He Walked in Our Shoes

Hebrews 4:14-16

14 Seeing then that 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 cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.



Jesus can sympathize with us, because he “walked in our shoes” I do not think enough people talk about that aspect of the Lord. Think about all of the different passages in the bible that show just how human Jesus was. He was hungry, he was tired, he wept, he knew fear, he was tempted. There are so many instances that show Christ was just like us. He was sent from God to become man. That is why the passage says we should come boldly to the throne of grace. We are being judged by Christ; who knows all to well what it feels like to be human. Imagine if you had everything you could possibly need, then gave all of that up to shoulder the blame for someone else. That is what Christ did for us. When we stand before Christ it is not like a slave standing before his master. The slave knowing all of the struggles and strife that comes with being a slave, and the master knowing only how great of a life it is to be the master. No! We stand before Christ as a friend, judged by someone who has walked more than a mile in our shoes.

So often people talk about Christ as some untouchable. As if he sits high upon his throne, and simply watches for his amusement. That might be putting it a bit harshly, but when I talk to people of little faith or none at all, that is the image that they have. We call the Lord King of Kings, but he comes from a common background. Jesus was one of us, sent here to absolve our sin, to take the weight of the world squarely on his shoulders, and say, for you, I will carry this cross. HE walked the same roads, and had the same troubles. The difference is, he did it without sin.


He knows temptation, and he understands the struggle. We should celebrate the Lord and his time here on earth. It is because of the time he spent here on earth as man, that we are offered eternal salvation. Not because of his benevolence, but because of his compassion. Yes the Lord is King of Kings, but it is because he walked this earth, that he understands his flock. The Shepard knows the greenest pastures because he walks with his flock. He knows the dangers, and protects his flock, because he has been there before. The Lord is our Shepard, and we will not want.

Peace,
Rev. T