My High Priest
"Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

Jesus died as a lamb, but He arose as our high priest. He not only ministered the appropriate sacrifices to provide us access to the Father by Him, but He is also ministering on our behalf today at the right hand of the Father. This present day ministry includes being our intercessor, our advocate and our shepherd. We must come to know and understand Jesus' ministry for us now at the Father's right hand.

The Message Bible says: "That's why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people's sins, he would have already experienced it all himself."

Jesus watches over His entire redemptive work. He sees that no part fails or falls short in our lives. This redemption includes what He did for us in His substitution, what the Word declares we are now in Christ, and what the Spirit is doing in us now.

The Great Eternal Shepherd
"Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord."

God desires us to be at peace with Him and also with everyone else. We can do that when we realize that Jesus has secured our future, forgiven our past, and guides our present. With all that, why would we bother to fuss about any daily mundane details that really don't add up to a hill of beans?

The Message Bible says: "May God, who puts all things together, makes all things whole, Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus, the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant, Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd, up and alive from the dead...."

Jesus is our shepherd and we will never want for any good thing as long as He's in charge. How long will that be? This verse shows us that He is our great shepherd for eternity. And that's long enough for me.

The Way
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Jesus told us that He is the true and living way. What does that mean? The word "way" here means: the road, or the route. By inference it's a progression or a mode or means to a desired destination. Jesus said following Him is the way to go for our life. He is the journey we are to take.

The Message Bible says: "Jesus said, 'I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.'"

Jesus also said that without Him, no one could go to the Father. If you are taking a road trip, it is always helpful to have a map and follow the best road that leads to your final destination.

Along life's road there are many choices of routes, but only one of them goes to the Father God, and that way is Jesus. All other side roads are closed to through traffic. Jesus is the way.

My Substitute
This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES."

Jesus did this to make what the prophet Isaiah had said come true. Jesus Himself took our sickness and He carried away our diseases (Isaiah 53:4). Jesus took "our" weaknesses, "our" diseases, and "our" pains. That means it is for us today. If it weren't, it would say He took "their" diseases. God's love is the motivating factor.

The Message Bible says: He fulfilled Isaiah's well-known sermon: He took our illnesses He carried our diseases.

This is the work of our Substitute. We should have been there on that cross but Jesus went in our place. Jesus was our Substitute on the cross. He took our pains and our diseases. The wonderful truth is He carried them all so we don't have to carry them at all. Believe it and your pain and sickness will leave you, because Jesus took it for you. Jesus is our great substitute.


Word of Faith Church & Outreach Center