Back to Church Sunday

Intro

 Napoleon and the Private

It is said of Napoleon that while he was reviewing his army one day, his horse became frightened at something, and the Emperor lost his rein, and the horse went away at full speed, and the Emperor’s life was in danger. He could not get hold of the rein, and a private in the ranks saw it, and sprang out of the ranks towards the horse, and was successful in getting hold of the horse’s head at the peril of his own life. The Emperor was very much pleased. Touching his hat, he said to him, “I make you Captain of my Guard.” The soldier didn’t take his gun and walk up there. He threw it away, stepped out of the ranks of the soldiers, and went up to where the body-guard stood. The captain of the body-guard ordered him back into the ranks, but he said “No! I won’t go!” “Why not?” “Because I am Captain of the Guard” “You Captain of the Guard?” “Yes,” replied the soldier. “Who said it?” and the man, pointing to the Emperor, said, “He said it.” That was enough. Nothing more could be said. He took the Emperor at his word. My friends, if God says anything, let us take Him at His word. “He that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Don’t you believe it? Don’t you believe you have got everlasting life? It can be the privilege of every child of God to believe and then know that you have got it.1

1 D. L. Moody, Anecdotes and Illustrations of D. L. Moody Related by Him in His Revival Work, ed. J. B. McClure (Chicago: Rhodes & McClure, 1878), 20.

When one with ultimate authority says something, then it is done, no questions asked

When we are declared free and holy

it is done

but what are we to do with it?

Author of Hebrews tells us three things

Draw near, hold fast, and consider how

Confidence

This boldness/confidence that we are able to enter into the throne room of God. We enter without fear because of our sin, without fear because of our rebellion. We are forgiven because of our faith in Christ. Our repentance and making Him Lord of our lives, we have eternal forgiveness that is fully secured. Because of that, we can enter without worry or fear. With Boldness, we can approach the throne of God with our prayers and praises.

Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

without wavering, we can approach the throne of God

because we know we have been washed by Jesus’ blood

Jesus blood once and for all

it is finished

No longer condemned but have been given life!

the veil that separated us is torn down

broken by the flesh of Christ as it was broken for our sins!

nothing now keeps us from the throne room of God except for ourselves

we have confidence in his grace

 Let all the world know that the Lord Jesus will not cast away His believing people because of short-comings and infirmities. The husband does not put away his wife because he finds failings in her. The mother does not forsake her infant because it is weak, feeble, and ignorant. And the Lord Christ does not cast off poor sinners who have committed their souls into His hands because He sees in them blemishes and imperfections. Oh! No! It is His glory to pass over the faults of His people, and heal their backslidings,—to make much of their weak graces, and to pardon their many faults.

J. C. Ryle1

1 Elliot Ritzema and Elizabeth Vince, eds., 300 Quotations for Preachers from the Modern Church, Pastorum Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013).

We can approach the throne of God not only because Jesus died for our sins, but because his death covers all our sins

Let us Draw Near

Draw near to Him

we have confidence that we can so why don’t we?

66% of evangelicals on facebook every day

32% of evangelicals read their Bible every day!

Our hearts are sprinkled clean with pure water

like dirty bath water, you can never be clean

the water we try to wash ourselves with will never make us clean

pure water cleans us from an evil conscience to a spiritual one

no longer lust after worldly things, things that distract us from God

now we seek to draw near to him

we can’t do that by staying away from Him!

2019 became 4th year in a row that Avg lifespan of Americans declined. 1st time in US History that has happened. One main reason is drug overdose and suicide among Millennials and Gen Z (jr.High thru college age)

20% of Gen Z connected to a church

We must draw near!

for our own spiritual sake

sake of the next generation!

we draw near with full assurance

two senses to draw near

one with a request, one without.

this is without

not just to ask him for something but to know him and grow in him, to be close to him.

we do this knowing he will be there, he will listen.

Let us Hold Fast

Hope is what we need

without wavering

know this year has been tough

but we act as if we have no hope!

C.H. Spurgeon said, “Kiss the waves that throw us against the Rock of Ages.”

instead of worry and panic, lets look to what God is doing through this crazy year!

we have hope, and confidence in it

our hope comes with a promise

never leave us or forsake us

and He is faithful!

Security in this!

Our forefathers and Apostles held strong in their faith in the face of death…painful horrible, slow death

and we get raddled by a virus and an election?

Hold Fast

Let us Consider How

we are not alone!

a church family, brought together for this purpose!

Stimulate each other

“markers of causative relation, with the implication of stimulating a change in motivation or attitude: the cause encouragement”

in other words: consider how to cause people to love and do good

let us help and guide each other this way

Important not to forsake gathering together

this is why we need church, why you need church

we are to do this with each other, not just you to someone else but for someone else to encourage you

what about another shut down? How will we continue to do this when not allowed to gather?

Conclusion

Back in verse 19

we have confidence

our salvation is secure, we know this

but you may not feel that way

Do you have confidence that you know Jesus?

If you were to die today and stand before the Father and he asks you why should I allow you into my heaven?

how would you respond?

Jesus is the only way, there is no other

he is the one that laid his life down for you

because he loves you

would you pray to receive him today?