Jesus, the Source of Eternal Salvation (Hebrews 5:1-11)

Intro

We are going back to preaching through Hebrews now. We took a break for the holidays and we will ease back into it with a short message from . And I do mean short, because I want to focus on one major idea in this passage: Jesus obeyed, suffered, fulfilled the Father’s plan, and became the only source for your salvation.

I know that’s a packed statement. This is a rich passage as it deals with Christology, which is the study of Christ—who He is/his character. But I’m focusing mainly on v.8 & 9.

This passage begins by explaining the role of the High Priest, who since the days of Aaron in the OT was a specially chosen position with very special responsibilities. He would offer sacrifices for the forgiveness of his own sin and the sins of God’s people.

That role is likened to Jesus, who is our High Priest because of how he carried out that same role of atoning for our sins. But there is a contrast as well, because Jesus is the final High Priest. What he did is fully sufficient for the rest of humanity and for all eternity. He did what no other High Priest did— tells us that he sat down after making purification for sin. The idea being that the work is finished, no need to get up and do it again.

And this is what we find today— you can only be forgiven of your sin and made right with God because Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the grave 3 days later.

Jesus was made a High Priest by God the Father (v.5-6). This was all part of God’s plan of redemption. So while on earth, Jesus did what a usual High Priest would do—making prayers and supplications on behalf of God’s people.

There’s an interesting note in v.7 though— Jesus knew that God the Father could save him from death. But the Father did not save Him from death. Jesus had to go to the cross—there was no other way to accomplish our salvation.

Jesus was fully human. That was necessary for him to die, and there had to be death for the forgiveness of sin. God can’t die, so Jesus had to be human. At the same time...

Jesus was fully God. That was necessary for the forgiveness of sin. Only God can forgive sin, not any human. So, Jesus had to be God.

Because of His nature as fully human and fully God, only Jesus Christ could bring about our salvation.

Jesus obeyed. It says in v.8 that he learned obedience. This means that Jesus was learning by experience in that he practiced obedience.

It is hard to think about this because to say that Jesus had to learn anything seems to imply that He doesn’t know all things. But this phrase means that he learned by experience because he practiced obedience.

He practiced obedience even from the earliest knowledge we have of his life—when his earthly parents couldn’t find him when he was 12, he was eventually found in the temple, in His Father’s house. Practicing obedience.

Part of his experience to learn obedience was found in this...

Jesus suffered. He learned obedience through what he suffered. Ultimately, his suffering would be the cross. But Jesus suffered when tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and he suffered in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Obeying God is learned through those moments of suffering. Because in all of those moments of suffering, Jesus exemplified the proper attitude we should have too, which is that we say, Not my will but yours be done.

Jesus fulfilled the Father’s plan. Again, there is a hard phrase to understand: And being made perfect. To say that seems to imply that Jesus was sinful. But being made perfect is not a reference to morality or ethics. To say that Jesus was made perfect is not saying that He stopped sinning and so was perfect.

In Hebrew culture, being made perfect is a way to express something being brought to completion, to its proper end or goal.

Look at v.9— And being made perfect, he became…

Jesus became the only source for your salvation.

Jesus said it this way in — “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (, ESV)

Jesus is the source of salvation to all who obey him. How do we obey him? It starts by obeying what he said in his very first sermon: “...The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (, ESV)

Jesus obeyed, suffered, fulfilled the Father’s plan, and became the only source for your salvation.

Praise God for our salvation!