As we walk through the Christian year together, each season will be accompanied by a guiding question – a question to wrestle with, pray through, and bring to God. During the season of Advent, as we give our attention to our longing for a Savior, we’re asking together: “What are we waiting for?”

Verse 18 says Jesus can help us because he suffered and was tempted too. How does that make Jesus feel more approachable or trustworthy to you?

Jesus’ humanity is presented as good news, not a weakness. How might that change the way you think about your own struggles, emotions, or limits?

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
John 1:14

“Jesus Christ, as this Mediator and Reconciler between God and man, is also the Revealer of them both. We do not need to engage in a free ranging investigation to seek out and construct who and what God truly is, and who and what man truly is, but only to read the truth about both where it resides, namely, in the fullness of their togetherness, their covenant which proclaims itself in Jesus Christ.”
Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics

“But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”
Hebrews 2:9

Jesus entered every part of our humanity in order to redeem every part of our humanity.

“In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.”
Hebrews 2:10

“Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
Hebrews 2:11

“Theologically, everything depends on this truth: nothing happens to God; God happens to all things. So, what are we to make of the claim that Jesus, as God, suffered? Here’s the staggering wonder: what Jesus experienced did not change him but was changed by him. He healed whatever he assumed—and there is nothing he has not assumed… Nothing happens to him but what the Father wants to happen differently for us.”
Chris Green, Being Transfigured

“For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 2:17–18

“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
Hebrews 10:10

“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
Hebrews 7:23–25

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15–16