🎵Music🎵
["Pomp and Circumstance"]
Go ahead and find our seats this evening.
Find the seats and find the hymnal close to you
and turn to page number 180.
Song number 180.
And we will open the service with
Isn't the Love of Jesus Something Wonderful?
Song number 180.
Find a seat. Find a hymnal.
Turn to page number 180 and let's go ahead.
And we're going to sing it out on the first.
There will never be a sweeter story
Story of my Savior loved divine
Love that brought Him from the realms of glory
Just to save a sinful soul like mine
Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful?
Wonderful, wonderful
Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful?
Wonderful it is to me
Song number 180. Sing it out on the second.
Boundless as the universe around me
Reaching to the farthest of the way
Saving, keeping love it was that bound me
That is why my heart can truly say
Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful?
Wonderful, wonderful
Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful?
Wonderful it is to me
Let's finish off on the last.
Love beyond the human comprehending
Love of God in Christ how can it be?
This will be my theme and never ending
Great redeeming love of Calvary
Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful?
Wonderful, wonderful
Isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful?
Wonderful it is to me
Amen. Great team. Welcome to the Wednesday evening service here at Verity Baptist Church.
We are glad to see everyone here this evening. Let's open the service with a word of prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, we love you and we thank you again just for the opportunity to be in your house this evening.
Thank you Lord. Thank you for sustaining us and thank you for supplying all our needs to the Lord.
Thank you for this church and pray that you bless the service. Pray for the singing,
the preaching, the prayer time and the fellowship to come Lord. Pray that everything will be
said and done this evening. We bring glory and honor to you in the name we love you
and in Jesus name I pray. Amen. Turn to page number 427.
Song number 427.
Let's sing a Christmas song. We three kings
of Orientar. Song number 427. Sing it out on the first.
We three kings of Orientar
Bearing gifts we travel so far
Hills and fountains moor and mountain
Following young the star
Oh, star of
wonder, star of night
With royal easy pride
Leading, self proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light
Born a king and Bethlehem's plain
Gold I bring to crown him again
King forever seizing
Never over us or too late
Oh, star
of wonder, star of night
Star with royal
Westward leading, self proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light
Sing it out on the third. Frankincense
To offer have I incense
A deity night rare and
praising All men raising worshiping
God on high
Oh, star of wonder, star
of night Star with royal
Westward leading,
self proceeding Guide us to
thy perfect light. Sing it out on the fourth.
Never has mine its bitter perfume
Means a life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing sighing, bleeding dying
Seal in a slunk cold tomb
Oh, star of
wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Leading, self proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light
Finish strong on the last. Glorious now
behold him arise King and God
and sacrifice
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Oh, star of wonder,
star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading,
self proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light
Amen.
Well, let's go ahead and take our bulletins tonight. We'll look at some announcements, and we're glad you're with us, of course,
for the midweek service. If you notice the
verse there, John 1.14, and the word was made flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
And that's a good verse there. We like that. If you open up your bulletins, you'll see our service time Sunday morning
service 10.30 a.m. And of course, we do invite you to be with us on Sunday morning on
the Lord's Day for Church Sunday evening service at 6 p.m. And we're glad
that you're with us for the Wednesday evening Bible study. We look at our soul winning times, our main soul winning
times on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. And we'd love for you to join us for the big
soul winning rally on Saturday mornings. And then we have additional soul winning times
at 2 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays normally, but those are postponed for now
because of the workdays, and then Sunday at 2 p.m.
as well. And of course, we are a family integrated church. Children and infants are always
welcome in the service. We do not separate children from their parents for any reason. We do have mother-baby
rooms and daddy rooms available for your convenience, so please make sure that you use those rooms
as needed if you have a child that's been distracted during the service. If you need to be baptized,
please let us know. We'd love to baptize you on your communication card on the back. You can check
out that you'd like information about baptism, and we'll follow up with you in regards to that.
And then if you look at the announcements and upcoming events, of course, we have workdays Thursday,
Friday, and Saturday this week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
And specifically this week, we just need help
with mudding and texturing, so if you have any skills with mudding and texturing,
there are clipboards in the foyer, and you can sign up for that.
We would appreciate your help with that. And then of course, the Christmas gifts for Jesus.
You should have one of these inserts in your bulletin, and if you would like to,
as you are out and about, if you would like to purchase something from off this list,
and you can drop it off at the Christmas gifts for Jesus drop-off
there in the main foyer, it would be a blessing to the church. And of course, you can also
make a donation above your tithe in the offerings
there for the Christmas gifts for Jesus as well. I want you to notice the holiday schedule
for Christmas and New Year's. Just want you to be aware of that.
Sunday falls on December 24th this year, or December 24th falls
on a Sunday, I should say, which is going to be our big Christmas
Eve service. Now on that Sunday morning, we're going to have our normal service at 10 30 a.m.
So just be aware of that, and the children's choir will be singing
in that morning service. There will be no soul winning at 2 p.m. on that day.
And at 4 p.m., so I just want you to make a note
of this, at 4 p.m. in the fellowship hall, we're going to have hot chocolate
and Christmas cookies in our fellowship hall, and then a
5 p.m. evening service. So normally our Sunday night service is at 6 p.m.
This is going to be at 5 p.m. and we're doing it an hour early on Christmas Eve
so that we can try to get you out of here a little early. And we promise that you'll be
done by 6 p.m. That is the goal to be done at 6 p.m.
So that way you can go and have the rest of the evening for whatever it is that you like to do
on Christmas Eve. You should have one of these cards in your bulletin as well, and
it lets people know about the Christmas Eve service. So make sure you have that so you're aware of it.
It says hot chocolate and cookies in our fellowship hall at 4 p.m. and the special service at
5 p.m. The adult choir will be singing in the evening for us
as well. And you can use this card to invite somebody to church and maybe invite
a friend or a family member or something like that. And then on Sunday, December 31st,
we want you to be aware, morning service 10.30 a.m. just like it normally is. And then
we're going to have a 7 p.m. New Year's Eve
service. So normally it's at 6 p.m. For Christmas Eve we're starting an hour
early. For New Year's Eve we're starting an hour late. So 7 p.m. service, we'll have
our service like we normally do on a Sunday night. And after the service if you'd like to just stick around
then we'll have a potluck, we'll have popcorn, we'll
watch a movie, and if you stay till midnight we'll pray in the New Year together.
So make sure you're aware of all those things going on there. Of course we've got our
Christmas series, the nativity that we're going to continue through.
Choir practice is at 5 p.m. here in the
auditorium for the adults. And then children's choir is at 5
15 in the playroom. Homeschool group, they've got PE class on Thursday, December 14th.
Ladies weight loss accountability group, they have a meeting on Wednesdays
at 6 15 in the mother baby room that is closest to the main entrance.
So if you're interested in that ladies, you're welcome to be a part of that. There's other
things there for you to look at. Please don't forget to turn your cell phones off or place them on silent
during the service so that they're not a distraction to anybody. If you look at the back of the bulletin, birthdays
and anniversaries for the month of December this week, we had
Wonu Hur's birthday on December 3rd. And then today
December 6th is Jasmine Coffney's birthday and also
Josiah Taylor's birthday and Valerie Zuniga's birthday. So happy birthday
to all three of them. And then later this week we have brother Ike O2's birthday on
December 9th. Praise report, money matters, all those things are there for you
to look at. And I think that's it for all of the announcements. We're going to go ahead and take our song books
and let's go to page number 432.
Page number 432.
And we're going to sing Angels from the Realms
of Glory. 432, sing it out on
the first. Angels from the realms
of glory, bring your flight
o'er all the earth. Ye who sang
creation's glory, now proclaim
Messiah's birth.
Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ the newborn
King. Shepherds in the field
abiding, watching o'er
your plaques by night. God with
men is now residing,
gondershine the infant life.
Come and worship,
come and worship, the newborn
King. Say, just leave your
contemplations, brighter
visions be my fire. Seek
the great desire of nations,
ye have seen his natal
star. Come and worship,
come and worship Christ the newborn
King. Saints before the
altar bending, watching
long in hope and fear. Suddenly
the Lord descending
in his temple shall appear.
Come and worship,
worship Christ the newborn
King. Amen.
Good singing. We'll have the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time.
Let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, Lord, we do love you. We thank you for
allowing us to gather together tonight. Lord, we pray that you bless the offering, the gift, and the giver.
We ask that you meet with us as we take time to pray for our church family and of course
as we go through our Bible study tonight. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Amen.
Amen. All right, well let's go ahead and take our prayer sheets tonight.
If you did not get a prayer list on your way in, just raise your hand
and one of our ushers can get one for you. If you need a prayer sheet, just put your hand up
and we will get one for you. And of course the way that you
add a request to the prayer sheet is through your communication card. On the back of the card there's a place for you to write a request.
Make sure you mark whether it's private or public. If it's private only, I will see it.
If it's public, we'll put it on the prayer sheet. If you don't mark it, we'll do our best to figure it out.
But we usually don't add those. When we do add requests, of course
we add them in the order that they are received and they are removed after a couple of weeks.
So if you'd like it to be longer than that, you'll have to fill out another card.
And I would like you to notice on the back of the prayer sheet there that Miss Taylor Marron has been added
to the expecting mothers list. So congratulations to brother RJ
and Miss Taylor on expecting a baby.
Let's go ahead and take these requests to the Lord and I'll pray out loud
to ask that you would follow along in your mind and your heart and let's pray together.
Heavenly Father, Lord we do love you and we thank you for allowing us to gather together
on a Wednesday night. We thank you for the privilege that it is to come to you in prayer.
Lord we begin with these requests regarding
salvation. We ask for Miss Natalie praying for the salvation of her husband and family.
Brother Ron praying for his mom and his family's salvation as well.
And Tenina praying for their family's salvation.
And Lord also we're praying for Miss Christine Ortiz
her family's salvation as well. Miss Dogma praying for her daughter and her family's
salvation. Lord we ask for these individuals. We pray that you would help them and be with them.
Lord we ask that you would help them to be able to come to a place where they'd be willing
to hear the gospel. Lord that they might get saved. Lord we pray that you would
allow a soul winner, help a soul winner to cross their paths
and give the gospel clearly to them. Lord that they might be saved. Lord we also pray for these
that have requests regarding traveling mercies.
We're praying Miss Michelle Scott praying for safe travels for Brother Graham
as he travels to Europe. And Brother Luis Mendoza praying for himself
and his family as they travel to Mexico City for the next several weeks. Lord we're asking
that you give them safe travels, bring them home safely as well. Lord we also pray
for these that have financial and physical needs. Raul praying for
that he would find a job and his own place to live.
And also Brother Salvador praying for finances and work as well. Lord we ask that you would
please help them and be with them and
open up the right doors for them. Lord we also pray for these that are asking for friends and
family. Lord we're asking for Raul that you would guide him with future relationships.
We pray for Andy praying for his marriage and his children as well.
Also Brother Salvador praying for his family as well. Lord we pray that you'd bless these
individuals and help them and be with them. Then Lord we pray for these that have
health requests. Miss JC praying for her sister Terri as she
recovers from hip replacement surgery. Miss Cricket praying for her
complete healing as well. Miss Tamara praying for Linda Teddy's
help and for her heart problems to improve.
Miss Brandy Barrett praying for her friend Becca and her baby who was born
premature and they're both in the hospital. And
Miss Jo Maples praying for his son Joe Jr.'s health that he
would get better soon. Scott Scroggs praying Lord for healing
for his digestive problems. And Miss Christine Ortiz praying for her own health
and also for her sister Judy's health as she battles cancer. Brother Salvador praying for his
health as well. Miss Dogma praying for her pain. Brother Edgar
Messalina praying for Lil Urezzi to continue to be healthy and strong. We continue
to pray for Missionary Dave Camutola's wife Angel who's
battling breast cancer. Lord we ask for all these individuals. We pray that you
would heal them. Lord we pray that you would relieve pain. We pray that you would
be with the doctors and the nurses that are dealing with them. Lord we ask that your will be done
in their lives. We also pray for the ladies in our church that are expecting
Miss Victoria, Miss Julissa, Miss Ruby and Miss Taylor. Lord praying that you
give them all healthy pregnancies with no issues and no
complications and no problems. Lord we also pray for Miss Christine Ortiz
and Brother Salvador for their faith and their walk with you. And then we ask for these that have unspoken
requests. Miss Natalie, Miss Kimi, Brother
George, Miss Denise, Brother Salvador, Miss Dogma all having
unspoken requests. Lord you know what their petitions are. You know what they're asking for.
We pray that you would answer Lord according to your will. And Lord we pray
for our church here and of course we pray for the prison ministry and their families
that you continue to help us to impact them and help them. We pray for the work
days this week Lord that a lot of work would get done and we pray for the transition
over to the new building. Lord all the things that need to get done.
We pray for the financial needs that you would continue to meet our needs and help us regarding
that. We pray for our church plants in the Philippines, Manila, Pampanga
Bicol and for Pastor Secchi and his family Lord we ask that you bless them.
Lord we just pray that you continue to bless our church, help our church. Lord we ask that you
would meet with us tonight. Lord help us to prepare our hearts even now that your Holy Spirit
would begin to work in our hearts right now as we prepare to
read your word, study your word. Lord we ask that you would help us to draw
closer to you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Please open up to
Hebrews chapter 4. Hebrews chapter
4 if you do not have a Bible please put your hand up and unless you
can bring your Bible. Hebrews chapter 4
we read the entire chapter as our custom.
Hebrews 4 being the verse number 1
Let us therefore fear lest a promise
being left us of entering into his rest. Any of you
should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached
as well as unto them. But the word priest did not profit
them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
For we which have believed do enter into rest as he said
as I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest
although the works are finished from the foundation of the world. For he
speak in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise and God did rest
the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again
if they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it
remaineth that some must enter therein and they to whom it was first
the priests entered not in because of unbelief. Again he limited
a certain day saying in David today after so long a time
as it is said today if you will hear his voice
harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them
rest then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that
has entered into his rest he also hath seized 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 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 open unto the eyes of him
with whom we have to do. Saying 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 for we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was at all points
tempted like as we are yet without sin. Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy
and find grace to health in time of need. Let's pray.
Heavenly Father thank you for this evening. God I thank you for your word and for our church.
I ask you please give us all a tender heart to the message tonight. I ask you be other pastors
to strengthen him and fill him with your spirit. We love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Amen.
Alright we're there in Hebrews chapter number 4. And of course on Wednesday
nights we are working our way through the book of Hebrews. We're going verse
by verse, chapter by chapter through the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews is a very dense book, a very
strong word of God.
It's the meat of the word of God. There's a lot of
deep teaching in the book of Hebrews and tonight we find ourselves
here in chapter number 4. And this is actually the third sermon in chapter 4. This will be the last
sermon in chapter 4. We'll move on to chapter 5 next week. But I do want to remind
you just kind of what we've been looking at in chapter 4. If you remember we looked at the
first 11 verses of Hebrews chapter 4 and we learned all about rest. We learned about
the Sabbath day and how Jesus is our rest.
And then we last week, we actually might have spent 4 weeks in
this chapter. Last week we looked at verses 12 and 13 and we looked at those powerful
verses of course about the word of God for the word of God is quick and powerful and sharpening
to our sword. We preached through that. And then tonight we
find ourselves here in verse number 14.
And in Hebrews chapter number 4 and verse number
14 and the 15 and 16 we again
find very powerful verses and very well known verses seeing
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 for we are not in high priests which cannot be touched with
the feelings of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without
sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may
attend mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And what we see in this
passage is a theme of
the high priest. And if you've been with us through the book of Hebrews
you know that one of the major themes that we've been looking at in the book of Hebrews
is a theme that runs through the book which is this that Jesus is
better. Jesus is better. And we've been seeing that. If you remember we started
in chapter 1 with Jesus is better than the prophets. If you remember
Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 1 where it says
God who has sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past and
it says by the prophets but then hath in these last days spoken
unto us by his Son. So we see that Jesus is better than the prophets.
And then we saw in Hebrews 1.4 that Jesus is better than the angels. Remember being made
so much better than the angels in reference to Jesus. We saw
in Hebrews 3.3 that Jesus is better than Moses for this man
referring to Jesus was counted worthy of more
glory than Moses. And then we saw that Jesus is better than the Sabbath
for we which have believed do enter into his rest
is what Hebrews 4.3 says. So we've been
looking at this theme of Jesus is better and now we
enter into this subject of the high priest and
what we're going to see is that Jesus is a better
high priest. So the theme continues. He's better than the prophets. He's better
than the angels. He's better than Moses. He's better than the Sabbath and he's better than any
other high priest. Jesus is the greatest high priest and that's what we see there in verse 14.
Seeing then that we have a great
high priest. So when it says there that we have a great high priest the idea
is that he is the greatest. He is the greater. He is better than any
other high priest whoever has been. We're told that we have
a great high priest that is passed into heaven. Jesus
the Son of God let us hold fast our profession. Now just by
way of introduction let me give you some thoughts regarding the high priest
and we've actually been talking a lot about this in different ways.
The book of Hebrews we're in this Bible study on Wednesday nights through the
book of Hebrews and then on Sundays we're in a chapter by chapter study in the book of Numbers
and these two books have really complimented each other very well and I
didn't plan that. I mean the Holy Spirit planned that and it's been
interesting to me as a lot of the things that we're covering in Numbers
are being covered in Hebrews and vice versa. So we've actually been learning
a lot about the high priest because over the last several weeks in the book of Numbers we've been learning
about the very first high priest Aaron who's actually mentioned here
in chapter 5 regarding the subject of the high priest. So let me
just remind you a little bit about the high priest. I'm sure you're familiar with it but let me read a
couple of things for you regarding the high priest. The high priest was the head
of the Israelite priesthood. You had all the different
priests we've been talking about in the book of Numbers. You had the tribe of Levi and you
had the Levites which remember they were the staff but then you had the priests
these would be what we would kind of consider like the pastors, the spiritual authority
but even among the priests then there was the high priest and the high priest of course was Aaron
and then Aaron's eldest son Eliezer becomes the high priest
after Aaron and so on and so forth. And the high priest was the head
of the Israelite priesthood, the supreme religious leader of the children of Israel
and because of his leadership position one of his roles was overseeing
the responsibilities of the subordinate priests. Like all priests
the high priest was required to be descended from Aaron, the first high priest
but unlike other priests the high priest wore unique priestly
garments. Also only the high priest wore the Urim and the Thummim.
So if you remember going through the last part of the book of Exodus or the
book of Leviticus we learned and even in parts of Numbers we learned
about the high priest and the high priest they had a special outfit
that they wore and they had special things that they did. When the high priest died
if you remember this, we'll learn this in Numbers later on, all those
confined to the cities of refuge were accidentally, who were there for
accidentally causing the death of another person, were granted freedom and the high priest
was the intercessor between the people and God and most importantly
and of course we're talking about in the Old Testament, the most important
duty of the high priest was to conduct the service of the day
of atonement every year. Only the high priest was allowed
to enter into the most holy place behind the veil.
The high priest had to offer a sin offering not only for the sins of the whole congregation
but also for himself. So hopefully those things sound familiar to you
regarding the high priest. You're kind of familiar with that because we're going to learn about
Jesus as the high priest and what we see here in the book of
Hebrews in chapter 4 in verses 14 through 16
is that a section begins about Jesus as a high priest and specifically
how Jesus is a better high priest. This section actually continues into chapter 5
verses 1 through 10 of Hebrews 5 and we're not going to cover that
tonight but we'll cover that next week. We'll continue looking at Jesus as the
high priest through verses 1 through 10 but honestly this teaching has already
came up in the book of Hebrews. We've already seen Jesus mentioned as the high priest
earlier in the book and we're going to see it even after chapter 5. This is kind of
intertwined through the book of Hebrews so tonight we'll finish chapter 4
and what I'd like to do is I'd like to give you three reasons from these three verses
as to why Jesus is a better high priest and then next week we'll deal with
verses 1 through 10 and see some additional things regarding Jesus as the
high priest. So if you're taking notes and I do encourage you to take notes on the back of your course
of the week there's a place for you to jot down some things. Let me quickly, as quickly as I can, give you
three thoughts regarding why Jesus is a better high priest.
Three things we see from this passage regarding Jesus as the high priest.
Look at verse 14 again, Hebrews 4 and verse 14, seeing then that
we have a great high priest. That's what we're talking about. Why is Jesus a great
high priest? Why is he the greatest high priest? Why is he a
better high priest? Notice the first thing the Bible tells us is this
that is passed into the heavens.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest
that is passed into the heavens. Now you're there
in Hebrews chapter 4 and that's our text for tonight but I'd like to just flip over
just a couple of chapters in the book of Hebrews to Hebrews chapter number 9. Hebrews
chapter 9. We're going to look at a lot of references within the book of Hebrews itself and we'll look at some
other ones outside of the book of Hebrews. If you're taking notes let me give you the first point
and you can jot this down. Jesus is a better high priest, number one,
because he offered his sacrifice in heaven.
Because he offered his sacrifice in heaven. And when you see this
little phrase there, Hebrews 4.14, and it says
seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens
the assumption that you might make, and it's not incorrect
because I believe this phrase covers more than one thing
but the assumption that you might make is that it's referring to the ascension of Christ.
That Christ ascended up into the heavens and he was received in the clouds
into heaven. And that is absolutely true. Jesus did ascend
into heaven and I do think that that is a reference here that can be
made or an interpretation that can be made. But I don't believe that that is the primary
application that is being made here when it says that Jesus was
a high priest that passed into the heavens. I do think that is an
application. I just don't think it's the primary application because I believe the point that
is being made here is that Jesus is a better
high priest. What we're looking at is why Jesus is better than Aaron.
Why is Jesus better than Eliezer? Why is Jesus better
than every high priest who ever lived before him? Why is it that Jesus
is better? And what the Bible tells us, specifically here in the book of Hebrews, is that
the earthly high priest offered in an earthly tabernacle.
Are you there in Hebrews 9? Look at verse 24. Hebrews 9 and 24.
For Christ, he's our high priest, right?
For Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands.
Now what is the holy places is referring to the sanctuary
of the tabernacle or the temple. And when it says holy places
made with hands, what that is referring to is a man-made
tabernacle or a man-made temple. What is that referring to?
It is referring to the tabernacle that Moses built, to the temple
that Solomon built, to the sanctuary, to the
holy place here on earth. And what the writer of Hebrews is telling us
is that Christ is not entered into the holy
places made with hands. Notice which
are the figures of the true.
See, the tabernacle that Moses built was simply a figure.
It was a replica. It was
symbolic of the true tabernacle which is
in heaven. In fact, later on in the book of Hebrews, we're going to learn that when
God gave Moses instructions to build the
tabernacle, he actually allowed him to see the tabernacle
in heaven. And what Moses did was he looked at the tabernacle in heaven
and then he replicated it here on earth. And here Hebrews 9
24 tells us that Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands
which are the figures of the true. Notice, but into
heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us.
So the high priest on the day of atonement, this was the most
important day of the year for the children of Israel in the Old Testament.
This was when the sins of the entire nation were dealt
with and forgiven. The high priest all throughout the year
priests would make sacrifices and they
would do this outside of the court of the tabernacle or outside
in the court of the tabernacle or they would do it inside the tabernacle in
what we would call the first section or the holy place of the tabernacle. But there was
a second room, there was a second section which was referred to as
the holy of holies. And it was behind a
veil and this is where the ark of the covenant resided. And no one was allowed to
ever go into that second section except
for the high priest on one day, on the day of
atonement. He couldn't go back there whenever he wanted. On the day of atonement
only on the day of atonement, only the high priest was allowed
to enter into the ark with blood from the sacrifice
of the children of Israel. He would enter into the ark
which remember the ark is a box that held certain things
the ten commandments, the manna, Aaron's rod
that butted. And on the lid, on the top of that box
on the lid was what was referred to as the mercy seat. This was considered
the throne of God. And God would reside on that
ark. The idea is that the ark represented the presence of God and
that mercy seat represented the throne of God. And often times
when Moses would enter the tabernacle and speak to God, the glory
of God would descend upon that tabernacle and that ark and that's why it
represented the presence of God. And the high priest would walk in
once a year and take the blood and he would sprinkle it first
for his own sins, to atone for his own sins because he was a sinner
and then to atone for the sins of the people. This is what
the high priest did. That was great. That is a
special position in the Old Testament where Aaron did
that and all the high priests did. But what makes Jesus better
than Aaron, better than all the other high priests is that when Jesus
performed the duty of a high priest, he did not do it in
an earthly tabernacle or earthly temple but
he did it in heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of God for us. And what we need to remember
is that when Jesus died on the cross, he played the role
of the lamb. Remember John said, behold the lamb of God would take away the sins of the
world. But after his death, burial and resurrection
when he resurrected, he then played the role of the high priest.
And if you remember, Mary tried to touch
him after the resurrection and he said, don't touch me, I've not yet
ascended into my father. He still had to play that role of the
high priest. He still had to take his own blood and enter
into the holy of holies, not on earth but
in heaven and enter on into the throne room of God
and sprinkle his own blood, not for his own sins because he had no
sins, but sprinkle the blood for the salvation
of all of us. Because without the shedding of blood, there is no remission
of sins, the Bible says. So we see that what made Jesus a better high priest
is that when he offered his sacrifice, he offered
it in heaven, not in an earthly tabernacle. For
Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are
figures of the truth, but into heaven itself, now
to appear in the presence of God for us.
So we see that he offered his sacrifice in heaven.
That's what made him better than the sacrifices
offered by other high priests who did it in the earthly tabernacles.
I'd like you to notice the second thing. You're there in the book of Hebrews,
go back to Hebrews chapter 4, look at verse 15. I've already
kind of said this, but I want you to see it now.
We see, we're looking at reasons why Jesus is better.
Specifically why it is that Jesus is a better high priest.
Jesus is a better high priest because he offered his sacrifice in heaven, not
in an earthly tabernacle. A second reason that Jesus is a better
high priest is because Jesus is without sin,
not a sinner himself. Look at the emphasis of the
passage here, Hebrews 4.15. For, the word
for means because, we have not
an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings
of our infirmities. The way that it's worded there, it's worded using
double negatives, but it's written in a very beautiful poetic way.
It says we have not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the feelings of our infirmities. What does that mean? It means that we have a high priest
that can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
And that is a beautiful thing, and we're going to come back to that phrase later on.
But I want you to notice, though Jesus can be touched, and though
Jesus was touched with the feelings of our infirmities,
the Bible is clear, but was in all points tempted
like as we are, notice these words, yet
without sin. Jesus not only offered his sacrifice
in heaven, but Jesus is a better high priest because he is
without sin. Go back to Hebrews chapter 9. This time
look at verse number 6, Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 6. Notice what the Bible
says. I already said this to you, but I want you to see it from the Bible. Hebrews 9 and verse
6, the Bible says, Now when these things were thus ordained, the priest
went always into the first tabernacle. Remember that
first section or that first room? That's what's being referred to here.
The priest went always into that first tabernacle
accomplishing the service of God, verse 7, but into
the second went the high priest alone once every
year. Notice, though, when he went in not
without blood, which he offered for himself, why? Because
he was a sinner, and for the errors of the people. So
on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would have to offer a
sacrifice for himself, for his own sin, and then
for the sins of the people. The earthly high priest had to sacrifice for
his own sins. Go back to Hebrews chapter 4. Look at verse 15.
The heavenly high priest is without his own sin.
Verse 15, But we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our
infirmities, but was in, notice these words, all points,
all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin. All points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. Go back to Hebrews chapter 2.
And we need to remember that Jesus was tempted.
And of course, we have the famous story in the
Gospels of the temptation of Christ when Jesus was out
in the wilderness fasting for 40 days, and the devil appears to him, and he
tempts him, and he tells him, you know, to make these bread stone, and he
tells him to throw himself off the pinnacle, and we go through, and he offers
him all the kingdoms of the world, and we have those temptations that Jesus
was tempted with, and those are not the only temptations that Jesus was tempted with, but that's
an example of the fact that Jesus was tempted. Hebrews 2 and verse 17,
look at what the Bible says, Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be
made like unto his brethren. That is a reference to the humanity
of Christ. He was made like unto his brethren, that
he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, verse 18, for in that
he himself hath suffered, being tempted,
he is able to succor them that are
tempted. So we want to notice the fact that Jesus was
tempted, he was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. He was tempted, but without sin. Look at Hebrews
chapter 7. In the book of Hebrews, flip over to Hebrews chapter 7,
look at verse 26. Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 26,
Hebrews 7 and 26, For such an high priest, notice
these words, became us. That's
Christmas. That's a reference to humanity.
He became us, the difference is
who is, here's the difference between him and us, who is holy, harmless,
undefiled, notice these words, separate from sinners.
So though he became us, he did not become a
sinner, he was separate from sinners, and made
higher than the heavens. Let's just run a few verses real quickly. You're there in the
book of Hebrews, go to 1 Peter chapter 2. If you're there in Hebrews, you're going to pass the book of
James into the book of 1 Peter, 1 Peter chapter 2, and look at verse 22.
So we always have to remember this, doctrinally, Jesus was tempted,
but he was not a sinner. Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. And sometimes people struggle with this, and I think the reason is because they don't really
understand the word tempt or temptation. When we talk about temptation, when the Bible
talks about temptation, there are really two different definitions that are ascribed
to the same word, which is a common thing in the Bible.
Oftentimes, James talks about this, I won't have to go there,
but when we think of temptation, we usually think of somebody being
enticed by their own lust. The Bible even says that in the book of James,
that we are drawn away of our own lust, we are enticed
by our own lust. In that sense of temptation,
that type of temptation is already sin.
Because of the fact that the Bible says that even the thought of foolishness is sin.
The Bible states that you can sin in your own heart, and
when you are being drawn away of your own lust.
That is not the temptation that Jesus suffered. There was never a time
when Jesus, like in his heart, he wanted to do something
sinful but chose not to. Because even that desire of wanting
to is already a sin. But the word temptation is also used simply
as to be tested. For example,
Abraham was told that God did tempt Abraham
when he asked Abraham to sacrifice his son
Isaac upon the altar. There was no enticement for anything
sinful there, but God was testing him to see whether
he would be obedient or not. And Jesus had every opportunity
to sin, but he never even desired sin in his own
mind and in our heart, but he was tempted at all points, like as we are. That's what we see
in the temptations of Christ. He was hungry, he had been fasting for 40
days, and the devil shows up and says, make these stones bread.
Obviously he was hungry. He was tested, but he chose
not, he said, man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. And of course we had all these different
temptations that the devil puts in front of him. So we see that Jesus
was tempted, but he was without sin. And the Bible is clear about this. 1 Peter 2
look at verse 22. 1 Peter 2.22. Notice what the Bible says.
Who did no sin? This is referring
to Jesus. Neither was guile found in his mouth.
The Bible says he did no sin. 1 John 3.5. And you know
that he was manifested. You're there in 1 Peter. If you go past 2 Peter into the
book of 1 John. 1 John 3.5. 1 John
3.5. And you know that he was
manifested to take away our sins. Notice.
And in him is no sin. So he took away our sin,
but in him is no sin. Go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5.
2 Corinthians chapter 5. Towards the beginning of the New Testament you've got Matthew, Mark, Luke,
John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, and then 2 Corinthians.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians chapter 5.
Look at verse 21.
Now do me a favor. When you get to 2 Corinthians, put a ribbon or a bookmark or something there
because we're going to leave it and we're going to come back to it. I'd like you to be able to get through it quickly.
2 Corinthians 5.21. Notice. For he hath made him, this is referring to God the Father,
he hath made him, referring to Jesus, to be sin for us. Notice these
words, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. So the Bible is clear that Jesus
was tempted but was without sin. We see that
he is a better high priest. Why? Because he offered the sacrifice
in heaven, not in an earthly tabernacle. We see that he's a better high priest.
Why? Because the earthly high priest had to make atonement for his own sins
and then for the sins of the people, but the heavenly high priest had no sins. He had to
make no atonement for his own sins because he did no sin. He
was without sin. He knew no sin. He had
without sin, the Bible says. Keep your place there in 2 Corinthians 5. Go back to Hebrews
if you would. Hebrews chapter 4. Let me quickly give you the third
reason. When I'm done with this third reason, I'd like to give you
three applications and then we'll finish up tonight. The first reason
Jesus is a better high priest is because he offered his sacrifice in heaven.
The second reason that Jesus is a better high priest is because he is without sin.
And I'd like you to notice the third reason why Jesus is a better high priest.
I'll just give it to you before we read the verse if you'd like
to jot it down. Jesus is a better high priest because he gives unlimited access
to God. He gives unlimited access to God
as opposed to the limited access
that the high priest, the earthly high priest had. Notice Hebrews
16. Let us therefore. You see that word therefore?
Therefore means because of this. Because of this reason. Because
of what? Because of the fact that you and I have a high priest. Remember
the book of Hebrews was written to first century Jews.
To people who were Hebrew descendants.
These people were saved. They had grown up in Judaism. And for them
to hear of a high priest, they would understand the high priest is the
mediator. Now we think of Jesus as the mediator because he is the
mediator in the New Testament. But under the Old Testament covenant, the high priest was
their mediator. The high priest was the one that represented the people before God.
The high priest was the one that brought atonement and
connected God to the people. They understood that
and their access to God was through
the high priest. But now the writer of Hebrews is telling us
let us therefore, because we have a high priest, because he is passed
into heaven, because he is without sin, he says, let us therefore
come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain
mercy and find grace to hell in time of need. See, Jesus is a better
high priest because he gives us unlimited access
to God the Father as opposed to the limited access
that the earthly high priest had. Go back to Hebrews 9
just real quickly. Look at verse 6. We saw these verses already but I want you
to see them again in Hebrews 9 and verse 6.
The earthly high priest was a very special position. He was the only
one that had access to the mercy seat. The only one that got to
walk behind that veil, who got to go behind the veil,
who got to see the ark of the covenant, who got to sprinkle the blood on the
mercy seat. The only human being that was allowed to do it was
the high priest, the only one only on one day, the day of
atonement, Hebrews 9 verse 6. Now when these things were thus ordained
the priest went always
into the first tabernacle. So the first tabernacle
where they had the lamps, where they had the
showbread, the table of showbread, where they had the
different things that they did, in that first tabernacle the Bible says
the priest went always into the first tabernacle. Any priest
at any time could enter into that first tabernacle
verse 7, but into the second
into the second tabernacle, into the section behind the
veil, which is referred to as the most holy place
or the holy of holies, went the high priest
alone once every year.
Not without blood, which he offered for himself
and for the heirs of the people. So we see that the high priest had great
access, more access than anyone else
in the nation of Israel. He alone, once a year,
all the priests could go into the tabernacle at any time,
but only he could go behind the veil once a year
with the blood to make atonement for himself and for the people.
That was a great position. I mean, look, we just got done going
through the book of Numbers, not going through the book of Numbers, going through the last several chapters
16 and 17 and 18, and we just saw
that Korah was trying to get rid of Aaron and take his position.
Korah was trying, Korah wanted to be the high priest.
He wanted to have the fantasy closed and the youth men and through men
and walk in behind the veil and do these things.
This was a position of honor.
This man had access to God. Yes, limited,
but he had access to God. Only he,
only once a year. But the Bible tells us
that my high priest
and your high priest, go back to Hebrews 4.16,
he's a better high priest because he gives
us access unlimited.
Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace.
By the way, this is the same reason why the Bible tells us
in the Gospels that when Jesus died, the veil was rent.
It was divine,
a divine terror.
It was torn in half and the idea was this,
that with Jesus, with his death and sacrifice,
the veil was no longer a thing. The separation was
no longer there. There was no longer a need for an earthly
high priest because Jesus was our heavenly high priest and he had given us
access to the Father, so let us therefore come boldly unto
the throne of grace. That's what the writer of Hebrews says.
Go to Ephesians chapter 2. If you kept your place in 2 Corinthians, remember I asked
you to keep your place in 2 Corinthians. If you go from 2 Corinthians, you'll have the book of Galatians
and then Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 2,
look at verse 18.
See, you and I might think, well, what's
a big deal? But to an Old Testament Hebrew,
Israelite, to a first century Jew,
this would have been a big deal. You're telling me I don't need
a high priest and he's not limited to one day and he's not limited to
one man, but that through Jesus we can all come boldly
unto the throne of grace? Ephesians 2, 18. Notice what the Bible says,
for through him, that's Jesus,
for through him we both, in the context there in Ephesians 2,
the both there is referring to Jew and Gentile, we both
have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Look at chapter 3 and verse 12, Ephesians, just flip over to 3
and verse 12. Notice what the Bible says, Ephesians 3 and verse 12,
in whom we have boldness and access
with confidence by the faith
of him. And of course the him there is Jesus.
The Bible says we have boldness and access
with confidence to
the throne of grace, to the throne of God,
to the mercy seat.
Go back to Hebrews chapter 4. Let us therefore
come boldly. Ephesians 3, 12, we just
saw it, we have boldness and access with confidence. Boldness
and access with confidence. What does this mean? It means that
not only do we have access, but we have access with confidence. We can come in
boldly. We have a right to come in. I've explained this before when
I preached on this passage to use an illustration of
an office. You can use the illustration of my office.
I have an office here at the church building and
oftentimes people come to my office and they
want to speak with me or whatever it might be. And when someone comes to my office
they usually do the appropriate thing which is to knock.
Because you don't just walk into somebody's office.
You walk up to the door, you knock, you wait to be
let in.
Come on in. And you open the door and you walk in. That's what
a normal person does. That's what you're supposed to do.
But you know who doesn't do that? Just the rudest
people in this church. You know who they are? My daughters.
And my sons. You know what they do? They just
barge right in. I mean they just, it doesn't matter if I'm
studying, it doesn't matter if I'm meeting with somebody, it doesn't matter what I'm
doing. They just walk up, open the door, run in,
hey daddy, sit on my couch. They come in
boldly. They come in with confidence.
They come in why? Because they have access. Why? Because it's not just
the pastor's office. It's not just the boss's office. It's not just
somebody's office. It's their daddy's office.
And the Bible says that through Jesus Christ, God
the Father became our Father. We can cry through adoption
Abba, Father, and we have access to come boldly
unto the throne of grace. We can come in boldly
with access and with confidence.
See the high priest in the Old Testament
he came in very reverently.
And I'm not saying we shouldn't come in reverently. But it was a
scary thing. It was a fearful thing on the day of atonement
you wanted to make sure you didn't mess this up. You wanted to make sure that you'd gone through all
the rituals and all the expectations. You wanted to make sure that everything was
the way it was supposed to be. Because if you looked at the Ark of the Covenant and you
weren't supposed to, you would die. So they had
the right, they had the access, but I don't know that they were very confident. I don't
know that they were very bold. They were probably very timid. They were
probably very cautious. They were probably very careful. They probably wanted to make sure
okay, before I cross that veil, I just need to make sure we got this right.
Let's make sure, right? I got the blood. Okay, that was an unspotted lamb, right?
Everything's working out, right? Okay. They probably had a deep breath.
Here we go. The Bible says that you
and I, we have access
with confidence, boldness.
We can come in. Why? By the faith of Him.
Through Jesus, we both have access
by one Spirit unto the Father. Let me give you
some applications as we finish up. We've been looking at this idea of Jesus is a
better high priest. Why? Because He offered His sacrifice in heaven.
Jesus is a better high priest. Why? Because He is without sin.
Jesus is a better high priest. Why? Because He gives us
unlimited access to God. What is interesting to me is that
the thing, the source of power, the
source of access, the source that we have
available to us as Christians
is probably the least used thing
we do. Do you understand that
at any moment I can bow my head and through the
Spirit enter into the throne room of God?
And there's a Heavenly Father waiting to hear from me.
And yet we do so little of it.
Let me give you three applications quickly.
First I'd like you to know is that Jesus advocates for us.
Look at it again, verse 14, Hebrews 4.14.
Seeing then we have a great high priest that is passed into heaven. Now remember
I told you that the primary application here is that He went there
to perform the duty of the high priest, but I also believe
that an application here is that He ascended up into heaven
sitting at the right hand of the Father. 1 John 2, 1
if you would, you're there in Hebrews, if you just go past James, past 1 2 Peter
into 1 John, 1 John chapter 2 verse 1. 1 John
2, 1 says this, My little children, these things have I
written unto you that ye sin not, and if any man
sin. Look at this. If any man
sin, we have an advocate with the Father.
The word advocate is referring to a person who represents
another person's interest. It's like a lawyer.
Someone who is representing you, someone who is
arguing on your behalf, someone who is looking out for your best interest.
And the Bible says, My little children, these things write I unto you
that ye sin not. He says, I don't want you to sin, but He says
and if any man sin. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous. The Bible tells us that Jesus is sitting at the
right hand of the Father. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the great high priest who
ascended up into heaven. And the Bible tells us that you and I
have a lawyer, we have an advocate in heaven, Jesus Christ the righteous.
You understand He advocates for us?
He defends us. He's there to help us.
But I want you to notice not only does Jesus advocate
for us, go back to Hebrews 4.
I want you to notice that Jesus identifies with us.
Look at verse 15.
We focused in on the second part of this verse already, but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin.
That is the doctrinally important section
of that verse. The doctrinal teaching of the verse
is that He was in all points tempted like as we are yet
without sin. The reason that that point is made though is for the application
section of the verse which is the first part of verse
15. For because we have
not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the feelings of our infirmities. What does that mean?
It means that Jesus touched the
feelings of our infirmities. It means that Jesus felt what you
felt. He's hurt how you hurt.
He was tempted like you and I have been tempted yet without sin.
Jesus has lived what we've lived. Go back to Hebrews chapter 2.
Hebrews chapter 2. We saw this verse but look at it again.
Hebrews 2.17. You understand the
Bible says in Isaiah 53 that by His stripes we are healed.
The Bible says and the idea is this
that Jesus took on everything that He
took from us. See we've already seen it and I won't take the time
to develop it even further but the Bible says that
He had made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin.
He didn't just take away our sins. He took our sins.
Do you understand that? Every time Jesus touched someone and
healed them He took their infirmities. Every time
Jesus performed a miracle He was feeling their infirmity.
We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
Meaning that He was touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
Hebrews 2.17. Wherefore in all things it behooved
Him to be made like unto His brethren that He might be
a merciful and faithful
high priest. Why is He
merciful? Why is He faithful in all things pertaining to God
to make reconciliation for sinners of the people? Here's why. Verse 18
For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted
for
because He Himself hath suffered
being tempted He is able to succor.
The word means to assist, to aid, to help
the men that are tempted. So I want you to notice that Jesus advocates for us
and Jesus identifies with us. He was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin.
He is not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
And I want you to notice lastly that He aids us.
He helps us. Look at verse 16. Hebrews 4 and verse 16.
He advocates for us. He identifies with us.
And then verse 16 He aids us. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace. Notice these words. That we may obtain mercy.
You understand that?
That we may obtain mercy and find grace. See the word mercy and grace
are very similar but they're different.
Mercy means to not get what I deserve.
It means I deserve a punishment
and I'm not getting it. That's mercy.
Grace means to get something I don't deserve.
That's why salvation is by grace through faith.
Grace means I get something I don't deserve. Mercy means I don't get something
I do deserve. And the Bible says let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy
and find grace. Notice these words. To help
in time of need. This is why Jesus
said, the Bible says about Jesus, casting all your care upon him
for he careth for you. You understand
that? If I had a phone
that I could pick up at any moment and it would go directly to the Oval Office
and I knew that every time I picked up that phone
the President, I mean the sitting President, I'm not sure that I'd want to talk to anyway, but
if I knew that any time I picked up that phone the President
of the United States of America, the most powerful man in this world at this time
would pick up that phone and want to hear what I have to say
not only want to hear but he'd want to advocate for me and he'd want to
aid me and he'd want to help me. How many times
do you think I'd pick up that phone? Probably
a lot. But yet we have access to the
God of the universe. We have access
to the creator of the universe.
We have access to God through Jesus Christ
who aids us, who advocates for us, who identifies
with him, with us and we can identify with
him. So I ask you
how often do you pick up that phone?
Have you picked up that phone today? Have you talked
to your Heavenly Father? Have you entered boldly into the throne room of God?
Casting all your care upon him
for he careth for you.
What we often don't believe because of a lack of faith is this
that Jesus doesn't care.
Does Jesus care? The song asks.
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained too deeply for myrrh and song?
When the burdens press and the cares distress
and the way grows weary and long. Does Jesus care
when my way is dark with a nameless dread and fear?
And as the daylight fades into deep dark shades
does he care enough to be near? Does Jesus care when I've
tried and failed to resist some temptation strong?
When for my deep grief there's no relief though the tears flow all the
day long. Does Jesus care when I've said goodbye
to the dearest on earth to me and my sad heart aches till it
nearly breaks? Is it aught to him? Does he see?
Oh yes he cares. I know he cares. His heart is touched with my grief.
When the days are weary, the long
night dreary, I know my Savior cares.
Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need. Let's bow our heads now with a prayer. Heavenly Father,
Lord we thank you for the access we have
to the throne room of
God.
We can pick up a phone at any moment
symbolically speaking,
not literally.
It's like we could pick up a phone at any moment
and have access to the God of the universe
and how little,
how little
we take opportunity to do so.
Lord I pray you'd forgive us. I pray you'd help us
to realize the wonderful
high priest that we have. The amazing access, not one
man on one day, but we can come in boldly.
I pray you'd help us to take advantage of that.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
If it's alright with you I'd like to sing this song with you, but if it's okay with brother Argy I'd like to
sing this song. Take your song books and go to page number 89.
Let's sing this song. I don't know if you're familiar
with it. I don't know that we sing it that much, but let's, page number 89
does Jesus care? Let's take it out.
On the first does Jesus care
when my heart is pained
too deeply for myrrh and song.
The burdens press and the cares distress
and the way grows weary and long.
Oh yes he cares, I know
he cares. His heart is touched
with my grief. When the days
are weary the long nights weary
I know my Savior cares.
Are we learning it? Page 89, sing it out on the second.
Does Jesus care when my way is dark
with a nameless dread and fear
as the daylight fades into
deep nightshades? Does he care enough
to be near? Oh yes
he cares, I know he cares.
His heart is touched with my grief.
When the days are weary the long
nights weary I know my Savior
cares. Good on the third does Jesus
care when I've tried and failed
to resist some temptation strong.
When from deep I run
and tears flow all the
night long. Oh yes he
cares, I know he cares. He's
touched with my grief.
When the days are weary the long
nights weary I know my Savior
cares. Good on the last does Jesus
care when I've said goodbye to the
dearest on earth to me.
And my sad horn aches till it
nearly breaks. In his awe to him
does he see. Oh yes
he cares, I know he cares.
His heart is touched with my grief.
When the days are weary the
long nights weary I know my
Savior cares. Amen. God bless you. Thank you
for being here tonight. I do want to remind you a couple of things. Of course we have these work
days coming up tomorrow and I ask that you be in prayer for that and of course if you can
help if you've got any experience doing mudding or texture we would appreciate
your help. There are three clipboards in the back there and you can sign up for
any of the three days, multiple shifts on those days and we really just need to
get some of that mudding and texturing done to be able to move forward with other things so if
you have any skills to help with that we would really appreciate your help with
that. And of course we have soul winning on Saturday morning 10 a.m. church on Sunday
and we'd love for you to be a part of that and be faithful
in your place of course. If there's anything we can do for you please let us know.
I'm going to ask Brother RJ if he would not mind dismissing us with a word of prayer.
Let's close in order prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father again we thank you just for the opportunity to be
in church tonight. Lord thank you for that sermon that was preached. Help us to remember
the sermon and thank you for sending your son
Jesus Christ to save us. Not only for saving us Lord but just for who
he is that he is our advocate in heaven Lord and he cares for us
and we can come boldly to your throne through him Lord and pray that you would
help us get back on Saturday for soul winning
and church on Sunday and dismiss us with your grace in Jesus' name I pray
Amen.