Jesus Our Great High Priest

Prayer:

Lost

This ministry

Sanctification

What is a Priest?

A priest is similar to a prophet.

A prophet represents God to man

A priest represents man to God

The purpose of a priest is to restore fellowship between man and God.

Why would fellowship between God and man be hindered?

Sin

The priest restores fellowship between man and God by making sacrifices as a substitute for man

What is the purpose of a sacrifice?

sacrifices are: life given for life

Sanctification and acceptance by God can only come by the cleansing that could only be done with shed blood

Heb 9:22 “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Sacrifices could not be made by just anyone. There was an ordained tribe of Israel who were the priests.

Who were the priests of Israel? The tribe of Levi

They were consecrated to the service of God to stand before God and man

These things have not changed. Man’s needs are still the same. We need a priest who can mediate between us and God because we still sin.

And that Priest is not a levite from the old covenant, but Jesus Christ.

And how does Jesus make sacrifices for us before God?

Jesus is our atoning sacrifice

Heb 2:14-15 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

The reason Jesus Christ became a man was so that He could die. How else could God die? He couldn’t. He had to become a man.

And why would He want to die?

Because that is the only way that he could save us from the power of death.

Jesus had to enter the realm of death to save us. But since He was sinless, He could not be held there.

By His resurrection he broke the power of death over all of those who accept His invitation to share in His risen life.

Physical death remains for all believers and unbelievers. This is the transition point between this life and the next.

But the saved do not die a second death, an eternal death.

Rev 20:14-15 “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Application

From this verse what difference does Jesus make in our lives right now?

What do you think it means to be slaves to the fear of death?

We’re not ready to live until we are no longer afraid to die. Living a s a slave to the fear of death takes away from our quality of life. It brings a constant worry about might happen. It makes every illness, every accident, every loved one’s death we see even worse.

Jesus came to free us from that bondage.

Jesus gives help to the children of God

Heb 2:16-18 “For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”

Who are Abraham’s descendants?

We are. Paul said, “if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed”.

The Promise to Abraham was fulfilled in Christ! And those in Christ are the true descendants of Abraham

Rom 9:8 “it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring”

Jesus is merciful and faithful to God’s children

(v 17) Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

He is merciful to us

When the children of promise cry out for forgiveness, Jesus shows us mercy

When we sin, we can be assured that Jesus will forgive us

There is no sin too great that he cannot forgive, and no sin too little that we should not life up to Him in repentance and sorrow

He is a faithful High Priest

He did everything God required

He was mankind’s sin bearer

Nothing took Him off course from the cross

Nothing changed His mind about coming to die

Jesus was faithful to the end

He is faithful representing us to the Father

We do not have to worry about Him dropping the ball on us

He is going to present us to God a glorious bride without spot or blemish

You and I can rest assured that in Jesus we are 100% right with God

Our transgressions have been removed

Our names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life

Our heavenly hop[e is secure in Christ

Jesus experienced the same temptations that you and I experience today

Jesus can help us in temptation because He became a man and experienced the same temptations we struggle with

Jesus was lied to

Jesus was treated unfairly

Jesus was rejected by one of His own

Jesus was falsely accused

Jesus was tempted in the flesh by the devil, the pride of life, and He was tempted to test God.

Was Jesus ever overcome by temptation?

NO

He bore the temptation to sin and yet never sinned and the writer calls that suffering

Application:

What does it mean to overcome temptation? It is a form of suffering. The flesh wants something and to not give it what it wants is difficult. It’s hard. It takes patience and diligence and self discipline.

1 pet 4:1 “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,”

What does temptation look like in your life? Do you know it will require us to suffer to say no to sin? Do you know that is common to the Christian walk? To say no to this world and the pleasures of this world to bring glory to Christ? Are you willing to suffer if that is what it takes to overcome temptation?

Jesus comes to our aid in times of temptation

“He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted”

How does Jesus help us overcome temptation?

He is able to help because he understands.

A person who has never struggled with addiction will have a hard time telling another how to overcome it.

A person who struggles with grief will have a hard time helping another through grief

Jesus has been tempted in every way that we are, and He is our help!

Application

Go to Jesus when you experience temptation! Most of us try to battle this ourselves, in the flesh, and fail often! What we need to do is cry out to God when temptation arises and ask Him for supernatural help!

Pray!

1 Cor 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

Pray and ask God to show you that way out!

Does anyone want to share about how Jesus came to their aid while being tempted?

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