Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg
Christ Above All: Hebrews part 2 Harrisonburg
June 9th, 2024
Locations & Times
Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg
1871 Boyers Rd, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, USA
Tuesday 3:00 PM
What, in your life is better than Jesus? What in your life is higher than Jesus? Does anything in your mind stand above Jesus?
Those are the unspoken questions asked by the Book of Hebrews.
The book of Hebrews not only shows that Christ fulfills the promises of the Old Testament prophecies but also proves that Christ is better than anything established in the Jewish system. Christ above all!
But the question is, is He above all for you?
Those are the unspoken questions asked by the Book of Hebrews.
The book of Hebrews not only shows that Christ fulfills the promises of the Old Testament prophecies but also proves that Christ is better than anything established in the Jewish system. Christ above all!
But the question is, is He above all for you?
The priest's job was to offer sacrifices to the Lord daily, and once a year, on Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, the High Priest would offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. He would enter the Holy Place. As he made his way to the back of the Holy Place, there was a veil, which served as a divider separating man from the presence of God (the Holy of Holies). This was the dwelling place of God.
By the time the High Priest made it to the Holy of Holies, he would have gone through various cleansing. When entering the Holy of Holies, the High Priest did not wear the colorful golden garments but only the white linen garments. As the High Priest entered this most sacred room, he would first burn incense before the Ark of the covenant , filling the room with smoke. He then exited and re-entered the Holy of Holies with blood from the sacrifice, which he sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant seven times. As Israel was not allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, the High Priest represented all of Israel, making atonement first for his own sins and then for the sins of Israel through the blood of the sacrifice.
He would place the blood of the animal that was sacrificed on the lid of the ark of the covenant, called the mercy seat.
This worked for a while, but God had a better plan! From the beginning of time, God had already made a way for THE HIGH PRIEST to make the ultimate sacrifice.
This worked for a while, but God had a better plan! From the beginning of time, God had already made a way for THE HIGH PRIEST to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Have you ever faced financial hardship? Remember, Jesus was born in a humble stable (Luke 2:7).
Ever felt frustrated? Imagine traveling with His disciples, who often misunderstood and doubted Him (Mark 9:19).
Tempted? Jesus faced Satan’s temptations in the desert, resisting every lure with the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11).
Tired? Jesus journeyed by foot, often weary and seeking rest (John 4:6).
Hungry? He experienced hunger and ate with His disciples, sharing in their daily needs (Mark 11:12).
Overwhelmed with sorrow? Jesus wept at the death of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35).
Angry? He cleared the temple, driving out those who defiled His Father’s house (John 2:15-16).
Betrayed? Judas, one of His closest followers, sold Him out for thirty pieces of silver ($260)
(Matthew 26:14-16).
Overwhelmed with anguish and stress? He said to His disciples before His prayer at Gethsemane, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death" (Matthew 26:38).
Innocent and wrongly accused? Jesus stood before the council, falsely charged by those who sought His death (Mark 14:55-59).
Taken advantage of and humiliated? "They stripped Him and wove thorn branches into a crown, mocking and taunting Him" (Matthew 27:28-29).
Feel disappointed in someone? Consider Peter, who denied knowing Him three times despite his earlier promises of unwavering loyalty (Luke 22:61-62).
Yet through it all, Jesus remained steadfast, showing us that He truly understands our struggles. No matter what we face, we can bring it to Him, knowing He has walked this path and overcome it for our sake.
1. Jesus knows our woes and meets our needs.
2. Jesus, our King and Priest, reigns and intercedes
3. Jesus' submission to God's will set the ultimate example for us
Jesus’ obedience was not passive; it was active and intentional.
Ever felt frustrated? Imagine traveling with His disciples, who often misunderstood and doubted Him (Mark 9:19).
Tempted? Jesus faced Satan’s temptations in the desert, resisting every lure with the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11).
Tired? Jesus journeyed by foot, often weary and seeking rest (John 4:6).
Hungry? He experienced hunger and ate with His disciples, sharing in their daily needs (Mark 11:12).
Overwhelmed with sorrow? Jesus wept at the death of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35).
Angry? He cleared the temple, driving out those who defiled His Father’s house (John 2:15-16).
Betrayed? Judas, one of His closest followers, sold Him out for thirty pieces of silver ($260)
(Matthew 26:14-16).
Overwhelmed with anguish and stress? He said to His disciples before His prayer at Gethsemane, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death" (Matthew 26:38).
Innocent and wrongly accused? Jesus stood before the council, falsely charged by those who sought His death (Mark 14:55-59).
Taken advantage of and humiliated? "They stripped Him and wove thorn branches into a crown, mocking and taunting Him" (Matthew 27:28-29).
Feel disappointed in someone? Consider Peter, who denied knowing Him three times despite his earlier promises of unwavering loyalty (Luke 22:61-62).
Yet through it all, Jesus remained steadfast, showing us that He truly understands our struggles. No matter what we face, we can bring it to Him, knowing He has walked this path and overcome it for our sake.
1. Jesus knows our woes and meets our needs.
2. Jesus, our King and Priest, reigns and intercedes
3. Jesus' submission to God's will set the ultimate example for us
Jesus’ obedience was not passive; it was active and intentional.
Jesus’ life teaches us that obedience to God is not about avoiding suffering, but about trusting God through it.
Let us, therefore, draw strength from Jesus’ example. Let us strive to be obedient to God’s will, trusting that He is working all things for our good. In our moments of doubt and pain, let us remember that we have a High Priest who not only understands our struggles but has also shown us the way through them.
Let us, therefore, draw strength from Jesus’ example. Let us strive to be obedient to God’s will, trusting that He is working all things for our good. In our moments of doubt and pain, let us remember that we have a High Priest who not only understands our struggles but has also shown us the way through them.