High Priest
I Need Jesus
I need Jesus. Why? Eternally, Jesus is the only sinless sacrifice acceptable to God on my behalf and the One through whom I’ll be raised to eternal life in heaven. On a daily basis, I need Jesus to forgive me, cleanse me, and strengthen me to walk through my day by His Spirit. I need Jesus to guide me and prompt me if I start to veer off course.
How does Hebrews 4:15-16 describe Jesus? “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Can I hear a hallelujah, friend? Imagine what it would be like if you were accountable to a heavenly being who didn’t sympathize with your weaknesses? But our merciful, mighty Savior does. We can say, “I sinned. I failed. I rebelled against You and Your ways. I’ve been wrong.” When we come to Jesus in honest confession and repentance, Jesus doesn’t make us feel worse and withhold forgiveness. Does that mean we should blow off our sin? No, we should think about how, when, where, and why we fell for temptation and were deceived. We should learn from it. With every misstep, we have a God-step opportunity to learn and grow. With bowed heads and hearts, we confess our sins to our sympathetic High Priest, accept His mercy, and take seriously His words, “Go and sin no more.”
Jesus loves you and doesn’t want you wallowing in your sin. If you’ve been avoiding one-on-one time with Jesus, your High Priest, because you feel so bad about your sin, go to Him. He loves you and is waiting.
Lord Jesus, perfect, SYMPATHETIC HIGH PRIEST, we love You and thank You that we can draw near to Your throne of grace and find mercy to help in our time of need.
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Double Jeopardy
Are you familiar with the legal term “double jeopardy”? It means that a person can’t be tried for the same crime two times. In God’s system, it means the same, which is an incredible blessing. Jesus was tried for all the sins we’ve committed and will commit. God has promised to not try us for our sins that Jesus has already been convicted of and paid the debt. And as if that weren’t enough of a huge eternal blessing, there’s more. Hebrews 2:17 explains that after Jesus died for our sins, He entered into God’s presence and became our High Priest.
“Therefore, He (Jesus) had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:17
The resurrected Christ is seated at God’s right hand. What is He doing? Praying for us. Go to Him in gratitude. Live for Him in joy.
Lord Jesus, we praise You, our Lord, and high PRIEST! Thank You for taking our place at the judgment seat and dying for our sins. How can we serve You?
Jesus demonstrated the greatest love when He died on the cross for our sins. To learn more about His ultimate sacrifice, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 19 HERE or listen to it HERE.
Run to the Throne of Grace
Can you imagine what it would be like to go to Jesus after you failed miserably and sinned and He NOT be sympathetic with your weaknesses? What if He was unrelenting and unforgiving? But that is not who our sweet Lord Jesus Christ is. Although He is God the Son and our HIGH PRIEST, He is sympathetic to our weaknesses. Here’s how Hebrews 4:15-16 describes Jesus.
We do not have a HIGH PRIEST who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
That’s incredibly good news, but we’re not to stop there.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
In other words, when we sin we’re not supposed to keep sinning. Neither are we to avoid Jesus because we’re ashamed. Rather, we’re to humbly go to Him and confess, “I sinned. I gave in to my flesh or this temptation. Forgive me and strengthen me to stand against this weakness in my life. Conform me to Your image, Jesus.” Jesus extends grace to us when we repent, but He also admonishes us, “Go and sin no more.” Why? Because He loves us and doesn’t want us to live in a habit of sin but rather to live in a habit of holiness. If we’ve sinned and been avoiding an intimate conversation with Jesus and confession of our sin, now is the time to draw near to our sympathetic HIGH PRIEST.
We praise you, Lord and High Priest, that although you are high and lifted up, you sympathize with our weaknesses and forgive us when we repent. Help us stand against rather than give into sin.
Run to the Throne of Grace
Can you imagine what it would be like to go to Jesus after you failed miserably and sinned and He NOT be sympathetic with your weaknesses? What if He was unrelenting and unforgiving? But that is not who our sweet Lord Jesus Christ is. Although He is God the Son and our HIGH PRIEST, He is sympathetic to our weaknesses. Here’s how Hebrews 4:15-16 describes Jesus.
We do not have a HIGH PRIEST who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
That’s incredibly good news, but we’re not to stop there.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
In other words, when we sin we’re not supposed to keep sinning. Neither are we to avoid Jesus because we’re ashamed. Rather, we’re to humbly go to Him and confess, “I sinned. I gave into my flesh or this temptation. Forgive me and strengthen me to stand against this weakness in my life. Conform me to Your image, Jesus.” Jesus extends grace to us when we repent, but He also admonishes us, “Go and sin no more.” Why? Because He loves us and doesn’t want us to live in a habit of sin but rather to live in a habit of holiness. If we’ve sinned and been avoiding an intimate conversation with Jesus and confession of our sin, now is the time to draw near to our sympathetic HIGH PRIEST.
We praise you, Lord and High Priest, that although you are high and lifted up, you sympathize with our weaknesses and forgive us when we repent. Help us stand against rather than give into sin.
I Need Jesus
I need Jesus and Jesus just like He is. Why? Well, first of all, I need someone who can stand before holy God on my behalf and represent me. Only Jesus can do that. On a daily basis I need Jesus to forgive me, cleanse me, and stand me up – strengthened to walk out my day by His Spirit. I need Jesus to guide and prompt me when I start to veer off course. I need His love and encouragement. I NEED JESUS. Hebrews 4:15 tells us,
“We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Can I hear a hallelujah, friend? Can you imagine with me what it would be like to be accountable to a heavenly being – a high priest who didn’t sympathize with us and our weaknesses? Yikes! But our sweet and mighty Savior does. Oh, praise Him! We can say, “I messed up! I sinned! I failed.” And He doesn’t condemn us and make us feel worse. Yes, we should grabble with our sin and think about how, when, where, why we fell for a temptation or were deceived. With every mis-step, we have a God-step opportunity. With bowed head and heart, we can confess our sin to our sympathetic High Priest, accept His mercy, hear His voice, “Go and sin no more.” We can walk more wisely into our day. Jesus loves you and doesn’t want you wallowing in your sin. If you’ve been avoiding your High Priest because you feel so bad about your sin, go to Him! He loves you and is waiting, child of God.
NOTE to Moms: (Or anyone who has a mom or knows a mom.) Hey Mom, we can sometimes (or often) feel like a failure. God knows how many times we fail and cry out to Him for forgiveness, strength, “overs,” wisdom, protection for our children, and that they will come to know Him as Savior and Lord. If you can relate, I encourage you to get my book, “The Plan A Mom in a Plan B World.” (Different book from The Plan A WOMAN in a Plan B World) I had mom friends of all ages/stages share personal stories that will encourage you and provide practical/spiritual tips. The discussion questions at the end of each chapter make it a great resource for mom groups, also. $7.49 Mother’s Day special.
We praise You, Lord Jesus, HIGH, and LIFTED UP, greatly exalted. We can’t wait to see You face to face!
PS: If you aren’t getting my monthly Kidz Time devotional activity for your kids to watch, get it here and spread the word. It’s free. It’s fun! Subscribe & it’ll be delivered to your inbox monthly. A great Saturday morning or rest time activity.
Could you use sympathy instead of condemnation
Can you imagine what it would be like to go to Jesus after you failed miserably and fell into sin and He NOT sympathize with your weaknesses? What if He was unrelenting and unforgiving? But that is not who our sweet Lord Jesus Christ is. Although He is God the Son and our HIGH PRIEST, He is sympathetic to our weaknesses. Here’s how Hebrews 4:15-16 describes Jesus. “We do not have a HIGH PRIEST who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” That’s incredibly good news, but we’re not to stop there. “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In other words, when we sin we’re not supposed to keep sinning. Neither are we to avoid Jesus because we’re ashamed. Rather, we’re to humbly go to Him and confess, “I messed. I sinned! I gave in to my flesh or this temptation…again. Please forgive me and strengthen me to stand against this weakness in my life. Conform me to Your image, Jesus.” Jesus extends grace to us when we repent, but He also admonishes us, “Go and sin no more.” Why? Because He loves us and doesn’t want us live in a habit of sin but rather a habit of holiness. If we’ve sinned and been avoiding an intimate conversation with Jesus and confession of our sin, now is the time to draw near to our sympathetic HIGH PRIEST.
We praise you Lord and High Priest, that although you are high and lifted up, you sympathize with our weaknesses and forgive us when we repent. Help us stand against rather than give into sin.
Could you use sympathy instead of condemnation
Can you imagine what it would be like to go to Jesus after you failed miserably and fell into sin and He NOT sympathize with your weaknesses? What if He was unrelenting and unforgiving? But that is not who our sweet Lord Jesus Christ is. Although He is God the Son and our HIGH PRIEST, He is sympathetic with our weaknesses. Here’s how Hebrews 4:15-16 describes Jesus. “We do not have a HIGH PRIEST who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” That’s incredibly good news, but we’re not to stop there. “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In other words, when we sin we’re not supposed to keep sinning. We’re not to hang our heads and avoid Jesus because we’re ashamed. Rather, we’re to humbly go to Him in prayer and confess, “I messed up big time. I sinned! I gave into this temptation…again. Please forgive me and strengthen me to stand against this weakness in my life.” Jesus extends grace to us when we repent, but He also admonishes us, “Go and sin no more.” Why? Because He loves us and doesn’t want us living in sin but rather in holiness. If we’ve been avoiding Jesus because of our sin, today is the day to draw near to our sympathetic HIGH PRIEST.
We praise You, our Lord and High Priest, that although You are high and lifted up, you sympathize with our weaknesses and forgive us when we repent. Help us stand against rather than give into sin.
Could you use sympathy instead of condemnation
Can you imagine what it would be like to go before a HIGH PRIEST who DIDN’T sympathize with your weaknesses? How haughty would that high priest be? How unrelenting might he be? How judgmental? Yet, that is not our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, He is a HIGH PRIEST, as Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us. But, listen to the description of our High Priest. “We do not have a HIGH PRIEST who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Then, he tells us what to do. “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” I want to sing and shout “hallelujah” at this description of our merciful High Priest. Why? Because I mess up every day. Unlike Jesus, I get tempted and do sin. But knowing that I can humbly approach Jesus makes me love Him all the more. I can go to Him in prayer and confess, “I messed up big time. I sinned! I fell for this temptation…again. Forgive me. ” Jesus extends grace to us when we repent, but He also admonishes us, “Go and sin no more.” Why? Because He loves us and doesn’t want us living in sin but rather in holiness. If we’ve been avoiding Jesus because of our sin, today is the day to draw near to our sympathetic HIGH PRIEST.
We praise You, our Lord and High Priest, that although You are high and lifted up, you sympathize with our weaknesses and forgive the repentant sinner. Help us sin no more.
Praise to our High Priest
“We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).
Can you imagine what it would be like to be accountable to a high priest who didn’t sympathize with our weaknesses? How haughty would that high priest be? How unrelenting might he be? Yet, that is not our Lord. Yes, He is a high priest. The highest of highs. Yet, He is merciful and sympathetic. We can approach Him and say, “I messed up! I sinned! I failed…again.” And, the remarkable thing is, He offers mercy. He extends grace. He admonishes us, “Go and sin no more.” Why? Because He loves us and doesn’t want us bound in sin. If we’ve been avoiding Jesus because of our sin, today is the day to turn and draw near to our High Priest.
We praise You, Lord, that although You are high and lifted up, you sympathize with our weaknesses. Thank You, Jesus, our HIGH PRIEST!
HIGH PRIEST
“We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 14:15-16
Can you imagine what it would be like to be accountable to a high priest who could NOT sympathize with our weaknesses? How haughty would that high priest be? How unrelenting might he be? Yet, that is not our Lord. Yes, He is a high priest. The highest of highs. Yet, He is lowly in His mercy. We can approach Him in our sorrow and repentance. We can say, “I messed up! I sinned! I failed…again.” And, the remarkable thing is, He doesn’t zap us. He doesn’t throw us out of His holy presence with a chain around our necks. He offers mercy. He shows grace. He says, “Go and sin no more.” He says it because He loves us and doesn’t want us bound in our sin. If you’ve been avoiding God because you feel bad about your sin, then today is your day to get it right. Go to Him!
I praise You, Lord, that though You are high and lifted up, you are still able to sympathize with my weaknesses. Thank You, Lord God, my HIGH PRIEST!
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