Daily Lesson for May 15, 2015

Today's daily lesson comes from Hebrews chapter 4 verses 14 through 16:

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. 15 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. 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.

God's throne is grace.

So many of us have an image of God sitting in a throne of judgement and wrath in some kind of heavenly courtroom. We would never ever in a million years enter that courtroom because to enter it would be to convict ourselves.  We would bring our sin with us and the charges would be laid out along with the evidence.  And our mortal sins -- murder, adultery, blasphemy against God -- we know would be too much to bear; but the venal sins -- lust, greed, gossip, jealousy, and maliciousness - would be even worse because they would show just how petty and mean-spirited and double-minded we are. We could never stand in such a courtroom and before such a throne. 

The Gospel tells us Jesus has gone to stand before and for us. He entered the heavenly courtroom on our behalf, stood before the judge, laid out the facts, and spoke in our defense. And the verdict was not innocent, and not even not guilty, but free of charge. And now he has come back out to get us and take us back in to meet the judge.  And the question will we trust him to come?

Any other word other is neither from God nor from Jesus. God's throne is grace.  And God wishes us to approach God's throne with boldness and confidence in our spirit.  That is difficult to do; but it is necessary that we might ourselves hear the words of grace and mercy and know what it means to be and to live absolutely free of charge.

This is the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

Thanks be to God!