“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16). These verses came to my mind at church last Sunday during one of the worship songs about receiving God’s grace in time of need. My mind hadn’t been overly engaged in worship to that point, but suddenly that phrase struck me and I realized, “I am going through a time of need and I need that grace.” Too many ministry responsibilities, family health concerns, short pay, extra expenses. The list is only too familiar to many of you. Yes, we need God’s grace, we who have been called to lead others and to reach the lost—we need God’s grace for ourselves so that we can minister it to others.
This was true even of Jesus. He is the one to whom we come to receive that grace to help in time of need, but during his life on earth he himself received that grace. Although he was God in the flesh, he humbled himself and made himself dependent on the Holy Spirit’s power (Matt. 3:16-17; Acts 10:38). During especially trying times we read on two occasions that the angels ministered to him (after his temptation in the wilderness, Matt. 4:11, and in the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke 22:43). Jesus received grace to help in time of need and now he extends grace to us in our time of need. And the cycle continues with us--we receive grace from Jesus to help in time of need, then we can minister it to others.
In Matthew 9:36-38 Jesus prayed for laborers in the harvest, laborers who would reach those multitudes on whom he had compassion, multitudes who were “harassed and helpless.” We are those laborers and we are also trying to recruit other laborers to do the same. But do we not sometimes feel harassed and helpless ourselves? The difference is that we know the one who offers the living water to drink. We know the one who says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). We have come to him for salvation, but we still need to drink that living water daily, we need to bring our burdens to him daily and find that rest. In other words, we need to come to him to find grace in time of need so that we can in turn minister grace to others. Just like Jesus himself did.
This was true even of Jesus. He is the one to whom we come to receive that grace to help in time of need, but during his life on earth he himself received that grace. Although he was God in the flesh, he humbled himself and made himself dependent on the Holy Spirit’s power (Matt. 3:16-17; Acts 10:38). During especially trying times we read on two occasions that the angels ministered to him (after his temptation in the wilderness, Matt. 4:11, and in the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke 22:43). Jesus received grace to help in time of need and now he extends grace to us in our time of need. And the cycle continues with us--we receive grace from Jesus to help in time of need, then we can minister it to others.
In Matthew 9:36-38 Jesus prayed for laborers in the harvest, laborers who would reach those multitudes on whom he had compassion, multitudes who were “harassed and helpless.” We are those laborers and we are also trying to recruit other laborers to do the same. But do we not sometimes feel harassed and helpless ourselves? The difference is that we know the one who offers the living water to drink. We know the one who says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). We have come to him for salvation, but we still need to drink that living water daily, we need to bring our burdens to him daily and find that rest. In other words, we need to come to him to find grace in time of need so that we can in turn minister grace to others. Just like Jesus himself did.