Jesus was
appointed as our “great high priest”. He
is able to identify with us, because He was tempted in every way. As the Son of God He has sympathy for us and
understands us. He has the desire and
ability to help through anything we face.
How are you
struggling? Are you trying to resist temptation to
rebel or to lose control in anger?
Then read Hebrews 4:15-16 - “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize
with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as
we are - yet was without sin. Let us
then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help us in our time of need.” To “have” means to receive, accept, and the
assurance of Jesus. We have a
relationship with Jesus. To approach the
throne of grace is to take all our problems and concerns to God with confidence
that He will help us to overcome them – not only the big one, but the small ones
as well.
Jesus was
qualified more than anyone to become our high priest. He was called by God, He submitted to God’s
will, He was without sin, He offered up prayers and petitions to God for
others, He learned obedience through suffering and He became the source of
salvation for all who believe.
Is He your
great high priest? Do you take your concerns to Him? Is He your savior? Everyone has a cell phone these days and also
with it you have a limited calling plan.
Jesus is our unlimited plan. He
gives us His unlimited attention and complete access to Him. He is talking to God the Father about you and
He knows what you need.
Jesus knows your
pain and your grief. He knew what it is
like to be hungry, thirsty, and tired.
He knew the horrible agony of physical torture, which He endured in His
trial and crucifixion. He knew what it
is like to be mocked, distrusted and betrayed by friends. He was tempted in all the things as we are,
yet He is without sin.
Jesus knows your
hearts. He knows exactly what you are
fighting to remain obedient. God’s way
is costly, but guaranteed to transform your very being. There is another way – your way. It’s less painful and may make you feel
better for a time, but it doesn’t honor God and doesn’t impact others for
God. Trust and obey or go your own way.
Because He can
sympathize with us, we should draw near to the throne of grace with
confidence. We should come to the throne
because we are weak and we have Jesus as our sympathetic High Priest. If you have needs, pray. Jesus is ready to give you mercy and help you
fight your battles.
Principle: Jesus
as the Great High Priest helps His people in times of weakness and temptation.
What problems
do you need to take before the throne?
What causes
you to doubt?
How confident
are you that He hears your prayers?
Hebrews 5:11-6:12 – Jesus’ Word demands
Spiritual Growth
We are grateful
that churches teach the basics, but it won’t sustain you in life. Solid food is for the mature (Heb. 5:14). It is important that we grow
spiritually. We are spiritual infants and
will remain so if we are not intentional.
Maturity just doesn’t happen. It
takes study and real work. Our thinking
needs to be trained. Jesus didn’t
demonstrate emotional thinking. We need
to keep going pass elementary truths.
“It is
impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the
heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness
of the word of God and the powers to the coming age, if they fall way, to be
brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son
of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.” (Heb.
6:4-6) He is not saying that it is
impossible for God to forgive them if they fall away. God will always forgive all who repent and
believe. The problem is with those who
don’t repent. It is possible to get very
close to genuine faith and still not actually repent. If you are willing to go back, perhaps you
haven’t truly accepted Christ as Savior.
“Enlightened” is part of the process of salvation,
being taught the truth before we believe. You can be enlightened to the truth, but shut
your eyes to the light of Jesus.
“Tasted the heavenly gift” refers to those who understood the
freeness of God’s gift and have even had the Holy Spirit convicting their
consciences; however they find it too difficult to leave their way of life,
change their minds, repent and go on to true saving faith in Christ. True Christians cannot fall away and be lost.
“Impossible” here means that having rejected the Holy
Spirit who has brought them along knowing the gospel, but they cannot now
simply turn to God. They have not truly
repented.
Principle: Christian
maturity involves knowing and doing what God Says.
Knowing must be
joined with faith, trust and obedience.
Indifference is our greatest enemy. If you are feeling weary in spirit, dig deeper
into His word. Even churches have people
in pews that need to know.
Christian growth
varies. Some Christians instantly drop
those habitual sins and never fall back.
Others struggle daily. Motivation
is key. “Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be
satisfied.” – Matt. 5:6. Hunger and thirst are strong motivators and
becomes the only thing on your mind. You
want to satisfy that craving. We must
practice and it and make it a habit, a deliberate effort to grow spiritually.
What
indifference do you need to lay aside?
Are you
willing to share the solid food?
Will you
share with those who are spiritually hungry?
What is your
greatest challenge to spiritual growth?
Hebrews 6:13-20 – Jesus’ Character
Anchors Our Hope
There are two
unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie – His character
and His Word. Believers’ anchor is Jesus
Christ and keeps them secure. Nothing on
earth can anchor you securely – only Jesus.
Principle: Our
hope of future salvation is certain because God is incapable of lying.
He is a Promise
Keeper! What makes you feel secure? Is it your job, money, family? As we submit by faith and believe the living
Word and in His unchanging character, we grow.
Then the world around us will see Jesus.
Hebrews 7 – Jesus is the Superior Priest
Melchizedek is
just a man and his features shadow the one to come, Jesus Christ. Jesus and Melchizedek have some similarities
as high priest. They are: both are kings, high priests, kings of
righteousness, kings of peace and kings forever. Their differences are: that Jesus is the Son of God, He lives
forever, has a permanent priesthood and is able to save completely. He is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from
sinners, exalted above the heavens is unlike any other high priest and does not
need to offer sacrifices day after day for sins. He is the perfect High Priest – forever!
Not all people
have someone praying for them like a mother or a grandmother, but everyone
has Jesus praying for them continually.
He’s thinking and talking with God about you right now.
Principle: God
cares enough to send man His very best His Son Jesus Christ.
Join me here
next week as we continue our study of Hebrews. -- I
encourage you to trust in Jesus.
__________________________________________
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