ENCOURAGING FAITHFULNESS Hebrews 10: 19 - 25

o It has been said that if you can convince a man there was no hope, he would curse the day he was born. Hope is one of life's qualities that we cannot live without. Many years ago off the coast of Massachusetts a submarine was rammed by another ship and sank. The entire crew was trapped in its prison house of death and ships rushed to the scene of the disaster. We do not know what took place in the depths of the sea in that submarine, but we can be certain that the men clung bravely to life as the oxygen slowly ran out. A diver placed his helmeted ear to the side of the vessel and listened. He heard a tapping noise. Someone was tapping out a question in the dots and dashes of Morse Code. The question came slowly: is... there... any... hope?
o Is there any hope? That is the silent question of so many people in the world today. According to the author of Hebrews, there is no greater hope than the hope available in Jesus Christ. As Verse 19 reveals, Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:19, NIV)
o It is through the sacrifice of Jesus that we may have a new attitude toward the presence of God. Unlike the high priests of the old covenant, we may approach God confidently. We do not have to wait for a special day to enter God's very presence because we may come by faith in Jesus.
o Verse 20 continues, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, the way which Jesus opened for us to the Father is new and living.
o It is new because in Jesus God has provided us with a totally new set of circumstances in which we can relate to him directly.
o It is living because it is permanently and inseparably connected to the person of Jesus Christ. John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
o Jesus opened this way back to God through the curtain of his flesh. The word "opened" is literally "dedicated" as one would dedicate people or things for Temple service and sacrifice with the blood of sacrificed animals. Jesus, however, dedicates himself as the opened way through the sacrifice of his own blood.
o The "curtain" represents both the curtain in the Temple (which hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy place) and it represents the body of Jesus. At their tearing, the way to God was opened. We are no longer confined from God, but may freely come to him, any time, any place.
o Let's go on and read verse 21, and since we have a great priest over the house of God. The term great priest is a literal translation of the Hebrew normally translated as high priest. Not only is Jesus the great high priest, he is also over God's household.
o Jesus, the only begotten Son and High Priest humbled himself in human flesh and made the way back to God for us all. He is the great King over us all, the King who sacrificed his life so we might really live.
o We now come to the three pieces of earnest advice and encouragement of this passage. Three Lettuces from the tenth row of the Hebrews garden.
o First, let us draw near: Verse 22, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
o We draw near to God "With a sincere heart." The heart is our most inward part, it's who we are when nobody's looking or when we think nobody is looking. As we approach God, are we inwardly pure or our hearts right with him? It is important that we are, since our God is holy.
o "Full assurance of faith" reminds us that it is only through trusting in Jesus' high priestly sacrifice on the cross that we may even come to God in the first place.
o "Hearts sprinkled" and "bodies washed" remind us of baptism. If you've been baptised by immersion, you may remember that baptism is an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual truths.
o Baptism represents the cleansing and renewal of the Holy Spirit in our lives and when we first turn away from what's wrong with ourselves, our sin, and come to Jesus in faith.
o The sprinkling of the heart also represents the sprinkling of dedication and cleansing. The blood of Jesus washes us from the inside out in preparation for service to him.
o Second, let us hold unswervingly: Verse 23, Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
o The author of Hebrews wants his/her readers to have a firm grasp on our confession of hope because God is faithful.
o It is not sheer will of faith which saves us, but our hope in the always faithful God. Hope confidently expects that since God is faithful, then he can be fully relied upon to keep his promises.
o God the great promise maker is also the great promise keeper. He never breaks his word.
o In fact, Paul writes, For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory. (2 Cor. 1:20, NLT)
o Third, let us consider: Verses 24 and 25, And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds...not giv[ing] up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but... encourag[ing] one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
o In Greek, the word translated "spur" normally means "irritation" or "exasperation." It's hard to imagine using such a word in a positive light. Think of it! Are we to consider how we are to irritate and annoy one another on toward love and good deeds?
o I'm not sure that this is hyperbole because of how unusual that word choice is. I think Hebrews' writer means we are to be provocative in motivating and urging one another toward love and good deeds.
o Do we challenge those whom we love to a deeper level of committment? Or are we soothing and passive, soft and comforting?
o Proverbs tells us, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Prov. 27:6)
o There are times for soothing, comforting words and there are also times for thought provoking, challenging words.
o Since love is a verb, we need to show our love in practical ways, which meet the needs of others, and place their needs above ours.
o Can you recall the last time someone truly spurred you on? Did you let them or did you get irritated? You married people, when was the last time you honestly considered the concerned criticism of your spouse? God instituted marriage partly because two are better than one. Your spouse can often see faults which can sneak up on you and blindside you, so learn to listen to each other.
o Love requires others for it to be exercised. You can do faith and hope alone, but not love. Love needs community.
o The NIV includes a fourth and fifth "let us", but these lettuces are not in the Greek sentence structure. The last two encouragements are also part of "Let us consider."
o Just like today, the early church had its own fair share of problems with people who tried to go it alone, who stayed home from church, maybe they came for Christmas and Easter, but that's about it.
o The problem with skipping out on gathering with the rest of God's people is this: What happens when you take a live coal out of the fire? The coal glows brightly for a few moments, but not as brightly as when it was among the rest of the coals, then the fire within it goes out completely. The only way to bring back the fire is to place it within the center of the hot coals once more.
o That's also true for us. Take us out of the church and it becomes harder to live the Christian life in a culture that, today as in the first century AD, does not support or uphold faith in Christ.
o It is for this reason that we must continue to encourage one another to not give up meeting together, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
o The approaching Day is obviously the Day of Judgement, but in the first century it was also on the minds of people in Jerusalem that their city's doom at the hands of Rome was fast approaching.
o Certainly, it could not have been easy for those early believers to distinguish between the two days.
o What we must take from this is that our actions toward one another need to reflect the knowledge that each one will one day have to give an account before almighty God.
o It is, therefore, vitally important that we encourage one another.
o Why did the writer of Hebrews tell his readers to encourage one another?
o God is faithful to his promises, so they must keep doing acts of love and good works, not giving up meeting together since the day of his coming draws near.
o Why should we encourage each other?
o God is faithful to his promises, so encourage each other to be faithful.