( 1 ) For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: ( 2 ) Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. ( 3 ) And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. ( 4 ) And no man tahketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. ( 5 ) So also Christ glorified not himself to be made and high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my son, today have I begotten thee.

If you will notice in ( Hebrews ) the term ( let us ) is used often. We also see the word ( better used often ). The writer of this book is seeking to show the people he is writing to that the old methods of the way they had been doing things we passed and, now we have a ( better way ) as individual people to communicate to our God. Last week , we considered the last verse in ( chapter 4 ) ( Let us ) come boldly to the throne of grace.

The Hebrew children has always been instructed to follow a man; a high priest. And, also to go to a building. We can carry that all the way back to Moses. However, we see in the book of ( Deuteronomy chapter 34 ) that Moses died. We also see in that chapter ( verse 6 ) And he ( being God ) buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

As I seek to allow God’s Spirit to use me as a vessel to share this; I can see the importance of what we are seeing here about Moses as it relates to what we are studying in Hebrews. Therefore, let’s consider some things about this. Moses was the man that God chose to deliver the law to for Israel. However, he was not, in the end the man that seen to it that it was carried out. Aaron, his brother was the first Hight Priest.

If you will study, you will notice that Moses did not get to lead Israel into the promise land because of an act he committed. ( Numbers 20:8-12 ) You can read that and study it out. However, we see that because of that act he didn’t lead Israel into the promise land.

We also see where he was buried. It was not a glorious place among men. THe land of Moab was simply a place just like all the rest of this world. I heard once that it could be defined as ( God’s washpot ). Also, not one person other than God the Father knows where he is buried.

I point these things out because Moses was just a sinner like every other man born of this world. As a matter of fact; every spiritual leader and high priest that’s ever been; died. No exceptions.

If I were to make a thought concerning ( my opinion ) it would be this. From the time that God gave the law and, created the High Priest, it was always about people listening to and, obeying the things that God said and, never about any man. However, Israel could never quite understand that concept. They desired for a man to tell them what to do, how to think and, also be accountable to God for their actions.

In ( Hebrews 4:16 ) we see that he says ( Let us ) ( come boldly ) to the throne of grace. We, as individuals don’t need a man to teach us, lead us now. We ourselves can go directly to God’s throne to find every answer we need.

True men of God. pastors and preachers to; understand this fact. They also push ( individual responsibility ) greatly. If you will notice in ( verse 2 ) of ( Hebrews 4 ) he says this. Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way. Why? for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

He realizes he is no different than the very people that he is trying to help. ( I believe ) that God was making a point to the nation of Israel with Moses. If you remember, it was the unbelief of Israel that caused Moses to smite the rock twice rather than to simply speak to it. Another way of saying the same thing is this; If Israel would have been listening to God, seeking to hear him rather than listening, depending on Moses, that act would not have happened.

In a very powerful way, we are people with the same mindset of Israel far too often. We fall in love with pastors, men, teachers and so on. We are passionate about our buildings far beyond our desire to follow the voice of God.

Do you realize that it shouds take no more than you; hearing and obeying the voice of God to cause you to leave your Church. I personally believe that I, as a man have the responsibility to pastor my wife and family, first and formost. ( I am the pastor of the Church in my house )! God designed local Churches as a means of fellowship and, to shed the gospel in communities. He desires for us to come together in unity, in his name.

The next Sunday that you go to Church, as you sit there; you look at your pastor. Guess what? He, or she is nothing more than a hell deserving sinner that is going to die because of the sin in their life just like you are! The Church building you’re sitting in will be torn down one day, no matter how much you love it. It might out last you but, it to will be destroyed.

In the book of Hebrews, the Apostle Paul is making this point! He is seeking to cause the Hebrew children to realize that God’s desire is to deal with each of them as individuals if, they will boldly come to his throne.

In reality, my wife, my children should be able to come to me to get any spiritual answer they need to become spiritually mature. Mature enough to begin to go boldly to God’s throne for themselves! The problem is that we depend on our pastor or teachers and, we never get to that spiritual level in most cases. Even if we can depend on them, at some point we must reach spiritual maturity, if we ever desire to be pleasing to God the Father.

I often seek to make this point. If you are a member of a spiritually motivating Church. Let’s just look at one young man. First of all, this young man gets born again. Soon after that, the pastor calls on him to pray, he becomes a witness in his community, an usher in his Church, a teacher of Sunday school,then he might one day become a deacon and, even, in time the head deacon. When all this is accomplished, what’s next?

If could also be that a young man never does any of those things but, he, in time matures to a spiritual level, what’s next? God never builds a Church for you to stay in all your life or, even your children. We must learn to mature spiritually and become all God desires for us to be. We can only do that when we learn to ( come boldly to God’s throne of grace ) as individuals.

John F. Kennedy made this statement: ( ask not what your country can do for you but, what can you do for your country ).

Far too often we look at the Church the very same way. We seek to get something from Church when we should be seeking to add something to it. After all, the Church is not a buliding, it’s a growing organism. When we learn that we are to die to ourselves, offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, learn that the best thing we can give the Church is the salvation of other people then, the whole concept of ( Church members ) and ( buildings ) will be far less important to us. The whole concept of following men, the high priest came to an end. Now, we see Jesus and, we as born again believers have the very spirit of God within us.

Again, look at the people in your Church, one day every person there will be gone. However, the true High Priest that we’ll look at next week will never die! He is the one we need to follow above all!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7