A High Priest and Son of Encouragement

We’ve established that Jesus is our Forever High Priest, and we see in Hebrews 5:7-10 how Jesus fulfilled that role of High Priest while here on this earth:

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” – Hebrews 5:7-10 (NIV)

Like Lisa shared, Christ shined brightly and offered prayers of thanks and petitions of the people during His life on earth.

As parents listen to their child, teach their child obedience, and call them to the right path, God modeled the same with Jesus. These verses show how much of a Son Jesus was.

He was heard. He prayed, and God listened. Just as God hears our prayers now (1 John 5:14, Luke 18:1).

He learned obedience through suffering He endured (Hebrews 4:14-15).

He was designated by God.

Why Does This Matter?

Besides having the perfect example in Jesus, we also have confidence in a High Priest who truly understands all we go through and, like Hebrews 5:2 says, can “deal gently” with us in this process of becoming like Christ we undergo during life.

The [amazon_link id=”0830814426″ target=”_blank” ]New Bible Commentary[/amazon_link] says this of the writer of Hebrews: “…the writer’s teaching on Jesus’s high-priesthood is fundamentally designed to encourage endurance in the struggle against sin and unbelief. We are urged by these passages to take hold of all the spiritual resources available to us in Christ” (p. 1332).

What’s Available

What are those spiritual resources available?

We have available in Christ, our High Priest:

• a place to trust (verse 8),
• somewhere lean on during suffering (verse 8),
• an empathetic and compassionate forever High Priest (verse 8),
• a perfect example (verse 9),
• our source of eternal salvation (verse 9),
• a forever leader (verse 10).

With all of this available, we can shine our lights like His, offer thanks, and invite others along the path with us.

How are you thankful for an empathetic, compassionate High Priest today? 

Further Reflection This Week:

1. Find two verses in the Bible in which Christ offered prayers on behalf of the people. Read through the stories around those verses?
2. Consider at least two instances in which you’ve learned obedience through suffering. (This is an ongoing part of life, isn’t it?)
3. Find three other verses in the Bible where we see spiritual resources available to us because of Christ’s position as forever High Priest.
4. Write or say a prayer of thanks to God for this encouragement.