Jesus Christ Is Our Great High Priest — Kathryn Kuhlman

The Persons of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit

You and I have been having some good heart-to-heart talks regarding the person of God, the person of Jesus Christ, the very Son of the living God, and the person of the Holy Spirit. And I pray that these little heart-to-heart talks will have been of real benefit to you because it does make all the difference in the world as to whether or not God is a person, whether Jesus is absolutely all that He said that He was, deity and divinity, and it makes all the difference in the world as to whether or not the Holy Spirit is a person.

Fellowship With the Personal God

And it has been my desire to bring you face-to-face with a person so that you might have fellowship with that person, with God is just. Then how in the world can you and I have fellowship with just a spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, is just a...

How in the world can we have fellowship with just... We must come face-to-face with a person so that we might have fellowship with that person. As I told you in our last heart-to-heart talk, a person has intellect, a person has emotion, a person has will, the intellect, a person can know, a person can think and understand with the emotional capacity, a person can feel.

Without the emotional capacity, one cannot love. With the will, a person can decide, a person can... In our last heart-to-heart talk, proving to you from the Word of God that God is a person, and as a person, He is our Heavenly Father, planning for us, acting in our defense, making decisions for us, if we're yielded unto Him, loving us, understanding us.

Oh, it's so wonderful to have that security, to know that there's a Heavenly Father, and we're personal to Him, and our needs are individual and are personal to Him. All right, now we come face-to-face with the person of peace.

Jesus Christ as the Great High Priest

Oh, this is so wonderful. Do you want to know something? You and I do not have to be defeated on a single score. Now, it's one thing to make that remark, and in making that remark, I do not tell you these things to make you feel good.

These things are based upon the Word of God, and God's Word is truth. Do you want to know why not one of us need ever go down in defeat? It's because we have this very moment, in the person of Jesus Christ, a great high priest, seated at the right hand of God the Father.

Whether you're Catholic, whether you're Protestant, regardless of your creed, or your race, or your color, if you have been born again, we may differ on some of our theology, if you have been born again, your sins covered with the blood, and you are a member of the body of Christ, you have a great high priest.

Oh, that is so comforting. Not only comforting, but I have to use you to face with the enemy of my soul, and know that I have a great high priest, in the person of Jesus Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God the Father, ever living to make intercession for me.

The Truth of Hebrews 4:14–16

I give you the Word, and remember again, the Word is truth, and your own little pet theology will not change truth. Argument will never change truth. Truth remains, and God's Word is truth. In the fourth chapter of Hebrews, this I like, the fourteenth verse, 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 gifted 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.

Never owned a Bible, but what this portion of the Word of God was the very first thing that I underlined in red. Oh, let's pause a minute and consider it. Give us in the world what you believe regarding Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ Is More Than a Moral Example

He was as near perfect as any man who ever walked. You may say He was an ideal example, so far as man is concerned. One who is more than a perfect example. One who is more than just man. To take the position of great high priest.

If Jesus was only man, then any good man could take the position of great high priest. Only one could take that position of great high priest. The very Son of the living God. Just one. Absolute deity and divinity.

Christ’s Ascension and the Sending of the Holy Spirit

And that's the reason, you see, that Jesus said, it is necessary, it is expedient for you that I go away, I have to leave you. Because when I have gone, I will send the Holy Spirit. And He'll do your great strength, and He'll come.

Because I have to assume a position of great high priest. Then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heaven. The Son of God. Not Jesus, as a beautiful example. But Jesus, the Son of God.

Christ’s Sympathy for Human Weakness

Let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a great high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Therefore, we see that Jesus is a person with emotion. He's touched with the feeling of our infirmity.

He's more than spirit. Because only with a definite personality can have the capacity of emotion. He's touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

That's vitally important that you understand this portion of the Word of God. Because you see, you cannot understand the suffering of another unless you have suffered. You cannot comfort another unless you have had a Gethsemane.

If you have never had the death of a loved one in your life. If you have never stood before an open grave. And one who was practically flesh of your flesh from this life. If you have never had your heart broken, then you cannot be touched with the sorrow of another.

You cannot. One who has never suffered cannot comfort another. Do you understand what I'm trying to say? Could not be a righteous God. God the Father I'm talking about. Because God was never tempted. Now you say, Katharine Cooney, you're getting into deep theology.

I know. There are three persons. God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, the Holy Spirit. But remember, Jesus Christ was not God the Father. Neither was God the Father the Holy Spirit. Three definite personalities.

Separate and apart from the other. Yet never working separate and apart from the other. But each working in conjunction with the other. It was Jesus who came to this world. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

Becoming as much man as though he were not God. And of course in the same likeness as much God as though he were not man. But taking upon himself flesh and dwelling among us. He could have yielded to temptation.

Christ’s Victory Over Temptation and Righteous Judgment

You've heard me say it over and over again. That Jesus could have yielded to the temptation of the evil one. When he was tempted of the devil. He could have yielded to those temptations. Otherwise those temptations would have been farce.

But yet he did not yield to those temptations. The scripture here says he was tempted in all points. Like as we are, yet without sin. He did not yield to temptation. Therefore the scripture says that he will be our judge.

God the Father will not be our judge. Because you see, he has never had the fear that Jesus has had. And when Jesus becomes our great judge. He can judge righteously. Because he too has faced the same temptations that we have faced.

He knows exactly what it's like. And he can judge righteously. I pray the Holy Spirit to make this world a yard. Now remember, as long as we are in this old body of flesh. As long as this is still corruption.

The Reality of Temptation in the Christian Life

The enemy of our soul will tempt us. I would lie to you if I were to tell you this moment. That I have reached such a spiritual plane where I'm never tempted. And when someone comes to you and tells you that they have reached such a spiritual plane.

That they cannot be scared to death of people like that. Because they are only deceiving themselves. Are they lying? Not quite sure which, you know. Kind of like that. Because as long as we're still in this body of flesh.

And as long as the enemy of our soul is still here on earth. We will be tempted. And the more that you do for God. And the greater your consecration. The greater will be the temptation. But to not run a bus.

Needs yield to that temptation. And temptation itself is not a sin. Do you want to know why you do not have to yield to any temptation? And why you need not go down and defeat on a single score? Because the scripture says.

Christ’s Intercession and the Believer’s Victory

We have a great high priest. Whoever liveth to make intercession for you and for me. Listen to that. Keep right on going. Please do something for me. Mark these three verses in your Bible. The three verses that I'm giving to you.

It's the fourth chapter of Hebrews. The 14th, 15th and 16th verses. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. That we may obtain mercy. And find grace to help in time of need. Yes. This very moment.

I don't care what you may be experiencing. I don't care how weak a Christian you may be. I don't care what the circumstances are. Under which you have to live. How big the temptation. Regardless. There's no exception whatsoever.

Jesus makes no exception. The thing remains is how much you want to overcome. How much do you really want to live a victorious Christian life? How sincere are you about the whole thing? That's left with you.

On the other side. Every provision has been made for your success as a Christian. Every provision has been made for your victory over that temptation. Provision has been made for a consistent daily Christian life of victory.

You were not born for failure. You were not made for failure. It was never ordained that any one of his children should live this life here on earth as a faith depressed. I were made to be heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ Jesus.

Coming Boldly to the Throne of Grace

Let us therefore come boldly. You don't have to be timid about this thing. You don't have to make apologies for coming into his presence. You don't have to just make an excuse to his throne. Let us therefore come boldly.

Square your shoulders. Remember to whom you belong. This is a part of your inheritance. Come unto the throne of grace. Throne of grace that is greater than our sins. Grace that is greater than all of our shortcomings.

All of our weaknesses. All of our fears. Throne of grace is open to you and open to me. That we may obtain mercy. The mercy of God. Think of anything greater than the mercy. Grace to help in time of need.

Mercy is waiting. The grace is there. The great high priest who ever liveth to make intercession for you. And through him, the Father. Your prayerful and financial support of this ministry is also welcome and greatly appreciated.

Thank you and God bless you. Please fast forward this tape to the end for its next listening.