"God Understands" (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Introduction

It could be that someone has let you down badly, or even betrayed your confidence. Trust has been broken. God understands! How so?

After being together for three years, Jesus had his best friend Peter deny even knowing him. Another long-term follower, Judas, when he didn’t get his own way, betrayed Jesus to his death. God understands.

It could be that you feel lonely or abandoned – people aren’t connecting with you like they once did (even family members) – you feel isolated. God understands! How so?

When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, the people there refused to accept him, or acknowledge him as a wise teacher and healer – they weren’t going to allow him to grow and develop into someone that they couldn’t control or handle. God understands.

It could be that you have suffered disappointment – having been kind to someone, or sought to be friends, or having shared the good news of Jesus with them … only for them to have walked away. God understands! How so?

Jesus had people approach him (the rich young ruler was likely typical of others), only, sadly, for them to walk away, because they could NOT give Jesus first place or put their priorities properly in order. God understands.

It could be that you feel misunderstood or rejected – that people are NOT listening to you anymore. God understands! How so?

Jesus only wanted to bring a new dynamic of love, peace, healing, truth and hope, but the powerful and loud people of the day were more interested in themselves, and were unwilling to listen. Jesus came in love, and the crowd cried “Crucify Him”! God understands.

It could be that you are finding the pressure too much, and just want to take a different path, a seemingly easier path – one without so many challenges and possible dangers and potential pain. God understands! How so?

Before Jesus courageously decided to follow through with God’s will, he was sorely inclined to go another way as he prayed, “Please take this cup from me”. Here was real human anguish. God understands.

It could be that you feel beaten, and that all is lost – that you can’t take it anymore. You are plainly suffering. God understands! How so?

Even Jesus felt this way, when on the cross he felt that he had lost touch with God – the agony there was such that even Jesus felt forsaken by God (even though this was far from the case). Here was spiritual desolation. And we know Jesus suffered physical torture before and during his crucifixion. Jesus even experienced what death was like (prior to his resurrection). God understands.

It could be that you feel constantly under temptation and testing. God understands! How so?

As part of being human, Jesus was drawn into considerable temptation. This really tested his capacity to be God’s person. In the wilderness, on his own, hungry from a fast, the Devil offered Jesus control, fame and fortune in his own right … if Jesus would only worship the Devil instead of God. Even though Jesus resisted strongly, utilising the Word of God in his triumph, we cannot deny the power of the temptation. God understands.

Today, I want to suggest, from looking at three verses from Hebrews chapter 4, that God understands us … and all that is happening in us and around us. God was human too! And this makes all the difference … it really does!!

Excursus

Just a further comment on Jesus’ temptation (in the wilderness and any other time). We might think that because Jesus couldn’t or wouldn’t sin, that this lessens the power of the testing. But it is actually quite the opposite. This text and many others are clear about Jesus being human in every way. Therefore this temptation on Jesus would have been unrelenting. Past the point where we may have given in, Jesus continues to be tested. This is the point of the comment (at the end of verse 15), “yet without sin”. Jesus lived under a constant stream of pressure to take a different path, rather than be God’s person. God understands!

But also … Jesus not only can help us because he understands our dilemma … on top of this, Jesus knows how to help us fully deal with all the tests and completely dismiss the temptations!!

Purpose

The further proposition in these verses, is that because God understands, we can maintain our faith. It is because Jesus has endured the full range of testing and tempting that we do, that we can be fully guarded when we might tend to waver. And, because we can hold on to our faith, we can continue to be a positive witness to Jesus (through our daily lives). Our text from Hebrews says, “Let us hold fast to our confession … meaning “confession of faith” (v.14b)! So, as God does understand our various predicaments, we should NOT be easily swayed or diverted from faith, nor give in to disappointment or any perceived failure – lest our witness (to the truth) be diminished.

Our faith, being such a great treasure, should NOT be lightly abandoned … not when it has been so thoughtfully supported and resourced. This text takes us away from the possibility of dismissing faith … right across to the need to advertise it! As Jesus died for our faith ‘outside the gate’ – outside of his heavenly home – at ‘Golgotha’ – our faith needs to have life within the glare of the public. For, we can be assured, that when various troubles or temptations come, each of us can approach the “throne of grace” with boldness, and find Jesus there … welcoming us! Can we truly be encouraged and sustained by knowing that Jesus understands?!  

Hebrews Text

Jesus, the Son of God, second person of the Divine Trinity, is described here (in verse 14) as, “a great high priest”. This grand description signifies that Jesus is the ultimate One (above all others) … far superior to all other persons described as “priest” or even “high priest” – both in the range of what Jesus can do, and also in the effect that he can bring. As we also read here, Jesus “has passed through the heavens” – so Jesus has been with God and is God. Here is One who is Divine, but One who will also fulfil the highest form of ‘priestly’ service for us.

Jesus does not just provide entry to the inner sanctum where God lives … like the ‘priest’ did at the ancient temple. Jesus gave his life so that we could have free access to God anytime and all the time! The temple “priest” used to take people’s sins behind the altar curtain so that these could be forgiven; however, the “great high priest” Jesus … has torn the curtain right down. Jesus is not just the sort of ‘priest’ who grants forgiveness, so that we can go on to sin again (and repeat the process); rather, Jesus, as the “great high priest”, provides a way through which our whole life changes, as we respond to temptation and testing in completely different (and more productive) ways. We are NO LONGER slaves to sin!

But, I hear people say, isn’t God too holy, too perfect, too remote? Can God really understand me enough to love and forgive me? Well … the answer is yes! Look at verse 15: “For we DO NOT have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses …”. Because Jesus lived a real and complete human life, he is NOT aloof NOR distant from our daily situations, but rather completely in tune with the trials we face. Human frailty is not something Jesus has just heard about, this is something he has experienced for himself. Earlier in Hebrews (2:17) we read, Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, {to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people}.

Yes! Jesus perfectly understands what it means to be human – fragile, vulnerable, complex, mortal. Such states as these build inherent “weaknesses”, especially in the area where we often fight for our own needs (and sometimes ‘wants’) to the neglect of the others around us. Yet, in sharing our life, Jesus has “sympathy” with our weaknesses. This is the key truth of Christianity – the ‘incarnation’ – the close identification that God has formed with humanity – the compassionate face of God intersecting human life … a God (in Jesus) who saves and brings forgiveness, not from a distance, but from alongside! God is NOT distant – God is with us!! And because Jesus suffered, he has a natural connection to all those who suffer – Jesus suffers along with those who are (currently) suffering.

So, why would we ever hesitate, from throwing ourselves before Jesus (seeking help in “our time of need”)! Jesus has both provided our way forward into salvation and freedom, but also in the process, become fully understanding of the difficult path we often travel. We don’t have to be hesitant or tentative; rather, because we know how much God loves us, and that Jesus understands, we can be “bold” in our “approach” to “the throne of grace”. This is where God wants us after all, at the “throne of grace”, where we will find all of what we require for life … “in our time of need”.

The “throne of grace” in the old tabernacle was where the sacrificial blood was sprinkled. Now we are met by Jesus, who has done everything necessary on our behalf. We are met at the “throne of grace” with understanding for however we feel in life. We bring … our sense of betrayal or rejection, our loneliness or despair, our pride or sinfulness (as we have fallen for temptation) … all this … to the “throne of grace”, where we are received by Jesus, and then given the two most important life-changing gifts of all – “mercy” and “grace”. Jesus just wants to pour these out on us … like water from a jug – “mercy” and “grace”!

“Mercy” means that our sin, guilt and shame are set aside and forgiven, because Jesus has dealt with them on our behalf. As we humbly regret what our life has sometimes become, we are overcome with God’s “mercy” that sets us free. This IS NOT so much a repeating pattern, as it once may have been under the ‘old covenant’ – because we also receive “grace” (under the ‘new covenant’) – the ongoing favour of God that means we are accepted into Jesus’ Kingdom … this is where we belong now! This “grace” starts changing us into the image of Jesus, and giving us spiritual gifts through which to serve others, so we can make a difference for good, and grow Jesus’ Kingdom.

The Resource of Prayer

As the “great high priest” Jesus, understands us, sympathises with our weaknesses, and provides us with redemptive “mercy” and masses of “grace” – of course we would hold fast to our confession [of faith]! Wouldn’t we?!? Well, it’s still not always that easy! And we often get ourselves into a confused mind-space, and an emotional (and spiritual) pickle … even, at times, a bit of a panic. So, we have to remember that the “throne of grace” remains continually open and available to us.

Prayer is a vital resource tool here! Here we can express freely to God (and sometimes others as well) what is going on for us. Not that God doesn’t already know, but sometimes expressing how we feel brings new perspective and lessens the burden. This prayer can also open a new space for God to work! We then know for sure that God is on our side – and in some way or another … is bringing help (in this “our time of need”). As well, when we can’t find the words … and maybe can only groan, or weep – the Holy Spirit intercedes for us – and we can be in no doubt that God understands!

On the other hand … prayerlessness … let’s consider the implications of that. Prayerlessness suggests … that either … we can go it alone (which is prideful) and a bit ridiculous really (although we might easily drift that way), or, prayerlessness suggests … that there is NO God (which is basically atheistic). We need to always be prayerfully approaching the “throne of grace” … in humility … and in faith – expressing our needs. Then, God can only but help us – that is His promise!!

Conclusion

Thus, we should all be well-placed to live with some confident assurances. First … that the sin-barrier between us and God has been removed, and that we have free access and open communication with the God who loves us. This ‘sin-barrier’ was once-and-for-all broken through by the work of Jesus on the cross. We are forgiven in mercy, and spiritually recharged in grace. Second … that when we feel anything less than forgiven and free, or feel oppressed by the circumstances around us, or feel that our life is NOT as it should be – that God understands this fully, and draws us back to the “throne of grace”.

And, as we spend more time at the “throne of grace” – as we experience new resurrection life – we, like Jesus, will have the victory, and we will grow into His image, and more and more experience a victorious daily life. Jesus, our “great high priest”, makes all the difference and changes everything – especially how we think and react to our circumstances. In all this we can form a determination to cling to our “confession” of faith. This should become easier and more natural as we grow (emotionally and spiritually) over the journey of life. Amen!

"A Psalm for Today" - Psalm 24

Prelude

How do you react to the first verse of this psalm – The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it; the world, and those who live in it. What are the implications of this?

Introduction

Psalms, like this one, were written out of the life and faith experience of each writer. Psalms deeply reflect the highs and the lows of ancient people of faith. Because of their connection to real life, and the ultimate confidence in God often expressed within these psalms, they became very special writings to the people of God. Here were inspired words, set to music, to be used as part of community worship. Such words, as they were read and sung, would express how people felt about God and what they believed about God.

The gathered people of God, in synagogues and temples, would wholly engage with the faith contained in the words of such psalms. As the Jesus-following Christian community, from the first century on, also adopted these psalms, they would seek to understand how such words might apply to their current life situations. As an inspired Word from God to us now, we might also consider how the Holy Spirit is leading us to understand and apply these words today! So, this IS a Psalm for today.

My intention here, is to show that, through a full and growing appreciation of God’s intent in creation, we will be more prepared to embrace God’s active love toward all our neighbours right across this community and beyond. In being so convinced (in God’s creative genius), we will be more likely to get involved in the sort of initiatives that the Holy Spirit is already preparing the way for. As John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, the Holy Spirit is preparing the way for us. Simply, this psalm brings exciting possibilities!

God’s Creation

The first two verses identify that everything created belongs to God. Everything belongs to God by creative right (because God created it). Yet God is NOT claiming this in any tyrannical or possessive way, but mainly to remind us … as to whom we should always be deferring  … for our own benefit and blessing. This, of course, has strong implications for how we treat all God's creation … including the environment and animals. From the beginning, God called humanity to be good stewards – to care for the earth and all its benefits (Gen 1:26-31).

We, as the tenants, are supposed to look after well … this place in which we are blessed to be living – just as the Owner would look after it Himself! The basic question to ask is whether we are exploiters of God’s generosity to our own ends, as if the earth belonged to us (instead of God), or, conversely and more correctly … are we grateful and good stewards (of all God’s gifts and resources)? Do we store up for ourselves and potentially waste, or do we share – giving away what is beyond our needs?

As part of the outcome of the ‘fall’ … that followed God’s perfect act of creation … in that inappropriate use of human freewill, came the inequitable distribution of resources … that just gets worse and worse from generation to generation. And humans have abused God's generosity, by using natural resources intended for good purposes ... to make weapons of war and erect fences of separation. Bad stewardship has resulted in a world full of injustice, unfairness, and huge economic inequality!

That the world belongs to the Lord, also indicates that God would ideally want to have a relationship with every human being ever born. This is borne out further when Jesus came for everyone, seeking out each and every one that was lost (John 3:16-17, Luke 15:1-10). In verse 8, there is a sense that God is actively in a "battle" for the hearts and minds of people of all generations everywhere. As we shall see, God enlists us to be part of this "battle", via his 'great commission' to make disciples from all nations (Matt 28:18-20).

God called Abram to the promised land, so that ultimately ALL nations and ALL people could be blessed (Gen 12:3). Jesus knows and loves everyone, including those that we don’t yet know nor yet love. God’s wants us to join with that vision of all the earth being the Lord’s. This is why we need a broad view of how God is moving around us, and what God might be leading us into. All of this locality and the community around us … ultimately belongs to God; God desiring that nothing is lost.

To the issue of the earth's fragility, where we witness, or even experience, events like drought, flood, cyclone and earthquake – this reminds us of our dependence on God … and that we can’t take life for granted. When you can’t trust the ground you’re standing on, what (or who) can you have faith in? Where is God in this? Answer: right in the midst! The very name of Jesus means, “God is with us” (Matt 1:23). Paul says that NOTHING can separate us from God’s love found in Jesus (Rom 8:35-39). 

As we know, with all the various diseases and medical conditions that can affect us – life itself is fragile. And then when we remark on the amount of evil and violence in the world – our need of God and a large measure of his peace (through which we can endure) is amplified in our minds. All the noise around us, all the stresses of living in a broken world, should lead us back toward placing our ultimate trust and allegiance in the God who only wants to love us. Whatever awaits you around the corner, God is already there. And the God that has defeated evil on the cross and at the open grave, can grant us victory over our circumstances.

This is a crucial element of faith, because, as Tim Costello puts it, “the earth is clearly in agony”. We live under various levels of stress, particularly relational anxiety. Yet, despite all this, we should, for the sake of the future, keep celebrating God’s creative and abundant goodness. The apostle Paul looks forward to the children of God being revealed as the creation is healed (Rom 8:19). And, ultimately we have the vision of the “new heaven and new earth”, where suffering and evil are past history.

In the meantime – our discipleship of Jesus … includes the good and just stewardship of where we currently live. Ultimately, God’s ways will win the day, but, in the present, God calls us into the “battle”. This also leads our thoughts in the direction of the need to help one another through the traumas of life. Some need to learn how to help others, some need to learn how to let others help them. As God’s intention for the earth, was for us to multiply and fill it (Gen 1:28) – we cannot think individually or selfishly, but rather see ourselves as part of a huge human family, which is represented by our own neighbourhoods.

And, as we come to know Jesus as our king, rather than Caesar (or whatever other alternative is before us), we also come to appreciate our local church as our spiritual community within our neighbourhood. Yet this spiritual community (or church) is NOT exclusive – it does NOT exclude our neighbourhood … NO! Rather we are a particular and unique resource for our neighbourhood. This is all the long way of saying that, on earth, and in life, we need each other ... we need each other to successfully tackle life's challenges. Community and teamwork is the genius of God’s creation! We were created by Divine community FOR human community!!

God’s Procession

We see in verses 3 to 6 of our Psalm 24, a description of those who are proceeding into the full appreciation of God’s creative and redeeming glory. These are worshippers, worshippers with integrity, integrity that counts! As the statement of the opening verses is a call to embrace God’s universal concern and care for all that he has created – verses 3 to 6 provide an explanation of how we are to partner God in this concern. This is about our character – who we are – who we are in Christ (Galatians 2:19-20)! We are supposed to be reflecting the character of God – the person of Jesus.

We could see this as worshippers heading for the ancient temple or synagogue, or to the modern church; or we could see this as the attitude of our hearts having already arrived in the place of worship. But as God is everywhere … at all times, this is best seen as the attitude we should bring to the whole of our lives. How can we be seen as God’s person in the cut and thrust of world affairs? As we read in verse 5 – how can we receive the best blessing, how can we prove the reality of our faith, and how can we enjoy the best relationships?

Answer: clean hands and a pure heart (v 4)! Here is an assessment of both our … visible conduct … and our internal motives!! This covers all our external behavioural patterns and actions (“clean hands”), and all our internal thought patterns and motivations  (“pure heart”). This means that we are given over to the truth, and do not follow any false paths. We do NOT give our ‘soul’ over to any ‘shams’ … that can only betray us and leave us empty! We should NEVER have intentions of misleading or harming our neighbour (CC Broyles). Jesus himself famously said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matt 5:8).

A fuller appreciation of God’s magnificent creative purpose, combined with a desire for “clean hands and pure hearts”, will open up space within this community for a great and broad response to the movement of God’s Spirit.

God’s Presence

As mentioned by both John and Rhett in their recent messages, we can’t allow other pursuits … that we might describe as ‘worthless’ or ‘less than best’ … get in the way of our peace, nor stop us moving forward (out of our comfort). As we look at verse 7, we need to have the “gates” of blessing wide open! Wide open – so that “the King of Glory may come in” (v7,9)!! And lest we be wrongly individualistic about this – this is also about opening the “doors” so that others might receive the blessing. And we know that so many people need the blessing of knowing the “King of Glory”!

Verses 7-10 envision open “doors” for the strong and mighty One to enter and transform our lives, and the life of our church, and the life of our community. This may have been acted out in ancient times with the “ark of the covenant”, representing the presence of God, being ushered through the gates of the holy temple. We need to acknowledge the Lord’s presence in our spiritual gatherings ... if we are to avoid just being at another meeting … if we are to experience something new from the Holy Spirit … if we are to fulfil God's intentions for us.

As John said two weeks ago, we need to worship God, so God can minister to our needs. God wants us to worship Him, because God knows the good results this can bring – as we humble ourselves and look into the face of purity and compassion (Matt 5:3,8). We need to acknowledge the Creator of the Earth … to release God’s power!

At the same time, these verses (7-10) also envision open invitation, welcome, hospitality, acceptance and belonging. There is space for everyone here, if they could just experience the “King of Glory”. How wide do we keep the “gates” of God’s Kingdom open for others, through the integrity and faith of how we do life (ourselves)? Do we see the possibilities of Jesus in the faces of all people (including of different backgrounds, experiences and lifestyles). Can we serve them in Jesus’ name (Matt 25:34-45)? If we were to exclude any people … by design or in effect, then we also would exclude ourselves!!

Conclusion

This takes us back to verse 4, and to whether we have humbly and fully surrendered ourselves to Jesus. It is the righteousness of Jesus himself that is being offered to us. Through the cross we find forgiveness and freedom, through the resurrection we find new hope and purpose. We become part of what God is seeking to achieve in the minds and hearts of all the people who live around us.

We become part of celebrating and serving all creation, as a forerunner for the time when we will live in the ‘new heaven and new earth’. Despite the pain around us, and the suffering within us, we come to recognise and appreciate God’s peace. And, in living and worshipping in all integrity, we open the “gates” of God’s Kingdom to all those that God loves. Amen!