Jesus is Enough

Read: Hebrews chapter seven

One of the things I love about Hebrews is that the writer keeps bringing us back to Jesus. Over and over again, he is saying, “Look at Jesus. Look at who He is. Look at what He has done. Look at how much better He is.” That’s especially true in Hebrews chapter 7. The writer spends a lot of time explaining Jesus as our High Priest. For the original readers, this was a big deal. They understood the priesthood. They understood the role of the priests, the sacrifices, the law, and the way people approached God.

The problem was that they were tempted to look backward. So the writer keeps showing them that Jesus is better. Jesus isn't simply another priest added to the list. He belongs to a completely different order, the order of Melchizedek. His priesthood isn't temporary, and His work isn't limited. Jesus is the High Priest who makes a way for us to come near to God. Think about how incredible that is.

You don't have to find the right person with the right spiritual credentials to get you into God's presence. You don't have to go through a pastor. You don't have to find someone with a “special anointing.” Through Jesus, you have access to the Creator of the universe.
Paul says that through Christ we who were once far away have been “brought near” to God, and that through Jesus “we both have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:13–18). That means you can talk to God. You can come to God. You can bring your questions, your failures, your fears, your disappointments, and your needs directly to Him.

Then Hebrews takes it even further. Jesus doesn't just make a way for us to come to God. He stays there. Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus is able to save us completely because “he always lives to make intercession” for us. I don't know about you, but I need that reminder. There are moments when we think, “I've messed up too badly.” Maybe you've had a season where you thought, “I've gone too far. God must be finished with me.” Jesus isn't your High Priest only when you're doing well. He isn't your High Priest until you mess up. He isn't your High Priest until you disappoint Him. He always lives to make intercession for you. Jesus is still working on your behalf.

Then comes one of the most beautiful truths in the whole chapter: Jesus doesn't have to keep offering sacrifices because He offered Himself once, for all. The other priests were imperfect and temporary. Jesus is perfect, and His work is complete. That takes me right back to Jesus hanging on the cross and saying, “It is finished.” He wasn't saying, “I've done most of the work.” He wasn't saying, “I've done enough for now, but you'll need to finish the rest.” He said, “It is finished.” Your forgiveness doesn't depend on you somehow making Jesus' sacrifice more effective. You don't have to keep putting Jesus back on the cross. You don't have to spend your life trying to earn what He has already provided. Jesus paid the price once and for all.

That doesn't give us permission to live however we want. It gives us freedom to stop trying to save ourselves and start living from what Jesus has already done. Maybe today you need to remember that Jesus is enough. Enough for your sin, your failure, your shame, and your future. Enough when you feel strong and enough when you feel like you're barely hanging on.

You have a High Priest who makes a way to God, who lives forever, who intercedes for you, and who has completely finished the work. You don't have to complete what Jesus has already finished. So take a breath, come near to God, and trust Jesus. His work is finished because Jesus is enough.

Take a moment and reflect:

Is there an area of your life where you're still trying to earn something Jesus has already provided?

What would change if you genuinely lived from the confidence that Jesus has finished the work?