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Jesus is Our Priest and King

Discussion Questions

1) Have you put your faith in Jesus as the sacrifice who paid for your sins? Have you repented of your sins?

2) How does it encourage you that Jesus as your great high priest took on human flesh and suffered with you?

3) Do you think that obedience to King Jesus is optional for those who want to go to heaven? Why or why not?


Sermon Outline

Scripture: Hebrews 5:1-10

I. Jesus is a great priest because His offering brings forgiveness of sin.

A. Hebrews 5:1: “For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of
men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.” We read three truths in this verse
about priests. 1) A priest is chosen. A priest did not volunteer or apply for the position. 2) A
priest acts on behalf of men. Priests had to be human beings so that they could represent human
beings before God. 3) A priest offers gifts and sacrifices for sins. Sacrifices were offered by the
priest on behalf of the people so that their sins might be forgiven by our holy God.

B. At his trial the innocent one Jesus is treated as the guilty one in order that the guilty ones may
be treated as the righteous one. When you have faith that Jesus died on the cross for your sin,
you are forgiven. You are allowed access into the presence of God because of your great priest
Jesus. In the words of 1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for
the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made
alive in the spirit.”

II. Jesus is a great priest because He suffers with us.

A. According to Heb. 5:2-3, one of the characteristics of the high priests in the Old Testament
was that they had to experience a fallen world troubled by weakness. Hebrews 5:7 makes it clear
that Jesus lived out his perfect obedience to God as our priest in the anguish of all human
experience. That suffering was a regular part of His life that culminated in His tears before God
on Holy Thursday in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed with all his heart that he would not
have to go to the cross. He was in agony.

B. Jesus prayed that he would not have to experience the cup of the cross. How did God the
Father respond to Jesus’ prayer? Verse 7 says that Jesus was heard because of his reverence.
Jesus’ prayer was heard. But was it answered? Many would say no. It appeared like God did not
save Jesus from death. But did God ultimately answer Jesus’ prayer? Praise God, yes! The
answer was Easter! God raised Jesus from the dead. God did ultimately save Jesus from death as
verse 7 says. He saved Jesus after He suffered.

III. Jesus is a great priest because He is the King who saves us.

A. We see what kind of priest Jesus is in verse 6: “You are a priest forever, after the order of
Melchizedek.” Melchizedek first appears in the Bible’s story in Genesis 14. Psalm 110:1-2 says:
“The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your
footstool.”   The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your
enemies!” King David is predicting in this psalm that God will send another king to save His
people. This king would also be a priest. Psalm 110:4 says, “The LORD has sworn and will not
change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” And who is this
eternal priest-king who was to come? It’s Jesus! He is the priest who was chosen by God for His mission to be sacrificed for our sins on Good Friday. And He is the King who rose from the dead on Easter Sunday and now rules the world at the right hand of God. He is the King who saves us.


Application:
Come to Jesus, your priest and king, with faith and repentance.
Sources:
The letter to the Hebrews
Commentaries on Hebrews by Thomas Schreiner and Raymond Brown
Bible study by Michael Kruger