We're looking in Hebrews chapter 5. Hebrews chapter 5. Let me read the last three verses of the fourth chapter that kind of gives us a flow into the fifth chapter. It says, seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 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, 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. And by reason hereof, he aught as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest, but he that said unto him, thou art my son, today have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared. Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Called of God and high priest after the order of Melchizedek. of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them who are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Now, we have a high priest. That's really the chief message, I guess, if you wanted to boil it down in the book of Hebrews. that the Lord is sending through Paul to the Jews. We have a high priest. Because the Jews, of course, their confidence was in their high priest and the rigmarole of the temple ordinances and offerings and whatnot. And so it was to their high priest that they looked. Now there are indeed various religions in the world today where men still look unto earthly priests to either obtain some absolution or some blessing or whatever. It is not in the hands of men either to forgive sin or to offer blessings from God. Now we can desire blessings upon one another and we can ask the Lord to give blessings, but no man possesses the power to bless somebody. That's not within the realm of men. We do have a high priest, however, who can both and does both deliver from sin and bless the people of God according to his good pleasure. And so it is that it is this high priest of which we speak For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifice for sins." That was received by them. They understood that. The Hebrews understood this. that the Lord had ordained this to be, who can have compassion on ignorant and on them that are out of the way, for that he himself is compassed with infirmity." So he says these earthly priests in Aaron, they were men just like any other man and they could understand the needs of men. The law, on the other hand, itself did not lend to them any consideration of that, but as men, being men, they knew the weaknesses of other men. And so that's what he's getting at here. Those priests that were appointed by God to carry out the works of the law. And by reason hereof, He asked for the people, so also for himself to offer for sin. So every time that the high priest went into the Holy of Holies, while he may have had some consideration of the needs of all of the people, the primary consideration that he had when he went into that holy place was his own sin, because he had to offer up sin for himself. So you're, though it is, In the religious man, he's far more aware of the sin of other people. But see, the man who's awakened by the Spirit of God, he more plainly can see his own sin than he can see the sin of others. And so that is, you know, a mark of the work of the Spirit of God in a man is how he looks upon his own sin. A religious man looks at himself like the Pharisee did and he said, you know, I thank you, Lord, I'm not like all these other people. I mean, I go to church, I tithe, I do all these things, and I'm not like these other folks. But when the Spirit of God comes upon a man, he can't, he must, he is even as that publican who wouldn't lift up so much as his eyes to heaven but smote upon his breast, and he said, oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner. See, I can't be concerned, I can't be trying to judge you and your walk and what you're doing, because I see myself so far from what I need to be. And so that's where the Lord, you know, sets forth that this priest as he offers up these sacrifices is, no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron. You can't be a priest because you decide to. See, a man doesn't become a priest because he decides to. Now, I know that in the culture in which we live, it's quite often true that men do become priests, or as some people might refer to them, and as many think of themselves as having some sort of a priestly stature, those who are preachers or pastors of churches. Quite often, pastors get the high mind of their own value and they consider themselves more highly than they ought to. What we ought to consider ourself is the lowest of the low. That's what Paul said. He says, I'm a chief of sinners. And so it's not, those who are called of God to minister the word of God in a public fashion are no, we've not called ourselves to this thing. Now I know that, you know, that's not the thinking of today. Today it's kind of like a career path. A man says, well, you know, I think I, I like studying the Bible, I think I'll be a preacher. And so he goes off to school and he learns how to be a preacher and he comes back and he goes somewhere and he makes a bunch of money preaching. And, you know, I mean to say, for me to stand here and say that none of them have done any good, that would be wrong. I don't know, you know, the Lord uses men wherever he is pleased to put them, but I know this, that a man can't make his self to be a pastor, a preacher, a call of God man to declare the Word of God, nor can he be a priest in the Aaronic fashion. A man had to be appointed by God. He had to be set in that place according to the purpose of God. So he says, and no man taketh this honor to himself. And then he says this, this is interesting. So also Christ glorified himself, glorified not himself, to be made a high priest. And so what he's saying is Christ didn't come into the world to gain fame. He didn't come into the world beating on his chest and say, look at me. Just like Brother Al talked about there a moment ago, when Pilate said, are you a king? Now he was a king, he was the king. But see, look at what he said to Pilate. He said, you say that I'm a king. He says, because you're thinking of a king like you're thinking about it. He said, this is the reason that I came into the world, to bear witness of the truth. See, that was the purpose for which Christ came into the world was to magnify his father in the declaration of the truth. His whole purpose in coming into the world was to do his father's will. That's what he said he came to do. And so he glorified himself not to be a high priest. He didn't say, man, I got this position. I'm this great high priest. No, he just came and he did what the father sent him to do. And so it is that any man who's called of God to declare the Word of God, that's what he needs to do, is declare the Word of God. He doesn't have to make a fanfare out of it. He doesn't have to put his name on a poster, and he doesn't have to try to be famous. He just needs to be faithful to do that which God called him to do. And Christ, as our example is indeed, such in one is that. So Christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that said unto him, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Now, men often go afoul of truth because they take one or two scriptures out of its context and they make something out of it that it's not. And there are those that try to make Christ to be somehow or other lesser than the Father, and they try to make Him as being some kind of second-in-command type person. That's not at all what Scripture speaks about. I mean, when you look at the totality of the Scripture, now the Lord would give us insights into the truth so that we might understand in our feeble minds how the Lord came to redeem us. But Jesus Christ, as we read when we first began this book, God who at sundry times in divers manner spake in time past, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. There's no other spokesman for God. There's no other way you can ever know God except through the one whom He has sent. And He declared that. And so He said, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee. Now it would be foolish for us to try to completely understand what it is to speak about the Son being begotten of the Father. I can't explain that to you. I can tell you that's what the scripture says, that he is the only begotten son of God. And what that means insofar as men being able to completely understand it, I can't tell you. But I can bow down before what the scripture says, that he was begotten. of God. He said, Thou art my son, today have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord appointed him. He came into the world appointed by God because he is God. He's not lesser than God. He's not some secondary person in the Godhead. He is God. And so he came as that one who is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now Melchizedek is an interesting character who met Abraham as he came back from the slaughter of the kings. And he met him and he gave him bread and wine. Gave that to Abraham. He met his need. I believe that Melchizedek in the Old Testament is a pre-incarnate appearing of Christ. In other words, he is Christ. And so when we read about Christ coming as a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, that's far removed from the priests that came after the order of Aaron, because Aaronic priesthood ceased. There is no longer an Aaronic priesthood. It's been done away with. It's of no use. Because when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part is done away. And all that the Aaronic priesthood was for was to point men to this priest who would come. And so he is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now we read, I believe it's in the seventh chapter, a little bit more about this Melchizedek, said he had neither beginning of days nor ending of life. I mean, when you look in the scripture, Melchizedek's just there. That's all you know about him. We don't know where he came from or whatever. Boy, I believe we do know who he is. And he had neither beginning of days nor ending of life. He is eternal. And so it is that the Lord Jesus Christ came as an eternal priest. He didn't come temporarily. He didn't come in the nick of time, but he came at the appointed time. The Lord said, you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, who in the days of his flesh, when he walked among men, when he had offered up prayers, supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared. Now that's a, this is an amazing passage of scripture here. Because what? Paul writing to the Hebrews is pointing out to them is that this one who is the spokesman of God, this one who is the high priest of God, this one who is that high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, he also was man, is man. And that's what it says right here, who in the days of his flesh, He took upon Himself the likeness of our sinful flesh. He walked among men. Now, you know, there's two errors that men fall into. One is that some men believe Christ was God, but they don't believe He was actually a man. And then there are those that believe He was a man, but He wasn't really God. I mean, you know, He was like the Son of God. I mean, He was like You know, he did some good stuff and everything, but he wasn't really just absolute God. But Paul would point out in scriptures here, as throughout the whole word of God, that he is both man and God. Now how that union can be, I have no full comprehension. Except I believe it to be true. And so it says here that when he had offered up prayers and supplication with strong cryings and tears to him who was able to save him from death. See, death loomed upon the Lord Jesus Christ just as much as it did the immortal man. Now the difference is that his concern over death was the sin of his people being laid upon him See, that's the death that it brought fear to him. I mean, the concept of dying in the flesh was not the thing for his own personal consideration, but as he as a perfect man without sin and taking up the place of his people. See, every fear that you had became his. Every trouble that you had was His. And He was touched with the feeling of your infirmities as He prayed for His people. And with prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears unto Him who was able to save Him from death. See, He understood perfectly. He understood that his heavenly father was that one in whose hands was the keys of heaven and hell. He understood that he was the one who kill and makes alive. See, he didn't have any doubts about that. And with strong cries and tears, he cried out to him and was heard in that he feared. Isn't that an amazing thing? The Son of God in all of his father, the son of God, fearing God, and yet he is God. I just, it blows my mind to think about that. You can't understand that, so don't, you know, when I say don't try, I'm not saying don't think about it or don't look at it and don't wonder at it. I'm just saying don't be amazed if you can't come up with an answer. See, this is where men go astray is they think they gotta come up with an answer for everything. There's not an answer for everything. And this right here, you can't come up with a complete, full answer that you just say, well, okay, I'm satisfied with that. I won't ever think about that again. No. Every time I read this, I'm struck with wonder and amazement, trying to grasp how it is. Though he were a son, listen to this. Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. He perfectly obeyed the Father, did he not? He was without sin. But yet the scripture says he learned obedience. That is, he experienced it. He became obedient unto death. Even the death of the cross. Who'd he do that for? He did it for us. See he was united to his people. He was one with his people. He was that high priest who had no concern for his own sin because he had no sin of his own, but the sin that he had was the sin of his people. By the things which he suffered and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Being made perfect. Now we think of that word perfect a little different than the scripture usually uses it. The word in the scripture generally means complete. In other words, he became our savior. I mean, when he was born of a virgin and wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger, he was no less our savior. He came into the world, that's what the angel told Joseph. He said, thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin. But he was not the complete Savior that he became, was he? He was not that one who grew up in favor and stature, in favor with men, who at 12 years old reasoned with the Pharisees in the temple. who went to that wedding feast at Cana and turned the water into wine, and he healed the lepers and all of these things that he did in the course of his life, as he learned obedience by the things which he suffered, and being made perfect, that is, being what he came to be. He is what he came to be. He's the high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. He came and became the author of eternal salvation. Now, who knew that? Pharisees didn't know it. His own disciples didn't know it, did they? How could they know it? They couldn't know it until it took place. See, you couldn't know that Jesus Christ would die for sinners on the cross until what? Till he died for sinners on the cross. And so that's what he's speaking about here. It says he was made perfect. That is, he became what he came to be. See, there was a point in time, there was an actual moment in time when Jesus Christ breathed his last breath. When he poured out his blood and his heart ceased to beat. There was a moment in time he became perfect. Because that's what he was sent to do. That's what he would do. And being made perfect, that is, being everything that he needed to be. What did we need? Well, we needed some fashion in which we could come into the presence of the Father or be cast away. I mean, you know, men think that The Lord is satisfied that they did their best. I mean, isn't that kind of what people think? Well, I did my best. I'm just gonna tell the Lord that I did my best. Well, your best is not good enough. Your best won't help you. See, that's the thing. Now, people don't like this. I'm telling you, you don't like this. Our natural man doesn't like that idea that there's not one thing that you can perform in your flesh that will get you one inch closer to the Lord. Not one thing. Not a thing. Won't do you any good because God demands perfection. And Christ became perfect. He is that which we needed. You see, what we needed was perfect obedience. That's the only thing. Who shall come into the presence of the Lord? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Well, I'm telling you what, that just cuts me out altogether. I mean, if that's the basis on which I've heard men say, oh, well, you know, that's what I've tried to do. Well, it doesn't say who tried to do it. It said he that hath clean hands, not partially clean hands, but he that hath clean hands. Now, I was working on my car yesterday and messing with some Bondo, and I should have put some gloves on, but I didn't. I got some of this stuff all ingrained in my skin here. And my hands are clean. I mean, they're clean enough for me. You know, I don't have any problem doing whatever I'm gonna do. I'll pick up a piece of bread and eat it. It won't bother me a bit. But if you saw my hand, you'd say, man, I don't know nothing he touched. Because why? It's not clean. See, my hands are not perfectly clean. They're clean enough for me, and I'm happy with it. And that's the way people think about themselves in their natural state. It's okay. I mean, you know, come on. God knows your heart. We talk about that a lot. Yeah, God knows your heart. He knows just how wicked your heart is. Oh, Christ became perfect. See, He became exactly what we needed. He came into the world to be what we needed. and he became what we needed. Now there was never any doubt that he was going to do exactly what he did because he knows him from the beginning, does he not? And you which have by wicked hands hath committed, can't think of the scripture, but the scripture says that the Lord ordained the death of Christ, but he did so through the hands of wicked men. Now it was in the death of Christ that salvation was purchased for us. But it had to occur, did it not? He became perfect. He became that which we needed. And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him. That is, those that come to Him, that seek Him. He is their obedience. See, you'll never obey Him completely. I've heard men say, oh, well, you got to obey. Well, I want you to obey. I exhort you to obey. The scripture exhorts you to obey. Trust and obey, for there's no other way. I mean, that's what we're called upon to be. But brethren, if you look at yourself and you say, well, my obedience is gonna make me a child of God, then you're wrong. But we obey because of the mercy of God causing us to see where our obedience is. See, those that obey Him are those that fall down before Him and say, Lord, save us or we perish. Because if you're obedient to Christ, you know you don't have any obedience. Oh, that we might be a people that would be spoken of here. He's the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him. He's called of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Now listen, he says, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. That's what I said, wasn't it? You can't get it. That describes us. We are dull of hearing, dear brother. We know nothing as we ought to know. He's able to teach us what we need to know. See, you don't need to know everything. See, a lot of times men, they say, well, you know, I'm gonna study the Bible and I'm gonna get at this, all this down pat. I'm gonna figure it out. You'll never do it. But I'll tell you this, by the grace of God, as the Lord leads you to study the scripture, he'll give you exactly what you stand in need of. He'll teach you the things you need to know. I mean, you don't necessarily need to know a lot of stuff, but he'll teach you the stuff that you do need to know. And so we have many things to say, he says, concerning this Order of Melchizedek. He said these are deep things. He says, for when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. So there is, he's saying, you know, you need to know some stuff. But you can't know some stuff until you've unlearned some stuff. See, men think they know something. That's man's biggest problem in approaching unto the Lord, is that they think they know something. Every man's got his own idea, doesn't he? You know, every man. You can ask, I guarantee you, you ask anybody, you know, how can you approach unto God? And they've got a way. They got something. They might not have it planned out completely, but they got some idea about how God is, how they think he is, and how they'll come to him. But they don't know. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God. For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age. Those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Now hopefully, by the grace of God, we'll talk a little bit more about those verses in connection with the first part of chapter six when we get there. But I did want to say something about verse 14, but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Now that's the Lord working in his people. And we have our senses exercised. If we're not being exercised by the Spirit of God, then we have no reason to think that we know the Lord. I mean, if the Lord's not teaching us what we are by nature primarily, and the glories of Christ, then we're in an infant state for sure. We're still back here at square one. Because the spirit of God is bringing his people where he wants them to be. And how does he do it? By reason of use. See, he applies the truth to your heart. See, you don't, you know, you look at someone and say, well, he needs to, this fellow over here, he needs to get in church. He needs to get his life straightened out. No, you don't need to be worried about him. What you need to be, what we're looking at, Lord, work in us. I mean, make us what we need to be. See, that's the place. Don't be worried about it. I'm not saying don't be concerned about people. We're concerned. I pray for my children every day. I'm concerned for them. But I can't be worried. I mean, that can't be the complete thought of my heart and mind because I'm looking at myself. I mean, I'm so far off from being what I need to be. And the only thing that gives me comfort is knowing that I am what I need to be in Christ. See, that's by reason of use. We have our senses exercised to discern both good and evil. What's good? Good is when a man recognizes that Christ is his righteousness. Evil is when he thinks he's righteous. See, that's the difference. That's the sense is exercised to discern good and evil. When you thinking I'm doing pretty good, you're not doing good. Oh, that the Lord might teach us. May the Lord help us and cause us to grow and to be perfected. Some people have accused me of not believing that the Spirit of God works in God's people to cause them to grow. Well, that's what the Scripture says that He does. Now the growth is not necessarily what you look at. See, you might look at a man and say, well, he ain't, he's just as weak as he ever was. He's not growing. You know nothing as you ought to know. See, the Lord is working in his people. And he's not working according to your timetable. He's not teaching them what you think he ought to be teaching them. But if they belong to Him, He's got them right where He wants them. And He's leading them. He's perfecting them. He's ranking them in the image of Christ, according to His good pleasure. Oh, that He might mold us in that fashion as well.