James Richards

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Sunday Morning Service

Jeremy Richards

Copalis Community Church

21 June 2026

Bible References

• Hebrews 2:17-18

Audio MP3 PDF

Aspects of Jesus Christ. He is God in the flesh. And we looked at those, but we've been looking at some of the physical aspects. He had to be made like his brethren. We see that he became the captain of their salvation to make men and women part of his family.

Last week we looked at that. He is our hero. He is the individual, the strong man which defeats the strong man who once kept us in bondage. I struggled with this, I guess, a fair bit last week and wanted to just read through it again. But Starting in verse 14, Jesus is our hero.

In verse 14 it says, Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself wise likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subjects to bondage. That Satan holds people in bondage. He is a roaring lion seeking who he may devour. That all the world is under the sway of the devil, that the earth itself he has been given because of mankind's sin, authority to act in the world. He harries people and his goal is to destroy them.

He hounds them from one side and then from the other. He is the. His goal is to destroy people. He keeps people in bondage because of a inclinability. Is that how you say it?

A desire that mankind or a fear that mankind has of death? We are put in a position because of our parent Adam and Eve's sin to be under the sway of the devil. I like how second Timothy. Let me see if I can find it here puts says in verse 25 of chapter two of second Timothy in humility, correcting those who are in opposition. If God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth and that they may come to their senses, escaped the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Satan holds people in captivity, in bondage to steal the things that they have. Jesus came as our hero to break the chains that he once held over humankind. It's a beautiful thing. Jesus came to rescue people from the bondage that Satan had over them.

I hope that you will run to that hero, recognize the one who wants to save you. The next thing we're to look at, starting on from there is verse 16 and 17, 16, 18, that Jesus Christ the man is our high priest. Our high priest. So let's look at that. In verse 16 through 18 it says, for indeed he does not give aid to angels, but he does give Aid to the seed of Abraham.

Therefore, in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest. Things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to aid those who are being tempted. Now, I think there's a possibility that at least someone might be struggling with the idea, okay, why are we learning so much about Jesus? Why don't we just deal with the stuff I am going through, right?

Why aren't we just learning about how to do something rather than learning about who Jesus is? The answer to that is chapter three, verse one gives that. And I'm kind of going to sneak ahead, I guess, to answer that question. It says in chapter three, verse one, therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling. Consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus Christ.

The author of Hebrews is saying that the consideration, the study of the perusal, the desire to know more about Jesus and the offices he holds has an important position in the lives of people. The knowledge of who Jesus is, from my perspective, and I believe the biblical one has more of an impact on the life you lead than your desire to change the circumstances around you.

Planting good seed deep in the lives of a heart eventually has an impact on the experiences of your life. We were talking this morning about morning glory, right? And morning Glory, you know, you go to weed that stuff and you can just grab hold and yank mountains full of that stuff, you know? And you're like, yes, I got morning glory, it's gone, right? But everyone knows that you left the roots way a lot there and it's going to come back without even thinking that you were there, right?

In a similar way, we want to plant this good seed in your heart. And so I believe Hebrews up this point is giving us a picture of the Son of God, an individual that we need to learn to fall in love with. And falling in love with this person, getting to know him is going to have a huge impact on your life. I believe it's true for me and I pray that it will be true for you. So let's look at verse 16 through 18.

Now, Jesus is the high priest. In verse 16 it says, for indeed he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham. You and I are put in a unique position as human beings. There are struggles associated with the life you live. Anyone has struggles, struggles, struggles.

It seems like there's a lot of struggles in our Life. But even though there is a struggles that you participate in on this world, it feels difficult. Some people have come to the conclusion that the struggles of this life are so intense that it's better not to be living at all.

They have come to a wrong conclusion. That even though the pain of this life can be intense, there is one bright spot on the horizon. There is something that you and I need to know. When we gauge the pain and difficulty we come to Mankind has been put into a position by which they may have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I don't know if you've ever wanted to know someone before. You know, I would just love to have a relationship with that person for me, you know, I hate to sound one sided, but that was Stacy for me. And there was no expense, no lack of sleep, every investment of energy was worth getting to know her. She was the first person that told me. She said, she said, just straight out she said, jeremy, I love you.

About knocked me out. It's like no one really loves me. Maybe my parents, they have to. But she chose, she's like, I know you and I still love you. It was a beautiful thing.

I was one, right. There is a relationship with Jesus Christ that is offered to humankind. He does not have this same relationship with angels. They cannot participate in the benefit that which is an opportunity for you and I to enjoy. Jesus Christ says, behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone opens the door to me, I will come in and dine with him. I will participate, share comfort, be a part of their life. There's a lot of blessings on earth, but there's none so dear as relationships. Relationships. And there's no relationship so valuable as that one.

You and I are given the opportunity to participate in with the creator of the universe and the lover of our souls. This is a blessing that overshadows all the difficulties that you may encounter on this earth. He gives aid to the children of Abraham. This is not just a desire of his, it's a promise of his. He gives aid.

He responds to the cry of souls in distress. It is a promise saying that if you are in need of something, that he is a faithful, a witness to that cry. And he hears it and will respond. You may feel abandoned, neglected, hurt, challenged in many ways, but please remember, Jesus has promised to give aid to the children of Abraham. They are put in a unique perspective, a unique position.

Excuse me. He will give aid. One of the ways in which we're going to look at him giving aid is as the high priest of mankind in order to fulfill that position as high priest, we're going to see some things in verse 17. Therefore, in order for him to give this aid in all things, he had to be made like his brethren. In all things, he had to be made made like his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High priest.

In things pertaining to be God. In order for him to fulfill that position as high priest, some things were necessary. He had to be made like his brethren. A little bit later, in Hebrews, it says in chapter five, which there's going to be now, all of what we're talking on is just an introduction, right? So everything that we've been going through up until this point really is going to be expanded in chapter length later on.

So I hope you're excited, right? But it says in chapter five, in dealing, in the section that deals with him as High priest, it says in chapter five, verse seven, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death and was heard because of his Godly fear. Verse 6, verse 8. Excuse me. Though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered.

And having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him, called by God as High priest according to the order of Melchizedek. And then skip back to chapter four, verse 15. It says, for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin, the result of being tempted. It says, therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Jesus became a high priest for us in order that he might help us.

He must be tempted in every way as we are in order to sympathize with our weakness. Because he was tempted and endured the same things that you yourself are tempted with, he is able to help you. There is no circumstances which you encounter that have not already been encountered by the Son of God.

Mushroom picking out in the woods, right in the winter, right where the sun doesn't seem to be coming from any direction, and you're like man, which way is out? It's nice to find someone who knows the path out. They've already been there before. They recognize the landmarks and therefore can successfully take you out of that position. In a similar way, Jesus has encountered all the struggles that you yourself encounter, all the pain, all the Emotional pressures that you yourself encounter.

All the physical difficulties and struggles.

He's already been there, but he already found the way out of those things. He already knows that this is the way to move forward out of them. He had to be made like us, encounter what we encounter so he could be the person to instruct us as high priest. We have a high priest who wants to help you through the circumstances you encounter. He's already been there.

He was tempted in every way we are and successfully found his way out of it. You got a difficult life. I'm just. It's hard. But what he encountered is the culmination of the world's experience.

No one has ever been in such a pressure cooker as the man Jesus Christ.

You think you got it hard? Try changing positions with him on every side. Emotional pressure, attacked within and without. And yet he successfully navigated the journey. And therefore he is able to help you in your journey.

He has become a high priest because for you and I, starting with that, he was made like his brethren. Your circumstances are not unique. One tracking with me, you think, yeah, this is so bad, so bad. There's no help. That's not true.

They aren't so bad. They're difficult. But Jesus comes having already been through something similar and is able to help you out. It only looks confusing because you can't see the answer.

But once someone shows us, they're like, oh yeah, anyone can do that. It's so easy with the right teacher. He was made like his brethren so he could be something for you and I. He wants to fulfill a position in your life. And that position is.

Is high priest. This is some of the things that were necessary in verse 17 in order for him to be a high priest. This is the kind of high priest he is that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. He wants to fulfill a position between you and the Father. The Father is, is an individual of absolute righteousness and justice.

He has never made an excuse for sin or overlooked sin that his law is absolutely rigid. You need a high priest. You need someone to bear. Bring your case before God. In our case, when life is at stake, people normally don't say, I don't need a lawyer before I stand before the judge.

They recognized, look, because of the reputation of this judge, I need a lawyer. In this case. Jesus has indicated his willingness to be a high priest and to stand in the relationship between you and God. But he stands there in a certain manner. It says, a merciful and faithful high priest.

Jesus is a merciful high priest. He is described as I think is in Isaiah, as a man of mercy. That there, if you look carefully as you read through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the gospels, you will find that he responds every time to the call of people in distress.

There is not one mention of him not responding. That's amazing. Of course we have a family full of kids and they're always asking stuff, they always need stuff. And it seems like to them it's the most important thing in the world. And sometimes I come home from work or, or doing this or that, and I'm just like, this is.

This is kind of like me time. You, you know, take your problem somewhere else.

But Jesus never once says, I'm too busy. You're not worth it. To children, to women, to. To broken individuals. In every manner of life, we see needy people approaching the throne of grace through Jesus Christ and always receiving every time what their soul desires without an exception.

Is there anyone else who you would be inclined to listen to who had such a heart for people? Jesus is merciful and kind to all who come to Him. The next thing he is is he is a faithful high priest. He always acts in accordance with the role of his priesthood. He never excuses sin.

He never, he never looks past. He always deals with things in a legal and just way so that an individual shouldn't feel like they've escaped because of some false pretense. But rather he puts in place practices and ideas in a legal way so a soul can feel completely justified in says the conscience is completely satisfied. I don't know if anyone's ever struggled with a guilty conscience before. Right, Guilty conscience.

Oh man, I shouldn't have done that. It is amazing to know that when the work of the priesthood of Jesus Christ is applied to the conscience, you and I may have tried tricks to alleviate the pressure which our conscience puts on us. Anyone ever tried to get anything, do anything to get the conscience to be in line? Quit molesting me. Stop it.

Leave me alone. You're hounding me. I want to go to sleep now. I don't want to lay in bed sweating. I actually want to rest tonight.

Stop it. Leave me alone. And you know what? It doesn't listen. It takes the law and it shows guilt before God.

Some people try to drown it out. They try to drink it out, they try to smoke it out. They try to do something to get its voice out of our lives and it will not listen. But when the sacrifice of the high priest, that great son of God, is applied to our Conscience, Our conscience is satisfied because of the legal implication he was faithful, that the law was completely satisfied. It says he is a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

That aspect of this, of him being faithful and merciful, is so that he might make propitiation for the sins of the people. So you and I have a great burden that stands before God. That having become sinners by our acting on the works of our mind, having demonstrated enmity through our sin against God, there has mounted up on our account wicked works. There had to be something done to atonement for that sin. Load in Romans.

Let me make sure I can find it. Here we get a good picture of this. Let me see.

Let's just read. In chapter 5, verse 8 of Romans, it says, but God demonstrates his own love toward us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than having now been justified by his blood. We shall be saved from wrath through him. If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. This goal of this high priest is to make propitiation. Propitiation is a word that means he is the sacrifice, the complete, the perfect sacrifice which fully satisfies the legal or just wrath of God on us. He is that thing mounted up on the tree that having made his soul an offering for sin, the Father is fully satisfied with that offering. That there does not remain any wrath on the account of man that you and I can look up in into the face of God without any shame.

Because Jesus the high priest was our propitiation for our sins, they do not remain in my case. And I believe that what the Bible teaches, that our conscience is satisfied at that sacrifice, that propituation. In verse 18, we're going to have an encouragement from him being a high priest. It says, for in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. To close with this, Jesus being the high priest, he comes to position himself in a manner in your life to give aid to you.

He wants to offer resources to those who would come to him as high priest.

It's important. It sometimes says, you know, the thing is saying it's not what you know, right? It's who you know. Having someone, you're not going to know everything. But being able to Call a mechanic.

To be able to call someone involved in all these areas is like, hey, it's a blessing to have this individual in my life. In a similar way, but even greater, Jesus promises to be something to individuals who call upon him as high priest. Individuals that do not have a relationship to Jesus Christ as high priest do not have the aid associated or promised to them from the high priest.

Some people don't have a relationship with a good mechanic and they can't call them on the phone. They got to take their car to a shop where they charge them, you know, $150 an hour.

If you have the relationship to Jesus, high priest, he promises to give aid. He is a merciful individual and is willing to accept all who come to him. He is faithful to meet your legal obligation. My question to you is Jesus Christ your high priest?

Who is your not lawyer? Who is your representative to God for your sins? By what nature of testimony do you offer to God upon the recognition of your sinful condition? On what type of evidence do you become before the throne of God?

You. You. I'm going to tell you straight. You might not know it, but you have a pattern. You use the same legal evidence repeatedly.

Some of it is not worth being used as toilet paper. And yet you bring it before the highest court in the universe as if it were something sol.

You think that God is like a man and that your evidence has worth and all the while reject the opportunity, the offer of this faithful high priest. Some people, when they sin, their conscience is committed. They talk to God about their goodness, about how this was a mistake. You know, I didn't really mean it. You know, I'm really a good person.

They try to communicate to God in a certain way, but Jesus is offering his service as a high priest in a faithful way. That aid which Jesus promises to sinners is not available to sinners unless sinners go to him and request it. Unless you act upon the services of the high priest, that aid which he intends to give you is not available to you.

I don't want to be harsh, I don't want to be mean, but I want to be faithful. Forgive me. Some people are using trashy evidence that wouldn't stand up in a kangaroo court.

Some people, if I put Othniel in charge in the judgment seat, he would look at you and say, hey man, get a life. That's not even real evidence.

But Jesus comes as a faithful high priest, says, I want to offer my services to you. I want to represent you before God. I want to take my blood and show it as evidence before the Father. I want to be and be the propitiation perpetuation for your sins. My hope is that you were, as in chapter three, verse one, that you would consider the High priest.

That. Yes, this may be a little bit uncomfortable, but if I could ask you to consider the High priest of our calling. My firm belief is, having considered, you will find in him that which your soul and conscience desires. And you'll be satisfied once you've sat with Christ and his ministry. You don't necessarily want the tawdry things that we trusted in before.

Consider the High Priest of our calling. Let's pray, O Father.