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Because of Jesus we have:
Because of Jesus we have: 1) New life in the church 2) a perfect leader for the church
Real life in the church (19-20)
Church should be a place where we find real life - not simply religious life.
*Confidence / Authorization* to the heavenly sanctuary (19-20)
We can have confidence to go through to God (19) because Jesus went through first and made a way (20)
the way made by Jesus is:
Exclusive
Continual
A way for life (The church is the only source of eternal life - we enter the church through the gospel)
When we gather, we refocus on the Real Life of which we are a part.
^^Do you have the confidence of heaven / the presence of God? Not the arrogance but the confidence? What a confidence!
What would change in your life if you had this confidence? Less / no fear, anxiety, etc.
This confidence can only come through the gospel.
A perfect leader for the church (21)
Great priest in charge of the church (21)
In OT, the priest brought people to God - Jesus has brought us to God once and for all
Without Jesus there would be no church
Jesus is the leader of the church
not me! not you!
I will disappoint you at some point. If I haven’t already.
The church is not human in origin (not a club) and not maintained or managed by human effort
* We are not a group of people with similar backgrounds or spiritual interests
* We are CHANGED people
* This is the Great Exchange
^^ How many of us need a place to belong?
We long for Cheers - “Where everybody knows your name. . .”
We struggle to find people who will accept us?
We feel we need to change our behavior, looks, economic status in order to fit in.
> Through Jesus’ work and our faith in him he has formed a family to belong
ILLUST - Adoption - Perhaps the biggest thing for my kids was that they would have a place where they belonged.
The Church forms us. (22-25)
(WE ARE FORMED BY THE CHURCH)
Our delights / duties in church:
We regularly experience the presence of God. (22)
22 let us draw near ...
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The presence of someone at a location can be a serious draw for you to that location.
ILLUST - Going to a Star Trek movie because of a girl - I hated Star Trek.
Exodus 40:34
34 Then lthe cloud covered the tent of meeting, and mthe glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Throughout all their journeys, nwhenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But oif the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.
2 Chronicles 7:1-4
Matt 27:51
1 Cor 3:16
Ephesians 2:22 (ESV)
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
We only truly come into the presence of God through our faith - otherwise, we stand on the outside looking in.
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.
This is what truly forms the church.
We are formed as a church through Jesus.
* The church is not made up of buildings, bylaws, or budgets. It is formed by believers.
(BTW, if this is true, then the only legitimate way to build the church is by making disciples)
hearts sprinkled clean. . . our bodies washed with pure water.
* V22 - reference to baptism?
Delight / Duty
1. Presence
* Prepared for the presence
^^ How would your life change if you routinely experienced the presence of God? Less fear, less shame, less anxiety, less “struggles.”
^^ We have FULL access to God! We are called to draw near - which means it is possible! So, what prevents it?
We are reoriented toward our hope. (23)
## Let us hold fast. . . (faithfully to our confession) (23)
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
* /Our week can cause us to waver!/ We need to be reminded of our hope which happens when we hold fast to our confession.
* Without a regular reorientation we tend to waver.
* How does this happen? Through hearing and experiencing.
* Under the Word and around the Table
> ILLUST:
> When we gather for sports events we become more excited about our team - we are reminded why we spend time, energy, money, dignity for them.
Delight / Duty
* 2. Hope
* Hold fast
The anchor for our hope is not found in each of us individually, but in the faithfulness of God:
for he who promised is faithful.
* The reason we hold so tightly to our confession (the ‘die fors’) is that if they disappear so does our hope (Ex., if Jesus is NOT God we are still in sin, if there are many ways to God, then how can we truly know God?, etc)
> ILLUST:
> ‘New York Times’ recently ran an article which described Rutgers Presbyterian "At Rutgers Presbyterian in Manhattan, a belief in God isn't strictly necessary."
We give and gain uncommon love. (24)
## Let us consider. . . (motivate and encourage together) (24-25)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
‘Consider’ = we are looking at each other
usually church does this to instigate gossip and anger
What if this church was known for whispering words of encouragement?
The writer did not say, “Since Jesus formed the church. . . Let us consume a ‘service’ once a week. . .”
“motivate” = we kick each other’s butts
* “I don’t need the church” - Yes, you do!! But perhaps more importantly, there are others who need you!
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.
Strengthen each other (25)
[The reference to “custom” or “habit” (ἔθος) implies a situation of indifference and apathy, which is consistent with other indications throughout the sermon (2:1–3; 3:7–15; 4:1; 5:11–14; 10:23) (cf. Mora, La Carta a los Hebreos, 50). It is natural to think that the neglect of the meetings was motivated by fear of recognition by outsiders in a time of persecution, or by disappointment in the delay of the parousia, or by some other acute concern. It is sobering to discover that in the early second century in Rome it was simply preoccupation with business affairs that accounted for the neglect of the meetings of a house church]
[Whatever the motivation, the writer regarded the desertion of the communal meetings as utterly serious. It threatened the corporate life of the congregation and almost certainly was a prelude to apostasy on the part of those who were separating themselves from the assembly (so H. Montefiore, 177–78; Williamson, Philo, 261; Thompson, Beginnings of Christian Philosophy, 34). The neglect of worship and fellowship was symptomatic of a catastrophic failure to appreciate the significance of Christ’s priestly ministry and the access to God it provided.
Would it be fair to say that the more that we connect with other believers (Sunday worship, Life Group, LABs, Impact Teams, etc) the more we would look like and live like Jesus? Then what would be the reason we would not?
My motivation is not to build the numbers of Granger Missionary Church - This isn’t my church - It’s Jesus’ church. As an under shepherd of the flock of God, I want to see that you are connected to a body of believers for these benefits and responsibilities.
Delight / Duty
* 3. Uncommon love
* Considering each other - watching and being in space.
### What is the purpose of church?
* What should be the result of being a part of the church?
* What is the church’s role in the life of the believer?
The duties and benefits of the church can be summarized by these three things:
Faith (22), Hope (23), and Love (24)
You’re here today
— Do you need the presence of Jesus?
— Do you need the power of Jesus?