It's Time To Gather

1.) Christ’s Sacrifice Takes Away Sin (Heb. 10:1–10)

Sin, of course, is man’s greatest problem. No matter what kind of religion a man has, if it cannot deal with sin, it is of no value. By nature, man is a sinner; and by choice, he proves that his nature is sinful. It has well been said, “We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners.”

2.) Christ’s Sacrifice Need Not Be Repeated (Heb. 10:11–18)

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)

The ministry of the priests in the tabernacle and temple was never done and never different: they offered the same sacrifices day after day. This constant repetition was proof that their sacrifices did not take away sins. What tens of thousands of animal sacrifices could not accomplish, Jesus accomplished with one sacrifice forever!

3.) Christ’s Sacrifice Opens the Way to God (Heb. 10:19–39)

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)

No Old Covenant worshiper would have been bold enough to try to enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle. Even the high priest entered the holy of holies only once a year. The thick veil that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was a barrier between people and God. Only the death of Christ could tear that veil (Mark 15:38) and open the way into the heavenly sanctuary where God dwells.

The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10))

A gracious invitation (vv. 19–25). “Let us come close … cling tightly … creatively encourage others.” This threefold invitation hinges on our boldness to enter into the holiest. And this boldness rests on the finished work of Jesus. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest could not enter the holy of holies unless he had the blood of the sacrifice (Heb. 9:7). But our entrance into God’s presence is not because of an animal’s blood, but because of Christ’s shed blood.

The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10))

A teenage boy, whose mother was away on a visit, found himself with time on his hands. He decided to read a book from the family library. His mother was a devout Christian, so the boy knew there would be a sermon at the beginning and an application at the end of the book, but there would also be some interesting stories in between.While reading the book, he came across the phrase “the finished work of Christ.” It struck him with unusual power. “The finished work of Christ.”“Why does the author use this expression?” he asked himself. “Why not say the atoning or the propitiatory work of Christ?” (You see, he knew all the biblical terms. He just did not know the Saviour!) Then the words, “It is finished,” flashed into his mind, and he realized afresh that the work of salvation was accomplished.“If the whole work was finished and the whole debt paid, what is there left for me to do?” He knew the answer and fell to his knees to receive the Saviour and full forgiveness of sins. That is how J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was saved.The tenth chapter of Hebrews emphasizes the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in contrast with the imperfect sacrifices that were offered under the Old Covenant

Hebrews 10:19–25 (TPT)

19 And now we are brothers and sisters in God’s family because of the blood of Jesus, and he welcomes us to come right into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm—boldly and with no hesitation.

*Believers who discover this new approach to God through Jesus discover a new relationship to each other too.

1. Confident Access

We can have full confidence to enter into the presence of God with NO hesitation because of the work that Jesus did on the cross. His blood shedding allows us to have this confidence.

2 Corinthians 3:3–6 (TPT)

3 As a result of our ministry, you are living letters written by Christ, not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God—not carved onto stone tablets but on the tablets of tender hearts.

4 We carry this confidence in our hearts because of our union with Christ before God. 5 Yet we don’t see ourselves as capable enough to do anything in our own strength, for our true **competence flows from God’s empowering presence**. 6 He alone makes us adequate ministers who are focused on an entirely new covenant. Our ministry is not based on the letter of the law but through the power of the Spirit. The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit pours out life.

a. Humble Confidence

The Passion Translation: New Testament

To illustrate this, on the day when the law was given by Moses, three thousand people were killed, but on the day the Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, three thousand people received new life. See Ex. 32:28; Acts 2:41.

1 John 2:23–29 (TPT)

23 Whoever rejects the Son rejects the Father. Whoever embraces the Son embraces the Father also. 24 So you must be sure to keep the message burning in your hearts; that is, the message of life you heard from the beginning. If you do, you will always be living in close fellowship with the Son and with the Father. 25 And he himself has promised us the never-ending life of the ages to come!

26 I’ve written these things about those who are attempting to lead you astray. 27 But the wonderful anointing you have received from God is so much greater than their deception and now lives in you. There’s no need for anyone to keep teaching you.

No reason to keep listening to those who are leading you astray. It’s good to continue to learn the word of God from teachers.

His anointing teaches you all that you need to know, for it will lead you into truth, not a counterfeit. So just as the anointing has taught you, remain in him.

28 And now, dear children, remain in him, so that when he is revealed we may have joyful confidence and not be ashamed when we stand before him at his appearing.

29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who lives in righteousness has been divinely fathered by him.

b. Joyful Confidence

20 For he has dedicated a new, life-giving way for us to approach God. For just as the veil was torn in two, Jesus’ body was torn open to give us free and fresh access to him!

When His flesh was torn on the cross, and His life sacrificed, God tore the veil in the temple. This symbolized the new and living way now opened for all who believe.

The work that Jesus did on the cross has allowed all believers to have fresh access to God, outside of a priest. It’s a personal, one-on-one relationship with God. For Jesus is the GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

The greatness of the work of the cross is that it has opened up a unique living way for believers to relate to God.

Jesus’ death has given us a new, life-giving way for us to be in relationship with God

2. Unlimited Access

Because Jesus died and shed his blood on the cross, we have unlimited access to places that people had limited access to for thousands of years.

3. Fresh Access

The work that Jesus did on the cross has allowed all believers to have fresh access to God, outside of a priest. It’s a personal, one-on-one relationship with God. For Jesus is the GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

Jesus’ death has given us a new, life-giving way for us to be in relationship with God

Which of these do you struggle with the most?

a. Being bold with your access?

b. Feeling like you have unlimited access?

c. Feeling like you have fresh access to God

22 we come closer to God and approach him with an open heart, fully convinced by faith that nothing will keep us at a distance from him. For our hearts have been sprinkled with blood to remove impurity and we have been freed from an accusing conscience and now we are clean, unstained, and presentable to God inside and out!

We come closer to God

4. Come Close to God

we must prepare ourselves spiritually to fellowship with God.

The Old Testament priest had to go through

various washings

applying of blood on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16).

Also, during the regular daily ministry, the priests had to

wash their hands and feet before they entered the holy place (Ex. 30:18–21).

The New Testament Christian

must come to God with a pure heart and a clean conscience. Fellowship with God demands purity (1 John 1:5–2:2).

A. Fully Convinced by Faith

it’s CRUCIAL to our faith that we are fully confident in God granting us access to himself through Jesus. It’s important for a believer to have boldness. The first thing that happens to a believer when they give their life to Jesus is that they are given boldness.

B. Remove Impurity

In Leviticus there was blood sprinkling to ratify the OT - it was a ritual act to cleanse people. It’s not a physical act that needs to happen now, it’s a moral condition that we must receive.

C. Presentable to God, inside and out

You’re clean and ready to go!

23 So now we must cling tightly to the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises!

5. Hold on tight to our bold access

HOLD ONTO YOUR CONFIDENCE

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)

When a believer has his hope fixed on Christ, and relies on the faithfulness of God, then he will not waver. Instead of looking back (as the Jews so often did), we should look ahead to the coming of the Lord.

24 Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)

Fellowship with God must never become selfish. We must also fellowship with other Christians in the local assembly. Apparently, some of the wavering believers had been absenting themselves from the church fellowship. It is interesting to note that the emphasis here is not on what a believer gets from the assembly, but rather on what he can contribute to the assembly.

6. Creatively encourage others toward acts of compassion

social responsibility

CONSIDER/CREATIVELY = DEMANDS concentrated thought.

The target is to stir each other up to LOVE and good works.

we cannot and should not do any of this on our own

Christians need to be alert to the needs to their fellow believers

Loving one another doesn’t JUST happen. It’s something that has to be worked at.

LOVE has a PRACTICAL outcome

KALOS - the works must have good appearance too - must have an attractive quality about them. The works must be so self-evidently good that no doubt can exist about their true value.

25 This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing, because we need each other! In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Superior Sacrifice (Hebrews 10)

Faithfulness in church attendance encourages others and provokes them to love and good works.

7. We’re better together

Corporate fellowship

This was written because believers started to neglect meeting together. This was considered a serious weakness

We should gather even more frequently and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.

There is an immeasurable amount of good that can happen when you gather many people who are right minded and like minded.

there is no support in the NT to support lone-ranger Christians.

Fellowship is not just a good idea. It is a necessity.

Small Groups.

It can be very easy to neglect meeting together right now. Our culture is getting busier and busier.

Luke 6:46–49 (TPT)

46 “What good does it do for you to say I am your Lord and Master if what I teach you is not put into practice? 47 Let me describe the one who truly follows me and does what I say. 48 He is like a man who chooses the right place to build a house and then lays a deep and secure foundation. When the storms and floods rage against that house, it continues to stand strong and unshaken through the tempest, for it has been wisely built on the right foundation. 49 But the one who has heard my teaching and does not obey it is like a man who builds a house without laying any foundation whatsoever. When the storms and floods rage against that house, it will immediately collapse and become a total loss. Which of these two builders will you be?”

Our spiritual life should be the primary focus.

Day of Rest

Personal Bible reading

Sunday worship

Small Group

FLORIDA STATE FIELD GOAL KICKER - WIDE RIGHT

On Saturday, October 7, 2000, the number-one-ranked college football team in the nation, the Florida State Seminoles, played the University of Miami Hurricanes.In 1991 and 1992, Florida State, with realistic dreams of a national championship, played the Hurricanes. In both games it came down to an FSU field goal in the final seconds. Both field goals went “wide right” of the goal posts, and FSU lost both games to Miami.This year, FSU had those same dreams of a national championship. And for the third time, they had to go through Miami.After being down 17-0 at the half, FSU was behind only 27-24 with 5 seconds left in the game. Enter Matt Munyon, FSU’s walk-on freshman kicker. He had already missed a simple 23-yard kick earlier. Now he would attempt to boot a 49-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.Keith Cottrell, senior punter and placekick holder, described what happened. “He hit it clean. There was no ‘chunk’ to it. There was no duckhook to it. When it passed the line of scrimmage, I thought it had a chance. It just banana’d about halfway there.”It barely missed. It went “wide right.” History had repeated itself.Cottrell said, “I’ve been with Matt from the beginning of this season, when everybody cussed him before he even kicked the ball.” Cussed him, in general, because Munyon is not Sebastian Janikowski, the All-American kicker from Florida State’s National Championship team of the previous year.Cottrell said, “It’s very important for me, as a senior, as a teammate, and as a brother in Christ, to be there for him, through the good times and the bad.”