"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!