Approaching the Throne
Notes
Transcript
Making the Call
Making the Call
Marine 1
Marine 1
On a rainy day in West Virginia, David Urey and his family were involved in a near fatal car crash. His son and he only suffered mild injuries but his pregnant wife on the other hand. His wife was badly hurt, she had a broken back and a scalp injury. She went to the hospital in West Virginia but all they could do was to temporarily keep her stable. She needed a neurosurgeon and the closest one was 150 miles away at Georgetown Hospital.
There was another problem. There were no helicopters available that could make the 150 mile trip. Urey called and called but nobody could do it. Urey though was an attorney for a defence contractor and made a desperate call to Quantico Marine base and spoke to general in charge, explaining the situation. Even Quantico didn’t have a helicopter large enough to do the job but suggested the President’s helicopter could do the job.
Undetered Urey called the Whitehouse and asked to speak to “whoever was in charge of helicopters” and was put into contact with a General Hughes who listened to his story and then sent the President’s helicopter to aid David Urey’s family.
David’s son recovered from his injuries after a few weeks. His wife gave birth to new healthy baby boy and eventually she made a full recovery as well.
Principles Illustrated
Principles Illustrated
There are really a number of biblical principles being illustrated here.
Have Not
Have Not
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Often times our needs go unmet, because we fail to ask God meet our needs. If Urey had never called the Whitehouse, he wouldn’t have gotten the help his wife needed.
But even still. James 4 continues in verse 3
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
See, if David Urey had called the Whitehouse and gotten ahold of a general, only to explain that he needed the helicopter to get him quickly to baseball game that he was running late for, the general would have hung up on him. But because his desire was not for himself but was for the urgent need of his wife. His request was granted.
Boldness
Boldness
But there is another principle I think we need to consider. Calling the Whitehouse and requesting Marine 1 for your wife’s transportation was a bold move. But Urey was desperate and his desperation called for boldness.
This morning as we look at the conclusion of Hebrews chapter 4, I want you to think about David Urey’s boldness. And just as it is boldness that allowed Urey to petition the Whitehouse for help, it is in boldness that you and I may approach the throne of God for our petitions.
If you have your Bible with you this morning, please read along with me in Hebrews, chapter 4 starting in verse 14
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The title of our message this morning is Approaching the Throne
Let’s Pray
Unworthy
Unworthy
What is boldness?
What is boldness?
What does it mean to approach the throne of God with boldness? Boldness in the greek is the word παρρησία (parrēsia) meaning a state of boldness and confidence, especially in intimidating circumstances.
To call the Whitehouse takes a certain level of boldness, but to approach the All-Mighty God on his throne in heaven is a level far above that.
On their faces
On their faces
Abraham before his name change, in Genesis 17 found himself before the Lord. Staring in verse 1
1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
But in verse 3
Genesis 17:3 (KJV 1900)
3 And Abram fell on his face .....
But Abraham isn’t the only one.
In 2 Chronicles the Shekinah Glory, the cloud of the presence of God appeared and we read in chapter 5 verse 14
14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.
In the presence of God, the priests couldn’t remain standing.
In Numbers 22:31 we read
31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
So, just in seeing the --angel-- of the Lord, Balaam fell flat on his face. And we could go on.
Who are we?
Who are we?
Yet what I am telling you this morning is that you are to approach the Throne of God, boldly. With confidence.
But you know as well as I do that you aren’t worthy to stand before God and you have done nothing to deserve the grace that you have gotten already. This isn’t something that is unique to you or to me but is is systemic of the entire human race. We are not worthy to be before the throne of God.
If we have an honest heart, we have to be like the Centurion. In Matthew 8. The centurion had a sick servant and when Jesus said he would come heal him, what was his response?
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
It’s a proper perspective
It’s a proper perspective
Self worth or self esteem are big conversations in our culture, and they are big conversations under the tent of Christianity. You don’t have to dig very hard to find the question asked by believers:
Why do I feel unworthy of God
The answer is, its because you — are — unworthy of God.
And we have to have that perspective if we are going to appreciate the grace of God.
Imputed Righteousness
Imputed Righteousness
What we do have is Imputed Righteousness. Now that is a ten-dollar theological term, I get that.
But the word Impute is a legal term. In law, to impute means to place responsibility or blame on one person for acts commited by someone else. For instance, if a child is caught driving a car without a license, the court may place the responsibility of that child’s criminal action upon the parent whose negligence allowed that to occur.
But we aren’t talking about our getting blame or responsibility. Quite the contrary. You and I, on our own have absolutely no righteousness. But what we have is the righteousness of Christ held to our account.
2 Corinthians 5:21 says this
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
And this imputation of righteousness is obtained now the same way it has always been obtained:
Genesis 15:6 says of Abraham
6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
And today for you and I to have the righteousness of Christ imputed upon us — for our legal standing to be that of the holiness of Jesus what do we need to do? The same thing that Abraham did. We need to believe in the Lord. We need to trust God in full obedience. Consider the context, this is no easy believism we are talking about. Abraham believed in God to such an extend that he was willing to offer his son trusting that God would provide a sacrifice.
Because of his faith in the Lord, he was counted righteous. And you and I — even though we are not worthy — if we have faith in Christ as our savior, and Lord that faith will also be counted as righteousness.
Coming Boldly
Coming Boldly
This morning, our passage in Hebrews tells us to come Boldly.
There are actually 2 cause and effect statements here. Follow along with me in your Bible in Hebrews 4, Hebrews 4:14 says:
Cause & Effect #1
Cause & Effect #1
Hebrews 4:14 (KJV 1900)
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God......
So since we have such a great high priest in Jesus, who is the Son of God, what should we do. Well, verse 14 continues
Hebrews 4:14 (KJV 1900)
......let us hold fast our profession.
We should continue in our commitment to Christ
Cause & Effect #2
Cause & Effect #2
But Hebrews Chapter 4 continues with another Cause & Effect that builds on to this
Verse 15 gives us the cause
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews says this in the negative, but let me re-state it in the positive.
Jesus is our High Priest. He is the one who brokers the relationship between us and God the Father. And even though you and I fall short and are unworthy Christ has sympathy for us. When you and I fail and give in to temptation, we may see this as disqualifying to have relationship with God. But it’s not so. See if we are truly repentant (which is different from sorry I got caught) If we are truly repentant then Christ our High Priest can empathize with us. He was tempted the same way that we have been tempted.
I don’t necessarily think it is wise to rattle off a laundry list of things that could cause temptation, but understand those things that tempt you are the same things that tempted Jesus. Of course, the difference is that when Jesus was faced with those temptations, in his divinity he never sinned. Where as you and I, far too often do.
And so, if the cause is that Jesus, our high priest is sympathetic to our sinful situation, what is the effect? Read with me in v16
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Because Christ is merciful, we may obtain mercy. Because Christ is gracious we may receive grace.
You have probably heard the phrase at some point in your life “Everybody should work in the service industry at least once”
The North Texas Daily Newspaper featured an article on that very subject and said of those in the service industry
“serving isn’t totally different from being the president. You get blamed for everything, you don’t sleep much and a few weeks in you’ll probably regret taking the job.”
and then goes on
“Despite its faults, serving is something that teaches you how to deal with adversity, stress and the public. Over time, you learn how to navigate these minefields and diffuse situations without igniting the building or your brain. Most importantly, it teaches you to sympathize with the people who work these jobs.”
This often the problem with politicians and management in companies. They have never had their boots on the ground, they have never experienced the perspective of those who they lead.
But it’s not so with our savior. He is God, but we can have the confidence that he understands and sympathizes with our situation because he condescended His throne in heaven to walk among us and be tempted by the flesh in the same way that we are.
Phone Anxiety
Phone Anxiety
There is a fear called, phone anxiety or telephobia. Where people are anxious to call people and have conversations on the phone.
I have to admit that sometimes I feel this way. I would much rather have a conversation, especially a serious conversation face to face rather than over the phone. I can’t read people’s body language over a phone and it’s like trying to communicate with one of your senses tied behind your back.
We can experience telephobia with God. There are things that can hinder our prayer life and cause us to not be comfortable in communicated with God.
We can lack empathy and mercy ourselves, Proverbs 21:13 says
13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, He also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
We can not see our communication with God come to anything if we waiver in our faith.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
The subject is on gaining wisdom from the Lord, but the point concludes that those whose faith waivers will not receive anything of God.
But most importantly we read this in John 9:31
31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
I want to encourage you this morning, that you may approach the throne of God with confidence. He is not some far off and unapproachable God of our imagination, but a God that cares and is merciful towards us.
I hope this morning that you are confident before the throne of God, that have no barrier in reaching out to God in your struggles and weaknesses.
But this morning if you aren’t a worshipper of God. If you aren’t commited to doing his will. I don’t want you to be fooled. Right here in verse 31 of the Gospel of John we read this truth, that God will not hear your prayer.
But friends if you put you turn away from your sin and commit yourself to Christ, putting your faith and trust in him as your savior then his righteousness will be imputed on you. And then you may approach the throne of God boldly. Knowing that Jesus is merciful, ready with grace, and sympathizes with whatever you are going through.
Sometimes if feels like nobody else in the world knows what we are going through. And you may be right. But Jesus always does.
Closing
Closing
If you would like to discuss this morning becoming a follower of Jesus I would love to talk to you after we conclude in prayer in just a few moments. If you are at home watching online you can send a message to our church and I will reach out to you confidentially. Please don’t walk out of here this morning or close this video if you are at home without having confidence that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior
Let’s Pray