Amen. Alright. Take your Bibles, turn if you would to Hebrews chapter four. Hebrews chapter four. And I felt it was fitting to sing sweet hour of prayer because that's what we're going to talk about this morning.

We spent the last two weeks in Ephesians chapter one looking at several benefits that we have in salvation in Christ. We are justified, declared guiltless before the throne of grace by our righteous savior who took our place. We have been sanctified and set apart in Christ Jesus, called holy by our savior and are being made holy more so day by day. We are redeemed in Christ. We have been bought back by the price that Christ paid from sin and Satan and have been giving the gift of what?

Eternal life. We have been accepted in the beloved. We are part of the family of God. We are children of the king. We have been sealed by his holy spirit which he has given to every believer till the day of redemption when we stand before him complete in Christ.

Just a few privileges that we looked at over the past couple of weeks from Ephesians chapter one. But I want to just look at one this morning, and that is the awesome privilege of prayer. Prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, savior, who is sitting this very day at the right hand of the throne of God, of the father in heaven, where he intercedes for us, where he hears our prayers and answers them. Hebrews four verse 14. Seeing then that ye have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for this beautiful day that you've given us and for all these that have come today to worship you and to learn more about you. We thank you for Jesus Christ, our savior.

We thank you, Lord, for the invitation to come boldly before your throne today in prayer and in worship and in praise of the one who has done so much and will continue to do so. For those that you have redeemed by your grace, thank you, Lord. May you be exalted and honored and praised. In Jesus' name we do pray. Amen.

I'd like to start out this morning with a quick summary of these verses, which I believe to be our first order of business here. Jesus Christ is our high priest in heaven. He is far greater than any high priest ever was on earth. He was righteous and he is righteous and did not need first to make reconciliation for himself. All the high priests in the Old Testament, before they went into the holy of holies, they first had to go in with a sacrifice for themself before they went in in behalf of the children of Israel.

But Jesus Christ did not need to make a sacrifice for himself because he indeed is righteous. He thus became the sacrifice and he paid the final price for all. For all who come to him in faith whose blood he has who his blood shed for us on Calvary, sprinkled before the throne of God in heaven reconciles us all to God who come in faith. First Peter three eighteen, for Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just or the unjust? That's him for who?

For me. For you. That he might bring us to God, that he might reconcile us, being put to death in the flesh but quickened or made alive again by the spirit. If you are in Hebrews, if you'd hold your place there in Hebrews four and just turn over to to Hebrews nine and look if you would in verse 12. Hebrews nine twelve.

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth it to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. The writer of Hebrews goes on to explain in the next several verses more about that. But for the sake of time, I'll let you get get to that another time on your own. But what is the point?

Well, the point is we have a high priest in heaven who shed his blood to make atonement for whose sins? For our sins, once and for all. He paid that price. And having risen from the dead, he ever lives to intercede. Ever lives to intercede in behalf of those who come to him by faith, his children.

Hebrews seven twenty five here on the screen. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the other most that cometh that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Every other high priest lived and what? Died. But Jesus Christ is very much alive.

Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know who holds the future, and life is worth the living just because. Because he lives. I can have confidence that there's one in heaven interceding for me, the one who died for me, the one who received me through faith in his sacrifice and the shedding of his blood who has reconciled me to my father in heaven.

He being both God and man has a unique relationship with the Father and with us. Having lived as one of us, he is not a foreigner to the difficulties and the temptations that we face. As it says here in verse 15 of Hebrews four, for we have a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but in all points was tempted like as we are yet without sin. And he is our unique mediator. There is one mediator between God and man, and who's that?

The man Christ Jesus. He is our mediator in heaven. The one who left heaven to become one of us that he might suffer with the troubles and the infirmities with which we suffer, who having conquered sin and Satan took your place and mine on the cross, and who now sits at the right hand of the father to intercede and to mediate in behalf of all who come to him by faith. Therefore, verse 16, let us come, what, boldly before the throne of grace. Not timidly, but in confidence today as we, as God's children, have such great privilege in prayer before his throne.

It is Jesus Christ who now invites us therefore to approach his throne of grace with such boldness. Boldness because the veil has been torn in what? Has been torn in two. Now, little explanation here. In the tabernacle that God had Moses build in the wilderness, it was a tent.

The tent had basically three divisions. You had the outer court where the the labor was was a wash basin where there was the altar, the brazen altar where they brought the sacrifice and killed it and burnt it there. And then there was a tent, and inside the tent, there was two sections. There was the holy place where there was the table of showbread and the golden candlestick and the altar of incense. The priests went in there daily in order to take care of that.

And then there was this thick curtain called the veil that separated the holy place from the most holy place wherein was the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat, where once a year, the high priest would take in the blood of the sacrifice to sprinkle it there on the day of atonement for the sins of the nation of Israel. And when the Israelites would move, they would have to take the whole tent apart from the outside in. And then when they got to a new place, they would put it back up from the inside out. And once they got the tent back up, the Shekinah glory of God that appeared as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night as God led Israel through the wilderness would then rest on that most holy place where God would reside amidst his people. It was a wonderful thing.

It would have been an incredible sight to behold. However, no one except the high priest one time a year was ever ever able to enter the most holy place. That curtain separated people from God. You couldn't go into his most inner sanctum because sin had separated them from their God. As sin still separates people from God today.

And why the sacrifice of Christ was necessary as Christ entered through the veil and offered his blood on behalf of all humanity. And it tells us in Mark chapter 15, in the temple, the permanent structure that was later erected in Jerusalem, that that veil that separated God from man was rent in two, from the top to the bottom when Jesus Christ cried, it is finished. And it was finished. The price was paid. And Christ rent that veil in too so that we can now come what?

Boldly before the throne of grace through Jesus Christ our savior. And the veil of the temple was written in twain from the top to the bottom. That veil which required Moses to talk to God from the other side of the curtain has now been done away. And we in Christ are invited into the holy of holies in Christ who made the way for us. He who has made the way for us to be accepted in the beloved by his grace invites you to commune with with him and with the father whenever you need, whenever you desire.

You don't need a priest. You have one high priest in heaven who has rent that veil in two for you. And you are now invited to commune with him in a manner greater than that of the Old Testament prophet who always had to stand on the other side of the what? Curtain and bring a sacrifice. Today, you do not.

We do not. We can now come boldly in confidence in Christ, knowing that Jesus, mediator, one of us, sits at the right hand of the father to help us, to intercede for us, to act in our behalf in self interest because he loves us and he wants the best for us, who he has redeemed by his blood. Because he longs to show himself powerful and gracious and compassionate in our lives in answering our prayers. Whether those prayers be made in our closet or in the congregation of the redeemed or in the home of the sick and needy, he is there. He hears and he answers because he loves you and because he desires to show his compassion to you.

If you hold your place and turn to to Matthew seven, Jesus is very frank with his disciples in Matthew seven, and we're gonna begin reading in verse seven. Matthew seven seven. Matthew seven seven. There Christ says to his disciples, ask. Ask.

All you need to do is what? Ask. Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be open to you.

Let me stop for just a moment and make sure you understand who is he talking about asking? God. Okay? Asking God the father. In the name of Jesus the son as he'll get to.

I could ask you for certain things and you might even care enough to to wanna help me out. But there's many of those things you can't answer and you don't have and you can't give even if you wanted to. But the God of the universe, the sovereign Lord of all creation, the almighty God in heaven, He says ask, I will give. If you will seek, I will help you find it. If you'll knock on that door in faith, I'll open it.

For he that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you whom if his son asks bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Don't doubt for one moment, child of God, that your father in heaven wants to give you the best, that he wants to bless you beyond measure.

If you'll just what? You'll just ask. If you'll just ask, he's there, and he will show himself mighty in your behalf. What a privilege we have in Christ. We could look at many passages this morning.

Let me just show you three right here. Matthew twenty one twenty one and twenty two, Jesus answered and said unto them, verily verily I say unto you, if you have faith and doubt not, you shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if you shall say unto this mountain, be thou moved and be cast into the sea, it shall be done. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive. He said, seems an awful big thing to move a mountain, but it's not hard for who? It's not hard for God.

Now, I'm not sure when God has needed to do that or we have needed him to do that. But I have a my parents have a book at home and it's entitled The Man Who Moved a Mountain. And no, the mountain itself didn't actually move, but you know what happened? A man led by God to take the gospel to an area of Virginia that didn't want to have anything to do with God, almost all converted to Jesus Christ. That's greater than moving a mountain.

God answered his prayers. John sixteen twenty three and twenty four, and in that day you shall ask me nothing. Verily, I say unto you, whatsoever you shall ask the father in my name, he will give it to you. Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name, ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full. Jesus had been spending time with his disciples day in, day out.

If they needed something, they just what? They just asked him. But Jesus said, there come a day where you won't ask me. I won't be here in the flesh for you to ask, but you will have the privilege because I am in heaven of asking who? Of asking God the Father and knowing that in my name, he will answer your prayers.

First John five fourteen and fifteen, this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. If we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. If we ask anything according to his will. Now in James, he tells some people there, you have not because you asked not, and then you still have not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lust. In other words, there are things that you might ask that isn't God's what?

God's will. If you just want to, you know, test God and see if he's going to move a mountain, I doubt he's going to answer that prayer. If you just want a nineteen sixty five cherry red hardtop, convertible Corvette Stingray, which has been my favorite car since I was a teenager, and you ask that you may show it off and be proud of a piece of metal that rolls down the road, he probably isn't gonna answer that. And sometimes, meaning well, we ask for things that that aren't his will because we don't always know his will. But thankfully, his will is always perfect and his will is always best.

And when we ask for things that are in accordance with his will, not only does he hear us, but he he answers and he moves in request to little me and you. Yes, the prophets of the Old Testament prayed and God answered and God indeed did plead with his people to call on him. In, Jeremiah thirty three three, he said, call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. In second Chronicles seven fourteen, if my people, which are called by my name my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Did God hear the prayers of the saints in the Old Testament?

Yes, he did. But our joy is even greater than theirs and our confidence greater than theirs because Christ has already what? Died on the cross. And he has already torn the veil in two, and he has sealed us with his spirit of promise so that we can have confidence that if we ask anything according to his will, he will hear us. A promise he has not made to the lost, who have not been invited to come boldly into the throne room of heaven.

But only those who come in the name of who? Only those who come in the name of Jesus, who by faith have been sprinkled by his blood. That door is open. That invitation is given. What a privilege you have the ear of God.

You have a dedicated phone line to the father and he's always on the what? He's always on the other end. Not just a select few, but every child of God. Sometimes people can't come to me and they they ask me, pastor, can you pray for me or can you pray with me? And I'm glad to do that.

And I'll I'll do that anytime. I'm glad to pray for you. I am glad to pray with you. But I want you to understand something. My prayers don't necessarily hold any more weight than yours do.

And you can ask the child of God, the friend of yours, the person sitting beside you or behind you, or you can come to God on your knees and God will hear your prayers and they carry the same weight as mine. I am not a priest, I am a pastor. You have one priest, you have one high priest, he is where? He is in heaven. And you are invited come boldly before the throne of grace today that you might receive mercy and grace to help in time of need.

If we confess our sins for he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You don't have to go to a priest to confess your sins. You can talk to who? You can talk to God in heaven and know that your sins have already been forgiven under the blood of who? Of Jesus Christ.

If you need wisdom, he has promised to give that to those who ask him. If you lack wisdom, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and abrade it not and it shall be given him. You need wisdom today. You need guidance. You really need it.

You you really want to know God's will. You really want his help, I can assure you if you ask, he will what? He will answer. He will. I have seen it again and again and again and again.

Now, the problem oftentimes is we go to God and God, if this is where you're will will you open this door? If this is not your will, will you close this door? And we ask God, and a lot of times, this is what we're asking. God, I want to do this. God, I have determined to do this.

God, I know that this is the way I go. So will you rubber stamp it so I can go the way I want to go? Or we just say, God, well, I'll just pray this. God, close the door if you don't want me to go that way. And we're not sincere because we're not willing to do what?

We're not willing to follow God's will. And guess who knows that? He does. But if you really want to know his will, ask. He'll show you.

If you have a friend or a brother who is ill, you are invited to plead their case before the father in heaven. Wrong verse. Let's see here. Well, look it up. James five fourteen and fifteen says this, Is any sick among you?

Let him call for the elders of the church. Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven. By the way, God's not only interested in your friend's physical condition, God's also interested in his wife, in his or her spiritual condition as well.

That's when the that's why when the friends brought the lame man before Jesus and dropped him down on a cot through ropes from the from the ceiling, that Jesus looked at him instead of saying, take up your bed and walk. He first said, your sins are what? Oftentimes, the greatest need of those we love is spiritual and not physical. But you know something? God cares about both.

God cares about both. And it is amazing what he can do when we ask. If you are weighed down with worry, you can take it to who? You can take it to the Lord in prayer and trust him, and he will answer, and he will give you peace. Be careful for nothing.

That means be anxious for nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Take it to the Lord in prayer. In his arms, he'll take and shield thee.

Thou will find a solace there. If you believe him, if you trust him with your loved one, if you trust him with something that's coming up tomorrow or next week, if you trust him with that decision that you have to make, if you trust him, take it to him in prayer, and he will carry that burden for you. And he will give you peace that passes all understanding. And the world will look at you and go, how is it you can face this trial with that smile on your face and watch such peace in your heart? Because you know that you are not facing it, what, alone.

Because your father in heaven has welcomed you to come boldly before his throne of grace that you might receive mercy and grace to help in time of need. What a privilege is ours and one which we cannot take should not take for granted. No. The power of prayer is not in your words, but it's in his words. Some people like to talk about the power of prayer did this and the power of prayer did that.

Yes. There is power in prayer, but the power is on the other end of the prayer, you see. The power isn't in the words that I speak. It's in the God who hears those words and speaks for me and acts for me. That's why over and over again, it doesn't says declare, it says ask.

Ask. Ask. Ask. And I will what? And I will answer.

I will answer. Our faith is in our trust in his words and according to his power and his promise and his perfect will. He answers us. John fourteen thirteen, and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do that the father may be glorified in the son. Now, you're not one of the 12 apostles and not an Old Testament prophet and neither am I.

I haven't been granted the power to heal every manner of sickness or raise the dead or cast a myriad of demons, but I know someone who can. And he has promised to hear my prayers. And you and I have his ear, and we have a seat at his table. You have every right to come into his presence without fear, but with what? With boldness and confidence.

This morning in Sunday school, we talked about we talked about Esther. And Mordecai asked Esther to go before the king to talk to the king about this decree that he had passed that all the Jews would be would be slain. And what was Esther's response? Esther's initial response was, do you know what you're asking me to do? If I go in before the king and he hasn't called me, that is immediate grounds for what?

Execution in Persia. Mordecai continued to plead with Esther and Esther said, okay. You have everybody pray and fast and I'll do it. I'll do it. And maybe he'll hold up his scepter, and maybe he will give me audience.

But Christian, you do not have to feel that way when approaching who? When approaching God. Because that veil has been torn in two, and the one inside the veil is beckoning to you, come here. Come to me. I wanna hear what you have to say.

You do not need fear because he has forgiven you. He has made you his child. He has given you everlasting life, and he is inviting you to come. If you're here today and you've never accepted Christ as savior, he shed his blood for you. He is inviting you to what?

To come. To come and worship. The word for prayer that's translated prayer in the New Testament, it's prosuche or prosuchami. And among other things, it also means worship because prayer is worship. I wanna do something out of the ordinary.

If my wife will come up to the piano, I wanna sing a song before I finish my sermon this morning. And some of you know it quite well. If not, then you'll learn it together with me this morning. You are invited to come before God's throne of grace today and tomorrow and every day in full confidence. If you'll stand with me for a moment and let's sing together.

It's entitled baldany. You may be seated for a moment. I ask you a couple questions in closing. Number one, have you bowed the knee to God in heaven? The Bible says one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, but you have the unique opportunity to bow the knee in faith and accept Jesus Christ as your savior, his death on the cross for your sins.

To come in faith to God and be saved forever. Have you bowed the knee or are you waiting? The Bible says there's a point on the man once to die, but after this, the what? The judgment. Now is the appointed time.

Behold, now is the day of salvation. If you have yet to come in faith to Christ, there is one prayer he hears from all who pray it, and that is the prayer of faith. Repentance of heart of one who comes to him in Jesus Christ, who died for him and rose again. And Christian, are you taking advantage of that privilege, the privilege of prayer? Are you letting it slip by day by day?

When maybe a prayer before you munch on your food or a brief prayer before you lay your head on your pillow at night or maybe not even that, where is your prayer closet? Where do you do battle with the forces of evil in partnership with your Lord and see great victories won? Doesn't have to be a closet. Doesn't always have to be the same place. But are you spending time on your knees with your Lord?

Are we spending all of our time trying to do everything ourselves? When you have a helper, maybe we need to have a talk today with God about that and take the opportunity and the advantage that we have. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord. For Jesus Christ, our savior, and for what you did on the cross and for the amazing opportunity you've given us to become the children of God.

Lord, I pray if there's one here that is yet to receive Christ, I pray they'll come as we give this hymn of invitation this morning. We can show them how to be saved and know it for all eternity. To enter through that that curtain in through the blood of Christ, to receive the grace of God that is awaiting them and everlasting life. And Lord, I pray for us who know Christ, who so often take this privilege for granted, who look everywhere else sometimes, but to you for the answers. Lord, forgive us.

Change our heart and help us to find more time to praise and worship and to bring our petitions before our Father in heaven. In Jesus' name, do pray. Amen.