[0:00] Okay, Bibles, go to Hebrews chapter 5, Hebrews chapter 5.
[0:14] Hebrews chapter 5.
[0:31] We've been talking the last few weeks about, in Hebrews 3 and 4, about the rest that we can have in Christ. And now today in Hebrews chapter 5, we talked about the fact that the rest, part of that rest comes from the fact that Jesus is our high priest, and he knows everything that we're going through.
[0:51] And today we're going to develop that a little bit more. We're going to talk about learning about Christ, our priest, in Hebrews chapter 5. Let's have a word prayer. Father, I pray today that you would be with us as we look at this passage of scripture.
[1:06] Lord, that we would understand that you are our high priest. Christ, you take care of us. You minister to the needs that we have. You help us with the sin in our life and get it taken care of and wiped away.
[1:20] Lord, you did that when you went to the cross, but you even do it every day. As we live our life, we always mess up. We do things that are wrong. We sin. But you say, if we come to you, you're faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
[1:34] So, Lord, we just thank you for that position you have as our high priest. You made the sacrifice that was necessary for us to have that forgiveness of sins. Lord, I pray that you would just bless now as we look at this chapter.
[1:46] Lord, open our hearts and our minds to what you have for us. In Jesus' name, amen. First of all, he's going to talk about some human priest.
[1:57] Look at chapter 5. Look at verse 1 through 4. Verses 1 through 4 says, For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
[2:17] Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way, or those who are going astray? For that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
[2:29] And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
[2:45] So, first thing I want you to see is human priests are imperfect. Human priests are imperfect. He begins the chapter 5 with the word 4.
[2:59] He's connecting back to the chapter before. Look back at chapter 4, verses 14 and on. It says, Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed from the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
[3:14] For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly under the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
[3:30] For every high priest taken from among men, he's connecting the two. Jesus Christ is a high priest, and we're showing how the priests that we have among men are showing what Jesus Christ was going to come and to do.
[3:45] He says, look, we need to have mercy. We need to have grace. Jesus provides that for us. And he says, look, Jesus is the great high priest.
[3:57] He's going to come on to that in the next few verses. Jesus is the great high priest that we have to have for our Christians. In those first four verses, he presents qualifications of what a high priest is supposed to be.
[4:13] He presents qualifications of how they can be a high priest. He gives us five of them. And I want us to look this morning at those five different things that it says a high priest is going to have.
[4:23] Look at verse one again. He says, for every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men. First of all, they were taken from among men.
[4:35] The high priests were taken from the people so they could serve as a representative before God to the people. You had to have somebody who was going to be a high priest who understood the people.
[4:50] So he was taken from the people to be the high priest to be used of them. Second, priests offered sacrifice to God for the sake of their sins.
[5:02] He's going to be the one who gives the sacrifices so that people can have their sins forgiven. Leviticus, we're going to look at it in a few minutes, but not just yet. But if you want to read about all the different sacrifices and all the things concerning priests and everything, read the book of Leviticus.
[5:19] It goes through in detail everything that they were supposed to do. Some of the offerings were given because the worshipers had sinned. Some of the offerings were given because they just wanted to give thanks to God for everything that he had done.
[5:37] There was morning sacrifices, evening sacrifices. There were special day sacrifices for special days like the Day of Atonement. There were special sacrifices for those.
[5:47] And it had to be given by the high priest. That was very specific in what was supposed to happen.
[6:00] He's taken from among the people so that he understood the people, and he was going to be the one to give the sacrifices. Hold your finger there in Hebrews and go with me over to 1 Samuel. 1 Samuel chapter 13.
[6:13] It's a passage that you probably remember the story behind it. 1 Samuel chapter 13, beginning at verse 8.
[6:26] Samuel is supposed to come to the encampment and give a sacrifice. Samuel 13, 8 says, And he tarried seven days according to the set time that Samuel had appointed.
[6:40] But Samuel came not to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. It's talking about when they say him, they're talking about Saul. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings.
[6:52] And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of the offering, offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came.
[7:04] And Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw the people were scattered from me, that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together unto Michmash.
[7:24] Therefore, said I, the Philistines will come down now upon me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord. I forced myself, therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
[7:37] And Samuel said unto Saul, Thou hast done foolishly. Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. But now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.
[7:50] But now thy kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought him a man after his own heart. And the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over the people, because thou hast not kept what the Lord commanded thee.
[8:04] Saul decided to take it upon himself. Samuel didn't show up on Saul's timetable. Samuel apparently had told him he would be there by a certain time, and he didn't show up.
[8:17] He got delayed. So Saul says, Well, if he's not going to be here, I'll take it upon myself to perform his duties. God was very specific back there in Leviticus about who was to offer the sacrifices.
[8:35] And so Saul does it, and he offers those sacrifices, and you see what happened to Saul. Because of that, he lost the kingdom.
[8:46] He lost his heirs from taking over the kingdom because he did not obey the commandments that God had given. We need to be so careful that we obey the commandments that God has for us and follow them.
[9:01] Third thing, the priest could sympathize with the worshipers who were sinful because he too was a sinner. He too was one who had to have forgiveness of sins, and therefore he understood what they were going through.
[9:20] He understood what they were facing. He understood the things that they needed, and he was able to show them compassion. He was able to show them the care that they needed.
[9:35] The compassion he had was not an indifference towards sin, but it was a realistic, people are going to sin. People are going to do wrong. Therefore, we need to be ready to show them compassion.
[9:47] We need to put them back on the right track, and that's what the priest's job was, after the sacrifices, so they could get people back on the right track. He could not minister to them in an effective way if he was always upset with them and frustrated with them and things.
[10:05] No, he was a sinner just like them. He understood what they were going through. I mentioned Leviticus before. Go with me to Leviticus chapter 16. Leviticus 16.
[10:28] Leviticus 16. I want you to notice, as I read this, I want you to notice something. Here's the high priest. He's a sinner just like the people are. So look at Leviticus 16, verse 6.
[10:42] Look at verse 11.
[10:56] And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself.
[11:11] Look at verse 17. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place until he come out and have made an atonement for himself and for his household and for the congregation of Israel.
[11:29] Verse 24. And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and shall put on his garments and come forth and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make an atonement for himself and for the people.
[11:46] Do you notice how many times those four verses used for himself? The high priest, in order to go in and do the job that he was supposed to do of making sacrifice for the people, had to, first of all, make atonement for himself.
[12:03] He was a priest, but he was also a sinner, just like the people. And he had to make an atonement for himself, and then he could go in and make atonement for the people.
[12:13] See, sometimes people tend to think they're better than everybody else and stuff because they know. He says we're sinners just like all the others. He's a sinner just like the rest of the people.
[12:26] And so he has to make atonement for his own sin, which is the fourth thing that should be up there. Back in Hebrews chapter 5, look at verse 3. And by reason thereof he ought, as for the people, also for himself to offer for sins.
[12:44] The priest had to make sure he was clean. He was forgiven. He had his heart right before God, before he went about doing the things that he was supposed to do. And then a fifth thing that's going to come up in just a second.
[12:56] Turn with me again. I know I get you moving around a lot. Exodus chapter 28. Exodus 28. Beginning at verse 1.
[13:07] Exodus 28, beginning at verse 1. Exodus 28. 1 says, And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother and his sons with him from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.
[13:33] And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
[13:55] Aaron's going to be the first high priest. By what authority? God's. God's. God's authority. God says, Aaron's going to do it.
[14:05] And his sons are going to follow him. The final qualification for being a priest was they had to be called by God. Called by God. And then back in Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 5, look at verse 4.
[14:19] And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So he says, look, if you're going to be the high priest, you have to be called by God.
[14:31] Nobody could appoint himself to the priesthood. Not even a king, like Saul, could appoint himself to that. You had to be called by God to do the office of the priest.
[14:43] Priests were not elected by the people. They were selected by God. One of the interesting things about being the high priest of Aaron's, you know, Aaron and his sons and those who came after him was the fact that they were limited by their sin, just like all the rest of us.
[15:06] And so therefore had to have forgiveness of sin, just like the rest of us. So, but they were called by God. Which brings us to the next part, beginning at verse 5. Christ is the perfect priest.
[15:20] Christ is the perfect priest. Look with me in chapter 5 of Hebrews, beginning at verse 5. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made in high priest, but he that said unto him, thou art my son, today have I begotten thee.
[15:40] As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard and that he feared, though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him, called of God and high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
[16:21] That's all one sentence in there. That's a long sentence. But it's all describing Christ. By describing, after describing the qualifications for the human priest of the Old Testament, the writer of Hebrews then begins to show how Christ surpassed all of those things.
[16:41] He is going to be the great high priest. He is qualified to be the perfect high priest to minister to the people. Three times, as you look through there, it's talked about the fact that he was called by God.
[16:57] Go back to chapter, I'll stay there in chapter 5, but notice it says in verse 5, he did not try to glorify himself, but he said unto him, thou art my son and I have begotten thee.
[17:11] He said also, in another place, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. And then down in verse 10, he says, called of God, a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
[17:21] Three times, he mentions that he was called by God. God called him to that position. God put him there so that he could be the high priest over us and give the sacrifice for our sins.
[17:37] Jared, would you look up John 8, 54? John 8, 54. Look with me at Hebrews 5, 5 again. First part of it.
[17:50] Hebrews 5, 5 says, So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest. Notice what it says.
[18:00] He glorified not himself to be made a high priest. He didn't put himself in that position. John 8, 54, Jared? Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing.
[18:14] But is my Father that honors me? Of whom? He says that he is your God. He says, If I honor myself, it honors me nothing.
[18:25] I can say all the things I want to about myself. What good does that do? But he says, My Father says that I have this position.
[18:38] My Father has put me here. See, he was called by God to do what he was going to do. He is God, but the Father said, This is what I want you to do.
[18:49] And the Bible tells us way back before the beginning of time, this plan was put in place. that Jesus was going to come, be the sacrifice for our sins, be the high priest for us.
[19:03] He's quoting here in 5, 5, when he says, Thou art my son, today I have begotten thee. He's quoting from Psalm 2, verse 7.
[19:16] And Jesus talked about, God talked about his son who was going to be begotten of him and take that position. God the Father exalted the son.
[19:30] The son did not take it for himself. Another thing about being a priest, though, Aaron is the priestly family. He begins the priestly family.
[19:41] He and his sons and the descendants that come after them. What tribe was Aaron from? Levi. He's from the tribe of Levi. Levi.
[19:52] They are the priestly tribe. They're the ones who had control of the priesthood. They took care of all the things connected to the priesthood. They took care of the tabernacle when it was moved. They did all of those things.
[20:03] Tribe of Levi. That was their job. What tribe is Jesus from? Judah. He's on the tribe of Judah, which was the kingly tribe.
[20:15] Most of the kings came from the tribe of Judah. You know, talk about the lion of Judah. So, how do we rectify this? Jesus was from the tribe of Judah.
[20:28] All the other priests were from the tribe of Levi. How can Jesus be high preached? How can he do that? Well, according to their tradition and what they had, he did not qualify.
[20:43] But did you notice what it said here? Look at verse 10 again. Oops, wrong chapter. Verse 10. Called of God and high priests after the order of Melchizedek.
[21:01] Hmm. Not after Aaron, not after Levi, not after those, but an order of Melchizedek. Anybody know who Melchizedek was?
[21:11] He was, what? Anybody? No. There actually was a man named Melchizedek.
[21:26] Actually, go with me. I'm kind of skipping ahead here a little bit. I'll come back. Go with me to Genesis chapter 14. Genesis chapter 14.
[21:40] Remember, Abraham went out and rescued those who had been captured and taken hostage and prisoner from Sodom and Gomorrah before they wound up being burned up.
[22:00] And he rescued some of his family members. Lot was among them. And in verse 18, it says, And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine, and he was the priest of the Most High God.
[22:18] And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be the Most High God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand.
[22:30] And he gave him tithes of all. Abraham gave him tithes of all that he had collected and the spoils he had from rescuing these people and bringing them back. Melchizedek was a priest before Aaron was.
[22:48] We're talking back in the time of Abraham. And so Melchizedek was a priest who worshipped God, served God, wanted everything that God wanted. He wanted that for his people. So he says, Christ is a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
[23:03] Melchizedek from way back at the very beginning when Abraham was first setting up the nation of Israel. Melchizedek was there. And he says, so Jesus is after that order.
[23:16] He's been from the beginning of the nation of Israel. Jared. Do you know why Melchizedek is spelled differently from the Hebrews?
[23:27] Probably because the writer, even though he's writing the Hebrews, was writing in Greek because of the times. So that's probably why the difference in spelling.
[23:40] Yep. Yep. Okay. So, he's a priest after the order of Melchizedek. And he's fully qualified to be a priest.
[23:53] All those other things we gave for qualifications Jesus fulfills. Every one of them. So he's called of God to be a priest. Aaron's priests had to offer sacrifice for their own sins.
[24:07] We just talked about that. He offered for himself, for himself, for himself. Jesus never sinned. So he didn't have to follow that one because he never sinned.
[24:20] Look at verses 7 and 8 back in Hebrews chapter 5. 7 and 8. It says, who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that is able to save him from death and was heard and that he feared though he were a son, yet learned he obedience in the things which he suffered.
[24:48] Jesus was sinless. But he went through a whole lot of things. He understood what the people were going through. Remember we said that was one of the requirements? The priest had to be somebody from among the people so he would understand what they were going through and what they were facing.
[25:04] Jesus came to earth, born, went through things that we face, went through trials and tribulations, went through temptations, went through all of those things and yet he did it without sin.
[25:15] So he meets the qualifications of sympathizing with the people but yet he did it without sin himself and he offers up the sacrifice of himself.
[25:33] Mark, let me just read this one for you. Mark chapter 14 beginning at verse 32 it says this, and they came to a place which was named Gethsemane and he said to his disciples, Sit here while I pray.
[25:48] And he taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy and saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death.
[25:59] Tarry ye here and watch. He was understanding what they were going through. He was understanding what he was about to go through. He was understanding the fact that he was going to take the sin of the world on him.
[26:14] He says, It's exceeding heavy. It's very exceeding sorrowful. In Luke chapter 22 verse 44, And being in agony he prayed more earnestly and he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down unto the ground.
[26:30] You know, when you look at the description he's giving here, he uses words sore amazed, very heavy, exceeding sorrowful unto death, in agony. He understood everything that we were going to go through.
[26:44] So as the high priest of us, he knows what we face. He understands it. He learned by experience to obey the Father.
[26:57] He learned to obey and do what the Father had asked him to do. He understood the hurts and the pains. Look back at chapter 2.
[27:12] I've mentioned these verses a few times, but chapter 2, look at verse 17 and 18. Wherefore, in all things that behooved 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.
[27:33] For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that is tempted. He's able to help to aid those who are tempted.
[27:46] He knows exactly what you're going through. He knows exactly what you're facing. And he is there and ready to help. Think of that. Take that thought away with you today.
[27:58] He is there and ready to help. No matter what you're facing, he's ready. And we're going to stop there for today. Okay?