The Throne of Grace
Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study • Sermon • Submitted
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· 17 viewsAdapted from The Throne of Grace by Troy Borst from sermoncentral.com
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Perhaps you’ve heard individuals pray something like this: “Father, I come before the Throne of Grace to ask for your help!”
Perhaps you’ve heard individuals pray something like this: “Father, I come before the Throne of Grace to ask for your help!”
What is the Throne of Grace?
Who sits on the Throne of Grace?
Why is the Throne of Grace important?
How can we approach the Throne of Grace?
But what about when you read scriptures like:
12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
“In a dramatic way, God was teaching the people the distance between a holy God and sinful men and women, as well as the danger in presumptuously rushing into the present of the Lord.” Warren Wiersbe
Later, Nadab and Abihu would forget this principle, and God would kill them ().
“But the New Testament emphasizes the nearness of God, for the Son of God became flesh and came to dwell on earth (), and He will be called Immanuel - God with us ().” Warren Wiersbe
Big Idea: Whatever you need, whether it’s mercy, grace or help, it’s found at the Throne of Grace, so draw
Did you know that God has a Throne?
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
25 Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
9 “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
(Metaphorically or literally?) These verses remind us that what the Throne of God truly looks like is definitely beyond our comprehension.
None the less, they descriptions are amazing and awe inspiring!
It is this throne that the writer of Hebrews has in mind when he wrote:
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 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. 16 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.
The Throne of Grace is described in two main ways:
Authority and Power
Sympathy and Understanding
1. Authority and Power
1. Authority and Power
When I mention Authority and Power, what do you think of? (Your boss, spouse, law enforcement, government officials?)
Vs. 14 refers to Jesus as the Great High Priest. In the nation of Israel, the high priest was the person who had all the authority and all power when it came to religion, sacrifices, some legal decisions, spiritual and physical fitness for worship and a few other tasks as the “ruler of the house of God.”
speaks about the rules High Priest as well as his authority over the people:
10 “ ‘The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair become unkempt or tear his clothes.
11 “Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well.”
2 chron
A King was added later for the Israelites (1 Kings), but for the people of God, the high priest was extremely important in terms of making sacrifices in atonement for personal and national sins.
Second, the ESV and other versions state that Jesus “passed through the heavens.” Not only was His sinless life, purposeful death, and victorious resurrection extremely important, but His Heavenly ascension is what establishes His authority!
Jesus sits on the Throne in Heaven as God because He is God!
10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Third, verse 14 is very clear about the identity of Jesus; “Jesus the son of God.” Jesus is not just a good teacher, religious prophet who said good things and spread good cheer. Jesus is not just the bringer of good news.
Jesus is the Son of God who IS GOOD NEWS!
30 I and the Father are one.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
What does this mean for us?
Jesus Christ is the Son of God who is our High Priest in that He not only administers the sacrifice for us for our sins from the Throne of Grace, but He Himself is the sacrifice!
Jesus Christ corners the market on forgiveness of sins and dispensing that forgiveness with His sinless life, purposeful death, and victorious resurrection.
That makes Jesus the great High Priest who has all power and authority when it comes to forgiveness of sins. Jesus can dispense grace and forgiveness and freedom from guilt because He sits on the throne of the universe with all authority and power.
2. Sympathy and Understanding
2. Sympathy and Understanding
When I say sympathy and understanding, what do you think of?
A person in your life who always has a great listening ear and who gives good advice? Wise parent? Mentor?
First, verse 15 states that Jesus, who sits on the throne of Grace, is one who can “sympathize with our weaknesses.” How?
Jesus knows all about our weaknesses because He was a human being. Jesus is 100% God, but He is also 100% human.
10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
phil
Jesus knew hunger ()
Jesus knew sadness and grief ()
Jesus knew what it was like to feel homeless ()
Jesus knew what it felt like to be lonely ()
Jesus knew what it meant to be utterly hated ()
Jesus knew what it was like to be betrayed by a friend ()
Second, Jesus was tempted by Satan physically and emotionally in every way that we are tempted, but He was “without sin.” This righteous perfect life allowed Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for us.
Jesus has the ability to forgive us because He had no sin of His own to pay for!
What does this mean for us?
You and I believe in a personal God who wants a relationship with us even though we have sinned and so He has made a way for our sins to be forgiven. We needed a sympathetic and understanding Savior!
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
That is a sympathetic and understanding High Priest!
Closing Illustration
Closing Illustration
A boy once noticed a sign, “Puppies for sale.” He asked, “How much do you want for the pups, mister?” “Twenty-five dollars, son.” The boy’s face dropped. “Well, sir, could I see them anyway?”
The man whistled and the mother dog came around the corner, followed by four cute puppies, wagging their tails and yipping happily. Then lagging behind, another puppy came around the corner, dragging one hind leg.
“What’s the matter with that one, sir?” the boy asked.
“Well, son, that puppy is crippled. The vet took an X-ray and found that it doesn’t have a hip socket. It will never be right.”
The man was surprised when the boy said, “That’s the one I want. Could I pay you a little each week?”
The owner replied, “But, son, you don’t seem to understand. That pup will never be able to run or even walk right. He’s going to be a cripple forever. Why would you want a pup like that?”
The boy reached down and pulled up his pant leg, revealing a brace. “I don’t walk too good, either.” Looking down at the puppy, the boy continued, “That puppy is going to need a lot of love and understanding. It’s not easy being crippled!” The man said, “You can have the puppy for free. I know you’ll take good care of him.”
16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
“Boldly” - freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech; openly, frankly, without ambiguity, without the use of figures and comparisons.