[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to another word-filled message by David Entry. Preaching is the means by which God manifests His word and nourishes our spirits. May the life of God enter into you and you as you listen to this message. Be blessed.
[0:21] Hebrews chapter 4. I'm supposed to be reading from verse 14. But 12 sounds so nice. I don't see why I should leave that. So let me start from verse 12.
[0:33] For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. Piercing it to the division of the soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow.
[0:47] And discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. And no creature is hidden from His sight. But all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him whom we must give account.
[1:05] To whom we must give account. Verse 14 now. Did you see what follows the verse? And what counts before verse 14? He said, everybody will give account. And we are all naked before the one we have to give account to.
[1:18] So you can't hide anything. Sometimes when you sit in church, it's account time. When you are coming before God, it's account, a time to give account.
[1:29] When you need a miracle, you have to reckon who you are. Where you are coming from. And why it should be you.
[1:40] And the one before whom we give account, we are naked and exposed.
[1:52] And you are going to... So what can you hide? You can't hide anything. And yet, the one you can't hide anything from has some standards. And yet, He is the one to help you.
[2:06] And He also has standards. How many of you know that doesn't sound like good news? I know most of us here have really done very good.
[2:21] You've done very well with the way you are working with God. In your life, you have ticked all boxes. If there's a box you haven't ticked, maybe it's about 0.2%.
[2:32] You've ticked... Am I right? The Bible says that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1 verse 5. In Him is no darkness at all. So the slightest darkness that comes, He has to get rid of it.
[2:47] And you are coming with some spots of darkness. You know He'll get rid of you. Or you can't come in. How many of us need some form of miracle one way or the other?
[2:58] Who must help us? It's so pure. And Bible said, in Him is no darkness at all. Right? So if you are coming to Him with darkness, obviously you know you can't come.
[3:10] And we also, in us, it's different levels of darkness. You see, the one sitting near you doesn't know how bad you have been.
[3:22] And you are in need and you are coming to God. He said, the one before whom we must stand and give account. There's a difference between giving account and asking for something.
[3:34] When you're asking for something, sometimes it's okay. But giving account, you must be open and say, why I have done this? What I haven't done? That one is not nice. Nobody likes accounts.
[3:46] Giving accounts. Yeah. That's why a lot of people don't like examination. It's almost like giving account for what you have done with your life. This period you have gone through the tuition.
[3:57] Account. You see, in examination, how many of you have passed exam before, but you know you didn't prepare adequately? Yeah, it does happen. It does happen. Maybe there are eight questions you are supposed to answer for.
[4:12] So you have to look for the one that you have at least. You stay very far away from the one you know. So you actually passed, but you couldn't answer all those eight.
[4:25] Even though you passed. So the examiner would not see your nakedness. But God, he said, we are naked before him. Hey!
[4:36] We are naked and open before God. And yet, you are attending a prayer meeting. And the devil would be asking you, what are you doing in this prayer meeting?
[4:48] You shouldn't come here. How many of you have ever felt like that before? The devil would say, don't come here. He said, what are you doing? And when the pastor says something, there's somebody here.
[5:00] He said, hi, he's coming after you. Then your heart sinks. And when he's preaching and comes near the territory, I'm feeling, oh no. Today, my cup is full.
[5:12] You are in a prayer meeting. And the prayer meeting is bringing you before the one who you had naked before. And you are supposed to give an account. That's not so good news. That is verse 13.
[5:27] Hebrews 4, 13. It's not a good one. That's already, let's go. Let's read, let's go. And I'm not sure the preacher is taken from his side.
[5:40] For all things are made to the world. And the eyes are made to the world. You must. He said, must give an account. But look at the scripture.
[5:54] That's, see, I told you it's good. I started from verse 12. The scripture that follows is where our story starts. See then that we have a great high priest.
[6:05] Do you know, normally when I'm preaching, I have to finish reading. But today I didn't finish reading because this is where I was supposed to start. I went somewhere. So now let me start the preaching.
[6:16] Since then, we have a great high priest. Who has passed through the heavens? Jesus, the son of God. Let us hold fast our confession. Why?
[6:27] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize. Somebody say sympathize. We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.
[6:40] Say weaknesses. Wow. We do not have a high priest. We do not have a high priest. Wow. But one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
[6:51] Because there is a high priest who sympathizes with us. Because our high priest sympathizes with our weakness.
[7:02] Because he has been tempted like us. Knowing how temptation is like. Because he is a high priest. He said, let us therefore.
[7:14] Verse 16. Verse 16 says, let us then with confidence draw near. Where we couldn't originally come. There is somebody who is already there on our behalf.
[7:30] Oh. Somebody is already inside there. You have an insider. We have an insider. When you have a representative inside.
[7:42] The case will be in your favor now. Oh yeah. A judge. Who can understand exactly what people can understand about you.
[7:55] Will always be lenient. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. He will always sympathize with you.
[8:07] So God is so high. So pure. He just wanted to put a system in place that will help you. So when he called the children of Israel out of Egypt.
[8:19] And formed a nation. He gave them laws. And he knew that these guys couldn't keep my law. So under the law. He also appointed some kind of people.
[8:30] who stand in the gap between God and these people who are breaking the law. He should have used angels because angels are more holy.
[8:42] They can stand before God and speak well. But God said, in this instance, angels can sympathize because they don't know what it feels like. So he said, we are naked.
[8:54] Nothing is hidden from God. He said, but we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens. Jesus Christ, the son of God. Then verse 13 said, we don't have a high priest who cannot be touched by the feelings of our infirmities, our weaknesses.
[9:12] But like us, he was tempted at every point. So the thing that disqualifies you before God, even though you actually want to do right, but your humanity is hurting you.
[9:29] Your humanity. How many of you have decided that you do right and you let yourself down? Sometimes you don't want to do something, but your humanity, your humanity will let you down.
[9:43] And it keeps letting us down. It keeps letting us down. It keeps letting us down. And yet we have to deal with God. So God put the system in place. So we do not have a high priest who, look at it.
[9:55] He should have just said, we have a high priest who can feel. He said, we do not have a high priest who cannot touch, who cannot be touched. He could have said, we have a high priest who can be touched, but he said, we do not have that kind of high priest.
[10:07] It doesn't come near us. You touching him is more important to God. We do not have a high priest who cannot be touched by the feelings of our infirmities, but like us, he was tempted at every point, at every point, at every point.
[10:26] And yet he was without sin. He had to add it so people don't think he also fell. Just, he said, tempted at every point just to let us know he understands.
[10:36] He knows what it means to be tempted. Angels don't know that. Yeah. They don't know what it means to be tempted living on this earth. We have a high priest.
[10:48] We do not have a high priest. We cannot be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. So he said, on the grounds of that, King James said, therefore, let just come. When you're coming to pray, just come. Oh, how about, but I have to give account, just come.
[11:03] I'm not quite sure if I can come. Just come. And when you're coming, don't come.
[11:16] Say, no, come boldly. Come boldly. Because somebody is there. We come boldly. And when you come boldly, what are you coming for?
[11:27] Come boldly, that you may obtain. Jesus, Jesus, I feel like preaching. I feel like preaching. You may obtain mercy. See, mercy is what covers your mess. But if we didn't have a high priest there, forget, you are not receiving any mercy.
[11:45] Do you know what he did? This high priest, this high priest is, that is too good. This high priest, this high priest is too good. He came to live a normal human life.
[11:58] Died, even though he was innocent, died for the sins of those he's going to represent. And on the grounds of his blood, when you are coming, what all that he does is he shows father, the blood.
[12:12] So, the mercy is on the grounds of, he doesn't need you to show your hands whether they are clean or not. Don't show your hands.
[12:23] Oh, look at my hands. I've washed my, don't show it. His hands are there ready to show on your behalf. Let's go back to the text. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help.
[12:46] This, this sounds like prayer, answer to prayer. To help in time of need. Most of us go to God when you are in need in prayer. He said, for prayer to be answered, you have to come boldly because of the high priest.
[13:04] Now, watch this. Some of you haven't picked this up. But let's continue. What's the next verse? For every high priest, oh, okay, he's not going to talk about high priest. Let's see what high priest does then.
[13:15] For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men. in things pertaining or relating to God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
[13:30] He can deal gently with the ignorant and the wayward since he himself is beset with weakness. So the high priest has to, angel can do that job.
[13:43] A human being must be appointed to do so that when he comes and he's talking, you know, like the judge. he's speaking like one of us.
[13:55] Even though he has got the privilege to sit on the table, to sit on that seat, judgment seat, he's actually speaking like one of us. And he understands exactly what he's saying.
[14:08] So he's there on our behalf. That is why every, he said, every high priest, you are not qualified to be a high priest if you are not a human being. So I submit to you, Jesus Christ before he became a human being was never a high priest.
[14:26] He didn't, he wasn't a high priest. He was just God. But God made himself a high priest. God chose to come down so that he can become a high priest.
[14:41] So, Jesus Christ came down, lived our life, was with us, understood the things we've been going through, lived our human living, died on our behalf, went, sat at the right hand of majesty as high priest.
[15:05] Let's look at the text again. For every high priest, verse 2, he can deal gently with the ignorance and the wayward since he himself is beset with weakness.
[15:17] Ah, let's go on. Because of this, he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.
[15:29] Let's go on. And no one takes this honor for himself but when called by God just as Aaron was. Look at the next verse.
[15:40] So, so also Christ did not exhort himself to be made high priest but was appointed by God who said to him, you are my son today.
[15:51] Look at the next verse. As he says also in another place, you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. A priest for a priest for a priest for what makes the Christian prayer distinctive is number one, our, we call God our father.
[16:16] Number two, our faith. Number three, the Jesus element. Now, what the Jesus aspect of our prayers that make our prayers unique is the five aspects, the teachings of Christ, the examples of Christ, the blood of Christ.
[16:37] Yesterday, I talked about the name of Christ and today, I'm telling you about the intercession of Christ. That is what makes Christian prayer very different. The intercession of Christ.
[16:48] Say the intercession of Christ. So, then, when you study the scriptures, according to Hebrews chapter 7, I think verse 16 and 17, I will share that with you in the NIV.
[17:01] Verse 15 can make sense a bit. What we, what, and what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears.
[17:12] You remember what we just read? That today, I begotten you, you are a priest forever. Another place he says that you are a priest after the order of Melchizedek. So, now, he says that if another priest, what we have said, is clear, that if another priest like Melchizedek appears, look at the next one.
[17:32] One who has become a priest, watch this, not of the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry. Pause.
[17:44] I'm preaching here. It's grace, but I pay price. There's a price to pray in life. Everybody pays a price. but when it comes to, it was the same in the Old Testament for the priests.
[17:59] Paul said that there is a with a great price have I obtained my citizenship? A great price. Yeah, I know you understand what you can sympathize with what I'm saying.
[18:10] A great price. A great price. The whole commander, a whole commander. he said with a large sum, I obtained my citizenship.
[18:23] It has been going on for a long time. Immigration problem, go and ask Joseph. Immigration is part of history. Now, in the Old Testament, the tribe you belong to tells your inheritance.
[18:39] If you belong to Levi, you can't have physical inheritance, but automatic priesthood. Priesthood is your line. Jesus was not born in the priesthood line.
[18:50] But watch this. So in the Old Testament, they became high priests based on ancestry. If you say you are going to be a high priest, the first thing they check is your ancestry.
[19:03] Your ancestry alone qualifies you for some office. A high priestly office is the greatest office among the children of Israel. Because you are the one who deals directly with God for his people.
[19:16] And the prophets speaks to the people on the behalf of God. A high priest just goes to God on the behalf of the people. So he said that one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry, but on what basis?
[19:37] what made him his high priest is not because of his lineage. What made him his high priest is the fact that he cannot die.
[19:54] Somebody shout hallelujah. His high priest is on the basis. So when you say you are a high priest, on what basis? When you say you have a degree, from which university?
[20:09] From which university? If someone tells you he's a pastor, ask, who ordained you? From which ministry? if you are a footballer?
[20:23] If you are a high priest, what ancestry is the question they ask you? But now there is another law, another system which was never triggered because no human being could qualify.
[20:37] The system to become a high priest was always based on ancestry because that's what we all can get. But there was another system. It's after another order, the order of Melchizedek is based on an indestructible life, based on an endless life, based on everlasting life, and Christ is the only one who qualifies.
[21:00] So when he resurrected from the dead, that office was triggered. As soon as that office was triggered, the old one was nullified because God said I don't need this again.
[21:15] It was a temporal system like a false tie when you have a flat tie. It's not a main tie. It's like a spare tie. It's a temporal one to keep you on to the main thing comes.
[21:29] And so the high priestly system the law was using was based on ancestry because no one has conquered death. He said this our high priest his high priestly office his high priesthood is based on the power of a life that cannot end.
[21:59] So look at verse 25 this is what verse 25 says he's able to save completely those who come to God through him.
[22:15] Why? Because he has an indestructible life. I like the verse says that such a high priest is good for me.
[22:27] It's fitting for me. Such a high priest truly such a high priest became as new King James is fitting for us.
[22:43] Why? Because as for us we need someone who will be permanently there. Say thank you Jesus. The reason why you should pray is because there's a high priest who cannot be changed.
[23:02] You know the reason why the Israelites came under attack in Egypt is because according to Exodus chapter 1 there arose a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph.
[23:16] See when they change people who are in the office somebody might come into office who is not in your favor and it's not good. Some of you started having problems where you work when your former boss left.
[23:31] new managers can be very devilish. They want to prove a point. They frustrate everybody.
[23:42] But the point I'm making is that sometimes we are happy with this job. Everything's good. We don't want a new manager. Old manager don't go. But sickness will make him go.
[23:53] Tiredness will make him go. It's why he's fighting. He's going to divorce. It will make him go. So many things. But the Old Testament the priests couldn't stay. Because verse 21 said death prevented them from staying.
[24:07] Now there have been many of those priests since death prevented them from continuing in office. Look at the next verse.
[24:20] But because Jesus lives forever. because Jesus lives forever.
[24:35] Because Jesus lives forever. He has become a permanent priest. Wow. He has a unchangeable priesthood because he does not die.
[24:50] So when they said therefore let us come boldly before the throne of grace. What is he doing on the throne as a high priest? Remember a high priest called from among the people.
[25:01] He was one of us. And now he's inside there. And what is he doing? Because he has been in our position he can sympathize with you. So when you need God to help you.
[25:12] When you need God to help you and you're about to pray and Satan reminds you of you bad girl. You bad don't it's not necessary.
[25:25] It will move you into Luke chapter 18 verse 11. Don't go and say God I'm good. Go and say God I don't even know where I've not been good. If you know you have not been bad don't talk about your goodness because Jesus said why call it that we good?
[25:40] No man is good. No man is good. Luke 18. No man is good. the reason why you should pray is we have a high priest who is very sympathetic.
[26:00] How many of you have sinned before since he became born again? Do you know that he doesn't condone it but he understands? So he said alright come and still pray.
[26:13] I'll go talk to daddy for you. Maybe you don't know. I'll show you another scripture. In John chapter 2 1 John chapter 2 verse 1 he says that I'm writing these things to you so that you don't sin.
[26:27] Tell somebody don't sin. Tell somebody stop sinning. Let them hear that they have to stop. He says that my little children these things I write to you so that you may not sin.
[26:43] And if just an if just in case you let yourself down again you go back to that guy again. So the good news is come and ask for forgiveness.
[26:55] Don't come and say you are good. So when it's time for communion when it's time for prayer every one of us if you want God to hear your prayer say God have mercy on me. Whether you are good you have been bad just stay in your lane.
[27:09] Leave somebody alone instead of judging it. So you come in time of prayer said just in case you sin if anyone sins we have an advocate who do you know who an advocate is?
[27:38] A barrister an attorney he's going on your behalf his job is not to reveal your weaknesses his job is to defend you based on the law defend oh I feel like preaching I feel like preaching that is why you never stay out of church because you've done something stupid you don't mind don't worry about people who know about it the more they don't stay on their lane the more God will not listen to them we have a classic example in the Bible Luke chapter 18 this man Pharisee instead of praying your prayer you say not like others who are these others you are talking about because he seen another person in church he has seen other so I am not an extortioner that's what tax collectors do they are extortioners I'm not an extortioner not and not like others
[28:38] God didn't mind you only listen to the others who didn't point them they didn't have anyone to compare themselves with because they had the list Paul said Ephesians chapter 3 verse 8 unto me who am less than the list of the saints so he said I've written this to you so you do nothing and if anyone sins if anyone so he said where run on your own track and leave me and my son leave me and my girl alone God said leave me and Christ stands in the gap and Satan the accuser who accuses the brethren before God he has been cast down because they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony shout yes what makes our prayer different from all other prayers is Christ he's interceding the one who doesn't die he's a high priest based on the power of an endless life indestructible life he's a high priest based on that and his
[29:54] Bible says that he's on the right hand of majesty interceding for us he's on the right hand of majesty interceding for us so that means that when you are praying it's not only you the good news is the good news is hebrews chapter hebrews chapter 5 verse 1 and 2 verse 1 particularly he talks about this high priest how he's appointed from a monk's man for what job for what that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices why is he getting the gifts and sacrifices bring your prayer he said you don't take it out take it as soon as you start praying your attorney your advocate takes the prayer and goes oh hallelujah your intercessor pastor prays for you but my prayer is limited it's a limited incompration
[30:58] I pray for you but there's someone praying for you better than pastor but the unlimited Jesus he says that come boldly come I'm already here don't worry about the application bring the application I'll sign it and send it he said I will sign the application and present it to the father and when the father sees my name on the application he can't say no you didn't see it in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 14 you didn't look at it look at it see that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens this is the son of God let us all fast our professional confession don't don't look at the next verse for we do not have a high priest who for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize one he sympathizes sympathy
[32:02] Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17 and 18 very powerful scripture Hebrews 2 17 and 18 therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren talking about Jesus that he might be a merciful and a faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people the sin that is blocking you he's already propitiation means to appease God so God you know God must hate sin because it's holy so he's angry with sin but somebody goes and say oh daddy don't worry it's okay it's been taken care of and he sees the blood who is coming bring him Jesus so you just get easy access so he sympathizes with us look at verse 18 verse 18 2 Hebrews 2 18 for for in that he himself has suffered being tempted he is able to if I clap for Jesus how many of you sometimes feel tempted this year have you felt tempted sometimes you feel tempted not to come to church some of you have been tempted to leave your department you see human beings believe that when you're a believer you are fine it's only you and you think others are fine until you find out about them and then when you find out about them you feel disappointed you rather start attacking them and you forget about yours so then never make a mistake and go approach
[33:46] God in prayer based on your righteousness clothed in his righteousness alone faultless stand before his throne Christ alone cornerstone and he's not just there this is brothers and sisters this is so good news that's why this your fasting will work for you because there is a high priest and Francis his job this is high priest role is as though you are the only one he's representing so he just there just personally for you personally for you and he represents everybody personally not groups he represents you so when he's defending you as though you are the only case he has yeah say thank you Jesus that is why Christians don't struggle to say thank you
[34:47] Jesus when you understand these things I'm trying to suggest to somebody why you can pray for it to be answered because it is I have to end pastor it is not that he only sympathizes but he's also there speaking on your behalf he's speaking to the father you know when a man an important prominent man when his wife likes you I'm sure some of the promotion of Joseph 45 was also behind it yeah he said why don't you add that to him to be in charge yeah but he's he's actually seated in the heavens and that one is speaking on your behalf daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy that is why you have to keep coming come boldly before the throne of grace because you have a representative you have an advocate you have a helper he's there interceding on your behalf speaking on your behalf talking to God on your behalf asking
[35:57] God on your behalf when you pray he takes a prayer and presents it and tells father this one we have to do something about it shout thank you Jesus when you have understanding of that you don't outsource your prayers I was telling you please pray for me you yourself just go to God yourself that's why Jesus himself became human he's human he became human so he can understand we didn't you read it in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17 he said because his brethren were flesh he also became look he said therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren why so that he might be a merciful that's why he became like us Jesus came down on earth because of your prayers so that you can come and pray so
[37:00] I don't see why you are not ready to offer your prayers if I were you I would scream thank you Jesus thank you Jesus hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah let me add one more scripture and we can close oh man when you enjoy enjoying Jesus our high priest in Romans chapter 8 verse 34 he said that Jesus Christ is interceding instead of condemning he's rather interceding so what's your problem who is he that condemns is it Christ who died and furthermore is sorry it's Christ who died is furthermore also risen who is even at the right hand of God doing what you know what when they say someone is my right hand man trusted trusted advisor Jesus is God's only right hand man only right time he's sitting there not in
[38:01] Jamaica when Mary goes hey please you can't go there Mary has to ask Jesus talk to the father he understands he's the right hand man so he says that Jesus who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession is speaking on your behalf let's look at the new living translation then I can close who then will condemn us you see what makes you worthy of condemnation when you go wrong somebody will condemn you but I said whose condemnation matters let them talk somebody's brother speaking for you as they are talking against you he's speaking for you I can go on and do bad things the angels will whack you you might not get the chance to even get close they whack you you come you come in forgiving your sins but the implications of your sin you live with it yeah you live with it now you are born again but you see you are living with the consequence of the things you have done you you have been forgiven you are a preacher with nice pictures but your history thank you for listening to this message by David
[39:29] Entry to hear more from David Entry follow him on Facebook Instagram Twitter and LinkedIn you can also subscribe to Carish Church on YouTube don't forget to share and subscribe to our podcast so you're always up to date be blessed you