How to access the High Priestly Ministry of Jesus: Mercy to Help

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In our study of how to access the High Priestly ministry of Jesus, we have looked at the key words in Hebrews 4:16. Although it is valid to learn about coming to the throne of grace, it is even more powerful when we realize that Paul is talking about our High Priest, Jesus. We learned that nothing happens until we come to him. We found that we can and must come boldly. That means honestly, without shame and with the knowledge that we belong at the throne.

Yesterday we looked at the fact that we come to the throne of the universe. There is no higher authority and no one can challenge any decree or decision that comes from that throne. Finally, we see that we have not been invited to the throne of judgement but to the throne of grace.

Grace is God’s unmerited favor. When God gives us his attention, he is giving us favor. He has invited us to his throne room and he says we can come at any time. However, it is favor we do not deserve. We did not earn the right to be there. The blood of Jesus purchased that right and granted it to us according to the will of God. When the devil, other people or our own heart tell us we should not be there we can say, “That’s right but God is the one who invited me here so you can just mind your own business!”

What will we find when we get to the throne of grace? Will we find a God who is ready to bring wrath on us for our sin? Will we find an abusive father that we can never please? Will we find laws and regulations that we must be sure to remember? I heard a news program that detailed all the things you must do and not do in the presence of Queen Elizabeth of England. Do we need such a list before we enter the throne room of grace?

The answer is a resounding no! What we will find when we get there is the same unmerited favor that invited us to come. God says to you, “Come to my throne. There is no law here because Jesus fulfilled the law. Jesus met all the requirements of right standing on your behalf.” You did not earn it therefore; you cannot do anything to lose your right to access the throne.

The next words are very important. We find grace at the throne but mercy is also there. Mercy is another aspect of God’s love. Whereas grace causes God to turn his attention, favor, toward us mercy meets the need. Mercy is the opposite of judgement. We deserve judgement because we are guilty of sin.

Romans 3:9-10 (NKJV) ⁹ What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. ¹⁰ As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;

The truth of grace is that we do not have to earn God’s love, favor or salvation. The truth of mercy is that we do not deserve any of those things either. If we do not understand both aspects, we will be out of balance. Either we will see grace as an excuse to disregard godly living or we will think that we must do something to earn mercy. The whole truth is that we do not have to earn anything from God but we also do not receive what we deserve from him. We deserve death. We get mercy instead.

The English definition of mercy is kindness or forgiveness shown especially to somebody a person has power over. God certainly has power over us. He chooses to show us kindness instead of giving us what sin demands. He is just in doing so because he, Jesus, paid the price for our sin himself. This is hard for the human brain to accept but it is true anyway.

When we come to the throne of grace, we find…..grace. However, we do not “find” mercy. This verse says we obtain mercy. That is quite a different thing. We would normally say we receive what God gives. The Greek word is much more active than receive. It means to take hold of a thing. If you obtain something, you go and get it. You do not wait for it to be given to you.

The Lord of the universe invites us to his throne by grace. We do not deserve the invitation and when we get there, we find the same grace at work in that we do not have to earn the undeserved benefit of being there. Once there, the Lord tells us to go ahead and take hold of the mercy that is ours in Christ Jesus. We possess mercy instead of justice. Never ask God for justice. You will not want his justice. Obtain mercy instead. It is there for you.

When my grandchildren come to our house, they do not usually ask for a snack. They simply go get one. If we do not have anything in the cupboard, they ask, “Grandma, don’t you have any fruit snacks?” The surprise and disappointment is usually obvious in their voices.

Our home is not their home. They have parents who provide meals, cloths and beds for them but grandma and grandpa’s house is a special place. They know that whatever we have is theirs. They do not have to beg for it. They do not have to wait for us to ask them if they want a snack. They just obtain it. Although they do not live here, they know that their place in the family gives them special access to our “snack cupboard.”

We have that kind of access to the throne of grace. We do not have to ask for mercy. It is ours by our relationship to Jesus and the covenant he obtained with his precious blood. I can come into the throne room of heaven just as freely and openly as my grandchildren come into my house. They do not live there but they know everything I have is theirs for the asking and in most cases just for the taking.

The last word I want to look at is another simple word we might gloss over if we are not careful. That word is help. The mercy we obtain at the throne of grace will help. That is a promise. It will not do something else. It is not just for show. It is not something that will make you feel better but produce no real change. It will help!

What will it help? It will help whatever you need it to help. Do you need financial help? Mercy will help. Do you need help with your body or your emotions? Mercy will help. Do you need help in relationships, job or career? Mercy will help. Whatever the need, the mercy you obtain by grace at the throne will help.

Once again, I find the definition of the Greek word interesting. When I looked it up, I found that it means aid especially a rope or chain for frapping a vessel. Since I had no idea what “frapping” meant, I looked that up. It means this. “Frapping is a rope or chain lashing a thing tightly or binding things together.”

The help we receive will work to solve our problems. However, this meaning is even more significant to me. The help we obtain at the throne of grace binds us to the Lord. It lashes my problem tightly to him. If I am bound to the Lord, I will sense his peace and joy in the problem I face. If my problem is bound tightly to him, the solution is already mine.

Life is a very complicated and often distressing thing. Problems arise that we cannot foresee. We face challenges that are beyond our ability to deal with. This chapter tells us that if we can come to the place of rest in faith, we will have peace in all circumstances. We will find grace and mercy that will help. When will it help? When we need the help. Sometimes last minute. Never too late. Turn to the throne of Grace today. The Father and our High Priest are waiting and the Father’s cupboards are full of things to help in the time of need.