Our Sympathetic High Priest

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

 --Hebrews 4:15  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on September 26, 2013 of Proverbs 7:24-27; Hebrews 4:14-5:10; Isaiah 21-22.

The author of Hebrews tells us that God extends us an offer to enter into His rest - peace from trouble and woe, relief from pain and suffering, no more grief or distress... to enter heaven - but that some of us may fall short of His grace because of our unbelief. Fortunately there is a cure for unbelief. Our author reassures us that "the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword" (please see verse 12). We know from the Gospel of John that Jesus is that living Word of God (John 1:1), who is described in Revelation as the words from His mouth being like a two-edged sword (Revelation 1:16). He is able to cut through any facade we may raise to get to the truth of our being; we can hide nothing from Him. This Jesus ruled in heaven as God's Son, yet allowed Himself to be made a little lower than the angels (please see "A Little Lower Than the Angels") so that He could come to earth to live among us, as one of us. He came into the world a small baby just as we do. He studied and learned and grew like we do. He walked the same dusty roads we travel. He suffered persecution, beatings, trial, and execution. And He was buried. For most of His life on earth, other than having a divine Father, Jesus lived pretty much like we do and experienced life like us. Of course, what happened after His death and burial makes all the difference in the world, but right now our author is only concerned with Jesus' time on earth.

Jesus is not some distant god sitting in an ivory tower looking down on us from afar. He is the God who came right to where we are to live among us, to eat what we eat, to live as we live, to feel what we feel. Jesus was tempted by Satan just like we are (Matthew 4:1-11). It wasn't that Jesus experienced every temptation that man does, but rather He was tempted in every area that man is tempted: in lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. And these temptations were specially devised by Satan just for Jesus, just to lure Him. Jesus resisted them all and Satan failed. But this trial allowed the Son of Man to know exactly what it is like when Satan entices us, how hard it can be to resist those temptations.

Jesus, our one true High Priest and Redeemer, knows just what it is like to be human. He has felt the physical pain of beatings, the emotional pain of betrayal. He has loved and been loved, been disappointed and been despised. The Holy Spirit helped Him resist Satan, the same Holy Spirit He sent to live within us and that can help us resist as well. And through it all Jesus remained sinless, committing no wrong against God or man. He had to, for otherwise He could not have taken all of our sins upon Himself, sanctifying us before God. This is our High Priest who can sympathize with us because He was one of us. This is Jesus, the Son of God, in whom we can believe. Amen.

Dear Jesus, You came to us to know us, to be one of us, to live like we live and feel like we feel and be tempted like we are tempted. You came to us to offer salvation. In You we have a sympathetic High Priest. In You we have redemption. Thank You, O Lord. In Your glorious name, our Jesus we pray. Amen.