Let Us: Part 3 - "Let Us Enter God's Throne" with Craig Groeschel - Life.Church

Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace

Scripture References

• Hebrews 4
• Psalm 23

Overview

Hebrews 4 invites every believer to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God,” where mercy and grace wait for us right when we need them. Pastor Craig closed the “Let Us” mini-series by unpacking this third invitation: because Jesus is our sympathetic High Priest, we are adopted as God’s children and can approach Him with the fearless confidence of sons and daughters. Our two great privileges in that throne room are prayer and the sheer enjoyment of His presence.

Context

For three weeks Pastor Craig has highlighted the writer’s repeated phrase “let us” in Hebrews 4. After “let us do our best to enter God’s rest” and “let us hold firmly to what we believe,” today focused on the third call: “let us come boldly.”

Main Points

1. Our High Priest Makes the Way Open

• Jesus faced every temptation we face, yet never sinned; therefore He understands our weaknesses.
• Because of His perfect life and sacrifice, the barrier between us and God is removed.
• The author of Hebrews builds a sustained argument: Christ’s goodness gives us unrestricted access to God’s very throne.

2. Come Like Children, Not Strangers

• Illustration: As a boy Pastor Craig walked through the “Employees Only” door at JCPenney because his dad managed the store; he carried that confidence into the stockroom.
• Illustration: Some church members are nervous meeting “Pastor Craig,” but his children jump on his lap, critique his odor, and show zero fear.

  “He may be your pastor, but he’s my daddy.” —Joy Groeschel

• In the same way, God is both majestic King and “Abba Father.” Adoption through Christ means we approach Him with affection and assurance, not anxiety.

3. Two Privileges in the Throne Room

• Pray
  • What we pray about reveals what we believe about God.
  • Provocative question: If God answered everything you prayed last week, what would change—especially outside your own world?
  • We often worry and agonize instead of praying; yet Scripture invites us to cast every care on Him.
  • Access to the throne means we can petition a Father who “loves to give good gifts to His children.”
• Enjoy His Presence
  • Prayer is not only talking but listening.
  • We live in a holy tension: intimate children of the Father, yet still before the King of kings and Judge of all.
  • Never treat that access lightly; enter with both reverence and delight.

4. What We Receive There: Mercy and Grace

• Hebrews 4 promises that in God’s presence “we will receive His mercy and find grace to help us when we need it most.”
• Psalm 23 echoes the same assurance: goodness and mercy follow us all our days.
• Whatever bind, challenge, or desperate need we face, the throne of grace is our first and best refuge.

  “You’re a king’s kid, and when you go before His throne you will find grace and mercy in your time of need.”

Key Truths

• Jesus’ sinless life qualifies Him to usher us straight into God’s presence.
• Adoption shifts our posture from fearful subjects to beloved children.
• Prayer mirrors our theology; small prayers often signal a small view of God.
• The throne room is a place for both petitions and quiet enjoyment of God Himself.
• God guarantees mercy and grace precisely when life feels most urgent.

Response

• Approach God this week with child-like confidence, not hesitation.
• Expand your prayers beyond personal needs—intercede for people, cities, and situations outside your daily circle.
• Replace worry with specific petitions, casting each burden on the Father.
• Schedule unhurried time simply to sit in God’s presence and listen.
• When challenges arise, declare aloud the promise of mercy and grace available right now.

Closing

Pastor Craig ended by urging every believer to live out their royal adoption: walk through the “Employees Only” door of heaven because the Father Himself invited you. In any crisis or need, step boldly into His presence—there is mercy for your past and grace for your present moment.

“Father, we thank You that we have access to go before Your throne… in Your presence we will find help in our time of need.”

Prayer

“Father today we thank You that we have access to go before Your throne. Even now, God, I ask that You would move on behalf of those who need Your power; that we would experience Your true presence—not just praying but listening to what You say to us. God, we thank You that in Your presence we will find help in our time of need. We pray this, worshiping You in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Resources

• YouVersion Bible App (developed by Life Church)