Our Sympathetic Savior

Hebrews 4:15 ~ "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."

What a grace it is to know that our faithful High Priest knows every temptation that we face daily and has overcome every one. There is no place where Christ cannot be sympathetic to you for He was exposed to all the trials of humanity and came away victorious. He now offers you the victory He won over sin.

Beloved, we have a High Priest. In the days of Israel, the high priest was from the line of Aaron and appointed to offer the sacrifice before God on behalf of the nation. Year after year, he would bring the correct offering before God on the day of atonement (as well as other feast days) and God would accept the sacrifice of the innocent, spotless lamb to cover the sins of the people. But a lamb could not identify with the people--it was only a sign to show what God would do later.

Jesus did not offer a lamb--He was the Lamb. He offered Himself as the perfect Lamb of God, taking away our sins and, as High Priest, presenting Himself as the final sacrifice before God the Father. And more than being an innocent sacrifice, Jesus was the sympathetic sacrifice. He identified with mankind--becoming Himself a man--and endured all the temptations of humanity so that He could truly present Himself as the righteous and faithful offering before God. 

But, just as the high priest of Israel represented man before God, he also represented God before man. And our faithful High Priest, the Lord Jesus, will forever be to us the exact representation of God (see Hebrews 1:3). He speaks to us, intercedes for us, and leads us to follow faithfully the Word of God. He has given us of His Spirit, adopted us into His family and created us to be a holy nation and royal priesthood to offer our praise to the Lord (see 1 Peter 2:9). 

But Jesus, our High Priest, is not removed from us so far that He cannot understand the pressures of temptation. He is without sin--in every thought, word and action, the Lord Jesus did not even once succumb to the sins of this world. But He is not without suffering the daggers of temptation. The righteousness He offers to all who believe is purchased in His sinless life. His atoning sacrifice would be of no value if Jesus ever failed even once in any aspect of human living. He was and remains forever the victorious Savior who can sympathize with us in our weaknesses.

And what a blessing to know that Jesus was tempted as you and I are tempted. We can run to Him, seek Him for strength to overcome, and find in Him mercy and grace in our time of need (see Hebrews 4:16). 

My friends, are you struggling against temptation? Have you fallen into sin? Run to Jesus. Confess your sins and your struggles and find in Him the grace to overcome. He will bring you into His victory over sin.

In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

---