Now I'd like to invite you to turn in your Bible to Hebrews, the fifth chapter. This is the scripture we'll be looking at today, Hebrews chapter 5. And our text is verses 1 through 11, but I want just to read the first four verses now as we look at the scripture. 

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this, he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes his honor to himself, but he was called by God, just as Aaron was. 

I'd like to begin with a supposition. Suppose you were responsible to find a priest, a high priest, who would represent you before God. Your eternal life, your eternal salvation depended upon your ability to find one person from among the world's population, which is about eight billion now, I think, one person who would qualify to be our high priest, who would represent us effectively before God the Father. 

With that proposition, I'd like for you to turn to Romans chapter 3 right now as we consider that possibility of finding a high priest who would represent us before God. He has to be without sin. Look at Romans chapter 3, what it says about every person living on this planet today. 

At verse 10, as it is written, there's none righteous, no, not one. And in verse 9, he said, all people are under sin. There's not one righteous person. There's none who understands, there's none who seeks after God. They've all turned aside, they've together become unprofitable. There's none who does good, no, not one. We couldn't find one. 

Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues, they have practiced deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. This is a description of all the people on this planet. Their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they've not known. There's no fear of God before their eyes. 

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God, all the world. There's not one who could be our high priest. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is a knowledge of sin. 

And then look at verse 23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. I want you to think about this personally for yourself. Suppose your eternal life in heaven depended upon your ability to find one person living on this planet who's good enough, worthy enough, righteous enough, and without sin, would represent you to God. Who would meet these qualifications? There's not one who could. 

We might say, what about that beautiful lady who was chosen by God to be the mother of his son? What about Mary? I'd like for you to listen to her statement. And Mary said, my soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior. Mary said, I need a Savior also. I'm guilty. I'm a sinner. I need a Savior. And even Mary believed she needed a merciful, faithful high priest. 

Now the appeal of this part of the word today is that we'll know who is our high priest, and we'll believe him, believe him as our high priest. I'd like for you to look at Hebrews chapter 4 right now, and I want us to look at some verses that talk about knowing and believing him. Hebrews chapter 4, and I'd like for you to look at verse 14. 

Seeing then that we have a great high priest who's passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. 

Turn also to the seventh chapter, if you will, of Hebrews, and look at verse 25. Therefore he, that's Jesus, is also able to save them to the uttermost, those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for us. For such a high priest was fitting for us, who's harmless, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens. 

The book of Hebrews is all about knowing our high priest. I'd like for you to look at chapter 10 of Hebrews, at another statement relative to what it means that he's our high priest. Hebrews chapter 10, and look at verse 19. 

Therefore, brethren, because we have a high priest, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he consecrated for us through the veil, that is his flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near. 

Now, notice how we're invited to come to the Lord. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. We can come into the presence of God boldly, with assurance, full assurance, that our hearts have been sprinkled by the blood of Jesus Christ, our priest. 

The truth I'm talking about today, folks, if we come to know and believe this truth, it will result in a sense of boldness concerning our relationship with God, and full assurance, complete assurance, that we're saved forever, and continual humble thankfulness to him. 

Now, in chapter 5, when the writer speaks about Jesus as our high priest, he gives us two qualifying statements. I ask us to consider this as we began this morning. Suppose we're to search the whole world to find one person who could be our high priest. There's not one who could, but there is a man in heaven on our behalf who's qualified. 

And he tells us two qualifying statements concerning Jesus, our high priest. First of all, in verses 1 to 4, Jesus can be our high priest because he was appointed by God for men. Look at those verses again and watch for this. For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 

Concerning the priests who are appointed in the Old Testament, he can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subjected to weakness. Because of this, he's required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honor to himself, but he was called by God. 

Why is Jesus the one person who can be our priest, our representative, our advocate, who pleads with God on our behalf? Because he was appointed. He was the man appointed by God for men. And this text is very specific concerning God the Father's appointment of Jesus to be his high priest. 

Why did he do that? For men. God the Father appointed his son, the eternal creator, who created this whole universe with his word in six 24-hour days. He appointed his son for men. And each one of us can write our name in there. I can write my name. He appointed him to be the high priest for Pastor Richard Kranz. And this includes every person who's ever lived on this planet. 

Again, I'd like to invite you to turn to Romans chapter 5, and notice this paragraph concerning the men for whom Jesus became the high priest. Romans chapter 5, and look, if you will, at verse 12. 

Therefore, just as through one man, that's through Adam, sin entered the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who was a type of him who was to come. 

But the free gift is not like the offense. For by the one man's offense, many died, much more the grace of God. And the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 

For if by one man's offense, that's by the sin of Adam in the garden of Eden, if by one man's offense, death reigned through the one, much more those who received the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. 

Therefore, as through one man's offense, judgment came to all men, through Adam's sin, judgment came to me and to you also, resulting in condemnation. Even through a one man's righteous act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. So also by one man's obedience, many will be made righteous. 

Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

That scripture is saying that the sacrifice of Jesus and the ministry of Jesus as a savior and a merciful high priest is for every person who's descended from Adam. I'd like to ask, I won't ask you to show your hands, but is there anyone here who is not a descendant of Adam? Jesus Christ became a priest for all the descendants of Adam. 

Now, why did God appoint him, his son, to be our high priest? And the verses we've just read in one through four tell us two reasons. First of all, he appointed his son, Jesus, to be our priest, our mediator, our advocate, to offer gifts and sacrifices. That's in verse one. 

Notice this statement very carefully, how it relates to you. Jesus became a priest to offer gifts to the sons of Adam. Romans chapter six says the gift of God is eternal life. Ephesians chapter two, eight, and nine says it's by the gift of God that we're saved. First Corinthians 9.15 says, give thanks for God's unspeakable gift. 

When he talked to that woman of Samaria at Jacob's well, he said to her, if you knew the gift of God, you would ask me and I would give you living water, I would give you eternal salvation. Let me have all of us ponder that right now in terms of this statement. He came to be our priest to offer us the gift. Do you know and do you believe in the gift of God? 

Jesus came to offer us the gift of forgiveness, the gift of eternal life, the gift of eternal salvation from the punishment in the lake of fire. He came to offer gifts, and verse one says he came to make sacrifices. 

Jesus came to the world to be our high priest to offer sacrifices for every one of us in this room today. Listen to this statement. Therefore, in all things, he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation. 

Think of that word, that's not a common word, a perfect, complete, adequate sacrifice. When he stands before the Father as our mediator, he appeals to the Father on the basis of the sacrifice that he made for us on the cross. And the word sacrifices in the plural because in the Old Testament, the priests offered many sacrifices, many lambs, bulls, and pigeons as sacrifices for sin, and they were all a reminder of the one sacrifice that God's Son would make at the cross. 

Let me read to you about that. First Peter 3.18. For Christ also suffered once for all, for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit. 

Listen to this commentary about the sacrifice he made. 2 Corinthians 5.18, now all things are of God, who has reconciled, he has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and given to us the ministry of reconciliation. Here's what that means. That is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us, we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. He made a sacrifice. 

In the Old Testament, the Jewish priests offered hundreds, literally thousands of sacrifices, lambs and bulls every year, but Jesus, when he came, made one final sacrifice that's adequate for us as he stands before the Father to appeal on our behalf. So, the bottom line is this, does his saving sacrifice for your sin and guilt give you assurance of eternal salvation? 

Only Jesus was qualified to make that once and for all sacrifice, and he did that on the cross of Calvary outside of the city of Jerusalem. As John the Baptist says, this man, Jesus, was the lamb of God who took away our sin. He washed us from our sins in his own blood. That's why he was appointed by God, to give gifts, the gift of eternal life, and to make sacrifices for us. 

And then, it says also, concerning the fact that he was appointed by God, this man, Jesus, can have compassion on us, though we have sinned. That one statement explains the heart of the Lord toward all sinners. What is the heart of the great high priest toward me, or toward you, when we sin? Compassion. Not wrath. Not contempt. Not indifference. 

But as Matthew tells us in Matthew chapter 9, when he looked upon the people, he looked upon them as sheep not having a shepherd, and he longed to save them. The revelation of this chapter is so tremendous concerning our great high priest. He has compassion for us. 

Let me use this personal example. I don't mean to be trivial when I make this example, but I have two chocolate labs, and one day I was throwing my tennis ball for one of them, and she always loved to go and get it, whether it was in the lake or in a snowbank. And she ran over the hill, ran down to the parking lot, and yelped in pain. 

And by twisting, she'd pulled a ligament in her back right leg, and she could hardly walk. I had compassion on that dog. I wasn't angry with her. I didn't scold her with words. I didn't kick her, but I had compassion toward her. And that's an illustration of what this is saying about Jesus. 

How does he deal with us when we're guilty? He deals with us gently. He knows that we're weak, helpless sinners. And that was a necessary qualification in the Old Testament for the priests. They weren't all that way. There were many priests in the Old Testament, and they didn't all have compassion. 

But Jesus is a man of sympathy. He sympathizes with us. In Psalm 23, it says he restores our soul. His desires restore us when we stumble and fall. Jesus had compassion. 

I'd like for you to turn to Matthew right now, to chapter 18, please. I want you to see an example of his compassion for lost people. Matthew 18. I want for us to read beginning at verse 11. 

Notice his statement. Matthew 18. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the 99 and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, surely, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the 99 that did not go astray. 

Now listen to this statement from the Lord, our high priest. He said, even so, it's not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. I think it's so important to notice what this chapter 5 is saying to us about Jesus. He came to give us gifts, the gift of eternal life. And he came to make a sacrifice for us at the cross. 

And his attitude toward us at all times is an attitude of sympathy, mercy, and compassion. Not a grudge, not anger, not wrath. But he's a priest who has great mercy for us. So the first reason that Hebrews 5 tells us that Jesus was the only one who could be our great high priest is because he's the only human being without sin who's lived upon this planet and who can save doomed sinners. 

Now the second thing he tells us about this is in verses 8 or 5 through 11 of chapter 5 of Hebrews. He's the author of eternal salvation. Jesus is the author of eternal salvation. Follow as I begin at verse 5 of chapter 5 of Hebrews. 

So also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but it was said, he who said to him, you are my son, today I have begotten you. As he also says in another place, you're a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. 

When the days of his flesh, when he'd offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death and was heard because of his godly fear, though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And having been perfected, he became, look at this statement, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. 

Called by God as high priest according to the order of Melchizedek, of whom we have much to say and hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. 

If you consider everything important to you this morning, is there anything more important in your thinking, in your mind and heart, than eternal salvation? Think of all the things we possess, our homes, our family, if we have any funds, many things that we consider important, but is anything comparable to these two words, eternal salvation? 

Because we're all going to be somewhere. A hundred years from today, a thousand years from today, we'll be conscious somewhere. We'll either be with Jesus in the Father's house or we'll be suffering in the place that he called the lake of fire. 

Ponder this great gift, eternal salvation. Now, when we read verses 5 to 11, we read three phrases that I want you to notice. First of all, in verse 5 and 6, it says, Jesus did not glorify himself. Priesthood was always by the appointment of God. And God's son, Jesus, is clearly saying in this chapter, he was appointed to be your high priest and my high priest. 

And that's an encouraging insight. And it says he's a priest forever. There's never a moment in our life when he's not serving us as our representative before the Father as our priest. For example, in the Old Testament, Aaron, the brother of Moses, was considered a priest. But he didn't live forever. How much disappointed the people when they heard that Aaron died. He didn't live forever. 

I was thinking of this example. When I was in high school, our church in northern Minnesota hired a man named Erwin Olson. And he was so special. At that time, my heart wasn't turned to Jesus Christ. But I came to church and I listened to Pastor Olson. He took a lot of interest in me. And he influenced me to turn my heart back to Christ. 

And I can still remember the day when he finished his ministry in our home church. And he said farewell to our church. I was grieved to think this man who's had such an influence in my life and taken an interest in me concerning Jesus Christ is leaving our church. I was so grieved. 

But this scripture says Jesus will never die. He's glorified to be our priest forever. There's never a moment, folks, in our life when he's not serving as our great high priest. 

A second phrase I want you to notice is in verse 7 and 8. He learned obedience. And that's talking about the time when Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane. Would you turn in your Bible to Luke chapter 22? I want us to read this event that it's referring to. 

When Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray on the night before his death. Verse 39 of Luke 22. Coming out, he went to the Mount of Olives as he was accustomed, and his disciples also followed him. When he came to the place, he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. 

So this is the time where it says he learned obedience. He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and he knelt down and prayed. Can you see this place outside of the city of Jerusalem? A beautiful garden. And it's evening, and Jesus is taking three of his men to that place with him to pray to the Father on the night before Jesus was killed. 

And then he prayed this way. Verse 42. Father, if it's your will, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. Then the angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him. And look at this next verse very carefully. Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. 

This is talking about the place where Jesus learned obedience in the Garden of Gethsemane. As he struggled concerning the experience that would be his on the next day. When the Jewish people would cry, away with him, crucify him. When he would be stripped of his clothing and whipped 39 stripes with a Roman scourge. 

When he would put a crown of thorns on his head. And blood would run down through his beard and his face. When Jesus experienced that, he said, Father, if there's any other way that I can be the high priest for these people at Living Hope Church, if there's any other way. But the father said, no, you cannot. 

And so Jesus said, OK, your will, Father. I want your will, not my will to be done. He learned obedience. Knowing our disobedience, he chose to be obedient and to become the sacrifice, the offering for us on the cross of Calvary. 

And so he became the author of eternal salvation. My choice to believe the Holy Spirit of God means that he serves me now. As my great high priest, he's the author of my salvation. 

So the two reasons that Jesus was qualified and is qualified to serve us as a great high priest at the right hand of the Father is because he was appointed by God the Father for men. And he became the author of eternal salvation for every person who has become a believer, who receives him, who welcomes him into our life. 

I want to say this. When I go for my walk in the morning, my prayer walk, it's a time of special prayer. And the first thing I do in my prayer in the morning, usually it's dark, is I thank God the Father, that he's my Abba Father. I thank him for his grace and his mercy and for his forgiveness and cleansing from my sin. 

And secondly, I thank him for Jesus, my Savior, my merciful, faithful high priest, appealing to the Father on my behalf at all times. And the third thing, I thank him for the Holy Spirit, who's come to live in my life, who teaches me that I'm saved with the promises of the word. 

The book of Hebrews is a call for a life of full assurance and thankfulness to our Savior God for our high priest. And as we looked at last Sunday morning at the beginning of the service, therefore, let our life be an altar where we continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, giving thanks to the name of Jesus Christ. 

Let's bow to have a prayer. 

Father what can we say today to the truth you've given us, but just say thanks Father. We know Father we didn't we don't deserve this kind of a high priest who is representing us at your throne at all times, but thank you for Jesus our Savior. Thank you that he earned for us the gift of eternal salvation Father. We love you in Jesus name we pray amen. 

I want to say if you don't believe Jesus is your Savior this morning with such a small group of people here you could make that choice. It's simply a matter of choice of coming to him. Just in your mind and heart coming to him. He said if you come to me I promise I'll never cast you out. That's such good news. I'm so thankful.