June 18 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      Our Faithful High Priest   Daily Scripture Hebrews 4:15 “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.” Encouragement  Most of us, when we hear the word “healing,” flash on physical healing. But healing takes many forms – emotional as well as physical. Healing can also include financial, marital – you name it. We need one kind of healing as much as any other. I need some measure of God’s healing every day for some weakness, whether it’s a feeling of sadness, a disagreement with my wife, or, as always, sin. Whenever our son or daughter has a setback – on the job or an unexpected expense – we hurt with our kids. And loving our neighbor as ourselves, as Jesus commanded in Matthew 22:39; and as Paul reminded us in several of his letters, encompasses sympathizing with our neighbor’s weaknesses. Note the Hebrew concept of neighbor goes way beyond the person living next door. It includes not only near neighbors and friends but also our fellow worshipers at church and, yes, non-believers we know or work with. Apply God’s Word The book of Hebrews tells us clearly that Jesus is the final High Priest, following the 1,500 year old line of high priests instituted by the instruction (Torah) Moses brought down from the mountain. But Jesus was a vastly better High Priest than any of his predecessors from Aaron’s line. He Himself made the last sacrifice – on the cross for our sins and those of the whole world. That sacrifice was propitiatory, made to fulfill God’s plan to substitute His Son as a sacrifice on the altar so we believers could have our sins forgiven, forgotten, so that we might have free access to God in prayer and revelation, and so that we can be assured of eternal life with Him. Wow, that’s a long-sentence dose of theology, isn’t it? The Greek word for sympathize – our word comes directly from the Greek – means to share the feelings of someone else who experiences the same kinds of weaknesses that we do. Jesus “felt” the same weaknesses we do – He just didn’t give into them! God’s forgiving our sins through His Son is a manifestation of His unending grace in every avenue of our lives. Come into His Presence Lord God, I’m so glad that the one-for-all sacrifice of your Son has taken the place of the yearly sacrifices of the ancient priests. I’m grateful that Jesus willingly took the place of the regular sacrifices the Hebrews were commanded to make, and so much more that Jesus’ death and resurrection was an infinitely more effective undertaking than the bulls and goats the Hebrews sacrificed. In Jesus’ name, amen. Mark Bacon Teacher & Mentor Email Mark

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