Christ the True and Better - Hebrews 4:14-5:4 - The True and Better High Priest - pt.1

about today. So if you would please turn to Hebrews chapter four, verse 11. And the whole

purpose of the priest is clarified here. And it's interesting as we go through this, you'll

learn more and more about the complete work of salvation, like everything that Christ had to do

in order to not only satisfy God's righteous requirement, justify, sanctify, intercede,

advocate, all these things done in Christ. They all had to be done because if one was missing,

our eternity, our salvation is not possible. Like it's perfect in every way. Okay? So I'm

gonna pray and then we're gonna go through reading Hebrews 4, 11, and then we're gonna

keep reading and then we're gonna stop at chapter five, verse four. Father, I want to thank you so

much. You are holy, good, and righteous. All the details by which salvation must be done and

accomplished and then the application of that work in the life of the believer, an amazing picture,

and all the things that you, Christ, have accomplished, not only as the message, but the

messenger, not only as the messenger, but the prophet, not only as the prophet, but now the

high priest. And Lord, those are just scratching the surface of the reality of what you have done

and who you are. Thank you that you are the sacrifice. You are the head of the body. You

are all these things in the Lord. And Lord, we praise you and thank you for your faithfulness,

your goodness, to you be honor and glory forever. In Jesus' name, amen. Chapter four, verse 11,

let us therefore strive to enter that rest so that no one may fall by the same sword of disobedience,

for the word of God is living and active sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing to the division

of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of a

heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him

to whom we must give an account. 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 weakness, but one who in every respect has been

tempted as we are with 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. For every high priest

chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts

and sacrifice for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward since he himself is

beset with weakness. Because of this, he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins,

just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself,

but only when God called by God just as Aaron was. Now when we read this, we think,

does that mean Christ sins? He didn't. But I will show you that the requirement and the obligation

of the high priest is fulfilled in Christ because of what he is and what he has done for us and what

he's become for us. Okay? We'll clarify this and you'll see it clearly. He is the true and better

high priest. So principle number one, if Christ is our faithful high priest and our sacrifice,

should we shrink from being a faithful witness on his behalf? So if this is true,

then what is your obligation as a believer? To shrink away, to not be a faithful witness,

or to be a witness. Okay? Keeping the faith is more than doing all the right things as a Christian.

It's carefully and faithfully professing him who gave his life and rose again to give us life. So

if we have a faithful high priest who goes into the Holy of Holies on our behalf, intercedes on

our behalf, is faithful to commit to those things and do the things that are required,

then we should be quick to profess the reality of the holiness of our God and Savior. Now verse

14 says it this way, so then we have a great high priest who has passed through, so this word

passed through, it's not like he was in one place and he just traveled through heaven. That's kind

of what it sounds like when you read it, that this great high priest just kind of like passed

through the heavenlies. It's not really how it's supposed to be presented, though this word,

di-ercomi, is the word meaning passed through. Okay? But if we take this word and we break it

down into the two words that it is, di is the first word and ercomi is the second, and you guys

already know what ercomi is, I love ercomi words. It's ercomi, di-ercomi, pros-ercomi,

it's all these really cool ercomi words, I just like them. They sound cool. Anyway,

di-ercomi, the word di means to come, to come, and ercomi means to go from one place or to another

or to go through. So what's interesting about this word di-ercomi is that it's not just a

word, it means to come by the means of. In other words, he came through heaven, heaven sent him,

he came by the means of heaven. That's what this means. So when we say since we have a high priest

who has come by the means of the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast, cratio.

Cratio means to keep carefully and faithfully, not discard or let go. In other words, if our high

priest has come by the means of heaven, Jesus the son of God, then we should keep carefully and

faithfully, do not discard or let go of our confession. That makes a lot more sense now.

If these things are true, why are we so quick to abandon the one thing that matters?

The gospel. And there are a lot of types of gospels out there. And the gospel is simple.

That Christ died according to the scriptures, was buried and rose again on the third day according

to the scriptures. That's the gospel. But we are quick to walk away from our confession because

we don't want to deal with the issue of repentance or the issue of sin or the issue of being

lost because those words don't sound real good. So we abandon our confession and we forget

the responsibility and the cost that the high priest does on your behalf. And so if we are to

keep carefully and faithfully, not discard or let go of our confession, the word confession,

interesting enough, means homologia. Now homologia is a word profession or

the one whom we profess. What a good definition. Who do you profess?

So do you profess God loves you? Or do you profess Christ crucified, buried, rose again on the third day?

Or do you profess John 3 16? Or do you profess that God put on flesh, became like one of us,

came in the likeness of sinful man, and he who knew no sin became sin for us so that we who are

sinful may become the righteousness of God. That's a totally different thing. Like in other words,

apart from Christ, I'm doomed. That's a totally different profession. And so we must profess

the one who is our faith, him. So since we have a great high priest who has come by the means of

heaven, Jesus Christ, the son of God, we should keep carefully and faithfully and not discard

or let go our confession that he is the savior and king of the world. That's the point. Now we

understand why that's important because the reality is if he is the advocate for us and our

intercessor, then we must also be quick to speak the reality of the holiness of our God. And so

second principle, we have a high priest who has experienced our weakness and has given us the way

to him. There is only one way. It's not an easy way. It's the only way. And if he's the only way,

he's the only way to him. There is a clear road and it's hard and it's narrow and it's not easy.

And he has set it for us. And he is our way to him. How do we know that? Because Galatians 2 20

tells us he's the way. Not only is he the way to eternity, he's also the way to Christian living.

For I have been crucified with Christ, yet I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I

now live in this body, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

He is the only way, not only the only way to eternity, eternal life, he is the only way to

successful Christian living, powerful living, not denying the power, but living in it, victorious

And so Hebrews 4 15 clarifies some things for us. 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 you're probably asking, well, Pastor Joe, how come you haven't thrown a Greek

word in there? Because this is like a literal translation of the Bible. And it's like,

this is like a literal translation. So you can't get, it's very good. I don't want to,

there's nothing else for me to say. Christ, who is our priest, he is able to sympathize with us

because of our weaknesses, because he also was tempted in the same way we are, but yet he didn't

screw it up. He didn't sin, which is important, especially when you come down to the next verses,

because if he being a high priest was to go into the Holy of Holies and he was perfect,

let's say that, let's say this in the mind of this high priest who's not Jesus, thinks he's good.

He has no issues. He walks in, with a rope around his waist, and he goes down and says,

I'm not like those guys. Sounds familiar. Jesus said that, did he not? I'm not like them.

And he walks in and he's supposed to be interceding on your behalf, taking the blood of

the animal that was sacrificed to cover your sin. And he walks in with an attitude.

Or he just like, and then walks out. He doesn't make it out. Because you remember what he said

here in verse 13, and no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the

eyes of him who must give an account. In other words, you're going to be judged because his

word judges you, the thoughts and intents, you're going to die. And so what happens to the priest?

He dies and they pull him out by a rope. They're going to be judged because he's

not a priest. I want you to understand something. Jesus goes in without a rope.

Now, it's a powerful thought. One who is truly an interceder for us, one who is our advocate.

He can go into the Holy of Holies and his blood is what was given for us as a sacrifice. And he

puts his own blood on the seat and then walks out in confidence that the work that was done is done.

And so next principle, this is the reason why we can approach the throne of grace with full confidence,

knowing he will do as he promised. If Christ has accomplished that type of high priest requirement,

obligation, why are we so timid to walk into the throne of grace as if we cannot ask according to

his will? Well, it says here in 1 John 5, 14 through 15, and this is the confidence that we have

toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears

us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. Now,

why is this important? Because the problem with our asking is we're asking not according to his

will. And you have a lot of churches, denominations that say, just ask whatever you want. I mean,

Jesse De Plantis is talking about he got his $25 million jet because he asked God for a $25 million

jet. Guess what? God didn't give him the $25 million jet. That wasn't from God,

because God's will is different. He's living his best life now,

because when it's all said and done, his best life is not going to be good at all.

Just saying. So verse 16 says this, says this, let us then with confidence,

parasea. Now this word confidence means freedom in speaking without ambiguity

and fearless confidence. So let us with freedom in speaking,

with freedom in speaking, without ambiguity and fearless confidence, draw near. Interesting word

here, proserecomia means draw near. That's exactly what it means. I like to say

erecomia, so I put it in my thing. I was like, you might as well, because it's my schtick.

It's my schtick, you know. So proserecomia, to draw near, draw near to what? The throne of grace

that we may receive mercy. Now this word receive, lumbano, means to receive what is given

or obtained. Now I want you to get this. When you're thinking about lumbano,

when did you receive mercy? When did you receive the inheritance that God has promised?

When was this accomplished in the timeline of God before the foundation of the world?

It's already yours according to his will. What? Whatever is done in his word, whatever he has

promised in his word, he will do. That's the point. So when we're thinking about what we may receive,

what we may receive to receive what was given is mercy. Think about that. Did God not apply mercy

to your life before the foundation of the world? Isn't Christ crucified before the foundation of

the world? Isn't Christ predestined us to be conformed into the image of his son before the

foundation of the world, the application of mercy, and the transformation of the life? Yes. All of

these things are accomplished in Christ before. And so it continues to and find, so we receive mercy

and find, to find, discover, see, learn, or understand. Grace to help in time of need. Now

this word time means timely or opportune. I like the word opportune. It sounds fun. And here is

my transliteration of Hebrews 4.16. You know sometimes I like to do that because I like to

say, it sounds pretty simple, but how can we describe this a little easier? And this is

my transliteration. Drawing near therefore without ambiguity and with fearless confidence to the

throne of grace that having received what is given, mercy and grace, we discover, learn,

and understand timely and opportune help in our struggle. In other words, you ever notice that

you know when life's going on and things are difficult and you think you're like at the end

and oh my gosh there's no way out and then the last very second something happens and you go

it was timely wasn't it? Wasn't it just like at the right opportune time that you needed to help

and God shows up with help? That's because he is our high priest. It's pretty amazing that God

knows that we can without ambiguity and with fearless confidence come before his throne

because he will do what he says he's going to do and he will do what he says he's going to do.

Come before his throne because he will do what he says he's going to do. Why? Because he has given

us mercy and grace and when we discover those truths, that reality of God, and learn and

understand at the right opportune time we receive our help in our struggle we learn a lot about God

that God does what he says and that God only does according to his will. Everything else

he doesn't have to do and he won't do. So next principle the responsibility of every high priest

is to offer the sacrifice to God on behalf of all mankind for the remission of sin. That is the

responsibility of the high priest. That was the responsibility of Jesus. Now I want you to get

this. Jesus the high priest offers himself as the sacrifice for our remission of sin

and we go that's not enough. How do we say it's not enough? Because I have to choose God.

How do we say it's not enough? Because I have to do good. How do we say it's not enough?

How do we say it's not enough? It's never enough when we pull Christ off of his position

as high priest and savior and we put ourself in as a high priest thinking that we can go in on our

own behalf and speak for ourself when we can't. And so for there is no distinction, Romans 3 22

through 26, for there is no distinction for we for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of

God and are justified by his grace as a gift. Remember that thing that you were given before

the foundation of the world? That. Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God

put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. So Jesus was put forward

as the sacrifice necessary for the covering and the removal of our sin

and his blood is what was used to accomplish that task which requires a high priest to come in

and sprinkle the seat of the judgment seat of God to cover your sin. Do you remember all that?

Yes, we're going to dig a little bit deeper. This was to show God's righteousness because in his

divine forbearance he had passed over former sins and it was to show his righteousness at the present

time so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

He's the one who determines you don't. Now that being said, now we understand Hebrews 5 1 a little

bit better for every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation

to God. That is a high priest's high priest's responsibility. A high priest's responsibility

is to act on behalf of men in relation to God and God is the one who chooses those men. Now

it's one of the reasons why women can't be pastors because though Jesus is the high priest,

pastors also come before God on behalf of his people and act on behalf concerning their

relationship with him and it says this that they offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. Now I don't

have to do that. It's Jesus. Now I want you to understand that Jesus offers gifts and sacrifices

for sins. What is Jesus gifts? Mercy, grace. What is the sacrifice? Himself. So Jesus is the chosen

is the chosen high priest. Has Jesus not been appointed by the father to act on behalf

concerning the relationship with God and men? He was. So Jesus Christ is the gift. He is the sacrifice

and he is the high priest who goes on our behalf interceding for you. And so next principle,

God Christ is our intercessor and advocate who can and fully on your on our behalf bring our

atoning sacrifice fulfill all the obligations of the high priest. So Jesus as a high priest

brings in the blood of the sacrifice himself and fulfills the full obligation of the high priest

for us. And here it is. Christ alone is our high priest. He, Jesus, or the priest, the high priest,

and this is really just to clarify how he is relatable to the high priest. That's important

because remember he did not sin but I want you to hear this. He, the high priest, can deal gently.

This word deal gently means be affected moderately or one who is not unduly disturbed

but bears them gently. That's what this means. How can the priest or the high priest deal gently

with you? Because he says this that the that the high priest can deal gently with the ignorant

and wayward. Now I know some of you guys like I ain't ignorant. We all are unknowledgeable.

We all really don't know the fullness of everything do we? We're learning. Some know a little bit more

than others but we still don't know all that goes that goes into this situation. So the high priest

can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward since he himself is beset with weakness.

How can Jesus, being God without sin, be the one who can deal gently with us as ignorant and wayward

people if he himself is beset with weakness? Would that make him God?

Is Jesus a sinner? No. As a matter of fact in Hebrews 415 what's it say?

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize, unable to be compassionate with our

weakness but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin. He is the one

as we are yet without sin. He can and absolutely does understand us.

He is a priest who deals gently with us. The benefit is he doesn't walk into the holy of holies

with a rope wrapped around his waist. He goes in fearlessly confident because he is God on our

behalf showing he can fulfill the obligation and requirement of the high priest for us.

And so verse 3, because he is obligated, afileo, this word means to owe or that which is due.

How is he obligated? Because this is the requirement in order to be justified in Christ.

There has to be a priest who can come into the holy of holies and offer the sacrifice

before God the requirement of the propitiation of your sin. That is how it works and Jesus is

that high priest. That's amazing. So he, the high priest, is obligated to offer sacrifice for his

own sins just as he does for those of the people. Now you're wondering, Jesus didn't sin, so how can

he offer sin, how can he offer a sacrifice for himself? Glad you asked because scripture always

interprets scripture. Context is always upon context and precept is always upon precept and

you can always trust God has the answer and here it is. Christ is without sin, Hebrews 415,

but the obligation of the high priest is still necessary on our behalf. 2 Corinthians 521 reads

this, you ready? 2 Corinthians 521, for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in

him we might become the righteousness of God. So guess what? Because of this he is obligated to

offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. Oh, what's interesting is

Christ being the perfect sacrifice without sin, put upon himself our sin and then goes in on our

behalf in his and saying my sacrifice is sufficient. That's what it means. Wow. What a complete work

of salvation in Christ and because of this very reason I want you to hear this, so through Christ

the sinless high priest, the obligation of the high priest to offer the sacrifice on our behalf

and is the one in every way experienced our weakness so that he is the advocate for us and

can deal gently with us before him who is holy and this is the point of the advocate. How can he

advocate and intercede if he doesn't understand? But he does in every way. What an amazing work

and so we're going to end here. Christ was called by the father to be our high priest

and so fulfilled the plan that was set before him. This was the plan, the plan of salvation

in every detail, every detail. When we think about a high priest we don't think about the requirement

and the obligation of the high priest. We just teach, oh it's just the high priest, he's our high

priest. He intercedes for us so much more. There's a requirement, an obligation that must be fulfilled

and so can you imagine, let me say it this way, can you imagine a high priest who comes in on your

behalf who has no understanding of your suffering? Then what's the point? And if he comes in,

and if he comes in and he understands our weakness and our struggles, will he not joyfully offer

the sacrifice on your behalf? And the scripture says he does. It's an amazing thing and so

Ephesians 1, 7 through 10 says this, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of

our trespasses according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and

insight making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose which he set forth

in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and

things on earth. Wow. Every detail is covered. Every single box is checked. And when it's all

said and done, now you know why, Paul says in Romans 1, men are without excuse. There is no

excuse but hatred toward God, which he clarifies in Romans 1. Kind of neat how you see all these

letters and all these statements kind of just fit together. And so chapter 5 verse 4 says this,

Hebrews 5, 4, and no one takes this honor for himself but only when called to account by the

only when called by God just as Aaron was and just as Aaron was called by God to be the high priest

of the people, Jesus was called by the Father to be the high priest for us. This is not something

that you do because you it feels good. This is a calling and no one takes this honor for himself.

It's not something he can claim. It's given and it's a heavy responsibility and thank God

he is the high priest because this is too much for any man to carry. Father, I want to thank you so

much for your faithfulness and goodness. Thank you that you are the high priest, the faithful one,

the king of kings and lord of lords and that you intercede on our behalf. Thank you for the advocate

that you are for us. To you be honor and glory forever in Jesus name, amen.