The Mystical Sphere of God's Power 2

1THESS. 1:1-4

Subject: A Strong Church 

Theme: The Church of the Thessalonians is a positive example because of its leadership, members, teaching, service, and God’s work among them. The Thessalonians provide us with a wonderful model to imitate.

Introduction:  

Now that we have observed the place and peculiarities of the church at Thessalonica, it is time to turn our attention to what God equipped them with as a standard provision—a powerful resource. The provisions of the Thessalonian church are worth considering because they are mighty empowerments! The church possesses precious gifts “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” and so do we! Yes, I am of the view that this “letter greeting” is far more than merely a greeting. Certainly these two blessed gifts will make a church stronger when we know how to rest in them and appropriate them into our lives.

Note the Power of this Church

1Thess. 1:1,   “. . . Grace be unto you, and peace …  

“Grace” is the first component of this salutation to the church in Thessalonica. “Grace” was a Grecian greeting and “peace” was a Hebrew greeting in the first century and this signified that the gospel is for the world (Rom. 1:16). Such a greeting signifies that the church was more cosmopolitan as well; there is plenty of evidence to support this conclusion in Acts 17 when the church was planted. Paul was greeting the Jews in a manner familiar to them and addressing the Grecians in a way familiar to them.

“Grace” indicates the church enjoyed the blessings of the unmerited favor of God. This is real spiritual strength for service and relationship building. It is because we have experienced grace that we can give grace or show grace to others who need it. One thing people should be able to find when interacting with a godly NT church is grace. Believers are recipients of grace and stand in the best position to show grace to the fallen, undeserving, and repentant. In Ephesian 3:7-8, Paul says,

Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ

The apostle viewed his entire ministry as a gracious opportunity afforded to Him by a mighty gracious God! He enjoyed incredible ministry power because of God’s grace operating through him. Did God use Paul because Paul was so great or so wonderful or so dedicated or so educated or so eloquent? According to Paul’s own admission God used Paul because God is gracious…. Paul did not earn the privileges extended to him; they were actually gracious gifts from God; favors that were purely underserved. Beloved, by recognizing this extraordinary truth we position ourselves to deal graciously with other undeserving fallen human beings. It is from grace we discover the strength to be gracious to others in the execution of God's work. Grace should mark every church as a distinct characteristic. Grace should actually avail power to behave and do what is underserved for another. We are sustained in these activities to the degree of our own realization of the grace God extended to us. When you find yourself unmotivated to treat another graciously remember how graciously God has treated you. I know from experience this will help.

“Peace” is the second part of the greeting addressed to the church and it means to be bound, joined and woven together. This, no doubt, was Paul’s prayer for this multicultural church. He yearned for them to be woven together as a tapestry of God's infinite grace operating within and among God's people. Ethnic, historic, and socioeconomic differences can drive a wedge through a church and split it along one of these faultlines. These are powerfully divisive weapons the devil has employed with astounding success over the centuries on many continents. God offers the hope of “peace” in the church and this can potentially influence the culture at large. Again, God’s peace is conciliatory binding together and weaving very different peoples into the fabric of a church.Continous growth, curiosity, empathy, and constant dialog are required to get there. Instead of stereotyping ask the questions to understand what is actually going on.   

Before peace can impact our relationships and bridge cultural and ethnic gaps, we must experience inner peace. People who have experienced peace can abide together in peace. Peace in this regard denotes the state of the Christian in this present life. The tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, fearing nothing from God and consequently content with its earthly lot, whatever it is (Rom 5:1; 8:6; 15:13; 2Thess 3:16; Col 3:15).

Furthermore, peace means the soul is bound together by the love of God, and anxiety means the soul is being torn apart by excessive concerns.  Peace is being assured, confident, and secure in the love of God.  When we worry, we doubt God’s wisdom and love over our lives. Worry is rooted in a belief that we have to do it all, while peace recognizes God as the center of one’s world. Worry is rooted in fear and cultural fears or distrust can increase the level of anxiety in a church fellowship. Our common ground in Christ should enable us to overcome the differences we have resulting in social peace in the fellowship of God’s people.

God affords His people peace through the incredible promises he has given us. He is the Source of these wonderful blessings. These encouragements should help us overcome our cultural differences to know real harmony and solidarity in the local congregations. We should not fear having a cross-cultural ministry if God has given us that opportunity. Yet, many churches are dying by attrition because their homogeneous membership is aging and the immediate communities have changed. The demographics in many American communities have become more diverse in the last 25 years. It is most likely this trend will continue. This is especially true in the metropolitan areas. The future promises a greater assortment of people groups in the average community. How many times will congregations relocate their church building because they are trying to escape the changes? God has brought the world to our door steps; it is our priceless opportunity if we dare to acknowledge it. Beloved, Jesus offers His people peace as the power to overcome such challenges. Take a moment and meditate on the following verses while applying them to this discussion: 

John 14:27, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33, These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Rom 8:28, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ are our Source of these precious gifts. Peace is the blessing of the Lord God (Job 25:2; Ps 147:14; Isa 45:7). It is God’s prescription for life with the church body even when there are socioeconomic and ethnic differences. Diversity should be regarded as a strength and not a threat. Yes, there are very real challenges, but I believe the opportunities outweigh them. Recall the conciliatory statements of Paul in Galatians 3:26-29,

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:26-29, KJV)

To another congregation adjusting to vast ethnic diversity, the Apostle Paul clearly states that Jesus Christ is the focal point for peace among the brethren. Through His cross Jews and Gentiles are reconciled. Beloved, the cross of Christ has the same potential today; it has not in any way lost it potency and power to change ancient prejudices, ethnic distrust, racial tensions, unforgiving hearts, and gross injustices. Consider what Paul says to the Ephesians,

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:14-22, KJV)

As it has been well said on many occasions by Central American, Caucasian American, Asian American, and African-American pastors, “A race problem is actually a grace problem.” Real believers are spiritual family because of our redemptive relationship with Jesus Christ. God’s grace and peace will enable and empower us to transcend our ethnic differences and serve together through our local congregations to the glory of our Father in heaven. Our churches really should be making a serious impact in this regard. The task is ours to show the rest of society how this is done. I do understand the reservations involved with all of this. I also understand the rewards of pastoring a wonderfully multicultural congregation for ten years while in Germany. Yes, all of this requires real courage and commitment. For some there is little opportunity for a cosmopolitan church family, but for others it's almost an imperative. God has brought all kinds of precious people groups into the very shadow of our steeple. I encourage you to allow God to use you to make an eternal difference in these lives. The shameful truth is we work every week in incredible diversity and this is regarded as progress and a strength. Still Sunday morning at 11 o’clock is the most segregated time of the week. I cannot see how this is glorifying to God when our faith should be making this difference among believers. Let us model God's power to bring different peoples together to His glory. 

God's Strategy for Victory I

God’s Strategy for Victory I

1Cor. 10:1-14

Struggling with re-occurring sins? Feeling like you are trapped in habits and patterns that have become progressively worse? Have you ever said, "That will never happen to me!"? All of these questions point to some struggle with temptations! We need a way to win the battles against temptations. Without exception trials and temptations are welded to the human experience. Whether we are saved or lost the same holds true. Everyone on the planet is facing some sort of test at one time or another. All of us know what it means to feeling enticed by something forbidden, illegal, or unholy. We all have acutely felt the invitations of evil and have believed the false promises of satisfaction, thrills, or significance. Every one of us can also testify to the fact that the devil does not tell us everything up front nor in the heat of the moment. After we have failed and sinned comes the seemingly endless waves of guilt, remorse, sorrow, pain, disappointment, questions, disillusionment, and on the lists of regrets and consequences continue.

We need a way to win these battles with our temptations. Whether “temptation” means a certain person at the office, church, or in the community, we desperately need a way to beat temptations. Whether “temptation” is a long grueling trial in our family, walk with the Lord, physical body, Internet life, or a relationship, we need a means of enduring without failing the Lord or ourselves. The good news is God has made provision for Christians to experience real victory in our battles with temptations. What then is God’s winning strategy for reoccurring temptations?  How can we break the chains of defeats and become victorious? Actually, part of a sound strategy for overcoming temptations consists of refusing an overconfident attitude about our ability to handle them. God’s strategy for victory over temptations involves listening to His warnings, adopting His perspective, and trusting Him to supply power and grace to continue in righteous victory.

A CAUTION: Listen to God’s Warnings to Avoid Overconfidence While Facing Temptations (1Cor. 10:11-12).

Never let your guard down because of overconfidence in the face of temptation or never embrace a false sense of security. Sometimes we place too much stock in our privileges, situation, or perceived advantages, and fail to meet each battle with full strength. Such missed placed confidence manifests itself as overconfidence and we are blindsided by the magnitude of a test or enticement to do evil. There are three lessons we must learn in this connection.

Great Privileges Do Not Necessarily Provide an Impregnable Defense Against Temptations (1Cor. 10:1-5). Correctly Harold Willmington wrote,

The ancient Israelites enjoyed God's supernatural signs and spiritual blessings, but all to no avail, for their hearts were not right before him (10:1-5). The tragedies that befell them were recorded as object lessons and warnings to us, lest we also fall (10:6-11). We should always be on guard against temptation, trusting God to help us resist it (10:12-13).

Great opportunities, benefits, and promise do not guarantee great outcomes (10:1-4). Israel had received numerous blessings of God’s grace and witnessed many miracles performed before their very eyes. But they still failed!

Spiritual privileges do not prevent us from falling into sin.  Yes, we are saved; yes, we have some strength in the Lord. Yes, we belong to a Bible preaching church. Yes, we have viable ministries to introduce people to Christ. Yes, we have a well-equip ministry staff of great experience in Christian service. Yes, we habitually walk in the truth of God’s Word, but none of these eliminate the possibility of falling into sin. While it is true such privileges will make us less vulnerable to temptation and sin, nothing eradicates the possibility.  In fact our pride about our privileges can be the very thing the devil uses to drag us down into great sin!

Adam and Eve had splendid privileges as perfect human being living in perfect harmony with God, but still she fell into temptation and they sinned! While we want to use whatever advantages the Lord affords us to become strong against temptations, we must also recognize their limitations and our persistent vulnerabilities.

The Failures of Others Should Serve As Examples And Warnings To Us (1Cor. 10:6-11).

Yes, Israel gave in to temptation and fell into sin Repeatedly (1Cor 10:6-12). They were guilty of “lusting,” idolatry (Ex 32), fornication (Numb. 25), tempting God (Numb. 21:4-6), and complaining (Numb. 14 & 16). These forms of rebellion and sin are serious and God does indeed judge them. Some of these rebels died immediately (see 1 Cor. 11:29-31), and others were not permitted to enter the Promised Land. They were saved from Egypt but lost the privilege to claim their rich inheritance. There are consequences of enslavement to sin and entrenchment to wicked lifestyles as a result of repeatedly giving in to certain allurements. 

The meaning of Israel’s failures is not limited to their historical value (10:11). They are warnings to us who are living in this gospel age (10:11). “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Possibly you view trivial fleshly indulgences as of little consequence. A little complaining here, a tiny bit of ingratitude there, and a slight measure of lusting every now and again never hurt anyone…right? Perhaps you feel you can dabble with self-gratification and not be affected by it. Maybe you have convinced yourself that you can handle high living, lax attitudes about self-control, pleasure mongering, and self-indulgence. Such deceived individuals are in the greatest danger of falling into sin.

The Bible is filled with examples of the dangers of overconfidence. Sennacherib, king of Assyria (Isa. 36-38), was enjoying tremendous victory as he conquered the nations and kingdoms of the Middle East. Standing outside Jerusalem’s walls, his general Rabshakeh taunted Israel with the boast that her God could no more save her than the idol gods of other lands had saved them. A short time later, the Angel of the Lord was dispatched to strike down 185,000 troops in the camp of the Assyrians. When the surviving members of the camp awakened early the next morning, they found dead soldiers strewn everywhere. A few days after, this same defeated king returned to Nineveh, Assyria, where he was assassinated by two of his sons and succeeded on the throne by a third (Isa. 37:36–38). He was prideful, arrogant, blasphemous, self-sufficient, and he placed too much stock in his military might. If we are wise, we will learn from the failures of others and not pretend that we are better than they just because we have not falling into sin. Lusting/coveting, premarital sex, bitter complaining, pride, defying/daring God, deifying celebrities, revering sports figures, worshipping high-powered leaders, and loving/trusting money are serious sins in the eyes of Almighty God. Such behaviors are not only prevalent in society, but even ‘Christians’ are sanctioning many of these blatant violations of God perfect standard! The failures of others are not opportunities to gloat, but promptings to take serious inventory of our condition instead!

These Warnings Instruct Us To Avoid Overconfidence When Facing Temptations (1Cor. 10:12). One of the surest ways to fall into temptation and sin is to become overconfident.

Each Christian must be careful to avoid becoming Cocky and Overoptimistic by Overestimating our strength against sin (10:11-12). We can become too sure of ourselves, almost prideful. If Israel fell into idolatry, so could we. Many believers feel themselves perfectly secure in their Christian lives believing that they have arrived. They are saved, baptized, well taught, part of a Bible preaching church, and presumably mature. They think they are strong enough to freely associate with lost friends in their social activities and not be affected morally or spiritually, as long as they don’t participate in outright immorality or sin.

Temptations are common to everyone, even mature Christians. The noblest souls are often the ones most tempted. It seems that Satan assaults Christians in positions of leadership with his strongest weapons. Therefore, we must all be on our constant spiritual guard (Wiersbe).  There are dangers to maturity as well as to immaturity, and one of them is overconfidence. When we think we are strong, we discover that we are weak. The strong believer who assumes he has enough experience to handle anything may find himself struggling with an enemy who is too strong for him (Wiersbe).

No human being is ever beyond temptation while he or she is on this earth. We are warned to not let down our guard. Those most liable to fall are those who think they will not. “O, that will never happen to me,” they say! We cannot live long on the far edge of risk without falling into sin. When a Christian becomes so confident of his strength that he thinks he can handle any situation, he is in great danger of falling. The danger is not of falling from salvation but of falling from holiness and from usefulness in service. It is a serious danger and the Lord does not take it lightly. Therefore, He warns us!

Peter discovered that he was extremely weak in the very area he thought himself strong! Satan will not seduce some of us in our areas of weaknesses; he will come by way of our strengths to destroy us. Peter was most vulnerable in an area of strength, not weakness! He assured Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death!” But, as Jesus then predicted, before dawn Peter denied three times that he even knew The Lord (Luke 22:33–34, 54–62). We all tend to be overconfident in the areas we feel are our strengths…beware.

We should also strenuously avoid the deceptive game of “comparison pride.” Unfortunately most of us can list people who are moral, ethical, and spiritual “failures.” We may become proud of ourselves as Believers who have “stood strong” by comparison. This is a dangerous game to play:

·         We ought to take their failures as sober warnings of our own vulnerability to sin.

·         Such comparisons fail to demonstrate compassion for others who have failed.

·         Such prideful comparisons evidence NO respect or concern for the dangers of false confidence.

·         We must place our confidence in God rather than in our personal record or efforts.

If you visited the Golan Heights you would see the place where, in 1967, the Israelis penetrated the Syrian defenses and secured that strategic area for themselves. From those heights Syrian guns overlooked most of the Galilee region of northern Israel and were a constant threat. The entire Golan area was closely guarded by the Syrians, except for one spot where the cliffs were so high and sheer that they seemed perfectly safe from attack. One night, however, Israeli bulldozers cut out the cliffs enough to push tanks up to the top. By morning a large contingent of tanks, followed by infantry and supported by fighter planes, completely overran the Syrian positions and secured an area that extended ten miles inland. The spot the Syrians thought to be the safest turned out to be the most vulnerable (Source Unknown).

What Makes Christ Such A Great High Priest?

What is it that makes the Lord Jesus Christ so relevant still today? Why should anyone give Him any serious consideration? The short answer consists of a thoughtful contemplation about who He is, what He has done, and what He is still doing at this very moment! Christ is God’s perfect solution for struggling Christians in need of His ministry.

With the words “Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest,” (Heb. 4:14) our needy souls are directed to the Lord Jesus and His current ministry to the redeemed. Many Believers have a good working grasp of Christ’s past work at Calvary as redemptive, substitutionary, sacrificial and completely sufficient payment for all sin. We also seem to have respectable ability when intelligently discussing our Lord’s future ministries and end time events like the rapture, judgment seat of Christ, and His return to the earth to rule the world from Jerusalem. However, we seem woefully lacking in our grasp of Christ’s present ministry. The Bible describes Him as our Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:2), and as our High Priest who continually makes intercession for Believers (Heb. 7:25). Through our grand Representative’s intercessions, we have a solid defense with God and are assured of spiritual supplies from Heaven in our hour of need.

Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest not only because he meets a great need among believers, but because of whom He is and what He has accomplished. Israel had many priests and high priests down through the centuries of the tabernacle and temple, but never one like High Priest Jesus Christ. Historically there were good and bad high priests, but Jesus is described as “great.” What makes our High Priest so great?

The Greatness of His Person

First consider the greatness of His Person. Christ’s fitness to serve as Believers’ great high priest is deeply rooted in His complex personage. Notice his description is “Jesus, the Son of God” (Heb. 4:14). Jesus is His human name that emphasizes His humanity. Obviously, He is also “the Son of God;” which portrays His deity (Heb. 4:14). Therefore, our attitude should be marvelously influenced by the fact that Jesus Christ is both God and Man—His Person. The Lord Jesus is a single Person of the triune Godhead, but His personality is comprised of two unmixed natures—divine and human. He essentially knows humanity and is God enough to do something about it. As our Priest, Christ has a 360 degree comprehension of the human plight with its weaknesses, infirmities, and challenges. As God, He is fully capable of addressing any matter with complete competence. His platform for perceiving our challenges is rock-solid perfect because of His first-hand experiential knowledge of life as a human. As God, He is postured to work supernaturally in our lives and through the Holy Spirit. These facts assure us that He is able to understand us and minister to our needs with perfect insight. There is no place we can wander off to emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, or volitionally that Christ has no first-hand appraisal of. Though He never ever committed a single sin, He is fully cognizant of all human difficulties and God's will simultaneously.

Again “Son of God” (Heb. 4:14) affirms the reality that Christ is possessed of a divine nature; therefore, He fully grasps the weight of divine expectations for His people and is capable of functioning as God on our behalf. His knowledge of the divine is complete, and free of any misconceptions. He wields the power of the Most High because He is Himself true God in the fullest sense. He can receive, process, forward, and answer all our prayers and appeals simultaneously without being overwhelmed! Absolutely no one multitasks like Almighty God! Furthermore, as God He can resource His people according to their true spiritual needs most adequately. Dr. Wiersbe (The Bible Exposition Commentary) stated, “In His unique person, Jesus Christ unites Deity and humanity, so that He can bring people to God and bring to people all that God has for them.” No other such ambidextrous personality abides anywhere else in all the universe and no other ever will! The Lord Jesus is consummately and uniquely fitted to serve His Father’s will and our needs as our superior High Priest. Any matter whatsoever, whether pertaining to God or man, regarding our Christian journey He can aid and help us with. There is no point where His expertise reaches its limits or His capability is exhausted. We have a Great High Priest!

The Greatness of His Position

Secondly, consider the greatness of High Priest Christ’s position. Certainly He is in His person altogether glorious because His role as priest is anchored in His very unique natures.  Equally astounding is the reality that His position is similarly fascinating and meaningful to God’s redeemed people. Christ is in Heaven—“that is passed into the heavens” (Heb. 4:14). Jesus, the Savior, literally circumnavigated the atmospheric and stellar heavens and on into the very abode of God when he ascended to His Father two thousand years ago (Acts 1:11). Just before Stephen was stoned to death in Acts chapter eight, He was given ability to see into the very third Heaven being exposed to the glory of God and the Lord Jesus “standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). Our Lord then is most exalted and astronomically higher than any other priest ever! William Newell (Hebrews Verse-By-Verse, pg. 141) said, “All earthly priesthood and ceremony and temple are abandoned by God during this dispensation, and that worship is carried on in Heaven alone!” There Christ abides on our behalf as our representative in the awesome Presence of Almighty God. Because of our splendid High Priest, we can enter the incredible Presence of the Most High God to enjoy an audience with Him in prayer, or to worship Him with abandonment before His throne to the end that He is delighted with us (Heb. 9:24; 6:19-20).

Aaron and his successors ministered in the tabernacle and temple precincts; only once a year the high priest entered the holy of holies. In contrast, Jesus Christ has navigated triumphantly through time and space to be in the very presence of God for believers (Heb. 4:14). When He ascended to the Father, Jesus Christ soared through the stratospheric and planetary heavens into the third Heaven where the Most High God resides (2 Cor. 12:2). He is exalted and glorified at the Father’s right hand. Absolutely no honor transcends this throughout the entire universe! Only God can take a place at the right hand of God! Our priest, as God, lives in the presence of the Father; from this position He affords ceaseless intercession and constantly provides aid to His people as we traverse a course of genuine discipleship down here. By His exalted position he guarantees and assures every believer of complete and constant access to the Father!

Christ is likewise enthroned in heaven, and this enthronement speaks of power, and authority. In fact Newell (pg. 141) observed, “The believer has the same blessed rights in the presence of the Father as belong to the Son in Whom he is, and Who “appears before the face of God for him.” Dr. Wiersbe (The Bible Expositor’s Commentary) stated “His throne is “the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16). The mercy seat, the lid on the Ark of the Covenant, was a symbol of God’s throne among ancient Israel (Ex. 25:17–22), but it was impossible to refer to it as “a throne of grace.” Grace does not veil and remove itself from people; it is not interested in hiding itself or being reclusive. Absolutely not, the veil of Herod's Temple was torn in two from the very top to the bottom (Matt. 27:51) immediately after Christ died for our sins. This signified that the way to God was opened wide through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There is a new and living way to God through our risen Lord. This is the grace of God, and grace stoops down low to afford privileges and reaches out to give opportunities to those recognizably undeserving. Grace embraces and lifts the repentant no matter how contemptible we presently are or once were. So, you have blown it again with sinful behaviors and practices and you don’t feel like God desires to hear from you. While it is true that God is not pleased with anyone’s sinful behavior (1 Tim. 2:3-7), but if you have believed on Christ, He wants to hear from you. He still desires fellowship (1 John 1:1-2:2) with you because fellowship with God is what you were made for. God does not need our fellowship, but He knows that we need His! Therefore, through confession and genuine repentance turn to Him and make things right and He will receive you into His fellowship again. Your and my High Priest made all of this possible. 

All of this assures every Believer that we are extremely welcome and wanted in the Presence of God for living, continuing, thriving, even though we are struggling! The common Israelites enjoyed no such privileges as entering the holy precincts of the tabernacle and the earthly temple. Furthermore, the regular priests could proceed no further than the mighty veil dividing the sanctuary from the holy of holies. Privileges of access beyond the veil belonged exclusively to the high priest, and this was permitted only on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16). The arrangement was forbidding and foreboding! In contrast, every believer in Christ is invited, and is even heartened, to “come boldly unto the throne of grace”! This in no way implies irreverent attitudes or behavior towards God. But what a great throne it is because the Great High Priest is ministering there to afford believers great access to the Father. Do not miss this all important truth: it is through High Priest Jesus that you and I are extremely welcome in the mind-blowing, heart accelerating, temperature raising Presence of the Most High God! "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1 Tim. 2:5, 6). What a mighty Priest we have to avail access to God very God to us.

The Greatness of His Pathos

Thirdly, consider the greatness in His compassion or sympathy--pathos. My family knows my deepest secrets and greatest failures. I trust them with the knowledge of some of the worst things about me. But they still love me, treat me with respect, and have genuinely forgiven me for failures that directly affected them.  I am truly grateful to them. Generally speaking, one thing that helps people trust is the ability to show empathy and ‘understanding.’ Trustworthy friends are honest, transparent, and forgiving as they interact, thus inviting our reciprocations. Subsequently, we can deeply sense their sincerity; therefore, the trust of a companion is earned and a relationship advanced. We freely share our hearts most transparently with them free of any fear of condemnation or judgment. What we afforded in such instances is grace and mercy. To be clear compassion in no way implies sanctioning sin or rebellion in any way. The Lord is both loving and holy, merciful and just! His compassion assures us that He really understand us.  

Likewise, our Priest, the Lord Jesus, is compassionate and sympathetic towards His people. Instead of standing back with a judgmental scowl while doing nothing to aid His hazarded people, He reaches out in mercy and grace to us. No trial is too great, no temptation is too strong, but that Jesus Christ can give the mercy and grace required, when it is needed (Heb. 4:16). Since our Lord is fully familiar with all the struggles and weaknesses of the human experience, He is uniquely fitted to sympathize and empathize with His struggling people. The assistance He provides is given with acute understanding and in the most appropriate measure. He has Himself faced these things and can help believers face them also. His level of compassion is fully informed and readily available.

No one can truly sympathize with another unless he or she has grappled with a similar experience and benefited from it. Our Great High Priest can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities because He was tempted in every area we are currently tempted in. The difference with Him is that He never gave in to any temptation. Walvoord and Zuck (The Bible Knowledge Commentary) observed “One who fully resists temptation can know the extent of its force. Thus the sinless One has a greater capacity for compassion than any sinner could have for a fellow sinner.” God communicated this to assure us that Jesus really knows and understands where you are in life. He has no doubts about where He wants to take us in life pursuant of God's will. Again, in Jesus Christ we have a Great High Priest!