Why Jesus as High Priest Matters Today | Faith in the City

Sermon Summary

Many wrestle with the cross. If God is love, why was the death of Jesus necessary, and what does it say about the Father? Hebrews answers with a living picture, Jesus is our great High Priest who does not merely offer a sacrifice, He becomes it. The cross is not divine punishment poured out on a victim, it is divine love poured through the Son into a suffering world. In Christ we see God’s nearness, not His distance, and an open invitation to draw near to the throne of grace with boldness.

Hebrews shows us a Priest King. He stands with us in suffering, sympathizing with our weakness, He stands for us in faithfulness, ever living to intercede, and He stands in us through the Spirit, applying His once-for-all offering to our lives. When faith frays or questions rise, the answer is not deconstruction that ends in despair, it is a deeper participation in Jesus, our perfect Priest King, who welcomes us, restores us, and makes us reconcilers in His world.

Key Takeaways

• Jesus is our great High Priest, the Mediator who bridges our frailty and God’s mercy.

• The cross reveals divine participation, God’s love poured through Christ into human suffering.

• We approach a throne of grace with boldness, receiving mercy and help in time of need.

• Salvation is ongoing participation in Christ’s priestly intercession, not a one-time transaction.

• Christ stands with us in suffering, for us in faithfulness, and in us through the Spirit.

Big Question

If God is love, what does the cross reveal about His heart toward my suffering and my doubts?

Featured Scripture

• Hebrews 4:15–16

• Hebrews 5:8

• Hebrews 7:25–27

• John 3:16–17