Hebrews 5:1-10 Jesus our Kingly High Priest

The spiritual principle that Jesus is our High Priest is one that I believe is greatly overlooked & largely misunderstood in the Church today -

A.) The Reason for many is their upbringing- My Father was brought up a Catholic - In his early 20's he was offended by Priest and left church

B.) Now I grew up knowing that a Priest had left a bad taste in my dad's mouth – Consequently I wasn't interested in that stuff.

C)Growing up I knew very few people who were what I considered religious. Very few who ever went to Church

1) When I went I thought it was incredibly boring

I grew up here in So. Cal. where things are really casual & laid back – when I saw a Priest I never understood what the point was in outfits

A.) Black - with white collars - looked very uncomfortable/ And those robes - what was that all about - guys wearing dresses/ WEIRD

B.) Then this idea of confession: The last thing I wanted was to tell some stranger - secret sins!

In 1973 - I became a Christian - shortly there after started attending C.C. Costa Mesa

A.) I was so excited when I walked into the chapel and saw Pastor Chuck sitting on the stage wearing Hawaiian shirt!

B)Young people sitting down on floor - my kind of place/ Casual free flowing style / very Real – very un religious

1) The word was taught/ the music was great

C) This is where I want to be Let others have that Priest stuff – I could really picture Jesus enjoying hanging out in a place like Calvary Chapel.

Now everything was great until several years later reading through book of Hebrews - verses / talking about Jesus as my High Priest

A.)Remember thinking - "I don't want a High Priest". A Savior great/ Shepherd sure /- friend awesome / Lord - definitely / but Priest - no way!

1.) That is religious I don't want to be religious!

B.)Plus I Couldn't picture my Jesus in one of those black outfits - or wearing one of those fancy robes or with one of those hats like pope!

1.) My mind Jesus wore blue jeans; sandals & Hang ten t-shirt

C.) Well as I began to study further & came to understand more of what it means that Jesus is my High Priest

1) I became incredibly blessed to discover that His Priestly Role in my life has a lot to do w/ Him helping me in my walk w/ Him/ service to Him

QUICK REVEIW

A)Seen already Ch. 2:14 took on flesh – became like us so that He might be a merciful & faithful High Priest – able to help us in the things of God

B)Ch.4:14 Seeing Him as our High Priest in Key to Holding Fast

1)ch.4:14 – He ministers in the Heavenly Tab – pleading our case

C)Ch.4: 15 His heart toward us ? Sympathize w/ weakness

1)CH. 4:16 He has Provided the way of Access into the throne of Grace & He is willing & able to give us Timely help – grace & mercy meet the need.

The writer Continues this thought into Ch.5 where we are told that the understanding of Jesus High Priest key to moving into maturity! V.1-11

A)Here in this chapter - focus is on the Superiority of Jesus over Aaron.

B)Aaron was the brother of Moses & the First Official High Priest over Israel / He was considered first & Best –

1)But here we are told why Jesus is considered to be far superior than Aaron

Note 3 things concerning superiority of Christ as High Priest:

#1 - Jesus has a superior ordination!

A) V.1 we read that The High Priest had to be appointed by God/ No man could appoint himself as Priest or even try to function in the Priestly duties

B)King Saul; King Uzziah; Korah - men who tried to function in that role - they were punished severely

1) Very special office; great responsibility!

C) In verse 4 we read that God chose Aaron to be the High Priest! He was called by God

1.) Purpose v.1 He was chosen from among men to minister for men! To

offer up gifts & sacrifices –

C.) SO Aaron's authority & ministry was ordained by God!

Likewise, Jesus was appointed by the Father to role as High Priest. V. 5,6

A.) The Jewish listener hearing this idea of Jesus as High Priest would immediately object that He was from wrong tribe

B) Jesus was from the tribe of Judah – but God had appointed the tribe of Levi to be the High Priest

1) Objection – Wrong tribe TO BE A PRIEST

C) The Point the writer makes here is that Jesus was of a different order - Melch – here we see the 1^ST significance of His Superior Ordination

Now we are going to talk about who this Melch. Was in our study on Wed. night / found in Gen.14 the Priest of the Most High God

A)He is a very interesting & Mysterious Charac that Abe in Gen.14 was blessed by & paid tithes to / Who he was is a very debated subject /

B)But for the sake of our study this morning I want you to note 2 things that were unique about Melch’s Priest Hood / that order Which Christ followed

First He wasn’t Just a Priest but he was also a King

A)Melch. Was on the scene before a Priestly ministry was official instituted by the Lord – called the Priest of the Most High God –Gen 14

B) But He was also called the King of Salem – which would later be Jerusalem in Gen.14 & the King of Righteousness in Heb.7

1.) So he was both King & Priest & Very unique: no one in Jewish history held both offices

C) And when Abraham met him - recognized - impressed; paid tithes

and Melch blessed him!

Now Jesus being after the order of Melch. Was both a king & a Priest

This made him superior to Aaron

A)Aaron's line Levites - were important in Jewish culture, but they were still subject to the King!

B)The priestly functions were not under the control of the King but in all other matters they were subject

1) But Melch was both King and High Priest and Jesus was as well – which made Him more superior than Aaron

Consider The Significance of this 2 fold office of Priest & King that Jesus holds & what it means to our lives as believers in Him

A)As a Priest He represented the Father to us / As a Priest He offered a Sacrifice / as a priest He mediates between us & God / Continues to Aid

B) As a King He supplies us w/ all the resources of the kingdom all been made available to us in Christ

Eph.1:3 ³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

2 Peter 1:3 Divine Power ……. Knowledge of Him

As King He supplies us with the necessary goods to make it in this life

A)The Necessary resources that we need to carry out His will & plan

On June 12, 1979, a young man made aviation history when he flew a pedal-powered plane across the English Channel. Taking off from England, he flew for three hours, rarely more than 15 feet above the water. Finally, after covering 22 miles, he landed exhausted on the coast of France.

Now As dramatic as this was, man-powered flight could never be practical. Because A man simply cannot maintain the necessary energy output for extended flights.

B)In the same way, no one can live the Christian life pedaling on his or her own power.

1)But Christ supplies us w/ the resources needed to make it to the other side

C) I CAN’T – are not words that He likes to hear coming from the mouth of His servants –

1) Because When it comes to any thing that he would call us to His very Presence in our lives = I can

D) So as King He supplies us w/ the resources of the kingdom to help us walk w/ Him & serve Him in this life

1) As King He watches over us / As King He sits on the throne of Grace to give mercy to us in our times of need

E) And As KING HE WANTS TO REIGN IN OUR HEARTS

So the first Significacne of Christ Superior ordination is that he is a Priest & King : Prominence

A)The 2^nd Permanance is that He is a Priest forever &

B) Those who were of the Priestly line of Aaron ministered only for a significant period – Their priestly role ended by death or old age

1) Christ priestly ministry carries on – forever

C) The writer here takes us back to Psa. 2 in v.5 a Messianic Psalm-

1) Today begotten you = "Brought Forth" Paul explained in Acts 13:33, 34

Ref to the Rez -

D) When Christ died it looked as if His priestly ministry was over ! But He was Brought forth from dead!"

1) He Rose & Now lives as Priest forever to serve the redeemed / saved

He Ever lives – forever lives to make intercession / to Help & Give aid

So First of all Jesus has a Superior ordination:

A.) Priest forever - always available

B.) Kingly High Priest - order of Melch

#2 Superiority over Aaron Jesus Christ has a Superior sympathy

A)V.2 - The Priest was taken from men to minister to men in order that he could be compassionate W/ those who are ignorant & go astray

B) Now The High priest knew experientially about physical weakness/ because he was a sinner & had his own FAILURES

1) In fact, before he offered sacrifice for sins of people he offered them for

himself! / Subject to failure / compassionate

Jesus also is a compassionate High Priest - He knows what like to suffer; be tempted - deal with physical weakness/ even though he was sinless

A.) Told here in V.7,8 - our Lord was prepared for his High Priestly ministry during days on earth! Read those verses AGAIN

B)We noted in our study last week that His being able to sympathize w/ our weaknesses has a lot to do w/ Him being able to identify w/ our struggle

C)That man’s greatest struggle has to do w/ doing the WILL OF GOD

And Jesus knows about that struggle / In the Garden …..cup pass

1) But He learned obedience by things he suffered –

Now how could Son of God learn obedience? Understand Not how to obey but what was involved in obeying

A)As God He needed to learn nothing- but As a man he was subject to the Father's will

B) So that as the Son of God come in human flesh, He had to experience that which His people would experience - so that he could minister as High Priest

1) That way - He could identify with us!

C) And Know one accuse Him of not being able to understand

1) No one could say - Lord you just don't understand my situation what I'm going through

So the Writer takes us to garden! Jesus in Gethsemane - prayed 3 times Lord remove - sweat blood

A)Wrestling not w/ what the will of God was / but in carrying out what He knew was the will of God – the Cross

B) Now It wasn't physical suffering that burdened Jesus but fact He would be made sin - curse - for everyone – separated

1) So He went into that garden & made prayers – pleadings request & Supplications = asking for a Favor

C) W/ Vehemenent Cries = loud Boisterous & powerful cries /speaks of an Incredible Longings

So Jesus through suffering - learned obedience - what was involved in obedience - therefore told in v.9 He was perfected!

A.)What mean Was He Not perfect? Yes morally / But he was made perfect ministerially - able to perfectly relate to our temptations - our struggles

B) Because in His flesh He struggled w/ the will of God / and that is our biggest problem as well .

1) Our Biggest problem isn’t in trying to discover the will of God for our lives / but it is in trying to carry out what we already Know

What can we Learn from Jesus example of Obedience ? 3 things

1^st in Jn.12 we see the Motivation for obedience – turn Jn.12:20-28

A)It is the Passover week people from all over in Jerusalem / these Greek guys come to worship – here about Jesus / wish to see Him / (Key to worship)

B) Phillip & Andrew – Jesus goes into this talk about a seed falling to the ground & dying – in order to bear fruit

1) This was a direct reference to what He was about to do – die & be buried – result what be much fruit – the Church born

C) Also illustration for our lives – fruit bearing happens when we die to self allow God to bury us in Him / He is seen not us

D) Now the very thought of this – DEATH that was awaiting Him – troubled our Lords heart – v.27 My soul is troubled

1) Jesus at this moment is wrestling in His Humanity w/ what He knows is the Fathers will for His life – This was the week – struggling

What does He do – what does He say – How does He handle this struggle

v.28 FATHER GLORIFY YOUR NAME

A)This is our Motivation for Obedience / not my happiness / not my comfort / not my being glorified honored or esteemed that matters

B) But it is that in the mist of that situation / however difficult it might be or wonderful it might be / times of blessing / times of trial

1) God is going to be glorified thru my actions / attitudes & speech

C) That is my Motivation – Lord I want you to be Glorified in & thru my life in this situation

1) So my Biggest desire is His Name being Praised & Honored / not my own personal need or pleasure

D) That only happens when I get my eyes off of me & how things are going to affect me & put them onto Him / concerned w/ His Glory

Next consider the way of Obedience – Lk.22:42

A)In the Garden – Not my will but your will be done

A. Murray What is obedience? Giving up my will to the will of another.

B)So often we get all messed up - fouled up - because we resist placing lives in hands of Father

1) So we don't obey - don't experience REST- instead we experience - heartache from rebellion!

C) But when my DESIRE is that God will be glorified more than my being comfortable I am able to say – Not my will but your will be done

3^rd He Considered the reward of Obedience / Heb.12 :2 who for the Joy set before Him He endured the cross

A)He had His eyes on what His obedience would accomplish – Salvation it would secure – Joy is you in the Presence of God – cleansed

B) Joy was hearing from the Father – WELL DONE …..

C)So the Motivation ? Be Glorified / The WAY - Not my will … / The reward – Joy set before Him –

1)that is what we learn from Him about being how to obey

Back Ch.5- finish up

Lastly, see here Christ - not just superior in Ordination, superior in His Sympathy - Superior in His sacrifice

A.) The High Priest in O.T. offered sacrifices continually for people - the fire on the altar always going / only covered not cleansed

B) On Day of Atonement once year - go before God in Holy of Holies - before offered sacrifice for people - one for self!

1) Now Jesus didn't need to offer a sacrifice for Himself - He was perfect, sinless! Nor does He continue to offer sacrifices / turn Ch. 7

C)He offered Himself as a sacrifice once for all - His sacrifice didn't cover - but cleansed!

²⁵Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

²⁶For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; ²⁷who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

D)Thus He became Author of eternal salvation!

1.) No other name where by person saved - name of Jesus!

declared righteous experience peace

He is King and Priest! – His Ministry is Forever

A.) As a Priest / He offered a Sac/ He lives to make intercession to help you out in times of need! Compassionate; understanding - always there to help

B)As a King He came to rescue mankind from being held captive

1.) As Priest he offered sacrifice!

C) As King He is righteous, true, holy, just - almighty God - every knee bow

1) As a King, He desires to reign in our lives - means - fill us with His

power, direct our lives

A man decided he would swim from Los Angeles to Hawaii. He hired the finest swim coach to train him and worked out with Olympic gold-medal winners. He left no detail of preparation undone.

Finally the big day arrived. He plunged into the Pacific Ocean and began to swim. Five . . . ten . . . fifteen . . . twenty miles he went. Now the ocean seemed to be getting more intimidating. The waves were becoming rather high and the water cold.

He began to realize that he could never swim to Hawaii; it was just too far. In vain he searched his mind for an alternative, but there was none.

A)1st guy "My book w/ water proof pages on how to swim to Hawaii

2nd guy comes along Let me show you how to swim -jumps in - follow example you are sure to make it- speeds off

3rd guy comes along pulls out of water feeds / rest / get back in there try harder

Philosophy throws book / follow this adopt this concept

A) Religion says do it this way follow our example

B) The self help groups say get out there try harder think positive

You can do it

None of those methods do anything guy it predicament

4th guy pulled out delivered on the beach in Hawaii - Christ is savior

Our salvation is secure & he gives us all need to live victoriously

in our daily lives

He is a priest for ever after order of Melch.