Please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews and the fourth chapter. Hebrews chapter four, which we're going to read in its entirety, you can find that on page 1865 and 1866 in your pew Bible, 1865. Our attention is going to be turned this evening to the verses 14 through 16 of this chapter. Which in our Bibles is entitled Jesus, the great high priest, but we begin reading at verse one of Hebrews chapter four, you know, the word of God. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did. But the message they heard was of no value to them because those who heard it did not combine it with faith. Now, we who have believed enter that rest, just as Jesus has said, or rather, just as God has said, so I declared on oath in my anger. They shall never enter my rest. And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world for somewhere. He has spoken about the seventh day in these words. And on the seventh day, God rested from all his work. And again, in the passage above, he says, they shall never enter my rest. It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in because of their disobedience. Therefore, God again set a certain day, calling it today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before, today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart. For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Now, the words of our text, 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. But 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. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in the time in our time of need. That's for the reading of God's holy word. May he bless that word now to our understanding. Beloved of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. In order that we might understand something of what the writer to the Hebrews is saying in the passage before us this evening might be helpful for a moment to recall to whom the book of Hebrews was written. To be sure, we have no definite audience that is revealed on the pages or in the pages of this letter, the way we might, for instance, in the book of Ephesians, which is written to the church in Ephesus. But if we listen to the book of Hebrews and hear what the writer is saying, we can discern from that who he's writing to. And it is generally agreed that the writer to the Hebrews is writing to Hebrews, to Jews. To those who were once Jews, but who through the ministry of the gospel had come to faith. To faith in Jesus Christ. It is likely that these Jews were also living outside of the promised land, though that is not necessary, but that they may have been living in some major city, maybe even Rome of the Roman Empire. And that these Jews living in this foreign city When they came to the faith, experienced at first all of those wonders that come to those who have their eyes opened and their ears unstopped and who see Jesus Christ in all of his glory, that wonder of knowing your sins are forgiven and that you have eternal life with God. But who also very quickly experienced some of the problems, some of the challenge, some of the enmity that exists between believers and this world living within the context of the Roman Empire. These Jewish Christians were twice outside of their culture. They they were Jews who did not really belong, you might say, to the Roman Empire and now had become Christians, Christians who were not recognized by the Roman Empire. The religion of Christ being A religion not looked upon in favor by the empire. The empire did have a list of religions that were approved for its citizenship. Judaism was one of them. And if you were a Jew, that meant that you were accepted in Roman culture or at least under the law. But a Christian was not afforded that same protection. Since Christianity was not recognized by the empire, it opened up Christians to the potential for persecution and for trouble. They could lose their jobs. They could lose their homes. They could be sent away. They could be harmed. And these Christians were beginning to experience some of those hardships. Their conversion to Christianity had begun with great joy and and gladness, but it had brought sorrow and pain, a reminder that the Christian life is not always as easy as we might imagine. We hear those great promises of the gospel. We hear about the sovereignty of God and the greatness of our Lord. And yet what we experience in this life is often very difficult struggle and pain. But to be sure, we do not face the kind of persecution maybe these Christians faced within the context of our culture. We are still protected in our culture by the law. But even so, to walk the Christian line, to live in obedience to Jesus Christ is not only increasingly difficult within our culture, which is anti-Christian. But it's simply difficult for each and every one of us. It is difficult for us to follow the Lord in righteousness. Oh, we know what's right. We know what his will for our lives is, but. But to do it, that's not always so easy. The Lord sometimes leads us in difficult places and we don't want to walk those pathways. We know we should. We know we ought to, but we don't want to sacrifice. We don't want to suffer. Don't want the pain. That comes with being a believer. And we are tempted, are we not then, to maybe diminish the demand of God. And to instead say, I'm OK. I don't need to go down that road, I'm saved, so what do I need to suffer for? And so to reduce our commitment to Jesus Christ. In favor of a commitment to self. And self-preservation. The writer to the Hebrews speaks to people facing these kinds of challenges who, in the face of the trial of Christianity, of the trouble that was brought into their lives by virtue of their conversion, trouble from the world around them, were tempted to back away back almost all the way back into Judaism. To say, you know what? We're just going to go back into that religion that is accepted by our culture so that we no longer face this hardship. To a people who are losing their grip on Jesus Christ and the writer of the Hebrew speaks many wonderful things, many profound things concerning Jesus Christ. It is a book full of rich explanation and revelation concerning the Messiah. But he also speaks very challenging words. He speaks very direct words. He upbraids his readers. He speaks to them harshly for their unwillingness to follow Christ, even in their hour of tribulation. For he knows, as we must all know, that to live the Christian life is the only option. No matter what We are called to do. However, that does not leave us without hope. Or commit us to challenges and trials that break us or burden us unnecessarily. There is hope and there is grace and strength. And it is that grace and strength that is before us this evening as we celebrate the ascension of Jesus Christ, an event referenced in our text. This evening, a text that we're going to study under this theme, approach the throne of grace in your time of need. Seeing two points clinging to a superlative high priest, superlative is another word for great. Therefore, since we have a great high priest cling to this high priest, says the writer, and secondly, confident in a sympathetic high priest. He has been tempted in every way that we have been yet was without sin, and he can sympathize with our weaknesses as the writer. So approach the throne of grace confident in a sympathetic high priest. So then beginning in this way, seeing that we are to cling to a superlative high priest. A high priest that is described for us in this way by the writer. 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. Now, you might wonder, having read chapter four together, where this sudden revelation concerning Jesus as the high priest comes and in particular why he speaks about Jesus Christ's ascension. Chapter four is all about the Sabbath and entering God's rest. And it's about that warning the writer issues to his readers, a warning not to turn from the faith. Like the people of God of old, he tells the story in chapter three about how those Israelites whom God had redeemed from Egypt and had brought out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, how they at the end, when they were called to enter into the kingdom of God, Did not rebel against God, didn't believe him. And so didn't enter into his rest, for it was those people of whom God said they shall never enter my rest. The writer is warning his readers. Faith is not a you might or you might not, a choice you might have, something you should do. But if you don't, that's OK. No, when you hear God's voice, he says, echoing the words of David, when you hear his voice, you must answer him. You must answer him in faith and in obedience. And in chapter four, he carries on this discussion about entering into God's wrath. And he takes us all the way back to to creation when God finished his work and on the seventh day rested. He brings us to Joshua. Who could not give his people rest. He takes us to David, to David, who speaks today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart. And you might ask yourself. What is this this study of redemptive history of the rest? God promises his people. What does this have to do with Jesus Christ's ascension, with Jesus Christ being a high priest? There seems to be a bit of a disconnect in chapter four, and there would be if we didn't know what the Lord revealed in Leviticus concerning the Day of Atonement. For there, the Lord speaks. About that day when in the old covenant, the son of Aaron or Aaron himself, the high priest. How he would enter into the most holy place, there was one day in the year when the high priest could go into that most sacred of places. One day when he could bring. When he could bring that sacrifice for his people's sin. And he would stand before the throne of grace on that day, and God would accept that sacrifice and bless his people. We remember what that day of atonement means. Listen now to how Moses speaks of that day of atonement, how the Lord, through Moses, speaks about that day of atonement, that work of the high priest, that day when he would bring the sacrifice for sins before the throne of God, how the Lord speaks of that day of atonement in Leviticus, chapter 23. There we read this, the Lord said to Moses, the 10th day of this seventh month is the day of atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves and present an offering made to the Lord by fire. Do no work on that day, because it is the day of atonement when atonement is made for you before the Lord, your God. Anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people. I will destroy him from among his people. Anyone who does not who does any work on that day, you shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come wherever you live. Now, listen, it is a Sabbath of rest for you. You must deny yourself from the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening, you are to observe your Sabbath. The Lord connects his rest And the day of atonement, the day when the high priest would enter in to the most holy place, he connects those things in Leviticus chapter 23. And understandably so. For how can we enter into God's rest? We who are separated from him by sin. who in the garden were called to enter into God's rest, but who instead chose to live in disobedience. How can we now, who God sent out of the garden. Enter into a rest with a righteous and holy God. How can we have peace with him? And how can we dwell with him in all of eternity? Only, you see, only if our sin is dealt with, removed from God's sight, paid for by the sacrifice. That's what the priest had to bring each year in the Old Testament. But Jesus, says the writer to the Hebrews, Jesus is the great High Priest. because he has gone through the heavens. He has ascended, says the writer. That's what that means, right? We remember the story of Jesus's ascension, how before the eyes of his disciples, he rose before them and and was hidden by that cloud as he entered the heavens. And we know what happened after that, right? We know that he came before his father and that he sat down at his father's right hand. And that he was given rule over the kingdom of God to bring all things to their end. We know what happened in the ascension. But what we must see is that this ascension is connected very intimately to that day of atonement pictured for us in the Old Testament. For the high priest would enter into that holy place, whether in the tabernacle or in the temple in Jerusalem, that holy place that was a type, was a picture, you might say, was a pattern of the true holy place in heaven. For it is in heaven that the righteous God dwells, and it is to that holy place, that most holy place, not some building on the earth, not some type of the glorious reality, but the thing itself, the holy of holies in heaven itself. It is there that this high priest ascended to present his sacrifice himself before the Lord. That's why the writer to the Hebrews describes this great high priest as Jesus, the son of God, Jesus, whose name means Yahweh saves, the Lord saves. And truly was the Lord, for Jesus is the son of God who came to take on human flesh and to bear for our sins the eternity of God's wrath that we might be saved. that peace might be made between man and God, that we who had despised God's call in the beginning might yet through Jesus Christ's body and blood enter into his rest through faith in Jesus Christ. It is that Jesus, that sacrifice for our sins, that enters into the most holy place on the day of Christ's ascension. And it is that sacrifice, Jesus Christ, our Lord, that is presented before the throne of God, the Lamb who was slain on our behalf, so that the sin that covers us, the sin that so easily entangles us, Through Jesus Christ, that sin was removed from God's sight. The sacrifice was received. Atonement was made. And it is only, you see, through Jesus Christ. He's the great high priest. He's not like those high priests of the Old Testament who could only go in one day a year and would have to do it year after year. No, this is Jesus, the Son of God, who is so much greater than any of the high priests of the Old Testament who went to a greater place to present a greater sacrifice. There is no other way. There is no other peace between God and man. There is no other entrance into the rest of God. than through faith in Jesus Christ. Now you see why the writer to the Hebrews brings this up, having just told his readers, having warned them against unbelief. Why he says, don't do that. But cling, he says, cling to the faith that we profess. It's the only hope you have. It is the only way to be reconciled with the living God. This ascended Jesus, this great high priest, is your only way. Your only hope. So cling to him. He says, hold firmly. It's a wonderful word that speaks of a passionate hanging on to Jesus Christ. Don't be tempted to release your grip on him. When you struggle and when you're burdened and when things don't go as you expect them or believe they ought and so begin to doubt and to question. And to wonder whether it's all worth it. In those times of need. Those times when we struggle. Those times when we doubt. Then, says the writer to the Hebrews, cling, cling to your superlative, your great high priest. Where else will you go? Whom else can you find who is as great as he is, the ascended Lord? No, no, he says, don't loosen your grip. Embrace him all the more. Hang on to them all the more tightly in those moments of need, in those moments of doubt, in those moments when you face the uphill battle of faith and you wonder if it's all worth it. Remember, remember that in Jesus Christ alone, there is peace and rest. You say, well, that is all fine and good. But what does that do for me right now, you might think? It is wonderful to know without question that our sins have been forgiven and that we will be received into God's rest and enter into eternity through Jesus Christ. But you see, I have to live today. I have problems today, I have challenges today, I have temptations today, the Christian life is to be lived daily. by every moment, in every instance of life. There is no part of our lives that is free from the call of faith. Whether it's at work, whether it's in class, in the classroom, at the school, whether it's on the street, whether it's in the movie theater, whether it's listening to the radio in our cars, whatever it is, wherever we are, we are called to believe, called to follow, called to live by faith. And that's not easy in a world like today, where when you go to buy clothes, you are confronted with the passions, with the priorities, with the filth of our world. Or when you go wanting to see a movie and look in the paper or look on the marquee and see all that the world has to offer and find very little. that is worth seeing when you flip through the dials on your radio and without necessarily even thinking, without even realizing it. The world comes with its promises of blessing and hope and wonder if you just live the way they live. All around us, we are being called to walk down the pathway of the world And the world presents that that lifestyle to us on our TVs, all in culture and society, as though it is a rich and wonderful place to go, a great way to live and to enjoy this life. As we pass through Vanity Fair, it is difficult not to taste the wares, to try some of what the world has to offer. to live the way the world lives. It is difficult in those moments, whether it's in terms of our marriage, whether it's in terms of our businesses, whether it's in terms of our thoughts, actions, words, you name it. It is not easy in those moments to do what God calls us to do in our marriages. God calls us to sacrifice and to serve It's not easy to do. In our businesses, God calls us to set godly priorities. Difficult to do when you see your neighbor in business, too, able to do all sorts of things that you know you cannot. And you are tempted, tempted to try some of those practices. To say, you know what? If he can do it, so can I. or just in life generally, in your relationships, in your walk, in your thoughts, to say, what's the big deal? Why can't I live like the world lives? We face these temptations daily. And Christ knows something of that. That's what the writer to the Hebrews tells us in verse 15. For we do not, he says, 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. It was without sin. The word sympathize in this passage is a wonderful word. It means to struggle with. It is two words in the original language, the word struggle and the word with, so that it very literally means To struggle with. And so the writer is saying our high priest is able to struggle with us in our weaknesses, sympathizing with us. Because he, too, was tempted in every way that we are. It was without sin. And you might say to yourself, is that even possible? Can Jesus in his day, 2000 years ago, know something of the temptations we have today when we sit in front of our computer screens and the images on them are so easily accessible? Did Jesus experience that temptation? Or did Jesus experience what it's like to live in a broken marriage, a difficult, tense marriage? Does Jesus know what it is like to be a businessman in today's climate? Was Jesus really tempted in every way that we are? And how can it be that he was tempted as we are when we know that he was without sin, which is not only to say that Jesus did not commit a sin, that is also true, but that Jesus, as the son of God, was unable to sin so that there was never any possibility of Jesus ever giving in to any of the temptations he faced. Because he's God and God does not sin. God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. Jesus never mulled it over in his mind. He was never pulled in two directions. He always knew exactly what he was going to do in response to the devil's temptation. It's not the same as with us, is it? Temptations that so very easily latch on to the sin that so easily entangles us. Temptations that don't have to work very hard to get us. And yet. And yet it is precisely for that reason that we can speak of Jesus being tempted as we are. Because it is the same temptation. To be sure, our response to the temptation is different, but the temptation is the same. The devil, when he tempted Jesus, tempted him with all of his might and all of his wiles and all of his power. The devil doesn't have to work that hard with us, but nonetheless, it is the same devil. It is the same sin. It is the same world. It is the same flesh. It is the same temptation. The temptation to sin, the temptation to disobey, the temptation to go our way. That's the way the devil tempted us in the very beginning, and that is, in the end, what every temptation really is. The devil said to Adam and Eve in the beginning, don't believe God. He wants to keep you down. Go your own way. Be your own boss. Be your own master. Be your own God. And you will be blessed. And isn't that, in the end, what we believe whenever we are tempted? But in the end, it's OK, it's not so bad. You can go this way, you can do this thing. Don't we try to convince ourselves to justify our sins by saying it doesn't harm me, I'm in control of it, I can overcome this, I can quit whenever I want. We justify our sins. By believing that we are in control. And indeed, that is the great trial that comes with faith, surrendering control, following the Lord, letting him set our course and simply walking in obedience to him. That's where it hurts when the trials come that we say, Lord, I didn't want this. I didn't expect this. This is unfair. And having to at some point realize and confess. My life is not my own, but it belongs, body and soul, to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. And if he calls me to sit in a hospital bed, that's where I'll sit. And if he calls me to walk in a difficult path, that's where I'll walk. And if he calls me to sacrifice and to suffer, then I will go where he leads. For I am his and he is mine. We are tempted, you see, tempted to surrender and go our own way. The devil said the same thing to Jesus. He said, bow before me and I will give it all to you. The very thing that Jesus would receive from his father upon the day of his ascension, all the kingdoms of the world, were being offered by the devil to Jesus with one difference. The father said the way to the throne is through the cross. And the devil said, I have a much easier way. Just bow before me and it's all yours. The walk of pain and suffering or a walk of ease, free of trouble, The devil tempted Jesus, even as he tempts each and every one of us. And Jesus, Jesus knows how to overcome the devil. He who walked the pathway to the cross and into heaven on the day of his ascension, who despised the shame of the cross, fixed his heart and mind on his Father and who received blessing. He now is able to bless, to bless us with mercy and grace in our time of need. He knows exactly what we need. And as the Christ is able to give it, to give mercy, to forgive us for our sins, To remove the guilt of our sins from us and to restore us to our Father in heaven and to give us grace. Grace to help us. Strength to carry on. Strength to bear the burdens of this life. Grace to live by grace in the face of the cruelties and difficulties of this life. Jesus knows what each one of us is facing, the challenge we have, and he can give us exactly what we need. And that's why we ought to confidently, says the writer to the Hebrews, approach the throne of grace in your time of need. Come confidently, he says. Come in Jesus Christ, who is able to sympathize with you. who knows what you're going through, and who can give you what you need. In this life, we find great comfort from those who experience the same trials we do. When we are diagnosed with a particular illness, it's rather remarkable to to recognize or to appreciate how how comforting it is to speak with somebody else who has that same illness. There is a certain sympathy there that encourages us. Jesus Christ is the greatest sympathizer we have and need for all of our weaknesses. When we face the trials of this life, When we face the challenges of being a Christian, when we know what God wants us to do, but we don't think we can do it. We have Jesus Christ who sits at the right hand of God. Who has received from his father all blessings that he might pour them into our lives. We need only turn to him, we need only rest in his grace. We need only come confidently to the throne of grace. In the knowledge that we will be received by God and blasting his son, our great high priest. Being a Christian is a challenging thing. Places a demand upon your life that is complete and it is never ending. You can never say I've done enough. But you must face every challenge and every call to obedience with the same commitment and the same obedience. That makes it hard. And we are tempted at times to say it doesn't really matter, does it? To in the face of the challenge, back away. Well, says the writer to the Hebrews, don't do that. Cling to the faith you profess, cling to Jesus Christ, and in confidence enter the throne of grace. Don't back away, he says. Get further in. For in Jesus Christ, we have all we need to live by faith. Amen. Gracious God and Heavenly Father, we thank you that we have Jesus Christ, the great high priest. Who ascended into heaven to sit at your right hand, making peace between you, the righteous God and us, a sinful people. So that we may now, oh, Heavenly Father, receive from you every good thing, everything necessary for body and soul. Everything necessary to live. In accordance with your will. Lord. We know that it is difficult to live the Christian life. We know that your people of all the heavenly father who, when they saw the giants in the land. We're afraid. That they are not so strange, Lord. that their unwillingness to walk into the challenge is not so foreign to us. But you call us, O Heavenly Father, to enter your rest through faith in Jesus Christ, a faith that brings us, Lord, oftentimes into difficult pathways. In our time of need, O Heavenly Father, we pray That you would cause us to turn to you and with confidence to enter into the throne room of grace. And to plead with you for strength in the confidence that in Jesus Christ you give all that you ask of us. Lord, we pray that your grace would be upon each and every one of us in our time of need. We pray that you would be with those in this congregation who are struggling. With those who are tempted, Lord, with those who are trying. We think very particularly of the Lord in this night of the Toonstra family as they mourn the passing of a father. And we pray, Heavenly Father, that they would find in Jesus Christ this day and in the days to come. All that they stand in need of, all the mercy and grace to help them in their time of need, but Lord, we pray for every member and ask that you would work in us all that is pleasing to you in Jesus name. It is in his name that we pray this. Amen.