The “therefore” refers back to chapter 2 which ended with, “He himself has suffered, you see, through being put to the test, and that’s why he is able to help those who are being tested right now.” The author is calling the readers back to a serious focus of their thoughts back to the One whom they had claimed was the great center of their lives. To the One who has been through it all Himself, and can thus empathize with their current plight. It is the living Christ who is able to help and who is willing to help us through any situation. He experienced the worst of rejection and the worst of death, two of the things we fear the most.

As our High Priest, Jesus went into the very presence of God Easter weekend to bring us to God and secure our place with Him there. I believe this is what Jesus was referring to in John 14 when He told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them. He was going to a place as a human that they would also be able to go to.

This verse reminds me of the great animated movie “Rise of the Guardians” where North (Santa) asks Jack Frost, “What is your center, Jack?”

What does our faith emanate from? What is our center as Christians?

Well, Jesus.

We are Christians, not Churchians, or Bibleians, or Social Justicians.

We are followers of Jesus Christ, and therefore, it is of first and utmost importance to fix our thoughts, to center our life’s focus on the person Jesus Christ. We live from the center out. Jesus deserves our most serious and careful consideration of who He is and what He has done. If He is who the book of Hebrews says He is, then He is worthy of our most humble worship.

What is your center?

It will color everything you think and do.

In the Name of Jesus,
Soli Deo Gloria