(A) Place. The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. v1.

There is a right place to be to exert a specific kind of influence, an appropriate place to achieve a particular objective. The best place to be to have a good effect on a child's education is in the classroom, to achieve success for England at cricket is in the middle at Lords, to cure a painful back complaint is standing at the operating table. Where is the best place to be to secure the spiritual well being of men? Surely there can be no better place than at God's right hand in heaven. Jesus is in this place and as such:

(a) is accessible to men.
During Jesus' earthly ministry he was not accessible to many people. Some found it difficult to get near him like the woman who touched the hem of his garment in the jostling throng. The disciples tried to protect their master from too much attention. They would have prevented mothers with little children reaching Jesus if they had got their way. Jesus is accessible to all in heaven.

Jesus relationship with his church is as the living head to the body. This is an excellent analogy. All the cells of the body are in communication with the brain. The skin cells are sensitive to the gentlest touch - a message is sent to the brain and we know that the minute feet of a thunder fly are tiptoeing across our left ear lobe. The brain is able to deal with numerous messages simultaneously. It doesn't get confused. It is able to deal with all of them. So Jesus in heaven is able to deal with every inquiry and request sent his way. The system never crashes!

(b) has access to God the Father
Jesus speaks with authority to God for us because his exaltation followed his saving work for men on earth. It was a work God desired, it was a work carried out to perfection and it is a work still being carried out to God's satisfaction and to our eternal well being.

(c) is acceptable to both parties.
The effectiveness of a go-between depends upon this. Jesus is God's only begotten son. He has favour with the Father. Jesus is also Mary's child, the carpenter from Nazareth, the troubled man in the garden and the blood-stained rebel on the cross. The Son of Man is one of us.

(B) Patronage v1. We have such a high priest

(a) Jesus is our man in heaven.
Great Britain has ambassadors in most of the countries of the world. They are appointees of the crown who represent their country abroad. They look after the interests of this country. They put Britain's interests first.

Jesus is our ambassador in the Court of Heaven. He has our interest at heart. In fact I would almost go as far as to say that he puts our interests first.

(b) Jesus is our representative at the seat of power
I have been glad on occasions to have a representative in Parliament. When I left work to look after my father I was entitled to a carer's allowance. Months past and no payments were made. In the end I wrote to my M.P., Sir Eldon Griffiths, to complain. Within a few days the allowance was paid. I have recently been in correspondence with my County Councillor about changing a rule governing the long service award to teachers. He has been able to act on my behalf and achieve the result I desired. I have found that the most effective way to deal with bureaucracy is through the representative at the seat of power.

Jesus is our elected representative in the Palace of Heaven. He has been chosen by God to intercede for us. The way to God is through him. He will not fail us.

(c) Jesus is our friend in high places.
Doesn't it make a difference if we have a friend in a position of influence. My friend Tommy and his wife Heather were due to fly to Arizona, U.S.A., for their annual holiday. Tommy would have liked to secure a seat for his wife with leg room as she is prone to thrombosis but decided it would be futile to try as such seats are in high demand. He changed his mind when he discovered that an old pupil, Joanne, was in charge of travel arrangements for British Airways at Heathrow. Joanne remembered her old teacher with affection and so Tommy got the seats he wanted.

We have a friend in the highest place of all. He is deeply committed to us. We are part of his great redeeming work to the glory of his Father in heaven. He will do for us more than we can ever ask or think. He knows us by name. Nothing can separate us from his love.

(C) Power. v2. We do have such a high priest.......who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.

As I have said repeatedly in this series of expositions the Hebrew Christians were beginning to revert to Judaism. The temple and its ceremonies seemed so real. The temple was highly impressive, a magnificent structure that impressed even Jesus' disciples although he did not share their admiration. The Jews loved their temple - it had hallowed memories for them. The priests were awesome in their regalia. Their vestments were distinctive. The priests had style, status and performed historic rituals. Everyone loves a bit of theatre. And the sacrifices - they were certainly real - the shrieks of the animals, the reek of blood, the smell of roasting flesh.

The writer to the Hebrews with one of those flashes of insight peculiar to him says that, in fact, all those features of Judaism that seem so impressive are but a pattern of the real thing. v5 They (Jewish priests) serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. The old dispensation is a recipe for the real thing. What is most real - the recipy or the cake. You can't eat the recipe!

So once a year the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, fashioned by man, and sprinkled the blood of a goat on the ark, the symbol of God's presence with his people, to atone for sin. Jesus on the other hand :

(a) resides not in a tent or a temple. He is in heaven, in the actual presence of the Most High God.
(b) is seated there because the work of atonement is finished. The sacrifice has been made once and for all and need never be repeated.
(c) is seated there at God's right hand. He enjoys the position of supreme power.
(d) is there to continually represent our interests, deal with our problems and plan our spiritual development.

That is the true reality - Jesus is in charge. In him are combined matchless wisdom and unlimited power and both are exercised actively and untiringly for the Christian's benefit.

(D) Conclusion

I wrote earlier that Jesus is like the brain receiving messages from all parts of the body. We should not forget that the brain sends out messages too. If the eye irritates the brain sends a message to the tear ducts to wash away the irritant. If our temperature rises dangerously another message is sent to the sweat glands and we perspire to lower body temperature.

Jesus often chooses to minister to his church through us. We can make a real difference to the life of the body, or at least parts of it. Jesus empowers us by his Spirit to be agents for good. We can give sound advice and practical help, lend a listening ear, speak a reassuring word, remain cheerful in adversity and steady under fire.

There is no end to the ways in which we can serve our fellow Christians for Christ's sake and maintain the health of His Body.