Get Good Relief Series

“The Road to a Better Life: Get Good Relief”

Heb. 4:14-5:10

It’s frustrating, isn’t it? You need help and dial an appropriate phone number and all you get is recorded options; there is no live person to assist you. And when you do finally reach a live person, they claim they’re not the person who can help you and they put you on hold while they transfer you to someone else.

Aren’t you glad that, when it comes to getting help and relief in your life, there is something, Someone, so much better? The letter to the Hebrews ties right into our age of tele-communications by providing a formula by which we can contact live Divine Aid. The number to dial is 8-476-634-7223 (THRONE GRACE).

Let’s begin at verse 16 of chapter 4: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence…” That is, to tap into our Divine Aid, DIAL THE RIGHT NUMBER – THE THRONE OF GRACE. What a marvelous invitation! APPROACH THE THRONE. We’ve never really seen throne but we have read some impressive descriptions. Consider the Psalms, for example. “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth…The Lord sits enthroned forever. The Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes behold, his eyelids test the children of men; …the Lord of Hosts, he is the King of Glory…the Lord sits enthroned forever over the flood. The Lord sits enthroned as king forever.” Recall the vision of Isaiah (6:1-4): “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.” Revelation 4 and 5 provide yet another glorious description. The overall impression is that the throne is the seat for, the primary residence of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The throne is THE CENTER FROM WHICH EMANATES THE POWER THAT SUSTAINS AND CONTROLS OUR WORLD. From this throne the Almighty, Holy God rules all worlds – at His voice heaven resounds with praise and hell trembles. And it’s at this throne where our Divine Aid begins!

But better still – this throne is THE THRONE OF GRACE. Rev. 4:1-3: “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.” The throne is surrounded by a rainbow. God’s grace is complete and full! This is not the great white throne of judgment – this is a throne of grace! GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER AND DOMINION ARE ROOTED IN LOVE AND GRACE. Our Divine Aid is rooted in love and grace. From the throne we will receive loving favor, even if we are utterly undeserving. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords has a grace-filled heart! To dial the throne is to tap into grace!

This certainly changes our view of prayer. As the hymn writer penned: “Thou art coming to a king, large petitions with thee bring, For his love and power are such, none can ever ask too much.” We do not dial up the throne to beg as a pauper or to settle for scraps; we approach expectantly to receive grace. For relief the number to dial is 8-476-634-7223– the throne of grace.

Once the call goes through THE NAME TO ASK FOR IS JESUS, THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST. What a beautiful title for and description of Jesus – Great High Priest. Jesus is, first of all, A PRIEST FOR US. (4:14-15) “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.” (5:7-8) “During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered…” We need someone who understands us, who can identify with us, to represent us at the throne. That someone is Jesus. He makes the ideal priest because He came all the way into our world and our lives. JESUS MEETS US WHERE WE ARE SO HE CAN ACT BEFORE GOD ON OUR BEHALF. The very Son of God has come all the way into our situations, understands our weaknesses and temptations; He has totally identified with us.