Study in the Book of Hebrews: Hebrews 4:14-16
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We are going to be looking at just three verses tonight. These three verse serve as the main message of the book of Hebrews. These verses compose the main point of the sermon the writer of Hebrews has composed. It is the transition to the concept of Jesus being our great High Priest. Jesus as our great High Priest, who is the reason we can “hold fast to our confession” and “approach the throne of grace with boldness”.
There are three main phrases
1. Hold fast to our confession ()
1. Hold fast to our confession ()
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
A. What was the role of the High Priest?
A. What was the role of the High Priest?
i. He oversaw the worship of Yahweh.
i. He oversaw the worship of Yahweh.
ii. He was the main representative between the nation of Israel and Yahweh.
ii. He was the main representative between the nation of Israel and Yahweh.
iii. The role of the High Priest was hereditary and normally for life.
iii. The role of the High Priest was hereditary and normally for life.
iv. He was the only one who could enter the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement
iv. He was the only one who could enter the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement
B. Jesus is not just a High Priest, but rather he is our Great High Priest.
B. Jesus is not just a High Priest, but rather he is our Great High Priest.
i. He has been tempted like we are, yet without sin. ()
i. He has been tempted like we are, yet without sin. ()
Temptation is not sin. Jesus shared in our experience of temptation, but this is not to say that Jesus sinned. He did not. He shared in our experience of temptation.
How did Jesus experience the same temptations that we have in our modern day?
How did Jesus experience the same temptations that we have in our modern day?
Was he tempted to steal, lie, or cheat? Was Jesus tempted by sexual immorality and pornography? Was Jesus tempted to gossip and hate?
Although the expressions of sin has changed over the years, the nature and roots of sin have not. Lust, greed, dishonesty, hatred, etc… are the root causes of sin.
Were the temptations Jesus faced legitimate and genuine?
Were the temptations Jesus faced legitimate and genuine?
In other words, could Jesus have sinned? “One way of expressing this paradox is to insist that as human, Jesus felt the full force of temptation, and the temptations he faced were real, inviting him to sin (they would not be temptations otherwise). However, as God he would not and did not sin.” (NIV Application, p. 179)
However, most likely, the author does not have the concept of general temptation to sin in mind, but rather, the specific temptation of breaking with a commitment because of difficulty or suffering. Did Jesus face this temptation? Yes, in the Garden when he begged God to take away the cup of suffering.
ii. He can sympathize with us. ()
ii. He can sympathize with us. ()
Because of Jesus’ human experience of temptation, he can sympathize with our weakness. “weakness” can refer to sickness, physical weakness, general weakness, or even moral weakness. Here the weakness is about our relationship to sin.
The point is that Jesus is not distant from us, but rather cares for us in our human state of weakness.
iii. He was appointed by God ()
iii. He was appointed by God ()
iv. His priesthood is eternal ()
iv. His priesthood is eternal ()
v. His sacrifice inaugurated a new superior covenant with God. ()
v. His sacrifice inaugurated a new superior covenant with God. ()
vi. The sacrifice was made in a heavenly, rather than earthly tabernacle. ()
vi. The sacrifice was made in a heavenly, rather than earthly tabernacle. ()
vii. The blood of his sacrifice was superior because it was his own blood. ()
vii. The blood of his sacrifice was superior because it was his own blood. ()
viii. The sacrifice of Jesus was once for all time. ()
viii. The sacrifice of Jesus was once for all time. ()
This passage only deals with the first two items of the superiority of the priesthood of Jesus. The author wants his readers to be encouraged by the ministry of the Jesus the Son of God as our great High Priest.
C. “Hold Fast”
C. “Hold Fast”
i. Used 47 times in the New Testament.
i. Used 47 times in the New Testament.
ii. Can refer to the grasping of a person. ()
ii. Can refer to the grasping of a person. ()
Jesus grasped the hand of a sick person. The women tried to grab onto the resurrected body of Jesus. The lame man grabbed onto Peter and John.
iii. Can refer to commitment.
iii. Can refer to commitment.
This is the usage in Hebrews. We are to be firmly committed to Jesus. The word was used of the Pharisees and religious leaders commitment to the traditions of their fathers. We are to be totally committed to our public confession that Jesus Christ is Lord.
2. Approach the throne of grace with boldness ()
2. Approach the throne of grace with boldness ()
16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
Because Jesus is our sympathetic great High Priest who understands the human condition, we can approach the throne of God with boldness. “Jesus’ compassionate disposition invites us to intimacy with God and makes that intimacy possible.” (NIV Application, p. 176)
Because Jesus is our sympathetic great High Priest who understands the human condition, we can approach the throne of God with boldness. “Jesus’ compassionate disposition invites us to intimacy with God and makes that intimacy possible.” (NIV Application, p. 176)
A. The exhortation is present tense.
A. The exhortation is present tense.
The idea is that our approaching the throne of God is ongoing. It is like saying “let us constantly approach the throne of grace with boldness”.
B. Instead of only one person, once a year, now, all of the people of God can constantly and continually enter the very presence of God and can do so with confidence.
B. Instead of only one person, once a year, now, all of the people of God can constantly and continually enter the very presence of God and can do so with confidence.
As I was writing this I wanted to shout “Hallelujah, what a Savior!” Under the old covenant, the high priest and only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place where the presence of God dwelled once a year on the Day of Atonement. I can imagine that he did not enter with boldness, but rather with trepidation. They literally put bells on the bottom of the high priest garment in case he wasn’t pure or did something wrong and God killed him. They also attached a rope to his leg so they could drag his dead body out.
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Even if the atonement was successful, the people were locked out of the very presence of God. Under Jesus’ as our great High Priest, the veil between the people of God and the very presence of God has been torn down. We can enter into the presence of God on a continual basis and can enter with confidence.
C. We approach the throne of grace boldly to receive mercy and find grace.
C. We approach the throne of grace boldly to receive mercy and find grace.
God alone is the source of mercy and grace. Literally, the phrase reads “that mercy and grace result in timely aid”.
What are the implications of living in this reality?
What are the implications of living in this reality?
“The author assures them that if they remain faithful to their confession and approach God through Jesus’ high-priestly work, God will come through with help in a timely fashion.” (NIV Application, p. 176)