Shiloh Bible Church
Hebrews 2:16-18
The Perfect Priest
Introduction
A businessman was late for an important meeting, and he couldn’t find a parking space. He frantically circled the block, but no space was open. The man got so desperate that he decided to pray. Looking up toward heaven, he said, “Lord, take pity on me. If you find me a parking space, I’ll go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life. And not only that, but I’ll stop cursing and carousing.” As soon as the man was done with his prayer, miraculously a parking space appeared. The man looked up again to heaven and said, “Never mind. I found one.”
We often don’t recognize God’s benevolent working in our lives. And often we forget the wonderful ways in which God has helped us. And so the writer of Hebrews wants to remind us of the help God provides. Please turn with me to Hebrews chapter 2.
The book of Hebrews was written to a struggling congregation—a group of believers who were tempted to “throw in the towel”—to call it quits, spiritually. They were on the brink of experiencing tremendous suffering and persecution for their faith in Christ. And they were seriously considering going back to their former religion of Judaism. And so the writer of Hebrews sent them this letter encouraging them to remain faithful followers and devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. And one of the ways he encourages them to remain loyal to Christ is to remind them of the ways in which Jesus has helped them. And we see this in the last 3 verses of Hebrews chapter 2.
Look at verse 16 with me: “For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.”
In Hebrews chapter 1 and 2 we find that Jesus is greater than the Old Testament prophets and He is greater than the angels. Jesus is the sovereign Creator of the universe. But He left His throne in heaven and came to earth, being born as a man. Jesus did not become an angel. Rather, He took on human flesh—He became a man. Look at verse 14: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.” God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ.
Now, man is lower than the angels on the creation scale. In verse 6, the writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 8 which says, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels.”
Humorist Will Rogers quipped, “God made man a little lower than the angels, and he has been sinking a little lower ever since.”
Vance Havner remarked: “I used to say: ‘Man is going to the dogs.’ But I stopped saying that out of respect for dogs.”
Mark Twain wrote, “God made man at the end of the creation week when He was very tired.”
None of these statements puts man in a very positive light. And it is true. We are fallen creatures—stained with sin; separated from God. So why did God leave the glories of heaven and become a human being? Why did He abandon the splendors of His throne and become a man? Because He loved us and wanted to help us. And the only way He could do that was to become one of us. Verse 16: “For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God.”
Jesus Christ became a man so that He could serve as our high priest. Now, here again the writer of Hebrews is using Old Testament imagery. Remember how we said that this letter was written to a congregation of Hebrew Christians? These Jewish individuals believed that Jesus was the Messiah. And they placed their faith in Him as Savior. Well, knowing their Jewish background, the writer of Hebrews uses Old Testament images to convey spiritual truth to them. That’s why the book of Hebrews is filled with quotes from the Old Testament and references to Old Testament events.
Now, one of the images that the writer of Hebrews employs is that of the high priest. The high priest was an individual who was the nation of Israel’s representative before God. And it was the role of the high priest to help people spiritually.
And the writer of Hebrews tells us that as our high priest Jesus helps us spiritually in two ways. The first way is this: He provides…
1. FORGIVENESS OF SINS
You’ll remember that in the Old Testament, God led the nation of Israel out of Egypt. When they arrived at Mt. Sinai, God used angels to deliver His Law to Moses. Included in that Law were instructions on how Israel was to worship God. And so in the book of Leviticus we read about the various sacrifices that were to be offered to God. And it was the priests—the special servants of God from the tribe of Levi—who were to offer these animal sacrifices on the altar.
Now, the leader of the priests—the top priest, if you will—was called the high priest. And it was the role of the high priest to offer a sacrifice to God on the Day of Atonement for the national sins of the people of Israel. You don’t have to turn there, but listen to the high priest’s duty on the Day of Atonement. It says in Leviticus 16:21-24: “He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert. Then Aaron—[the high priest]—is to go into the Tent of Meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there. He shall bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people.”
The high priest was the representative of the people. He offered an annual sacrifice to God so that the nation of Israel would be acceptable in God’s sight for that year. Now, Jesus is our high priest. Look at verse 17 again: “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”
Jesus Christ acted as our high priest in offering a sacrifice to God. But He didn’t offer a sacrifice that needed to be repeated on an annual basis. Turn ahead a few pages to 10:12: “But when this priest—[that is, Jesus]—had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” And what was that one sacrifice that He offered? Look at 9:28: “So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.”
Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself. He was the perfect, spotless Lamb of God who died on Calvary’s cross to take away our sins. As our high priest, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice to appease the righteous demands of a holy God against man’s sin. Jesus did all the work, and we get the benefit.
Actor Kevin Bacon tells of the time when his 6-year-old son Travis saw the movie Footloose. Bacon recounts that: “He said, ‘Hey, Dad, you know that thing in the movie where you swing from the rafters of that building? That’s really cool, how did you do that?’ I said, ‘Well, I didn’t do that part—it was a stunt man.’ ‘What’s a stunt man?’ he asked. ‘That’s someone who dresses like me and does things I can’t do.’ ‘Oh,’ he replied and walked out of the room looking a little confused. A little later he said, ‘Hey, Dad, you know that thing in the movie where you spin around on that gym bar and land on your feet? How did you do that?’ I said, ‘Well, I didn’t do that. It was a gymnastics double.’ ‘What’s a gymnastics double?’ he asked. ‘That’s a guy who dresses in my clothes and does things I can’t do.’ There was silence from my son. Then he asked in a concerned voice, ‘Dad, what did you do?’ ‘I got all the glory,’ I replied sheepishly.”
And the same is true of us. We benefit from what Christ has done. Jesus dressed in our clothes—He became a man. And Jesus did what we could not do. He took our sin upon Himself—He died as a perfect sacrifice so we could be forgiven.
But I remind you that God’s forgiveness is not automatic. So, there is something that you must do. Jesus offers you forgiveness of sins as a free gift, but you must accept that gift. You say, “How do I do that?” By an act of faith. Simply stop trusting in your good works, or in your baptism, or in your church attendance, or in your morality, or in anything good that you’ve ever done to merit God’s favor for forgiveness. And instead, place your trust in Jesus’ death on the cross to forgive your sins. If you do that, you’ll be forgiven. It is as simple as that! Have you ever done that? If not, why not do that now? Say to God, “Lord, right now I quit trusting in what I’ve done to be forgiven. And right now I place my complete trust in what Jesus has done for me. I accept His sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins.”
Jesus Christ is our high priest. And as our high priest, He helps us in two ways. First, by providing forgiveness of sins. But then the writer of Hebrews shares with us a second way in which Christ helps us. Not only does He provide forgiveness of sins, but He also provides …
2. STRENGTH IN TEMPTATION
I see this in verse 18: “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
That phrase “to help” is the Greek term which literally means “to run to the cry.”
When you are tempted, all you need to do is cry out to Jesus for help. His ears are tuned to the tempted. And He will be quick to run to your side and to provide you with the strength that you need in time of temptation.
Now, I realize that there are other resources that God gives us in our fight against temptation. Resources such as:
· Running from temptation
· Relying on the fellowship of Christian friends
· Renewing our mind with God’s Word
These are a few of the many resources that God puts at our disposal to counter temptation. But the basic, most fundamental resource is: Prayer—crying out to Jesus for help. That’s what you should do first and foremost when tempted—pray to Christ.
John Bunyan was a 17th-century pastor and author of the classic Christian book Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”
And that is so true when it comes to temptation. Our first response when tempted should be the response of prayer—crying out to Jesus for help. Do you remember when the Apostle Peter saw Jesus walking on water at the Sea of Galilee? Do you remember how Peter got out of the boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus? But what happened when Peter took his eyes off Christ? He began to sink! And what did Peter do in that moment? He cried out to Jesus for help: “Lord, save me!” Three simple words. And Matthew adds this: “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.” Jesus runs to those who cry out to Him.
So, how do you handle temptation? What is your initial response?
· Is it resignation? Do you cave in? “Why fight it? I’m eventually going to sin anyway.”
· Is it self-reliance? Do you roll up your sleeves and do battle with the devil in your own strength? “Come on, Satan, I’ll take you on!”
· Is it prayer? Do you cry out to Jesus for help? “Lord, save me!”
Rick Warren is the author of the bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. Not the Rick Warren of Shiloh Bible Church who works at Kawneer and team teaches a Sunday School class with Randy Hutchison this quarter, but the Rick Warren who pastors Saddleback Church in California—a church whose weekly attendance averages 22,000. Warren wrote this: “There is nothing you can do as well without Christ as you can with him. Any struggle you’re facing will be easier to conquer with his help. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you have to clean up all your messes before you can ask him for help. That’s silly. That’s like curing yourself of a disease before you drive down and see the doctor. Go to Christ first, and get help in all your battles.”
Warren is right. That’s sound, biblical advice. Go to Christ first. Cry out to Him for help the moment you are tempted. Because verse 17 tells you that He is your faithful and merciful high priest.
“You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”
Conclusion
So, what will motivate you to remain a loyal follower of Jesus? Well, one motivator is to remember how good Jesus has been to you. He provides you with forgiveness of sins and strength in temptation. That is a high priest worth following.
Let’s pray.
