Focus: The Spirit of God calls us to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.
Function: To boost the confidence of the people in times of need by focusing on the One who sits on the throne of grace.
Text: Hebrews 4:14-5:10
A while ago I read a story of a man who was crushed to death by his pet snake, a Boa Constrictor. I don’t know about you, but I don’t understand where people get the confidence from to approach a Boa Constrictor, or a lion, or a tiger, for that matter as if these creatures are totally trustworthy and completely safe. I would be a “nervous Nelly” if confronted by a Boa in my bedroom.
The same emotions of fear and nervousness may come to us when we find ourselves in the presence of royalty or authority. For example, if the queen of England should invite me for an audience with her in her throne room, I would need a course in “palace etiquette;” and even then, I would be nervous to enter her presence. And if I would find myself court-martialed before a tyrannical ruler because he accuses me of treason, I would be scared and hesitant because of his tyrannical power over me.
Now I know that God sits on his throne and that he is the sovereign ruler over all. I also know that we may approach God because of the work and person of Jesus Christ. As a Christian and as a pastor, I’ve observed, however, that there are moments that I avoid God’s throne. And I am sure that this is also true for you, at times.
Sometimes, I can’t pray to God. I can find all kinds of things to do, except to pray. Usually, it is because I have done something sinful or said something that was wrong and caused hurt in someone else’s life. Sometimes, it’s because I do not really trust or think that God wants to hear from me. Sometimes, it’s because I am so pre-occupied, because of what’s first and foremost on my mind—and it’s not God.
Today, the Spirit of God has a word for doubters, and unbelievers, and sinners. Today, the Scripture has a word for you and me who struggle perhaps with a lack of confidence and self-worth. Today we hear that God calls us to approach his throne of grace with confidence.
As I read the text, I cling to this image of God’s “throne of grace.” A throne belongs to a ruler. A ruler can be good or bad; his reign or throne may be wholesome for the country or terrifying for the people. The throne of Saddam Hussein, for example, was a reign of terror for many Iraqis. But the throne of God is a throne of grace.
That’s good news—for those who may enter God’s throne room. By ourselves, we may not. God’s wrath on our sins keeps us from being worthy or qualified to enter his presence. Sinful rebels have no access to God’s throne. But anyone who appeals to the high priest provided by God may approach the One who sits on the throne of grace. That One is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Keeping in mind the throne of grace, we find three astonishing statements in the passage: The first statement or claim is this:
1. We have a great high priest: Now we are not familiar with the work of high priests, but we do know what a mediator does—she intercedes for people, negotiating a deal for example, and we can relate to what a lawyer may do—he advocates a client’s case; he serves our interests. We have a mediator or advocate—someone who speaks on our behalf. He is our high priest, Jesus Christ. And we learn that he is a GREAT high priest.
For example, the Spirit of God tells us in Hebrews 1:4 that Jesus is superior to angelic beings. He is greater than the angels. In fact, in chapter 1 we learn that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. And “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” In other words, you see the Son of God, you see God himself. That’s how great our high priest is!
Jesus’ greatness is part of the Christian story of faith. Though being eternal God and thus truly divine, Jesus took on our human nature. Conceived by the Spirit of God in the womb of a virgin, Jesus became like one of us, a son of Adam. We must never loose sight of the uniqueness of Jesus, for his uniqueness makes him our GREAT high priest. Jesus is both truly human and truly divine. He is the God-Man, who sits on the throne of grace.
The second claim in the passage is this:
2. Jesus rules as sovereign king: Listen to the text: (vs. 14b) “…we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God….” Now remember that Israel’s high priest would enter the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem’s temple once a year. He would sacrifice an animal to pay for or atone for the sins of the entire nation of Israel. The high priest would enter God’s throne room, the Holy of Holies, and sprinkle the animal’s blood on the mercy seat. This temple in Jerusalem was a copy of the temple and throne room of God in heaven; and the high priest’s ritual of atoning for the sins of the people was a shadow of God’s grace toward his people.
In Hebrews 4, however, we learn that Jesus our great high priest has gone “through the heavens.” He has physically entered the throne room of God. And in that way, Jesus (5:9) “…became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him….” Why? Because when Jesus entered God’s throne room, he approached his heavenly Father as high priest—with his shed blood, to atone for our sins, to mediate on our behalf, and to speak in our defense. Jesus entered through the heavens and opened the doorway to God’s throne room and gave us access to God’s throne.
Without Jesus, that throne would be a throne of wrath and judgment for us; but now that Jesus has entered the heavens, that throne is for us the throne of grace. Now we may look for mercy in the presence of God.
That throne is a throne of grace because our heavenly Father accepted the atoning sacrifice offered to him by Jesus, and God exalted Jesus by seating him on the throne. By crowing Jesus as Lord of lords and King of kings, Jesus now reigns over all creation and over all creatures, including you and me. This is what the apostle Paul speaks of in Ephesians 1:20 saying: “(God) raised (Jesus) from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
Ascended into heaven, crowned as king, vested with authority on the throne of grace—that’s the astonishing claim found in Hebrews 4. And the Lordship of Christ, our King is part of the Christian story of faith. We affirm it. We embrace it.
The third claim found in the passage is that
3. Jesus is wondrously qualified to be our high priest, for he sympathizes with us. He knows us so well: In chapter 5:1 through 10, we note that the writer of Hebrews compares the qualifications and work of a high priest in Jerusalem’s temple with the qualifications and work of Jesus. For example, Israel’s high priests were appointed to their task from the tribe of Levi; they were able to identify with the people, because they, too, understood the power of sin and the misery of sickness, suffering, and death.
The Spirit of God, however, points out in the passage that Jesus is eminently qualified to be our great high priest. Why? Because people have not appointed Jesus as high priest; nor did Jesus become a high priest by virtue of his lineage; he was not a Levite. Rather, he is unique; Jesus is of a superior order, like the King of Salem, Melchizedek by name, in the days of Abraham. All we know is that Melchizedek was appointed high priest of God Most High. Who appointed him? Presumably God himself. Jesus is of the same order as Melchizedek—appointed by God himself.
Jesus is truly qualified to be our great high priest. Why? Because Jesus shares in our human nature: he knows suffering from the inside out; he knows the feel and emotions of fear, and sorrow and death. It’s true that Jesus has not sinned himself—God’s Spirit kept him from the inclinations and impulses and rebellious desires of our human will. Jesus always sought to do the will of his Father in heaven.
In living a sinless, obedient life, empathizing with the sufferings of his contemporaries, and fighting and overcoming temptations by always seeking to do his Father’s will, the Lord Jesus is able to sympathize with us. He knows us as no one will ever know us here on earth.
These, then, are the three great claims in the passage: 1. Jesus is our great high priest; 2. He is our sovereign king; and 3. We can’t go wrong with him, because he is greatly qualified to mediate and appeal to God the Father on our behalf.
It’s in light of these three claims that we now hear the two action steps in the text:
Step One: Hold firmly to the faith we profess: Here we have a word for doubters and for unbelievers and for those who are inclined to change the message of the Christian faith to make it more palatable to our culture. The faith we profess is the Christian story of “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.” It’s the story of Creation, Fall, Redemption and Restoration. It’s the story that says: Salvation belongs to the Lord. It’s the story of faith that gives us comfort in life and in death. We must hold on to that faith, and we must enter into its story.
To hold firmly to the story of faith means that we nurture our spirits by celebrating the story in regular, public worship, in daily prayers and disciplined Christ-like living. In the face of unbelief, we stand strong in faith that Jesus is our merciful high priest. Against the wisdom of our culture, we hold on to this faith that says: Jesus is our King and our Comforter.
Never mind the mockery of friends; never mind the “wisdom” of our social scientists; never mind the peer pressure we get from Hollywood, the news, or from our friends—we hold on firmly to this faith. For this faith tells the story of our salvation.
Step Two: Approach the throne of grace: Snakes and lions may make us nervous and afraid; queens and dictators may make us shake in our boots; but the throne of King Jesus is a throne of grace. We may enter God’s presence unafraid. Why? Because Jesus stands by us; he covers our sins with his blood; he takes upon his lips our cause, our prayers, our petitions, our pains, our sorrows, our fears—and he gives us access to the ears of our heavenly Father. We do not receive condemnation or judgment, but grace or strength.
That’s why the Spirit says:
Approach the throne of grace boldly, confidently. That’s why we may seek mercy, and that’s why we may expect to find grace.
All of us know of times of need. All of us recognize moments we are weak and weary—moments when we need God’s strength to persevere and overcome. So, listen one more time to these action steps:
“…since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” And since Jesus is eminently qualified as our great high priest, listen again:
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Holding firmly to the Christian story of faith, let’s take these steps today. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.