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Mar 02, 2025

He Will Hold Me Fast

He Will Hold Me Fast

Passage: Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Speaker: Patrick Lafferty

Series: Worthy: His Worth, and a Life Worthy of Him

Keywords: mercy, sacrifice, salvation, obedience, confession, priest, gentleness, weakness, throne

We long to be understood–deeply and without condemnation despite our weakness and all we regret. We gravitate toward those who exhibit that kind of interested and kindly posture; we nearly end up revering them, almost like they were a kind of priest to us. Though often shrouded in ancient custom and function, a priest is in his most basic purpose one to represent us, and to represent to us the deep truth that has been lost to us (or which we have forsaken). Those to whom this letter was written would know a great deal about a High Priest, but our author wants them, and us, to know how Jesus both shares with, and yet also surpasses, the most highly respected of high priests. That we might revere him for His worthiness, yes. But more importantly, so that we might run to Him for that which we need in order to become like Him.

 

CENTRAL TEXT:  Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Heb. 4:14   Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb. 5:1   For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.
3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.
4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

Heb. 5:5   So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

“You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;

Heb. 5:6   as he says also in another place,

“You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”

Heb. 5:7   In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

 

PREPARATION:   Psalm 77:1-3, 11-13

LEADER:  I cry aloud to God, 
aloud to God, and he will hear me. 
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; 
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; 
my soul refuses to be comforted. 
When I remember God, I moan; 
when I meditate, my spirit faints. 

ALL:  I will remember the deeds of the LORD; 
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy. 
What god is great like our God?

 

PRAYER/SCRIPTURE READING/CONFESSION OF FAITH:  Mark 14:32-38

LEADER:   And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

The Word of the Lord

ALL:  Thanks be to God

 

BENEDICTION:  Hebrews 4:14,15

LEADER:   Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

DISMISSAL: Amen.

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

  1.  Have you ever had an experience when someone was an advocate for you? Whether you were in some kind of trouble, or were up for some consideration? What were the circumstances? What forms did their advocacy take? How did you feel with one serving you in that way?
  2. How is a priest like an advocate? Count the ways?
  3. What were the features of a High Priest, according to this passage?
  4. How did Jesus share in those features? How, according to the passage, did He differ or surpass them?
  5. We meet people who can relate to our condition or our struggle or our frailty and from them we can find true sympathy (we sometimes call it “empathy”). They manifest the same inner challenges and so they “get” us. Why is it compelling to know that Jesus is without sin and yet still has enduring sympathy for our weakness?
  6. In your darker or more fearful moments, what notions of faith in Christ would you want most “at hand?” What are the simplest, most foundational truths you would need to hear, receive, meditate, and draw strength from, with the help of the Holy Spirit?

 

ILLUSTRATIONS:  

Mar 2, 2025

 

 

QUOTES:  

 

  • . . .the sufferer almost always complains that the one who wants to console him does not put himself in his place.
    - Søren Kierkegaard

  • I promise you there is something worse out there than being sad, and that’s being alone and being sad.”
    - Ted Lasso

  • "Few people want to be saints nowadays, but everybody is trying to lose weight."
    -     René Girard

  • ...it doesn’t mean that he learned to stop disobeying. It means that with each new trial he learned in practice—and in pain—what it means to obey. When it says that he was “made perfect through suffering,” it doesn’t mean that he was gradually getting rid of defects. It means that he was gradually fulfilling the perfect righteousness that he had to have in order to save us ... If the Son of God had gone from incarnation to the cross without a life of temptation and pain to test his righteousness and his love, he would not be a suitable Savior for fallen man.
    - John Piper

 

 

  • I knew right there and then that I was never going to let anybody get by me without understanding they might be hurting inside.
    - Ted Lasso

 

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