He has finished so that you can start

Read Hebrews Chapter 10:1-19

(NASB95)

1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5

Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

“Sacrifice and offering You have not desired,

But a body You have prepared for Me;

6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure.

7 “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me) To do Your will, O God.’ ”

8 After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law),

9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.”

He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12

but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,

13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.

14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,” He then says, 17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Let’s read that again…^^

So this then is the good news that you must understand in your heart and mind so that we might live in light of this understanding

Because we misunderstand the stakes, we misunderstand the need to act

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 10

A New and Living Way

19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,

21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

(NASB95)

I take no pleasure in seeing my son make his bed each morning or brush his teeth but do in knowing that he can do both and what they will mean that he can

We don’t generally take pleasure in lifting weights or running, but in the fitness achieved

(NASB95)

(NASB95)

19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

3 “Lettuces” determined by 2 truths

2 truths

(1) Jesus blood enables us to have confidence to enter the Holy Place

more specifically his blood is called a “new and living way” as opposed to an old and dead way (referring to the mandated sacrifice) that enables us to pass through to the other side of the veil (his flesh?)

(2) We have a great priest over the House of God

one who cares, intercedes and ushers us into the presence of God

Because these 2 things are now true the author encourages us to do three things that will be a good conclusion to our time spent in Leviticus this semester and be a helpful exhortation as we move into the summer season...

3 “Lettuces”

(1) Let us draw near..

How can we and why we should?

How we can?

(a) sincere heart in full assurance of faith

(b) hearts sprinkled clean from evil conscience

(c) bodies washed with pure water

Why we should?

(a) we were created to live in his presence and we were redeemed for the opportunity to go back. It is our responsibility to willingly go and learn to live their again. He will not drag us, unwillingly! Nor will he keep us against our will. Jesus fixed the problem that would get you killed if you sought to approach God. Remember the scene in the garden where the first couple hid themselves? This is the opposite of drawing near. He is asking us to draw near, because we have a tendency to get comfortable in the bushes. The bushes is where we are use to living. The author is saying come out of there and draw near to God.

(b) drawing near does not mean just in proximity to God’s people, or a building where they meet on occasion, to simply listen or to appreciate what is happening

(c) if we don’t draw near then we continue to be outside of His presence which is not what he desire

What does it look like?

(NASB95) says

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Think about things in your life that are true of you and God, what are things in your life that are honorable, what is pure, what is lovely, what is of good reputation, what is excellent, what is worthy of praise by God.

As His image bearers to draw near to him is to also draw near to the things that he is about and away from the things that he is not.

in short it is keeping the 10 commandments or the 1st and 2nd commandment

to draw near is to participate with God, now that you can, in what He is doing

(NASB95)

15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. 16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

(2) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful

(a) the confession is “Jesus is Lord, and in him I place my Hope.” He is my master, my maker, my sustainer, my father and my King. It is in him that I find my purpose, strength and direction. It is in him that I hope, and this hope should not waver. Think about things you hope in and how you have varying levels of hope in them. Your parents, your schoolwork, your relationships, your music to make you feel a certain way, certain things you indulge in to come through like they have in the past to stave off your emptiness. I suspect that these have been things that your confidence is waning in for different reasons. As you have gotten older you notice more and more the fallibility of your parents. The good grades you used to enjoy you don’t have the same meaning. The longer you are in the relationship the less it fulfills you. We always need new music and movies. Our indulgences give way to additional excess. Ever wonder why we lament our bodies as I we lay idle consuming food we both don't need and is contributing to our lament?

(b) Those things are not faithful to you, nor can they be. One of the main reasons that we place our faith in him is because we believe that he will be faithful, and his faithfulness should spur ours to Him.

(3) Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds

this includes not forsaking to assemble together, this is part of the encouragement

When you are part of the group but don’t prioritize gathering with that group, one thing you miss is the encouragement to continue to do that and understand the value that comes with being diligent about it

We assemble for encouragement - and this encouragement should increase as we seek the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom

Invitation:

Sarah - you are not just some random person that attends a local church in Columbia, SC you are a priest of the King

Eugene Peterson says it this way, “He meant that we are all priests, not for ourselves, but for one another: "I need you for my priest, and while we are at it, I'm available to you as your priest." The priesthood of all believers is not an arrogant individualism that, at least in matters dealing with God, doesn't need anyone. It is a confession of mutuality, a willingness to guide one another in following ing in the way of Jesus, to assist and encourage, to speak and act in Jesus' name, and to be guided by another to speak and act in Jesus' name. In the community of the baptized, there is no one, absolutely no one, who is not involved in this priestly leading and being led, for even "a little child shall lead them" (Isa. 11:6).

Eugene H. Peterson. The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways That Jesus Is the Way (Kindle Locations 196-200). Kindle Edition.