Boldness Before God (from our 8-2-26 Worship)

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/yJUdf761gSg

Boldness Before God | Hebrews 4:14–16 & Psalm 27

What would it look like to approach God with real boldness—not arrogance, but the confidence of someone who knows they are loved?

This sermon begins with the remarkable story of Gary Gentry, who as a 14-year-old boy boldly showed up at the home of Hank Williams Sr. and knocked on the door. That kind of audacity raises an important spiritual question: Do we have that kind of boldness toward God?

Hebrews 4:14–16 tells Christians that because Jesus is our great High Priest, we can “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace” to receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.

Walking through Psalm 27, this lesson explores several reasons we can approach God boldly.

Boldness comes from who God is.
David could say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” Our confidence is not based on how good we have been, but on God's character, His mercy, and the relationship He has invited us to have with Him. He is not merely God—He is your God.

Boldness comes from our perspective.
Psalm 27 does not pretend trouble will never come. David says when enemies attack and though an army surrounds him, he will remain confident. Faith does not always change what is happening around us, but it changes how we face it. Hebrews 11 and the story of Job remind us that trusting God is ultimately a choice to keep holding on.

Boldness comes from wanting to be with God.
David's greatest desire was to dwell in the presence of the Lord. Think about going to your grandparents' house when you know you are loved. You do not stand nervously at the door wondering whether you are welcome—you walk in like you belong there. If earthly family can love us that deeply, how much more does God love us?

Prayer is not about giving God information He does not already know. Prayer is about relationship. God wants His children to talk to Him.

Boldness comes from grace, not perfection.
Psalm 27 includes the plea, “Be gracious to me.” Our ability to approach God has never depended on never making another mistake. Sometimes we think, “I messed up again. I can't go back and tell God again.” But God already knows. And where would He rather us go?

God does not get tired of His children sincerely seeking Him.

The sermon closes by returning to Hebrews 4 and its invitation to come directly to God for mercy and help. If God really is who He says He is, then our lives—and especially our prayers—should reflect that confidence.

This week, try talking to God about something you have never talked to Him about before. Include Him in an area of your life where you normally leave Him out.

In this sermon:
• Hebrews 4:14–16 — Drawing near to the throne of grace
• Psalm 27 — Why David could live with confidence
• Boldness based on God's character, not our performance
• Choosing faith when circumstances are frightening
• Prayer as relationship rather than formality
• Why failure should drive us toward God, not away from Him
• Learning to live like people who genuinely believe we are loved by God