Merciful And Faithful High Priest Of God

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you have a High Priest?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that CHRIST is our High Priest.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 2:17 (Amplified Bible)

2:17 So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect, in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) and faithful High Priest in the things related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people’s sins.

V. THESIS:

We are kings, lords and priests because CHRIST is our King of kings, Lord of lords, and High Priest respectively.

VI. TITLE:

Merciful and Faithful High Priest of GOD

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Date of writing: Before AD. 70

B. Style of writing: Best Greek style

C. Authorship: Not specific, but generally attributed to Apostle Paul. Can be also ascribed to Barnabas, Luke, Apollos

D. Audience: Hebrew Christians

E. Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels—J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

F. Purpose: The chief doctrinal purpose of the writer was to show the transcendent glory of the Christian dispensation, as compared with that of the Old Testament.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

G. Keyword: better

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. CHRIST made like His brethren in every respect

"So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect,"

Philippians 2:7-8 (Amplified Bible)

2:7 But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.

2:8 And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!

Hebrews 2:11 (Amplified Bible)

2:11 For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren;

Hebrews 2:14 (Amplified Bible)

2:14 Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—

CHRIST became flesh and blood for this is the type of sacrifice He's going to do for us, entering Heaven itself, which is the tabernacle of GOD.

B. CHRIST became the Merciful and Faithful High Priest of GOD

"in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) and faithful High Priest in the things related to God,"

Isaiah 11:5 (Amplified Bible)

11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of His waist and faithfulness the girdle of His loins.

Hebrews 5:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

5:1 FOR EVERY high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in things relating to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

5:2 He is able to exercise gentleness and forbearance toward the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is liable to moral weakness and physical infirmity.

CHRIST is High Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Human high priest are born and selected as high priest among priests but during the reigns of Herod, all 28 high priests are elected by political leaders, no longer coming from tribe of Levi.

Hebrews 6:20 (Amplified Bible)

6:20 Where Jesus has entered in for us [in advance], a Forerunner having become a High Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

Psalms 110:4 (Amplified Bible)

110:4 The Lord has sworn and will not revoke or change it: You are a priest forever, after the manner and order of Melchizedek.

C. CHRIST made atonement and propitiation for our sins

"to make atonement and propitiation for the people’s sins"

CHRIST made reconciliation for us thru His body, literally, He's called GOD-Man.

Romans 5:10 (Amplified Bible)

5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [resurrection] life.

Ephesians 2:16 (Amplified Bible)

2:16 And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

Colossians 1:21 (Amplified Bible)

1:21 And although you at one time were estranged and alienated from Him and were of hostile attitude of mind in your wicked activities,

1 Timothy 2:5 (The Message)

2:5 that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus,

IX. CONCLUSION:

Our LORD JESUS is our Mediator between us and FATHER GOD.