A GRACIOUS EXHORTATION
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
To this point in The Epistle To The Hebrews, doctrinal arguments have been presented to encourage faithfulness and steadfastness...
To this point in The Epistle To The Hebrews, doctrinal arguments have been presented to encourage faithfulness and steadfastness...
Demonstrating the superiority of the Son - Heb 1:1-8:6
Illustrating the superiority of the New Covenant - Heb 8:7-10:18
With Hebrews 10:19, the author begins making application based upon these premises...
With Hebrews 10:19, the author begins making application based upon these premises...
Which he does through a series of exhortations and warnings, and...
These exhortations and warnings compose the remaining part of this epistle
In Hebrews 10:19-25, we find a threefold exhortation...
In Hebrews 10:19-25, we find a threefold exhortation...
To draw near to God
To hold fast our faith
To stimulate one another in love and good works
All based upon what Christ has done and will do for us!
I have entitled this lesson “A Gracious Exhortation,” for certainly each aspect of the exhortation is based upon God’s wonderful grace bestowed upon us through Christ, and it reflects the tone of the author as he makes his heartfelt appeal.
I have entitled this lesson “A Gracious Exhortation,” for certainly each aspect of the exhortation is based upon God’s wonderful grace bestowed upon us through Christ, and it reflects the tone of the author as he makes his heartfelt appeal.
Beginning with...
Beginning with...
DISCUSSION
LET US DRAW NEAR IN FAITH
LET US DRAW NEAR IN FAITH
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 and having a great priest over the house of God; 22 let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water,
We are Exhorted to Draw Near to God...
We are Exhorted to Draw Near to God...
By entering the “holy place” [the Holiest - NKJ]…
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
We are to strive to enter that heavenly place where Christ has entered...
11 But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.
Into the presence of God Himself...
24 For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:
To enter...
We must have “boldness” (great confidence)...
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
This must be done “with a true heart” (with all sincerity)...
22 let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water,
And “in fulness of faith” (without doubt) - Heb 10:22
Though not expressed explicitly, this is a call to draw near to God in prayer! - cf...
16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.
Notice the Basis for this Exhortation
Notice the Basis for this Exhortation
We are able to “enter” God’s presence because:
Jesus has consecrated “a new and living way, through the veil”...
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
There is now a new way to approach God in heaven, through One who lives!
It is made possible by “the blood of Jesus...His flesh” (His death on the cross)
Jesus now serves as “a great priest over the house of God”...
21 and having a great priest over the house of God;
Who is able to come to our aid...
17 Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
Who sympathizes with our weakness...
14 Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.
But we are also able to “enter” God’s presence because:
We have had “our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience”
This is an allusion to the Old Testament practice of taking blood from the altar and
consecrating the priests by sprinkling them with it...
21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.
In the New Covenant it is the blood of Christ that is truly effective in purging our conscience of sin...
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
We have had “our bodies washed with pure water”
Another allusion to the manner in which priests were consecrated...
4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water.
The author has reference to baptism...
For baptism is referred to as a “washing”...
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.
26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,
5 not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
The significance is on the inner cleansing, not the outer…
21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
With Christ as our High Priest, and our own consecration as priests through the blood of Jesus, we should not hesitate to draw near to God in prayer and worship, looking forward to that day when we literally enter “through the veil” into God’s wonderful presence!
With Christ as our High Priest, and our own consecration as priests through the blood of Jesus, we should not hesitate to draw near to God in prayer and worship, looking forward to that day when we literally enter “through the veil” into God’s wonderful presence!
For similar reasons we should also heed the next part of “A Gracious Exhortation”...
For similar reasons we should also heed the next part of “A Gracious Exhortation”...
LET US HOLD FAST OUR HOPE
LET US HOLD FAST OUR HOPE
23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:
We are Exhorted to Hold Fast the Confession of our Hope
We are Exhorted to Hold Fast the Confession of our Hope
In Christ we have a much “better hope”...
19 which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil;
But there is the danger of apostasy...
12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:
For which reason we must “hold fast” the hope which we confess...
6 but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.
Indeed, we need to “hold fast” and “waver not”...
23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:
A Good Reason to Heed this Exhortation
A Good Reason to Heed this Exhortation
The faithfulness of God...
23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:
God will not fail us...
5 Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee.
Therefore we need to emulate the faith of Sarah...
11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:
We can depend upon God to keep His promise.
But will we remain faithful to Him?
To help ensure that we will, we need to heed the final part of “A Gracious Exhortation”...
LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER
LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER
24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.
We are to consider one another in Order to Stir Up Love and Good Works...
We are to consider one another in Order to Stir Up Love and Good Works...
And as we “draw near” to God and “hold fast” our hope, we are not to do so alone
We are to be mindful of each other and how we are doing (“consider one another”) v. 24
With a view to incite or spur on (“provoke” or “stir up”) both “love and good works” v. 24
Again, this is reminiscent of the exhortation in...
12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: 14 for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:
This “Provoking” - this “stirring up” - is accomplished Through Frequent Assembling
This “Provoking” - this “stirring up” - is accomplished Through Frequent Assembling
An important purpose of our assembling is to “provoke unto love and good works”
Yes, we do come to worship and praise God
But we also come to edify and exhort one another! -
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.
Therefore we must not become guilty of “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”
The word “forsake” means “to abandon, desert”
I.e., to stop assembling with the saints
Some evidently had done so (“as the custom of some is”)
Exhorting one another through assembling is even more imperative “as ye see the day drawing nigh”
Some believe the “day” referred to the destruction of Jerusalem which occurred in A.D. 70
Which was impending at the time this epistle was written (ca. 63-65 A.D.)
Certainly such an event would call for encouragement through frequent assembling
Others suggest that the “day” refers to the Judgment Day at the Second Coming
It certainly fits the context of...
27 And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment; 28 so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.
And while one might not know the “day and hour” of His coming, we are to be always ready… 2 The 2:1-8
The main point is to appreciate the value and necessity of our assemblies, and that forsaking
them is indicative of apostasy!
The main point is to appreciate the value and necessity of our assemblies, and that forsaking
them is indicative of apostasy!
CONCLUSION
With “A Gracious Exhortation” before us, we are encouraged to...
With “A Gracious Exhortation” before us, we are encouraged to...
Draw near to God in full assurance of faith
Hold fast the confession of our hope
Consider one another to stir up to love and good works
As motivation to heed this “exhortation”, we are reminded of...
As motivation to heed this “exhortation”, we are reminded of...
The “new and living way” now open to God, made possible by Jesus’ death
The High Priest who now serves for us over the house of God
How we have been “consecrated” through having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water
How He who has promised is faithful
How we have each other to encourage us along
The approaching Day, in particular the Day of Judgment
If we truly appreciate the blessings we now have in Christ, we will do all that we can to draw closer to God, hold fast that hope which we confess, and utilize the opportunities we have to encourage one another in love and good works!
If we truly appreciate the blessings we now have in Christ, we will do all that we can to draw closer to God, hold fast that hope which we confess, and utilize the opportunities we have to encourage one another in love and good works!
