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Hebrews 4:15,
"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."
This morning, there are many
that are facing life's
difficulties and they respond,
"Well, you just don't
know how I am feeling right
now." Many times they are
correct. Most of us, when trying
to console grieving
brothers or sisters, can only
sympathize with them.
Many times, empathy is
impossible. I can empathize
with someone who has lost a
father. However, I can
only sympathize with someone who
has lost a mother,
brother, sister, wife, or child.
But, I am not the
one who brings comfort to
someone's heart.
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ came in the flesh.
His Deity is eternal, but His
humanity started
approximately 2000 years ago. He
took upon Himself
the likeness of sinful flesh. By
doing this, He
became a High Priest like no
other. Every high priest
in the OT could not empathize
with everyone in the
congregation's circumstance. He
also could not say
that his temptation was to the
extent theirs was.
However, by
taking on human flesh, our Lord was
tempted in ALL points that man
can possibly be tempted
in. Yet, it was without sin
because He did not
succumb to the temptation. I
believe that when the
devil tempted Him, He felt the
horror of the
temptation (even though it is
also my belief that He
is impeccable). He knew what it
felt like to be
hungry, tired, sorrowful, etc.
There is not a person
alive yesterday, today, or
tomorrow that can say,
"Jesus Christ has never felt
what I am feeling." He
was tempted in all these things,
and praise be to Him
that He never once turned to the
right hand or to the
left. In all these things, He is
victorious and a
Conqueror.
In fact, He
endured things so that we
would never endure them. Paul
says earlier that He
tasted death for every man. That
death He tasted, He
tasted so that we would never
have to. He tasted the
death of being forsaken by God.
He tasted the wrath
of a just God for sin and
punishment. He was tempted
by Satan more than any other
man. No matter what our
circumstance, we can say that we
are in good company,
for our Lord has been there
first. He, many times,
told the disciples not to get
discouraged, cast down,
distressed, or troubled because
if they suffer these
things, then they are suffering
what He has already
gone through and
for His sake.
In the book of
Acts,
we find that they rejoiced to be
counted worthy to
suffer these things for the
cause of Christ. May we
ever earnestly contend for the
faith, and never be
found complaining about no one
understanding our
circumstance. At least One
understands, and that is
more than sufficient, for He
hears all of our cries
and petitions.
May His day of return be soon.
In Hope,
Bro Philip
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