MY FRIEND, MY FRIEND, THE PRIESTTHE PRIESTHebrews 5:1-10

Derek Redmond and his Father

● ● My life is cluttered with too many wrong turns and stumblings to just walk into God’s office. I need somebody to be my spokesman, and I know who that Somebody is.

● ● Imagine that -- fighting His way through all of the tangles, snares, traps and pitfalls of life, and emerging clean as a whistle.

● ● While my righteousness is like filthy rags, Jesus’ pure life qualifies him to be my intercessor with God. I’d better spend plenty of time confessing my need, professing my faith and just talking things over.

● ● God is perfect and needs for us to come to him God is perfect and needs for us to come to him as righteous people.as righteous people.

● ● Since we are sinners we need a way of being Since we are sinners we need a way of being cleansed of our guilt before coming to God.cleansed of our guilt before coming to God.

● ● Animal sacrifice provided such cleansing. The Animal sacrifice provided such cleansing. The lamb dies in our place.lamb dies in our place.

● ● With so many people (sinners) there was a need With so many people (sinners) there was a need for countless priests to listen to the people and for countless priests to listen to the people and offer sacrifices.offer sacrifices.

FIFTEEN HUNDRED YEARS OF HEBREW HISTORY FIFTEEN HUNDRED YEARS OF HEBREW HISTORY DEVELOPED A CERTAINTY: WE NEED AN INTERMEDIARY DEVELOPED A CERTAINTY: WE NEED AN INTERMEDIARY

WHEN DEALING WITH GODWHEN DEALING WITH GOD

● ● He came from the tribe of Levi.He came from the tribe of Levi.

● ● He was appointed.He was appointed.

● ● The priest first offered sacrifices for his own sin.The priest first offered sacrifices for his own sin.

● ● He needed to deal gently with those who through He needed to deal gently with those who through ignorance went astray. The priest had to serve ignorance went astray. The priest had to serve as something of a psychologist, counselor.as something of a psychologist, counselor.

ONCE A YEAR THE HIGH PRIEST ENTERED THE HOLIEST ONCE A YEAR THE HIGH PRIEST ENTERED THE HOLIEST PLACE IN THE TEMPLE TO CONDUCT RITUALS THAT PLACE IN THE TEMPLE TO CONDUCT RITUALS THAT

BROUGHT CLEANSING TO THE PEOPLE.BROUGHT CLEANSING TO THE PEOPLE.

● ● A new covenant in which people would find true A new covenant in which people would find true forgiveness.forgiveness.

● ● The Law would be planted in their hearts.The Law would be planted in their hearts.

FOR CENTURIES THE HEBREW PROPHETS PREDICTED A FOR CENTURIES THE HEBREW PROPHETS PREDICTED A DAY WHEN THE WHOLE SACRIFICE SYSTEM WOULD BE DAY WHEN THE WHOLE SACRIFICE SYSTEM WOULD BE

DONE AWAY DONE AWAY (Jeremiah 31:31-33)(Jeremiah 31:31-33)

Remembering the One Remembering the One who was a Faithful who was a Faithful Friend, and our Great Friend, and our Great High PriestHigh Priest

I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. I have chosen to follow Jesus as my Lord and trust Him as my Savior.

Returning to God out of our Returning to God out of our abundance. A gift of thanks.abundance. A gift of thanks.

● ● He is a ‘Forever’ PriestHe is a ‘Forever’ Priest

● ● His sinlessness came from being tempted in the His sinlessness came from being tempted in the wilderness for 40 days as well as 33 years of wilderness for 40 days as well as 33 years of obedience to his calling.obedience to his calling.

● ● The night before he died Jesus ‘offered prayers The night before he died Jesus ‘offered prayers and pleadings with loud crys and tears’, and pleadings with loud crys and tears’, pleading ‘let this cup pass from me!’pleading ‘let this cup pass from me!’

WONDER OF WONDERS! JESUS CAME TO BECOME OUR WONDER OF WONDERS! JESUS CAME TO BECOME OUR HIGH PRIEST AND OFFER A FINAL SACRIFICEHIGH PRIEST AND OFFER A FINAL SACRIFICE

● ● Yet, in the end, he was submissive to the Yet, in the end, he was submissive to the Father’s will and gave himself up to be crucified. Father’s will and gave himself up to be crucified. He ‘learned obedience through what he He ‘learned obedience through what he suffered.’suffered.’

● ● In his death the unblemished Jesus became the In his death the unblemished Jesus became the Last Lamb...and High Priest.Last Lamb...and High Priest.

● ● Jesus waits to hear our cries of help, our Jesus waits to hear our cries of help, our sorrows and confessions of sin.sorrows and confessions of sin.

WONDER OF WONDERS! JESUS CAME TO BECOME OUR WONDER OF WONDERS! JESUS CAME TO BECOME OUR HIGH PRIEST AND OFFER A FINAL SACRIFICEHIGH PRIEST AND OFFER A FINAL SACRIFICE

● ● Carefully consider the Jesus StoryCarefully consider the Jesus Story

● ● If we believe it, confess that it is trueIf we believe it, confess that it is true

● ● Turn from our old waysTurn from our old ways

● ● Pledge in baptism to follow Jesus for the rest of Pledge in baptism to follow Jesus for the rest of our livesour lives

● ● Follow!Follow!

WHAT ARE WE TO DO?WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

● ● To be truly understood…He’s never surprised or To be truly understood…He’s never surprised or shocked.shocked.

● ● To discuss our heartaches and failures with the To discuss our heartaches and failures with the one who knows our story and loves us anyway one who knows our story and loves us anyway

● ● To go to bed at night with a clean slateTo go to bed at night with a clean slate

● ● To have forgiveness day to dayTo have forgiveness day to day

● ● To tell this amazing story to a broken worldTo tell this amazing story to a broken world

WHAT A BLESSINGWHAT A BLESSING

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● ● I am glad I am glad I have I have somebody to be my spokesman. I know who that Somebody is. With Jesus I can just walk into God’s office. ● ● I will overcome His way! I know that through all of the tangles, snares, traps and pitfalls of life, I will emerge clean as a whistle.

● ● I will confess my sins to Him. I admit it: Even my righteousness is like filthy rags. But through Jesus’ righteousness I have an intercessor with God. Praise His name.

GO WITH YOUR FRIEND, GO WITH YOUR FRIEND, YOUR LOVING PRIESTYOUR LOVING PRIEST