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A Sympathetic Savior

by Pastor Jack

Our salvation is based on the fact that God the Son came in the form of a man and died on the cross. But this is more than our eternal salvation, it is our daily comfort. It is our daily comfort that this stupendous Savior lived as we live, entering fully into our cursed existence, sharing our plight, yet without sin.

"We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb.4:15-16)

Like us, Jesus went through the process of becoming disappointed. He endured all the same kinds of trials that we face, and then some. We see this most clearly on the last day of His life:

This is the Jesus who now intercedes for us from the right hand of the Father in heaven. This is the Jesus who calls us to follow in His footsteps with the assurance that He will never leave us or forsake us. This is the Jesus who not only walked the path that He calls us to walk, but took one more big step that He never asks His people to take: He suffered the rejection of God His Father upon the cross. And He did it so that we might never have to. Because Jesus said, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" He could say to us, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

Jesus doesn’t promise that our lives will be easy. In fact, He promises that they won’t. But He does promise that He will be with us through it all. And He does promise that we will have to never endure anything He has not already endured before us. And He promises that every hardship we do endure will be only for our good.

"When through the deep waters I call you to go,

the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,

and sanctify to you your deepest distress."

"For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." (Heb.2:18)