#DailyDevotion You Have A Great High Priest In Jesus

Hebrews 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 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. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, is our great high priest. And he is ‘our’ high priest before the Almighty Father, the Creator of heaven and earth. As our high priest he doesn’t offer up to God sacrifices of bulls, goats, sheep, doves and the like. No, he has offered up himself once and for all as our propitiation and expiation his body and blood for our sins. He sits at the right hand of God interceding for us day and night that we would persevere in the faith unto life everlasting. He prays for us that the Father would look upon us only with grace and mercy because of his great sacrifice. His sacrifice for us is our confession of faith, Christ Jesus the Son of God, died for us and rose from the dead that we might possess eternal life in him.

Because the Son of God took on our mortal flesh and was tempted in every way, yet without sin, he is able to sympathize with our condition. He no doubt felt the tug of temptation like us. Yet for us he did not submit to it. Jesus endured cold and heat, hunger and fullness, and thirst. He experienced the loneliness of being abandoned, even being abandoned by his Father on the cross for he bore our sins in his flesh. He knew what it was to be betrayed by someone he loved and to be denied by another. He knew the loss of friends and family through death and experienced it like we do so that he might sanctify it.

Because we have such a great high priest we also have a great name by which we may enter into the throne room of the Almighty, Jesus. Because we know Jesus and more importantly Jesus know us, we can draw confidently to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in every time of need. This Jesus is the one who promised, “Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it will be opened up to you.” He can promise us that because it is in Jesus and through Jesus’ lips our prayers are presented to the Father above. When we pray with faith in Jesus it is as if Jesus himself is praying our prayers. Indeed our prayers are even assisted by the Holy Spirit who also continuously intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.

So we should not shy away from God’s throne as if we are not worthy. Faith in Christ is our worthiness. We should not stay away from opening our lips because the Father, on account of Christ wishes to hear us. Indeed, before the prayer leaves our lips the answer is on its way. And we should not cease to pray because our Father did not answer our prayer the way we thought he ought to have answered it. Do we not believe our Father in heaven, who sent his only begotten Son into the flesh, to suffer and die for us, will do for us and fulfill our prayers in the manner, shape and form he knows that is best for us, whom he loves? Then with boldness and confidence present your petitions, supplications with thanksgiving to your heavenly Father trusting him to grant you what you need.

Heavenly Father, ever increase in us faith in and through your Son Jesus Christ to come boldly before you will all our cares, knowing you care for us, that all our needs may be met so you may receive glory above and below as our prayers are answered. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.