October
15, 2006 am The Ultimate
Advocate! Hebrews
4:12-16
By
Ronald E. George Jr. at the
There once was a father who had a son. The father was constantly at the son’s side reminding him of his heritage and telling him to be careful, but the son wouldn’t listen. One day when the son had enough of the Father, he left taking all that he had. Finally he realized how much the father loved him. He now was without a Father. Even though the son had left the father still took him back. This was a caring Father. This is our Father in heaven.
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) For the word of
God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates
even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.
Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must
give account.
We have been judged. God is the Father who cares enough to Judge us. He is our critic, reviewer, evaluator, expert, and connoisseur. He gives his opinion and pronounces a ruling over us. He decides who we are and how we are doing with our lives. He assesses what we have been doing and pronounces the judgement. We must give an account to Him.
He is the Caring Father. He cares enough to not look the other way but to let us know that he is watching. He is carefully looking over our lives so that we won’t continue to go down the road that leads to destruction. He is watching out for you and gives you his warning.
How does God Judge? His word is living and active. It is sharper than any double edged sword. The word penetrates the thickest of covering. You can’t hide from him. He wants you to know that he even sees and hears the thoughts and attitides of the heart. Nothing is hidden from God’s sight.
What was God’s judgment? What was his judgment on you? You are all guilty. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The best we can do is not good enough to pass God’s judgment. All of our righteousness is as a dirty rag.
He knows who you are. He knows what you’ve done and where you’ve gone. He knows what you said and what you are going to say. He declares that no one has been able to pass the judgment of God. For all of us are like sheep who have gone astray.
He knows what you have thought and intended. He knows all creatures.
He demands an account. He demands that we give an account. It is the end of the day and we have to punch in the time clock. What have you done for him? What have you done that was against his will for your life? Why does he do this? Why doesn’t he just leave us alone and let us go our own way?
But…
Hebrews
4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high
priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is
unable to sympathize 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.
What did the Father do? He sent his only begotten Son. He made the sacrifice and paid our debt.
He is the obedient Son. He is the one who is like us but didn’t leave the Father. He is one who is like us but obeyed the Father’s will for his life. He is the only one who was without sin.
Jesus is our High Priest. We have one who is there in heaven for us as our representative. We have a great high priest. Jesus is God’s representative to us and our representative to God. He was tempted as we are yet was without sin.
He sympathizes with our afflictions. He knows where we are coming from and where we have been.
He knows but He
still cares and loves us.
What is our
response?
We must hold firmly to the faith we profess. This is our confession. Don’t give up and don’t give in.
We have one who
knows what it is like to be tested, but yet without sin.
We can approach the
throne of grace with boldness.
We can receive mercy
and find grace to help in time of need.
We know who we are
and we know who he is. Let us return
his love and give it to one another.
Come to Him and
trust Him today!