We are a week away from the 2024 presidential election. And like you, I have gotten more texts, more calls, more mailings than any other election. In fact, 2024’s federal election cycle is on track to be the costliest ever, with a total cost of at least $15.9 billion in spending. It’s a race and polls are showing it will be a close call. But what will be even more interesting is to see what happens after the election as both candidates will bring a new administration and change always occur from one presidential administration to the next.

Did you know that the president either directly appoints or nominates candidates for about 4,000 roles, from the high-profile jobs such as cabinet-level positions that require senate confirmation, to far-less visible positions like the deliverer of White House mail. Each President has their people, their policies, their agendas, so yes, it will be interesting to see all the changes that come with the new administration.

In our lesson today, as we continue to study the book of Hebrews, it is good for you to know that in ancient Israel, the high priests had their agendas, policies, and peoples they would surround themselves with.

Yes they had their requirements to keep, a job to do. But read through the Old Testament and you will discover that there were times when God condemns the priests for their lack of following God’s will.

In Jeremiah 23 the prophet shares these words from the Lord: “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord. 3 “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. Gives you an idea of how disappointing some of the Israelite priests were, when God says “Woe” to them.

However, the author of the letter to the Hebrews is pointing out that Jesus is the promised shepherd, the right priest who will bring back God’s people, by allowing them to draw closer to God. And so in our lesson today we learn how Jesus does this in two distinct ways as a priest, through permanency and his effectiveness.

1st: Permanency- look at verse 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Jesus holds his priesthood permanently. What that means is as a priest would be the one a congregant would go to, to offer sacrifices on their behalf and give them spiritual guidance, priests come and go. And that change can be difficult.

It’s the same in the United Methodist church with their pastors. This was intentional as John Wesley believed every pastor could say what they had to say, teach what they had to teach, and offer what they could to a church in four years, beyond that it’s all redundant, he would claim. And so United Methodist pastors take a vow of itineracy, to move when needed to. I myself have moved five times in my ministry, and my father twice that. And each time we do, it’s a change on us, on our ministry, on our families. The same with you, the local church. But the author of Hebrews says don’t worry about that now. Because there is a constant priest who will always hear you and guide you, no matter where you are, and that is Jesus Christ.

Which leads to the second way Jesus draws people back to God, and that is his priesthood is effective. Verse 26, 26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. Jesus as a priest expands our vision of who he is, what he did, and what he continues to do. He is the Son of God, he is our Savior, and he continues to bring to us grace and mercy. That’s an effective pastor.

Hopefully we all have those stories of pastors who helped us feel closer to God with their teaching, preaching, and care. They reminded us of who we are and whose we are. The author of Hebrews says that’s Jesus and then some because when we jump to chapter 9: we read 27: 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

We may have all met pastors we considered to be saints, but they are so because of Jesus. In him, sin has been dealt with, once and for all, so that all are offered what preaching professor Thomas Long says is “the saving mercy” p 198 

And that’s what the author of Hebrews is getting at. Reassuring the Hebrew Christians that they no longer must worry if they bring the right sacrifices to please God. Or if they do or don’t do the right thing to please God. Or even if they go to the right priest or pastor. Because in Jesus we see God is merciful and present. There is no more separation between us and God, God has come in Jesus and made life better.

Some of you who grew up in the Lutheran tradition would have recognized the opening hymn A Mighty Fortress is our God written by Martin Luther. Martin Luther was a Catholic priest who on October 31st, 1517, posted 95 concerns regarding the Catholic Church at the Castle Church in Wittenberg Germany.

Luther’s intention was for the bishops and the Pope to read them, so he wrote them in Latin. But with the recent invention of the printing press, some other priests took them, printed them in German, and distributed them around to the communities, becoming a bigger political and social statement than Luther planned.

Here are a few of his concerns he disagreed with the Catholic church:

• the Church’s policy on Indulgences (paying money to the Church to obtain forgiveness for sins).
• Only Catholic priests were allowed to read, interpret, and teach the Bible.
• The Pope established the only correct way to interpret the scriptures, and all Catholics were bound to follow it.
• The Pope was considered to be infallible (made no mistakes).
• Books and writings that did not agree with Catholic teachings were banned, and sometimes burned or destroyed.
• People who expressed views that were different from official Church beliefs could be excommunicated as they were considered to be heretics and unbelievers.
• People could only learn about religion and God through Catholic priests. Believers did not have a direct relationship with God.
• And being a Christian was based on following the laws of the Church, rather than being a question of faith and personal conscience.

In contrast to all that, Luther believed in Sola Fide which means faith alone, that is the grace we Christians rely on comes of Jesus Christ. It is not our works or efforts, it’s not our animal sacrifices or indulgences we pay, but the work of Jesus on the cross that is our saving grace.

In his well-known hymn we sang earlier, "A Mighty Fortress is our God," Luther makes this clear. And I want to share a contemporary version of his lyrics:

A mighty fortress is our God, and He shall never fail us. He is our help against the flood of troubles which assail us. If on our own strength we relied, our striving would be losing, were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing. You ask who this may be. Christ Jesus, it is He! The Lord of hosts His name. From age to age the same. And He will win the battle.

His kingdom is forever.1

1 Words and music by Martin Luther (1529) English translation by Frederick H. Hedges (1853) Updated by Nathan Burley (2015)

Friends, I don’t know what the outcome of our presidential election will bring, but there is no doubt there will be change. If you find yourself worried what those changes may bring, receive the good news today, we have a great high priest named Jesus Christ, who is always there to listen to you, to hold you, to support you, and nothing will take away his mercy from you. A mercy that is God’s. A mercy that is forever.