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.—Hebrews 4:14–16

Introduction

We continue to have various conversations related to the organization and structure of the church. These are good and important conversations for us as a church family. In the midst of this, this morning I want to remind us that Christ will lead his church, and in particular, Christ serves as the great high priest for his people.

The great danger facing the Christians in the book of Hebrews was the temptation to fall away and abandon Christ. They were warned not to “neglect such a great salvation” (2:3) or harbor an “evil, unbelieving heart” (3:12). Instead, they are exhorted to hold fast the confession and confidence they have in Christ. And the basis for their confidence is Jesus’ high priestly role. 

Main Point

Because Jesus is our great high priest, we can hold onto Jesus and pray to him for help.

Outline

1. What does it mean for Jesus to be our great high priest?
2. How should we live in light of Jesus’ priesthood?

Part 1: What does it mean for Jesus to be our great high priest? 

OBSERVATION 1: We have a matchless Mediator

Throughout Hebrews it has been argued that Jesus is better than angels, superior to Moses, Aaron, or the Levitical priesthood. He is a “great” high priest. Hebrews is sometimes called the epistle of priesthood, because it is the focus of the majority of the letter. Earlier in Hebrews, we read the following: 

• Hebrews 1:3 says, speaking of Jesus, “After making purification for sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” This alludes to Jesus’ priestly work.
• Hebrews 2:17 says, again speaking of Jesus, “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.” Propitiation is Jesus’ sin-forgiving work between God and sinners.—taking wrath, giving righteousness, so that we are forgiven and reconciled. 

Both of these passages point to the mediating work of Jesus. Very simply, a priest stands between God and God's people so that each party can have fellowship with the other. One major priestly duty was to use animal blood to purify the holy places within the temple from the stain of human sin so that God would continue to meet with his people there.

Jesus mediates redemption by his own blood, not through animal sacrifice. Unlike the OT Levitical priesthood where animal sacrifices would need to be offered day after day, Jesus offers his blood—which is better—once for all to accomplish and secure redemption for his people. We can see this in Hebrews 9:12 “[Jesus] 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.” Additionally in Hebrews 9:26 it says, “[Jesus] has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” 

One of the never-ending items on your to-do list is doing the laundry, loading and unloading the dishwasher (or hand-washing the dishes), cleaning the house, the bathroom, and even washing our own bodies. Why? Because everything gets dirty again. It gets defiled. It gets grimy. But when it comes to salvation, we do not need repeated redemptions, but rather Christ redeems us by his blood once-for-all. It’s greater in its effectiveness.

Not only do we have a matchless mediator in Jesus, it says we have a “high priest who has passed through the heavens,” leading us to our second observation.

OBSERVATION 2: We have an almighty Advocate.

Hebrews 9:24 expands on this picture of Jesus passing through the heavens by saying, “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.”

Unlike the Levitical high priest in the OT who could only go into the Holy of Holies but one time each year, Jesus enters right into—not just the Holy of Holies—but the place the Holy of Holies symbolized, the very presence of God in heaven.

A friend of mine served as a missionary in country in Southeast Asia, traveling with a friend. And as traffic piled up on the highway, it had come to a complete standstill in both directions. They were going to miss the event they were scheduled to attend—until her friend got on the phone, made a phone call, and a helicopter arrived to bring them to their destination. They had a friend in high places. How much more do we—God’s children—have access and the benefits of a Friend in high places? We have Jesus Christ as our glorious Advocate before the Father.

Therefore, this morning, whatever you’re facing—challenges that you never thought possible, or suffering you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy—you have an Advocate before the Father. Jesus is our Advocate having passed through the heavens at the Father’s side.

Jesus as a great high priest means we have a matchless Mediator, an almighty Advocate … and now we turn to our third observation.

OBSERVATION 3: We have a sympathetic and sinless Savior.

The third reason for why we ought to hold fast to our confession comes in verse 15, beginning with “for” to give the reason, stating it both negatively and positively. Notice, he says we do not have a high priest who cannot or is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Rather—stated positively—we have a high priest who has been tempted in every respect as we are, but is without sin.

First, what does it mean for Christ to sympathize with his people? This word shows up only in Hebrews, once here and once in Hebrews 10:34 translated “compassion.” The word literally means “suffer along with.” In speaking of Christ’s sympathy, the writer is making the point that Christ is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses, and thus able to help us in our weaknesses. This doesn’t mean that Christ affirms our sinful tendencies or desires. This doesn’t mean Jesus is a lax accountability partner, nodding his head when we confess. Jesus experienced temptation so he could help those facing temptation. 

This raises the issue of whether Christ was able or not able to sin. Yet we don’t have the time to dive into every nuance of that controversy, but the Bible is clear that Christ is fully able to identify with fallen humanity—and yet Jesus was without sin. Jesus experienced temptations and testing, but was sinless (Matthew 4:1–11, Mark 1:12–13, Luke 4:1–13).

Jesus experienced the full range of temptations that are common to all people:

• Jesus was tempted by Satan to serve himself in the wilderness.
• Jesus was tempted by the Pharisees to prove himself with miracles.
• Jesus was tempted by Peter to avoid death and crucifixion.
• Jesus was tempted by Judas betrayal to feel despondent.
• Jesus was tempted by pain and suffering to disobey the Father’s perfect plan.
• Jesus was tempted by those who mocked him to call down legions of angels to vindicate him.
• Jesus was tempted by the Roman soldiers to get justice for himself rather than trust the Father.

Yet Jesus did not have a sin nature and he did not ever sin. He was sinless, but emptied himself by adding humanity to his divinity so that he would be like us. He can identify with us. So that when we pray, Jesus is our sympathetic high priest; he literally suffers with us.

• When we are grieving the poor choices of a wayward child, Jesus knows the pain of being rejected by his chosen people Israel though he was their long-awaited Savior.
• When we are experiencing excruciating pain, Jesus is well acquainted with pain and suffering, having been beaten, tortured, crucified, and killed.
• When we have been betrayed by family or friends, Jesus knows how it feels to have a disciple kiss him with betrayal that would lead to his arrest and death.
• When we are grieving the loss of a family member or friend, Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus and saw the pain of Mary and Martha.
• When we are feeling misunderstood, Jesus knows what it’s like to have your closest friends and family not understand you at all.
• When we are feeling tired, weary, and beat down, Jesus knows what it’s like to have no place to lay his head, no bed to crawl into, and no respite from the crowds.
• When we need to trust God for daily provision, Jesus knows what it feels like to receive daily bread and daily provision from the Father.
• When we are angry and frustrated with others, Jesus experienced perfect and righteous anger at seeing others oppress and exploit the weak and vulnerable.
• When we have experienced physical, spiritual, or emotional trauma—been abused, beaten, mocked, shamed, tortured, or dismissed—Jesus experienced it all, unjustly, and he even called out, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (REF) 

We have a great high priest who not only goes before us as a Mediator, as an Advocate, but who is our sympathetic Savior. He knows our frailty, knows our frame, knows our weakness, knows our failures, knows our humanity—and he does not disdain it, but shows compassion for us in our humanity. 

In Jesus, as our great high priest, we have a matchless Mediator, an almighty Advocate, and a sympathetic and sinless Savior. Which leads us to Part 2, which is “How should we live in like of these truths?” How do we live in light of Jesus’ priesthood? What does this mean for believers? 

PART 2: How should we live in light of Jesus’ priesthood?

We can see in our passage the two main exhortations that flow out of Jesus serving as our great high priest:

1. Hold fast our confession (v. 14).
2. Draw near with confidence (v. 16).

Thus the main exhortation is to keep holding onto Jesus. Hold fast your confession! Don’t depart, don’t fall away, don’t get tired, don’t stop trusting, don’t get disgruntled, don’t hold onto hurt, frustration, or pain, but hold fast to your former confession of our hope in Christ without wavering. Your life circumstances, family situations, experience of relational tensions, or your professional life cause you to doubt God’s goodness. God has a word for you this morning: Hold fast to Jesus! He is for you and has brought you into the very presence of the living God. Jesus gives you confidence this morning to know, love and enjoy him.

The other main exhortation that we can “draw near to the throne of grace.” What is this throne? The “throne” of God is in the heavens (Hebrews 8:1), and it is where God dwells, enthroned upon the cherubim (2 Kings 19:15, Psalm 80:1). It’s likely this “throne of grace” corresponds to the “mercy seat” in the holy of holies where blood was sprinkled. Jesus—through his superior high-priestly ministry—has paved the way for access to the place of grace before God through his ministry.

Contrast Between Mercy Seat and God’s Throne of Grace:

• Where the mercy seat was veiled off for 364 days a year—open only one day for the nation of Israel—this throne of grace beckons his children to come every day, all the time, whenever you find yourself in need.
• Where the mercy seat required fresh sprinkling of blood, for both the high priest and for the people, Jesus has opened the way once-for-all by his superior blood with no further sacrifice needed.
• Where only the specially designated high priest could enter and exit, Jesus enters and tears apart the curtain so that all people—not just high priests, not just Levites, not just Israelites, not just those who convert to Judaism, but all people—can now enter into God’s presence through the mediating work of Jesus.
• Where the mercy seat was a fearful and terrible thing, Jesus opens the way for us to receive grace and mercy in time of need.
• Where the high priest would enter in with fear, trembling, perhaps anxiety, perhaps deeply frightened—because it is a fearful thing to enter into the presence of a holy God—we are told to draw near with confidence because our great high priest has covered us in his blood and washed us clean.

One other truth we ought not to miss. We are to draw near with confidence to this throne of grace to receive mercy and grace to help in time of need. God gives timely help. God gives fresh grace and fresh mercy for today’s trials, for tomorrow’s uncertainties, for next week’s anxieties, for next month’s challenges, for next year’s unknowns, and for the next decade of life. We see this again and again in Scripture. God does not delay his appropriate help for his people, but brings it in a timely manner. 

Elizabeth Elliot (widow of Jim Elliot, one of the five missionaries killed while attempting to make contact with the Waorani Indians in Ecuador) once said, “We are not given grace for imaginations. We are given the grace needed at the time when it is needed.”

• Red Sea: The Red Sea didn’t part when Israel was miles away, but only when they were pressed up against it, with Pharaoh and the Egyptians breathing down their necks, did the pathway of escape open up.
• Jericho: When Joshua led the people around the city of Jericho, the walls did not crumble on day one through six, but only when they circled the city seven times, blew their trumpets, and cried out did they then fall.
• Lazarus: When Lazarus was entombed, his body prepared, and Jesus delayed, only then did help—in the form of resurrection—come to not only revive Lazarus but to reveal Jesus’ timely help, and the power of his kingdom.
• Holy Spirit: The baptism of the Holy Spirit didn’t come while Jesus was among them, didn’t come after Jesus’ died, didn’t come during Jesus’ ministry in his resurrected body, but it came after as they gathered waiting for God the Spirit to meet them, empower them, and transform them for ministry. 

So do not lose heart. If the migraines won’t stop. If the wayward child hasn’t yet returned. If the job prospects look bleak. If marriage looks like a distant possibility. If your temptations and inclinations to sin persist. If brokenness in your family looks insurmountable. If the uncertainties of life grow more unclear.

Don’t lose heart. Don’t question God’s timing, but come to him with confidence. Come to him. Pray afresh knowing that more mercy and grace is ready to be poured out on you at the right time. This mercy and grace may be in the form of an unshakeable faith, persevering strength, glad-hearted trust, joyful embrace of trials, deeper satisfaction in Jesus, a greater loosening of the treasures of this world, or change in your situation or circumstances. But Jesus knows, sees and hears you in heartache and joy—and he cares.

Closing

God isn’t done with his church. God isn’t wringing his hands in heaven wondering what will happen. God isn’t stressed, anxious, or confused about the way forward. In the face of all the open questions we might have, God has all the answers. God has more answers than we have capacity to understand. More answers than we have questions. God is building his church, God is advancing his mission, God uses the weak things of the world to shame the wise, and God uses insufficient messengers to proclaim an all sufficient message.

Consider the Days of Acts:

• Jesus was leading his church, even when Peter and John were arrested, beaten, and threatened.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when the Hellenist widows were being neglected.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when Stephen was stoned to death and all disciples scattered.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when Saul was breathing threats and murder against the disciples.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles as Peter preached.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when Herod executed James and arrested Peter.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when Paul was nearly stoned to death.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when there was a church-wide divide and debate over the salvation of Gentiles.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison.
• Jesus was leading his church, even when Paul incited a citywide riot in Ephesus where they chanted “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” for two hours. 

Jesus is leading his church today. Jesus will lead his church tomorrow. Therefore hold fast to Jesus. Come with confidence to ask for grace and mercy to help in time of need.