Paid In Full: An In-depth Look at the Defining Moments of Christ's Passion (35 page)

Hebrews 4:15,16 also describes the power of Jesus’ present-day ministry: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling 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 obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

This is the best news you’ve ever heard! Think of it — Jesus has become your Great High Priest — your personal Representative who sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. His ministry today is to represent
you
to the Father. And because Jesus lived on earth as a Man, He understands every problem or temptation that will ever come your way.

Jesus has faced every temptation that any human being has ever encountered in life. This means He has experienced every temptation
you
face. Anything you talk to Jesus about is something that He was personally tempted with when He walked the earth and that He personally understands. But the Bible declares that although He was tempted in all ways just as we are, Jesus was without sin. Therefore, He is qualified today to sit at the Father’s right hand and intercede on our behalf.

This is why Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” The word “boldly” comes from the often-used Greek word
parresia,
which refers to
freedom of speech
. It presents the picture of a person who
speaks his mind
and who does it
straightforwardly
and with great
confidence
.

Frequently in New Testament times, the word
parresia
depicted a
frankness
that was so
bold
, it was regularly met with resistance, hostility, and opposition. It just wasn’t acceptable to speak so candidly. Therefore, when someone spoke his mind and his thoughts this freely, his outspokenness was met with rebuke time and time again.

But the Holy Spirit uses the word
parresia
in this verse to urge us to come “boldly” before God’s throne of grace. This means that not only does Jesus beckon us to come to Him, but He also invites us to be
straight-to-the-point
when we talk to Him!

You need never fear that you are
too frank, too bold, too forthright, too honest, too outspoken,
or
too blunt
when you open your heart to God about your needs and struggles or when you request His help. Of course, you should never be irreverent — but neither do you need to be afraid to speak exactly what is on your heart. The Greek word
parresia
emphatically tells you that Jesus will never be turned off, offended, or insulted when you freely speak your heart and mind to Him. He
wants
to hear what you have to say!

Hebrews 4:16 goes on to tell us to “…come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” The word “obtain” is from the Greek word
lambano
— a word that means
to seize
or
to lay hold of something in order to make it your very own.
It is the picture of reaching out
to grab, to capture
, or
to take possession
of something
.
Depending on the context in which it is used,
lambano
can either mean
to violently lay hold of something to seize and take it as one’s very own,
or it can depict a person who
gently and graciously receives something that is freely and easily given.

Jesus is always there, waiting mercifully to help anyone who comes to Him by faith. But your own personal circumstances or inward struggles could affect the ease with which you receive His help. If your struggle is intense, if your mind is tortured, if your flesh resists you, or if it seems like the world is pressing against you, you may find it difficult to freely receive from the Lord. In those moments, you have to reach out and
forcibly lay hold
of the help God offers you.

Jesus is ready and willing to simply give you what you need. All you have to do is open your heart and by faith
receive
it. Shove those negative circumstances and emotions out of the way, and reach out by faith to
lay hold of
the grace and mercy that Jesus so freely offers. It’s time for you to
receive
the mercy He wants to give — but don’t stop with mercy! If you’ll keep pressing forward by faith, this verse promises that you will also “…find grace to help in time of need.”

The word “find” is a translation of the Greek word
eurisko
, which means
to find
. It denotes
a discovery made by searching or by happenstance
. It usually denotes a discovery made as a result of an intense investigation, scientific study, or scholarly research. After working long hours and searching for a long time, the researcher suddenly finds what he has been seeking. In that unforgettable moment of joyful euphoria, he shrieks, “EUREKA!” — which means, “I FOUND IT!” The word
eureka
is derived from this Greek word
eurisko
, which lets us know the kind of intense joy that a person experiences when he finds the help for which he has sought for so long.

Praise God for those special times when a believer “happens” upon the help of God. I’m especially talking about times when someone is young in the Lord or when a person is too inexperienced to know what he’s doing or even how to properly pray. Or perhaps a believer is innocently making all kinds of mistakes. Then somehow God’s mercy and grace overrides all his blunders, and that precious believer is divinely and supernaturally plugged into help that causes him to rise above his circumstances and overcome every obstacle. That believer can’t even explain what happened or how he received that divine assistance. All he knows is that suddenly he was
empowered
! In that moment, he “found” the help he needed to overcome what he was facing in life.

However, “help” doesn’t usually come by happenstance; rather, it comes when a person diligently seeks the help he needs. When that diligent seeker lays hold of his answer from Heaven, such euphoria floods his heart that he exclaims, “I HAVE IT!”; “I’VE FOUND IT!”; or “I’VE RECEIVED IT!” At long last, the seeker is holding in his hand the answer he needed from God!

But I must point out one more very important thing about the word
eurisko.
This word can also be used to picture
someone who diligently seeks and therefore acquires something for someone else.
This has
powerful
connotations, and I want to tell you why.

It means you can go to Jesus, the Great High Priest, to obtain mercy and find help for others about whom you are worried or burdened. You can obtain help:

1. For those who need healing for their bodies.
   
2. For those who are bound and need deliverance.
   
3. For those who are tormented and need peace.
   
4. For marriages and families that are in trouble.
   
5. For provision to be given to those who need a financial breakthrough.
   
6. For those who are in need in any area of their lives.
   

Not only can you take your own needs to Jesus, but you can also take
others’
needs to Jesus and obtain the help
they
so desperately need.

Now let’s look at the phrase “help in time of need,” which is a translation of the word
boetheia
, a word that primarily had a military connotation. It can simply be translated to
help
meet someone’s needs. But when you understand the military implications of this word, it becomes
truly
powerful.

The word
boetheia
was first and foremost used to describe that moment when a soldier got into trouble. When his fellow soldiers were alerted to his dangerous situation, they were completely dedicated to the goal of going into battle to defend their co-fighter and fighting for his well-being, safety, and security. Just hearing that a fellow soldier was in need was enough to beckon the other soldiers into battle and motivate them to spare no effort in order to rescue him and bring him back to a place of safety and protection.

Because
boetheia
is the word used in this text, we know that when we get into trouble and Jesus hears about it, He will come to our defense! He will do battle for us in our time of need. If we will go to Jesus, our Great High Priest, and present our case to Him, He will intercede for us — rising up like a Mighty Warrior who is ready to go into battle to fight for us until we are delivered and free. That is the “help” we will find when we present our needs to Jesus.

Think about it: Why would we ever try to fight our battles alone when the Greatest Warrior in the universe — the One who possesses ultimate power — is willing to fight for us?

So, then, what is the answer to the question: “Where is Jesus, and what has He been doing for the past 2,000 years?”

After Jesus’ work on the Cross was finished and He was raised from the dead, He ascended on High and sat down at the Father’s right hand. Today Jesus ever lives to make intercession for you and for anyone who comes to Him by faith. He fights for every believer who comes boldly and honestly to Him and who earnestly seeks His assistance. I would say that this ministry has kept Jesus pretty busy for the past 2,000 years!

Why would Jesus come to earth, humble Himself to the point of dying on the Cross, be raised from the dead, and pour out the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower you — only to then reject or resist you when you come to Him with your needs? He wouldn’t! Because He was obedient, even unto death on a Cross, Jesus was highly exalted above all other names, whether in Heaven, on earth, or under the earth (Philippians 2:8-10). And from His highly exalted place, He still has His eyes fixed on
you
.

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus died for you. But today — right at this very moment — He lives to intercede for you and to fight for your every need.

Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave, and now He lives forever to make intercession for you! Meditate on this truth: The Creator of the Universe came to earth to experience everything you could ever go through. He paid the penalty for every sin you would ever commit. And now He is seated beside the Father in Heaven, speaking on your behalf.

You have a representative in Heaven who has already faced every temptation you’ll ever face and has endured every pain you’ve ever experienced. He completely identifies with your human condition. When you come boldly before Him with your petitions, Jesus is able and willing to save you or others to the uttermost. No matter what situation you may be facing, God is for you, not against you. Think about
that
!

God likes straight talk. People may feel challenged by direct, confident communication, but God expects it. Irreverence is inappropriate, of course, but honesty is what God wants when you pour out your heart to Him. But you can’t be honest with God or confident in His presence until you’re willing to be honest with yourself.

Perhaps you’ve been praying and even worrying about a situation for some time. Have you searched your own heart to be certain you’re telling yourself the truth about the matter without excuses or denial? Think about it. The Person of the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. He will help you press past your own inner struggles to know and understand truth so you can move forward and go before God in confidence. Ask Him.