FAITH HOPE AND LOVE- the virtues we are given through Christ as our High Priest

Hebrews 10:19-25 “Therefore, brothers,

Who is the author Talking to? Brothers- People who are in Christ.

since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,

The author is talking about the Holy of Holie’s that was in the tabernacle and then part of the temple.

What do we know about the the Holy of Holies?

According to the Bible, the Holy of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant with representation of Cherubim. Upon completion of the dedication of the Tabernacle, the Voice of God spoke to Moses "from between the Cherubim".

Who was allowed to go into this holy place before God?

ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST

this meant that no one could come directly to god but they need to go through the high priest.

What happened if someone went into the this holy place where God dwelt with an unclean heart?

He was instantly killed.

What was it that separated the holy of Holies from the rest of the tabernacle? a curtain.

Now listen to what Hebrews tells us about this curtain…

- by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

Remember what Happened when Christ died on the cross

Matthew 27:50-53 “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”

The curtain the separated sinful man from coming directly to the presence of God was destroyed through the death of Jesus on the cross.

look again at what Hebrews 10:20 “by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,”

Jesus Brings mankind a new & living way to go directly to God, and that is through Himself.

Jesus becomes mankinds high priest.

Listen to the next verse in Hebrews (21)

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

In the old testament the high priest is the one who went to God on behalf of the people.

But now Jesus through His death has become the high priest of everyone who is in him.

Hebrews 2:17 “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

What does it mean for you that Jesus is your high Priest?

Now since we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus -the author of Hebrews gives us a three fold invitation as the church to come boldly to the throne of God.

Let us draw near

let us hold fast

let us consider one another

1st let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

What did the Priest have to do before entering the Holy place in the old testament?

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

The Old Testament priest had to go through various washings and the applying of blood on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16). Also, during the regular daily ministry, the priests had to wash at the laver before they entered the holy place

The New Testament Christian must come to God with a pure heart and a clean conscience. Fellowship with God demands purity

2nd. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. .

What is our hope as a believer in Christ?

titus 2:13 “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

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

The readers of this epistle were being tempted to forsake their confession of Jesus Christ by going back to the Old Covenant worship

but the author is invited them to hold fast to the ho e they have in the return of Jesus.

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.

How does looking towards Christ return Bring us hope in this world ?

3rd. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

What two things are we to consider from this verse

- Stir others up to love and Good works

- Encourage one another

Fellowship with God was never meant to be selfish. but instead it was meant to be shared with local assembly of believers

what does this passage tell us about the emphasis of going to church?

it is not on what a believer gets from the assembly, but rather on what he can contribute to the assembly.

Why is your faithfulness in church attendance important?

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

. Apparently, some of the wavering believers had been absenting themselves from the church fellowship.

So how can we stir up one another towards love?

good works?

How can we encourage one another?

1 Corinthians 13:13 “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

The three great Christian virtues are evidenced here:

faith (Heb. 10:22),

hope (Heb. 10:23),

and love (Heb. 10:24).

They are the fruit of our fellowship with God in His heavenly sanctuary

Because we now have access to God we now havew the ability to demonstrate the virutes of God towards one another in the church.