Jesus: Sin-Refuser (Hebrews 4:15)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. An Impeccable Idea

“Impeccability”. That's a strange words, isn't it? At first, it sounds like a label or ranking that woodpeckers might give to different materials they've been unable to break with their beaks. But of course, many of us know the world “impeccable”. Did you know this word comes from the Latin word peccatum, a word that means “sin”. Though in English the word impeccable means without flaws, it isn't typically used in a moral sense. But when theologians talk about impeccability, they are speaking about a moral characteristic of God; or they could be referring more specifically (as we want to do this morning) to a characteristic of Jesus. The impeccability of Christ... is the sinless-ness of Christ; but more than that, it is his inability to sin. Let's dig into what that means and why it's so important by looking together at Hebrews 4.

II. The Passage: “Yet Without Sin” (4:15)

As I mentioned last time, the book of Hebrews provides us with some amazing glimpses into the greatness of Jesus. Remember that battle we regularly fight. God calls you to inwardly fight every day so that Jesus would loom large in your heart and mind; that his greatness would dominate your time and your attention, your mind and your affections... so that you, by grace through faith, would see and savor and celebrate and submit to our incredible Redeemer.

As we declared and celebrated last time, Jesus is bigger and better than anything this life can offer. Anything and everything. Well, get ready for another astounding glimpse into the great-ness of Christ. Look with me at the closing verses of chapter 4. Though our main focus will be on verse 15, let me include verses 14 and 16 as well. This is what we read...

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Clearly, the main focus here is on the high priesthood of Jesus. It's an idea that was actually introduced two chapters earlier, in 2:17, and that title of “high priest” is confirmed in 3:1. Now, this idea of the high priesthood of Jesus is one of the most important concepts in the book. It's unpacked in every chapter from chapter 2, all the way to chapter 10. And I have taught before on this important subject, with archived messages available on our website. So though we will talk about the priesthood of Jesus this morning, our main focus will be on that one phrase at the end of verse 15: “yet without sin”. I think that focus is more than justified, because without the reality represented by that phrase, there is no priesthood of Christ. Let me explain that by focusing on several phrases from verse 15...

First, look back at how the author mentions “our weaknesses”. Is he writing here about how little most of us can bench press? No. He's talking about our moral weaknesses, specifically our lack of strength to always choose what is right in the midst of temptation. But thankfully, as we read here, our weaknesses do not cause someone as strong, as powerful, as resolute as Jesus to despise us. No. In fact, he sympathizes with us. We'll talk about why in just a minute.

But second, notice when the writer refers in verse 15 to temptation, he's not talking first about the temptations we face, but the fact that Jesus “has been tempted”. Now, if we think about this idea in light of that first message concerning Jesus, the 'universe-upholder', and we think about what we learned there about Jesus being God the Son, then it's extremely important that we reject any notion that Jesus the God-man walked, no, floated through this toxic world, this divisive and destructive world, this ugly world, that he floated through unfazed and untouched by the darkness. We reject that idea. As we read here, Jesus was tempted “as we are”. In addition to what Satan did to him in the desert before he began his ministry, we know he He was regularly attacked. He was ridiculed. He was slighted and censored. He was pressed and pressured. He was doubted and despised. He suffered lack. He suffered humiliation. He suffered one injustice after the other. And in all of that, there was temptation. Moreover, much of this came not only from the usual suspects, but also from his family and his disciples.

But as the writer wants to trumpet here, what he experienced as a human being like us was foundational to his priesthood on our behalf. His humanity is central to his sympathy (2x)... the sympathy he has for sinners like us. Look back to how these same ideas were introduced earlier,

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. [18] For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:17–18)

Jesus did not float through his life on this planet. He fought his way through every inch of it. But at this point it's important we clarify something. When it says that Jesus was, “in every respect”, “tempted as we are”, it's critical we affirm that Jesus was not tempted by any impurity inside of himself. For example, Jesus must have absolutely been tempted to be greedy by situations in which money could have brought some kind of earthly provision and comfort or influence. But Jesus did not lie in bed at night tempted by a greedy heart... or a lustful heart... or an arrogant heart... or a slanderous, malicious heart. Does that make sense? Okay...

Let's go deeper into that idea using the third phrase from verse 15, “yet without sin”. When the author describes Jesus with this phrase, he's not simply describing the visible, outward result of every temptation. He's talking about sinless-ness inside and out. That's why in 7:26 the author of Hebrews is clear that our “high priest [is] holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” And we find confirmation of this teaching outside of the book of Hebrews. Listen to the testimony of these three biblical writers: Paul wrote, “For our sake he [i.e., God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Peter wrote, “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22) And John wrote, “You know that he [i.e., Jesus] appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.” (1 John 3:5)

Now, think about how this reveals the mind-blowing greatness of Jesus. When you move beyond your own list of sins, (often culturally-conditioned) categories of 'things I struggle with' and 'those really, really bad sins', and you become aware of everything the Bible labels as “sin” or as “sinful”, outwardly and inwardly, sins of commission and sins of omission... when you then think about every possible scenario of human existence in which we have been and are tempted (with enticements to desire what is evil and to distort what is good)... when you think about the frequency with which you surrender to such temptations, often with foolish justifications and no real resolve to forsake such things... when you think about all of that across the whole span of your life, maybe for decades... and then you think about the fact that a fellow human being never once... not even one time... gave in to such temptations, in even the slightest way... how could such an idea not be startling to you? How could you not marvel at such a man?

Listen to Hebrews 7:26 one more time... “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”

But remember what I said earlier: the impeccability of Christ doesn't simply mean he was sinless. It also means he was unable to sin. That's not rooted in his human nature. That's rooted in his divine nature. But these two natures in our one Redeemer cannot be separated. You see, in chapter 6 of Hebrews, the writer tells us this about the divine nature: “it is impossible for God to lie” (v. 18). In the next book, James puts this idea in broader terms: “for God cannot be tempted with evil” (1:13). Now some may ask, “Well, if there was no possibility that he would give in, was Jesus really tempted?” One writer answers this objection by asking that if a powerful army's victory in battle is absolutely certain, does that mean they really can't be attacked. Does their certain victory change the grueling realities of warfare? No. Believer, unbeliver, trust me. You want a Savior, you want a priest, who has overcome sin, not one who is able to be overcome by sin. And wonderfully, that is exactly what God has given us in Jesus.

III. Purity, Humanity, Sympathy

Brothers and sisters, friends, try this during the Christmas season. When you see a nativity or a depiction of the baby Jesus, think about the life that infant will go on to live. For thirty-three years, he would face countless pressures, attacks, and trials; countless circumstances, hard and painful circumstances in which he would be tempted, as would any one of us. But unlike us, who often find a kind of relief through compromise with sin, who often 'go with the flow' of this corrupt world, Jesus never did. Think about how much harder that made things for him.

But think about what that means in terms of our faith. In a world filled with human failure, human deception, human volatility, human compromise... but we hurt and are hurt, so we are also in a spiritual position where we are searching for someone to trust... knowing deep down that we are absolutely in need of real rescue... in light of all that remember this... Jesus is bigger and better! I love the way the pastor and teacher A.W. Pink expresses this...

Here then is one of the solid planks in that platform on which the faith of the Christian rests: because the Lord Jesus is Almighty, having absolute power over sin, the feeble and sorely-tried saint may turn to Him in implicit confidence, seeking His efficacious aid. Only He who triumphed over sin, both in life and in death, can save me from my sins.

And that is exactly what the writer of Hebrews argues. Even in the immediate context of verse 15 the author gives us such encouraging takeaways: if we acknowledge our sin and know we need a mediator before God, there cannot be any priest like Jesus. Not only is He in the very presence of God, at his right hand, but he was and is also sinless (being God himself). But... but... that exalted position and that exalted purity do not mean he is distant; and... he does not despise sinners like us. No, he was made like us. And he has lived this life, with all of its trials and temptations. He gets us. And He loves us. Therefore when you bring the mind-blowing mixture of this purity, this humanity, and this sympathy to bear on your everyday life, the result (according to the inspired author of Hebrews) should be... (4:16) “confidence”; confidence to go to Him, and through him to God in our “time of need”.

Faith family, when we do that, we will always “find grace to help”. So let us rejoice this morning in the mind-blowing greatness of Jesus, who overcame sin, but was not and never will be overcome by it. Amen? Amen! Take just a moment as we go now to prayer, and thank God for such a great priest and “so great a salvation”. And if you haven't before, reach out now in faith.