Help in Time of Need

Help in Time of Need

“Help in Time of Need”
(Hebrews 4:14-16)
Series: Captivated by Christ (Hebrews)

Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD

Henderson’s First Baptist Church, Henderson

I invite you to join me in Hebrews, chapter 4.

While you are finding Hebrews 4, today is the third Sunday of the month and that means we will not be meeting here for evening worship service because we are freeing up that time for discipleship.

I’m doing this with you. I’m looking forward to a one-on-one get together this evening with an individual for some disciple-making. He and I will be meeting at Starbucks. You may meet somewhere like that or somewhere else. Or you may take the time this evening to meet that new neighbor—or old neighbor—and share the gospel with him or her.

Our church’s vision is “to develop generations of God-glorifying disciples who make disciples from the community to the continents.” And integral to the disciple-making process is the teaching of the Word of God. We talked last week about the importance of using the Word in our walk, our witness, and our warfare. And I hope your week last was one where you saw greater use of and greater blessing of the Lord’s Word in your life. And it is this same Word you use as a disciple-maker to disciple others, showing others specifically how to use the Word in their walk, in their witness, and in their warfare, helping others see how the Word of God bears upon their daily lives. Using a “Growth Guide” will be helpful to you this evening as you meet with someone to do some disciple-making. These are available in the church office and at the Connection Center.

Remember Sunday school teachers, teaching your Sunday school class is but one aspect of discipleship. Making disciples is more than teaching a Sunday school lesson. You should resist the temptation to do all the teaching or being the professional Bible-answer man or woman. Make sure your class members are in the Word themselves throughout the week and develop folks in your group to teach or take on greater roles each week. Show them how they can “feed themselves” from the Word of God. Meet with them individually. Encourage them. Pray with them. Model disciple-making and teach them them how to disciple others.

Now as we turn to the word of God in Hebrews we see again that one of the major themes in this letter is the theme of our Lord’s being our High Priest. If that’s a new term for you, what it means will become clearer as we study. For now I just want you to see that as early as the opening verses of Hebrews the writer has hinted at the High Priest theme. We noted this when we read in Chapter 1 verse 3 where, referencing Jesus the writer says that, “when He had by Himself purged our sins [He], sat down at the right hand fo the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3)…” There’s a priestly imagery there. And more recently the writer expounds this theme of High Priest in Chapter 2, verse 17 and following: 17 “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted Hebrews 2:17-18) and, continuing into Chapter 3 and verse 1: “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus (Hebrews 3:1),”

And after the interlude we have been studying the past two weeks, most of chapters 3 and 4, after an interlude about the importance of hearing and heeding the Word of God, the writer returns to this theme of our Lord’s being a High Priest.

I really like the imagery with which we left off in verse 13 where we read last time: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked one open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” And we talked about how that word “open” there in verse 13 is something of a wrestling term. It means “to bend back the neck.” So we talked about how God’s Word examines us and exposes us. God’s Word has seized us, flipped us over, and bent back our necks as we look up into the all-seeing eyes of God. We are laying sprawled out on the mat, as it were, needing to “tap out,” needing someone to rescue us, someone to show us the way to safety. Someone who can mediate for us. Well, here He comes. He is our great High Priest. Let’s read about Him now.

Please stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word.

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Pray: “Father, with those verses in mind, we need grace to help in our time of need right now. We ask that you would grant us the grace of an attentive spirit. Help us listen carefully to your word. Holy Spirit, be our teacher as you point us to Jesus, our Savior, Jesus the Son of God, Jesus the great High Priest. In His name we pray, amen.”

We have noted previously that the central motif or thread that runs through Hebrews is the notion of “better.” The words “better,” “more,” or “greater” occur 25 times in this letter. In our passage this morning is the occurrence of one of those words, the word “great,” right there in verse 14: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest…”

Jesus is the great High Priest. And Jesus is the great High Priest because Jesus is the final High Priest. In the Old Testament, and under the Old Covenantal system of worship, God’s people were led by a number of priests. The Levites served as servants of the tabernacle and it was the family line of Aaron from which the priests came. The priest served as the go-between, the intercessor, the mediator between the people and their God. The priests prayed for the people and offered daily sacrifices for the people as required by the law.

And from those priests of the line of Aaron, or the Aaronic line, one priest in particular was the High Priest. The High Priest was the one who entered into the most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies, each year on the Day of Atonement. And only the High Priest could enter into that most Holy Place bringing the blood of the sacrifice as the means by which to have his sins and the peoples’ sins forgiven. It was there in the presence of God at the Ark of the Covenant that sins of God’s people would find forgiveness until a greater High Priest would come bearing a greater sacrifice.

The writer of Hebrews is teaching that the greater High Priest has come. And unlike the earthly High Priests of the Old Testament, Jesus Christ is still living. The earthly high priests were simply men, sinners, they lived, offered sacrifices, and died. Each earthly high priest was replaced by another. But after Jesus sacrificed himself—He who lived and died and “lived again” goes on living—as the writer says in Hebrews 7:25, “He ever lives—or always lives—to make intercession for [us].” And that’s why the entire Old Testament system of the priesthood is over. It is no longer necessary for the people of God because we have a great High Priest who is still at it! Still living! Still interceding on our behalf!!

And this is largely the point of the writer in the first verse of our study this morning. In these three verses there are three truths about our Lord Jesus. Because Jesus is our great High Priest, first:

I. He Shows the True Way (14)

How does man get to where God is? God is Holy. Man is sinful. How can man get to God? In a word: Jesus. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Recall the hymn lyric: “Through death into life everlasting He passed and we followed Him there.” Jesus shows the way because Jesus is Himself the way. Look at verse 14:

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

See what the writer is doing here in defining Jesus as not just a High Priest but the greater High Priest. He does not simply go to God in the way the earthly High Priests went to God in the earthly tabernacle. He goes a better way. He shows the true way.

Remember that the earthly tabernacle—and years later the temple—was merely a shadow or model of the true tabernacle in heaven.

The earthly priests of the Aaronic order of priesthood could only pass through the earthly veil, the veiled curtain that led to the holy of Holies, the presence of the Lord. But this earthly veil and presence there above the ark of the covenant was merely a shadow of the actual real heavenly presence of the Lord in the heavens. It is these heavens the writer says our great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God “has passed through.”

Our great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, is not limited to an earthly tabernacle, restricted by an earthly veil. He pierces through into the very presence of God! Nothing limits Him, suppresses Him, or otherwise obstructs His path.

The writer provides a similar teaching in Chapter 10 which we could think of as something of a “bookend” to the High Priest theme. Or think of our passage this morning here in Chapter 4 as a prologue and Chapter 10, Hebrews 10:19-23 as the epilogue. Hear these similar words in Chapter 10:

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

And there’s that phrase again in verse 23, same as in Hebrews 4:14: “Let us hold fast our confession.” The word suggests “clinging to,” holding our profession of faith, especially in light of who Jesus Christ as our great High Priest.

Jesus is, verse 20, the “new and living way.” He is the new and living way, “having passed through the heavens (Hebrews 4:14), having pierced not just an earthly veil, but the heavenly veil that obscures man’s way to God. Jesus Christ is Himself the way.

You’ll recall Jesus’ using similar language in talking with His disciples in John 14. Remember this? “I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” And Thomas is like, “What are you talking about?! Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” And Jesus replies in John 14:6, “I am the way.” Remember that? “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Because He is the great High Priest, Jesus is the way, the only way to the Father. He shows the true way. Secondly, because Jesus is our great High Priest:

II. He Sympathizes in True Love (15)

He is our sympathetic High Priest. Look at verse 15:

15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Of course Jesus is without sin. He never sinned, not once. It is unthinkable that He would sin since He is the Son of God incarnate, God wrapped in human flesh. His deity as Holy God means He does not sin. But that does not mean He was not tempted to sin, nor that He did not feel and experience the angst of genuine temptation.

The word “tempted” there in verse 15 can mean either temptations or trials. More than likely, both definitions are in view. He suffered temptation. Hew as afflicted through trials. He was “in all points tempted as we are.” And so, he can “sympathize” with our temptations and trials. The word “sympathize” literally means “to suffer along with.” Jesus suffered for us.

It’s important to the writer of Hebrews to stress this truth about Jesus. Perhaps he is concerned that someone reasons that since Jesus is the Son of God, He is too remote to be of any practical help. He’s “up there” having passed through the heavens and all. He can’t really know what I am going through, can he? Does He understand? Does He “get” me? Have you ever wondered whether anyone “gets” you?

Sometimes well meaning people say, “I know exactly how you feel,” but do they really? The guy whose always been slim as a rail because of a high metabolism is not really capable of understanding the person who’s fought hard to lose weight, counting every calorie and slowly over time maybe shedding a pound in a week. When the skinny guy with the high metabolism says, “I know how you feel,” the words seem kind of hollow don’t they?

If an expectant mother tells me she is not looking forward to the pain and trial of childbirth, it would seem rather inappropriate for me to say, “I feel your pain!” I don’t know that pain—thank the Lord. But Jesus never gave birth either, right? So in what sense can He really know that pain? Let’s think about it.

Well, a couple things are important to remember here. First, the idea of Jesus’ bearing up perfectly under every trial and temptation is crucial to understanding verse 15.

Remember that temptation is not itself sin. Jesus was tempted but He did not sin. You can be tempted without sinning. If I am tempted to lie because I know I may succeed in covering up something that would embarrass me I am not sinning as I consider the benefit of lying. That temptation is not itself sin. As God graces me with Holy Spirit conviction, I am relieved from the temptation when I walk in the Spirit. Remember Galatians 5:16, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” So temptation in and of itself is not sin. God’s grace can prevent me from lying as I recall the importance of walking in truth.

Jesus bore the full weight and measure of temptation every single time yet did not sin. He never once crossed the line from temptation and over to sin. He always resisted. And He always resisted fully and completely.

Think of it! If Jesus never once “gave-in” to temptation, then He suffered every ounce of Satan’s tempting work. He resisted fully and completely. By comparison, many of us when we are tempted “give-in” to temptation at some point or other. Two people facing the same temptation may respond differently. Just to illustrate, imagine Person A gives in to the temptation after 5 minutes of tempting whereas Person B—facing the same temptation—does not give in until 50 minutes of tempting. In fact, we may argue that Person B suffered more than Person A in that he resisted the temptation for a longer period of time. The point I am trying to make is that Jesus did not give in at 5 minutes or 50 minutes. He bore the full extent of every second and every ounce of every temptation however long He was tempted. You might say—you must say—He suffered more. He suffered more than anyone.

So there’s an understanding, a sympathetic understanding, that comes with Jesus’ bearing up under every trial and temptation. Because He did that, He knows what it is like to go through every kind of pain imaginable in human experience. Including—remarkably—every seemingly unanswered prayer.

Remember how He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane? Facing the temptation and trial of the cross He prayed: “Father, if it be possible, remove this.” If it be possible. And it wasn’t. Remember? The answer was no. The Father had a perfect will that meant Jesus would continue to suffer. And Jesus was prepared for that suffering as He had even prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done.” But He prayed and got a “No” answer so He knows what that is like when it happens to you.

So we have a High Priest who can, verse 15, “sympathize with our weaknesses,” weaknesses a word that covers any and every need we may feel. Recall from Chapter 2 and verse 18: Hebrews 2:18, “For in that He Himself is suffered, being tempted (or tested), He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

You might say Jesus “gets” you. He really gets you. He does not grow weary of your constant weaknesses. He sympathizes with your weaknesses. Hear what that means! There is love in that word! He truly knows what it is like to battle with Satan. He knows how you feel. See, we are quick to jump over the blessing we’re meant to derive from verse 15. What I mean is we conclude hastily: “Well, that’s all fine and good that Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses. Yes, I suppose He knows what it’s like to be tempted—but HE didn’t sin, we argue. In other words, “It doesn’t really matter, does it?!”

But don’t you see? Of course He didn’t sin. He is the Son of God. The writer isn’t writing verse 15 to chasten us as if to argue snidely , “What’s the matter with you?! Can’t you see how easy it really is to battle temptation and never sin?! Just do what Jesus did! He battled victoriously! He was “in all points tempted as we are” yet—YET!—He did not sin, and YOU don’t need to sin, either!” You know, “Don’t be so weak!!”

The writer knows Christians are weak. That’s why he’s writing this letter. He knows they are tempted to abandon Christ and go back to Judaism. That’s why he says: “Don’t neglect your great salvation” and, “Hold fast to your confession.” Don’t stop! Keep believing Christ! The writer knows Christians are weak.

In the very next verse he will write, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” He knows we need grace and mercy. He knows we are sinners.

So when he writes in verse 15 that “we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin,” he is writing to encourage us. He’s writing to say, “Jesus really knows what you are going through when you are tempted to unbridled anger, to steal something, to lust.” No matter how frequently you are tempted, He knows what you are going through. The greater point of verse 15 is that Jesus sympathizes in true love.

Because Jesus has a lot of experience in going through trial and temptation, He knows precisely what you are feeling. In His love for you, He willingly suffered. This is a High Priest unlike any human priest who can’t really sympathize with you. The human priest may be a nice enough man and tell you he understands—but he will never understand like Jesus understands. That human priest is a sinner. He doesn’t know exactly how you feel. Jesus is God. He knows. He suffers for you out of love. He didn’t have to suffer, but He did. He wanted to. He wanted to “get” you. He loves you.

Jesus “gets’ you. Like no one else can get you, He gets you. He will always get you. He will always understand you. And the most amazing thing is—in spite of you, that is, in spite of your sin—He still loves you. When you sin again before the hour is over, He will love you no less.

Because Jesus is our great High Priest, He shows the true way, He sympathizes in true love and, thirdly:

III. He Supplies our True Need (16)

What is our true need, our greatest need? Grace. Verse 16:

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Help in time of need. You know, I don’t deserve God’s help. I’m a sinner. You probably feel the same way. We don’t deserve God’s help. I mean, “Who does?”

But this is so wonderful! God in His love has made a way for us to “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

When we are tempted, when we undergo trials, we can be helped in our time of need. We can “come boldly to the throne of grace” to receive help, the help fo God’s mercy and grace.

Not just anyone may draw near in such boldness. The writer says, “Let us,” implying those who are “in Christ,” those who are “holding fast their confession,” those for whom Christ is their great High Priest.

He is the basis for our being able to receive things we don’t deserve. It’s because of Christ that God gives us grace and mercy—grace God’s unmerited favor to those who deserve only His wrath. Getting what we don’t deserve. And mercy—not getting what we do deserve. But we don’t deserve these things apart from Christ. Yet, because we know Him we can approach God.

I read about a young man who was sitting on a park bench crying. A little boy saw him crying and asked what was wrong. And the man shared that his brother was in prison on death row. He was scheduled to be executed in the next few days. The young man so wanted to see the president—then Abraham Lincoln—and he wanted to see the president to get help for his brother, to pardon him. But not just anyone can walk into the president’s office. So the man felt hopeless.

And the little boy asked the man to follow him. And the little boy took him by the hand and led him into the president’s office. He walked right by men at the doors, right by the secretary, and right into the office. As the boy entered into the room, President Lincoln stood up and said to the boy, “How can I help you, son?” And the reason that man could get into the president’s office is because he had met the son of Abraham Lincoln. And as the son passed through every obstacle, so the man passed through every obstacle as well.

The only way we can get into the presence of a Holy God is to be personally escorted by the Son of God. God in His love made a way for us to “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

What is your need? Forgiveness for sin? He can help you. Removing your shame and guilt? He can help. Are you worried for a family member? He can help. Beaten down and feeling defeated because of a string of utter defeats and discouragements? He can help. Not sure how you’re going to get by if the money doesn’t come through? He can help.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Christians need not shrink back in fear when approaching God’s throne. You can approach with confidence and boldness because you have been made right for God’s presence, fit for heaven, faultless to stand before the throne, dressed in Christ’s righteousness alone.

Worldly people talk sometimes about heaven as if they know what it is! Unbelievers assume they will go to heaven if they’re not as bad as another person. As though heaven were some kind of worldly amusement, a place for anyone and everyone to do whatever they please. Heaven is for lovers of Christ Jesus! Make no mistake: You will not love heaven if you do not love heaven’s King! Why on earth would anyone think that heaven would be some wonderful place if they have no love for the Creator of it? It is HIS place. It is where HE abides. It is the location of HIS throne and HIS home. The only people who are fit for heaven are those who have been adopted into the family of heaven’s creator. It’s a family business. It’s a family refuge. There may well be a sign on the door that says, “Home of Christians.”

It was to His followers, to His disciples, that Jesus said: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if a go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself that where I am you may be also.” Heaven’s a place that is heaven because of a person, Jesus Christ. He is what makes heaven heavenly.

For those who are outside the family the throne of God is a terrible place, a horrible place.

But the ineffable beauty and loveliness of Jesus and the matchless power of the gospel is that if you are not a Christian, and you are “standing outside” as it were, you too may boldly approach the throne of grace if you come in repentance and faith. You too may “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” if you come trusting Jesus.

Every one of us in this room can come boldly to the throne of grace this morning if we will come by Christ, the one who shows us the way because He is the way, the only way.

Have you sinned and wonder whether God “gets you?” He does. And He has made a way for you to be forgiven. He lived a perfect life for you and died a death for your sin, dying in your place, and He arose from the dead. He lives even now as the one who intercedes for you.

Before the throne of God above, you have a strong, a great High Priest whose Name is love and He ever lives and pleads for you.

If you have sinned, you can repent this morning, repent by letting go of your sin and believing in Christ. Follow Jesus. Believe in Him as Lord and Savior.

And when we sing in a moment and you are invited to respond to God’s Word, you can respond by turning to Christ. Some of you may wish to respond by coming forward while we sing, going into the Response Room for more information about following Jesus, joining the church, or being baptized. You can come while we sing. And you can respond right where you are in repentance and faith, believing in Jesus.

Let’s pray: Dear God, I thank you that because of this passage we can sing: “Before the throne of God above, I have a strong, a perfect plea, a great High Priest whose Name is love who ever lives and pleads for me.” Help us to respond rightly to Your Word this morning. Give us grace to help in our time of need. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Now stand and sing and respond however you need to respond this morning.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin

Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I am
The King of glory and of grace

One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God!
With Christ my Savior and my God!

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