THE THRONE OF GRACE
HEBREWS 4:14-16
#throneofgrace
READ Hebrews 4:14-16 (READ THE PASSAGE ALOUD TOGETHER)
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. 15 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. 16 Let us therefore approach the 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
The phrase “throne of grace.” It caught my eye for a very particular reason. A good friend of mine always uses the phrase “throne of grace” when he begins his prayers. “Lord, we come before Your throne of grace…” something like that. I know it is a phrase from Scripture, this Scripture that we just read, but it is not a phrase that I use on a regular basis. So, when I was reading through Scripture, it caught my eye.
What is the throne of grace?
Who sits on the throne of grace?
Why is the throne of grace important?
How do we approach the throne of grace?
I believe in the context of the verse that it is clear that the “throne of grace” refers to the throne of God in Heaven. Did you know God has a throne? He does. That throne is mentioned several times in Scripture:
READ 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. 2 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. 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.
READ Ezekiel 1:25-28
Then there came a Voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, 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…
READ Daniel 7:9-10
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.
READ Revelation 4:2-8
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
Just reflect on those passages a minute and what the throne room of God must be like. It is definitely beyond our comprehension, but we have a glimpse of the glory of God and His power. God gives us a few glimpses into Heaven. The descriptions of God on His throne are amazing! Thrilling! Awe inspiring! It is this throne that the writer of Hebrews has in mind when they write about the “throne of grace.” God on His throne. Jesus on His throne. In Hebrews 4:14-16, the “throne of grace” is described in two main ways… authority and power and then sympathy and understanding. Authority and power. Sympathy and understanding.
THE THRONE OF GRACE: AUTHORITY AND POWER (VERSE 14)
ILLUSTRATION… Authority and Power (p)
Whenever I think of authority and power, I cannot help but think of my junior and senior year in high school when I was in AJROTC. My father was in the Army the whole time I was growing up, but Army ROTC in high school was really my only experience with rank and authority and such. I started out as a junior as the lowest rank… obviously… I was a private. I soon was promoted and was PFC… big man on campus right? If you don’t know ranks… that is Private First Class… still not all that great. I actually was student of the month as a PFC and they promoted me again to 2nd Lieutenant. It doesn’t work that way in the real Army, but in a class… yes it does.
By the time I was a senior, I was a Cadet Captain and was in charge of conducting inspections of uniforms for our class, instructed other students how to march and of ROTC basics, and made the decisions on what students got which awards for all the classes for the whole school. Pretty spiffy. Rank brought authority. Rank brought power. Now the teachers were still in charge of the class of course, but in ROTC students do have responsibility. When I think of authority and power, that is one of the parts of my life I think of… and there are others. I think of the authority and power of being a husband and a father which came as a young adult and I still have. I think of the authority and power of being a minister of the Gospel in churches and the great responsibility that this holds.
When I say the words “authority” and “power,” what do you think of? It might be some organization you are a part of… or a club... or maybe you think to yourself that you have never had any authority or any power and you have always been under such things.
This passage of Hebrews 4:14-16 makes it very clear that the “throne of grace” that is mentioned is rooted in authority and power.
First, we have mentioned in verse 14 Jesus as the “Great High Priest.” In the nation of Israel, the high priest was the person who had all authority and all power when it came to religion, sacrifices, some legal decisions, spiritual and physical fitness for worship, and other tasks and was considered to be the “ruler of the house of God” (Leviticus 21:10; 2 Chronicles 19:11). A king was added later for the Israelites (1 Kings), but for the people of God, the high priest was extremely important especially in terms of making sacrifices in atonement for personal and national sin.
Second, the passion mentions also in verse 14 that Jesus has “Gone Through the Heavens.” Not only is Jesus’ sinless life, purposeful death, and victorious resurrection extremely important, but His Heavenly ascension (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, Acts 1) also establishes Jesus as the total authority and power. Notice it says Jesus went “through the heavens.” When Jesus ascended from the earth, He did not get stuck in the atmosphere or stop off at the moon and build a winter cabin or get caught somewhere around Saturn, but exited our plane of existence and entered the spiritual realm in Heaven. Jesus sits on the throne in Heaven as God because He is God. Revelation 7:10 says, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." The Lamb is Jesus.
Third, verse 14 is very clear the identity of Jesus… “Jesus the Son of God.” Jesus is not some Jewish guy from a dinky town Who made it big. Jesus is not just a good teacher. Jesus is not a 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! Jesus is God. Jesus is made of the same stuff as God. John 10:30, “I and the Father are one." John 14:9, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Jesus speaks about God in John 17:21, “You are in Me and I am in You.” Jesus is God with all the authority and power that this means.
APPLICATION
What does this mean for us?
Jesus Christ is the Son of God 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 our 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.
THE THRONE OF GRACE: SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING (VERSES 15-16)
ILLUSTRATION… Sympathy and Understanding (p)
Whenever I think of sympathy and understanding, I cannot help but think of some car accidents our family had recently. Trying to get home one Sunday after we cancelled evening service, I slid off the road in my truck. I wasn’t going fast like my 22-year-old self would have been, but I still slid. The next day or perhaps the day after, Abby slid off the road as well in her car and got some minor damage.
I had sympathy and understanding for her because I had just gone through the same thing. She said she was not speeding or doing anything foolish. Even if she had been driving too fast or foolishly, when I was exactly her age I was going too fast and I was driving foolishly and I totaled my dad’s car. It was the first car he had ever purchased new and paid off… he loved that car. I wrecked it. I not only wrecked it… I totaled it out of use.
Sympathy and understanding comes from a heart that has experience and wisdom combined with love.
When I say the words “sympathy” and “understanding,” what do you think of? It might be a person in your life who always has a great listening ear and who gives good advice. You might think of a wise parent or mentor. Like me you might think of a time when you had sympathy and understanding for a person or when someone lavished sympathy and understanding on you.
This passage of Hebrews 4:14-16 makes it very clear that the “throne of grace” that is mentioned is rooted in sympathy and understanding.
First, the passage makes it very clear in verse 15 that Jesus, who sits on the throne, is one who can “Sympathize with Our Weaknesses.” How can God do that? Jesus Christ knows all about our weaknesses because He was a human being. Jesus Christ is 100% God, but He is also 100% human.
Philippians 2:6-8 teaches us, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!”
Jesus knew hunger (Matthew 4:2).
Jesus knew sadness and grief (John 11:35).
Jesus knew what it was like to feel homeless (Matthew 8:20).
Jesus knew what it felt like to be used (John 6:26).
Jesus knew what it felt like to be lonely (Matthew 26:40).
Jesus knew what it meant to be utterly hated by someone else (John 5:18).
Jesus knew what it was like to be personally betrayed by a trusted friend (Luke 22:62)
And then to forgive that friend face-to-face (John 21:15-17).
Second, the passage makes it very clear in verse 15 that Jesus of Nazareth was tempted by Satan and physical sin and emotional sin and in all ways that we are, but He was “without sin.” This righteous perfect life allowed Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for us. Jesus forgives us because He has no sin of His own to pay for. That is incredibly important as we think about Jesus’ death on the cross.
APPLICATION
What does this mean for us?
You and I believe in a personal God who wants a relationship with us and understands that we have temptation and sin and has made a way for us to be forgiven. God knows only He is perfect. We are not. We need Him. We need a Savior. We need a sympathetic and understanding Savior to guide us in this life and move us along towards God the Father.
I’d like us to read the passage again together if we could.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (READ THE PASSAGE ALOUD TOGETHER)
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. 15 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. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
ILLUSTRATION… bible.org/seriespage/lesson-14-throne-grace-hebrews-414-16
There is an old story, but a good one:
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.”
Now that is a very limited illustration of what we are encountering in this passage today, but does shed light on Truth for the questions we started with. After we first read the passage, I asked:
What is the throne of grace?
Who sits on the throne of grace?
Why is the throne of grace important?
How do we approach the throne of grace?
The “throne of grace” is the throne of God in Heaven on which victorious Jesus Christ our Savior sits and dispenses grace and mercy to us fueled by the forgiveness He bought for us with His own blood.
The “throne of grace” is a symbol of the authority of Jesus to forgive us.
The “throne of grace” is a symbol of the power in Christ we have to approach a relationship with God.
The “throne of grace” is the sympathy of Jesus Christ in action on our behalf.
The “throne of grace” is where understanding are handed out by our gracious God.
CHALLENGE
I challenge you today to draw near to God confidently in prayer because He understands us.
I challenge you today to draw near to God confidently in His Word because He wants to speak to you.
I challenge you today to humbly ask God for forgiveness in the Name of Jesus who died for you.
I challenge you today to invest in your spiritual walk with God and you will find the help you need.
PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL
You might be asking yourself, how do I have a relationship with God?
In John 14:6, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Step #1 in a relationship with God is accepting in faith that Jesus is the Son of God and He died for you. That involves repentance of sin and sinful lifestyles and a choice to pursue God’s will for your life. That is acted out in immersion (baptism) where forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit is given (Acts 2:38).
CONCLUSION IN PRAYER
