Hebrews 4:14-16 “God Listens to Us”

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had

nowhere else to go.

My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.

Anybody know who said that?

Anybody know?

Was it me at a recent session meeting?

Could have been, could have been, but no, wasn't me.

It was the most powerful man in the world, surrounded by the wisest counselors in the country.

Is that helping anybody yet?

Abraham Lincoln, very good.

Abraham Lincoln, driven to prayer.

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.

We've been talking this summer about the friend that we have in Jesus.

Our relationship with him, walking in the pathways of his grace.

Getting to linger with him over a meal as he insists on doing this with his people and

as he calls us to make a high priority in our lives.

We started by saying a significant part of our relationships with God is his word.

That God speaks to us and we must listen to him.

Bible's open, right?

God speaks to us.

That is amazing, isn't it?

But there's another side of that coin in relationship with God that I think may be even more remarkable

than the fact that God speaks to us is that God listens to us.

That's part of the conversation.

See, God invites us into conversation with him so God listens to us and we speak to God himself.

There are the titles of our sermons for today and next week.

God listens to us.

We speak to God.

We're going to talk for a couple weeks about prayer.

It's another classic means of grace.

A pathway where we walk with Jesus, find his grace to come into our lives.

See how closely the Bible and prayer are connected to one another?

They feed one another in our relationship, our conversation with God.

Right now, my preferred method of praying is to be reading scripture and praying along with those words.

Maybe just one verse or one section at a time as I hear God's word speaking to me.

The words that come into my heart to speak back to him.

I even pray out loud typically.

I know not everybody does.

I will pray out loud to help me experience those actual conversations.

I want us to ponder this morning that remarkable reality that God listens to us.

And think about how prayer then is a consistent way that God brings his grace into our lives.

Let's read from Hebrews chapter 4 as we begin.

Hebrews 4 · chapter mention

We've heard parts of this passage referenced already this morning.

It's a wonderful call to prayer that we'll come back to later.

Let's give our attention to God's voice as he speaks to us in his word.

Hebrews 4 beginning at verse 14.

Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens.

Jesus, the Son of God.

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 tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Pray with me.

Our Father, we seek now to find your help.

We've opened your word before us.

It is eternal and powerful and perfect.

And we want to have a relationship with you.

We want to know you.

And that is, honestly, Father, it's too glorious for us to, in some ways, imagine, certainly for us to make it happen.

It's a relationship we don't deserve.

An audience with you is one we could never earn.

And so would you help us even now?

We need your grace.

We ask for it in the precious name of Jesus, your Son, whom you love.

Amen.

If you had been in the D.C. airport last week, you might have overheard my phone conversation while I waited for my connecting flight.

I'll give you a sample.

Speak to an agent.

Speak to an agent.

I would like to speak to an agent.

Zero.

Zero.

Zero.

Speak to an agent.

Fine.

Mortgage transfer.

Back to menu.

Speak to an agent.

Speak to an agent.

I know you want more info, but I want to speak to an agent.

And this went on for quite some time.

Conversation with an automated recording.

And then I finally got an agent who introduced herself, who got my name and promptly said,

let me put you on a brief hold.

The third time I think that I said speak to an agent,

a couple people sitting nearby smiled understandingly.

Because I think we've all been there, right?

Needing help and wanting to know that someone is listening and that they're there to help.

I think all of us who have ever prayed have been there too.

Some of you have told me that this morning.

Hearing nothing but an automated recording,

as though our prayers are hitting the ceiling and bouncing back.

Getting nowhere.

Wondering if I'm wasting my time.

Is anyone even listening?

Even biblical authors like King David have felt this tension.

He says things like,

God, why are you so far from my groaning?

Why do you not answer me?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Those are real feelings, right?

Many of us have had them.

And at the same time, the Bible teaches us over and over

that while we may feel God doesn't hear an answer,

while we feel that our prayers are doing absolutely nothing,

the foundational reality of our relationship with God

is that he is a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God.

Oh, you who hear prayer,

to you shall all flesh come.

Psalm 65 too.

Part of God's very nature is that he hears prayer.

When his people pray, God listens.

It's who he is.

He demonstrates that part of who he is throughout

the story of his relationship with his people.

Just flip through one page after another.

It's the pattern of our relationship with him.

All the way back to when the people of Israel cried out

under unjust oppression in Egypt.

What happened?

Yahweh heard and he sent them a deliverer.

Hannah prayed to God in her distress over not having a child

and she wept bitterly.

And God heard her cry and gave her Samuel.

King Jehoshaphat came before the God of Israel seeking military aid

to protect his people, praying,

we do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.

And God delivered them again.

Jonah prayed to God from where?

Where was Jonah in his most famous prayer?

In the belly of a whale.

He described it as the very depths of hell.

And when he prayed, his prayer went from the depths of hell

all the way up into God's holy temple.

The presence of God.

The prayer went all the way there.

God heard.

And God commanded the fish to spit Jonah out.

Incredible, isn't it?

Can you believe it?

God always hears prayer no matter how far away we feel.

No matter how much we are struggling.

No matter how far away from him we truly are.

In the New Testament, that pattern continues.

The early Christians devoted themselves to prayer

and God added to their number daily those who were being saved.

What amazing things happen when God's people pray, right?

A church gathers to pray in Acts.

Just a small congregation gathered in a home.

And why are they gathered to pray?

Because Peter is in prison and he's facing death.

And they are gathered and praying

when all of a sudden their prayer meeting is interrupted by Peter.

Because God has heard their prayers,

has sent an angel to set Peter free

and restore him to his church family.

This is why the Heidelberg Catechism says

that our prayers are more assuredly heard by God

than we feel we actually desire what we're asking for.

That's why theologian J.I. Packer says

God is always more ready to hear than we are to pray.

See, when we feel prayer doesn't do anything,

that assumes that we can see all the results, doesn't it?

We may not even be looking in the right direction.

And often it assumes that prayer is about changing God,

when in reality it's about changing us.

God uses prayer in our relationship with Him.

It's part of the conversation.

So He's using it in our relationship to bring His grace into our lives,

which is impossible unless He hears.

His hearing our prayers is foundational.

But then how?

How is prayer actually a pathway of grace where we meet Jesus?

Isn't it just something where we're asking God to do some stuff for us?

Giving Him the list?

Before that, prayer actually helps us to see our nature rightly.

It positions us appropriately in relationship to God.

See, it's not just about getting something from God.

In prayer, our hearts are reoriented.

They're reset.

Hebrews 4 talks about our weaknesses.

And it tells us we should draw near to God because we need His grace.

See, when you pray, you are posturing yourself toward God,

not as the strong one in the relationship, right?

Not as the one with the answers.

Not as the one calling the shots,

but rather as the dependent one.

That's the true nature of our relationship to God.

See, that happens before God answers your prayer

or does anything for you, doesn't it?

I'm speaking merely of the grace of having your heart shaped in humility,

which is needed and not natural for very independent,

resourceful people like you and me.

Prayer slows us down.

We're doing less in that moment,

so we have to trust God more.

And that's right.

Jude reminds us in his letter that part of building yourself up

in faith in God is praying as you wait for God.

Prayer teaches us even as we do it,

not to rely on ourselves,

but to place our trust in Him.

Recognizing this deep dependence,

this great need for prayer

is one of our core commitments as a church.

It's something we're committed to

because it's so vital

and we so quickly forget the blessing

of coming to God as we truly should,

empty-handed as weak people

to a strong Father.

Many times we'd prefer to ignore that reality

about ourselves.

I really love the way theologian B.B. Warfield

explained this over a hundred years ago.

It's a bit long, but I think it's worth it.

He's talking here about the impact of prayer on our hearts.

What does it do to us as we pray?

He says,

No one can take this attitude,

this posture of dependent prayer,

even once without an effect on his character.

No one can take it in a crisis of his life

without his whole subsequent life

feeling the influence in its sweeter,

humbler, more devout, and restful course.

No one can take it habitually

without being made

merely by its natural reflex influence

a different man

in a very profound sense

from what he otherwise would have been.

Prayer, thus, in its very nature,

because it is an act of self-abnegation,

meaning of humbling ourselves,

a throwing of ourselves at the feet

of one recognized as higher and greater than we

and as one on whom we depend

and in whom we trust

is a most beneficial influence

in this hard life of ours.

How? How is it?

It places the soul

in an attitude of less self-assertion

and predisposes it to walk simply

and humbly in the world.

As a result, it is impossible to conceive

of a praying man, therefore,

as destitute of grace.

There's so much there.

Go back and read this later,

but let me just ask you,

would you benefit from walking more simply

and humbly in this world?

I would.

Start praying regularly.

Throw yourself at the feet

of the strong one.

But Warfield's conclusion is really

where I'm pushing us this morning

to realize that it is impossible

because of the nature of this relationship,

it is impossible to conceive

of a praying man

as destitute of grace.

That they're inextricably connected,

our prayers and God's grace coming to us.

We don't merely pray for grace.

In praying,

we are actually experiencing grace.

See, prayer is doing something.

It is making a difference in you

even when you don't realize it.

It's making you a different person.

It's shaping your heart differently.

It's posturing your entire life differently.

Hear it from someone else

who has long been with Jesus,

Andrew Murray.

Though in its beginnings,

prayer is so simple

that the feeble child can pray,

yet it is at the same time

the highest and holiest work

to which man can rise.

It is fellowship

with the unseen and most holy one.

The powers of the eternal world

have been placed at its disposal.

It is the very essence of true religion,

the channel of all blessings,

the secret of power and life.

The very essence of true religion,

relationship with God,

the channel of all blessings.

It is the way we walk in his grace.

It is the way in which they come to us,

the secret of power and life.

It points our hearts and our lives

to true north.

It orients us correctly.

See, prayer is not just a lifeline

to grab as a last resort in crisis

when things are really spinning out of control.

It is to be the life-giving air

that we breathe moment by moment

on our knees.

We always, in every moment,

need help.

We're designed to be dependent

on our God.

Apart from me,

you can do nothing,

Jesus says.

So come to me

and depend on me

and live this way

and talk with me.

Imagine if that were actually true.

Imagine that every morning

before you could walk

or talk

or even drink coffee.

I know that some of you

don't function right

without your coffee, right?

I won't ask for a show of hands.

Many of you have confessed that to me.

Imagine if in order

to function the way you were made,

you needed to call the helpline

and you needed to get reset for the day

to factory settings.

You had to lie in your bed,

call in,

punch the numbers

and get strength

to even get started.

You wouldn't forget,

would you?

Not with coffee on the line.

You wouldn't overlook it

to think you were okay

on your own,

would you?

You wouldn't skip over it

to get to more productive activities,

would you?

You wouldn't be able to.

You wouldn't be able

to do anything more productive

until you did it.

Prayer, see,

sets our self-reliant hearts

back in the right perspective.

It's part of why we need it so much.

We are dependent.

We are needy.

We are the children.

I can't do this life on my own.

I have to start, God,

in relationship with you,

coming to you.

And if that's true,

then it is equally important

that the person who answers the helpline

is actually helpful, isn't it?

That they don't put us on hold.

That they can effectively address our needs.

I mean, it is one thing

to admit our need

and to call in.

But it's another

to find the source of grace

to meet that need.

To actually hear a voice

on the other end.

Someone who actually answers

and really helps.

How about this?

What does Hebrews tell us?

Verse 16.

Let us then with confidence

draw near to the throne of grace

that we may receive mercy

and find grace to help

in time of need.

We need to draw near to,

to walk closely with,

to enjoy relationship with God

because what is it that we need?

We need grace.

And he sits where?

On the throne of grace.

He's reigning on the thing

that is characterized

by what we most need

so we can expect

to find with him

mercy

and grace.

Gifts

that we don't deserve

in all their forms

that come through Jesus himself.

Comfort.

Right?

Wisdom

whenever we ask,

he says.

Strength

when we're weak.

Peace

when we're anxious.

All of his various

undeserved gifts

that come to us

through prayer.

Whether we get

the answer

that we were specifically

looking for

or not

because prayer

reminds us

about God,

about who he is,

that he is naturally

by his very nature

gracious

and caring.

Even better

than we sometimes

expect he could be.

Even better

than we think

we're experiencing

him to be.

Even better

than we know

how to ask him

to be.

Cast all your anxieties

on him

because he

cares

for you.

he cares

for you.

That's the God

to whom you pray.

The pastor

doesn't feel like that.

I know.

But it doesn't look

like he's

I know.

And he wants you

to know

he cares

for you.

That's why

you can count

when you come

to him

on finding

grace.

I don't know

what the grace

will look like

but you can

count on him

for that.

Andrew Murray

again

in the infinite

tenderness

and pity

and patience

of the infinite

father.

What is he like?

Infinitely tender

and pitying

and patient

in his loving

readiness

to hear

and to help

the life

of prayer

has its joy.

That's where

the joy

comes from.

I think

this image

is famous

because it

does such a

great job

of capturing

that joy

in our

relationship

with God.

John F.

Kennedy

was the most

powerful man

in the world.

In the Oval

Office

sitting behind

the Resolute

desk

very few

people got

an invitation

to come in

there with

him,

right?

Except

John F.

Kennedy Jr.

pictured

happily playing

underneath the

desk.

What's going

on?

Why is he

there?

Who invited

him in?

His father

did

because he

was his

son

with

unparalleled

access

to his

father.

Look at

how much

fun he's

having in

that grand

place of

power.

But I want

you to

notice he's

not the

only one

having fun.

Look at

the smile

on his

father's

face.

I think

his father

is enjoying

his presence.

What a

beautiful picture

of our

relationship

with God

who joyfully

welcomes

us into

his presence.

The throne

room of

heaven to

the throne

of grace

because Jesus

makes us his

sons and

daughters.

Amen.

This is where he

wants you to

come.

This is what you

can expect to

find on his

face when you

do.

Just as we

did for the

Bible the last

couple of

weeks, we've

put together some

resources to

help guide you

in speaking

to God.

This QR code

is also in the

bulletin so

don't stress

when it goes

away.

There are

copies, hard

copies if it

helps you to

have it printed

in the

narthex.

But books

or things to

listen to or

models for

prayer that

might help you

if you're

feeling stuck or

frustrated right

now in your

conversation with

God.

Kids, you

often teach us

so much about

how to pray.

It's the way

we're supposed to

relate to God

as his children

and so you

often teach us

in that.

There are ideas

here for you

too that speak

your language.

I'm going to

talk more about

some of these

next week but

there are ways

we can follow

God's direction

in turning our

hearts toward

him in regular

conversation.

I want to

encourage you as

we're thinking

about this just

to give some

attention to your

prayer life,

your walk with

God, how you

talk with him.

Think about one

way in which you

might be able to

give attention to

that.

Maybe to change

something, maybe to

enrich something that

you're doing even

this summer.

We're going to talk

next week through

the Lord's Prayer

one phrase at a

time about the

many different ways

we pray, the

different things we

talk to God about.

The way you pray

doesn't need to look

like the way I pray

or the way someone

else prays but

there are a lot

of different ways

that God guides

us, the different

kinds of things

we're to say when

we're talking to

him.

So we'll talk about

that next week but

for today I want to

focus on just the

very beginning of

that prayer.

We prayed it

together earlier.

I want you to

remember the way

the prayer starts.

That we're talking

to whom when we

pray?

Our Father.

Father.

Our Father.

You're talking to

your Father so

before we talk next

week about some

things to say I

don't want you to

get too hung up on

saying the right

thing.

If you're a

father you know

how secondary that

is to just getting

to talk with your

child to hear what's

on their heart.

He is listening in

love.

He's not here to

critique your

prayer.

He loves hearing

from his child.

Puritan Thomas

Watson.

Were a man to

petition his enemy

there were little

hope.

But when a child

petitions his

father he may hope

with confidence to

succeed.

The word Father

works upon God.

It touches his

very bowels.

Right at the heart.

See Jesus tells us to

call God Father.

Not only does he do

it and do you think

God hears and

answers when Jesus

prays to him?

Most of us would say

yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah I think so.

Jesus says you call

my Father your

Father.

You come to him with

the same relationship

because of what I have

done for you.

that is why we can

confidently draw near

to God because he

calls us to come.

Let us with confidence

draw near.

Jesus knows our

every weakness.

We have a sympathetic

high priest who has

come down and met us

and brought us back

into the throne of

grace confidently.

Boldly.

He says pick up the

phone and say speak to a

Father.

Speak to a Father.

Speak to a Father.

And he answers.

Oh what peace we often

forfeit.

Oh what needless pain we

bear.

All because we do not

carry everything to God

in prayer.

And we can come

consistently over and

over confidently in

prayer because our

Father delights to give

good gifts to his

children.

That's grace.

That's who he is.

And he knows that there

is no better gift that

he can give us than his

very self.

Right after Jesus teaches

us to pray the Lord's

prayer he comes back in

Luke 11 to talk about

what it means that God

is our Father.

And what his heart is

and how he loves us like

that.

And he tells us that

what God as our Father

loves to do when we pray

to him is to give the

Holy Spirit to those who

ask him.

To meet us with his

very self.

To walk with us.

To listen to us.

To remind us of his

delight in our

relationship.

That he's so glad we're

here.

And talking with him

again.

That father-child

relationship is designed

even though we don't

always experience it

that way.

It's designed to be so

close.

So personal.

That in the Old

Testament you would

never call God your

father when you

prayed.

It wasn't right.

It wasn't okay.

That was out of respect

for his distinct

holiness.

That he was utterly

beyond us.

But Jesus

always

calls God

father

when he prays.

Every

single

time.

Every

Father.

My father.

Father.

Every time Jesus

prays in scripture

except one.

Except one time.

When Jesus is on the

cross.

and the wrath of

God towards our

sin is being poured

out on him and

Jesus cries out

my God

my God

why

have you

forsaken

me?

The only time

he doesn't feel

in the same way

the nearness

of his father.

Why?

Why did the

father turn his

face away?

so that

his wounds

Jesus

wounds

would bring

many

sons

to glory.

Sons

and daughters

from every tribe

and tongue

and people

and nation

sitting here

this morning

that we would be

brought to glory

so that we would

be welcomed

under the

desk

into his

presence

to the very

throne

of grace

so that we

would be invited

to sit at

this table

and share

this meal

with a God

who is so

holy

that apart

from him

dealing with

our sins

we could never

sit and eat

with him

the way he

made us

to

and he

made us

for himself

so he

had to deal

with our sins

to have us

back with him.

Jesus used

this meal

to explain

what he was

doing

as he went

to the cross.

he sat

with his

disciples

that night

and he took

bread

and he

broke it

and he

gave it

to them

as I

ministering

in his

name

give this

bread

to you

he said

take

eat

this is

my body

given

for you

do this

in remembrance

of me

and then

in the same

way after

supper

he took

the cup

and he

said to

them

this cup

is the

new covenant

and my

blood

which is

shed

for many

for the

forgiveness

of sins

drink

from it

all of you

for as

often

as you

eat

this

bread

and you

drink

this

cup

you

proclaim

the

Lord's

death

until he

comes

you say

there is

no other

way

for me

to know

my

father

than that

his

son

would bring

me

into his

presence

if you

have never

trusted

Jesus

to pay

for your

sins

to welcome

you into

relationship

with your

heavenly father

or if

you have

but you're

not willing

today

to be

honest

to approach

him

honestly

about your

sin

to trust

him

to be

the only

one

whose

blood

can cover

you

and forgive

those sins

then don't

come eat

this morning

don't do

something

outwardly

that you're

not presently

believing

inwardly

that's

hypocrisy

and God

warns us

against

approaching

him

that way

in relationship

he welcomes

us to

come

honestly

we invite

you this

morning

if you're

in one

of those

places

today

not to

come

eat

but

we invite

you to

pray

to talk

with God

about it

to confess

your sin

even now

to him

we invite

you to

come let

us pray

with you

to observe

the body

and blood

of Jesus

given

for you

we're so

glad you're

here

wherever

your heart

is

but if

you are

weak

and needy

and desperate

and have

no other

way into

relationship

with God

other than

the blood

of Jesus

that you

have trusted

for yourself

then you

come

confidently

boldly

to the throne

of grace

and to this

table this

morning

because of

Jesus

not because

you've been

good

not because

you're a

Presbyterian

but because

you have

a father

who delights

in you

as his

child

who sent

his son

for you

so that

you can

confess

your sins

even now

and receive

his grace

afresh

as you

take and

eat and

drink

let's pray

and we'll

come do

that together

Jesus

we're so

humbled

by your

love

that is

so far

beyond

anything

we could

deserve

that brings

us into

a place

we never

else

could be

except that

you loved

us

and gave

yourself

for us

would we

come crawling

would we

stand

on our

knees

boldly

but humbly

knowing there's

no other

way

that we

could be

with you

and for

you

to welcome

us in

use these

very common

elements

to remind

our

doubting

weak

hearts

that you

have done

it

that it

is finished

and that we

have a father

who loves

us

do that work

by your spirit

we ask in the

name of Jesus

amen

for more

information

visit us

online

at

southwood.org