Our High Priest
By Pastor Vogel

The ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ for His people is the great theme of the Book of Hebrews (Hebrews 8:1).  He continues His ministry as our “merciful and faithful High Priest” (Hebrews 2:17).  He is able to help every one of us who is tempted (Hebrews 2:18) and that includes us all.  Thus we are to “consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1), “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).  “For consider Him” (Hebrews 12:3).

One question today is, how can focusing on the resurrected and glorified Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father as my High Priest, help me when I am tempted?  Let me suggest several ways:

1. When my focus is on Him, I remember His example in Matthew 4 of resisting the devil’s temptations with the Word of God.

2. When my focus is on Him, I am helped by the comfort of His presence (Hebrews 13:5).

3. When my focus is on Him, I am reminded that He is praying specifically for me—John 17:15, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”  

4. When my focus is on Him, I come to the throne of grace for help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

5. When my focus is on Him, I realize He has made a way of escape for every temptation and I take it—I Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Let’s practice focusing on the exalted Lord Jesus and finding the help we need to resist temptation.