Bible Text: Hebrews 7:23-28 | Preacher: Lieutenant Rob Westwood-Payne | Series: Undivided Attention | In this sermon on Jesus, the great High Priest, we are reminded that Jesus opens up the possibility of a personal relationship with the God of the universe.

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Our Advisers and Counsellors

Do you have a personal adviser? Many do. People look to financial advisers, lawyers, doctors, insurance agents even politicians to provide them with hope, long life, security against disasters. Our passage in this sermon on Jesus, the great High Priest reminds us that amidst all the advice available to us, our first allegiance and priority is to know and follow the advice given by Jesus, described as a special kind of adviser:

Hebrews 7:23-28, NIVUK

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives for ever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely[a] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26 Such a high priest truly meets our need – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect for ever.

Our Permanent High Priest and Saviour

Hebrews 7:24–25 ESV

but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 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.

In the Old Testament the function of a priest was to be the mediator between God and mankind. As God’s covenant people, Israel was to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” on the earth. The priest represented the ideal state of holiness and the role of mediation of Israel in order to preserve and facilitate Israel’s service before God.

The problem with Israel’s priests, priests and ministers of today, even Salvation Army officers, is they don’t last! When Aaron, the first priest served his term, God took him and his son Eleazar to the top of Mount Hor, where Moses took the priestly garments from Aaron and gave them to Eleazar. Aaron died on the mountain and Eleazar took over as High Priest. After Eleazar died, his son Phinehas succeeded him, and so on. The inevitable concluding comment on the work and ministry of any priest in the Bible is “and he died”. The ancient historian Josephus reckoned on some 83 priests that served God and Israel between Aaron and the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem in AD70, but the Talmud lists even more – 18 during the first Temple and over 300 for the second Temple.

In contrast, and uniquely, Christ’s priesthood is permanent and eternal. Jesus is alive, fully resurrected and ascended into heaven. He lives for ever. He is our permanent high priest. He remains the same. What he does for us as our high priest is absolute and unchangeable:

He’s the same today as yesterday,

My great unchanging friend;

He’s the same today as yesterday,

Just the same unto the end.

By his mighty power he holds me,

In his arms of love enfolds me;

He’s the same today as yesterday,

My great unchanging friend.

Sidney Edward Cox (1887-1975)

What does that mean for us? First and foremost, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him. If you approach God through Jesus, there is no doubt you will be saved. If you draw near to God through Christ, then he guarantees you will have a relationship wit...