Be Encouraged
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
How does a sinful man approach a Holy God?
The Perfect Sacrifice
1 Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year.
The Law. Given by God to his chosen nation Israel was good. God made a covenant, and agreement with them. If the followed the Law God would bless them and if they did not follow it he would bring punishment on them. The Law pointed to even better things to come.
The sacrifices under this covenant could not achieve what men and women need most. To be made perfect, to be able to draw near to God.
The sacrifices were reminder of the need to be saved. Though atonement was made through the sacrifices, it was temporary and each person would find themselves in need of another sacrifice, and another, and another. Day after day, month after month, year after year, generation after generation.
The word translated into worshipers is a word in the Greek that means to approach or to draw near. Those that wanted to approach God would never be able to do it. Only the high priest and only once a year could a single man after giving sacrifices for himself would he enter into the Holy of Holies and perform the ceremonies required for the sins of the nation to be atoned for. For God wrath to be temporary appeased.
Those that approach and draw near in the worshippers could never achieve that because the sacrifices in the Mosaic covenant could not achieve this end. Therefore a hope of another that would come was necessary. To believe that salvation could and would come through a future sacrifice. Through the Messiah the Christ.
This was accomplished in a very specific moment in time and in a very specific way.
9 he then says, See, I have come to do your will. He takes away the first to establish the second. 10 By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
The sacrifice came. Jesus who was fully God and fully man fulfilled the will of God the father and became the sacrifice that would perfect those who wanted to approach God.
5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus came to do the will of God and in doing so accomplished what could not be accomplished by any other means. That sanctifying of the believer. Perfecting the them “once for all time”. The work on the cross finished the work. One offering, one cleansing, one sanctification.
14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.
Approach with boldness
In this single once for all time sacrifice of Jesus, the answer to the question “How does a sinner approach a Holy God?
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)—21 and since we have a great high 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 in pure water.
A wretched sinner is able to approach God and enter into the sanctuary with boldness. He has inaugurated or put into effect for the first time a new living way through the curtain. By this sacrifice of Jesus., a believer can for the first time can approach the Father. The author says let us draw near with a true heart (given by God) in full assurance of Faith. Purified.
A believer's confession and and anchor this Hope that is clung to without wavering. Faith assured in the one who i faithful
23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.
This confidence and new way of living will produces a change in the community of believers.
24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.
Drawing near to God will create a community of believers that has these characteristics and others. But A warning is given to not deviate from the hope.
26 For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
Do not sin deliberately or neglecting the sacrifice of Jesus, do not profane the sanctifying work of Jesus. Do not lose hope in the confidence of what has been accomplished. and the ability to approach God comes from. Do not turn away from God. In their case, do not go back the the sacrifices that will never let you approach God in the true tabernacle.
Now we come to the final part of this pastoral call to draw near to God through the perfect sacrifice. Turn with me to Hebrews 10:32-39
32 Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. 34 For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession. 35 So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised. 37 For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. 38 But my righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.
Remember Your Beginning
Remember Your Beginning
32 Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.
Remember the earlier days. This congregation, gathering of believers is encouraged look back to the time they first believed. They have changed in their behavior, confidence, and boldness in what they once believed. The voices of the enemy, are in their ears. Through false teachers and trial and tribulations they are listening like Adam and Eve did. The enemy brings forth questions and challenges truth but then answers those questions with answers that appeal to that fleshly nature of man. The side that has been overcome but still calls to our own way of doing things. Calls us to focus on comfort, pleasure, power or any number of things but always calling us back to ourselves always back to putting truth in what we think we know as true verses what God says is true. This is a long battle, it is an enduring battle.
Endurance is a real thing that believers and communities of believers battle against. It cannot be fought in our own strength. It is by the power of God that we endure to the end to receive the promise. The inheritance promised.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
I always find it amazing how sort my children’t memory was at times. I remember my boys especially, that they would get in trouble. They would do something. They would go in time out and I would explain very clearly why they were in time out. At the end of the punishment I would always ask them why they were in time out. That was the first test. Many times the answer was “I don’t know” ok. Lets start over, this is why you are here. I would come back and eventually they would be able to answer the question. Why are you here?
Yay. Then they would blink walk across the house and do the exact thing they just told me they were in trouble for. It was the most frustrating thing. It was like their minds rebooted every time they blinked back to the factor defaults. Who can relate? Unfortunately, they are just like me. I am pleased to say they have definitely grown out of that for the most part.
This is the way of people. I am always amazed how it is possible that the Israelites could continue to forget what God had done and turn away from him. Over and over again. God’s word records the short memory of people.
God calls his people to remember many times.
7 “Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God in the wilderness. You have been rebelling against the Lord from the day you left the land of Egypt until you reached this place.
God instituted many different feasts and activities just to help the people remember what had happened. Like, Passover in Lev 23:5, the feast of unleavened bread in 23:6, the first fruits, Feast of weeks, Feat of trumpets, Day of Atonement, And the feast of the tabernacle.
In the new testament believers are told to remember.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and descended from David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. 10 This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 This saying is trustworthy: For if we died with him, we will also live with him;
This is a why we come to his table each week.
19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Just like the readers of Hebrews we are to remember what Christ has done. We are to remember what he has done. The mercy and grace bestowed on each believer. When a person come to saving faith many times there is a strong desire to know his word and to serve him in anyway and at any price.
The believers that the author writes to describes the price they willingly paid in the beginning.
33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. 34 For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession.
They were willing to endure persecution or they had companions that endured persecution. They sympathized with those that were in prison. Paul remarks on this many times, of those that came to see him and cared for him and prayed for him.
They were having their possessions taken away and what was their response Joy. They were a living example of the word of James.
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
Both the author of Hebrews and James speak of those facing trials accept them with joy because they are focused not on the worldly trials, though difficult they may be, they focused on the promises of God. There were being built and matured and in the end they would receive a better permanent possession.
Remember the Reward and have confidence.
Remember Your Confidence
Remember Your Confidence
35 So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised.
Don’t trow away your confidence. Have you ever seen someone or gone through a time when you have lost your confidence. Lost your boldness. You stepped out and fell flat on your face and now you just struggle to step out again. It hurt, it was hard, it may have been painful and it had an effect on your life.
Here he says do not throw away the boldness you had, don’t flee from what you know has great reward. The way they picture things would be after Jesus was resurrected had not come true. In their minds that has concluded what they thought God’s plan was and they were now questioning it.
Is the promise of Jesus really going to come? Is it worth it? Why should we continue? These may have been some of the thoughts in their heads. But he says you must be steadfast, you must face trials and hold your ground, you must endure,
So that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what is promised.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated.
Steadfastness, endurance, persistence, and perseverance are part of a believers life. It is how we gain our lives.
19 By your endurance, gain your lives.
It is a characteristic of one who is saved by the sacrifice of Jesus.
22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Remember God’s Words
Remember God’s Words
37 For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. 38 But my righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him.
The author then turns them again to the words of God in the Old Testament. This time he quotes Habakkuk
Habakkuk 2:2–4 (CSB)
2 The Lord answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it. 3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it testifies about the end and will not lie. Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late. 4 Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.
Look, do not be surprised that there is a time to endure. The prophet Habakkuk told us this was going to happen. Be patient the Coming one will not delay he will come exactly on time when it has been appointed but until that time God’s righteous will live. Live by what? by faith.
The author uses this prophecy to sum up the previous section and to shift into the next. God said that his righteous ones will live by faith and if he draws back he will have no pleasure in him.
The word translated as draws back can mean to shrink back to be timid. To be the opposite of having bold confidence.
There is a contract being shown between the confident boldness of the righteous who live by faith and the timid ones who shrink back. God says he does not take pleasure in those that draw back.
The author concludes this section from the middle of chapter 4 with this final verse.
Remember Who We Are
Remember Who We Are
39 But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.
Remember who we are. We are those that have been perfected. Who’s sins have been removed. Who can approach and draw near to God through through the curtain of Jesus into the heavenly tabernacle.
Because we have a great high priest who is the guarantor, and mediator for us, we can have boldness and confidence in the reward that is promised because God gave his promise and his oath. Because God showes us though the shadows of the law that a better sacrifice and a better covenant was coming and we can boldly stand with his power with his armour of God. With his presence in this world that will bring trials and tribulation until the time of his coming.
We are those that do not draw back. We are not those that shrink back.
We are those who have faith and are saved. We are those with preserved souls.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.
11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith.
We are the righteous because we live by faith. Faith used 32 times in Hebrews 27 of those times are in the last 3 verses of chapter 10 and chapter 11. The author has come to this point to identify the audience and to call them to the truth of who they are and now in chapter 11 will give many example of what this looks like in the history of God’s people.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The sin nature inside each and every person separates them from God.
2 But your iniquities are separating you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not listen.
This is the natural state of every child as Paul writes to the Ephesians
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.
There is the only way a sinner will ever Hope to approach God. Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the only solution to each person’s sin issue.
It is by Faith, belief and trust in the effect of the sacrifice on the cross that a sinner is perfected, sanctified, made holy before God. Once for all time, forever. Through faith a person can approach the presence of God through the curtain of Jesus and draw near to God.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
It is by faith the righteous are to live. In confidence and boldness. The word to a very familiar song was on my mind as I prepared this sermon.
Verse 1
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
Verse 2
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Verse 3
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
Verse 4
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
Verse 5
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
Verse 6
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
Verse 7
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
Where do you find that you are timid or falling away? baptism, fellowship with believers, engaging in the word.
Church let us remember when we were first enlightened: Your beginning the time when you first believed. When you were full of questions and wanted all of the answers.
Church let us remember our Confidence. Have you grown timid or shrank back from your boldness.
Church let us remember our God’s words. The promises both the reward and the consequence.
Church let us remember our Who we are. We are those that live by faith. Who get to draw near to God
Church let us remember our Lord. Let us come to his table today. With boldness.
Let us pray.