Saraceni, Carlo, The Birth of Christ, c.1610
Hebrews 7:24-28
“24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.”
The longer I walk with Christ, the more I see my need for a perfectly holy high priest to intercede for me…constantly. How comforting it is to know that Jesus always lives to make intercession for me…for us.
He lives to bring our requests to the Father. If I thought this through each day would my prayer life change? I wonder…just what his intercession looks like…sounds like…what are the words. Jesus has words for you with the Father. Can you imagine it?
Certainly all sorts of words and conversations have happened about us with others…some good…some maybe we’d just rather not hear. But. BUT. This is one conversation we can be sure is never hurtful and never disappointing. He lives to intervene for us. He is always pointing to Himself and His perfect offering made for us. He is always pleading our case for us based on His blood and merits.
And He has saved us to the UTTERMOST…we who draw near to God through Christ. He saved us completely and forever with that one offering.
Is there an uttermost sin that you won’t even allow yourself to contemplate? If you are trusting in Christ…even that one has been handled.
My husband sometimes calls me his “little extremist”. Even though I’ve learned not to use extreme talk, it still comes out of me at times. Words like “you always” or “I always” or “it will NEVER work” or “I’ll NEVER get this”. I don’t want to use this talk but…unfortunately it is something I’m working on. This passage uses extreme talk…but it is GOOD extreme talk! My husband can’t be disappointed with me if I quote this verse! The writer pours it on here because this is the penultimate high priest. The last in a long series because He was the only one who was perfect and the only one to last forever. Take a look at the underlined words in this passage that show intensity of perfection. The writer surely wants to convey to us our extremely high privilege to have THE perfect high priest.
To do now: Meditate on the above verses and especially the words that show Jesus’s perfection. Praise God for a perfect priest for us. Journal your thoughts or write a prayer about how God is working in your heart this week. Listen to O Holy Night.
