Hebrews and the brokenness we need through Jesus our Great High Priest
Hebrews in Passion Sunday
"...There is a vast difference between divine and human sorrow. True contrition occurs when God turns and looks upon us. Human sorrow is us turning and looking upon ourselves. True, there is nothing wrong in turning and looking at oneself – only there is a danger. We can miss the most authentic experience of life in the imitation. For genuine repentance consists of feeling deeply our human helplessness, of knowing how God comes to us when we are completely broken." Henry Drummond
Broken people are needy. Broken people know their need of Divine assistance , even a priest. Christ is such a comfort and priest to us. He knows the value of broken seeds. " Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. " John
If we have the need of help, we will seek for help and assistance but if we think we are able to do things without help, we will not. John 12 in today's Gospel say it this way, " Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. "
There will always be many who love Christ’s heavenly kingdom, but few who will bear his cross. Many are eager to be happy with him; few wish to suffer anything for him.
"Many love Christ as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless him as long as they receive some comfort from him. But if Jesus hides himself and leaves them for a while, they either start complaining or become dejected. Those, on the contrary, who love him for his own sake and not for any comfort of their own, praise him both in trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if Jesus should never comfort them, they would continue to praise and thank him. " Thomas a Kempis
The question is do we need a priest? Do we need forgiveness and assistance or can we make it on our own? This the whole point which some do not get. Imagine drowning and not taking the life preserver?
Today's letter to the Hebrews not only has the theme of the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ but we are told in the verses we read, "
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin"
The old children's catechism asks, " Why do you need Christ as a priest?" The answer is " Because I am guilty." Men and women are always looking for a deliverer or savior. Unfortunately many are looking in the wrong place. Deliverance cannot come from politics or morality as much as it may appear. It cannot come from money or long life because these things are fragile as well. It only comes through great sacrifice. Hebrews 9 says ," But Christ having come a high priest...through his own blood entered in once for all into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption.."
Not only that but this priest sympathizes with our weaknesses because He has been tempted in every respect as we are yet without sin. He understands our problems, illnesses, shortcoming and failures because He too not only was human but in all points was tested as we are. Having a true human nature this is possible for Jesus.
We can sit with people who are suffering and listen but often we do not know what they are truly experiencing because we have never been through it. It takes someone who has not only was there but had the problem to truly know what it is like. We know this. Do you remember what the Bishop said when he visited about the real problem of our society? Loneliness. We have more ways to not talk to each other. We e mail instead of looking them in the eyes. We facebook but do not communicate. We do not write letters anymore.
" The relief of being accepted by God as a sinner can never be known by one who never thought himself unaccepted or sinful. And yet today one is always hearing of 'good Christians.' There were no good Christians in the first church, only sinners. Peter never let himself or his hearers forget his betrayal in the hour of the cockcrow. James, stung by the memory of his years of stubborn resistance, warned the church members: “Confess your faults to one another.” Today the last place where one can be candid about one’s faults is in church. In a bar, yes; in a church, no. I know; I’ve tried both places."
—Jerome Ellison, Report to the Creator
This is a sad commentary yet often true. If Christ is not present in our churches because we do not like certain ideas about Him, then we are just having a social gathering. That is safer but it cannot save. We seek salvation, not just social interaction.
So we need a priest. We need one.
2. We can then have boldness, lit. free speech , openness, plainly speaking Hebrews 4:16 . Confidence because we have access to Christ and God Himself in His presence because of an open door to heaven through Him who said in John 10, " I am the Good Shepherd." " I am the Door" " I am the Light " . .." I am the Truth, the Way and the life"
The word confidence means to be taken seriously. Would you not rather know your condition from the DR, the Great Physician who truly tells you and I of our need of redemption? He has the cure. His blood cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7 Is that what we need to hear? Absolutely.
We have access to God through His Son, the Great High Priest who has gone to the Holy of Holies, not just once a year as in the Old Covenant but we have a better covenant, a new covenant that allows us access all the time because of His Entrance before us into the altar of God's redemption and love.
I would fire the DR or politician who did not tell me the truth. They cannot help us. They do not know the issue and the problem. A poor diagnosis will lead to a poor cure....not a cure at all. The poison of sin has been swallowed and only one has the antidote...Christ Himself. ..in His body human, without sin, a spotless lamb . This is the cure for our sin and selfishness . " Nothing but the blood of Jesus can take away our sin."
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need
The throne of grace is only approachable through His blood.
On this Passion Sunday we come before God knowing we need Him. We need Him every day , hour, and minute. We are broken. We need someone who can truly be there for us. And that person is Christ our High Priest .
"...There is a vast difference between divine and human sorrow. True contrition occurs when God turns and looks upon us. Human sorrow is us turning and looking upon ourselves. True, there is nothing wrong in turning and looking at oneself – only there is a danger. We can miss the most authentic experience of life in the imitation. For genuine repentance consists of feeling deeply our human helplessness, of knowing how God comes to us when we are completely broken." Henry Drummond
Broken people are needy. Broken people know their need of Divine assistance , even a priest. Christ is such a comfort and priest to us. He knows the value of broken seeds. " Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. " John
If we have the need of help, we will seek for help and assistance but if we think we are able to do things without help, we will not. John 12 in today's Gospel say it this way, " Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. "
There will always be many who love Christ’s heavenly kingdom, but few who will bear his cross. Many are eager to be happy with him; few wish to suffer anything for him.
"Many love Christ as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless him as long as they receive some comfort from him. But if Jesus hides himself and leaves them for a while, they either start complaining or become dejected. Those, on the contrary, who love him for his own sake and not for any comfort of their own, praise him both in trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if Jesus should never comfort them, they would continue to praise and thank him. " Thomas a Kempis
The question is do we need a priest? Do we need forgiveness and assistance or can we make it on our own? This the whole point which some do not get. Imagine drowning and not taking the life preserver?
Today's letter to the Hebrews not only has the theme of the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ but we are told in the verses we read, "
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin"
The old children's catechism asks, " Why do you need Christ as a priest?" The answer is " Because I am guilty." Men and women are always looking for a deliverer or savior. Unfortunately many are looking in the wrong place. Deliverance cannot come from politics or morality as much as it may appear. It cannot come from money or long life because these things are fragile as well. It only comes through great sacrifice. Hebrews 9 says ," But Christ having come a high priest...through his own blood entered in once for all into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption.."
Not only that but this priest sympathizes with our weaknesses because He has been tempted in every respect as we are yet without sin. He understands our problems, illnesses, shortcoming and failures because He too not only was human but in all points was tested as we are. Having a true human nature this is possible for Jesus.
We can sit with people who are suffering and listen but often we do not know what they are truly experiencing because we have never been through it. It takes someone who has not only was there but had the problem to truly know what it is like. We know this. Do you remember what the Bishop said when he visited about the real problem of our society? Loneliness. We have more ways to not talk to each other. We e mail instead of looking them in the eyes. We facebook but do not communicate. We do not write letters anymore.
" The relief of being accepted by God as a sinner can never be known by one who never thought himself unaccepted or sinful. And yet today one is always hearing of 'good Christians.' There were no good Christians in the first church, only sinners. Peter never let himself or his hearers forget his betrayal in the hour of the cockcrow. James, stung by the memory of his years of stubborn resistance, warned the church members: “Confess your faults to one another.” Today the last place where one can be candid about one’s faults is in church. In a bar, yes; in a church, no. I know; I’ve tried both places."
—Jerome Ellison, Report to the Creator
This is a sad commentary yet often true. If Christ is not present in our churches because we do not like certain ideas about Him, then we are just having a social gathering. That is safer but it cannot save. We seek salvation, not just social interaction.
So we need a priest. We need one.
2. We can then have boldness, lit. free speech , openness, plainly speaking Hebrews 4:16 . Confidence because we have access to Christ and God Himself in His presence because of an open door to heaven through Him who said in John 10, " I am the Good Shepherd." " I am the Door" " I am the Light " . .." I am the Truth, the Way and the life"
The word confidence means to be taken seriously. Would you not rather know your condition from the DR, the Great Physician who truly tells you and I of our need of redemption? He has the cure. His blood cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7 Is that what we need to hear? Absolutely.
We have access to God through His Son, the Great High Priest who has gone to the Holy of Holies, not just once a year as in the Old Covenant but we have a better covenant, a new covenant that allows us access all the time because of His Entrance before us into the altar of God's redemption and love.
I would fire the DR or politician who did not tell me the truth. They cannot help us. They do not know the issue and the problem. A poor diagnosis will lead to a poor cure....not a cure at all. The poison of sin has been swallowed and only one has the antidote...Christ Himself. ..in His body human, without sin, a spotless lamb . This is the cure for our sin and selfishness . " Nothing but the blood of Jesus can take away our sin."
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need
The throne of grace is only approachable through His blood.
On this Passion Sunday we come before God knowing we need Him. We need Him every day , hour, and minute. We are broken. We need someone who can truly be there for us. And that person is Christ our High Priest .
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