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Summit Church
Jesus Our Fortress Pt 2 | Our Great High Priest | Jim Ladd
Locations & Times
Summit Church
7200 S Clinton St, Centennial, CO 80112, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
Our Great High Priest | 6 Habits
https://page.church.tech/6b394b95Hebrews 4:14–5:10
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
“Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
“Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
The Big Idea: Jesus carries the load you could never carry.
The Role of the High Priest in Israel:
* Representative of the people before God
* Mediator between holiness and sin
* Holy of Holies once a year
* Representative of the people before God
* Mediator between holiness and sin
* Holy of Holies once a year
The first High Priest was Aaron.
Core Responsibilities:
1. Offer sacrifices for sins
2. Bear the names of the tribes
3. Enter God's presence
Core Responsibilities:
1. Offer sacrifices for sins
2. Bear the names of the tribes
3. Enter God's presence
What Hebrews Emphasizes:
Earthly high priests:
* Weak
* Temporary
* Sinful
* Repeated sacrifices
* Appointed from among men
Jesus:
* Sinless
* Eternal
* Ascended into heaven
* Offered Himself once
* Appointed directly by God
* Lives forever to intercede
He is not merely a priest. He is a “great” High Priest.
Earthly high priests:
* Weak
* Temporary
* Sinful
* Repeated sacrifices
* Appointed from among men
Jesus:
* Sinless
* Eternal
* Ascended into heaven
* Offered Himself once
* Appointed directly by God
* Lives forever to intercede
He is not merely a priest. He is a “great” High Priest.
Who Was Melchizedek and why does he matter?
He appears briefly in Genesis 14.
He is:
* King of Salem (likely early Jerusalem)
* Priest of God Most High
* The one who blesses Abraham
* The one to whom Abraham gives a tenth
He appears again prophetically in Psalms 110:4: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” That Psalm is later applied to Jesus repeatedly in Hebrews.
Why Not “Order of Aaron”?
He appears briefly in Genesis 14.
He is:
* King of Salem (likely early Jerusalem)
* Priest of God Most High
* The one who blesses Abraham
* The one to whom Abraham gives a tenth
He appears again prophetically in Psalms 110:4: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” That Psalm is later applied to Jesus repeatedly in Hebrews.
Why Not “Order of Aaron”?
Jesus is not a Levitical priest.
He belongs to a greater, older, superior priesthood.
He belongs to a greater, older, superior priesthood.
Why Jesus is the Perfect High Priest
1. He Empathizes with our Weakness
How This Helps Us:
1. We can stop hiding our weakness from God.
2. We can redefine temptation.
3. When suffering hits, we can overcome our impulse to withdraw.
1. He Empathizes with our Weakness
How This Helps Us:
1. We can stop hiding our weakness from God.
2. We can redefine temptation.
3. When suffering hits, we can overcome our impulse to withdraw.
2. He Walked our Path
“Learned obedience”
“Once made perfect”
Why This Helps Us:
1. We can embrace Suffering as formation, not abandonment
2. We can allow Obedience under pressure to shape and strengthen us.
3. We can find our Salvation in His obedience, not ours.
“Learned obedience”
“Once made perfect”
Why This Helps Us:
1. We can embrace Suffering as formation, not abandonment
2. We can allow Obedience under pressure to shape and strengthen us.
3. We can find our Salvation in His obedience, not ours.
3. Gives us boldness to receive Grace to help us
The Throne of Grace, not fear, restriction, or more sacrifice
“Hold Firm”
Why This Helps Us:
1. We can replace spiritual drifting with deliberate approach.
2. We can run toward God in weakness and failure.
3. We can define “time of need” generously.
The Throne of Grace, not fear, restriction, or more sacrifice
“Hold Firm”
Why This Helps Us:
1. We can replace spiritual drifting with deliberate approach.
2. We can run toward God in weakness and failure.
3. We can define “time of need” generously.
Our Final Anchor to Faith
Response:
* Boldly find Grace through Jesus, our High Priest
* Offer His grace in your Oikos
* Boldly find Grace through Jesus, our High Priest
* Offer His grace in your Oikos
Discussion Guide
Hebrews 4:14–5:10 — Our Great High Priest
Icebreaker Questions
1. When you were growing up, who was someone you could go to when you were in trouble or needed help?
2. If someone asked you in one sentence what Jesus actually does for us today, how would you answer?
Discussion Questions
1. Hebrews says we have a “great High Priest who has ascended into heaven.” What do you think makes Jesus a greater High Priest than those in the Old Testament?
2. The high priest in Israel represented the people before God. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus represents you before God today?
3. The earthly priests were temporary, weak, and sinful, but Jesus is eternal and sinless. Why do you think Hebrews emphasizes this contrast?
4. How does knowing Jesus lives forever to intercede for us change how you think about your relationship with God?
5. Hebrews says Jesus empathizes with our weakness and was tempted in every way, yet without sin. Why is it important that Jesus experienced real human struggles?
6. The teaching said temptation itself is not failure — sin is. How does that distinction change the way we deal with temptation?
7. Why do people often hide their weakness from God instead of bringing it honestly to Him?
8. What would it look like practically to bring your struggles to God instead of withdrawing from Him?
9. Hebrews says Jesus “learned obedience from what he suffered.” What do you think that means?
10. How can suffering actually shape obedience and character in a person?
11. Looking back on your life, can you see a hardship that strengthened your faith or character?
12. Hebrews invites believers to “approach the throne of grace with confidence.” Why do many Christians still approach God with fear, distance, or hesitation?
13. Jim described a cycle: Believe → Obey → Experience grace → Believe more deeply. Where in that cycle do you feel strongest right now? Where do you struggle?
14. What is one practical way this week you can intentionally run toward God — through prayer, confession, or trust — instead of drifting spiritually?
15. Where do you most need God’s mercy or grace this week?
Icebreaker Questions
1. When you were growing up, who was someone you could go to when you were in trouble or needed help?
2. If someone asked you in one sentence what Jesus actually does for us today, how would you answer?
Discussion Questions
1. Hebrews says we have a “great High Priest who has ascended into heaven.” What do you think makes Jesus a greater High Priest than those in the Old Testament?
2. The high priest in Israel represented the people before God. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus represents you before God today?
3. The earthly priests were temporary, weak, and sinful, but Jesus is eternal and sinless. Why do you think Hebrews emphasizes this contrast?
4. How does knowing Jesus lives forever to intercede for us change how you think about your relationship with God?
5. Hebrews says Jesus empathizes with our weakness and was tempted in every way, yet without sin. Why is it important that Jesus experienced real human struggles?
6. The teaching said temptation itself is not failure — sin is. How does that distinction change the way we deal with temptation?
7. Why do people often hide their weakness from God instead of bringing it honestly to Him?
8. What would it look like practically to bring your struggles to God instead of withdrawing from Him?
9. Hebrews says Jesus “learned obedience from what he suffered.” What do you think that means?
10. How can suffering actually shape obedience and character in a person?
11. Looking back on your life, can you see a hardship that strengthened your faith or character?
12. Hebrews invites believers to “approach the throne of grace with confidence.” Why do many Christians still approach God with fear, distance, or hesitation?
13. Jim described a cycle: Believe → Obey → Experience grace → Believe more deeply. Where in that cycle do you feel strongest right now? Where do you struggle?
14. What is one practical way this week you can intentionally run toward God — through prayer, confession, or trust — instead of drifting spiritually?
15. Where do you most need God’s mercy or grace this week?