Stiring up one another

*V.19 What confidence is he talking about?

*Is this confidence our good works or our ability to come to God.

*We cannot enter in the presence of God without a mediator or as in the O.T. a high priest.

*Our confidence is not in ourselves but in Christ.

*The writer is here calling on them to remember what had to happen to get in the presence of God.

*Lev.16 The Day of Atonement.

v.11-14

*v.20 The New Way Through Jesus Christ. The New Curtain. Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The writer is trying to convince us that the old way there was a barrier a veil and today there is a barrier His name is Jesus. Now the only way to God now is through the Son.

*The Veil stood as a division a seperation from God because of our sin and now Jesus is that veil.

*This veil is not open freely to all to have access to God but only those who come through the Father. *John14:6 No man comes to the Father except through me.

*v.21 Since we have such a great high priest in Christ, that sprinkled his own blood on the altar for us so that we could have the mercy of God.

*We can have confidence because of what Christ has done. Not our confidence, not my ability to go through the veil, but through Christ we can.

*And let us remember that it is simply nothing we can do and nothing we bring just simply to the cross I cling.

*v.22 With this in mind, all of what Christ has done for us we can draw near and the only way to draw near is with a pure heart and faith in Jesus Christ. With His blood that has sprinkled on the hearts of those who have believed in Jesus and our conscience cleansed.

*Not like the Hebrew children who came out of Egypt and was faced with a decision to truly trust in God at the Red Sea. And they watched the hand of God deliver them and few days later they murmured and complained. They had a opportunity to draw near and watch God provide and they never did. They had a opportunity to know God instead of what God was going to do for them and they were satisfied with the blessings of God instead of God himself.

*So let’s think about it. Outer court. Where many priests attended and others brought there offering, but only one could go before God. Makes me wonder how many of us are satisfied with coming to the outer court bringing a offering to the altar and going to cleanse our consciense at the wash basin and never drawing near to God, never passing through the veil(that is Christ) never experiencing the presence of God.

*The Day of Atonement was a one time of the year atonement for the sins of Israel. No popping in on God. Think about it how much of our world just thinks we can pop in on God ask a prayer of wants and leave.

*v.22 in full assurance of faith, not a partial faith not a doubting faith of who Christ is, but all of the lordship of Christ.

*At the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled is where we find mercy for our sins. God extended mercy by the blood.

*True christianity is hearts clean and pure, bodies outwardly washed of the past and living for Christ.

*We have the greatest priveledge as believers so we can draw near to God not like others and even the O.T. where only the high priest could be in God’s presence now all who come through the Christ can be in God’s presence to know Him.

*v.23 Hold fast, Hold on. Not that we have to hold on to what we can do, but what Christ has done.

*Notice it said to our confession of our hope. Let us hold fast to Christ. When we hold on to Christ and hold on to the hope of the promise that we have in Christ that is evidence of salvation in our lives. Time will tell alot of things and salvation is one of them.

*For the writer of Hebrews was sharing with them no matter what comes, difficult times, persecution or even temptations that our hope in Christ and His faithfulness to us is a certainty.

*v.24 This is were I want to go. LET US CONSIDER. Consider what? How to stir up others to love and draw near to the God behind the veil. For many people in our churches have been in the outer court and seen the sacrifice and have seen the basin and yet have never experienced the God behind the veil and Christ the veil. They are closer to returning as the writer here explains to the ways of the law.

*God is calling us to stir up one another to love God and to love each other and to serve God by serving others. That is the good works.

*What if we were facing persecution for our belief in Christ. How would you stir up another’s faith to love God and to serve Him? Well we are not there yet. So let us use this time to stir, shake or even whip up one another to love God and serve Him.

*What if each one of us decided to take one person and stir in their hearts to love God and to serve Him. Small bible studies, phone calls, inviting them to go serve God with you.

*It is the duty of believers to see about other believers, to discipline, to disciple them, to encourage, to help them draw near to God.

*Why is this stiring up so important?

*v.25 because the day is drawing near.

*Let’s look at this verse. Not neglecting the fellowship of meeting together.

*Does anyone know what is the first sign that something is wrong in a person life. Doesn’t matter believer or not. Seperation. God is warning us not to have hope in ourselves, but in Christ and not to seperate ourselves from the people of God and God. If you are seperated from the fellowship of believers then you are seperated from the fellowship of God.

*When someone is faltering from fellowship, their faith is fading in sin.

*Fellowship is extremely important and we do not do enough of it. We do not have to eat everytime, but we must feast on the word of God together.

*Nothing speaks louder of your commitment to God than fellowship with His people.

*What example do we set to our children?

*We should explain to our children that we have a priviledge of worship and fellowship and we shouldn’t take it for granted.

*Last part of v.25. God’s word could have been warning them of the destruction of the temple to come in A.D. 70. Or the second coming of Christ. In which the days are numbered of our opportunity to come together and worship and fellowship and to stir up one another.

*And if the Lord tarry’s longer than our life, then our days are numbered in which we have a priviledge to our children and grands and greats to worship and fellowship with them in Christ.

*We live in a blest country, but I feel like one day that a generation will long for the day for the priviledge of the freedom to assemble and worship and have fellowship with each other and the God of the bible.