JEREMIAH 1:4-19 - JEREMIAH AGAINST THE WORLD

JEREMIAH 1:4-19 - 'JEREMIAH AGAINST THE WORLD'

For this series we are using the title God gave to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:3b "I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

JEREMIAH A PROPHET TO THE NATIONS

His ministry extended beyond Jerusalem, Judah and the Jew to the nations. Not just the nations of his day, but as he spoke God's word his written messages live on and address the whole world today.

JEREMIAH 1:1-3 THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME AND KEPT COMING OVER THE REIGN OF THREE KINGS

Jeremiah the son Hilkiah, a priest from a discredited and disenfranchised family line (Abithar who sided against Solomon), from a small 'Levite' village in the territory of the small tribe of Benjamin, Anathoth 3 miles outside of Jerusalem.

Not a particularly auspicious beginning....but God had his plans and purposes for Jeremiah.

He prophesied from 627-587 BC (over 40 years).

The three major kings during that time were:

[1] Josiah: The last of the good kings. Jeremiah begun to prophecy half way through his reign.

[2] Jehoiakim: 2 Chron 36:5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

[3] Zedekiah: 2 Chron 36:11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. v12 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. v13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

2Ki 25:7 They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon.

The final words of the introduction: until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month. They take us forward to Lamentations. Jeremiah answers the question: how did it all come to this!

The major theme of the book is the word of the Lord. This forms the bookends: Jeremiah 1v3 & 51v64.

JEREMIAH 1:4-19 - 'JEREMIAH AGAINST THE WORLD'

1. KNOWN, CONSECRATED & APPOINTED BEFORE CONCEIVED! v4-5

God does not come to Jeremiah to ask him if he would like to apply for the job of prophet to the nations. He does not ask Jeremiah to volunteer for a tough and dangerous assignment. No, He informs Jeremiah of his appointment. Until this moment Jeremiah was not aware of this because it all happened before he was even conceived!

v5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

When Jesus says 'follow me' (Mark 1v17; 2v14; 8v34; 10v21) he is not acting as a recruiting Sargent, these words are a summons, he is issuing a command. He is King.

Paul preaches to the proud, free thinking, Greeks in Athens, Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Those who came to sit in judgement upon Paul and his new teaching are themselves summoned by God, through the Apostle, to repent.

Paul call was outwardly very different than that of Jeremiah, but 'behind the scenes' there are great similarities. He writes about this in Galatians 1v15-16 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles,

The same is true for every Christian in regard to:

a) Our creation: Psalm 139v16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.

b) Our salvation: Ephesians 1v4-6 ...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace,

c) Our calling. No Christian ever just 'does a job'. We all serve the Lord in whatever we are doing.

Colossians 3v22-24 Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Question to ponder: Does God merely know the future or is he there already? (Time has not always existed. God created time. Did he cage himself into time? We are creatures of time. He is God!)

2. OBJECTIONS RAISED AND ANSWERED - v6-8

Jeremiah was not the first to raise objections to his call. Moses raised more objections, with greater persistence, and insistence, as to his unsuitability for his calling - see Exodus 3v1-4v17.

Jeremiah pleads that he is too young for the task - v6.

How old was he?

The Lord is having none of it. Why should he! He is God. He does not make mistakes. YOU SHALL GO....YOU SHALL SPEAK...I AM WITH YOU.

"Statistically the most frequent divine command in the bible: 'Do not be afraid'." (Christopher Wright)

How is it that Jeremiah is not to fear? God gives him a promise to remember and plead when ever he does feel afraid (there will be many occasions): "for I am with you.."

3. COMMISSIONED - v9-10

A vision? A theophany? An experience? Isaiah and Ezekiel had similar experiences when they were called.

Isaiah 6v6-7; Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Ezekiel 2v9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it., 3v3. And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.

The scope of his commission is extensive - v10. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Watch out for these six terms for they will reoccur at key moments in his message. This is what the word of the Lord that Jeremiah delivers will do.

4. FIRST WORDS - v11-19

So Jeremiah begins his ministry.

1st Word: The word of the Lord IS the word of the LORD - v11-12

The ESV margin explains that this is a play on words. The word for almond sounds like the Hebrew for watching.

Jeremiah is bringing the word of the Lord. He need have no fear for God will perform what his word says. The penalty for claiming to speak the word of the Lord and that word not to come true was death - see Deuteronomy 18v15-22.

Deut 18v22 ....when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Jeremiah need have no fear God will not leave him speaking empty words, prophesy that fails. Throughout his ministry people claimed that he was a false prophet. Events would prove otherwise.

2nd Word: The word of the Lord says INVASION FROM THE NORTH - v13-19.

The prophet doesn't get to chose his message, or those to whom he delivers it. (Nor does the preacher - we are to preach the whole counsel of God. Visiting preachers do not preach everything because many things take more than 35 minutes to teach & preach. Christians are better off with a lessor gifted preacher who seeks to preach everything than the finest visiting preachers in the land, although at time sit may not feel like it.)

If Jeremiah's first word was easy, the second is really throwing him in at the deep end - invasion from the North! Not just one but a succession. Invasions that will reach to the very gates of Jerusalem. A message of judgement. Accusations of evil and forsaking the Lord.

Kings, officials, priests and people will all react with hostility towards Jeremiah. They will fight against him. But the Lord's earlier promise, v8, to deliver Jeremiah stands.

Thompson has well said: "The man who fears man also has God to fear."

Jeremiah is told to literally 'gird up his loins' (v17 ESV dress yourself for work).

1Peter 1:13 AV Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, (ESV preparing your minds for action,) be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

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JEREMIAH 1:1-3

JEREMIAH - 'A PROPHET TO THE NATIONS'

Have you seen Michaelangelo's picture of Jeremiah in the Sistine Chapel - 'the weeping prophet'. There is some justification for this image of the prophet:

Jer 9:1 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Jer 13:17 But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.

Jer 14:17 “You shall say to them this word: ‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.

Jeremiah wept over the people's refusal to repent and the coming judgement they would face.

Yet, we must not be fooled into thinking that Jeremiah was a weak man. No one survives as a prophet for the length of time he did, with the opposition he faced, without a certain toughness and strength of character. Jeremiah was no softy!

In the 4th Century Athanasius stood virtually alone against the onslaught of heretical teaching ravaging the Church of his day. Athanasius the world is against you they said. To which he replied then: "Athanasius contra mundum", that is, "Athanasius against the world". Jeremiah exhibited this same spirit as he stood virtually on his own. In addition to this, it takes an inner spiritual strength to weep for a nation.

I'm not going to call our series: 'Jeremiah the weeping prophet' because he was far more than that, and that image may colour our understanding of his message. I'm using the title God gave him in Jeremiah 1:3b "I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

JEREMIAH A PROPHET TO THE NATIONS

His ministry extended beyond Jerusalem, Judah and the Jew to the nations. Not just the nations of his day, but as he spoke God's word his written messages live on and address the whole world today.

What is the longest book in the OT? (Psalms)

The second longest? (Jeremiah)

JEREMIAH 1:1-3 THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME AND KEPT COMING OVER THE REIGN OF THREE KINGS

1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

A. MEET JEREMIAH & FAMILY

[1] He is the son of Hilkiah is not the high priest of the same name in 2 Kings 22:4. Hilkiah is a....well a nobody!

[2] Jeremiah is of a priestly family and may have been a priest himself, but this is unlikely as unlike Ezekiel he makes no mention of this in his writings.

[3] He comes from a small village, Anathoth, located 3 miles north-east of Jerusalem, close to the wilderness that leads to the Dead Sea.. Look up Anathoth on a map. It is still a small village today.

[4] Anathoth was one of the places set aside for the Levites in the territory of the small tribe of Benjamin.

Joshua 21:17 ..then out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasturelands, Geba with its pasturelands, v18 Anathoth with its pasturelands, and Almon with its pasturelands--four cities.

Abiathar the priest had served David but after his death sided with Adonijah against Solomon. Zadok the Priest sided with Solomon. Abiathar had chosen the loser and was exiled to his home village. After that the priesthood remained in the control of Zadok and his family.

He was from a family of losers, in a tribe of losers, in a small place of even smaller significance.

You might think his family would be honoured to have one of their number as a prophet. You might also think they would support his attack on the political and religious establishment that had seen their family sidelined for so long.

Read Jeremiah 11:18-23. Small wonder that Jeremiah wept!

Don't judge a book by it's cover. Don't judge a person by their family, where they come from, the school they attended...etc.

1Sam 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

George Whitfield learnt that lesson and eventually John Wesley did as well. How easily we forget!

B. 627-587 BC AND ALL THAT!

v2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

v3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

Read the ESV Study Bible introduction or something similar to get a feel for the 'history' of the times in which Jeremiah lived.

[1] Josiah: The last of the good kings. Jeremiah begun to prophecy half way through his reign.

[2] Jehoiakim: Boo every time he appears (he is a real bady!). He is the one who burned the first and at that time only copy of Jeremiah, so he had to write it out all over again - see Chapter 36.

2 Chron 36:5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

v8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and the abominations that he did, and what was found against him, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.

[3] Zedekiah: Weak, useless and he did evil!

2 Chron 36:11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

v12 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD.

v13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

2Ki 25:7 They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon.

The final words of the introduction: until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month. They take us forward to Lamentations. Jeremiah answers the question: how did it all come to this!

The answer is seen in Jeremiah's ministry, v2 to whom the word of the LORD came.

God spoke through Jeremiah. He causes his word to be written. This is not a collection of the works of Jeremiah. It is the word of the Lord through him, written first of all to those in exile in Babylon.

The first half of Jeremiah's ministry was carried out during the decline and fall of the Assyrian empire. The second half in the rise and establishment of the Babylonian empire. In short Jeremiah lived in a time of massive change in the world.

The book of Jeremiah is not in chronological order. It is in the order that best presents it's message.

The major theme of the book is the word of the Lord. This forms the bookends: Jeremiah 1v3 & 51v64. Statistics show the importance of the word - see Andrew Shead/Chris Wright

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HEBREWS 5:1-10 'THE HIGH PRIEST YOU NEED'

'THE HIGH PRIEST YOU NEED'

Hebrews 5:1-10

Sometimes someone will refer to me as a Priest. That tells me three things:

[1] They are not familiar with the names we give those who serve in our churches: Minister, Elder, or Pastor.

They properly come from a Roman Catholic background where they have Priests.

[2] They are seeking to show some respect and regard to the position I have here. I don't take any offence to them calling me a priest - but

[3] It shows me that they do not understand the gospel. (Yes if your ahead of me that means that the Roman Catholic Church does not understand the gospel). For anyone who does knows that we only have the need for one special priest, our high priest, Jesus.

When you have him as your high priest then you, along with every believer, are part of a holy priesthood:

1Pe 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

In that sense along with every believer I am a priest, but we have office of special priests for we need none besides Jesus.

The book of Hebrews has been used by God to bring Roman Catholic Priests to salvation in Christ - as they have read it they have seen Jesus is the only priest they need.

This is the main point of Hebrews - 8v1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,

He begins to teach this in detail in chapter 5.

v1-4: He talks about the office of high priest; what the high priest does; why his work is needed; what qualities he has to have to fulfil his tasks; and who chose him.

v5-10: He shows us Jesus as our high Priest: Who appointed him and what made him so especially suited to this office? What makes him such a great high priest?

A. THE OFFICE OF HIGH PRIEST - v1-4

This is not something that we are familiar with in our culture. You may wonder:

[1] Why do we need a high priest at all? He says:

5v1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Why do we need someone to act on our behalf, to offer gifts, and to sacrifice for sins?

i) Isn't the idea of a priest old fashioned, a primitive concept, smacks of superstition, and has been thoroughly discredited by a whole series of scandals over recent years.

We no longer live in a deferential society; University lectures are known by their first name as our company MD's.

Prince Charles - polite but in no way deferential.

ii) We do not need to give gifts to God; if we do wish to do so we can give them ourselves.

iii) We don't need a sacrifice for sins! Again all that is primitive. We are above such things today, so if he exists must God be! We all make mistakes, we are sorry for them. That ought to be enough. If it's not then we have also done some good things in our lives. If that's not enough then we will pay our dues. We will take what we have coming to us. But sacrifice for sin! No we don't need to make any such sacrifices so we have no need of a high priest.

In short: If we want anything to do with God we will go to him ourselves. We do not need a high priest.

Try telling that to the Israelites at the foot of Mt Sinai! Exodus 19:16-25; 20:18-21;

So you don't need a priest, you want act as your own priest? You want to go before God yourself? How far do you think you will get? You have not begun to realise who God is and what it is like to go before him.

Later the writer will say: Heb 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire.

We need a high priest because God is holy and we are not! And when what is sinful comes into contact with what is holy there is only one result! And it is not good for the sinner!

We need a high priest for when we want to give gifts to God to express our gratitude to him; our thanksgiving; our love and joy.

We need a sacrifice for our sins.

Why doesn't God just say I forgive you? I can see you are sorry. It doesn't matter. Forget it.

Because it does matter!

"God will forgive me that's his job!"

God is holy. Sin is breaking his law. It is incurring a debt you cannot pay. It is against God. It provokes his wrath. It deserves death and hell!

Sin has to be dealt with!

We feel that! We prosecute people for crimes they committed 30,40, even 50 years ago! It is an offence. Time does not remove the need for justice to be done.

[2] What qualities does a high priest need?

v2-3 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.

v3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.

He has to be someone who remembers that he to is beset by weakness and he too is a sinner who needs to offer sacrifices for his own sins.

When he remembers this then he can deal gently with those who come to him - he must not allow his emotions to run away with him. If someone comes and brings a sacrifice for the priest to offer for a particular sin the priest may feel a sense of anger or indignation that this person has done such a thing! He must keep control of his emotions and be gentle with the person.

[3] Who appoints the high priest?

v4 And no one takes this honour for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

The idea of having a high priest is not something taken over from paganism. Pagan religions had priests. They had them in response to a need they felt for an intermediary between the gods and man. The misuse of priests does not mean there is not a legitimate need for a priest; The false does not mean there is not a genuine.

Did Aaron go to Moses and said he had a good idea - you lead the people and be the prophet; and I'll be your right hand man, I'll be the priest! No, it was not their idea.

Aaron was appointed by God. It came from God. Who appointed the high priest? God did. That alone ought to be more than enough to convince us that we need a high priest!

Now we are up to speed on the high priest he can teach us:

B. WHY JESUS IS THE HIGH PRIEST WE NEED - v5-10

Do you remember picking teams at school? Everyone would shout their advice - pick him...not him...what did you pick him for...why didn't you get him!

Some people could pick a team. Others picked their friends regardless of whether or not they could play!

Now imagine Jose Marinio comes and watches everyone play and then he picks a team.

Who chooses the high priest? You and I do not have to pick a high priest to represent us. Who would you have for such a task?

No, our high priest is chosen by God the Father. He chooses who will come before him on our behalf. We know he will choose someone he accepts, someone he knows can do the job, the best there is.

He chooses Christ:

v5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

“You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;

6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”

(He will explain all about the order of Melchizedek later - all we need to know now is that it is a valid order of priests that God accepts.)

God chose his Son.

We can see how God would be pleased with that - but how does that make him right for us? What does he know about our situation?

[1] He became one of us: v7 In the days of his flesh,

God is spirit. The eternal Son of God took flesh and blood. Before the incarnation the Son was Spirit, now he is also a man.

He did not come in a privileged position. He was not born with a silver spoon, in a great palace, with many servants to do his every bidding.

He came and was brought up as the village carpenters son.

When he begun his ministry although he achieved great popularity among the people, he made powerful enemies among the religious and political establishment. They plotted to kill him.

He entered fully into the experience of being a man.

[2] What makes him to be the best man for the job is not only that he is the incarnate Son of God, but he knows what it is to reach that place where you feel you cannot go on, he knows what it is to reach breaking point.

Remember the writer is concerned some of his readers feel they are almost at that point where they cannot go on in the Christian faith; they cannot face more persecution; they cannot take the pressure of dying for the faith.

v7b Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death,

This is Gethsemane. Let's remind ourselves of this time in our Lord's life: Luke 22:39-46

But Jesus died! The Father did not save him! How is that meant to comfort us?

Because - v7c and he was heard because of his reverence.

Jesus' prayer was heard. He approached God and prayed and was heard.

And his prayer was answered. It was his Father's will that he goes to the cross. That knowledge gave him the strength, courage, faith and trust to go and die.

Jesus had a thorough preparation for the task of being high priest. Son of God he may be - but he was granted no special privileges, no exemptions, he could not have been tested any more rigorously than he was.

[3] Are you afraid of suffering? Are you suffering now and wondering how you can carry on in the way God wants you to do so?

(The devil will suggests strategies for avoiding suffering or relieving you of suffering: steal...have an affair...get your own back...give up...leave...hit them..!)

Jesus knows all about being obedient when the easier way out is to be disobedient to the will of God.

v8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

He learned obedience through what he suffered - not as the child learns to be obedient through his parents discipline for Jesus never did anything wrong. So in what sense did he learn obedience?

Peter O'Brien: He came to appreciate fully what conforming to God's will involved'

His obedience was a call to suffer and die on the cross.

Phil 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

This is why he is the perfect high priest:

v9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, v10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

He is the source of eternal salvation. You cannot go straight into the presence of God; walking into a nuclear reactor would be less dangerous!

Why?

Mt 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. (Radiation can only kill your body) Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

You need someone to represent you to God. You need a priest to offer a sacrifice for your sins.

Jesus is that high priest! You go to him. He is the source of salvation.

HEBREWS 4:14-16 'THE THRONE OF GRACE'

'THE THRONE OF GRACE'

Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

Hebrews 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Do you remember sitting in your Dad's car in the driving seat? You took the wheel and imagined that you were driving along the road. You were in control!

Maybe when you were a little older going on a tour of a ship or aircraft, and sitting in the Captains seat. Now you were not only in control, you had authority over others to issue them orders to do what you wanted.

The writer to the Hebrews invites us to look at a throne. not just any throne - but THE THRONE. The throne of God. The throne from which God rules the universe. The throne the Psalms sing about:

Ps 11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven;

Ps 45:6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;

Ps 47:8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.

Ps 97:2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

Ps 103:19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

Last week he took us to that throne and we saw it as the GREAT WHITE THRONE OF JUDGEMENT.

v13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

He had us stand there in our minds eye so that we would live our lives in the light of that day. Knowing one day it will be for real and we shall give an account to him. This is the second motive he gives us to keep going, to endure, to persevere in the faith: to strive to enter that rest.

The first motive and resource for persevering in the fiath was the word of God. The word that knows us, searches us, goes deep into our hearts, and is a vital means which God has given to enable his people to keep going to that eternal city whose designer and builder is God.

Now he gives us a third reason and motive why we can and why we ought to persevere: OUR HIGH PRIEST.

Here the writer is completing his second warning that begun in chapter 3 and goes through most of chapter 4 about failing to enter that rest that God promises to all who believe the gospel and trust in Christ - and he comes to his main theme.

What is the book of Hebrews about:

Heb 13:22 I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.

It is a short word of exhortation.

He also tells us what his main point is:

Heb 8:1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,

WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH PRIEST - that is his main point. He writes about this in more detail than anywhere else in the bible. It fills 4:14-10:18 maybe beyond that.

He has earlier introduced the thought of Jesus as High Priest:

Heb 2:17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

Now he begins to unpack what this means.

A. CONSIDER OUR HIGH PRIEST:

Hebrews 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

[1] We have a great high priest

Who is your Doctor?

Who is your MP?

Who is your Mayor?

Who is your EMP?

Who is your PM?

Who is your Monarch?

Bristol East: Kerry MaCarthy;

Bristol North West Charlotte Leslie

Bristol South Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo

Bristol West Stephen Williams

EMP's - we have six of them! Cornwall to Gloucester - 2 UKIP; 2 Conservatives; 1 Labour; 1 Green Party.

Each one of these people are linked to you and you to them. They hold these offices, and carry out their functions, for you, on your behalf.

Her Majesty when she goes abroad represents you. Your Doctor holds your medical records and has a duty of care for you.

Who is your high priest? Jesus the Son of God. He, if you are a Christian, is your high priest.

[2] The same Jesus we read of in the gospels -

Hebrews 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,

Where is Jesus now?

He has passed through the heavens.

Ascension day - Thursday 29th May!

Jesus, the name given to the incarnate Son of God. One who is fully God and fully man. (Hebrews 2 that he was made like us, 'flesh and blood'!)

He has gone through the heavens!

That doesn't mean he came out the other side, but he has gone right the way through to the very throne of God - Hebrews 1:8-9; v13.

Talk about friends in high places! They do not come any higher than this! Nor is anyone a better friend than Jesus

Prov 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Since our friend is our high priest let us hold fast our confession!

Bible: 1 Cor 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Php 2:11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Properly the writer is referring to something more detailed than these confessions;

Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

It included belief in Jesus as high priest.

Confession of faith - 1689 Baptist Confession of faith - on my phone. Example.

A. CONSIDER OUR HIGH PRIEST

B. SEE HOW PERFECTLY EQUIPPED HE IS TO BE OUR HIGH PRIEST:

You want to hold fast to your confession - but how? The temptation to give up or go back is so strong!

(We have seen that they had suffered considerable persecution, confiscation of belongings, some were in prison, and the dark clouds of further and fiercer persecution were coming up.)

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus knows, he understands, he fully sympathizes with our weakness.

He knows what it is to live in a family, he had brothers and sisters, cousins.

He knows what it is to work, to deal with customers, difficult tasks - he is called the Carpenter (small builder)

He knows what it is to be oppressed by a foreign government - the Romans!

He knows what it is to be tired, bruised and battered. To have people constantly making demands. To be the object of gossip, lies, plots and persecution.

He knows what it is to say: Mt 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

He knows what it is to be tempted. We are given an insight into some of his temptations: Matthew 4:1-11

The nature of the temptation is seen by Jesus' answer.

BUT Jesus doesn't know what it's like to have a telephone constantly ringing; or the neighbours noisy radio; or waiting in an airport for 24 hours;

He doesn't know what it is like to be a woman, a mother, a wife.

So he hasn't been tempted in every way as we are!

Yes he has in that behind every temptation there is a common root - that would touches different aspects of what it is to be a human being. Our pride, our hopes, our fears, our needs, our emotions, our status, our ambitions, our longings, our trust, our dependence on God.

The outward details of the temptations may vary from place to place, from generation to generation, from men to women, but the core aspects of the temptations remain the same. Jesus was tempted in every one of these that anyone can be tempted in.

The devil tried everything! All his schemes, his wiles, his traps that he had used on men and women since Adam and Eve.

Jesus never gave way once. He was without sin. ...but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

When you go to him and tell him that you are finding it hard to keep going he does not condemn you; he knows our weakness, he has experienced it all, he sympathises.

His heart is moved - AV we have not a high priest who cannot be touched. He is not unable to sympathize.

A. CONSIDER OUR HIGH PRIEST

B. SEE HOW PERFECTLY EQUIPPED HE IS TO BE OUR HIGH PRIEST

C. SO GO TO HIM AND RECEIVE HELP AND GRACE

He does more than sympathise. He helps!

v16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

That magnificent throne from which he rules the universe; he governs the nations, from where he reigns, is for the child of God, the believer, also a throne of grace.

From this throne he dispenses justice. He rules in righteousness. AND it is from this throne, for the believer who comes in his weakness, he gives grace.

That means he does not give us what we deserve!

He does not give us what we have earned - TESCO points, money of petrol/diesel.

He deals with us in grace.

That means [1] we may receive MERCY AND FIND GRACE.

We do so before it's to late. Before we have let go of our confession, before we fail to enter the rest,

We receive mercy and find grace in OUR TIME OF NEED.

What is this grace that helps us and keeps us going?

Jeremy Treat: "The great American theologian Al Pacino once said, “I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.”

He comments: Pacino’s statement taps into a tension that we all sense intuitively but maybe have not expressed explicitly. If God is forgiving, then why strive for a holy life? If the penalty has been paid, then why must progress be made?

I believe the tension felt here ultimately comes from a confused view of grace.

What Is Grace?

I used to think of grace as a spiritual substance that God stores in piles behind his heavenly throne and dispenses to his people below. In other words, grace is stuff that God gives apart from himself.

How wrong I was! Grace is not a thing. Grace is not stuf that God gives us apart from himself. He doesn’t run out of it. God gives us himself when we don’t deserve it; that is grace. The oft-repeated definition of grace as an undeserved gift is right but does not go far enough when referring to the grace of God. Grace is a gift, but God is not only the giver, he himself is the gift. God graces us with himself."

What do we need to keep going? God doesn't give us grace like a duracell battery it runs and runs out and we need a replacement. He gives us himself.

Isn't that what Joshua needed. Joshua 1v9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Lord in his grace forgives and transforms us. With him we can keep going.

The writer is teaching us that not only the word of God; and the thought of giving an account to the Lord, but also prayer plays a vital part in our perseverance.

The devil will tell you: You are a weak and miserable Christian, what ever makes you think that God is going to hear your prayers?

OR: You have just sinned he is not going to listen to you now for a long time, if ever (as if only time will wipe away sin!)

OR: How can you go to God when you are so depressed and miserable! A Christian is meant to me full of joy, rejoice in the Lord always! God loves a cheerful prayer, not a miserable one!

How does Satan get to you? What does he say to you to keep you from praying when you feel that you want and need to do so?

He has many strategies to keep us from praying by tempting us to the computer, newspaper, TV, extra sleep, other things so we forget to pray. But here the writer is concentrating on when we feel it's all getting too much - and we think about praying and he jumps in to tempt us not to do so.

What is his go to temptation for you? The one that most knocks you down?

Do not let even that temptation keep you from the throne of grace. If you have just fallen to it you will receive mercy and find grace. Better next time to go whilst you are being tempted, before you fall and receive mercy and grace to resist that temptation.

What was that temptation for? What was Satan's purpose in it? Maybe several reasons - to bring dishonour to the name of the Lord, cause others to stumble, be a means of tempting others, and many more reasons - but always one reason present in every temptation, is to keep you from the throne of grace.

If Satan can keep you from praying then he has you! The lion has his pray between his teeth ready to devour. You will not hold on to your confession, you will not enter that rest, you will not be saved. If you do not pray you will be lost.

Children of God pray to their heavenly Father. Prayer is the Christians vital breath.

Since we have such a high priest we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. We will not be turned away. There is one on the throne who understands, who sympathises, and who can give mercy and grace in our time of need.

There is nothing to keep you from him! Your sin? He already knows, go and confess it. your weakness? He understands - so why are you waiting? Go and get help, receive mercy and grace.