There are few things we the people value more than the freedom of speech. Our founding fathers considered the freedom of speech to be a fundamental building block of liberty. Which is why the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Free speech is what allows us Lutherans to gather here today and freely proclaim our faith without fear of penalty or punishment. But free speech has not always been a constitutionally sanctioned right for Lutherans. 25 years after Columbus sailed the oceans blue Martin Luther nailed the 95 Thesis to the castle church doors in Wittenberg Germany. This was not the act of blatant defiance as some portray it to be. Rather it was meant to start a debate and discussion where concerned Christians could speak freely about some of the abuses they observed in the church. There was just one problem, at this point in history freedom of speech was a right reserved for the Emperor and Pope alone. Which is why both Emperor and Pope did all they could do to silence Luther.
Neither Emperor nor Pope liked what Luther had to say (we will talk more about that in two weeks) but, like it or not, Luther spoke freely. Luther knew as citizens in a government, our speech may or may not be censored. But as children of God, we have the right to speak freely.
Take another look at Hebrews 4:16. There we are invited to “approach the throne of grace with confidence”. There is more than a self-assured swagger built into the word “confidence”. Greek citizens used this word to describe what we might call the freedom of speech. All citizens of Greece had this “confidence”. Politicians, playwrights, poets, philosophers, and average people were free to openly discuss politics and religion and to criticize the government. They valued openness and candor and could say what they wanted to say to whoever they wanted to say it.
In Hebrews 4:16 we are invited to pray with this same “confidence”. When we bow our heads in prayer, we are invited to speak our mind; to say whatever we want to say. There is no reason for you to be nervous or anxious. There is no reason for you to pray, “Oh mighty smiter, don’t be mad at me but I have something I want to ask you…”. Your prayers need not sound like they are coming from a cowering dog waiting to be kicked. Likewise, there is no reason for you to be timid or cautious. There is no reason for you to pray, “If it’s not too much trouble Lord… I mean I know you are busy... and If you want to say no, I understand, In fact you are probably going to say no so maybe I shouldn’t bring it up at all…”. Your prayers need not be a series of stuttering and stammering petitions of a pansy. There is also no reason for you to be cryptic or cagy. There is no reason for you to pray, “Lord you and I both know why I am coming to you. If you could do something about it, I would appreciate it. I’ll leave it to you to figure out what that something should be. But ahh, you know…”. Your prayers need not sound like you are negotiating a dirty deal in the back alley of a liquor store.
You are invited to pray with “confidence”, like the confidence of Jacob in Genesis 32:26 when he prayed, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Or the confidence of Moses in Exodus 33:18 when he prayed, “Now show me your glory.”. Or the confidence of David in Psalm 51:1-2 when he prayed, “blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”. Or the confidence of the father of the demon-possessed boy in Mark 9:24 who prayed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Or… the confidence of Jesus in Luke 22:42 when He prayed “take this cup from me.”. Think about the confidence it took for Jesus to pray that prayer! In effect Jesus was praying “Father, I know this has been the plan from the moment you announce in the garden of Eden that the serpent would strike my heel, but dying on the cross is going to hurt. I am asking you to find another way.” These are not the prayers of nervous and anxious people, these are not the prayers of timid and cautious people, these are not the prayers of cagy and cryptic people. These are the prayers of confident people. These are the kinds of prayers you are invited to pray.
But can you really approach the throne of God with such confidence? When I first came out of the Seminary there were people still doing what I call Rambo evangelism. They would attempt to convert people by asking them, “If you were to die tonight and stand before God’s throne and He asked you why He should let you into His heaven, what would you say?” It was an attempt to literally scare the hell out of people. The thought of standing before God’s throne is often a frightening one. The prophet Isaiah describes God’s throne as being surrounded by angels who proclaim the holiness of our God.[1] The prophet Daniel describes God’s thrown as flaming with fire.[2] In the book of Revelation, flashes of lightening and peals of thunder surround God’s throne.[3] No sinner can stand before this throne. In the book of Revelation we are told they will be thrown into a lake of fire[4]. In the Gospel of Matthew, we are told they will be thrown into a fiery furnace or an outer darkness[5] where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.[6] Then finally in Romans 3:23 we are reminded “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Which means we have sinned, we deserve to weep and gnash our teeth, we deserve to be banished from the throne of God.
That doesn’t exactly instill confidence in us as we approach the throne of God in prayer. But take a closer look at the throne. It is not the throne of judgment we are invited to approach, it is “16… the throne of grace”. Take a closer look at the one Who sits on that throne... It’s Jesus. In Hebrews 4:15 we are given three descriptions of Jesus that serves as confidence boosters as we approach the throne of grace in prayer.
Our first confidence booster comes from knowing the one who sits on the throne of grace is our great “high priest”. We like to speak of the three offices of Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King. These are three ways Jesus interacts with us. As our King Jesus guides and governs our lives. As a Prophet Jesus speaks to the people on behalf of God. But it is His office as Priest that fills us with confidence as we approach the throne of grace in prayer. The priest is someone who speaks to God on behalf of the people. As our Priest Jesus speaks to God on our behalf. Jesus once told Simon Peter that He had prayed that his “faith may not fail”[7]. Jesus your High Priest prays the same prayer for you. As the Roman soldier hammered nails into His hands and His feet, Jesus prayed. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[8] Jesus your High Priest prays the same prayer for you. Jesus once prayed, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am”[9]. Jesus your High Priest prays the same prayer for you. Knowing the one who sits on the throne of grace speaks to the heavenly Father on our behalf, fills us with confidence as we approach him in prayer.
Our second confidence boost comes from knowing the one who sits on the throne of grace is able “to sympathize with our weaknesses”. Jesus does not merely empathize with us. A person who has empathy for another imagines the pain and suffering the other person might be feeling as they endure adversity and hardship, they don’t actually endure the adversity and hardship; they don’t actually feel the pain and suffering, they imagine it. Jesus doesn’t have to use His imagination to know what you are going through. Jesus can sympathize with your situation because Jesus experienced life in this sinful world. He knows how toilsome life can be. He knows what it feels like to be frustrated by His parents, betrayed by His friends, and attacked by His enemies. You are not experiencing anything that Jesus has not already experienced. When you come to Jesus to talk about your frustrations, betrayals, and attacks, Jesus says, “Yeah, I get it. That happened to me too. I know where you are coming from, and I know exactly how you feel.” Knowing the one sitting on the throne of grace is someone who is able to sympathize with us, is someone who “gets it”, fills us with confidence as we approach Him in prayer.
Our third confidence boost comes from knowing the one who sits on the throne of grace is the one “15… who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” Jesus did more than sympathize with us in our weakness. Jesus overcame our weakness. Jesus succeeded where we failed. Think about it. You don’t go to an orthodontist whose mouth is full of rotten teeth, you don’t get financial advice from a lady filing for bankruptcy, and you don’t hire a fat guy to help you get in shape. If Jesus was only tempted in every way, just as we are, but, like us, gave in to those temptations, then Jesus would be just another failure. Jesus could lend us a sympathetic ear, but He couldn’t really do anything for us. The words “yet was without sin” make all the difference in the world. Jesus has some serious credibility. First and foremost, as the sinners substitute and sacrifice. The reason your debt of sin has been paid in full is because it was paid with the blood of Jesus the one who was (and still is) without sin. But a secondary benefit is the credibility Jesus has among those who come to Him in prayer. You want to know how to overcome the temptations of the devil, you want to know how to resist the evils of the world, and want to know how to deny the desires of the flesh, then talk to the one who has been there and done that, talk to Jesus the one “15… who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” Knowing the one sitting on the throne of grace is someone who has succeeded where we have failed, fills us with confidence as we approach Him in prayer.
You are invited to stand before the throne of God and speak freely. Say what is on your mind. Pray for blessings. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for stronger faith. Pray for suffering to be removed. Pray for whatever you want. You have the right to speak freely as you approach the throne of grace. Jesus, the one who speaks to the Father on your behalf, the one who sympathizes with your weaknesses, the one who succeeded where you failed, is listening. Therefore, “16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Amen
[1] Isaiah 6:1-3
[2] Daniel 7:9-10
[3] Revelation 4:5
[4] Revelation 20:15
[5] Matthew 25:30
[6] Matthew 13:42
[7] Luke 22:31
[8] Luke 23:34
[9] John 17:23