We Get Him

March 15, 2023

Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Sermon text: Hebrews 5:1-10


If I were to ask you to fill in the following blank, how would you answer? Jesus is my _______. Interestingly when you google Jesus is my…… at the top of the list with over 1.4 Million results is “Jesus is my homeboy.” Other runners up were… superhero, friend, doctor, Rock, Savior… Over the years we have come up with many ways to try to relate to and understand Jesus. Some of those ways have been helpful, some less helpful, some trendy, but the ones with real staying power are usually the ones designed by God.


1.) God has designed us to understand Jesus in particular ways, not just however we wish. (v1-6)

Last week’s encouragement was for us to confidently draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find help in time of need. When I need help, I don’t call a stranger. I call a friend. Someone that I understand and someone that understands me. The role of high priest helps us to see why we should draw near to Jesus. It helps us to answer the question, “Can I really trust Him?”


2.) The High Priest was called by God.

Verse 5:4… Like Aaron, Jesus did not take this role upon himself. He didn’t arrive on the scene and say, “Hey Caiaphas, you’re in my seat.” After conquering death, Jesus was appointed by God to this eternal role of High Priest. God bestowed that honor on Jesus.


3.) The High Priest acted on behalf of men in relation to God.

For thousands of years, God’s people understood that their sin separated them from God. So God appointed a role through which a sinful people could still have fellowship with their sinless God. There was a sense in which they could have a relationship with God through the Priesthood. But sacrifices must be made to atone for the sins of the people. So this person was appointed and available, interceding, and advocating. Jesus acts on behalf of men in relation to God.


Romans 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”


1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”


Hebrews 7:24-25 “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.”


4.) The High Priest was gentle and tender.

Specifically 5:2-3 says, “He [the earthly high priest] can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.”


5.) Jesus never sinned.

This is what is being explained in verses 7-9 “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. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…”


Jesus always resisted temptation!  He never gave way to the solicitations of the flesh, and he was made perfect through it. He was proven when we were not! And his soul wrenching pleading to his Father came from a place of understanding

that one sinful act, even one sinful thought, and he was no longer fit to be a holy sacrifice, or a great high priest. At that point he would be no different. He would have to go get a bull or a goat or a ram and offer a sacrifice for his own sins! His weakness NEVER resulted in sin. So, He gets us and we get him. He was more in touch with reality than we are, not less.

He experienced the full extent of fighting against sin, and He won. Remember, this section of Scripture is explaining why we should have such confidence in our Savior. There is grace. There is mercy. There is help in a time of need. There is help if you have ever felt that Jesus doesn’t understand. Draw near to Him and find help and freedom from sin.



Discipleship Questions:

  1. Why is it important to behold Jesus the way that God intended for us to behold Him?
  2. In what ways is it encouraging for us that Jesus is currently interceding for us with the Father?
  3. Discuss particular areas where you lack strength, feel feeble, and are beset with weaknesses.
  4. How can our weaknesses sometimes lead to sin?
  5. How can our weaknesses sometimes lead to gentleness, tenderness, and compassion for one another?
  6. How is Jesus a Great High Priest? 
  7. When you consider how Jesus resisted temptation far more than we have, how does that encourage you to move toward Jesus to find help in a time of need?

Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?

I Believe That We Will Win

June 3, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?

Who Can Be Against Us?

May 27, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
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