The second
greatest truth in the Bible is God became flesh and
dwelt among men. The greatest is that God became man
because he loved us so much that he would go to the
cross and personally die for our sins.
Jesus Christ became like you
and me. He sanctified life by assuming a full human
nature without sin by means of his incarnation. He
was fully human and fully God. Jesus Christ is God.
Jesus Christ is man. The Bible puts these two great
truths of full deity and full humanity together. He
was the God-man. When we look to Jesus we see God
himself. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the
Father.” What makes Jesus so unique is he is the
only one in whom you and I may see God.
Jesus fully experienced what it
means to be a man. He experienced all that we
experience with the one exception that he never
sinned in thought or deed. This is why he can be our
great high priest and intercessor.
Jesus never experienced
personal sin, but he was reckoned a sinner on our
behalf and died as our substitute. The incarnation
made it possible for Jesus to die. God cannot die.
However, a human body made it possible for Jesus
Christ to die on the cross and pay our penalty for
sin. Three days later he was resurrected in his
physical body and later ascended into heaven. A
person’s eternal destiny depends upon his
relationship to the eternal truth in Jesus Christ.
Therefore, the writer of
Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest
incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but
one who has been tempted in every way just as we
are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently
approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and
find grace whenever we need help” (Hebrews 4:15-16
NET).
Because he is the God-man,
Jesus is full of tender compassion. We may come to
him expecting full, tender, deep sympathy and
compassion. Our great high priest is ever ready to
strengthen and comfort, to heal and restore the
wounded believer. He is ever ready and prepared to
receive all who call upon him at the throne of
grace. As with the apostle Paul, Christ says to us,
“My grace is sufficient for you.”
We have a wondrous provision of
God’s grace in our time of testing. It is always
available to us. Our exalted high priest is the Son
of God. Because he is man as well as God he has
already entered heaven and is at the right hand of
the Father. “Therefore since we have a great high
priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession” (v.
14 NET). Therefore, it is impossible for those who
are really the people of God to miss the perfect and
eternal rest.
We have a high priest of
supreme dignity, excellency and divine sufficiency
to meet our every spiritual need (v. 15). Yet, he
can “sympathize with our weaknesses” because he “has
been tempted in all things as we are, yet without
sin.” Only the God-man could accomplish that!
The invitation is always open
to “confidently approach the throne of grace to
receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help”
(v. 16 NET).
The only thing required to come
to the throne of grace is to understand that we are
sinners, and that he is our High Priest. We come in
faith as sinners and saints. There is a washing of
our feet, binding of our wounds, and sustaining
grace in our time of need. In his grace he causes
all things to work together for our good and for His
glory.
All believers, young and old,
weak and strong, rich and poor, have been “brought
near by the blood of Jesus Christ,” and therefore
have freedom of access to the very presence of God.
Why should we ever draw back in cowardice or
impatience?
The circumstances in our daily
lives cause us to call upon him and when he delivers
us we glorify him.
Let us take full advantage of
every opportunity and come to the throne moment by
moment every day with honesty, openness and
frankness. Here is the one person we can pour our
heart out to in confidentiality. We can come as we
are, say what we feel, confess all our sins, and ask
what we need in confidence. We need not be ashamed
before him because it is his blood that cleanses and
his Spirit that refreshes us spiritually.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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