Sermon #764 Miscellaneous Sermons

Title: Christ Our High Priest

Text: Hebrews 2:17-18

Reading:

Subject: The priestly office and work of our Lord Jesus Christ

Date: Sunday Morning - January 17, 1988

Tape #

Introduction:
Fallen man, because of sin, has been banished from the presence of God. God will not speak to man, or allow man to speak to him. God will not approach man, or allow man to approach him. Sin has separated man from God. By reason of sin, there is a great gulf fixed between God and man, which neither God nor man can cross. The holy God, in and of himself, in his essential Being as God, because he is righteous, just and true, could never span that great gulf and come down to sinful man or bring sinful man up to himself. And sinful man, because of his sin, could never span that great gulf and arise to God, or bring God down to himself. Depraved, helpless and condemned, all men and women by nature are banished from God in this world, and must be banished from God forever in the world to come, unless a holy man can be found who is equal to God himself and able "able to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Unless there is a daysman found between the holy God and sinful man, we are all without hope. Unless there is a Mediator found, who can lay his hand upon the holy God and upon guilty sinners to bring God and man together, we must all be forever banished from the presence of God in hell. Unless there is a priest found who can fully satisfy the justice of God by making an effectual atonement for sin, sinful man must forever die. But, blessed be God, such a Priest has been found! He is Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of God.

Today, I want, by the grace of God, to show you some of the beauty and glory of the office and work of Christ our High Priest, as he is described in Hebrews 2:17-18. "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."

Proposition:


This is what Paul is telling us - The Lord Jesus Christ became a man so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest such as we need, to reconcile us to God and help us to overcome temptation.

Divisions:


In these two verses of Scripture, the Holy Spirit reveals five things about Christ Our High Priest. May he be pleased to inscribe these five things upon our hearts.

  1. The Lord Jesus Christ was appointed by God to be our great High Priest.

  2. In order to be our great High Priest, the Son of God had to be made like unto his brethren.

  3. The principal work of Christ as our great High Priest was to make reconciliation, or atonement, for sin.

  4. Christ our great High Priest in heaven is able to succour his tempted people.

  5. It is the privilege and responsibility of those who are tempted to call upon Christ for help and relief.


  1. The first thing we are taught here is that The Lord Jesus Christ was Appointed by God to be our great High priest.


The word, "wherefore", does not refer to what Paul has said, but to what he is about to say. He has shown us how that Christ is superior to angels, and that he came into the world, not to redeem fallen angels, but to redeem fallen men. And now he is about to show us how that Christ is superior to Moses, Joshua, and Aaron, as the almighty, effectual Savior of God’s elect people. And he begins by telling us that it was necessary for Christ to be made like those people whom he came to save, so that he might be our great High Priest in things pertaining to God.

Christ did not assume this office on his own. He was called, appointed and anointed to it by God the Father in the covenant of grace before the world began (Heb. 5:1, 4-5). Christ was made a Priest by the oath of God himself (Psa. 110:4). And he voluntarily agreed to become our Priest and to fulfil all that God required to reconcile us unto himself. He said, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not." The sacrifices of slain beasts offered by sinful men cannot atone for human sin. "But a body hast thou prepared me," in the everlasting covenant of grace, which I am ready, at the appointed time, to assume and to offer up as a sacrifice to Divine justice for the sins of my people (Heb. 10:5). "These eternal decrees and mutual transactions are the basis and foundation of Christ’s priesthood, and made it sure and certain" (John Gill).

    1. In the prophetic Scripture of the Old Testament Christ was spoken of as a priest.


The promised Messiah of the Old Testament was to be One who would be a prophet like Moses, a King like David and a Priest like Melchizedek.

    • In 1 Samuel 2:35, the Lord God says, "I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed forever."

    • In Psalm 110:4, David says, "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Meldhizedek."

    • In Zechariah 6:12-13, the Lord of hosts says, "Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord; Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."


In addition to the plain prophecies that Christ should be a Priest, his priestly work is spoken of in many of the Old Testament scriptures. Isaiah tells us that God would "make his soul an offering for sin" and that he would "make intercession for the transgressors" (53:10, 12). Ezekiel describes Christ as One clothed in the garments of priesthood, "the man clothed with linen" (9:3). And Daniel describes Christ in the same words, saying, "Behold a certain Man clothed in linen" (10:5).

    1. In addition to the prophecies of the Old Testament, the priesthood of Christ was foreshadowed by the typical priests of that dispensation.


There never was but one Priest by whom transactions might be made with God, and he is Christ. All others appointed to the priestly office were called priests, because they represented, pointed to, and foreshadowed Christ the true Priest. Only Christ could atone for sin, turn away the wrath of God, and bring men to God in reconciliation. But all the typical priests of the Old Testament, in their way, represented Christ our great High Priest.

    1. The most eminent type of Christ as our Priest in the Old Testament was "Melchizedek, king of Salem, and priest of the most high God" (Gen. 14:18).


Christ is a Priest, not after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:10; 6:20; 7:17). This man met Abraham when he returned from the slaughter of the kings, by whom Abraham was blessed and to whom gave tithes of all that he possessed. And he was a remarkable type of Christ.

    • he was called the King of Salem, the King of Peace.

    • He was called the King of Righteousness.

    • He had neither father nor mother, beginning of days, nor end of life.

    • He was made a priest by the direct ordinance of God himself.

    • His priesthood is perpetual, unchanging and endless.


NOTE: This man, Melchizedek, was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself (Heb. 7:1-4, 8).

    1. Aaron, the high priest of Israel, was also a clear type of Christ, our great High Priest.


When Christ came, the Aaronic order was forever abolished. But Aaron served to typify and represent Christ throughout the Mosaic age. Like Aaron -

    1. Christ was chosen from among his brethren.

    2. Christ was separated by a holy anointing.

    3. Christ offered a sacrifice of atonement to God.

    4. Christ entered into the holy place with the blood of atonement.

    5. Christ performed his work alone.

    6. Christ is our Spokesman.

    7. Christ carries the incense of his intercession with his blood into the holy place.

    8. Christ blesses his people on the basis of the atonement he has made.

    9. Christ represents and performs his work for a specific, chosen people - The Israel of God.


    1. All the common, Levitical priests were also types of Christ.


Like Christ, they were ordained from among men and for men, to offer gifts and sacrifices to God on the behalf of the people. Of course, in many ways, the typical priests were clearly inferior to Christ. The type is never perfect.

    • They were many; but Christ is One.

    • They offered many sacrifices; Christ offered one sacrifice.

    • They could never put away sin; Christ did.


4. In fact, all the sacrifices offered to God from the beginning of the world were typical of and pointed to the one great sacrifice of Christ our High Priest.

    1. The sacrifice of Abel was offered up in faith, anticipating the sacrifice of Christ.

    2. The sacrifices of Noah, as pictures of Christ, offered by faith in him, were sacrifices of a sweet-smelling savor to God.

    3. The passover lamb was a type of Christ our Passover sacrificed for us.

    4. The daily sacrifices, offered morning and evening, pointed to Christ, whose one sacrifice for sin, being effectual, is of perpetual merit to God.


NOTE: Christ is the only priest God will accept and the only sacrifice God will accept. And when he came, he put an end to all the priests and sacrifices that pointed to him.

This is the first thing Paul teaches us in our text: The Lord Jesus Christ was appointed by God to be our great High Priest.

  1. Secondly, the apostle shows us that In Order to be our great High Priest, the Son of God had to be made like unto his brethren.


This is the meaning of his words: "In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God."

Christ could be our Prophet without becoming a man. And he could be our King without becoming a man. But in order to be our Priest, in order to be a merciful and faithful high priest, in order to make reconciliation for the sins of his people, the Son of God had to become one of us! If he had not become one of us, he would have had nothing to offer God by which to make atonement for our sins (Heb. 8:3). A priest without a sacrifice is like a king without a subject. Had God not prepared his Son a body, he would have had no sacrifice for sin. He must have a body to sacrifice, or his priesthood would be vain, empty and meaningless, a name to mock him rather than a work to honor him. Christ our God became a man so that he might be sacrificed to purge our sins.

NOTE: Christ did not have to be our Priest. But if he would be our priest, he had to become a man.

A. The Lord of glory was made like unto his brethren.


Those words describe our Savior’s humiliation on our behalf. They speak not only of his incarnation, but of his life of humiliation, suffering, pain, and sorrow on our behalf. Not only did the Son of God become one of us, he became one with us.

NOTE: We are Christ’s brethren by Divine adoption. And everything the Son of God does, he does for the glory of his Father and the good of his brethren.

    1. Christ was made like unto his brethren in the essence of our human nature by his incarnation (1 Tim. 2:5).


Our Lord had a real human body, a real human soul, a real human heart, with real human feelings, emotions, and needs. The only difference between Christ and his people is that he had no sin. His body was not bigger, stronger, or more impressive than any other man’s. The experiences of life touched him and moved him, just as they do us. He was and is a real man.

    1. Christ was made like unto us in the temptations he endured as a man (Heb. 4:15).


He was tempted in all points like as we are, only with this one glorious exception, he had no sin. By-in-large our temptations arise from within, from our inward unbelief and lusts. And even those temptations that arise from without find a ready and willing companion within. But our Savior’s temptations were like Adam’s temptation in the Garden. He had no inward inclination to do evil. Yet, his temptations were real.

    1. Our Lord was made like unto us in the things which he suffered, too (Heb. 5:7-9).


What do you suffer? Christ has suffered that. He knows what it is to be hungry, thirsty, tormented with pain, slandered by his enemies, misunderstood by his family, despised by his kin, deserted by his companions, betrayed by his friend, denied by his disciple, put to public shame, scandalized and reproached, and forsaken by his Father.

    1. And the Son of God was made like unto us in the death that he died (1 Pet. 3:18).


Christ died the death that we should have died, deserved to die and must have died, had he not died in our place, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

    1. It is this conformity to us that qualifies our Lord to be the kind of Priest we need.


He was made a man that he might be our High Priest. And he suffered, being tempted as a man, that he might be "a merciful and faithful High Priest."

    1. Christ is moved to compassion and pity by the things that we suffer, being touched with the feeling of our infirmities, because he has also suffered those very things. He is merciful, not only because it is his will as God to be merciful, but also because he has a fellow feeling with those who need mercy.


    1. And our Lord faithfully shows mercy to us, because the things he suffered, he suffered for us.


He exercises constant care for all the concerns of his brethren. He lovingly condescends to the wants and sorrows of his suffering, tempted brethren (Isa. 40:11). Because his compassion does not fail, his faithfulness is great.

    1. Such is the unspeakable love of Christ for us that he willingly endured all that was necessary for his to be our merciful and faithful High Priest.


Like Jacob for his love to Rachel, our Lord was content to submit to any terms, to undergo any sorrow, to meet any conditions, that he might save and enjoy his beloved bride (Eph. 5:25-26).

Particularly, our text tells us that Christ, our High Priest, is "merciful and faithful in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

  1. So this is the third thing Paul teaches us: The principal, primary work of Christ as our great High Priest was to make reconciliation, or atonement, for the sins of his people.


The High Priest is one who reconciles God and his sinful people by making an atonement for the sins of the people. And this reconciliation, or atonement for sin is the primary work of Christ our great High Priest (1 John 2:1-2). Christ’s atonement for sin is the foundation and source of all his other works as our High Priest.

By the sacrifice of himself at Calvary as our Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ has faithfully executed his office as our High Priest in things pertaining to God and effectually reconciled us to God by the blood of his cross; for by that precious blood he has put away our sins (Heb. 9:12, 28; Rom. 3:24-26).

Atonement has been made, reconciliation has been accomplished by the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. But, if we are to understand the nature of Christ’s sacrifice and the efficacy of his atonement, certain questions must be answered.

    1. Who was the sacrificer?


Christ is the Priest. Christ is the Altar. And Christ is the Sacrifice. Christ offered himself to God. He gave himself an offering and a sacrifice of sweet smelling savor (Heb. 9:14; Eph. 5:2).

It is true, the sword of justice slew our Savior. But he is the One in whose hand the sword of justice is, for he is God. Our Lord was not made to die by any hand but his own. He gave up the ghost. He laid down his life by his own will.

    1. What was the sacrifice by which atonement was made?


Christ gave himself, body and soul, into the hands of justice, to die as a man for our sins. He laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16).

His human nature was the sacrifice. His divine nature was the altar which sanctified the gift and gave it virtue and efficacy to atone for sin.

    1. To whom was the sacrifice for sin offered?


Our Lord did not offer himself to satan. And he does not offer himself to man. He by the eternal Spirit offered himself to God as a sacrifice for sin (Heb. 9:14).

    1. Sin is committed against God, therefore the sacrifice must be made to God.

    2. It is God whose justice must be satisfied.


    1. For whom was the sacrifice offered?


It was offered for "the people", Christ’s brethren, his elect, "the seed of Abraham". Aaron was not a high priest for all men in general, but for all of Israel in particular. And Christ is not a Priest for all men in general, but for the people of God, the Israel of God in particular.

    1. Christ offered sacrifice for those for whom he makes intercession (John 17;9, 20).

    2. And he offered sacrifice for those whose sins are purged, for whom atonement has been made, and who are reconciled to God.

    3. The sacrifice was offered for those who by faith receive the atonement (Rom. 5:11).


    1. What is the result of Christ’s sin atoning sacrifice?


Christ is a High Priest of good things to come (Heb. 9:11). So what good things come to his people as the result of his priesthood and his sacrifice?

    1. The full pardon of sin (Eph. 1:70.

    2. Eternal redemption (Tit. 2:14).

    3. Complete justification (Rom. 3:24).

    4. Perfect sanctification (Heb. 10:10-14).

    5. Peace and reconciliation with God (Rom. 5:10).

    6. Eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9-10).


NOTE: Those who weaken, oppose, or deny the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice and the reconciliation he has made are enemies to the souls of men, enemies to the honor of Christ, and enemies to the glory of God.

  1. Fourthly, Paul tells us that Christ our great High Priest in heaven is able to succour his tempted people.


I hope you can get hold of this, and learn to cast all your care upon him who cares for you. "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." Because Christ is such a great High Priest, he is able to help us. And he helps us principally in three ways:

    1. Christ ever lives to make effectual intercession for us (Heb. 7:24-25).


Our Lord’s presence in heaven is a perpetual and just intercession for the people he represents. His plea before God is his blood. And his plea is effectual. On the basis of his one sacrifice for sin, our great High Priest perpetually asks three things for his peole:

    1. The salvation of those sinners for whom his blood was shed.

    2. The non-imputation of sin to his weak, helpless, sinful people.

    3. The glorification of his believing brethren.


    1. Christ also helps us by meeting our needs in time of trial and temptation (Isa. 43:1-5; 1 Cor. 10:13).


    1. He gives us strength to withstand the tempter’s power.

    2. He gives us consolation in the midst of trial.

    3. He gives us deliverance at the time appointed.


    1. And Christ helps us by effectually conferring upon us and communicating to us the blessings of his grace, based upon his sacrifice for sin (Num. 6:24-26).


He points us to his own self and speaks words of comfort to our hearts, assuring us of his acceptance as our Priest and our acceptance with God in him.

  1. And in the last place, our text shows us that It is the privilege and responsibility of those who are tempted to call upon Christ for help and relief.


The word "succour" implies a call for help. It is help for those who call. Do you need help? Does it seem that satan has you in his grasp? Are you tempted and tried? Are you weak and helpless? Christ is a great High Priest for men and women like you. He bids you to call upon him in time of need. And he promises help to all who do (Heb. 4:15-16).

Application:

This is Christ our High Priest. There is no priest like him.

  1. Christ alone is a Priest ordained of God.

  2. Christ alone has something to offer God.

  3. Christ alone has made atonement for sin.

  4. Christ alone never changes.

  5. Christ alone can help needy sinners.
Don Fortner