Confidence in Our Great High Priest

I appreciate Jared filling in, as always. I know I mentioned this earlier. Please pray for Keith as he'll be traveling back this week. But I am very, very thankful for the men that can step in. When Keith is out, Jared is able to lead in worship, and I'm thankful for that. And when I am out, we have several men who can preach God's Word. And I was out for two Sundays on vacation, and I'm thankful for those who filled in. Didn't worry about things at all. I knew everything would be just fine. As a matter of fact, the church would move forward, and it did, and God's Word would be preached, and it was.

And I look forward to go back and hear what those men preached when I was out. But if you would take your Bible, turn back to Hebrews 4. I did say in our scripture reading, we'll be in verses 14 to 16. So Hebrews 4, verses 14 to 16. Now it has been a few weeks since we have been in our study through the book of Hebrews, so we may need to be reminded about what the book of Hebrews is all about. But all throughout the book of Hebrews, the author here is all about explaining the preeminence of Christ or the supremacy of Christ. That's why I title this study, The Supremacy of Christ.

And the supremacy of Christ can clearly be seen in this next section of scripture that's before us. Now the next section that we have in front of us starts in chapter 4, verse 14, and goes on into chapter 5, verse 10. But chapter 4, verse 14, all the way to chapter 5, verse 10, is all about Jesus as our great high priest. And when we understand what it means that Jesus is our great high priest, we will understand more and more of the preeminence of Christ and the supremacy of Christ. You might say, "Pastor, all this stuff kind of flows together." Yes, it does. And understanding how it all goes together really helps us.

Now before we get into our verses, I want to make a couple of comments and observations about the verses that we have just finished up and the new section that's in front of us. We were in our verses, our previous section of verses for three weeks. In chapter 3, or excuse me, in chapter 4, verses 1 to 13, those verses were all about the call to make sure to enter God's rest. And in those verses, we saw how the author was calling these Jews in this small Jewish congregation to strive to enter God's rest.

He was boldly encouraging them to diligently strive to make sure that they had entered rest in God, which was and is salvation in Christ Jesus. And if we really paid attention, we saw that the author there was very, very bold. He even came across a little negative at times. Let me give you an example. If you think back to the verses that we just finished up, those verses about the Word of God being sharper than any two-edged sword, those verses from verse 12 to 13, that seemed a little negative because the author was saying, "Look, if you don't enter God's rest, you will stand before the very Word of God and be judged by the Word of God." But as we move into these next verses, we will see a change in the author's teaching and a change in his tone.

Starting in verse 14, the author moves into explaining that Jesus was, in fact, their great high priest. That is, if they had entered into God's rest, he moves into calling them to relate to God in a way that was totally foreign to them in their former life in Judaism. But this way of relating to God was only possible if they had entered into God's rest. So the author was introducing them to the fact that as true believers, Jesus was, in fact, their great high priest. And they should have related to God in a completely different way than before.

But that was only possible if they had entered into God's rest, which was and is a saving relationship to Christ Jesus. So this new section, chapter 4, verse 13 to chapter 5, verse 10, it's all about Jesus, our great high priest. And these verses for this morning, verses 14 to 16, are all about having a great confidence, a great confidence in our great high priest. That leads us to the title of the message, Confidence in our Great High Priest. Comes right out of the verses, Confidence in our Great High Priest. Let's read our verses again, verses 14 to 16.

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. Now before we dive off into these verses, we've got to ask a few questions. What does it mean that Jesus is a great high priest? And then second, what is a high priest? What did this mean to that original audience?

And what does this mean to us? Now all through the book of Hebrews, the high priesthood of Jesus is exalted and explained. And it is interesting that the book of Hebrews is the only book in the New Testament that presents Jesus as the great high priest. So if we want to know these things, we've got to get neck deep in Hebrews. But Jesus is presented as the one who has made purification for our sin in chapter 1 verse 3. He is presented as a merciful and faithful high priest in chapter 2 verse 17. He is presented as the apostle and high priest of our confession in chapter 3 verse 1.

He is presented as our great high priest here in chapter 4 verse 14. And chapters 7 to 9, they center almost entirely on Jesus as high priest in His high priesthood. And for those Jews who received this letter originally, this language about a high priest would have really, really, really gotten their attention and for good reason. That is because as Jews, the priests and the high priest played a central role in their religious life and in their worship of God. Now let me briefly explain this.

Under the Old Covenant, as seen in the Old Testament, the priests in Israel were appointed by God to be mediators between Himself and His people, the Jews. Only the high priest could offer the highest sacrifice under the Old Covenant and that was done only once a year on the day of atonement. Simply all of the sins of the people of Israel were brought symbolically into the Holy of Holies where the blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat as a sacrifice to atone for them. And no other man or person could perform the duty of the high priest. The high priest truly, truly represented God before the people and the people before God.

So in saying that Jesus was a high priest, the author was in his saying that Jesus could perform the duties of the high priest. The author was saying that Jesus could truly represent God before God's people and God's people before God. But in saying that He was a great high priest, He was saying that Jesus was much, much more than a high priest as we will see. And at the end of the message, really all throughout the message, I'm going to answer all of these questions and I'm going to answer at the end one of those questions. But let me explain how we're going to get into these verses. Verses 14 to 15 and 16.

Really the author is all about doing two basic things. First he was explaining that Jesus was and is their great high priest and we will examine this by looking at three truths here in the verses. And then second he was calling them to certain responsibilities in relation to Jesus as their great high priest and we will look at two things or two encouragements here in the verses. So number one, Jesus is the preeminent high priest. Jesus is the preeminent high priest. We see this at the beginning of verse 14.

The author says, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens Jesus the Son of God." Now in this part of verse 14 the author is saying quite a lot about who Jesus was and is. First the author tells us that Jesus is preeminent in his office as high priest. Now if we really pay attention to the verse we see that Jesus is a great high priest. He is a great high priest and not just a high priest and we see this in all of the translations that we study.

And in calling Jesus a great high priest the author was comparing Jesus to the Old Testament Levitical high priests but he was also differentiating between Jesus and those Levitical priests and high priests. He was saying that Jesus was like the Levitical priests and that he did what they did. Just like the Levitical priests Jesus represented God to God's people and God's people to God. But he was saying that Jesus was unlike these Levitical priests in that he surpassed or he eclipsed the Levitical priests and the very priesthood.

All the types and shadows that were seen in the Levites in their priesthood and even in the high priests were completely fulfilled in Jesus and in his priesthood. So Jesus high priestly office was and is greater than that of the Levitical priests in that he fulfilled what they represented. So Jesus his office as high priest was and is preeminent. Then second the author tells us that Jesus is preeminent in his access to God.

Now if we look at verse 14 the author tells us that Jesus passed through the heavens and this is something that we can just read past or read over but we need to ask what this means and we need to understand that this would have stood out for those Jews who were receiving this letter. But scholars tell us that the Jews in their day they saw the heavens as having different layers. The Jews they thought of heaven as a plurality of heavens. Let me give you an example in 2 Corinthians 12 to Paul spoke of the third heaven.

Another example in some extra biblical writing in the Talmud there were references to seven heavens but we have to ask what is the point. This is a way of saying that Jesus after his death and after his resurrection and through his ascension he passed all the way through the heavens to the very presence of God. Jesus did not ascend to just some part of heaven no he passed all the way through all of the heavens to be with God. As one commentator described it and I'm quoting the fault is that Jesus has gone right through to the supreme place and he has.

So Jesus is preeminent in his access to God and then third the author tells us that Jesus is preeminent in his very person. Now let's look back at the verse and notice how the author speaks of Jesus. The verse says since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens. Notice Jesus the son of God. Now the author is not just piling up words here as he writes about Jesus. He is truly saying something. By using his human name which is Jesus the author was speaking of the humanity of Jesus but by calling Jesus the son of God he was speaking of the deity of Jesus.

So the author was emphasizing the humanity of Jesus and the deity of Jesus. He was emphasizing the fact that he was and he is the God-man. So Jesus is preeminent in his very person. He was and he is the God-man. So right here the author is telling us that Jesus was and is not just a high priest. He was and is the great the preeminent high priest. He was and is the high priest of supreme rank or importance and there is no other. Now before we move on what should we learn here? What should we apply here? We need to see that this is more than just information.

Now we need to have accurate information but to me we should make sure we see Jesus for who he is in the office in the position that he holds even right now. Jesus did not just ascend to heaven. He ascended to be not just a high priest but he ascended to heaven to the very supreme place to be the great high priest. Some of you need to let those things sink in because some of you have a faulty or an insufficient view or understanding of who Jesus is. And look folks we cannot rightly worship Jesus unless we rightly understand who he is. This is more than just having right information.

This is about seeing that he is our great high priest who can and does mediate between us and God, between God and us. Do you see that? I'm going to ask you a question, a rhetorical question. Have some of you failed to understand that Jesus mediates for us right now? He is our great high priest. There is no need for a man to mediate. Christ Jesus mediates. He is the go-between between God and us, between us and God. And he is the preeminent high priest. And then next, number two, Jesus is the personable high priest. Jesus is the personable high priest. Let's look at the beginning of verse 15.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness. Now here the author is making a shift and I want to show you the shift. In the beginning of verse 14, which we covered, the author exalted Jesus as the preeminent, the great high priest. And if the author had just stopped right there, he would have left us with a Jesus that is very, very far away. He would have left us with a distant, impersonal high priest. A great high priest? Yes. The preeminent high priest? Yes. But the author did not stop at verse 14.

He tells us two things right here to show us that Jesus is a very, very personable and a very, very relatable high priest. First, he shows us that our great high priest can sympathize. Now the English Standard, the New American, the Legacy Standard Bible use the word sympathize. And this comes from a word in the original that simply means to be affected with the same feeling as another, to have the same feeling with another. I'll give you an example. We have two ladies in our church who have lost their husbands. Amy Summers lost her husband Trey just a few weeks ago. Teresa Crosby lost her husband George back in February of 2023.

And because Teresa has been through the very same thing, she is able to sympathize with Amy. Teresa is affected with the same feelings that Amy is affected with. Teresa has experienced and still does experience the very same feelings that Amy is experiencing so she can sympathize with her. And that example helps us to see what the author is telling us about our high priest, but there is more. That example that I've given you can only go so far. The word sympathize here in the original, language scholars tell us it spoke of a bond much stronger than our English to sympathize.

This word spoke of a sympathy or a sharing of the same feelings for another that led to action. This sympathy is not only in words, but it leads to active assistance in the matter at hand. So for Teresa to sympathize with Amy, like we see here in this word in the original, she would be affected with the same feelings that Amy feels. But those feelings would lead her to action. Those feelings would lead her to personally engage in Amy's life to help to assist, to give an assistance to her because she has and is going through the very same thing. So what the author is saying here is this.

We do not have a great high priest who is unable to sympathize, no. But we have a great high priest who is able to sympathize, but not just with words. Our great high priest is able to actively engage with assistance. But there's even more. It's even more personal. Second, the author tells us our great high priest can sympathize with our weakness. Look at your copy of God's Word. Look at the beginning of verse 15. We need to underline and highlight this Word. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Now all of the English translations use the same word weakness.

Now the King James uses the word infirmities. In this word, in the original, it simply means weakness, infirmity, a want or a need of strength, a feebleness. But we have to ask, what kind of weakness is he talking about here? Is this physical weakness? Is this emotional weakness? Is this spiritual weakness? If you do some study, you'll see there's some debate here. But the answer really is yes, all of the above and then some.

John MacArthur explains it by saying, and I'm quoting, "Weetness does not refer directly to sin, but to feebleness or infirmity, it refers to all the natural limitations of humanity, which however include liability to sin." See, it's all of the above. So the author is saying that we do not have a great high priest who is unable to sympathize, no. But we have a great high priest who is able to sympathize, but not just in words. Our great high priest is able to actively engage with assistance in our weakness, in our humanity, and this is a weakness in a humanity that makes us prone to sin.

So here the author is telling us that our great, our preeminent high priest is not some far off distant high priest, no. He is near. He is near. And he is very, very personable. He is able to sympathize in such a way so as to actively help and assist us as believers in all of our weaknesses, in all of our infirmities, even those that lead to temptations and sin. Now what should we learn here? I believe that many in the church do not see that Jesus can and will sympathize with them in their weakness and even in their sin.

I believe that many true believers struggle and struggle and struggle and struggle in weakness and in frailty and even in temptations and sin and they compartmentalize those things away from the Lord Jesus. Therefore they fail to see and understand that Jesus is willing and he is able to sympathize and even to help them in that weakness, in that frailty, even in that frailty that leads them to sin. Let me ask you a rhetorical question. Are you the kind of Christian that you have the Lord Jesus over here and oh you love him, you've been born again but yet you have weakness and frailty over here and you fail to bring those two together?

You fail to bring that to the Lord Jesus? So Jesus is personable, a personable high priest. And then last, number three, Jesus is the perfect high priest. We see this at the second part of verse 15. Jesus is the perfect high priest. Let's look at the verse again. I'll read all of verse 15. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin. Now here the author shows us two things, two things that reveal more of his personableness and also his perfections. First he shows us that Jesus was tempted.

This verse, verse 15 clearly says that our great high priest was tempted but not only was he tempted, he was tempted in every way as we are. The new American says that he was tempted in all things as we are. Now this leads me to a question. Was Jesus really tempted? I mean we're talking about Jesus, God the Son. I mean was he really tempted? Well what does the verse say? The verse says he was in every way as we are. I like how the Bible scholar Tom Shriner describes this temptation. He just says it in a way in which I can't say it so that's why I'm quoting him. Shriner says indeed he, that's Jesus, experienced the full range of temptation.

The delight and joys offered by sin were no stranger to Jesus. He was cognizant of and experienced the attractiveness of sin, realizing that sin brought pleasure. So the answer to that question is yes. Jesus was really and truly tempted by temptations. His temptations were real. But another question, were his temptations easier because he was God? You might be tempted to say well you know he was God. So his temptations were easier. Well the answer to that question is no. Let me explain. The text says that our great high priest was tempted in all things exactly as we are and his temptations were not easier.

Actually they were much, much harder. His temptations were harder because he did not succumb to those temptations. Now right here Leon Morris explains this in a way in which I cannot explain it. That's why I'm quoting him. Morris says the only person who knows the full force of a given temptation is the one who resists it right to the end. The one who gives in at some point along the way does not know the fierceness of the temptation that would follow at a later point. But Jesus did not give in. So the answer to that question is no. His temptations were not easier because he was God. In fact they were much harder because he was and is God.

And then second, the author shows us how Jesus was tempted. Look back at verse 15. The text says, "In every respect he has been tempted as we are yet without sin." Now there is a very important phrase here that helps us see what the author is saying. This phrase "without sin," of course I'm quoting from the English Standard Version. And here we have two words. This word "without" means separate, apart, without any. And this word "sin," now this is very simple. The author is saying that Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet he did not yield to that temptation in sin. He was completely and totally apart from sin.

He was separated from and without sin. So Jesus, our great high priest was tempted in every way as we are, but he did not sin because he was completely separated from sin and without sin. So the author is clearly saying that Jesus was in fact tempted to sin in every way just as all people are tempted to sin. But he was without sin totally. Our high priest, our great high priest was and is in fact the perfect high priest. Now what do we need to learn right here? We see more of the personableness of our great high priest.

He is able to sympathize with us, which means he is able and willing to actively help us in our weaknesses, in our frailties, and even those weaknesses that lead to temptation and sin. And how was he able to do this? Because he was tempted in every way in all things just as we are, yet he was without sin. He knows and he understands our temptations in every way except sin. So he is able to sympathize with us. He is able to help us in our weaknesses, in our temptations, and our sins. Other than sin, our Lord can say to us, "I've been there.

I've been there." And I believe many true believers allow weaknesses and temptations that even lead to sin. And I believe believers allow weakness and temptations and sins to linger in their lives for too long. Why? Because they fail to see that Jesus understands. He was tempted just the same, yet he did not sin. And my rhetorical question here is this. Are you struggling with the sin? Are you struggling as a believer now with a weakness and a frailty that is leading to sin and has you in sin and you fail to understand Jesus understands, and he was even there. Yet without sin, yet without sin.

Now at this point I want to step back and I want us to see how all of this ties together. And I want to make some application in some ways. I want you to think of any human weakness. Think of any human weakness and frailty. Think of any sin. Jesus was tempted in that sin. Jesus was tempted in that weakness, yet he did not sin. So he is able to sympathize and help you in that sin and in that struggle. And chances are weakness and frailty and sin that came into your mind are things you struggle with.

And because he is the one and the only preeminent high priest, he can mediate between the one who is struggling in that sin and God, between God and the one who is struggling with that sin, that's you. Are you battling loneliness today? You might say, "Pastor, that's not a sin, it's a human weakness." Jesus battled loneliness. He understands. Are you battling abandonment today? Jesus understands that totally and fully. He can mediate between you and the Father. Are you battling physical pain and suffering? He understands. Are you battling losing your family? You can continue to add to that list of weaknesses, you see.

Well, what about temptations in sexual immorality? You might say, "Oh, talk about Pastor, Jesus wasn't tempted there." The text says he was tempted in every way. Some of you men are battling temptations in sexual immorality, women too. Look, let me just pause right here and I'm going to hold up my phone. Men, guys, if you're involved in immorality on this phone, on the internet, that is a high sin against God. It's called adultery. It's so prevalent. Listen, if you're battling with that, you need help right now. You need to find me or one of the leaders in our church, your small group leader.

If you're a woman and you're battling with this, you need to get help because it's so prevalent. You have no idea how often I counsel people struggling with these sins. But what I'm trying to show you is this, temptations in sexual immorality, sometimes men and women think, "Wait, Jesus can't understand that." Oh, yes, he can. He was tempted there, but he didn't sin. What about your temptations in pride and ego? What about your temptation for living in the world and for worldly pleasures? Jesus was tempted there. What about your temptation to forsake God's will and plan for your life? Jesus faced that same temptation.

This is an incomplete list. What am I trying to show you? Any weakness and any sin that you can bring to the table and you can experience, he dealt with the temptation to those sins, yet he did not succumb to that sin. He understands. And look, brother, look, sister, you can take any struggle, any weakness, any temptation, any sin. Jesus can sympathize. He understands. And the text says he is able to help because he was tempted in that very same way, but he did not sin. Now, this leads me to the two responsibilities. Some of you noticed that I didn't cover all the verses. The author gives two encouragements and two exhortations.

And right here, some of you might be saying, "Pastor, you could just pause right here." I could, but this all goes together. Some of you need this far more than you know. But real quickly, the encouragement to, number one, hold on to our confession in Christ. The encouragement to hold on to our confession in Christ. We see this in the second part of verse 14. Now, I'm going to read it from the legacy standard Bible. I know I'm making a switch.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession." Now, the author has just explained to this original audience that they had a great, a preeminent high priest Jesus was similar to, but completely different than the Levitical priests and even the high priest. In Jesus, they had a great high priest who was perfect and who had continual access to God because he was and is the perfect high priest. He was the one and the only great high priest. So he called them to take hold of their confession in Christ and not let it go. Remember our context?

The author was afraid that some of these Jews who were struggling, unbelieving believers, he was afraid that they would walk away from the faith. So he takes the time to call them to take a hold of their confession and not let it go. How many have we known who confess faith in Christ yet end through and because of their human weakness, temptations and sin, they walked away from their confessed faith instead of holding on to their confessed faith. Many. Long before I moved to Brookhaven, I went to seminary with a minister from Brookhaven. I loved this brother. I loved seminary class with this brother.

He had a zeal for souls witnessing and preaching. He ministered to me in a wonderful way. Many of you know my ministry journey. I went through difficult church circumstances, very difficult church circumstances. As a matter of fact, some circumstances that to some would say would knock you out of ministry. And my friend went through the very same things. But you see, we went two different directions. He went through difficulty in churches and he went the way of the world, the way of sin. His old life before he professed Christ. And I didn't. And I'll never forget seeing him at a funeral.

He literally looked at me and he said, "You and I went through the same circumstances. I went one way and you went the other." How many people have we seen confess Christ but yet they couldn't hold on? In Luke Church, the call in the encouragement for you this morning is this. You confess Christ but make sure you have true saving faith and that you hold on to that confession. And look brother and sister, there will be truckloads, trainloads of human weakness, temptations and sins that will war against your professed faith but you must take hold of your confession and not let it go and not let it go and not let it go.

And some of you right now are battling weakness, temptation and sin and you feel like you're holding on by the very tip of your fingernails. Don't let go. As a matter of fact, when it's all said and done, only he can sustain you. Now I love what the Amplified says here. Let me read the Amplified. He says, "Let us hold fast our confession of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior." That's good stuff. So the encouragement to hold on to our confession to Christ. And then the encouragement number two, to draw near to the throne of grace. The encouragement to draw near to the throne of grace.

Verse 16, "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." Now the author had just explained to them that they had a great, a preeminent high priest. Jesus was similar to but completely different than all of the Levitical priests, even the high priest. In Jesus they had a great high priest who was perfect and who had continual access to God because he was and is the perfect high priest. He was the one and the only great high priest, so he called them to draw near to the throne of grace with confidence. And what this means is rather simple.

God is a gracious, loving God. And he proved that he was and is gracious and loving by sending his son Jesus to die at our place, our great high priest. And he sits on his throne in majesty to rule his people with an iron fist. I don't know what the text says. The text says that God's throne is a throne of grace. And those who draw near to God and near to his throne of grace, what do they receive? mercy and grace to help them in their time of need. Now a question, who can draw near to God and to his throne of grace? Only believers. Now if you're lost, you can draw near to the throne of grace for saving grace, yes.

But only true believers can draw near to this throne. So the meaning here is simple. The author was telling these Jews and us that God is a merciful, gracious and loving God. And he sits on the throne of grace for his people so as to dispense or to give out what? Mercy and grace and help. And those believers who draw near to God and his throne of grace receive mercy, receive grace and help in their time of need. And remember the context folks, for those Jews under the old covenant, there was a tremendous barrier between them and God. Their sin and their sinfulness was that tremendous barrier.

And the job of those Levitical priests was to be the mediators between them and God, God and them. But their mediation was imperfect, it was temporary, and it only appeased the wrath of God against their sin. But Jesus did what those Levitical priests could not do. He satisfied the very wrath of God against their sin. And he made a way for those Jews to come directly to God because of Jesus. They did not need men to mediate anymore. They had the preeminent, the personable, the perfect high priest Jesus.

And look church, brothers and sisters, the call and the encouragement for us this morning is to draw near to God in his throne of grace, for at his throne we will receive mercy, grace and help in our time of need if we draw near. And notice we can draw near in confidence. And how many believers do not receive mercy? They do not receive the grace and the help that they desperately need because they simply do not draw near to the throne of grace. Is that you? Do you somehow have Christ over here and you have your needs over here and yet somehow, somehow you cannot breach that gap? And I call you before we move on here to meditate on verse 16.

Look back at verse 16. Let us then with confidence, confidence, draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive what? Mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Follow the encouragement to draw near to the throne of grace. Now as I close, I want to quickly revisit one of those questions that I posed at the introduction. Really I answered them all throughout the message but I want to conclude with this one question. This will be rather short. What does this mean to us? Look folks, look church, look brother and sister.

We have a great, a preeminent high priest Jesus who is the perfect son of God, who is able to sympathize and to help us in all of our human weakness, temptations and even our sin because he was tempted just like we are but he didn't sin in any way. So let's make sure we hold on to our confession in Christ Jesus. Let's make sure that we have a true confession in Christ Jesus.

Let's make sure that we hold on to Christ Jesus in and through all of our weaknesses, all of our temptations, yes even our sins and let's draw near, let's draw near to God and his throne of grace with great confidence because it is at his throne of grace that we find and we receive mercy, grace and help in our time of need. And as I close, I'm not a prophet, nor a son of a prophet but I believe there's some of you really needed to hear this this morning. You need to hear this this morning because this is what's been lacking in your walk. So the title of the message confidence in our great high priest.