Christ the True and Better - Hebrews 4:14-5:4 - The True and Better High Priest - pt.1

READ: Hebrews 4:11-13 If Christ is our faithful High Priest and our sacrifice, should we shrink from being a faithful witness on His behalf? Keeping the faith is more than doing all the right things as a “Christian”. It’s carefully and faithfully professing Him who gave His life and rose again to give us Life. - Hebrews 4:14 - “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through (dierchomai - come by the mean of, come through) the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast (krateo - to keep carefully and faithfully, not discard or let go) our confession (homologia - profession, the one whom we profess).”We have a High Priest who has experienced our weaknesses and has given us the way to Him. He is our way to Him. Galatians 2:20 - 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.”We can approach the Throne of Grace with full confidence, knowing He will do as He has promised. - 1 John 5:14-15. - Hebrews 4:16 - “Let us then with confidence (parresia - freedom in speaking, without ambiguity, fearless confidence) draw near (proserchomai) to the throne of grace, that we may receive (lambano - to receive what is given, obtain) mercy and find (heurisko - to find, discover, to see, learn, understand) grace to help in time (timely, opportune) of need.”The responsibility of every High Priest is to offer the sacrifice to God on behalf of all mankind for the remission of sins. - Romans 3:22-26- Hebrews 5:1 - “For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”Christ is our Intercessor and Advocate who can and fully, on our behalf, being our atoning sacrifice, fulfil all the obligations of the High Priest. Christ alone is our High Priest, - Hebrews 5:2-3 - “He can deal gently (be affected moderately, one who is not unduly disturbed but bears them gently) with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. (Hebrews 4:15) 3 Because of this he is obligated (opheilo - to owe, that which is due) to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.”Christ was called by the Father to be our High Priest and so fulfilled the Plan set before Him. - Ephesians 1:7-10 - Hebrews 5:4 - “And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.”