Key Verses: Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.” Temptation is something that every single Christian deals with. Some are tempted to gossip, others struggle with greed, others with lust, others with doubt, but we all struggle at times. Despite the struggle, we don’t have to give into temptation. Jesus is there to give us strength during our struggle. According to these two verses in Hebrews, Jesus is our high priest. He is there for us to go and ask for help. However, he is not a high priest that cannot relate to us! He fully relates to us because He became man! Being 100% God and 100% man Jesus was tempted just as we are! This doesn’t mean he faced every individual temptation that exists, but rather it means that He faced the full tempting power of the devil, yet He never succumbed. His fully defeated temptation. Now since He can relate to us, He knows how to best help us. As a result of this, we should go to Him! The text tells us to boldly approach the throne of grace! How do we do this? We approach Jesus for help through prayer. We cry out in desperation in the midst of our struggle. We plead and we beg Jesus help! When we do this we receive two things. First we receive mercy. What is mercy? Mercy is not getting what you deserve. We deserve God’s wrath and anger, yet we don’t receive. Instead we receive grace. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. We don’t deserve God’s help in temptation, yet He gives it. The problem with most of us is that during our temptation we don’t cry out to Jesus for help and then we fall into sin. He is there to help! Today when you are faced with temptation instead of trying to deal with it on your own strength, cry out to Jesus. When life is crazy and the devil wants you to be anxious and worried cry out to Jesus for peace and you will find it. When you are tempted to lust, lie, or gossip, cry out to Jesus and He will give you the help that you need. Whatever way you are tempted today, cry out to Jesus and He will deliver you!!
