Jesus Our High Priest

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, and be encouraged by the words found in Hebrews 4:15-16.

“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.”

I praise You, Lord, that although You are high and lifted up, you sympathize with my weaknesses. Thank You, Jesus, my HIGH PRIEST!

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Are you familiar with the legal term “double jeopardy”? It means that a person can’t be tried for the same crime twice. 

In God’s system, it means the same, which is an incredible blessing. Jesus was tried for all the sins we’ve committed and that we will commit. God has promised to not try us for sins that Jesus has been convicted of and paid for on our behalf. Our sins past and future are paid for with the blood of Christ once for all of eternity. 

As if that weren’t enough of a 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.”

The resurrected Christ who paid for our sins with His very life is now seated at God’s right hand. What is He doing? Praying for us. 

Jesus is praying for you. Personalize this unbelievable blessing and gift by saying out loud, “Jesus is praying for me.” Go to Him in gratitude. Live for Him faithfully.

Lord Jesus, I praise You, my Lord and high PRIEST! Thank You for taking my place at the judgment seat and dying for my sins past and future. Show me how I can gratefully 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.

Have you ever felt guilty? I have and It’s a horrible feeling. What do you do with guilt? You can’t hide it, shake it, or bury it. It clings to you like a cat with nails dug in, determined to not turn loose. 

However, there is One who never experienced guilt…until He took ours upon Himself. Hebrews 7:26 says about Jesus, “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens.” 

Innocent. The description of Jesus in Hebrews 7:26 hangs in the mind. It reminds me of an infant nestled in their mother’s arms or a toddler giggling; one unstained by the world. The word for innocent, akakos, which describes Jesus in Hebrews 7:26 means without guile or fraud, harmless; free from guilt.

Jesus was the opposite of we who have known the right thing to do, yet not done it. We have opened Pandora’s box. We have crossed the line. We have had thoughts and said words we wish we could take back. 

Have you ever tried to imagine what it was like for Jesus to be innocent and then experience your guilt; to feel dirty? That’s what Jesus did for us. Never question His love… “while we were yet sinners, He died for us” (Romans 5:8).  

Instead of languishing in guilt over sin, Psalm 32:5 shows us the way to get rid of any cat clinging guilt: acknowledge and confess our sin. 

Lord Jesus, INNOCENT Savior, thank You that when I acknowledge my sins to You and confess them, You forgive the guilt of my sin. I love and praise You. 

Jesus demonstrated the greatest love when He died on the cross for our sins, bearing our guilt and shame. To learn more about His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, watch Debbie’s teaching on John 19 HERE.