Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.
Hebrews 7:23,24
We all like upgrades. They make us feel special. An upgrade says that we’re getting something more. Something better than the rest of the crowd. Sometimes we’ve earned the upgrade because we’ve been a loyal customer. Sometimes we don’t deserve it at all.
Once I started traveling for work, I carefully planned my trips so I could get upgrades. I used only certain airlines so I could get frequent flyer points for first class seats and free flights for the family. I stayed at hotels that were part of one chain so I could get free nights when traveling with the family. And I only used one credit card to collect 3% of everything I spent for the company.
And then there are those upgrades that we just don’t earn. Every once in a while, there are surprising upgrades that catch you off-guard. Once I took a group of kids to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the day. We rode all the rides and had a great time. Near the end of our romp through the park, we decided to go back and experience our favorite rides again. And as you can imagine, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ was at the top of the list. We went through the line and had another great ride that was filled with laughter and screams.
As we got off the ride, I thanked the cast member who made sure that we were safe. They asked who we were, and I explained that we were a youth church group who came for the day. They smiled, leaned in towards me and quietly said, “Get your group together and please follow me.” They led us around the corner and into an elevator. We went up one level and got out at the front of the line, right where you get on the ride. They told another cast member that we were to get on the very next ride. We did. And we screamed our heads off again. Now, that’s an upgrade.
When Jesus came, he became our high priest[1]. His one-time sacrifice for sin is just that. The one and only, forever lasting, the absolutely best. It can never be equaled. It can’t be passed by another priest or sacrifice. No one else can change or even come close to who Jesus is and what he’s done. He’s not like any other priest or sacrifice in the history of priests and sacrifices.
The writer is reminding the Hebrews again and again that Jesus is our high priest and his death on the cross is permanent. It can’t be changed. No one can step in front of him. No one can pass him. His being our high priest can’t be passed onto someone else. Anyone else.
When Jesus came, he became the ultimate upgrade. There were hundreds and hundreds of priests throughout the years. They offered thousands and thousands of sacrifices on all sorts of altars. And they were all effective to a point.
But the one-time sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for all sin just blew right by every sacrifice ever made by all the priests who ever lived. All sin; past, present, and future was paid for. God covers all our sins[2] and will remember them no more[3]. So, the writer is challenging the Hebrews with this important question.
Since all sin was once and for all paid for by Jesus death on the cross, why do we need to offer sacrifices for sin?
That was a very important question for the Hebrews to think about. Assuming that this is true, then why would you ever go back to the temple and offer sin sacrifices again? There’s no point for anymore sin sacrifices. The only reason to keep on sacrificing for sin is if you really don’t believe God. And since they didn’t believe him, they have to make up for God’s failure with their own sacrifices.
It was a really important question for the Hebrews. And it’s a really important question for us too. Do we really believe that Jesus paid for all our sins? Or do we have to try and upgrade his death on the cross with our own works? Our own sacrifices? Our own powers?
There are lots and lots of people who struggle with guilt and shame. Just look at the statistics for depressions, loneliness, drugs, suicide, and porn. I’ve struggled with feelings of guilt, shame, and inferiority all my life. But this one truth, that all my sins are completely forgiven in Jesus, has changed me more than I could ever imagined. So much more than I could ever earn or deserve.
But this upgrade to free and total forgiveness is available for everyone. No need to try and get points. No good works are going to earn this upgrade. It comes through the loving grace of God himself[4]. He wants us so badly that he was willing to pay our debt, freeing us from the chains of sin[5], and transforming us into his dear children[6]. Now that’s the ultimate upgrade.
Noodling Questions.
What upgrades do you look for in life? Why are they so attractive?
How is the ultimate upgrade for this life and the one to come?
All earthly upgrades cost us something, but not Jesus. Why?
[1] Hebrews 4:14
[2] Psalm 32:1, 85:2
[3] Jeremiah 31:34
[4] Ephesians 2:8,9
[5] John 8:34
[6] John 1:12
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