Faith through the Journey

Hebrews 10:19-25. "Faith through the Journey". (p.946) Ajax Alliance Church. Sunday September 17th, 2023. Hebrews 10:19-25. [19]Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, [20]by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, [21]and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22]let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, [25] not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (ESV) Have you ever been locked out of your house, car or office? You may have forgotten your keys or locked them inside. If a window was left ajar, you may have tried to jimmy it open or have a small person reach or climb inside. As the people of God were in exile, the tabernacle housed the earthy presence of God. God's localized presence in the Holy of Holies had a separation patrician, keeping everyone out except the High Priest. Before the death of Christ, for one to enter the holy of holies on their own initiative would have meant instant death. In the death of Christ, the curtain separating the people of God from the presence of God was torn by God to allow access into His presence. Together, the people of God are invited to come to Him in faith, and confess that trust. Their collective hope is in Him and His word. They show that faith, and hope in love. One of the most dangerous ways we can travel in the journey of faith is to go it alone. Exposed to false teaching, we may, as scripture calls it, shipwreck our faith. We are more likely to become discouraged and lose hope. We also cannot fulfill the mission to love, encourage and strengthen one another alone. Hebrews 10:19-25 calls us to draw near to God together. In Hebrews 10: 19-25, together, we are encouraged to 1) Draw Near in Faith (Hebrews 10:19-22), 2) Hold Fast in Hope (Hebrews 10:23) and 3) Encourage in Love (Hebrews 10:24-25). Together, we are encouraged to: 1) Draw Near in Faith (Hebrews 10:19-22) Hebrews 10:19-22. [19]Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, [20]by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, [21]and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22]let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (ESV) The brothers/brethren refers here, as elsewhere in Hebrews and also in Romans (9:3), to fellow Jews, not Gentile Christians. These physical brothers are being urged, on the basis of the careful doctrinal groundwork that has already been given, to take hold of the perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ-to come confidently through Him into God's very presence and to dwell there for all eternity. The word here translated confidence (parrēsia) is the word for 'boldness' which in the New Testament generally relates to believers freedom because of his new relationship to God (W. C. van Unnik, 'The Christian's freedom of speech in the New Testament', BJRL 44 (1961-2), pp. 466f.). The boldness (parrēsian) indicates a freedom of speech, permission to approach an authority without fear, with plainness and openness, therefore boldness without anxiety or cowering (Evans, L. H., Jr, & Ogilvie, L. J. (1985). Hebrews (Vol. 33, p. 180). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.). To a first-century Jew, the idea that anyone other than the high priest might seek to enter the holiest-of-all-even in thought or imagination-would be profoundly shocking. To a Jew who took the Old Covenant the least bit seriously, this prospect was as awesome as it was wonderful. Realizing this, the writer uses every persuasive argument to bring them to a positive decision (Andrews, E. (2003). A Glorious High Throne: Hebrews Simply Explained (p. 305). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press). The word for "enter" used here in Greek (parresia) means admission, authorization for access. Believers have access to the heavenly sanctuary; that is, they have free access to God (Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Comfort, P. W. (1997). Hebrews (p. 158). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.) The primary basis on which we can draw near to God in faith is the blood of Jesus. The holy place of the Tabernacle, or the Temple, represented God's special presence, and only the high priest could enter there once a year. But in Christ's shed blood, His perfect sacrifice, we have confidence to enter the holy place, into God's very presence. Confidence is based on the finished sacrificial work of Christ (cf. Eph. 2:8-9), not human performance! Confidence is maintained by godly living (cf. Eph. 2:10) (Utley, R. J. (1999). The Superiority of the New Covenant: Hebrews (Vol. Volume 10, p. 104). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.). Please turn to Matthew 7 (p.762) If a person tries to go into God's presence based on their own character, own works, or own religious affiliation, one will find no access. One will certainly not have access on the basis of a mere verbal profession of Christ: Matthew 7:21-23. [21]"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' [23] And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (ESV) * All the things that Jesus mentioned were seemingly good. But they were not really in His name, because they were not done through faith in Him and by His power. These professors, Jesus said, did not know Him personally. Obviously, they knew His name, in the sense of His title and position. They recognized Him as being "Lord." But they had not received Him as their own Lord and their own Savior, and everything else counted for nothing. The concept of simply coming to God was revolutionary to Jews-and to many others throughout the centuries and today. When Adam sinned, God put him out of the Garden and placed the angels and the flaming sword to guard the entrance. All were forbidden, on pain of death, to enter into His presence in the Holy of Holies. But now, the writer says Jesus' blood, in effect, has quenched the fiery sword, and He has torn the veil of the Holy of Holies in two. If you come through Him, you not only can come into God's presence, but you can come with confidence. The blood of Jesus Christ, however, counts for everything, and the person who trusts in His atoning work can come with complete boldness before God, claiming all the blessings and promises in His Son. We can come expecting mercy and grace (Heb. 4:16), rather than justice. For if God gave us justice, He would have to condemn us, because this is what we deserve. But Jesus, through His shed blood, satisfied God's justice in our behalf, so that we can now claim God's mercy and grace. God cannot be just and condemn us who are in Christ. Therefore all Christians are, in respect to access directly to God, virtually high priests (Rev 1:6). They draw nigh in and through Christ, the only proper High Priest (Heb 7:25) (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Heb 10:19). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.). Jesus' way into God's presence is spelled out in verse 20 as the new and living way. This is not the way of the dead animals of the old covenant or the lifeless floor over which the Levitical high priest walked. It is the living Lord himself (Morris, L. (1981). Hebrews. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation (Vol. 12, p. 103). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.). It is "new" (prosphaton) in that it refers to an entrance that was only opened through Christ's death (see 4:14; 9:8). It is "living" (zōsan) because it leads to eternal life (see 5:9; 9:12) (Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Heb 10:20). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.). The old way could not even bring man into God's symbolic, ceremonial presence, much less into His real presence. New (prosphatos) in verse 20 is used only once in the New Testament. Its original meaning was "freshly slaughtered." Jesus is the new way, the freshly slaughtered sacrifice, who opens the way to God. It seems contradictory that the freshly slaughtered way would also be the living way. But Jesus' death conquered death and gives life. His death is the only way to life that is everlasting. Jesus told his disciples he is the way (Jn. 14:6). Early Christians found their movement described as "the Way" (Acts 9:2) (Lea, T. D. (1999). Hebrews, James (Vol. 10, p. 186). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.). The new and living way can bring us there, through the curtain/veil, that is, through His flesh. When Jesus' flesh was torn, so was the curtain/veil that kept believers in Christ from God. The blood of animals allowed only the high priest to enter the veil briefly. Jesus' blood allows everyone who believes in Him to enter the veil permanently. While Jesus was preaching and teaching and healing-that is, while He was alive-His flesh was a barrier to God's presence just as was the curtain/veil in the Tabernacle. An uncrucified Savior could not have saved. If Jesus had only come into the world and ministered in His flesh, He could not have been Savior, no matter how many years He may have preached or how many thousand more miracles He may have performed. As long as His flesh was alive it was a barrier, in the sense that only by His sacrifice could believer's sins be atoned for and the way to heaven be opened. When the physical curtain/veil of the earthly Temple was torn in two during Jesus' crucifixion, the spiritual curtain/veil, so to speak, of His flesh was also torn. In all of this, God Himself is unveiled to us and the way of access to Him is thrown wide open (Bruce, F. F. (1990). The Epistle to the Hebrews (Rev. ed., p. 251). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) Jesus not only opened the way to God but, as verse 21 indicates, He is now our great priest over the house of God. He does not merely show the way to God, or even just provide the way to God; He takes us with Him to God and ministers for us in heaven (Rom. 5:10). The expression over the house of God is a recollection of the statements in 3:1-6, where the superiority of Jesus over Moses is seen in relation to God's house. Here the words are comprehensive including both the church on earth and the church in heaven, but the main emphasis is on the earthly community (Guthrie, D. (1983). Hebrews: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 15, p. 215). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). We must draw near to him, as verse 22 indicates. This is a Greek present imperative tense, meaning they should continue drawing near. The present tense emphasizes continuous action, but it is an imperative, which means it is also an obligation: "let us keep on drawing near." This is a call to move away from lukewarmness for the same purpose as in 4:14-16, which is for the purpose of appropriating grace (Fruchtenbaum, A. G. (2005). The Messianic Jewish Epistles: Hebrews, James, First Peter, Second Peter, Jude (1st ed., p. 139). Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries.). We are to continue to draw near to God with a true/sincere (alēthinos) heart. The word true/sincere describes the heart of a person who is honest, genuine, committed, dependable, and without deceit. When the believer's heart is true/sincere, faith is evident in full assurance. The believer has complete confidence in God, because he fully accepts the truth of the gospel. By contrast, doubt keeps the believer from approaching God. Doubt insults whereas faith exalts. The "heart" stands for the whole of the inner life, and it is important that as God's people approach Him, they be right inwardly. It is the "pure in heart" who see God (Matt 5:8). In view of what Christ has done for us, we should approach God in deep sincerity, from a heart which is genuine, without superficiality, hypocrisy, or ulterior motive. (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Exposition of Hebrews (Vol. 15, p. 288). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.). * What is our first objective in worship? Do we come first to fellowship with other believers, learn something, or present a list of things we want from God in prayer? In essence this is an ulterior motive that places us before God. That is why many fall into the trap of worshipping their felling or desires before the worship God. God expects us to desire Him and for us to present ourselves before Him as an offering. To genuinely worship is to show the worth-ship-ness of God and not our feeling or wants. When we come in "full assurance of faith" we acknowledge that it is only by trust in Christ, who has performed for us the high priestly work that gives access to God, that we can draw near at all (Morris, L. (1981). Hebrews. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation (Vol. 12, p. 104). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.). When we come to God in faith, our hearts should not only be sincere but also sprinkled clean from an evil conscience. This demands constant confession of our sins and openness to God (Lea, T. D. (1999). Hebrews, James (Vol. 10, p. 186). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.). Having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience is a beautiful picture of deliverance, already mentioned in 9:14. Conscience condemns us and reminds us of our guilt; and the guilt cannot be removed until the sin is removed. When Jesus died, His blood removed believers sins, and when we embrace Him by faith, our conscience becomes free from guilt-we are cleansed from an evil conscience. We do not condemn ourselves anymore. The legal purifications were with blood of animal victims and with water, and could only cleanse the flesh (Heb 9:13, 21). Christ's blood purifies the heart and conscience (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Heb 10:22). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.). The figure of our bodies washed with pure water is taken from the sacrificial ceremonies of the Old Covenant. The priests were continually washing themselves and the sacred vessels in the basins of clear water, and blood was continually being sprinkled as a sign of cleansing. But all the cleansing, whether with water or blood, was external. Only Jesus can cleanse a believers heart. By His Spirit He cleanses the innermost thoughts and desires. It is a perfect tense. The readers have been bathed and are still being bathed. Jesus is still washing them since sanctification continues throughout their earthly sojourn. This is practical, everyday sanctification (Fruchtenbaum, A. G. (2005). The Messianic Jewish Epistles: Hebrews, James, First Peter, Second Peter, Jude (1st ed., pp. 139-140). Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries.). Quote: Frances Bevan said it like this: "Conscience now no more condemns us, For His own most precious blood. Once for all has washed and cleansed us, Cleansed us in the eyes of God". (Frances Bevan as quoted in MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 2191). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.) Together, let us: 2) Hold Fast in Hope (Hebrews 10:23) Hebrews 10:23.[23] Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (ESV) The second part of a positive response to the gospel is hope. A person who genuinely trusts, cannot help being hopeful. A hopeless believer is a contradiction in terms. The "hope" to which the writer refers is an objective reality related to the priestly activity of Jesus. In Hebrews the term "hope" always describes the objective content of hope, consisting of present and future salvation. (Lane, W. L. (1991). Hebrews 9-13 (Vol. 47B, p. 288). Word, Incorporated.) Quote: (& SLIDE) As JOHN BUNYAN said: "As your faith is, such your hope will be. Hope is never ill when faith is well, nor strong if faith be weak." (John Bunyan John Bunyan, vol. 1, Israel's Hope Encouraged (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2006), 583.) A person who is genuinely hopeful will hold fast. One who lets go has lost hope; and one who still has hope will still hold on. Continuing is a mark both of faith and of hope. Holding on is the human side of eternal security. The Reformers called it "the perseverance of the saints." It is not something we do to keep ourselves saved, but it is evidence, on the human side, that we are saved. A true believer will be around in the end. One may become discouraged or frustrated, and occasionally fall into a sinful habit. But a true believer will hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Christians are called to a life of worship, but we are also called to a life of truth. We must hold fast to the gospel hope in an unbelieving world. The Greek word for "confession" (homologia) here means a public and doctrinal confession, and it is in this manner that we must uphold the truth (Phillips, R. D. (2006). Hebrews. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (p. 362). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.) Please turn to 1 Thessalonians 5 (p.929) Evangelical Christianity in today's affluent Western culture is noteworthy for its cavalier treatment of truth. We readily trade our doctrines in order to get along with others, to create a more impressive sense of unity. But we are literally surrounded by a global Christianity that suffers gladly for the truth. All around the world today our brothers and sisters in Christ are valiantly taking their stand upon the hope that we profess (Phillips, R. D. (2006). Hebrews. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (p. 362). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.). A true believer's faith and hope are never in vain, because they are in a God who is faithful to His promises. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24. [12] We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, [13]and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. [14] And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. [15] See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. [16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. [19] Do not quench the Spirit. [20] Do not despise prophecies, [21] but test everything; hold fast what is good. [22] Abstain from every form of evil.[23] Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (ESV) * God will do His part and the true believer will also do theirs. God's answers may seem to be a long time in coming, and our waiting may be uncomfortable or even painful. But He will always do just as He has said He will do. The reason we can hold fast to our hope without wavering is that He who promised is faithful. God is thoroughly to be relied on. When He makes a promise, that promise will infallibly be kept. He has taken the initiative in making the promise, and He will fulfill his purposes in making it. (Morris, L. (1981). Hebrews. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation (Vol. 12, p. 104). Zondervan Publishing House.) Illustration: There was once a young boy whose dad left him on a downtown corner one morning and told him to wait there until he returned in about half an hour. But the father's car broke down and he could not get to a phone. Five hours went by before the father managed to get back, and he was worried that his son would be in a state of panic. But when the father got there, the boy was standing in front of the store, looking in the window and rocking back and forth on his heels. When the father saw him, he ran up to him and threw his arms around him and hugged and kissed him. The father apologized and said, "Weren't you worried? Did you think I was never coming back?" The boy looked up and replied, "No, Dad. I knew you were coming. You said you would." Faith enables us to believe in the promises of God even when all the outside circumstances seem to show the opposite. Faith rests on the person of God who is faithful to His promises and executes them in His timing. Finally, together, let us: 3) Encourage in Love (Hebrews 10:24-25). Hebrews 10:24-25. [24]And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, [25]not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (ESV) The third mark of a positive response to the gospel is love. To "consider how to stir up one another," (Katanōmen allēlous ) might well be translated "observe well or understand one another in a reciprocal relationship." The emphasis is not upon unilateral observation but upon getting to know one another in the intimacy of a community of faith. As we understand one another in a reciprocal relationship, there results a creative interchange that leads to provocative stimulation of both love and good works. The koinōnia (a sense of community resulting from having something in common) created by knowing one another deeply or perceiving intimately creates and releases attitudes of love and stimulates the actions of good works done together. "Creativity rises out of relationships" is a powerful adage. When a person is known for all he or she is, with all the wrinkles and foibles, and yet is loved, trust is engendered and creative risking becomes a possibility. We can say, "So what if I fail at a good attempt? I will be loved. I am confident of that. He or she knows me and still loves me; I can attempt my idea." This then makes possible one of the goals of the Christian life-good works; it should be a natural result of the cleansed conscience (9:14), one of the fruits of salvation (Eph. 2:10; James 2:14-18). As Paul discovered in the lives of the Corinthian Christians, such good works do not always come naturally or automatically. (Evans, L. H., Jr, & Ogilvie, L. J. (1985). Hebrews (Vol. 33, pp. 182-183). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.) We are called to consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. This is to stir up /provoke-Greek, "with a view to provoking unto love," instead of provoking to hatred, as is too often the case. The particular expression of love mentioned here is fellowship love. The Jewish readers were having a hard time breaking with the Old Covenant, with the Temple and the sacrifices. They were still holding on to the legalism and ritual and ceremony, the outward things of Judaism. So the writer is telling them that one of the best ways to hold fast to the things of God-the real things of God that are found only in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ-is to be in the fellowship of His people, where they could love and be loved, serve and be served. There is no better place to come all the way to faith in Christ, or to hope continually in Him, than the church, His Body. (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Heb 10:24). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.). One of the first indications as verse 25 concludes, of a lack of love toward God and the neighbor is for a Christian to stay away from the worship services. He forsakes the communal obligations of attending these meetings and displays the symptoms of selfishness and self-centeredness. Apparently some members of the Hebrew congregation to whom the epistle originally was addressed showed a disregard for attending the religious services. They did so willfully by deserting the "communion of the saints." From sources dating from the first century of the Christian era, we learn that a lack of interest in the worship services was rather common. The Didache, a church manual of religious instruction from the latter part of the first century, gives this exhortation: "But be frequently gathered together seeking the things which are profitable for your souls." (The Didache (The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1), 16.2, p. 333 (LCL).) (cf. the Epistle of Barnabas (The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 1), 4.10, p. 353 (LCL). In an earlier chapter the author of Hebrews warns the readers not to follow the example of the disobedient Israelites in the desert, and not to turn away from the living God (3:12). The author exhorts the readers to "encourage one another daily ... so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness" (3:13). He realizes that among some of the members spiritual zeal has declined. Therefore once more he says, "But let us be: encouraging one another". Together we bear the responsibility, for we are the body of Christ (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Exposition of Hebrews (Vol. 15, p. 290). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.). Christians who meet together with the aim of promoting godliness and love for one another can be remarkably successful in their ventures. Regular fellowship with believers is an essential ingredient in Christian growth (Lea, T. D. (1999). Hebrews, James (Vol. 10, p. 187). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.) Please turn to Matthew 24 (p.779) The day drawing near verse 25 would initially refer to the imminent destruction of the Temple, which brought all the sacrifices and rituals to a close. The Old Covenant simply could not function without the Temple, which, when the book of Hebrews was written, was about to be destroyed by Titus. But the primary reference is to the coming of the Lord, which makes the passage apply to all of us. The only place where we can remain steadfast until He returns is with His people. We need each other. We need to be in fellowship with each other, as we mutually strengthen each other and encourage each other. As Christians draw near to God in worship, so the day of God's final judgment and deliverance draws near (Ellingworth, P. (1993). The Epistle to the Hebrews: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 529). W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.) Given the lateness of the hour in God's timetable, there should be an urgency to our worship together. Matthew 24 puts this urgency into perspective: Matthew 24:15-28 [15]"So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), [16] then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. [17] Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, [18]and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. [19] And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! [20] Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. [21] For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. [22] And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. [23] Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. [24] For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. [25] See, I have told you beforehand. [26] So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. [27] For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. [28] Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. (ESV) * The ancient church historian Eusebius reports that, during the Jewish revolt (A.D. 67), Jesus' warning was fulfilled when Christians fled to the mountains of Pella (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.5.3). The writer to the Hebrews is saying very simply, "The door is open, the way is made available to enter into God's presence. Come in and stay and fellowship with His people, and enjoy God's company forever." We are to : draw near in faith (toward God), draw near in hope (for ourselves) and draw near in love (for others) (McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 5, p. 576). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.). Quote (& Slide): As AELRED OF RIEVAULX said: "Let us each do what we can, that faith may sanctify us, love strengthen us, and hope make us joyful in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom is honor and glory to ages of ages". (Aelred of Rievaulx J. M. Neale, Mediæval Preachers and Mediæval Preaching: A Series of Extracts, Translated from the Sermons of the Middle Ages, Chronologically Arranged: With Notes and an Introduction (London: J. & C. Mozley; J. Masters & Co., 1856), 161.) (Format note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1983). Hebrews (pp. 258-269). Chicago: Moody Press.) Closing Hymn: Prayer room invitation: 002 Benediction May the God who gives encouragement and endurance, Give you the Spirit of unity as you follow Christ, So that with one heart and one mouth we may together, Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen. (cf. Zech. 12:8; Rom. 15:5-6)