The Sympathising Savior

Introduction

Well, good morning to all. Good to see each of you, and certainly welcoming those who are visiting with us today. We’re glad you can be with us. And notice that it’s next Sunday morning that uh the daylight saving time goes off and the calendar or clocks get to move back. It won’t seem so early in the morning anymore. I mean, it’s still dark these days when six or seven or even eight o’clock comes, we’re barely getting daylight, and I think that affects perhaps our attendance even at this nine o’clock hour. We’re glad you’re here, and I’m glad to be here. Having been gone three out of the last four Sundays, uh, I felt like we needed to be back today, or Ralph would be giving me another visitor’s card for having been gone so much.

But that’s kind of an unusual thing, and perhaps now we’ll be home for several weeks in a row. I hope you have your Bibles with you, and I encourage you to be opening to the book of Hebrews. Some weeks ago I began a study at this nine o’clock hour, that we would just go through some passages from Hebrews that affected our understanding of who the Christ is. As you know, and if you’ve been studying with us, you know that this book wraps itself around who the Christ is, the superior the superiority of Jesus Christ. In fact, as we pointed out, the book opens, not like other epistles usually of the of the New Testament, but rather right in the middle of its subject. Or the very opening words are God.

God who at various times and in various ways spoken time past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken of us through his son, whom he is appointed heir of all things, and and by whom also he made the worlds. Who is this Jesus? In fact, uh, written to Hebrews, that’s why it’s satellite, that is, to Jews. Perhaps even maybe some 30 or 40 years after Christ has uh risen from the grave and ascended back to the right hand of God. And now these Jews, perhaps Hebrews who may for the most part be living in Jerusalem, were tempted to turn back and to the law of Moses. If you lived in Jerusalem, certainly the majority of the people are worshiping according to the law of Moses, and you see the temple is still standing there, and you find maybe your neighbors and perhaps even your family members, some, who would uh would look down on you to being a Christian?

Don’t you know that serving the law of Moses is the way to serve God? At least that’s their claim. And so the Hebrew letter over and over is is warning brethren not to turn back, not to depart from the faith. But understanding that indeed, though Moses was a great prophet of God, through whom the law of Moses was delivered, yet Moses was simply as a servant of the house of God. Jesus Christ is as the Lord over the house. In fact, indeed, while Moses served the purpose of God Almighty, it is Jesus Christ, that God had purposed and planned to bring about salvation. In fact, as we open the letter after declaring that he is the one through whom God speaks, he begins to prove why.

In the very first chapter, you may recall, we we discussed how there’s some seven quotations from the Old Testament, even to show that Jesus is greater than the angels. Now, angels are great, they’re the servants of God, they’re greater than men than we are, and yet to which of the angels did God at every time say, Thou art my son, today I’ve begotten you. The answer is none. To which of the angels did he ever say, Sit on my right hand? None. Though he is greater than angels, chapter 2 described how he became lower than the angels. When he took on the form of manhood, he’s lower than the angels, but but he accomplished what angels could not accomplish. For having walked as man, he became worthy to die in the place of man.

That is for our sins. And therefore, as chapter 2, 14 through 16 describe, he defeated, or he defeated the devil himself who had the power of death. That is, as man sinned, the consequences of sin would be death. And through Jesus Christ, he paid that penalty and enabled us to be brought to glory. So he did what angels couldn’t do, although he’s greater than angels, made lower than angels. And in fact, with that kind of introduction, you might say to the letter, in chapter 3, he began to say, Look, do not be like the Israelites, who had the promise of the land that flowed with milk and honey. That indeed, while they uh I’m getting a little kickback on this mic, if you would turn this down a little bit, thank you.

That that uh while indeed the the Israelites had the promised land, the land of Canaan when they came out of Egypt, they didn’t not enter that promised land. And the reason was in the last two verses of chapter three was because of unbelief. And then he explained unbelief doesn’t mean they became atheists, but rather as they were unbelievers, as verse 18 would say, the real reason is they failed to obey. And we learn a lesson even for ourselves today that you may say, oh, I believe in God, but if you’re not obeying God, then you’re an unbeliever. And these Israelites, these Jews who who had left Egypt with the promise of a land that flowed with milk and honey, did not enter that land because they stopped obeying God.

What’s the purpose? To say to these Christians now, don’t be like them. Don’t fall after the same example, and at least learn that example of unbelief. And as you get to chapter four and in verse eleven, in fact, as the last verse we talked about in the last lesson, he said, Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. Let us the warning throughout Hebrews is guard your hearts. Chapter 312, beware, brethren. If indeed Moses was great and the law of Moses was great, that every disobedience received a just regard uh reward. Chapter 2 and verse 3, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? You compare the two. How important it is that we understand who it is that now God speaks to us by him.

And let’s not fall back. In fact, in chapter 4 now, beginning in verse 12, he continues by saying, For the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marathon, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from his sight. But all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. You look at that last verse particularly. And you think about it, to come boldly before the throne of God, of the Lord? Have you ever had a situation where you felt a bit intimidated or overwhelmed by being in the presence of some important dignitary? I mean, you know, I was thinking about this. What if you’re applying for a job, let’s just say with Apple? And it’s world-known, worldwide, and instead of just going to maybe the local uh uh hiring agent for an interview tomorrow, you learn that the CEO of Apple is the one you’re going to interview with. Would you feel a little bit intimidated?

Understanding what what input he has and control he has over such a such a corporation? That’d be a bit intimidating, would it? What if the governor of the state of Florida, Rick Scott, calls you and says, I want you to come up to Allahse, and I need to interview you for whatever reason. Would that be a bit intimidating? Yeah, he probably would. But if maybe man, and that’s all I’m talking about, just a fellow human being, might overwhelm you somewhat. How would you feel if you understood that in reality you’re going to be before the throne of God Himself? How overwhelming that might feel. How is it possible that we can approach the throne of God with a sense of boldness? Our text indeed tells us how.

And it says, verse 14 through 16 is understanding that we have a Lord who’s walked in our shoes. And he’s able to understand as we understand the temptations and trials that we have in the flesh. Who it is, as the Hebrew writer is trying to describe to those who are reading this letter, how important it is that we understand the greatness of our Lord and what he has done to make it possible for us not only to have forgiveness of our sins as our Savior, but He’s also one who is there to help comfort us and strengthen us and sympathize with us as we face even the trials of the flesh day by day. But before we get into those verses, look at verse 12. Where he talks here about the word of the Lord.

1. The Word of God Is Living and Powerful

When he says in verse 12, the word of God is living and powerful. King James Version says living and active. Somehow I kind of like that translation in a sense a little better. Because it speaks about how that the word of God is relevant. You know, every now and then you hear somebody say, Oh, you know the Bible, it’s outdated. The last verse of the book of the Bible was written probably nearly 2,000 years ago. And you know times have changed. Why, in the time that the Bible was written, they didn’t know anything about electricity or they didn’t know anything about the air conditioning we were glad for this morning or the automobiles we drive. You know, so many things have changed. The Bible just doesn’t fit modern needs.

Of course, I respond that anybody who argues like that really proves his ignorance of the Bible rather than his superior intelligence, he’s probably trying to claim. The fact is that the Word of God is living. It is powerful, it is active, it is relevant, so to speak. It provides man’s greatest needs. First and foremost, it provides for us the means of forgiveness of our sins, and it helps us to understand what to do to be saved. For as Paul writing in Romans 1.16, I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation. Everyone who believes to the Jew first and also the Greek. For there, and it’s the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as is written, the just shall live by faith.

It provides for us how to go to heaven, how to have the sense of forgiveness when we don’t deserve it. But I’ll tell you, it does more than that. The Word of God not only provides for us the understanding of forgiveness of sins and the hope of heaven itself, it’s a book that teaches us how to live this life to the fullest. You really want to live life to the fullest, enjoy it to the fullest. It tells us, for example, family life. You’ll read Ephesians chapter 5 and in chapter 6. It gives the basic principles of how to be in a family, the wife toward her husband, the husband toward his wife, the children toward their fathers, the fathers toward their children. It teaches us how to live socially.

That when you treat your neighbor as you want to be treated, you’d be surprised at how indeed you will find peace and among even those who are about you. You might say economically, even, because it it teaches principles about whether you are an employee or an employer, that you deal with one another as you’d want God to deal with you if you’re the employer. And if you’re an employee, you work diligently as as though to Christ Himself. Over and over. You talk about practical living. Read through the book of Proverbs. It’s a good book day by day to read. You talk about practical living three thousand years ago that letter or book was written, and yet it’s so up to date. So the point is the word of God hasn’t decayed.

2. Piercing, Sharper Than Any Two-Edged Sword

It hasn’t become useless. It is living. It is active or powerful. But not only that, he says of it, it is piercing. When he says, sharper than any two-edged sword. Now we don’t deal with swords much, but you understand, surely, you’ve seen a sword that on both sides of it it’ll cut. It’s not like maybe your butcher knife and only one side. It’s two-edged and it pierces. It is such that it penetrates. God’s word both saves and condemns. It is the word that that, well, there are those who love it, and there are those who hate it. On the one hand, there are those who understand that it is God’s means of communicating with us, teaching us how to live. And it identifies what is sinful, what is wrong, what is really following the devil’s course.

And you know, there are people who hate the Bible. There are people who hate the Word of God. John 3, Jesus said, darkness hates the light. And they fight against the Bible. They fight against the Word of God. But on the other hand, it is penetrating. Passages like in Acts chapter 2, when Peter on the day of Pentecost was preaching, and here were Jews who were understanding how prophecy is being fulfilled, and when they were pricked in their heart, they said, What shall we do? Peter answered, repent and be baptized. Every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. So the word of God is piercing. It’s sharper than in two-edged sword. But you think about it, not only is the word of God relevant, piercing, it is judging.

3. A Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart

For it says later, it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Think about that for a moment. God’s word is penetrating so as to distinguish soul and spirit. How would you describe the difference between soul and spirit? I quite often get asked that question. What’s the difference? And one of the reasons is sometimes the word soul is used as in the place of spirit. It is the broader word. But there is a difference. Let’s just say as the Bible in 1 Corinthians 4 talks about the outward man and the inward man. You understand that difference? Now I can see your outward man. I can’t see your inward person. There is that part of you, that spirit of you, that part of you that has motive, that part of you that has determined I’m going to obey the Lord or I’m not going to obey the Lord.

That part of you that can either love God or resist and reject God. That’s the spirit of man, the inward man. And that’s really what will return unto God when our bodies or our flesh is put into the grave. And so, but can you distinguish the difference between soul and spirit? Pretty pretty hard, isn’t it? We can’t. But the word of God is able to discern between the soul and the spirit. And not only that, between joint and marrow. What do you mean by joint and marrow? Well the fact is marrow is part of bone that makes up the shoulder joint. But you can’t say that’s just all marrow. That’s a joint. But marrow makes up the bone that provides the joint itself. Can you distinguish the two?

Or finally, when he says, even between thought and intent of the heart. I have no doubt that your intent for coming this morning is because you intend to worship the Lord. That’s why you’re here, right? That’s the motive you have behind it. That’s the intents of the heart. What you thought. Are there other thoughts going on in your head? Maybe already you. You might not even be listening to me. Some people can look at me and not listen, you know, that the thoughts are maybe way off in some other place, though you’re present. The word of God, and God Himself is able to judge or discern between the thoughts and the intents of the heart. Somewhat overwhelming, really, when you think about it. But really what he’s saying in all this, the word of God that is so relevant, and is so powerful, that it’s able to discern between good and evil, discern between our own soul and spirit, joint and marrow, thought and intent of the heart, it is that by which we shall be judged.

That’s serious, isn’t it? It is that by which the Lord Himself has provided for us. Jesus said in John 12 48, He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my sayings hath the one that judgeth them, the word that I’ve spoken. The same shall judge him in the last day. That when we stand before the Lord, we’re not going to be surprised. We have something here we can know. This is the test we’d be making or taking. It is whether or not we’ve come to it, thought through it, believed it, or rejected it. We’re the ones who make that decision, but we’ll be judged by it. Are you ready to be judged by the word of God? But notice he knows exactly what your hearts are. You might say, Well, I come every Sunday morning, I’m there, and surely I’m going to be judged in a good way, right?

4. No Creature Hidden From His Sight

Well, maybe. Look at the next verse. Where it says in verse 13, there is no creature hidden from his sight. But all things are naked and open to the eyes with whom we have to do. Now that’s rather sobering. That all things, here we stand as people that really the Lord knows our very thoughts and their intents, and God knows our heart. There’s nothing concealed from God. The intent of this scripture, I think, is to guard one from the self deception of thinking that, well, certain things can be hidden from God. Not so. Not anything can be hidden from Him. Think if you have a Bible, keep your finger at Hebrews 4, but go with me to Psalm. Psalm 139. It’s sort of a, in one sense, a frightening passage, if you’re a hypocrite, but on the other hand, it it is a comforting scripture if you’re truly serving the Lord with intent of heart.

In Psalm 139, O Lord, you’ve searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways, for there is not a word on my tongue. But behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain it. Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend into heaven, you’re there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, you’re there. If I take the wings of the morning, and I might say the word hell there really can be the grave, is what he’s talking about.

You’re there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, verse 10, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall fall on me, even the night shall be light about me. Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from you, but the night shines as the day, the darkness and the light are both alike to you. And that passage, I say it’s rather sobering when you said that the Lord knows exactly what we are. It’s sort of like the passage you may recall in Luke 16 and verse 15, when the Pharisees, who like to be praised by men, Jesus said of them, you know, you you may be praised by others, but you’re an abomination to God, for God knows your heart.

God knows all of us. He knows our heart and will be judged by what we really are. Reputation is what others think about you. Character is what we really are. We may have a reputation that other people praise and compliment, but it’s meaningless if our character is not what we really are, uh before others. Our character should be like maybe our reputation, in one sense that it we hope it is a good reputation, but also good character. The fact is that we shall be brought before the judgment of the Lord, and we shall reap what we have sown. And every work shall be brought into judgment. Ecclesiastes 12, 13 and 14, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. But now with these sobering thoughts about the power of the word of God and the fact that we we shall be judged by, look at the last three verses of chapter Hebrews chapter 4, where he says, seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

5. A High Priest Who Can Sympathize

Again, here’s the warning. I find it interesting that in Hebrews the expression, let us, let us do this, let us, is found some thirteen times in these letters. Four times in chapter four. For example, in chapter four and in verse 1, where he was talking about how the children of Israel failed to enter the promised land. He said, since the promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear, lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Hebrews 4 and verse 11, let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. And now in this verse 14, seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

And then in verse 16, let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace. How many times, and as I said, some nine more than what I’ve just read from chapter 4. Again, you see the personal appeal of the writer of saying, remember who it is you’re serving. How he has provided for us by his death, the forgiveness of sins, the penalty for sins has been paid. And yet he’s not only our Savior by having suffered, he’s also one who is able to sympathize with us, to walk with us. Have you ever felt sometimes, well, you just don’t understand the problems I’m uh I’m bearing. Maybe, probably most adults at some point in your life, whether you were facing some kind of, say, maybe physical illness, or maybe you’re facing some financial difficulty, or whatever it was.

There are troubles in life for every adult. It will come if it hasn’t already. But the fact is that while you may say, well, you just don’t understand, and you may be pointing to a supposed friend trying to help. What the scripture says is the Lord understands. And that’s a powerful thought. That we’re not walking by ourselves. In the sense that if we’re really striving to serve the Lord with sincere faith and sincere attitude that I’m willing to serve him, I believe in him to be the Son of God, and I believe it is by His Word I shall be judged. And I’m sincerely. I’m not perfect, but I’m sincerely striving to do his will according to his way. That I have some comfort, encouragement. As 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 13, there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.

In other words, other people will walk. You may not know who they are, but as we’re walking. But the Lord will provide with every temptation a way of escape. The Lord is there to assist and to help, as 1 John chapter 2 and verse 1. He’s our advocate. He says our lawyer to appeal our case before God. But he’s also there as one who has taken on flesh. Now we may say, how could it be? How could it be that, as verse 15, it’s in the form of a double negative, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize. Really, what I’m saying is we do have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, for he was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

How could this be if he’s God? Admittedly, there are many attributes of Godhood that I think cannot be comprehended by mortal mind. I cannot comprehend eternity, can you? Everything I know has a beginning, has an ending. But he’s eternal, he always has been, always shall be. Indeed, he’s omniscient. Do I comprehend that? How can he know everything? How can he know everything about me or you, as the psalm we just read? I don’t comprehend that. Or that he’s omnipresent. How can he be with us here today? But he’s also with our brethren in Australia, all the way around the other side of this earth. How could it be? I cannot totally comprehend that, but I believe what the scripture says. Men have debated since the first century how Jesus could be both man and God.

But I believe that’s what the scriptures say. We accept by faith what the scriptures say. Even at his birth, as the angel said his name would be Emmanuel, which being interpreted as God with us. He’s the image of the invisible God, Colossians 1.15. He’s the expressed image of his person. Hebrews 1 and verse 3. He has declared God. John 1.18. He that has seen me has seen the Father, Jesus said. John 14, 7 through 9. But he came to us in the form of a servant, in the likeness of man. He walked as we walk. He indeed was tested in all points, like as we are. I don’t believe by that. It means well, every kind of sin that could be sin known as sin. But even as in 1 John 2 15 through seventeen, the avenues of sin, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

6. Let Us Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace

In all points, like as we are tempted. He was tempted. Yet he was without sin. Therefore, he’s able to understand our problems, because he walked where we walked. And therefore, as verse sixteen would say, let us therefore, based upon this, therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Do you look to the Savior in that way? Do you really appeal to Him as someone who really is standing with you and by your side? He is there. Mercy we don’t deserve. He doesn’t give us what we deserve. That’s what mercy is. In fact, He’s redeemed us by His blood, Ephesians 1 and verse 7. And the provision of His mercy is made possible by His grace, undeserved favor, as Ephesians 2 goes on through that, verses 4 through 10.

Conclusion

For by grace through faith are you saved. That not of yourself is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Since he’s touched with the feeling of our infirmities, we can take courage to approach the throne of grace. He provides us with strength to face the trials of both the present and the future. He will be there to give us comfort and to give us strength. Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of grace. Not with arrogance, not with self righteousness, but with the assurance of a loving, understanding, and forgiving, Lord. Let us close with a prayer. Almighty God, our Father, we are truly grateful. When we consider your great power and wisdom, and all the things you’ve done, even in creation itself.

We marvel that you be mindful of us. And yet we are so thankful that you manifested your love toward us through Jesus Christ, your Son, who gave Himself, that we might have eternal life. Who walked with us as flesh, who can sympathize and understand and come to our aid as one who can assist because He’s walked where we walk. Help us, Lord, to be lifted up with faith in you and with an assurance that you provide, your word is living and powerful and active, and that you provided for us eternal life. May that hope serve as an anchor, no matter what ways we are tempted or tested and tried. Yet may we be steadfast. May we abound in the work of the Lord. Bless us now in the rest of our service today in our Bible classes and then in our worship at the 11 o’clock hour.

May all things be done to your glory and honor. And we pray ultimately for heaven itself. For this we pray in the name of the Christ. Amen.