The Source of Eternal Salvation

Our scripture text this morning is taken from Hebrews 5:1-10. The author of Hebrews is continuing his teaching on Jesus as our great high priest. Let us now give our attention to God’s Word to us today.

Hebrews 5:1–10 ESV

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. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 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”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 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. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

The most important clause of this portion of Scripture is found in verse 9: “he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” Everything else in this passage supports the claim that Jesus is the source of eternal salvation.

The greatest need you and I have is our need for eternal salvation. Because of Adam’s sin we were all conceived in sin and born as sinners. There has not been a moment of our existence that we have not been under the threat of the penalty of sin which is death. Even before we took our first breath we lived under the threat of accident, disease, and decay. As is commonly said, “Every human is born to die.”

On top of this, as sinners, we are God’s enemies and live under His holy wrath. This is why every person needs a priest to act as a mediator between them and a holy God. Jesus is our source of eternal salvation because he is...

The Source of Eternal Mediation

Chapter 5 begins with a definition of a priest:

Hebrews 5:1 ESV

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.

One does not simply walk into the presence of a Holy God, this is especially true of sinners. To come into the presence of a Holy God we need a mediator or “broker”. One to act on our behalf so that we can safely come into God’s presence. This is why Jesus, taught us to pray in His name. God will not hear our prayers unless Jesus is there acting as our mediator.

This is an eternal need. Even in heaven, where we are sinless, we will still need Jesus to be our mediator.

So in these 10 verses the author of Hebrews goes to great lengths to show that Jesus is a legitimate high priest. There was a huge problem in many people’s eyes with Jesus being a high priest. He was from the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Levi, nor was he from the clan of Aaron. As verse 4 says, a person had to be called and appointed by God to be a priest.

Hebrews 5:4 ESV

And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

The author does this by linking Psalm 2:7 and Psalm 110:4. Both these Psalms are Royal-Messianic Psalms. In Psalm 2, the Messianic King is appointed as King and in Psalm 110, He is appointed as priest after the order of Melchizedek.

In chapter 7, we will learn much more about Melchizedek, but for now you need to know that he was legitimate Priest-King who worshiped and served God during the days of Abraham. The author of Hebrews is teaching us that Jesus is the same sort of Priest-King as Melchizedek.

The second reason that Jesus is the Source of Eternal Salvation is because He is...

The Source of Eternal Sympathy

If you are going to have someone who is acting as your mediator, you want someone who identifies with you and is sympathetic. Isn’t it sad that all too often those who are the supposed religious leaders are often times the most harsh and unsympathetic. For example: If you read the gospels, you quickly learn that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day where anything but sympathetic towards “sinners.” The Pharisees and Priests are portrayed as “holier than thou hypocrites.” And this is the problem, it wasn’t that they were holy, they just thought they were. Jesus on the other hand was known as a “friend of sinners.” In Heb 4:15 the author of Hebrews says this about Jesus.

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

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.

You see it is not a priest’s solidarity in sinfulness that makes him sympathetic, but his solidarity in temptation. Harsh, unsympathetic religious leaders know nothing about the force and weight of temptation because they give into it so easily. Jesus on the other hand was sinless, this means that He only has felt the full force and weight of temptation. This makes Him uniquely able to help us in our struggle with sin. The author of Hebrews writes:

Hebrews 5:2 ESV

He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.

Do not let the shame of any sin keep you from Jesus. He will deal gently with you and provide you with what you need to have victory over that sin.

This leads us to our third point. Jesus is...

The Source of Eternal Intercession

Even before we come to Jesus, Jesus as our high priest is interceding for us. One of the priest most important duties was to offer prayers of intercession on behalf of the people. Here too, Jesus is portrayed as the perfect intercessor.

Hebrews 5:7 ESV

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.

This verse brings up memories of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, but it is clear that the author of Hebrews is speaking about Jesus’ whole life. Jesus was a man of prayer, but not just prayer—heart felt prayer! More than this He was heard! He was heard because of His piety.

What this means for you and I is this: Jesus knows how to pray, because He spent a lifetime doing it. Jesus truly cares about us when He prays. Finally, He is effective when He prays—God the Father hears Him because of His reverent piety.

With prayers like that, no wonder He is the source of eternal salvation!

In addition to prayer, one of the other main duties of the priest was to offer sacrifices for sin on behalf of the people. But rather than offering bulls and goats, Jesus offered Himself. In so doing, Jesus because...

The Source of Eternal Atonement for Sin

Jesus was able to do this because He was sinless, unlike all other priests. In verse 3, we learn that all other priest must offer sacrifices for themselves and their household before they could offer sacrifices on behalf of the people.

Hebrews 5:3 ESV

Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.

Jesus does not have to offer sacrifices for His own sin, because He is sinless. Consequently, He is able to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice. Unlike the blood of bulls and goats, Jesus’ shed blood is fully able to wash away all of your sin. When you trust in Jesus, not one of them remains! We see this truth in verses 8-9.

Hebrews 5:8–9 ESV

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

The obedience verse 8 speaks of is Jesus’ lifetime of obedience, but especially the obedience of going to the cross to become the atoning sacrifice of sin. The perfection verse 9 speaks of is the perfection of successfully accomplishing a goal. For example, when a field goal kicker kicks a field goal what is often said? Perfect! Jesus kicked the ball out of the park when He died on the cross!

Jesus obedience provides us something else. Jesus become...

The Source of Eternal Righteousness

To come before God in confidence, we need more than just innocence, we need righteousness! To be without righteousness is like coming before God naked.

Jesus as our high priest doesn’t just take away our prayers, He clothes us with His righteousness! This is not just any covering, His righteousness is His priestly garments! This is why the New Testament teaches us in several places that faith in Christ makes us priests. For example:

Revelation 1:5–6 ESV

and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Heaven is the true temple of God, clothed in Christ’s righteousness we may boldly come before the throne of grace in prayer in this life and boldly walk into the throne room itself in the next!

Conclusion:

We have only began to explore the depth of these five great things that Christ has accomplished for us as our great high priest, but don’t worry, the author of Hebrews will return to this great theme in chapter 7, but know for the rest of chapter 5 and 6 the author of Hebrews will give us his second warning. This we will turn to next week.

Let us pray.

Eternal God, we thank you that you have provided for us an eternal salvation through your Son Jesus Christ. If there are any here today who have not made Jesus their Lord and Savior, open their hearts and eyes that they may see Jesus as their Great High Priest. Amen.