I'm With Him

For five Sunday evenings we’ve gathered as churches — Together for Resurrection — celebrating the hope we share in Christ. And tonight, as we come to the final message, I want to remind us of something simple and powerful:

Resurrection Hope isn’t something we earn… it’s something Someone gives.

And to feel the weight of that, I want to begin with a story.”

It’s a scene you’ve probably watched a hundred times in movies or TV shows.

You’re driving through a small town. You’re not paying attention. Blue lights flash in the mirror. Next thing you know, you’re holding a speeding ticket with a court date printed on it.

While we’re talking a made-up story here - I do have a speeding ticket from a couple of my granddaughters from March 20th.

Anyway, you show up at the courthouse — nervous, out of place, wishing you’d been more careful. A bystander leans over and whispers, “Call Josh. He’s the best advocate in town.”

So you call him.

You’re sitting in the courtroom when the door opens. Josh walks in — calm, confident, briefcase in hand. You think, Alright… maybe I’ve got a chance.

The judge looks up and says, “Hi, Josh.”

And Josh says, “Hi, Dad.”

And in that moment… you know your goose is cooked.

It’s a made‑for‑TV moment — the kind where you suddenly realize you’re in deeper trouble than you thought, and the person you hoped would save you… can’t.

Hold that feeling for a moment. Because it sets the stage for something far more real.

Our scripture reading tonight is the last 6 verses of Hebrews chapter 7.

There is a lot of context before these 6 verses clear back to chapter five and also following into chapters 8, 9, and 10. I let you read all that context later on your own time.

Hebrews 7:23–28 NLT

23 There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. 24 But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. 26 He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. 27 Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. 28 The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.

TEMPLE WALKTHROUGH

Imagine standing outside the temple in Jerusalem.

You’re in the outer courts — the only place most people ever saw. You can go this far… but no farther.

Inside that is the Court of Israel — only Jewish men. Inside that is the Court of the Priests — only those from the tribe of Levi. Inside that is the Holy Place — only priests on duty. And behind a thick curtain… a curtain as thick as a man’s hand… stood the Holy of Holies.

Only one man — the high priest — could enter. Only one day a year — the Day of Atonement. Only with blood. Only with fear. Only briefly. Leviticus 16:2 “2 The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die...”

It is said that they would tie a rope to the high priest’s ankle in case he fell dead before the presence of God while in the Holy of Holies.

Outside and inside the temple. There is:

Distance. Barriers. Separation. A system that said, “You can come close… but not too close.”

And then — on the day Jesus died — the earth shook, the rocks split, and that curtain tore from top to bottom.

Not from bottom to top — as if a human hand had done it. From top to bottom — as if God Himself reached down and said, “The way is open now.”

No more human high priest. No more repeated sacrifices. No more distance. No more fear.

Because Love came. Grace stood. Hope lives.

LOVE CAME ++King enters ++Hosanna’s cry ++He came first

Palm Sunday is the story of a King who comes not to conquer Rome… but to carry sin.

The crowd shouts Hosanna — which means - “Lord, save us!” OR “save, we pray” They don’t know how deeply they need saving. But Jesus does.

Jesus came first. He didn’t wait for us to get our act together, to become righteous enough, or to deserve his attention. He came into our condition—into our weakness, our temptation, our mortality—to stand in solidarity with us and ultimately to stand in our place.

Before we ever stood with Him… He came to stand with us.

GRACE STOOD ++Eternal Advocate ++His righteousness ++He intercedes

Hebrews says the old priests came and went. They died. They were replaced. They were limited.

But Jesus?

He holds His priesthood permanently. He is our eternal Advocate. He stands where we could not stand. He speaks where we could not speak. He intercedes when we have no words.

He doesn’t defend us by pointing to our righteousness. He points to His own.

Grace isn’t a past event that fades into history. Grace is the living, active work of the risen Christ—not a doctrine we remember, but grace is a Person who always lives to intercede for us.

Grace didn’t just come. Grace stood.

HOPE LIVES ++Once‑for‑all sacrifice ++Called by name ++“You are Mine”

Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all — complete, final, sufficient. The risen Christ calls us by name and says, “You are Mine.”

No accusation can stand. No enemy can prevail. No sin can separate us from Him.

Hope isn’t an idea. Hope isn’t a feeling. Hope is more than a doctrine.

Christian hope is not some abstract concept or a fleeting emotion, but is rooted in the living, resurrected Christ. His ongoing life and intercession as our high priest are the guarantee of our hope and security.

Hope is a Person. And He lives.

Remember Josh? ++Josh ++Joshua ++יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua) ++Ἰησοῦς (Iesous) ++Jesus ++“The Lord Saves”

Remember Josh?

That was a made‑up courtroom. But one day… we will stand in a real place of judgement.

Not before a small‑town judge… but before the throne of Almighty God.

And in that moment, we won’t need a human attorney named, Josh. We won’t need someone to bargain or negotiate a fine or a plea deal or prison sentence.

Because the name “Josh” has a story.

Josh

Modern English nickname

Short form of Joshua

Joshua

English form of the Hebrew name

יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshua) — “Jehovah is his salvation”

Abbreviated:

יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua)

Iēsous

Greek translation

Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) Pronunciation: “Yay-SOOS”

Used for both Joshua and Jesus in early Christian writings

Jesus

Latin transliteration of the Greek

Adopted by the Western Church from the 3rd century onward

Language: Latin Spelling: Iesus Pronunciation: “Yeh-SOOS”

Language: Spanish Spelling: Jesús Pronunciation: “Heh-SOOS”

Language: Portuguese Spelling: Jesus Pronunciation: “Zheh-ZOOS”

Language: French Spelling: Jésus Pronunciation: “Zhay-ZOO”

Language: Italian Spelling: Gesù Pronunciation: “Jeh-ZOO”

English form we use today Language: English Spelling: Jesus Pronunciation: “JEE-zus”

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The Meaning Throughout: “The Lord Saves”

Names translate across languages, but the meaning—and the Person—remain the same.

As we stand NOT before a small‑town judge… but before Almighty God.

Jesus — our Advocate, our High Priest, our King — steps forward.

The Judge looks at Him and says, “Hi, Son.”

Jesus looks back and says, “Hi, Father.”

Then He turns toward you… and with quiet authority… with nail‑scarred hands… with the love that brought Him to Jerusalem… with the grace that stood in your place… with the hope that lives forever…

He says:

“This one’s with Me.”

And that’s the gospel. That’s Hebrews 7. That’s Palm Sunday. That’s resurrection hope.

Hebrews tells us that Jesus holds His priesthood permanently… that He always lives to intercede for us… that His sacrifice was once for all… and that He is holy, innocent, undefiled, exalted above the heavens.

He is the One who tore the curtain. He is the One who opened the way. He is the One who stands for us.

And one day, when we stand before the Father, the risen Christ — our eternal High Priest — will step forward and say, “This one’s with Me.”