made sacrifices yearly over and over again but when Jesus stepped INTO THE SCENE… There was no monthly yearly, daily sacrifice no it was ONE SACRIFICE FOR ALL… BY ONE OFFERING HE HAS PERFECTED FOREVER THOSE WHO ARE BEING SANCTIFIED…

ILL ASK U AGAIN SHOW ME SOMEONE WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIFE FOR ALL THE SINS IN THE WORLD ONE TIME AND PERFECTED IT THAT ONE TIME TO SAVE HUMANITY BECAUSE HE HIMSLEF WAS PERFECT AND SINLESS.

Going back to Hebrews 4:14-16 Let us Hold fast our confession it says in verse 14 meaning LET US KEEP THE FAITH because we have a GREAT HIGH PRIEST…For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

3. COME BODLY 

Why would we not go to our great high priest when he basically perfected human life… This life where people take their own lives because they think it’s so hard… Jesus has perfected it… SO LET US COME BODLY TO THE ONE WHO PERFECTED THIS LIFE IN OUR TIME OF NEED

It is a choice that only u can make, all throughout the bible we see that we have a choice, or an option…

 Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

It is a choice that you are going to have to make TO CHOOSE TO HEAR GOD AND ACCEPT HIS INVITATION TO COME BODLY TO HIS GRACE in your time of need

Christ has already done his part… he came down on earth, lived sinlessly, died on the cross for you and for me and laid down the foundation of what we must do… now… it is up to you, your choice, your decision to either accept the grace and mercy that he has offered for you or to be stubborn and to continue to live with that problem of sin…

Rev 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

There is no receiving of Christ forgives grace and mercy if there is no desire from within you to actually want it…

He said the spirit and the bride are saying come. It’s an invitation to the throne of grace, let whoever desires and thirst for that grace of God Take of the water of life freely…

There has never been a time in history where you could boldly come to the throne of a king of “idol god” without being punished or looked down upon… 

But Our great high priest is telling us to come BODLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE. WITHOUT HESITATION, WITHOUT FEAR, WITHOUT SECOND GUESSING, WITHOUT THINKING YOU ARE GOING TO BE JUDGED COME TO HIM BECAUSE HE IS YOUR HELP IN A TIME WHERE THERE IS A PROBLEM OF SIN IS RULING IN THIS WORLD

Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

ITS A PROMISE THAT YOUR BURDEN, YOUR PAIN, YOUR WORRIES, YOUR NEEDS WILL BE LIFTED OFF YOUR SHOULDERS AND CHRIST WILL GIVE YOU THE REST, THE CARE, THE PROVIDING THAT YOU NEED. ONLY IF YOU COME BODLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE…

Sin, drugs, alcohol, compulsive behaviors do not give you the solution and rest that you need. NONE OF THOSE THINGS UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH… it's just there to do more harm than it does to help 

BUT JESUS CHRIST, THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST, THE SON OF MAN, OUR PROVIDER, OUR SAVIOR, OUR ALL IN ALL HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH AND HE CAN MAKE THINGS RIGHT AND GIVE YOU REST BUT YOU MUST COME TO HIS THRONE OF GRACE…

With humility and humbleness to know and understand that you are in need of his grace, mercy, forgiveness, and help… Will you come Bodly to the throne of grace… that is the question i want to leave you with