Our Sympathizing Savior

Intro

Good Morning! Today we are going to look at Our Sympathizing Savior, and I gotta tell you that it is definitely a good thing we have a sympathizing savior because sympathy is not my strong point. I can listen all day long, but without leaning on Jesus it is extremely difficult to be sympathetic or even empathetic for a lot of scenarios on my own.

I mean, I know that death is sad, depression is a thing, all of those illnesses and diseases really affect people, and I understand all of that and more - it’s just my sympathy part of my brain just doesn’t work I guess.

Now part of that I’m sure is my military background, but another part of that is that my family growing up - we never really grew up with sympathy. We had more of a sarcastic way of dealing with things and that worked for us - sort of - and so while I want to be empathetic and sympathetic with you, for me that is a learned trait and I’m still learning - and a big part of that is relying on Jesus when I just don’t know what to say or do in those situations. And that’s where Jesus and His perfect sympathy comes in today, so let’s pray and get started.

Let’s Pray.

So like I said, today we are going to be looking at “Our Sympathizing Savior”, and today’s scripture comes from Hebrews 4:14-16 if you’d like to turn there in your bibles with me.

Now, in chapter one, Jesus is seen as the One Who has made “purification of sins” - Hebrews 1:3:

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

In Chapter two, He is a “merciful and faithful high priest” - Hebrews 2:17-

Hebrews 2:17 ESV

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

and in chapter 3, He is “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession - Hebrews 3:1

Hebrews 3:1 ESV

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

and chapters 7-9 focus almost exclusively on Jesus’ high priesthood.

Here today, in Hebrews 4:14-16, He is called a “great high priest”.

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

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. 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. 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.

It is wonderful to know that we have a Savior in heaven who personally cares for His family.

And the writer of Hebrews magnifies our “Great High Priest” in three ways.

I. HE POINTS OUT HIS SOVEREIGNTY. v.14

And when the author points out Jesus’ sovereignty we see

Five truths:

1. His Sovereignty. v.14a

“…we have a great high priest...

This is a designated title never bestowed on another. No one else has ever had the title “Great High Priest”.

The priests of ancient Israel were appointed by God to be mediators between Himself and His people. Only the high priest could offer the highest sacrifice under the Old Covenant - the Old Testament - and that he, the high priest, did only once per year on the day of atonement, known as Yon Kippur according to Leviticus chapter 16.

Look at Leviticus 16:29-30:

Leviticus 16:29–30 ESV

“And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins.

All of the sins of the people were brought symbolically to the Holy of Holies, where blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat as a sacrifice to atone for them. As no other human instrument could, the high priest represented God before the people and the people before God.

But according to Leviticus 16, before the high priest could ever enter the Holy of Holies, much less offer a sacrifice there, he had to make an offering for himself, since he, just as all those whom he represented, was a sinner. Look at Leviticus 16:6:

Leviticus 16:6 ESV

“Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house.

So every year, year after year, the high priest would perform his necessary duty. And the high priest had to pass through three areas in the temple. And he would take the blood and go through the door into the outer court, then he’d go through another door into the Holy Place, and then through the veil into the Holy of Holies. There was no resting, no stopping along the way.

And then as soon as the sacrifice was made, he left and wouldn’t return until the following year.

And now we come to that title we were talking about a moment ago - our Great High Priest - none of those other high priests had the “great” in them, because none of them could do what Jesus could. Jesus, our “Great High Priest”, mad a one time perfect sacrifice on the cross, said “it is finished”, went back home to heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God the Father. He did it once - look at Hebrews 7:25-28:

Hebrews 7:25–28 ESV

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

The second truth we see is

2. His Destiny. v.14b

“...who has passed through the heavens...”

This is the “holiest of holies”. Jesus was both the priest and the sacrifice. The truth of John 17:4-5 had become a reality:

John 17:4–5 ESV

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Also the truth of Hebrews 9:12 was in place:

Hebrews 9:12 ESV

he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

3. His Humanity. v.14c

“…Jesus...”

His earthly name, means Savior. As the human Jesus, He is able to understand our needs. Many people seem to think of God as being far removed from human life and concerns. Yet Jesus, in His humanity, experienced our feelings, our emotions, our temptations, and our pain. he knows what it is to suffer disappointment, to be betrayed, to suffer grief, to experience pain, to suffer death. He knows.

The fourth truth we see is

4. His Divinity. v.14d

“…the Son of God...”

Jesus is God in the flesh. In His humanity, He is aware of our needs, and in His divinity He is able to meet those needs.

5. Our Stability. v.14e

“…let us hold fast our confession.”

Refers to our testimony. If we fail to hold our confession, we are not proving that Jesus Christ has failed. Our failures do not transfer to Him-we still live in a sinful world and we are still sinners. When we fail we are only telling people that we failed to draw on His grace and mercy when it was freely available to us.

The second way that the writer of Hebrews magnifies Jesus as our Great High Priest is

II. HE PUNCTUATES HIS SYMPATHY. v.15

he punctuates it with

A. His Sympathy v.15a

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses...”

He is able to sympathize or to suffer with our weaknesses. It speaks of our weaknesses and it refers to all the natural limitations of our humanity because of sin.

Notice it doesn’t say He was sympathizing with the feeling of our patience, or our self-denial, our integrity - He’s sympathetic with us in our weakness, the points in life in which we aren’t happy, we aren’t strong. In our pain, our depression, our trembling, our sensitiveness - He knows all of those weaknesses and He is able to sympathize with us in them.

And the author punctuates Jesus’ sympathy with

B. His Sinlessness. v.15b

Jesus was victorious over all of the onslaughts and temptations of the devil. He endured the full extent of temptations, and He never wavered.

“...but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness with three temptations, the three temptations which brought about the fall in the Gardent of Eden:

1 John 2:16 ESV

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Eve was tempted with the lust of the eyes when she saw that the tree was a “delight to the eyes”, with the lust of the flesh when she saw that it was “good for food”, and the pride of life when she saw that it was “to be desired to make one wise”.

Genesis 3:6 ESV

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

The Lord Jesus was tempted with the lust of the flesh when urged to command that these stones be turned to bread, with the lust of the eyes when satan showed Him all of the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and the pride of life when urged to cast Himself down from the temple in Matthew 4. Jesus fully knows and understands temptation.

The third way that the author magnifies Jesus is

III. HE PARAMOUNTS OUR SPIRITUAL ADVANTAGE. v.16

Jesus Christ is the perfecter of our faith and He makes us His priority.

The Lord Jesus left the throne of glory that he might sit upon the throne of grace for you and I.

In the Old Testament times, the ordinary Israelite could not approach the Holy of Holies where God was enthroned, that was the sole annual prerogative of the high priest.

But because of Jesus you and I can approach the throne of grace at any time, as often as we desire, as often as we need.

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

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.

We can do so confidently, or boldly, and we have that freedom of expression or freedom of speech - the ability to speak without fear, without hesitation, because of who He is.

Think of it this way - if you have children they come to you with every desire and every need they have. Right? Scraped knee - mommy I need a bandaid. Hungry - I’m hungry - to which we all reply “hi hungry I’m dad/mom” and then we work to fill the need. I want this toy - not today or ok or maybe - whatever it is, they come to you and boldly tell you what it is they need - they probably won’t do that fro strangers or people they don’t have a relationship with.

Now on to those of us who call on the name of Christ - God hears the same thing if we are going to Him with our requests and our needs - and in fact He tells us to call on Him with boldness, with confidence, that He will answer those requests. Now sometimes it will be yes, sometimes no, sometimes maybe, and He will always fill our needs - because we are His children.

It

A. Speaks of a Time of Nearness.

“Draw near”

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. This serves as a Divine Invitation and a Divine Initiation.

Ephesians 3:11 ESV

This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Hebrews 10:19–22 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

B. Speaks of a Time of Need.

Sinful man deserves death, that is the sentence of judgement. But we need salvation, the gift of grace from Him.

Jesus does not give us what we deserve if we choose Him and follow Him, He gives us the grace we need.

How can anyone reject such a Great High Priest, such a Savior, who not only permits us to come before His throne for grace and help, but also pleads with us to come in confidence?

The only conclusion to come to is that Jesus Christ is a Great High Priest who sympathizes and saves.

Let’s pray.

Father God thank you for Your Word. Thank you piercing through our hearts and souls and Lord we ask that you convict us to lean on your Word so that we can see Your promise and for our church to continue to grow and see your Glory all around us.

As you keep praying today, I want you to really take a moment and just think of how you’ve been interacting with God’s Word. Have you been reading the Word like it’s some of the other books you have, as fiction or history, or have you been allowing God to work through your reading and are you growing closer to Him? Have you allowed the Word to penetrate all that you are and have you given it all to Him? Are you experiencing God’s Word, that love letter to your spirit, or are you just pretending, going through the motions? Today, give it all to Him. You can come forward, there are people who will pray with you if you like, or you can simply pray by yourself right where you are, but today, give it all to the only one who can lead you to the promised land.

Father, speak to our hearts. Guide and direct us with your Word to Your rest. Let Your Word shine through our everyday lives and Lord help us to be eternally minded when interacting with others.

And as you remain in prayer there are some here that may have realized that they don’t have a relationship with Christ. The bible tells us that if you don’t have Christ as your Lord, you are lost and bound by this world and Satan. And he is telling you that you’re ok, you don’t need Jesus - but the problem is that you can never be good enough or do enough to save you. But right now you feel like the Word of God has spoken to you today and you feel like there’s something missing. And if that’s you, there is something missing, and that something is Jesus. God has spoken to you today and He’s telling you that you need the Savior, and Jesus is that Savior.

And there are those of you who Christ desires to reveal Himself to today. So today, call on His name, Jesus, the name above all other names, the Son of God who to save you became your sin on the cross, shedding His blood, dying for you and being raised to life afterwards to have victory over sin and death so that if you will call on His name you will be saved. That’s why you’re here.

If that’s you, if God is calling to you to draw into a relationship with Jesus, answer Him today. If you don’t know how it’s as simple as ABC. A- admit to God that you are a sinner, B-believe that Jesus came to redeem you through that sinless life, death, and resurrection, and C- confessing Christ as Lord and Savior with your mouth, choosing to follow Him. if you don’t know how to start, you can simply pray something like this:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. Lord I believe that you came to free me from the bonds of sin and death and Lord I thank you for what only you could do. Lord I choose you, to follow in all that you are and to walk in the Spirit in a relationship with you, and to spend eternity with you. In Jesus name, amen.

Father, thank you again for this body, and Father as you are speaking to those here today, I pray that we will follow you where you lead, that we will see you revealed, and that we will follow in your presence today.

If you need someone to pray with you just come forward someone will come to pray with you. Don’t delay, don’t let this moment pass you by, answer His call today, come as He leads, as the music plays softly for a moment, this is your moment.

Questions for the Week:

1. Do you fully know how much Jesus cares for you? Read Hebrews 4:14-16 again. How well do you understand the length God goes to for you?

2. We see in verse 16 the ability to draw near and have confidence or boldness in our relationship with Christ. We also see that in our time of need he will give us mercy and grace - are we living with that boldness, and have we shared that with others, or do we still try to go about it the way others expect us to (worrying, guilt, etc.)?