Timely Help

Good morning. Blessings to all of you.

I plan to share from Hebrews this morning

the end of the fourth chapter and the beginning of the fifth. I don't feel like the chapters divide this book up very well into topics, so we're disregarding the chapters.

Last time when I shared, we talked about the end of chapter three and the beginning of chapter four. And the beginning of chapter three talks about Jesus being better than Moses, superior to Moses, and compares it to the person who built the house having more honor than the house itself.

And Moses was faithful, but he was a servant, whereas Christ is the Son.

And then we talked about entering God's rest and how the disobedience of the children of Israel kept them from entering.

And the reason that they did not enter is because they didn't believe God. They didn't take him at his word. And it almost seems like that whole topic is sort of a parentheses because in the end of chapter two, in the very beginning of chapter three, it talks about Jesus being the high priest. And we're going to go back to that now. We're going to go back to the priesthood of Christ. And Hebrews talks a lot about the priesthood of Christ, and it repeats itself.

And when you want your children to remember something, you end up saying it over and over again. And so this must be something that's very important. And as we get further on, it doesn't say it in our passage today, but it talks about the new priest bringing a new covenant.

Had to have a new priest to have a new covenant. And so we're preparing for that discussion. Okay, so I'm going to go ahead and read the text, and I'm going to read from chapter four, verse 14, to chapter five, verse 10. "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 weakness, 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.

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this, he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.

And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but it was he who said to him, 'You are my Son. Today I have begotten you.' As he also says in another place, 'You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplication with behemoth cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death and was heard because of his godly fear, though he was a Son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him, called by God as high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.'" And I've titled this message, "Timely Help."

He starts in the beginning of this discussion talking about the fact that we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens.

Now, if you think about the high priest in the Old Testament, they passed into the most holy place one time a year, and they always took blood with them to make atonement. And I don't know, some of these things are a little difficult to understand, but the real holy place is in the heavens, that the original temple and tabernacle were just a type of. And so Jesus passed through the heavens.

And when we think about how Jesus ascended, it talks about how he went up into the clouds and we couldn't see him anymore. And when the high priest went in behind that veil, you couldn't see him anymore.

And I guess that's sort of a type that when the Israelite high priest went in, he left the congregation and he went in and made the offering, and he came back out. And we're still waiting for Jesus to come back out as it is.

But he's doing a great work in the heavens, and we'll talk about that as we go on here.

And it's interesting to me that because of that, he says, "Let us hold fast to our confession." And I don't know how you find it, but I find that it's easy for my confession to sort of slip out of my grasp.

But if you hold fast, you're hanging on tightly, sometimes for dear life. And the thing that gives us strength as we hold on is the fact that we have this high priest in the heavens that is interceding for us. And one of the things that's so important about Jesus is that he's not incapable of sympathizing with our weakness, but he's been tempted in every way that we have been. And I guess today, this morning, I'm going to camp on the humanity of Christ because that's what the Hebrew writer does.

Jesus was fully human. I think it's so important to remember that. And he was able. There was the potential there for him to sin. It was there. And a lot of people, I think, want to downplay that and say, "Well, it was easier for Jesus because he was God and because he didn't have a sin nature. And so it wasn't as hard for him as it is for me. It's not as hard." I just want to remind us what temptation is.

And I want to illustrate that by thinking about a sloth. Do you know how a sloth sleeps? They hang upside down from a tree, and they go to sleep for hours. And they have these specialized tendons in their hands and feet. And when they clamp them around the branch, they lock into place. And it doesn't take any energy to hang on.

And so they can sleep. And sometimes they'll die hanging there like that, and they'll just hang up in the tree because until those tendons decompose, they're locked on. It doesn't take any effort for the sloth to hang from the tree.

Now, I'm going to tell you that this afternoon, when I go home and eat my lunch, it is not going to be a temptation for me to climb up in the tree in my backyard and fall asleep, is it? Not a temptation. I can't hang on like that. I'll fall out if I fall asleep.

And you won't feel tempted either because unless you have special hands, you're going to fall out too. So it's not a temptation to climb up in a tree and go to sleep, is it? Not a temptation. I can't do it. It's physically impossible. So if it was physically impossible for Jesus to sin, anything that came up wouldn't have been a temptation at all.

Wouldn't have tempted him at all.

And I just want you to think about I'm going to read the first part of Genesis chapter three because when Adam and Eve were created, they didn't have the sin nature either, did they? They had never sinned. And I just want you to think about this, the first part of Genesis three. "Now the serpent was more cunning than all the wild animals the Lord God made on the earth. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat from every tree of the garden?' And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat the fruit from the trees of the garden, but from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You shall not eat from it, nor shall you touch it lest you die.'

Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You shall not die by death, for God knows that in the day that you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God's, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree beautiful to contemplate, she took its fruit and ate. She also gave it to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of the two were open, and they knew that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings."

Now, the Bible doesn't give us any sense of how much time elapsed.

Did the serpent tempt Eve for years, months, hours, or minutes?

My guess is the whole encounter only took a few minutes, and she ate the fruit and gave it to Adam, and he ate. It didn't take very long, and they didn't have a sin nature. But the temptation was very real.

And so when we think about Christ and his humanity and the different ways that he was tempted, if you sit there and think about every way that you've been tempted in your whole life, realize that Jesus was tempted in those ways too.

He was tempted to be lazy. He was tempted to lust. He was tempted to be angry. He was tempted to be mean. He was mistreated in ways that we probably haven't been. And he had some supernatural power to take revenge on these people, and he was tempted to use that, which we maybe have never been tempted to do.

So I think in some ways, it may have been harder for Jesus to resist temptation than it was for us.

And because of that, he can sympathize with us. And we'll talk about that. And because of that, because of the fact that he can sympathize with our weakness, we can confidently approach the throne of grace to find mercy and grace whenever we need help.

And I just was thinking about that.

Well, I'll save that for just a minute. I have a little story to read here. "A man put up a sign in his yard that read, 'Poppies for sale.' Among those who came to inquire was a young boy. 'Please, mister,' he said, 'I'd like to buy one of your poppies if they don't cost too much.' 'Well, son, they're $25.' The boy looked crushed. 'I've only got $2.05. Could I see them anyway?' 'Of course. Maybe we can work something out,' said the man. The lad's eyes danced at the sight of those five little balls of fur. 'I heard that one has a bad leg,' he said. 'Yes, I'm afraid she'll be crippled for life.' 'Well, that's the poppy I want.

Could I pay for her a little at a time?' The man responded, 'But she'll always have a limp.' Smiling bravely, the boy pulled up one pant leg, revealing a brace. 'I don't walk good either.' Then, looking at the poppy sympathetically, he continued, 'I guess she'll need a lot of love and help. I sure did. It's not so easy being crippled.' 'Here, take her,' said the man. 'I know you'll give her a good home and just forget the money.'

So that boy could sympathize with the dog because he had been there. He knew what it was like to have a limp.

And so when we go to Jesus for help, we're going to someone who knows what we face because he's been there.

And I think that's a huge confidence booster. If I want help from somebody, with all due respect, if I wanted to learn to sew a dress, I wouldn't ask Brother Marvin to teach me how because he doesn't know how.

And if I wanted to learn how to raise a beef, I would probably ask Harvey because he knows how to do it. And you don't go to get help from someone that you don't think is going to sympathize with you. If you think they're going to put you down and say, "It's so easy. Just do it."

Sometimes we're tempted to tell our children that. Well, it's not that difficult. Just do it. And we forget that we were there and should be able to sympathize. The word confidence means the absence of fear in speaking boldly. Hence confidence, cheerful courage, boldness without any connection necessarily with speech. So you can be bold in your speech or your actions. That's what that particular word means.

And he says that when we confidently approach, he gives us grace whenever we need help. And that Greek word just means timely help.

It's there when we need it. It's exactly the right kind of help. And it's not late. It's right on time. And here's another story for you, and I can really identify with this story because something similar to this happens almost every morning in my house.

One morning, Scott Long and his wife had just awakened, and we're lying in bed when suddenly a young fellow entered their bedroom. He walked around the bed to Scott's side. If the trespasser had been a total stranger, his entrance would have been criminal intrusion.

If he had been a friend, his entrance would have been just plain obnoxious. But it was their toddler son who had entered the bedroom, jumped on the bed, and boldly said, "I want in the middle." Scott was struck with the beauty of a child's security and knowing he is wanted. We are welcome in our Heavenly Father's presence as well. Hebrews 4:16 tells us we can come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. We can approach him confidently about anything, our needs and our desires, knowing that he cares for us. Writer Phillips Brooks said, "If man is man and God is God, then to live without prayer is not merely an awful thing.

It is an infinitely foolish thing."

So let's not be foolish and ignore the help we can find in prayer to our Father. Instead, let's approach him with the boldness of a child who knows he is loved and wanted by his Father.

That child made himself right at home. And that's our privilege. That's our privilege since our high priest has passed into the heavens and is sympathetic to us.

In chapter five, then he compares Christ's priesthood with Aaron's priesthood. He talks about this a little bit. And he says that every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God. And that Bible says, "For every high priest is taken from among the people and appointed to represent them before God to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin."

And that makes it pretty easy to understand. So a priest is someone who stands between man and God. In this case, you can have priests that stand between man and other false gods. But in this case, between God and man, the priest represents.

It's like having your own personal representative when you go to the priest. And the Aaronic high priests were human, and they had the same weaknesses that the people had. And it says that they were able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring since he also is subject to weakness.

So the original priests that the Israelites had, they were supposed to be sympathetic. I don't know if they always were very sympathetic.

I think I was thinking back, there's not a lot written about the individual priest, but there's only one or two that I can think of that really demonstrated that, and it's documented.

And of course, because they had weaknesses, they had to go and offer a sacrifice first. And then he talks about how priests are appointed. And he says that no one assumes this honor on their own initiative. So you don't go out and start to campaign to be a priest. That's not the way it's supposed to work.

And I don't think it did work that way for the children of Israel very much because it was by descent. But Aaron was chosen. He was chosen by God, called by God. And Jesus didn't decide to become the high priest on his own either.

It says in Psalms 2:7, which is quoted here, it says that God said to him, "You are my son. Today I have fathered you." And then another quote from Psalms 110 where God says, "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." And so that was God's calling on Jesus that made him a priest.

And we're going to discuss Melchizedek when we get to chapter seven. But for now, we can understand that Melchizedek was a separate order of priests from Aaron. He was predating that priesthood, and he was superior. And we'll get into more detail when we get to chapter seven where Hebrews gets into a lot of detail. And so then he talks about what Jesus did while he was here on the earth during his earthly life or in the days of his flesh.

It says that he offered requests and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion.

And so these two words, prayer and supplication, are sort of interesting. The Greek word for prayer here can also be translated supplication. And it was, I think, in some places. And prayer is a seeking, asking, and treating in the New Testament as requests addressed by men to God.

So we have a pretty good idea of what prayer is. And probably that's mostly what we do. But when was the last time that you made supplication? So I want to talk a little bit about what supplication is because this is very interesting.

So supplication is the idea of approaching for a favor. Come before God, and we're going to ask a favor. Or I could supplicate with you. I could come and say, "Can you help me do whatever it is?"

But this Greek word, and I'm not going to be able to pronounce it, is a branch of olive rolled round with wool is what supplicants were accustomed to deposit in some place or to carry in their hand. So when these people in Greek or Roman times went to supplicate, they would get this olive branch, and they would wrap it with wool. And there's an account about the Locirians who were pillaged, oppressed, and ruined by the council, cue Pelaminus, sent their delegates to the Roman government to implore protection and redress. They, the better to represent their situation and none of their oppressed fellow citizens, they took this olive branch, wrapped around with wool, and presented themselves before the councils in open court and with wailing and loud outcries made known their situation.

The Senate heard. They arrested Pelaminus, loaded him with chains, and he died in the dungeon. So their supplication was effective. The Senate responded to them. But this is interesting. They're there, and they've got these olive branches wrapped up with wool, and they're making these loud cries and entreaties.

I'm ashamed to say this, but I haven't supplicated very much. But I don't know. There's a lot of different opinions about what Jesus was doing with these requests. It says he used loud cries and tears. Some people think that he was distressed on behalf of humanity.

I think that he was distressed about his death because that's what Hebrews says. To the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion. And I don't think well, I'm just going to read some of those accounts. Matthew 26:36, "Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.' He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and became anguished and distressed. Then he said to them, 'My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.' Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if possible, let this cop pass from me, yet not what I will, but what you will.'

Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, 'So couldn't you stay awake with me for one hour? Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.' He went away a second time and prayed, 'My Father, if this cop cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.' He came again and found them sleeping. They could not keep their eyes open. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, 'Are you still sleeping? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Get up.'" And then Luke even makes it stronger. Luke 22:39, "Then Jesus went out and made his way as he customarily did to the mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he came to the place, he said to them, 'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.' He went away from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and prayed, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me, yet not my will, but yours be done.' Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And in his anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, exhausted from grief.

So he said to them, 'Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation.'" Now, I don't know that the Garden of Gethsemane experience was the only time that Jesus felt this way. I don't think so. He constantly was trying to get off by himself so that he could pray.

And maybe he was working with some of these same feelings. But I don't think that we can comprehend very well maybe we can comprehend somewhat what it would be like to be separated from God and to hang on this cross. And he knew that was what was coming.

And he kept saying, "You know, God, if there's another way, that would be pretty nice." And God said, "No, there's no other way."

But he was heard. He was heard. And Luke gives evidence of that with talking about this angel that came and helped him, strengthened him. But that's supplication. That's an illustration of supplication. Maybe he didn't have the olive branch, but he was very serious about his request. And in 5:8, "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered."

And that seems like a conundrum. Can a perfect man learn obedience? But his humanity had to go through these things and suffer and be obedient. And it says he learned obedience. And he lived and died without sinning. And remember that it was a very real possibility that he could sin and mess this whole thing up. And the pressure was there, and it was on. And I think that's why Hebrews describes it this way.

And he says, "And by being perfected in this way, by being perfected." And so in a certain sense, it wasn't till he died as the sinless Lamb of God that you could truly describe his life as perfect. He was perfect the whole time, but it was complete, and he did it without sinning.

And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. And so he was the perfect sacrifice because he was sinless. He resisted all of the temptations that Satan and so on threw at him. And now he's the source of salvation. And I think it's so clear he says, "To all who obey him." So if you want to participate in that salvation this morning, you need to be prepared to obey.

He was the example. He learned obedience through the things that he suffered, and we will too.

And then he wraps up this section by saying again that he was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

So this week, when you feel like the going is tough, don't hesitate to go to the throne of grace because we can get timely help. It'll be what we need. It'll be right on time when we need it.

And I just want you all to take that with you this week. Is there any response to the message?