Hebrews 4:16. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
So friends, Sunday, that day of peace, rest and fellowship, has rolled around once again. It’s interesting to note how quickly it seems to come back. Perhaps that’s because the Lord knows how badly we need to fellowship together and receive His awesome grace and mercy to renew our souls and spirits, while we offer up to Him the thanks and praise He so richly deserves.
And looking forward to Sunday ought to be one of the joys of the Christian brethren, although some of us find going to church on Sunday an irritating inconvenience, a pain in the neck that just disrupts our sleeping program. Well then, find a church that gathers at a later hour, so you won’t be inconvenienced, (smile) because gathering with other believers in worship is a rather important aspect of the Christian walk of life.
Anyway, for those of us gathered today, let’s open the proceedings with the usual song of praise. Today’s number is one titled ‘Come Boldly to The Throne of Grace.’ That’s something the Good Book advises us very often to do, but so many of us still refuse to do it. Let’s see if we can’t persuade a few more to do so by singing the song. Therefore, in a sincere, mid-tempo, harmonious riddim, let’s offer up sacrificial voices of praise.
Singing: ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet, And plead what He has done. How can I come? Some soul may say, I’m lame and cannot walk; My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth, I sigh, but dare not talk. Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free.
Come boldly to the throne of grace, For Jesus fills the throne; and those He kills, He makes alive; He hears the sigh or groan; Poor bankrupt souls, Who feel and know, the hell of sin within; Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in. Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in…the Lord will take you in…Yes the Lord will take you in…take you in.’
Oh my people, there’s absolutely no doubt about that last line. Anytime you go boldly to the throne of grace, the Lord will ALWAYS gladly accept you, NEVER turn you away, for He’s in the business of saving souls. What does the song say? ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free.’
And that’s the gospel truth my brethren. Listen to how Jesus puts it nuh. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) Glory Hallelujah! Thank God for Jesus! Because it’s through His selfless work down here on earth that we can now go boldly to the throne of grace, that’s right to the Father’s throne and ask for mercy and forgiveness.
Hear how Bruh Paul wrote it to the church at Ephesus, when talking about God’s plan from the vey beginning of time. ‘According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of (in) him.’ (Eph. 3:12) Yes my fellow believers, as the scholars explain, we do ‘have boldness (freedom of speech before God), and access (the right of entering His presence) with confidence (the assurance of being heard by God) by the faith of him (through relying upon Christ to gain God’s ear.’
That’s surely wonderful news, because before Jesus came and spilled His sinless blood on Calvary, only the high priest could venture into the holy of holies, had access to the mercy seat in the inner sanctuary of the temple, one day a year to seek forgiveness for the people. But Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension tore down that veil, that large curtain in the temple that supposedly hid the Lord from His people. Now all who acknowledge Christ’s name can boldly and confidently go themselves before the Father.
However, there’s one very important thing we ought to note. We can go to the Father in boldness and confidence, but NEVER in arrogance or pride, ALWAYS humbly, because as Cousin Sol reminds us in Proverbs, the Father still dislikes arrogance, pride or haughtiness; they are all an abomination to Him. (Prov. 6:16-17) So please don’t be fooled by those words ‘boldness’ and ‘confidence,’ they don’t give you a carte blanche approach to God, freedom to behave however you want, you still have to mind your p’s and q’s. (smile)
Now listen to a more detailed explanation of that ability to go directly to God by the author of Hebrews, as he talks about the sympathetic Christ. ‘Seeing then we have a high priest that is passed into (through) to the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession of faith). For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’ (Heb. 4:14-15)
Ah mih people, that’s what so great about Jesus, He personally knows what it’s like to suffer the trials and tribulations found down here on earth, so He has the ability to empathize with us in our suffering. No other deity has that ability. That’s why we can carry our burdens, our problems, anxieties, whatever is troubling us to Him. Remember too His Great Invitation, for those who labour and are heavy burdened to come to Him for rest. (Matt. 11:28) So we’re being very foolish if we refuse to carry our troubles to Him who suffered like us, though without sin, and thus understands what trouble is all about.
But here is the scripture that wraps it up tightly nuh, as the author of Hebrews ends his writing on the sympathetic Christ. ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) And my fellow saints, with the absolute mess that our world is currently in, I don’t think there’s ever been a time in New Testament History that we’ve ever needed God’s grace and mercy like we so desperately do right now!
So please, let’s turn our sincere steadfast attention to the heavenly throne nuh, and seek that grace and mercy we so badly need if our world is to be saved from total destruction. Much LOVE!
…only God’s saving grace and mercy…can improve mankind’s lot…
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