Draw Near. Hold fast. Don't Forsake One Another.

Hebrews 10:19-25

The Old Testament’s sacrifices were ineffective. The priesthood, the covenant, the sacrifices and the tabernacle could never and can never make a person perfect.

These were shadows of the reality which is found in the Person and the work of Christ Jesus.

The O.T. sacrifices were ineffective… but Christ’s sacrifice is effective...

The work of Christ… The Blood of Christ washes and cleanses us, through regeneration, and changes our hearts...

And now (Verse 10), by that will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.

Others priests have to stand continually. Jesus did the work for us and sat down at the right hand of God...

And for those who believe in Christ, those who are “in Christ,” they too may enter into that rest...

Christ reigns… now... in heaven till His enemies are made His footstool.

And here we are… in Christ… under His authority, clean, forgiven, washed, redeemed, made children of God, and we are being sanctified until Christ returns...

Verse 19 - Therefore… since we have boldness now to enter into the Holy of Holies by the Blood of Christ… by this new and living way… through His flesh...

Since the Son of God is our Great High Priest and He Himself sacrificed Himself on the alter on our behalf...

And since 3 days later… the High Priest came out and it is verified: God the Father has received the Son’s sacrifice for our sins… Once and for all...

And this High Priest now lives to make intercession for us...

Since this is true and we have all of these blessings in this new and perfect condition and position with God...

Let us… run away? Let us run back? No, no, no!

Verse 22 - Therefore let us run to Him… Let us draw near to Him now.

We have freedom to stand in God’s presence unashamed, with liberty to pray, praise, worship, and live before Him.

Go to Isaiah 6 - Isaiah stood before God, before the Holiness of God and he was ashamed and was unable to function… He fell like a dead man.

Isaiah, the holiest dude of his day, fell down and said, “Woe is me, for I am undone (destroyed)! Because I am a man of unclean lips (I am unclean) and I dwell among a people of unclean lips… For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts...”

“I am unclean. I live among the unclean. I am destroyed before my God. There is nothing i can say and nothing I can do!”

He is unfit to be there. He is unfit to pray, to praise, to worship, to do anything for God.

The very sight of God without a Savior will destroy you.

Isaiah needed atonement for sin… and he did not back up from what he needed. And what did God provide for Isaiah?

A burning coal. And the angel placed it on his lips...

And then… when his iniquity was taken away and the sin was atoned for… then Isaiah could speak and serve God.

The tabernacle veil symbolized what? Christ’s body. The Body of Christ veiled the glory of God (John 1:14). You went through the tent of the meeting to meet with God… Now we go through Christ to meet with God...

You went through the veil to go into the Holy of Holies… We now go into the Holy of Holies through the Blood of Christ.

Now… let us… the people of God, we who have the better covenant and have received it, who are clean… now let us...

Let us draw near...

Let us hold fast...

Let us consider one another...

Let us draw near, instead of drifting away. Let us draw near to God with assurance and confidence. Your sins have been atoned for. You are no longer “guilty.”

Draw near believing this, not doubting this. Fully trust in Christ and His work for you and experience His presence, his life.

(picture) John F. Kennedy is the president of the United States and he sitting in the Oval Office, in his chair and behind his desk… making decisions for the country and the world...

So much power… ad so much going on in that room… and in a picture, you can find his son, JFK Jr., sitting and playing at his feet… enjoying the company of his father...

Draw near.

2. Hold fast. Hold fast to your confession, the confession of faith, the confession of hope… not wavering...

Why would we waver? Because of life… Because of trials. Because of challenges, persecution, losing our lives, homes, and our good names...

Temptations to go back to Judaism… because of the religious strongholds of their day… Judaizers who pressed circumcision and Jewish Traditions inside Christianity.

Much is written in the New Testament about these folks coming in to mix the Old with the New… Jesus plus Jewish Law and customs.

In Galatians, Paul confronts this, confronts Peter, about this. He states that if anything is added to the work of Christ, let them be accursed… He then tells them to stand firm in Christ alone.

Jude wrote for the believers to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints...

Why? Because other people, teachers, were coming in and teaching them that it is Jesus plus… Grace plus...

Revelation 2:9 - Jesus speaks about these so-called Jewish people, who were in fact “a synagogue of Satan.”

And Jesus tells them to stay faithful until the end.

Jesus is faithful and He will deliver on His promises.

Trust Him. Trust in Him alone. Be confident and assured in Him… Single-minded devotion will eliminate double-minded living and fear.

We are all in this together… so...

3. Let us consider one another… As we all go through this life together… As God’s people...

Consider one another, in order to Stir up love and good works.

Stimulate one another. Provoke one another. Encourage one another.

To do what? To be true to Christ, to love Him more and to remain dedicated to Him… no matter what.

What do Hebrew believers need? What do we all need?

We need to come together on a regular basis and do this. Share our burdens and share encouragement. Share our discouragement and then give encouragement.

There are some church folks that need to be spurred on and reminded of who they are and Whose they are. They need to be reminded of the promises of God and the Victory of Christ.

We need to get together, pray together, fellowship together, get into the Scriptures together, sing together, cry together, counsel one another with the Word of God...

It sounds like we need to attend church meetings often...

Don’t forsake the assembling of ourselves together… as is the manner of some...

We need collective and cooperate worship. We need it for spiritual life, living, and growth.

We all have trials and challenges, and we may, at some time consider going back to where we were… in the world...

We may be picking up on dead religion, on world teachings, that are a threat to our Christian liberty… And these teachings may be taking our minds and hearts down the wrong road...

Satan may be taking the thoughts of people in a worldly direction… and the church folks find themselves away from godly brothers, accountability persons, people who are like-minded in Christ… And they are drifting away...

Do not stop meeting together. We need one another. We need accountability. We need correction. We need warnings, comfort and strengthening...

And the moment you find yourself away from this… on your own… The wolf has you. The serpent is leading you. the evil lion is about to devour you...

He wants you alone and isolated.

He wants you deceived. He wants you confused. He wants you weak. He wants you believing that you have it all together, or that you are the only one who has it all together… and that you do not need anyone else...

You can do this all on your own...

The attitude may be: “I don’t need accountability, I don’t need correction, I don’t need pastors… or anyone else...”

And maybe your right and the Bible is wrong...

Maybe Jesus is wrong...

Maybe the way God set up the church is wrong...

And these commands from Scripture is wrong...

And your right...

But I will not believe that. And I will not lead anyone else to believe that...

God knows what we need and He has established the Church the way He has and He has called the Church to do certain things… as He has...

Why? Because He knows what HE is doing...

Do you?

Draw near. Hold fast. Come together.

And we will persevere together as we move forward with one accord… With the Anchor for our Souls holding us safe and secure… until He comes back.

Keep your eyes on Him… and you will not lose confidence.

Close.