The Internal Mission of the Church
The Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 40:47
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Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
The passage of Scripture we are looking at today was once described as a salad with a dash of sweat. There is lots of “let us” and a sweat dressing of faith, hope, and love.
We have talked a lot about what the church should believe, what the church do in the world, how the church should be led, and what it is ordained to do.
Today I want to shift ever so slightly to a look at church body life. How do people in the church interact with each other? I believe this is often covered by preachers, but seldom preached from a Biblical perspective. It is often based on feelings, or desires of the leadership.
Theme: The church should be a place to grow spiritually strong as we serve others and wait for Christ’s return.
1. Live together in a life-changing faith.
1. Live together in a life-changing faith.
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
True hearts
The purpose of the church is to produce mature, stable, holy Christians. Doing this will sometimes involve discipline in the realm of morals (1 Co 5) and maintenance of purity in doctrine (2 Ti 2:16–18).
Ryrie, C. C. (1972). A survey of Bible doctrine. Moody Press.
b. Cleaned
While the author is using poetic language here that might get some confused, I want to encourage you to see this verse in light of what “Saved church membership” that I spoke on last week. This is not a verse about baptism. It is a verse about being changed in attitudes and actions by our faith - not to getting faith from baptism or to get some spiritual benefit from baptism.
I can also say that this is not to be abused as it once historically was to say that you have to take a bath before coming to church. While we all prefer you don’t come to church smelly, you can’t use this verse for that because of it’s context.
Being cleansed means that at the moment of salvation God gave us a new heart. That heart longs for Him in a way the old heart never could. It changes our thoughts and our actions. Live like your life has been changed by your faith!
2. Hold onto a growing hope.
2. Hold onto a growing hope.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
The Hebrew readers were being tempted to walk away from Christianity for beliefs that others around them were claiming to be better.
The author of Hebrews is saying that those beliefs are not better. They walked away from those beliefs when they accepted Christ as their saviour. Now they need to hold onto that confession!
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 186. ἀκλινής aklinḗs
The KJV gives this steadiness to “our faith” while the TR and UBS have the word elpís (1680), hope, which fits much better exegetically. Having spoken of the assurance of faith (Heb. 10:22), the Apostle wants the believers to have a testimony of unwavering hope because their faith is certain.
but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)
When a believer has his hope fixed on Christ, and relies on the faithfulness of God, then he will not waver. Instead of looking back (as the Jews so often did), we should look ahead to the coming of the Lord.
b. We encourage each other as we grow. If you are stop being interested in growing, then it will impact your hope!
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
This is a fact of life. Even a secular councillor will tell you that when you stop moving towards your goal you begin to loose hope.
Think about weight loss. If you are trying to loose 10kilo and every time you eat you forget about that; so every time you get on the scale you are heavier than the last time - you will start to loose hope!
3. Encourage one another towards love and good deeds.
3. Encourage one another towards love and good deeds.
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
A third “Let us” is here to help us keep others focused.
A third “Let us” is here to help us keep others focused.
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH, by Charles Ryrie
What does Christ expect of the church? … The church should minister to its own members so that they incite one another to love and good works (Heb 10:24).
The word “incite” has a bad wrap these days. It is often used in reference to riots and people think of it as negative.
A Survey of Bible Doctrine (The Purpose of the Church)
4. The church is to care for its own who are in need, such as widows and orphans and the poor (Ja 1:27; 1 Ti 5:1–16; 2 Co 8–9).
The emphasis is on what you can contribute to help the rest of us.
The emphasis is on what you can contribute to help the rest of us.
There are many “one another” passages. Years ago I did a series on them here at this church and I believe some of that series can still be found on our website through the link to older sermons.
Many people come to church for what they can get out of it. This verse flips that on it’s head and says go to church for the opportunity to serve others.
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
4. Meet together as a reminder of what is to come.
4. Meet together as a reminder of what is to come.
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
A. Fellowship with other Christians is required
A. Fellowship with other Christians is required
The only other place this Greek word for “meeting together” is used in the NT is found in...
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
B. We know life will be hard just before Christ’s return.
B. We know life will be hard just before Christ’s return.
It is important to encourage each other as we see times getting harder. Jesus Himself taught about how hard it will be as we see the Day approaching.
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Conclusion: The church should be a place to grow spiritually strong as we serve others and wait for Christ’s return.
Conclusion: The church should be a place to grow spiritually strong as we serve others and wait for Christ’s return.
Did you notice that the 3 great virtues are all mentioned in this short passage that guides the church body life? Faith, then Hope, and Love. As we are living in these three, and as we encourage others to live there as well, we are blessed with the life God has for us!
Q1 Do we let ourself thing we can do the Christian life alone?
Q2 Do we try to squeeze church and worshiping together into our week?
It should be a priority! We need it and we need you!
Q3 Are we as a church growing in faith, hope and love?