What I want to do is provide a brief foundation for the invitation that Marty gave to you all to find Christ adequate in suffering because he is adequate and the Bible is replete with

granite solid foundations on which to stand in believing that adequacy.

I want to take one passage of scripture and read it to you and make some brief comments about it, and then bring to the pulpit one more living

illustration of grace for your encouragement before we close.

The passage of scripture I'm going to read comes from the book of Hebrews in the New Testament and

I see some of you reaching for a Bible, so that's fine if you want to look along it's Hebrews chapter 4

verses 14 15 and 16. It goes like this, since we have a great high priest, Jesus, the son of God, who has passed through the heavens or gone into heaven. Let us hold fast our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested

as we are, and yet without sin.

Therefore, here's the invitation that Marty has experienced, many of us have experienced.

Therefore, let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace

that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I want to present Jesus to you this morning as a very sympathetic go-between for you and God.

I'm going to use the phrase go-between because hardly anybody uses the phrase high priest anymore.

That comes out of the Old Testament.

I'm going to call Jesus a go between.

A great sympathetic, powerful need meeting go between. that's the way I want to present him to you this

morning I want you to sense that Jesus stands ready, alive, risen from the dead with God in heaven, ready to serve

you as an advocate with the Father and the go-between so that when you enter into heaven as it were by

prayer seeking need at the throne of God, you don't find the throne to be a frowning throne, a rejecting throne, a judging

throne, but you find the very throne of God to be, as this text describes it a throne of grace because of an awesome go-between that we have.

And then if by God's grace you find Christ to be an adequate, powerful, sympathetic go between, and therefore through him you find the throne of God to be the throne of grace to meet your need, then you may understand why

...