Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses,but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
We are all aware that it is easy to praise and thank the Lord when everything is working for us, but it takes a lot out of us to praise God when nothing is working and when we are in between the rock and a hard place, which is why it is called a sacrifice of praise.
We are so thankful that we have a High Priest who knows what we are going through in life because He has walked the path on earth and suffered tremendously. Jesus was persecuted, falsely accused, beaten, bruised and whipped. He was rejected and despised by men. He was even abandoned by his disciples in the most challenging moment of His life. God forsook Him when our sin was placed on Him, and He experienced the challenge of separation from the Father. Therefore, Jesus can empathise with us in everything that we are going through, including sickness, pain, disease, poverty, grief, rejection, and abandonment. He can understand stress, because Jesus was stressed to the point where He was shedding blood through His perspiration.
There is nothing in this life where Jesus is unable to place Himself in our shoes. Therefore, He can empathise with us. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV), “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Therefore, we should learn to soak and dwell in the presence of God, and tune into what the Spirit of God is saying.
Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace in time of need.
Whenever we choose to come before God, we are allowing ourselves to be yoked to Him and letting Him carry our burden as we cast it upon Him. Then, we will feel that the load in our lives has been lightened, or even lifted somehow. When we choose to be yoked to Him, He helps us to overcome the challenges that we are facing in this life. We are thankful that we can find grace and mercy to help us in our time of need. He is the stronger Ox that can carry us through every obstacle in life.
Sermon Series: ICS Worship Culture (Part 4)
你不孤单
希伯来书 4:15 因我们的大祭司并非不能体恤我们的软弱。他也曾凡事受过试探,与我们一样,只是他没有犯罪。
我们都知道,当我们凡事都顺利时,赞美和感谢上帝很容易,但是当诸事不顺,当我们被困两难之间时,来赞美上帝就变得不容易,这就是为什么它被称为赞美的献祭。
我们非常感谢我们有一位大祭司,祂知道我们在生活中正在经历什么,因为祂在世上走过了这条路,并遭受了巨大的苦难。 耶稣遭到迫害、诬告、殴打、打伤和鞭打。 祂被人拒绝和鄙视。 祂甚至在他生命中最艰难的时刻被祂的门徒抛弃了。 当我们的罪不加在被祂担负在身上时,上帝也离弃了祂,祂经历了与天父分离的挑战。 因此,耶稣能够同情我们正在经历的一切,包括疾病、痛苦、贫穷、悲伤、拒绝和遗弃。 祂能理解压力,因为耶稣曾经遭受如此大的压力以至于流出的汗是血。
在这一生中,没有什么是耶稣无法设身处地为我们着想的。 因此,祂能体谅我们。 耶稣在马太福音 11:28-30 中说:“凡劳苦担重担的人,可以到我这里来,我就使你们得安息。 你们当负我的轭,学我的样式……因为我的轭是容易的,我的担子是轻省的。” 因此,我们应该学习沉浸并住在神的同在中,并调谐到神的灵所说的话中。
希伯来书 4:16 所以,我们只管坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前,为要得怜恤,蒙恩惠,作随时的帮助。
每当我们选择来到上帝面前时,我们就是让自己与祂同负一轭,并让祂背负我们的重担,因为我们把重担交给祂。 然后,我们会觉得生活中的负担减轻了,甚至消失了。 当我们选择与祂同负一轭时,祂会帮助我们克服今生面临的挑战。 我们很感激能在需要的时候找到恩典和怜悯来帮助我们。 祂是更强大的牛,可以带我们度过生活中的每一个障碍。
讲章系列:ICS的敬拜文化 (第四部分)