Sermon Cloud

Intro:  Dad fell while fixing the fan.  Cried out to Mom.  There was no answer.

Big Idea: Jesus is ready, willing and able to help when we cry out to Him.

Summary:  This letter was written to a group of Hebrew Christians that considered returning to temple worship rather than face persecution for Jesus’ sake.  They are reminded of the superiority of Jesus to all the prophets, the angels, to Moses and the Aaronic priesthood.  He has just revealed how God’s Word exposes our hearts and minds.

I. Look up to Jesus the exalted Great High Priest (vs. 14)!

-         God’s Word exposes our temptations & great fears (apostasy).  What are we to do?

-         Often we hide our temptations & fears.  We have a Great High Priest to help.  Where?

-         “Gone through the heavens” => His ascension.  This is his heavenly ministry in view.

-         Our priest is the Son of God we dishonor Him by going to others first.  Ill. Sox tix

-         He encourages them to “hold fast to the confession” w/him (horatory subjective).

-         “Hold fast” means to hold on with all you’ve got.  Ill. Eli’s death grip

-         “The confession” refers back to Hebrews 3:1, as something we believe or say together.

-         In Rome, the issue was lordship- Caesar or Jesus?  Must confess Jesus as Lord.

-         The issue is where’s the priest- Jerusalem or heaven?  Jesus is our High Priest (gospel).

Transition: Look up to the Priest in heaven, Jesus, who is able to help!  Will He listen?

II. Cry out to Jesus who sympathizes with us in trials (vs. 15)!

-         We want someone who will understand & feel with us (sumpaqevw, sun-paqos).

-         Unbelief: He can’t identify us.  Ill. Politics  not married, widowed, infirm w/age.

-         He stresses that our High Priest is not unmoved, unfeeling, or dispassionate.

-         He feels w/us in our weaknesses, temptations & shortcuts.  Ill. This morning

-         Jesus was tested & tried in every way- experienced every weakness but didn’t fail.

-         He was sick, defenseless, betrayed, abandoned, a scapegoat, broke, misunderstood ...

-         Testing: hardship, literally pressure, opening the door to temptation.  Ill. toothpaste

-         He was tempted to turn from God’s will in that weakness, like us (Gesthemene).

-         The problem is not our circumstances, but how our hearts react to them.

Transition: Cry out to a priest who wants to help you- for He has suffered too.  How do we?

III. Cry out to Jesus who supplies well-timed grace and mercy (vs. 16)!

-         Again, he encourages them in joining him in drawing near to God by faith.  Ill. IV

-         “Bring ourselves” no one else can do it.  Not the pastor or worship team- you together!

-         Go boldly!  God’s terrifying majesty is covered by Jesus’ blood (Spurgeon).

-         We have free access because of what Jesus’ earthly ministry; don’t hide in the shadows.

-         Ps. 91:14.  God uses difficulty to drive us to Jesus to honor Him as High Priest (1 J. 4).

-         We approach the throne of grace.  He is so gracious He reigns in grace.

-         Go when you are experiencing hardship- you need His help!  Ill. Hurricane Jeanne

-         Go in public worship, private worship, or family worship. 

-         Part of worship is seeking grace.  God gets glory by being gracious- seek it, pray!

-         Mercy: God changes our circumstance.  Grace: God changes us (Tripp)!  Ill. patience

-         Jesus was faithful as they struggled with apostasy- He’ll be faithful in your struggles.

-         It will come on time, His time.  He’s not tied to your deadlines.  Ill. Hungry kids

Conclusion: We face trials of many kinds giving rise to temptations to stray from God’s will.  We need to cry out to someone who can help and wants to help.  Jesus is ready, willing and able to help with well-timed mercy and grace.  If you cry out to someone else you are wasting your time and will be disappointed.  Look up to our Great High Priest and cry out for mercy & grace whatever your need.
Therefore, as ones having a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold the confession fast.  For we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, having been tried & tempted in every way, like us, but without sin.  Therefore, let us bring ourselves to the throne of grace fearlessly, in order that we might receive mercy and find grace for well-timed help.

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. Hebrews 3:1

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. ¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  Ps. 91

¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  1 John 4

“After terrifying us, the Apostle now comforts us, after pouring wine into our wound, he now pours in oil.”  Martin Luther

“Let us fly to the cross for shelter in all times of need and help will be sent to us. For praying breath is never spent in vain.”  C.H. Spurgeon

“We forget that God’s primary goal is not changing our situations and relationships so that we can be happy, but changing us through our situations and relationships so that we will be holy.”  Paul Tripp