Hebrews chapter 4. I've heard some ministers say,
you've got to be careful about getting up in front of people
and revealing personal things about yourself. Well, there may be some truth in that. but I've never been wise enough
to follow much truth sometimes. When I come before you, I come
before you to share where my hope is. I'm not a scholar of this book
we call the Scriptures. I don't study like Don Fortner. But I do understand grace. And the best way I know to express
to you at times is to share with you things about myself. Ever since COVID hit, there has been a division in
my family. I don't know about you folks,
but if you have brothers and sisters, divisions can be very,
very weighty upon you, especially if you love them. And I tell
you, I love my brothers and sisters. I could easily say this to you,
they're hard to get along with, but you know the truth of the
matter is I'm the one who's hard to get along. My mom is on her deathbed right
now. And you would think that might bring us together. But John, in all of his pride,
has allowed the division to continue. And whether I, well, I'll just say I didn't
do it on purpose. I just, I forgot to shut down the pride that one
can have. Maybe you can relate to that. Because of my pride, that division
continues. And I don't know if my mom will
last the end of today. You see, with all the shortcomings
that I see in myself, all the sinfulness that is in
me, I ask my Lord, how can I be a
preacher of righteousness? What right have I to stand before
men and declare anything? And the only answer I have is
the same one that Paul, his answer was. When he asked the question of
who is sufficient for such things, the Lord must have spoke to his
heart. My grace is sufficient. There's no sufficiency in this
flesh that stands before you. My answer is this, that I'm a
sinner saved by grace. There's no righteousness in this
one who stand before you. I wake up every day thanking
my Lord for another day and asking for forgiveness of who I am. If I was to stand in that shower
and list everything And I try to list the most things that
are closest to my mind. But if I was to list everything
that I did yesterday, I would be all shriveled up right now
from too much water. And I'd still be over there. This is what it means to speak
of new mercies day by day. Not a day goes by in the world
of John Reeves that I don't see my Lord being
merciful to me. Because mercy to me means I don't
get what I deserve. I don't get what I've earned. Do you know pride is the most
ugliest thing in the eyes of God? If you took all sin, if
you took, I mean, I know there's people who think that sin is
just, you know, smoking, drinking, going to bars, whatever you want
to put in there. Sin is everything about us. Doubt. How can we doubt the mighty God,
Brother Mike? Isn't that who he is? Mighty
in everything? How can we doubt Him? But I do. All the time. Because I have pride in this
flesh that still rears up its ugly head. New mercies every day. Do you need grace day by day?
Or just once? Well, if you need it day by day
like me, like John Reeves, I've got great news for you this morning. Look at verse 9 if you would,
Hebrews chapter 4. There remaineth therefore a rest
to the people of God, for he that is entered into his rest,
into God's rest, into the Lord Jesus Christ, he also hath ceased
from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor. Let us desire. Let us have within our hearts
the desire, therefore, to enter into that rest, the rest of God,
the rest that God did from His works, lest any man should fall
after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick
and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest
in his sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the
eyes of him with whom we have to do, seeing them. that is passed into the heavens.
Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast. Hold fast our profession. Hold firmly to our profession. For we have not in high priesthood
cannot be touched with the feeling of infirmities. Our God has experienced
all that we are. In becoming flesh like us, he
went through all the temptations, but as in all points, was tempted
as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore, look closely, folks. I need this. I need this more
than I need anything else in this world. Let us therefore
come boldly boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy
and find grace to help in a time of need. Coming to the throne of grace.
What is it to come to the throne of grace? Well, first off, I
want to ask you this question. How often do you need to come
to the throne of grace? Don't answer to me. Answer in
your own heart. Did I need to come to the throne
of grace yesterday? Did I need to come to the throne
of grace when I got up this morning? Am I going to need to come to
the throne of grace sitting here right now, listening to God's
word? How often do you need to come
to the throne of grace? Well, speaking for myself as
I began this message, I need thee every hour. No, no, no,
no. I need thee every minute. I need thee every second. Coming to the throne of grace
is coming unto Jesus, who is the throne of grace. Coming to
the throne of grace is coming to Him who is merciful. Mark
your place in Hebrews 4. We're going to come back to it
and go through those verses a little more deeper, but I want you to
jump over to John chapter 1 for just a moment. I just made the
statement, coming to the throne of grace is coming to Jesus. It's not coming to something
that you think you have done. It's not coming to what you think
you have done as far as getting into the waters of baptism. It's not coming to the table
of remembrance. Coming to Jesus. Looking to Him
and Him alone. Everything else is something
you've done. And if you mix in what you've done, you have completely
thrown out the word grace. Because even if you do a little
bit, Even if you're thinking you did just a little bit. Oh,
there's got to be some good in me somewhere. I gave money to a guy on the
corner of the street yesterday. That's got to count for something,
right? A little leavened ruined the whole
lump. That's God's Word. Before I join you in the book
of John, allow me to read these verses from Ephesians chapter
1 verse 3. It says, Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. That's coming
to Christ for grace. If you have received grace, if
you have received His grace, a gift from Him, It's because it's in Jesus Christ
the Lord. It's a spiritual blessing in
heavenly places in Christ. We know that grace is one of
the blessings, for it also says just before that, in verse 2,
it says, Paul says, grace be to you. So, grace is included right there
in that spiritual blessing that God is sending in His Son, the
Lord Jesus. This spiritual blessing of grace
is a blessing that's appointed unto us and it was appointed
unto all of God's people before the world was ever created. I
know that I can boldly come to the throne of grace because God
had prepared that throne for me before the world began. That's
what He says. Let me continue in Ephesians
chapter 1, verses 4-7. According as He, God the Father,
hath chosen us in Him, in His Son, before the foundation of
the world. That's God's Word, isn't that
what it says? He had chosen us to be recipients of His grace
before the world was ever created, before the foundation. Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will, because of His will,
not mine. Aren't you thankful God doesn't
leave us to our own will? Aren't you thankful He comes
to you when you are dead and trespasses in sin and gives you
a new will? A living Spirit that says, I
love Christ because He first loved me? Yes. Predestinated us unto the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ Himself according to His good pleasure,
to the praise and the glory of His grace. wherein he hath made
us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through
his blood, and forgiveness of sins according to the riches
of his grace. Now folks, there is only one
true throne. We talked about this in the Bible
study this morning. In Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6,
there is five titles that God inspired the prophet to give
his son. Unto us, unto God's elect, unto
those for whom we just read about were predestinated to be adopted,
to the adoption of the children by Jesus Christ according to
His good pleasure, the good pleasure of His will, unto them, unto
us, a child was given, a child was born. Unto us, a son was
given, a special child, A perfect child, a child who was not born
with the sin of Adam in his blood, but the spirit of God, perfect
and holy in every way. Everything he did, this child
did, it would please the Father. That's what God said, this is
my son in whom I'm well pleased. Isn't that what he said? This one. whom all the government shall
be on his shoulder. His name is Wonderful. His name is Counselor. His name
is the Mighty God. I brought this out in Bible study. I'm going to repeat it. If you thought about why God
would have to put Almighty before his name, Think about that for just a minute.
Why would God put Almighty before anything? Doesn't the word God
express Almighty? When we use the word God, aren't
we not expressing someone who has all power in Heaven and Earth?
Not until we're regenerated by His Spirit. There's a lot of
men who think there's all kinds of different gods, huh? That's
why God has to say, I'm the Almighty One. Listen up, Israel. I'm the Almighty
God. And it is His throne that we
must come to. Now, how are we going to come
to His throne? Sinful sinners. I've bumbled things and messed
things up with my family so bad, I don't know if it'll ever be
patched up again. I can only pray for their forgiveness, of
which they don't I don't deserve to be forgiven. Maybe God, who has forgiven me
for my sins, might inspire them. There's only one true throne,
folks, and that's the throne of our Savior, the Lord Jesus.
He is King of kings, Lord of lords. Isn't that not true? Philippians
2, 5, verse 11, we'll read these words, let this mind be in you,
which is also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God,
we talked about this last week, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God. Jesus Christ thought it not robbery
to be equal with his Father, for I the Father are one, he
said. but he made himself of no reputation, and he took upon
him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,
and being found in the fashion as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
Now here, This is the throne of grace. This is the one who's
been exalted to His throne. This is the one like the brazen
serpent is being lifted up to for you and I to look to, to
come to when we need grace. I need grace now. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted Him, His Son, and given Him, His Son, a name which is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under
the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord. Lord to the glory of God the
Father. His throne is above all thrones. He is full of grace. Are you with me in John chapter
one? One verse, it's all we need to look at. And the word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, as the
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Where
are you going to go for grace? Are you going to go to your own
good works? Are you going to go to the things that you're
doing in your life thinking, oh, see, I'm not such a bad person
after all? Folks, because of His grace unto
us there is peace. And to those whom the Father
hath given to the Son, we have peace through Him, through His
words, through His works, and through His blood. Go back to
our text now in Hebrews chapter 4, and let's take a closer look
at these verses. In verse number 9, we read this,
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. The word
rest here is the same word as Sabbath. or Sabbath keeping. The rest is Christ our Sabbath.
The Sabbath rest that we find in Him, that's what this is speaking
about. There remaineth a rest to the people of God. God must
come to us and show us that our good works are nothing. The only
works that we can count on, the only works that we can have confidence
in, and this is why Paul says we have no confidence in the
flesh, the only works that we can have confidence in is the
one who works everything perfectly. The one who did everything that
we need, who provides all that we need to receive His grace. What do I gotta do to receive
God's grace? Nothing, you can't do anything.
Christ must have done it for you. Can't I accept Him? You won't. Until He first accepts you. What do we read there, Mike?
What is that? I know it by heart, but I'm just
going to read from the Word of God anyway just to make sure
I get every word in there like I should. Because you know Johnny. Johnny can get away with things
sometimes I'm not speaking correctly. He says, and we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, but that's
not where it stops. It says it next right here, to
them who are called according to His purpose. For whom He did
foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of His Son, that He might be the firstborn of many. Moreover,
whom He did predestinate, Them he also called, and whom he called,
them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. He is our Sabbath. That means
to rest in him. You know, Don Fortner, some of
you may recall this one time. Don's kind of a good-sized guy,
right? I mean, one time, If you may recall, he was here preaching
on the resting on Christ, resting in the Sabbath. And he reached
back here and he grabbed this chair and he slammed it down
here like that. And sat in the chair and he goes,
this is what I'm talking about resting. Sit down. Shut up and
let the Lord do His work. Quit trying to earn your way
into heaven because you can't. Those sinners that are chosen
of God in eternal election for whom Christ died and to whom
faith is given, those who believe on the Son of God do enter into
a spiritual rift, not maybe. Oh, I know we've tried to fight
it. I thought I knew what I was doing the right thing the other
night, and I messed things up with my family even worse, even
worse. And then after I looked back
at it, I saw it, and I said, your ugly pride got in the way
again, Johnny. Can you relate to that, any of
you? Is there anyone out there who knows this is the greatest
experience, that I go to my Lord and ask for forgiveness, whether
I get it from my family or not. If I had told her what I was
going to do this morning, she'd have said, no, no, no, don't
do that, don't do that. I had to. All I can do, folks, all I can do is relate to you the grace that God gives to me through His love, through His
Son, my Savior. Maybe you can relate to that. Our Lord tells us in John chapter
6, verse 37, He says, All that the Father giveth me shall come
to me, and him that cometh to me I will no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not
to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent
me. And this is the Father will which He has sent me, that of
all which He has given me, I should lose nothing." That's my Savior.
That's the throne of grace that I come to. And then he says this,
but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is
the will of Him that sent me, He says, that everyone which
seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life. And I will raise Him up to last
day. This is the peace the people of God have. We're not going
to have any peace in this flesh. Oh, you may go along for a little
while thinking all's good. I can't express in words the
burden. Imagine this for just a moment.
The burden that I can't express to you over these last two weeks.
Our pastor went through that for 38 years. 38 years he'd come to this pulpit
every single day, every Sunday. What am I going to do next, Lord?
What am I going to tell these folks next? How can I express
Your grace this day? I'm not complaining about the
burden. I love it. It may not look like
it, but I really do. I love to tell you about it because
maybe there's a moment in your life where you might be standing
in that shower going, God, will You be gracious to me today? And if you belong to Him, He
will. He is faithful in forgiveness. Bring your sins to Him in private. Don't do it out here in front
of everybody. It's embarrassing. Take my word
for that. Go to your high priest. Do you
know we have a high priest? We have a mediator in heaven
sitting on his throne of grace right now saying, it's alright. You don't understand. You don't
understand. I bore that sin for you. And he says that to all of us. I know, John. But I bore that
sin for you. This is the peace that we have
in resting in our Sabbath. It is our right and our only
ability to approach this throne of grace because of our great
High Priest who sprinkled His own blood on the seat of mercy. That's what we read in Romans
3.24, being justified through the price, through the
payment of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's blood. Redemption
that is in Christ Jesus. Read again with me verses 10-15
of our text, Hebrews chapter 5. For he that is entered into
his rest, he also hath ceased from what? Ceased from his own
works. as God did from his, let us labor
therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after
the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick
and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and of
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and
opened unto the eyes of Him, which whom we have to do. See
then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God. Let us hold fast our profession,
hang on fast to our profession, that our only confidence is in
our Savior, in the grace of our Lord. Hold fast to that profession,
that we have nothing to offer our God, that Jesus Christ is
our offering. For we have not a high priest
which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
He knows what we're going through. He was tempted, as it says, but
was in all points tempted like we are, yet our Lord was without
sin. Folks, if we don't come to His
throne, How can we obtain the mercy we need in times of trouble?
Do you need grace? Do you need mercy? Come to Christ. Look at verse 16. Let us therefore
come boldly, boldly unto the throne of grace that we might
obtain mercy and find grace and help in a time of need. Do you
need help? Do you find yourself in a position
where, Lord, I can't do it? My flesh is, well, in my case,
not very smart. I'm weak, Lord. I need your grace. He says in his word that my grace
is sufficient. He also says, I believe right
there in that same scripture, he says something in the order
that our weakness makes his strength stand out. Something to that
effect. The weaker we are, you know,
there was somebody who told me the other day, I told him I was empty and
I had nothing. I went to the pulpit with nothing
but my God's word in four verses. And I preached a whole message.
just using His Word, I was empty. But God filled me up. When you're empty, God will fill
you up with His grace. Amen?