Lesson 7
The Unexpected High Priest
Hebrews 5:1-10
November 1, 2015
It has always fascinated me to read stories of men who had no plans to be used by God as they were. Some even struggled with the concept of Christianity. They were as surprised as anyone to find himself or herself serving God in various ways. Some were called to become ministers while others worked in secular positions to make the world a better place. I know there are many such persons throughout history but the space I have here will not allow me to speak of more than a few. D.L. Moody who set out to become wealthy as a travelling salesman ended up becoming an evangelist who brought about great harvests both in America and Europe. Charles Finney as a lawyer struggled with becoming a Christian but was instrumental in the revivals that took place in the middle of the nineteenth century. The writer of the hymn, “Amazing Grace” was a slave trader until God got hold of his heart. William Wilberforce, a contemporary of John Newton, fought in parliament for forty plus years, to end the slave trade by the English. An ex baseball player, Billy Sunday, became a well-known evangelists in America during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
None of these men started life with the idea that God would touch their lives as He did but we are the better for the fact that He did. Each of them was prepared in a special way by life’s circumstances to accomplish the task God gave to them. In the class called “The Real Me” that is offered at Bethany Place there is an exercise where each person is asked to look back over his or her life and record those things that they believe they have done well. I usually say, “Don’t worry whether others think you did them well. It is important what you consider as accomplishments.” From this exercise they are able to see a pattern that has taken place. God is able to use those experiences in serving Him.
I mention the opportunity that looking at one’s life to see how God has prepared him or her for ministry. There are many other areas that play a part in whether God can use a person. One, there has to be a passion to do something with the gifts that God has given. There are three responsibilities that a church has to help a person to be prepared. First it must disciple everyone who is willing to grow beyond conversion to become mature Christians. Secondly, it must recognize the potential in them. Lastly, it must provide the mentoring process that will raise up mature and godly leaders who will respond to the call on their lives to sacrificially serve Him, even in the difficult times that face every church. These are the very unexpected leaders who will carry the church forward into the next generation. Some of these positions are not those for which a person volunteers but must sense a call from God to serve. God chooses those He desires to be leaders. We must take great care that we do not cop out of the opportunities given to each person. If God has placed a call on one’s life there is probably no reason not to serve without being disobedient. Almost no leader will choose the difficult road of leadership, but will respond to a need that he cannot avoid.
Hebrews 5:1-2
If one would look back to the beginning of the priesthood in the Jewish faith there is not a more unlikely candidate than the family of Levi. Levi was not to receive an inheritance in the Promised Land because of his brutality. (See Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49:5-7) Aaron, Levi’s grandson, who became the first high priest was a weak leader who could not even control the people while Moses was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments. He even lied about the origin of the golden calf. (See Exodus 32:2-6, 21-24) The writer wrote that it was this kind of man that God sovereignly anointed as priest from among men to offer to Him both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
It is clear that he was able present the offerings because he was just every other man with a sinful nature. The very characteristics given by the writer that the people were ignorant, misguided, weak, fit the high priest as well. Because he understood the nature of all men there was no criticism or lording it over others but dealing with them with gentleness. There was no way that he could judge others for the very acts that he himself committed.
- In your mind what would have disqualified the descendants to Levi from being the priest of the nation of Israel?
- What does this say about how God operates?
- What is the source of leadership in the Church? (Those who God sovereignly calls out from among the people)
- What lesson can be learned from God’s selection? (Since He chose sinful man to be priests, we have to remember that we have no right to look down on others but are to deal gently with them as others do so for us.)
- In what ways would the characteristics given by the writer fit us?
- What do we have that the nation of Israel did not possess? (The teachings of Jesus.)
Hebrews 5:3
Knowing that he was a sinner the high priest offered the sacrifice for sin first for himself and then for the people. (See Leviticus 9:7)
- In what way does this practice match up with the teaching of Jesus found in Matthew 7:5?
- What does the fact that the high priest was to offer the sacrifice for himself first say about him? (He was not above others because he also was guilty of sin.)
Hebrews 5:4
The position of high priest was not one for which a person volunteered. It was given to man by appointment from God.
- What are some of the positions in Christendom for which a person should not volunteer?
- What does it mean to be called by God to serve?
- How are we to respond to the call of God?
- What are some of the ways that you can recognize the call?
- How does God use others to help a person recognize a call?
Hebrews 5:5-6
Not even Jesus, the Son of God took it upon himself to declare that He was high priest among men. God, however, anointed Him to that position. It was out of the norm for Jesus and Melchizedek to have been priest. Neither of them were descendants of Aaron which would have disqualified them from the position. The story of Melchizedek is found in Genesis 14:18-21. The significance of the story, according to the writer of Hebrews, will be discussed a little later in Hebrews. Both were anointed by God to be priest. (See Psalm 2:7; 110:4) Although Jesus did not assume the practice of offering sacrifices during His earthly ministry, especially because of His own sinlessness, He did make the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of others on the cross thus sealing the perpetual eternal priesthood for Himself.
- Why did Jesus not assume the role of priest during his first coming? (It was given to the sons of Aaron at that point.)
- What gave Him the right to be called high priest? (God anointed Him.)
- How did He qualify? (By becoming the ultimate bridge builder to God through His death on the cross.)
- What one fact do we need to know about Melchizedek at this point? (God anointed him as priest forever.)
Hebrews 5:7-8
The idea of His prayers and supplications could have referred to His cries on behalf of the people that are seen throughout the gospels. This verse, however, is probably about His prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane on that last night before His crucifixion. One commentator stated that He may have been praying that His death would not be a premature one at the hands of those who came to capture Him. It was also in all likelihood a cry out of the horror He was about to face in taking all of man’s sin upon Himself. God listened because of the righteousness of His Son but answered that the event of the crucifixion must take place. God could have saved Him but Jesus was obedient to carrying out the last act of what He had come to do.
- What are some of the examples we have in Scripture when Jesus cried out on behalf of others?
- What made the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane different? (The events that were to take place were both universal and personal. He was about to be touched by the sins He was incapable of committing during His lifetime.)
- What events have occurred that have brought about the strongest prayers in your life?
- How have you been comforted by God even though you knew that you must face a situation head on?
- What is the one word you would use to describe such a time? (Courage is knowing what lies ahead and following through with the action necessary anyway.)
Hebrews 5:9-10
His total obedience had made Him perfect in the eyes of His Father. Because of His life and sacrifice He had provided eternal salvation to those who were willing to obey Him. God had decided that Jesus would be the unlikely high priest, not according to family ties, who was different from all the others because He accomplished what they could not with all of their sacrifices. A picture of that priesthood was once again shown by Melchizedek who stepped onto the pages of history to bless Abraham and then disappeared.
- What brought about the perfection of Christ?
- How can we become mature in Christ?
- What did Jesus provide for every man because of His obedience leading to perfection? (Eternal salvation)
- What was lacking in the priesthood of Aaron’s descendants?
- Why did the writer spend so much time speaking of the priesthood of Jesus? (To show to those who were about to desert Christianity the superiority of Jesus over every priest who was limited in what he could accomplish)
- Help others recognize the call on their lives for service.
- Seek to discover the purpose God has for your life.
- Realize that you as a sinner must have compassion on all fallen people.
- Be an encouragement to those in leadership roles knowing that they are your representatives in certain ministries of the church.
- Make sure that prayer and God’s word are the foundation upon which you make decisions
- Remember that God is the One who has placed call on your not to be comfortable but to service even
- Give honor to those who have been called into positions of leadership knowing that they have received a specific call to that area of service.
As I began this lesson I want to emphasize the fact once again that the plans that we make are not always according to the purpose of God in our lives. All through history the directions of a nation or a people have been altered because a person responded to an unexpected call upon his or her life. What a different world might be in place today if those individuals had chosen to ignore God’s hand on them. There is a Proverb that says, “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) Many other Scriptures say that God is ultimately in control of man. Our responsibility to be open and willing to change our desires to match up with what God wants to do. Remember our lives are to be all about Him and not ourselves.