The 5 Ones: One Worship Service

Intro

Good morning everyone, would you turn with me in your Bibles to Hebrews 10, and were going to be looking at verses 19-25.

Hebrews 10:19–25 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 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. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.

This morning is part two of our series called the 5 Ones.

As pastor Darrell explained last week, the 5 Ones that we are studying together are areas that we can use to measure how we are progressing, or maturing in our faith. This is by no means a complete list but are five basic practices that are expected of maturing Christians. These are summarized in five single words that you can find written on the wall near the fireplace in the foyer.

Word, Worship, Group, Serve, Reach

Pastor Darrell led us through the first of the Five Ones last week, One on One time with God, summarized with the word, Word.

This morning we will be looking at the second of the 5 Ones, Worship, or One Worship Service that you participate in weekly.

Now I want to confess to something right off the bat: I grew up as a pastor’s kid. As a pastor’s kid I, at some point or another, have had about every kind of bad attitutude ir is possible to have toward the weekly worship service.

At some time in my life each of the following statements have flowed out of my mouth:

“church, what a great way to ruin a sunday”

“I can worship God anywhere, why do I have to do it at church”

“I’ll go but Ill probably fall asleep”

“the sermons don’t do anything for me”

As you’ll remember my Dad was the one doing the preaching. He is a good preacher and also a patient father.

But I wanted to share that just to show you that in many ways I have had to repent and mature in my understanding and participation in the worship service.

So if in this sermon you hear something that brings on some conviction, I just want you to know I have felt that conviction myself.

Though I think true feelings of conviction are a good and godly thing, my goal this morning is not to make you feel guilty about how you’ve approached, or not approached, the worship service. I don’t want you to feel guilty, I want you to feel invited.

You are invited.

God wants to meet with you here.

Exposition

The writer of Hebrews in our passage this morning gives us an invitation to meet with God in his worship service.

He begins his invitation with an explanation how Jesus made the way for us to come into the presence of God. I want to spend some time on this.

VV. 19-21

Hebrews 10:19–21 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

“Therefore Brothers”

The passage begins here in verse 19 with, “Therefore brothers”

When you see the word “since” or “therefore” in a passage it’s important that you look at what is said beforehand. Now there is a lot that the writer of hebrews is reffering to here. In fact that “Therefore” pretty much sums up the entirety of the book up until this point. But we also get the jist of it by looking back just one chapter at a few passages in Hebrews 9.

In Hebrews 9 the author lays out what Jesus did in order to enable us to meet God in worship the way that we do.

The Holy Places

In Hebrews 9:1-5 he begins by painting a picture for us of the tabernacle, and the temple which was laid out the same way. You can get a fuller picture of the elements of the tabernacle in Exodus 25- but in...

Hebrews 9:1–5 ESV

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

The tabernacle and the temple after it, were set up in such a way that the presence of God on the mercy seat in the most holy place was twice separated from the sinfulness of mankind behind two curtains.

He continues in verses 6-7.

Hebrews 9:6–7 ESV

These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.

The priests would regularly go into the holy place, the first section, to offer sacrifices and offerings on behalf of the people who wanted to worship God. The priest was their mediator, through whom the people of God could offer their sacrifices and worship.

But the innermost section, the most holy place, the holy of holies, was to be left untouched, not even the priests could enter it, save for one day a year.

On the day of atonement, only the high priest could go past the curtain to enter the most holy place, and he would do so with great fear. He would offer an atoning sacrifice for his own sins and for the other priests, then he would offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people.

This was how the people of God worshiped corporately. This was how God’s people had to approach the presence of God.

And for it’s time this was a very good thing. Where before there was no way to approach God, God made a way.

Through the tabernacle, temple, and the priesthood, his people were invited to approach him, to sacrifice to him, and to worship him.

But there was still a sharply defined separation through the curtains.

In verses 8 and 9 of Chapter 9 we are told why there was this separation.

Hebrews 9:8-9 (ESV)

By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing

Sinful man could not enter into the holy places. He was cut off from the presence of God. God in his mercy had made the tabernacle, and the temple after it, as the gateway into his presence, but it was a gateway that was well guarded and closed off for most people, and most of the time.

Jesus Make a Way

But Hebrews 9 then tells us how Christ’s death on the cross opened the holy places to those who are in Christ.

it says in verses 11-12

Hebrews 9:11–12 ESV

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Jesus, by his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, paid the atoning sacrifice once and for all. Fulfilling for all time blood sacrifice and atonement. And at his ascension, he entered into the true holy place, not the type and shadow that was built into the core of the temple, but into the very presence of God the father in heaven.

As Hebrews 10: 12-14 says,

Hebrews 10:12–14 ESV

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

The holy places were once separated from us by a curtain, but what happened to that curtain when Jesus breathed his last on the cross?

Mark 15:38

Mark 15:38 ESV

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

No more would we be separated by the holy places by a curtain. In fact, no more would God’s people need to worship through an earthly temple or through earthly priests.

This is just like what Jesus said to the woman at the well in John 4:

“Believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father… … But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.”

The temple, the priests, and whole system of worship through them was fulfilled in Jesus. So from the time of his ascension to be at the right hand of God the Father, God would no longer be worshipped him in an earthly temple.

The sign of this new reality in heaven and earth was given through the destruction of the temple in AD 70.

Just as Jesus prophecied would happen in Matthew 24, there he told his desciples in the temple courts, “Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

No more curtain, no more earthly priesthood, no more earthly temple.

Jesus made the way for us to enter the true holy places by his blood, to enter the presence of God in worship.

Confidence vv.19-21

All of this is what is behind that “therefore” in our passage this morning.

Hebrews 10:19–21 ESV

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

Trusting in the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and that he entered the true holy place as our high priest, gives us confidence to enter into the presence of God.

This is not a presumptuous or arrogant confidence. This is a confidence that rests in the truth and promises of the risen Christ. This is a confidence that comes by faith. A confidnce for those who are in Christ.

My question to you this morning is:

Do you have this confidence?

God’s people enter the presence of God together for worship on the Lord’s Day. Can you enter confidently? Are you in Christ?

Church for the unchurched? vv. 19-21

It’s interesting how the trend in many evangelical churches, for a long time now, has been to attempt to create churches for unchurched people.

One very well known pastor even went so far as to say to his congregation,

“If you know Jesus, I’m sorry to break it to you, this church is not for you.”

This trend was born out of the seeker sensitive or church growth movements, which have had incredible influence over the evangelical church over the last half century.

Now this kind of language describing church for the unchurched is so normative in the evangelical tradition, that what I am about to say might sound absolutley wrong to some of you.

So I want to bookend this next statement with two qualifications:

We absolutely must be active in doing evangelism.

Unbelievers should always feel welcome to join us as guests in the worship service.

Now that you’ve heard those qualifications, now I will make the statement.

The worship service is not, nor has ever been, primarily for the unsaved. The worship service is for the gathering of the saints (the church), to worship God corporately through prayer, song, the Lord’s supper, and in the preaching of the scriptures.

Once again let me remind you of those two qualifications:

We absolutely must be active in doing evangelism. We must be obedient in proclaiming the Gospel to the lost. But the primary purpose of the worship service is not evangelism. Yes, praise God, people do get saved in church. I know that each of our pastors prays that we would see the lost saved in our worship services. This is why the gospel is featured in every sermon preached from this pulpit. But the worship service is not primarily meant to be evangelistic. It is not an evangelistic tent meeting. It is for the weekly worship of God by his covenant people.

Non Christians should always feel welcome to join us as guests in the worship service. If you are here and have not yet believed in Jesus Christ for your salvation, I want you to know that you are welcome and we love that you are here. I hope you see the beauty and majesty of God and ultimately come to believe in him yourself.

The worship service, on the Lord’s Day, is for the people of God to enter the presence of God corporately to worship him, and to hear from him.

Look at the language that is used in our passage this morning.

“Therefore Brothers”

“Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus”

“by the new and living way that he opened for us through his flesh.” [pause]

This is speaking to those who are in Christ. Brother’s. Believers. The Saints. The church.

In fact without believers, you don’t have a church.

It is only by recieving the salvation, the atonement, the grace of God by faith that you can enter the presence of the Lord confidently for worship.

Without a man or woman first receiving salvation through faith in Christ, they will not have the confidence of faith in the presence of God, nor will they be able to worship in spirit and in truth. The seeker sensitive movement did not account for that.

Now these movements were born out of the best of intentions, to see people saved. But unfortionately all this has led to some unbiblical, and frankly embarrassing, things in evangelical churches.

The worship service ends up hollowed out of all of it’s Christian form and meaning, in pursuit of being more attractive to the culture.

Sermons where the scriptures aren’t ever opened

Pastors who preach from their own newly released self help book rather than God’s book.

Secular pop songs played by the praise band.

Lazer and pyrotechnic shows on stage.

Worldly materialism displayed through props and clothing to show just how cool everyone is.

Guys we want to do all we can to invite people to follow Jesus, but we also need have something of Jesus to invite them to. [pause]

I am a firm believer in the maxim: “What you win them with, is what you win them to.”

If what you want to do is draw people who want to watch a show, have their ears tickled, go for those other things.

But if you want to draw people to the sinless son of God, who died for them and wants a relationship with them, they need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Then in the confidence of faith, come and truly worship him.

Do you have that confidence of faith?

Invitation vv.22-25

If we have this confidence, the writer of Hebrews has three invitations for us, all starting with the word’s “let us”.

1. Let Us Draw Near

The first “Let us” is in verse 22.

Hebrews 10:22 ESV

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.

We are invited to draw near to God. We can draw near, not because everyone has access to God, but because through faith in Christ we have been cleansed of all sin.

Because of what Jesus has done we are invited to draw near to the throne of God.

This is not something that we merely attend and watch, the worship service is something that all of us are called to participate in.

This is Worship, this is not a worship experience. [Pause] This is worship, there is a difference.

You go on a really great date with your husband or wife, it would sound pretty weird if you came back home saying, “That was a really good relationship experience.”

Youre out having wings with your friends, you don’t tell them, “I like this friendship experience.”

I had to discipline my kids the other day, “frankly it was a dissapointing parenting experience.”

It sounds weird because, a relationship is not merely an experience, it is a connection.

An experience is about what you get, your sensations, your perception of something. One way.

That is not what we do here, we gather here for worship, and by the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, we enter the presence of the living God. To worship him. He is present with us.

During the call to worship in some traditional liturgies, the congregation is invited to join in worship with these words, “let us lift up our hearts.”

That is what we are doing.

When we come to the worship service, we are entering the presence of God together, we are lifting up our hearts, we are drawing near.

God wants to meet with you here, you are invited, let us draw near.

2. Let Us Hold Fast

The second “Let Us” statement we read is in verse 23.

Hebrews 10:23 ESV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

When we gather for the worship service, we participate in confession.

Through the songs that we sing, and prayers that we pray, any time we say Amen, we are confessing our belief in the truth and the promises of God.

In the song that pastor Matt just led us in, the lyrics were taken directly from the Apostles creed.

Through singing that song we confessed our faith in the nature of God, the truth of the gospel, and the salvation we recieve through it.

Confession of the truths of God is worship. We are saying thank you, we believe!

When we confess, through song, prayer or through the Lord’s supper, we are also reminded of the truths and promises of God. This is also part of the purpose of the preaching of the word of God in the worship service: to remind God’s people of his truth and promises.

We need to be reminded so that we can hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering.

One of my favourite films is the movie Master and Commander, about the captain and crew of a British warship during the Napoleonic wars. One of the most striking images from that movie is of the hands of an old sailor, with the words “Hold Fast” tattooed across his nuckles.

Sailors would often warn each other to “Hold Fast”, meaning, grab on to rigging to prevent being swept overboard. Holding fast was how this old sailor got to be an old sailor. He needed the reminder, and the reminder served him well.

As John Calvin put it, “Those who do not rest satisfied with (or hold fast to) the truth of God are tossed to and fro by the delusions of Satan.” Those who don’t hold fast, may find themselves cast off the ship.

We need the reminder. God has ordained the weekly worship service as a weekly reminder, so that we will hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. Through the worship service we are reminded and encouraged to trust in the promises of God, for he who promised is faithful.

God wants to meet with you here, you are invited, let us hold fast.

3. Let Us Stir One Another Up.

Our final “let us” statement is in verses 24-25.

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.

The truth and promises of God are not something you merely hear and think about, they demand a response in heart and in action.

When we gather in the worship service, we exhort and encourage each other to obey God. This is the love and good works our passage speaks about.

Much of this exortation, this stirring up, is done through the sermon. But it is also done through the fellowship we share with each other before, during and after the worship service.

You and I, as brothers and sisters in Christ are given to eachother, to encourage, exhort, and sometimes correct one another in love.

I’ll tell you that I, and all of us who preach, are blessed when we hear that someone has been blessed by a sermon. But I’ll also tell you that fellowship with godly, obedient brothers and sisters blesses me too.

I know I am a better father today because I have spent time with some of you parents, who are bringing up your children in the wisdom and nurture of the lord.

I know that because some of you have shared your testimonies with me, of how you came to Christ, I am both more sensitive in how I share Jesus, and more eager to share him.

I know I have benefitted greatly over my life by the many many people whom God used to point me to him, and walk with him in obedience. The people who stirred me to love and good works.

I know there are people who make life difficult, yes even at church. But maybe God wants you to be here for them too.

It’s a beautiful thing, God made us to need eachother, to benefit from eachothers presence.

God wants to meet with you here, you are invited, let us draw near, let us hold fast, and let us stir one another up to love and good works.

Application

All of this is not something that can happen if all you do is tune in to a sermon on the internet, or not show up at all.

That’s why we are told here in verse 25,

Hebrews 10:25 (ESV)

to not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Do not neglect to meet together. As is the habit of some.

Now obviously this passage is not talking about extenuating circumstances. People get sick, have genuine struggles with mobility, or even are hospitalized. And I praise God that we can minister to these people through our online services, as well as broadcast to people who have not yet walked through a church door.

But as a weekly norm, barring sickness, snowstorm, or other. As the people of the Lord, we really need to be gathering with eachother on the Lord’s day. One worship service we participate in.

Think about this: God wants to meet with you here.

You are invited, once a week, to join the very people Jesus loved and died for, and enter the presence of the living God. To worship the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords!

Let’s take him up on that invitation, every chance we get!

Conclusion

Through His shed blood Jesus has made a way for us to enter the heavenly places. If you are in him, by faith you are invited to enter them too.

The worship service, on the Lord’s Day, is for the people of God to enter his presence to worship, and to hear from our Lord.

God wants to meet with you here.

Lets not forsake the Lord’s gathering.

Let us instead draw near, hold fast, and stir one another up to love and good works.

We are invited, let’s meet him here.