It's interesting, just last week
someone, our visitor from the East Coast taking care of mom
and dad asked how we ever had contact with the church here.
Why are we here? And I told her just what David
just told you. how we met and in the good providence
of the Lord and it's just been such a rich blessing for Robin
and I all these years. I mean it just really has. I
think you know that. So it's a blessing to be with
you tonight and turn with me to Hebrews chapter 10 and You know, Hebrews is a difficult
book in many ways, and I think sometimes there's a tendency
of Christians to overlook it. You know I was thinking about
this and I thought when we meet together as a church, as the
Lord's people, we're so richly blessed in so many ways. I can't even begin to count all
those but we come together in fellowship, we rejoice in the
Lord, we rejoice in the salvation that the Lord has so richly given
to us, we hear the word preached and we're helped by that word
in the struggles and joys that we face in our lives. And we're taught of the Lord
and so many things. We have the Lord's table together,
remembering his death until he come, all of these things, singing
hymns and praise. And I thought, but you know,
what is the primary reason for the church? Why do we meet? What's the primary
reason for you and I as the Lord's people? What's the work that
he's given to us? I know I tend to forget that. It's to glorify God, isn't it? When we meet, that's our primary
purpose, that's our primary focus, and I so quickly forget that.
And why am I saying this right now? Because I was thinking about
this passage in Hebrews and I thought our understanding as we grow
in our understanding of the truth, God is glorified in that. Have
you thought of that? The reason that is, is this is
his word that he's given to us to tell us about himself and
especially about his son that he so delights in. And as we
grow in our understanding of God and his son and the work
that he's accomplished We grow to glorify him in a more
deeper and a greater way and so it's worth the effort and
effort not only here in Hebrews but in all of the scripture to
spend time. As our pastor said I think just
a week or so ago that the privilege to not only read the word but
to study the word and to meditate upon the word. This is such a
privilege that we have as the Lord's people because as we do
that the Lord gives us an understanding, doesn't he, if we're his people
and he teaches us and we grow in knowledge of the Lord. And in doing that, we grow to
glorify him in a greater way. And so let's consider some of
the Lord's word here in Hebrews 10. And before we begin, I think
it's important to remember that this epistle is written to Jewish
believers. Jewish believers who had experienced
and were continuing to experience a great trial of afflictions
and not only that, false teachers had come into their realm and
they were undermining the person and work of Christ, teaching
that no, in fact, this wasn't the Messiah, this wasn't the
promised one, causing some to draw back. draw back into that
old form of religious worship that God had given. It was God
given, and he'd given it to these people of Israel. And so some
were drawing back, and this is the reason for the writer in
this epistle to the Hebrews, to address these things, to draw
them to look at the truth of the word of God, particularly
to look at Christ and see that all of these Old Testament practices
that God had given to them were in effect shadows, all looking
forward to the reality that was found in Christ. Well, we see, just look over
to verse 32, the writer makes reference, even in this chapter,
to the things that these people were facing, that these Jews
were facing. Verse 32 of chapter 10, but recall
the former days in which after you were illuminated, you endured
a great struggle with sufferings, partly while you were made a
spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly
while you became companions of those who were so treated. For
you had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted
the plundering of your goods, knowing that you had a better
and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven." So here
they are. They're facing these trials.
They're being persecuted because of their profession of faith
in Christ. And, you know, I think we need to
remember These people are just like us, you know, and they were
facing these great trials. False teachers were coming in,
confusing them. And again, remember that these
were people who had been following a religion, if I can put it that
way, for a thousand years or more, given to them by God. God's prophets had spoken to
them. And so it's easy for us to look
back and look at them and think, how could they not understand? How could they be doing this? How could there be a struggle?
But if we think of it in context, and Hebrews is a book that we,
if we're ever gonna understand it, we have to understand it
in context. This is why we see so much discussion about Old
Testament practice in Hebrews, because he's writing to these
Jews. This had been their entire life
and culture. And so he's carefully and meticulously
laying out all of these things, trying to give them an understanding
of how all of these things were all part of God's purposes, promises,
and blessings to them as a people of Israel looking forward to
Christ. And I think it's interesting,
too, that, see, he mentions not only here, but of these great
trials that they're facing, but he doesn't give any counselor
instruction of how they should get out of those difficulties.
Nothing. Or how to avoid trials. Because
fundamentally, it's not the trials that we face in life which are
our problem. It's not the things that are
causing some to turn away, but it's the fact that they're ignorant
of certain truth. They're ignorant of certain truth
and do not fully understand the gospel of God's salvation. That's the problem, not the trials
they're facing. We're always going to face trials.
You and I are always gonna face trials. Those aren't the problems,
even though we think they are. The problems are we often don't,
like these Jewish believers, don't approach them in the right
way because we are either ignorant or have a weak understanding. Now, When that's the case, when our
grasp of God's purpose of redemption through his son, the Lord Jesus
Christ, is weak, then the result of that is we're weak in faith.
It's just inevitable. Now, the book of Hebrews, again,
is written to these believers to help them more fully understand
who Christ is and all that he's accomplished. for his people.
And of course, that's why the epistle begins with those three
magnificent verses about Christ, who he is and what he's done. And then towards the end of this
epistle, the focus turns to the real practical implications of
this truth, these truths, in the lives of these people and
in the lives of all of us. But let's just read, all I wanna
look at, well, we'll look at back in the chapter, but let's
look at these verses 19 through 25 tonight. And I don't know
how far we'll get, but we'll get partway anyway. And verse
19. Therefore, brethren, having boldness
to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living
way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his
flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God, let us
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having
our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession
of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good
works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is
the manner of some, but exhorting one another in so much the more
as you see the day approaching. Now, this portion begins in this
way, therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest. I can't read that without thinking
what a shocking statement this would have been to the ears of
the first century Jew. For over a thousand years of
Jewish history, there had never been a single Israelite who had
ever entered into the holiest in the tabernacle or the temple
with the exception of the high priest, and that was only once
a year. But even more startling is that
this statement isn't speaking about the temple in Jerusalem,
which was only a copy of the true, but entrance into the tabernacle
not made with hands, entrance into the dwelling place of God,
into the very presence of God himself. without fear, without
fear. That should be a statement of
great wonder to you and I. That we, sinners, polluted, could come into the presence
of the holy God without fear. Therefore, brethren, having boldness
to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus." If there's one thing
that every Israelite knew, it was that entrance into the holiest
was by blood. Without the shedding of blood,
there is no remission of sins. Look at verse one in this chapter.
Just turn back, verse one. where we read about the law,
which is this form of religion given by God to Israel on Mount
Sinai, and everything which flowed from that. And so we read, for
the law, the law given to Israel in its entirety, not just the
Ten Commandments, the law in its entirety, for the law having
a shadow of the good things to come and not the very image of
of the things can never, with the same sacrifices which they
offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
In this verse, the offering referred to year by year is clearly with
reference to this most significant of all days in the worship of
Israel, the Day of Atonement. This was the day no man, no man
could enter the holy place except on this one day. You remember, God had told Moses,
tell Aaron, your brother, that is Aaron, the high priest, tell
Aaron, your brother, not to come at just any time into the holy
place inside the veil before the mercy seat, which is on the
ark, lest he die. Well, why would he die? Why would
he die? Because behind that veil was
the most terrifying thing any sinner could ever think of facing. Behind the veil was the Lord. This is what he says. For I will appear in the cloud. above the mercy seat. That's
why, that's why. Above the mercy seat between
the cherubim appeared this strange light, the Shekinah glory, signifying
the presence of the Holy One of Israel, the God of Israel. When the high priest went in
on this day, we read in Leviticus, you remember, He says the high
priest alone would go in, kill the goat of the sin offering
which was for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do
with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull and sprinkle
it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. So he shall make
atonement for the holy place because of the uncleanness of
the children of Israel and because of their transgressions for all
their sins. But this form of worship was
never intended to justify the sinner in the sight of God. How strongly the scriptures emphasize
this truth and how much this truth has been ignored
and this error has been propagated everywhere. This form of worship was not
appointed to justify the people of Israel. The law wasn't given
to Israel for them to keep and be justified. The law was given
to show them that they could never keep the law, and therefore
could never be justified by the law, nor ever cleansed from the
pollution of their sin. The continual offerings of sacrifices
for sins year after year in itself demonstrated this. Look at verse
two. For then would they have not ceased to be offered? For
the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness
of sin. But in those sacrifices, there
is a reminder of sins every year. If these sacrifices had been
effectual to make those who approach perfect, then wouldn't they have
ceased to be offered? That's the argument. Well, of
course they would have. What purpose would they serve?
There would be no need of offering for sin. But these sacrifices
never ended. Year after year, generation after
generation, these same sacrifices were offered continually. the
worshipers knew that they stood as guilty sinners before God. So rather than the law making
those who approach perfect and purifying their consciences,
it was the very opposite. In these sacrifices offered year
by year, there was, what did it say? There was a reminder
of sins. A reminder of sins, these offerings
continually proclaim to the Israelite, you're a sinner. Or as the epistle to the Romans
tells us, by the law is the knowledge of sin. In these sacrifices, the curse
of the law was continually presented before their eyes. What did they
see? Death and bloody sacrifice continually,
rivers of blood. The sacrifices were saying the
soul that sins shall surely die. The law was to show them that
they could never be made perfect by their own efforts. They could
never approach into the presence of the infinitely holy God who
dwells in unapproachable light. You know, and I thought what
a powerful and striking picture is given to us of temple worship,
in the temple worship of this sinfulness of man, of the utter
impossibility for man to approach God in himself, in any way to
enter into his presence, into the presence of God where there's
life forevermore. Look down now to verse 11, if
you would, verse 11. And every priest, verse 11, and
every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly
the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. There were
many priests. and many sacrifices. They ministered
daily, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, year after year,
generation after generation. The priest stood there. Why? Because the work was never finished. These priests and these sacrifices
could never take away sins, could never make those who approach
perfect. This worship and service never
testified that this was the way of perfection, that this was
the way of salvation. No, it was the exact opposite.
All of this repeated service testified of the utter futility
of all of this to take away sin. But this man, look, verse 12,
verse 12, but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice
for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. What a
contrast. But this man offered not many
sacrifices, but one sacrifice for sins and sat down. The work was complete. The epistle
to the Hebrews begins with this statement. Remember, he by himself
purged our sins. What a wonder. One man, one priest
made one offering for sins and purged our sins forever. Forever. Christ entered not the
holy place made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into
heaven itself. He entered with his own blood
into the presence of God for us. And in that moment, the way
into the most holy place was opened forever. Why? Look at verse 14. For by one
offering, he has perfected forever those who are sanctified. That
is one of the greatest verses, in my opinion, in all the word
of God. By one offering, He has perfected
forever those who are sanctified. He's done it all, hasn't he?
What assurance of salvation we can find in that verse alone.
But look, let me show you something wonderful. In verse 15, it speaks
about the witness of the Holy Spirit. It says, but the Holy
Spirit also witnesses to us, for after he had said before,
now Here he makes a reference to the prophecy of the new covenant
in Jeremiah 31, right? He says, after he had said before,
this is the covenant that I will make with them in those days,
says the Lord, I will put my laws in their hearts and in their
minds, I will write them. And here is what the Holy Spirit
also witnesses to us. Isn't it interesting how it puts
that? The Spirit also witnesses this to us. And then he adds,
their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. That's the Holy Spirit. You see,
there is what? No longer a reminder of sins. Why? Because they're gone forever. If the sins are gone, there's
no longer an offering for sin. The writer to the Hebrews is
showing them how the new covenant promises are fulfilled entirely
in Christ. Everything that they're looking
for, everything that they're working for, striving to do are
all fulfilled in Christ. Our sins have been purged. And
we've been perfected forever and therefore we enter into the
presence of God no longer with fear. We enter in with boldness. Verse 20, go back to the passage
we're looking at. We enter with boldness by the
blood of Jesus, by the blood of Christ, verse 20, by a new
and a living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that
is his flesh. Now this way is always new and
always living. This way is not the outward shadows
and religious service of the old covenant which only brought
about death and could never give life. This new way is a person,
an ever living person who's been raised again according to the
power of an endless life. He alone is the way, the truth,
and the life. And the Lord consecrated this
way through his death. He did this for us. We're told he consecrated this
way this new and living way through the veil. And so there can't
be any mistake as to what this veil is. When he's speaking about
it, it says that is his flesh. That's the veil. When the high priest entered
the most holy place, that tabernacle, in the old worship, the veil
was moved aside and then immediately closed. He was the only one who
entered. and no one else. But when Christ
died, what happened? The veil was torn from top to
bottom, signifying that this sacrifice and this offering in
which his flesh was torn, there's a way opened for us into the
holiest place forever, a curtain never to be closed again. Can
you imagine for the Jew who was coming into an understanding,
the Jewish believer of these things, how these things would
have resonated in his heart as he understood what Christ had
accomplished? Everything that they had longed
for and hoped for fulfilled in Christ. But two, you know, I thought
what a powerful and striking testimony this is that acceptance
into the presence of God is not through any form of religious
worship. It's through a person. You know,
if people could just get a grasp of that simple truth, they'd
go a long way, wouldn't they? In verse 21, we read, and having
a high priest over the house of God. You know, do you think all of this is dry
doctrine? I mean, some people do. They
do. To them, the book of Hebrews
is Just page after page of all these intricate details about
the Jewish worship and service and so forth. And, you know,
why is all this necessary? Why all this Old Testament stuff?
I've heard things like this. You know, why don't you just
preach the simple gospel to these Hebrews? Well, this is the gospel
in all its glory. This high priest over the house
of God who is the one who has opened the way for us into the
sanctuary of God's presence. He and he alone. He is the high priest of infinite
dignity and glory for he is the eternal son of God. He is the
high priest who has offered a sacrifice more precious than gold that
perishes. Sacrifice, which the word tells
us, is the blood of God. He's been exalted to supreme
glory and is the great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the son of God. The Lord Jesus Christ, too, is
an ever living priest, a priest forever, ordering all things
and ruling all things in the house of God. All he does is
for the good of his church, the salvation of his people, and
for the glory of God. And he, he is the Shekinah glory,
isn't he? Dwelling among his people, he
dwells with us and he dwells in us, blessing us with every
spiritual blessing in heavenly places. In verse 22, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed
with pure water. Well, who cleanses us? Our great
high priest. Just as there were the physical
cleansing preparations of the priests under the old covenant,
so too there are spiritual, spiritual cleansing preparations through
this new and living way. The word tells us we've been
made priests to our God. Not like the priests of the old
covenant, but priests in a true, inward, spiritual sense. This
sprinkling is inward, in the heart. The washing is not the
washing of the body, but the spiritual washing of the Holy
Spirit in the new birth. The temple worship and service
of the high priest in the old covenant could never cleanse
the conscience of the people of Israel, could it? It could
never cleanse their conscience, why? Because it could never take
away sin. Look, just look back to Hebrews
chapter nine for a minute and let's refresh our minds with
that thought in verse 11. Hebrews nine and verse 11. But
what about this high priest? But Christ came as high priest
of the good things to come. With a greater and more perfect
tabernacle not made with hands that is not of this creation.
Not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood
he entered the most holy place once for all having obtained
eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and
goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies
for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without
spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the
living God. Now that is a high priest, isn't
it? A high priest who can cleanse our conscience. Not in the work of the Holy Spirit
in the new birth. The Word of God tells us that
the whole soul is sanctified by the spiritual sprinkling of
the blood of Christ upon our hearts, cleansing our consciences
of sin. Why? Because he's taken them
away. He's borne all our sin. and taken
it away and there's no longer a reminder of sin. Giving us a new heart, a new
mind and causing us to walk in newness of life. We've been made
priests to serve in the newness of the spirit, in the house of
God. And so what do we read in verse
22? Let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith.
Let us draw near to God. Let us draw near with a true
heart. This is what God has appointed. This is what God is interested
in. He's not interested in the outward forms of worship, in
the types, in the shadows. He's interested in the heart,
isn't he? God seeks those who worship him
in spirit and in truth. Well, what is the true heart?
That's an important question, isn't it? What is the true heart?
How do we draw near? Well, we draw near by faith,
don't we? We draw near by faith. Faith
that we're clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Faith that we're washed
in the blood of the Lamb. That's a true heart. We draw
near with a true heart of faith given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Without this God-given faith, No man could ever draw near to
God in full assurance that he's accepted by God, could he? No
man. We draw near resting fully upon
Christ alone. We draw near with a true heart,
not a double-minded heart of works righteousness. not a heart
doubting the sufficiency of Christ's atonement, not the hypocritical
heart of stone, no, no. We draw near with a true heart
and full assurance of faith. Why? Because we have boldness
to enter by the blood of Jesus. We have a great high priest over
the house of God who has entered for us. We have our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water,
sanctified in Christ. This is what we read in 1 Peter
2, coming to him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men,
but chosen by God and precious. You also, as living stones, are
being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. to offer up
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. This is the new and living way,
isn't it? We draw near in full assurance of faith, without fear,
with confidence, with liberty, knowing that we're accepted of
God because of the satisfaction of Jesus Christ. What a wonder. We draw near as a holy priesthood,
in this house, in this spiritual house, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God. Verse 23, let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised
is faithful. Well, what confession have we
made? What confession had they made? We've confessed faith in Christ,
faith in Christ to be justified. Faith in him to receive the gift
of eternal life. He's our hope, isn't he? He's
our confession. We, in faith, have laid hold
upon him. Can we draw near in full assurance
of faith? Can we hold fast the confession
of our hope without wavering? Well, what's it based upon? It's based upon the promise of
the one who cannot lie. You see, it's not based upon
you and I. It wouldn't happen if it were. It's based upon the
promise of the one who cannot lie. You know that passage in
Hebrews 6 where we read, thus God, determining to show more
abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel,
confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which
it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation. Who have fled for refuge to lay
hold of the hope set before us. God promised, hear that? God
promised, he cannot lie, we've believed him, and we've laid
hold of the hope set before us. And then he continues, this hope
we have as an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast,
what does that hope do? It enters the presence behind
the veil. Where the forerunner has entered
for us, even Jesus, having become high priest forever, according
to the order of Melchizedek. Now that's a great summary of
all we've been saying, isn't it? He who promised is faithful
and he's done all that he said he would do. He's fulfilled every
promise in this forerunner, even Jesus. Hold fast to him without
wavering. Well, we have Three appeals,
and we'll finish here, we have three appeals to these saints
on the basis of all that the Lord has done for us. The first
appeal we saw is related to faith. Let us draw near with a true,
hard, and full assurance of faith. The second appeal is related
to hope. Let us hold fast the confession
of our hope without wavering. And so it's no accident that
the third appeal relates to love. Verse 24. And let us consider
one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but
exhorting one another in so much more as you see the day approaching. Now I've said this before, that
those think, think, Those who are priests serve the Lord and
serve his people. That was the picture that was
given to the nation of Israel. The priests served the Lord and
served his people, and they served in the house of God. But we do too, as priests, made
priests. We serve the Lord, we serve his
people, and we serve in the house of God. We serve in this house,
not made with hands, but in the spiritual house. And we offer
up, not those offerings of blood, we offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God in Christ. And their service, the service
of these priests are characterized by faith, hope, and love. Where were the priests of the
old covenant found in the worship of the Lord? They were found
in the temple, weren't they? In the temple serving God and
serving the people of Israel and so this is true, this is
true of the true spiritual Israel. We read later in first Peter
there in that chapter, but you are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, For what
reason? Now listen, that you may proclaim
the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light. That's our primary purpose, isn't
it? To glorify our God and our Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.