The Approachable God

We can confidently approach the Throne of God because of what Jesus has done, and we need to persevere in doing so.

We all have our ideas of what the extended lockdown should look like, and which bans need to be lifted eg. Buying clothes, hairdresser, drinks, visit family, economic implications, who should go back to work etc.

Think about the God – He is more approachable than the president.

Some of you may be asking

Why shouldn’t God be accessible

The Bible tells us that God is Holy and pure and we are not. We are sinful, we are offenders of God. We’re not worthy of even entering into God’s presence

So what was done to make God accessible / approachable?

Old Testament sacrificial system. It showed us what needed to be done in order for people to approach God. And because of our sin. Because we are people who have offended God. Sacrifices needed to be made. A price needed to be paid

And so in the Old Testament you have this Sacrificial system

A system that involved animal sacrifices, priests in our place (intermediaries between the people and God). Cleansing rituals. They would go into the Temple, the Most Holy Place, represent the people before God and offer up sacrifices.

Jesus came and died and rose again. The sacrificial system was pointing to what Jesus did. Was pointing to the sacrifice that Jesus would make on the cross.

All of those Old Testament sacrifices that needed a priest or a high priest to conduct them were pointing to our great high priest who stands before God on our behalf, and takes on our sin for us.

This is in the book of Hebrews, written to Hebrews to Jewish people who had become Christians. But unfortunately some of them for whatever reason were wanting to go back from believing in Jesus to the Old sacrificial system, so Hebrews is written to encourage them not to fall away / keep strong / hold fast to their faith.

That’s why in the opening chapters of the book of Hebrews the writer to the Hebrews makes such a big deal about Jesus. How God has spoken through Jesus. How Jesus is higher than the angels. How Jesus sits at God’s right hand. In chapter 3, How Jesus is worthy of higher honor than Moses. Moses was great, Moses was a faithful servant

But Christ, But Jesus, He is faithful as a Son over God’s house, the Hebrews needed reminding, they needed to hear the message of the gospel.

It’s not only the Hebrews who needed this. We need to be reminded of the gospel too. We need reminding of what Jesus has done. We need reminding of how great Jesus is. We need to spend time considering how undeserving we are and how great God is, and what Jesus has done to make it possible for us to relate to God.

Maybe your life has taken some kind of turn for the worst for whatever reason and you’re wondering, well, what has God ever done for me?

You need to be reminded of Jesus, just the same as the writer to the Hebrews was reminding them about Jesus. Showing them how Jesus has taken care of an eternal problem

Hebrews 10 vs 19-25.

Because of Jesus, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place.

No one could go into the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies), except for the High priest and even the High Priest’s access was limited to once a year. But because of the blood of Jesus we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place. It doesn’t mean that we literally go into the temple to the Most Holy Place. But it means we can go to the presence of God.

Earlier this week Shayne posted a blog entitled “the Nearness of Christ” And he quoted Hebrews 4:15-16 which says:

4 vs. (15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. (16) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

And then the writer to the Hebrews basically spends the next 5 chapters, explaining how this all works. How Jesus is our Great High Priest. Because of Jesus we can stand before God. We can stand before the throne of God / draw near to God.

Hebrews 10 vs 19 onwards is saying the same thing and encouraging us do draw near to God as a result.

Our great High priest is now Jesus / Our sacrifice is now Jesus / And because of that we can now approach God

verse 22, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart”

Now remember this is written to Jews who would have come out of the sacrificial system of the Old Testament. So if you wanted to draw near to God, there would have been stuff that you would have to have done. There would have been priests you would have to go through. There would have been cleansing rituals you would have to perform.

But now, because of Jesus, that has fallen away. Which is why the writer can say in verse 20, it’s a new and living way. It’s not the outward rituals that are what get you access to God. Something has happened in your heart. The great High priest, through what he has done, has changed your heart.

Draw near to God with a sincere heart.

And we can do it with confidence because of Jesus. Remember verse 19, we can do it with confidence. The confidence that is being spoken about here, isn’t just the attitude eg not like job interview & self confidence. The writer is talking more about authority, he’s talking more about freedom. We have the freedom to approach God. We have been given the access to approach God. We don’t have to be doubtful and second guess whether we have a right to be there. Eg having a permit.

We can confidently hold up our permit or access card. We can confidently refute any claim by anybody that says we have no right standing before the throne of God. Because we have a high priest who has made it possible. We have access.

And that access isn’t earned by outward cleansing. That access isn’t granted because we’ve performed some ritual. Or because some animal has been sacrificed. That access is granted because Jesus has performed that cleansing for us. Jesus himself was the sacrifice for us.

In fact just look at verse 21 and 22 together:

vs 21. And since we have a great priest over the house of God, (22) Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Do you see there? it’s because of Jesus. Our great high priest. It’s his death that cleanses us from a guilty conscience.

What does it say there in verse 22?

Vs 22. . . . having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Now remember he’s writing to the Hebrews who would have been very familiar with the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 36 there’s a prophecy from God about giving them a new heart. Talking about his new covenant with them.

Ezekiel 36 vs 25 says this:

Ezekiel 36 vs 25. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.

And if you read the rest of that Ezekiel passage, you’ll see that God says, he’s going deal with their sins, and he’s going to give them His Holy Spirit. He’s going to give them a new heart. From a heart of stone, to a heart of flesh.

But the point is that this language and this reference would have been familiar to the Hebrews. And the writer is pointing out that all this is done through Jesus. He is their great High priest. It’s because of the death of Jesus that we can come before God. It’s because of the death of Jesus that we can approach God and have access to Him. It’s because of the death of Jesus that we can draw near to God.

We don’t have to wait for an annual day of Atonement. We don’t have to have a priest go in on our behalf. We don’t have to perform the rituals and sacrifices. Because this was all pointing to our great high priest.

Do you realize the privilege that it is to be able to approach God? Do you realize the privilege that you have because of Jesus? Do you take advantage of that privilege? Eg. Being at a ‘privileged’ school. If I realized how privileged I was then, maybe I would have taken more advantage.

Do you realize the access that you have to the God who is the God who created the world? We can approach Him. We can draw near to Him.

The writer to the Hebrews needed to remind the Hebrews of the access they had. He needed to remind them of what Jesus had done. He needed to remind them not to go back. And if they realized what was before them. Why would they? Why would they? Why would they want to go back at all?

So don’t go back. Look forward. Look to Jesus. Draw near to God, the approachable God.

Don’t give up. And you’ll see he mentions 2 things that I’m not going to go into detail now. Firstly. Hold unswervingly to the hope that we have. You do that by keeping on trusting God. He is faithful. He won’t let you down. Trust Him. Trust what his word says.

And secondly, encourage one another. Spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Are you encouraging one another during this time? Let’s keep pointing one another to Jesus during this time.

Vs 25 he tells them not to give up meeting together.

It’s difficult in lockdown, but there are options. Let’s do the best we can with what we have. Call someone, text them, if you are able to.

But let’s take full advantage of the access we have to God. Take time out daily and pray. Take time out daily where you approach God. Draw near to Him. It’s where he wants us to be during the crisis. Before His throne.

Home Group Questions

Read Hebrews 10:19-25

• What gives us confidence to approach God? (vs 19)
• Just take some time to consider if this is where you’ve placed your confidence?
• What is the writer encouraging Christians to do in the verses that follow (vs 22-25), here’s a clue – each thing starts with the words, “Let us . . .”
• Given the challenges of the lockdown how can you practically go about these actions that the writer is encouraging?