You Already Have a Priest — The Question Is, Which One?

Meta Description: We all look for outside validation to deal with guilt and shame. But there's only one High Priest who can actually give us what we're looking for. URL Slug: you-already-have-a-priest Featured Image: A close-up of hands open and upward, suggesting surrender and receiving, with warm, natural light — conveying peace, openness, and trust.

This past Sunday, I asked a question that I think caught a few people off guard: Why do I even need a priest?

Most of us don't think in those terms. We're not ancient Jews bringing sacrifices to a temple. But by the end of our time in Hebrews 7, I hope it became clear — the question isn't whether you need a priest. You already have one. The real question is: which one?

We're More Dependent Than We Think

We live in a culture that celebrates independence. We wear it like a badge. But here's the truth I've had to sit with myself: we're not actually good at independence. Deep down, every one of us craves outside validation.

Think about it. When something goes wrong at work or at home, who do you call? And what are you really hoping for when you make that call? Most of the time, it's not advice. It's validation. You want someone to tell you that you're right, that you're okay, that you're enough.

That longing isn't a flaw. It's how we were created. The problem is where we go to meet it.

Whether it's people's opinions, achievements, substance, social media following, or even church attendance — we are all looking to something or someone to deal with the guilt and shame that comes from falling short. Whatever you look to for that validation? That's your priest.

The Case for a Better Priest

In Hebrews 7, the author builds a careful argument to show a Jewish audience — people who understood priesthood deeply — that Jesus is the true High Priest they've been waiting for. He does this by pointing all the way back to a mysterious figure in Genesis 14: Melchizedek.

Melchizedek was a king and a priest of the Most High God who appears in the story of Abraham. His name means righteousness, and he was king of Salem — a word that means peace. He came to bless Abraham with bread and wine, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.

The author of Hebrews is making a stunning point: Jesus isn't just a priest in the line of the Levitical priesthood. He is the fulfillment of something far older and far greater. Melchizedek was a picture of the coming Messiah — the true King of Righteousness and Peace.

And here's what that means for us: the new covenant isn't God changing his mind. It's God finishing the work.

Stop Trying to Earn What's Already Been Given

Once we recognize that we actually need a priest and that the ones we've been looking to aren't enough, there's a temptation that kicks in: we start trying to earn what has already been given to us freely.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says it plainly: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

When we try to earn grace, we end up in one of two places: despair (because we realize we'll never be good enough) or arrogance (because we start comparing ourselves to people we think are worse off). Either way, we're looking at ourselves too much.

The gospel isn't an attitude adjustment. It's not taking you from bad to good. It's making you new. We were dead in our sins, and we've been made alive in Christ — not because of anything we did, but because of what he did.

The Security That Actually Changes You

Here's the part of Hebrews 7 I didn't want us to miss. Look at what it says in verses 24-25:

"He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them."

Jesus isn't a priest who served for a season and then passed the baton. He holds his priesthood permanently. He is making intercession for you right now.

Some of us live like we handed God our card and we're not sure if it's going to be approved. We cross our fingers and hold our breath, hoping our performance has been good enough. But that's not the hope Hebrews is describing. The hope Hebrews talks about is an anchor — it's not wishful thinking, it's a settled certainty. The card will never decline. The check will never bounce. It's finished.

And here's what I've found in my own life: that security doesn't make you want to coast. It actually produces growth. When you stop performing for God's approval and start resting in what he's already done, you begin to see that his ways are genuinely better. Righteousness brings peace — not as a reward, but as a result.

The Invitation Is Simple

As I was preparing this message, I kept coming back to a story about the thief on the cross. No baptism. No theology degree. No track record of good works. And yet Jesus looked at him and said, "Today you will be with me in paradise."

When that man stood before eternity, the only answer he could give was this: the man on the middle cross said I could come in.

That's the gospel. And the invitation in Hebrews 7 is the same one it's always been: draw near.

Whatever priest you've been looking to — people's opinions, your own moral record, distraction, numbing, even church attendance — none of it will ever be enough. There is only one High Priest who finished the work, paid the price, and put us in right standing. And he's inviting you to come close.

If you want to go deeper on this, I'd encourage you to watch the full message on our YouTube channel. And if you're not already connected to a community where you can wrestle with these things together, I'd love for you to take a step toward that this week.

Social Media Excerpt (Facebook/Instagram): We all look to something to deal with the guilt and shame of falling short — people's opinions, achievements, even church attendance. But here's the truth: none of it is ever enough. There's only one High Priest who finished the work and guarantees what we could never earn. The invitation is simple: draw near to him. 👇 Read this week's blog post from Sunday's message in Hebrews 7.

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