Jesus our High Priest (Part 2)

TEXT:

‘Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest’ (Hebrews 3:1 NIV)

THOUGHT:

In Part 1 we studied who Jesus really is; a merciful, faithful, compassionate, sinless, humble and eternal High Priest. Not one word can really describe Christ as a person. He is like a sparkling, many-faceted diamond. Whichever way we look we see something different that is just as relevant and attractive as all the other qualities.

In Part 2 we now consider three other aspects of His High Priesthood.

His Completion

• Jesus is now seated – ‘We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens’ (Hebrews 8:1)

Jesus came to serve, not to be served and to sacrifice Himself rather than to receive the sacrifices.  ‘But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God’ (Hebrews 10:1). He accomplished all that the Father asked Him to do. ‘I have finished the work You gave Me to do’ (John 17:4). He cried out on the cross, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30).

What Jesus did, He did once, for all.¹ He did not have to repeat the same kind of sacrifice like the earthly High Priest did. All they could do was to shed animal blood that could only cover the sins of the nation, but Jesus came as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.²

When we look at Jesus now, He is not on a crucifix, nor in the arms of Mary. ‘Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the originator and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God’ (Hebrews 12:2 TLB). If we, through the eyes of faith, can see Him seated in heaven, it means we must believe that He is alive!

• Jesus the Author of good things to come – ‘Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come’ (Hebrews 9:11)

If heaven is no better than on earth, why would we want to go there? The Book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of what life will be like. No night, death, tears, sorrow, crying, pain, sin or unrighteousness.³ That is why Paul wrote, ‘Having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better’ (Philippians 1:23)

Jesus brought in a new covenant, established on better promises.⁴ If animal sacrifices offered by the earthly High Priest could bring about blessing and forgiveness, how much more the sacrifice of Jesus Himself.⁵ He has gone to prepare a place for us and will return when all things are ready.⁶

His Persecution

• Jesus suffered – ‘Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered’ (Hebrews 13:12)

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be despised and rejected by men.⁷ Jesus explained to two depressed disciples walking along the road to Emmaus, ‘Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ (Luke 24:26). While we are not just to dwell on His suffering, taking the Communion is a fitting reminder of what he went through to bring about our salvation.

• Jesus set the example for when we suffer too – ‘For since he himself has now been through suffering and temptation, he knows what it is like when we suffer and are tempted, and he is wonderfully able to help us’ (Hebrews 2:18)

Interestingly, when Jesus first mentioned about suffering and dying, Peter rebuked Him saying, “This will never happen to you,”⁸ but it did and Peter mentioned suffering many times in His epistle. He got the message and wrote it down so we would get it too!

‘This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right’ (1 Peter 2:21-23 MSG)

His Position

• Jesus is Head of the Church – ‘Having a High Priest over the house of God’ (Hebrews 10:21)⁹

Jesus is building His Church and He is the Foundation Stone, Cornerstone and Capstone. Many may occupy positions of leadership within denominations, but there is only one Head of the One True Church. His name is Jesus!

• Jesus is Head of the World – ‘Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”’ (Revelation 11:15 NLT)

This is why the Bible says, ‘At the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord’ (Philippians 2:10-11). When Jesus returns to the earth He will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.¹⁰

• Jesus is God the Son – ‘They shall call His name Immanuel which is translated, “God with us”’ (Matthew 1:23)

John opened his gospel with these words, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’ (John 1:1). Jesus said “I am” many times, not that He was or He will be. He said, “I am” and He remains who He is eternally.

This Christmas we can do no better than sing:

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Endnotes:

¹ Hebrews 9:25-28      ² John 1:29       ³ Revelation 21:4, 25, 27         ⁴ Hebrews 8:6

⁵ Hebrews 9:14-15      ⁶ John 14:1-4   ⁷ Isaiah 53:3    ⁸ Matthew 16:22

⁹ Ephesians 1:22 & Colossians 1:18    ¹⁰ Revelation 19:16