Jesus is a great priest for us

Hebrews 10:19-21 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near… Yesterday we were encouraged by the first of two reasons for the Christian lifestyle of love. Today, let’s be encouraged by the second reason: We have a great priest over the house of God. This has been the main point of this letter to the Hebrews. Back in chapter 8, verses 1-2, we read, “Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.”  The priestly ministry of Jesus is great, which makes Him a great priest over God’s house, “whose house we are (said the author in Heb. 3:6), if we hold fast our confidence (our confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus as we just read in verse 19) and the boast of our hope firm until the end.” The priests in the tabernacle offered the blood of goats and bulls, but the greatness of Jesus is that He offered Himself—His own blood—acting on behalf of God for us and acting on our behalf before God.  Since we have this new way and this great priestly ministry acting for us, let us draw near to God’s throne for the grace we need today to love with Jesus. He loves everyone He puts in our paths. He has put them there so they might experience His love and so that God might be glorified through us as we display the glory of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We will look more at the glory of God that we display in the next few days, but today, let’s be encouraged by this second reason for why we live as we do. Jesus is our great priest who has faithfully served His Father and us by bringing us to Him, spotless, blameless, and perfected.  I close today’s live to love encouragement by thanking You, Jesus, for being such a great priest for us. Thank You for making a new way, a living way, through the sacrifice of Yourself as well as through Your resurrection life. We worship You! We are so grateful for the grace You give us as we draw near to You. We want to glorify the Father with our lives, and apart from You, we can’t do it, but with You, we are able to display Your fruit for His glory. So, live Your life through us today, empowering us with Your love by Your Spirit. Amen.