Greater Than the High Priest HEBREWS 5 THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST ibooks Author
Introduction GREATER THAN AARON Sometimes you can t do it and you need someone to do it for you. This can be especially true when it comes to representing yourself. Tattle-tale sibling. Roller skating mediators. A lawyer If you had to represent yourself before God, how would you do? What would be your basis for acceptance by Him? Jesus is referred to as our Heavenly advocate, at least for those who are His. A more powerful picture, a more powerful role that Jesus has is as our high priest. Hopefully that language doesn t freak you out. It s a beautiful, powerful picture. Because of Jesus we can confidently go before the Father for mercy and grace. ibooks Author
SECTION 1 What is a high priest? Read 4:14-16. Clearly need some background. Two things being referenced; the high priest and the day of atonement. Qualification to be a high priest - tribe of Levi, descendant of Aaron. After that, several physical and moral qualifications. Read and highlight Exodus 29, the high priest. [slide] INSPIRATION Read and highlight Leviticus 16, the day of atonement. [slides] Jesus is greater than, the supremacy of Christ in our lives. Greater than the angels, Moses, the Sabbath. Warnings - drifting, disobedience. Today, greater than the high priest, warning of dullness. The supremacy of Christ is experienced in our lives by holding fast our confession, and by approaching with confidence, because of Jesus, the throne of grace. Brief overview, more in chapter 7, just enough to give us some context. 2 ibooks Author
SECTION 2 What Jesus Has Done As Our High Priest 4:14 - Connects back to 3:1. Walk Jesus through the high priest process. Jesus as high priest, big deal to 1st century Jewish ears! Son of God. Tribe of Judah. Because of what Jesus has done, let us hold fast, hold down, subdue, not let escape our confession (define). What is the posture of your confession in your life? Along for the ride? Just chillin? A casual, cultural, familial thing? When the pressure is on, be it life s stresses, an opportunity to be a witness, or persecution, does your confession split? Remember what your confession is about. Remember who your confession is about. Who is it about? 4:15 - Nature of Jesus question. Human and divine. to sympathize with - to suffer with in terms of identifying with weaknesses - sickness, lack of strength in all points - likeness without - separated from, by itself, apart sin - to miss the mark 4:16 - Jesus paves the way (parallel to skating thing) let us approach - to come to, approach confidence - freedom or frankness in speaking throne - just so (Mercy Seat) we may receive - to accept what is offered mercy - not getting what you do deserve grace - getting what you don't deserve (God's Riches At Christ's Expense) 3
in time of need - well times, opportune help - just so Because Jesus has gone before us, we have the means to approach the mercy seat, the throne of the King, and speak confidently so that we may accept the mercy and grace only God can offer to us when we need it, which is all the time! 4
SECTION 3 Jesus Qualifications As High Priest 5:1 taken - same as receive aboce SURVEY 5:1-11 he can offer - something that is brought 5:2 gifts - a gift freely given, emphasizing the giver sacrifices - a sacrificial offering emphasisi on cost to deal gently - to moderate one's anger that is legitimate who are ignorant - agnostic, without knowledge led astray - to wander, misled, like sheep is surrounded by - subject to becasue of being surrounded 5:3 weakness - same as above he is obligated - to owe, be indebted 5:4 to offer - same as above take - same as taken honor - in the sense of "it's an honor to do this" called - as a shepherd calls his flock, you call for your kids to direct, to invite as to a party 5:7 just as - as well as, even as prayers - to make known one's perticular need, usually translated supplications supplications - carries the idea of approaching in/ with prayer crying - loud wailing loud - strong tears - just so offered up - as offering above 5
he was heard - had the right to be heard because of obedience 5:8 revereance - reverant submission as a high priest he learned - just so, to have learned something, to understand it he suffered - to be affected by something external, an experience obedience - the lesser obeying the greater, faith driven voluntary submission, that faith being based on relationship and love 5:9 being perfected - completed he became - that reborn idea the source - the cause or source, as with an author, originator salvation - just so eternal - perpetual, not bound by time, outside of time, not just lots of time 5:10 being designated - publically appointed in the marketplace or town square, the platform for public speakers 5:11 hard to explain - hard to interpret for another sluggish - 3rd WARNING, slothful, sluggish, dull you have become - that reborn idea again, were one thing now another hearing - simply hearing with the ear, the sense of hearing, not to do with perception or understanding or obeying. His presence. The supremacy of Christ is experienced in our lives by holding fast our confession, and by approaching with confidence, because of Jesus, the throne of grace. 6