Sermon #47 Hebrews Notes


Title: "LET US"

Text: Hebrews 10:19-25

Subject: Three Areas of Tremendous Responsibility

Date: Tuesday Evening – March 13, 2000

Tape #

Introduction:
When reading Holy Scripture, we sometimes pass over small, familiar words and phrases, or statements of fact, without much thought. After the message Sunday evening, I said to someone, "I must confess, I am far too often guilty of reading over things in the Scriptures, when it appears that the context is just moving from one thing to another." We ought never do that with the Word of God. If we do, we are sure to miss precious, exquisite pearls hidden in what seem to be very common shells. Every word in this Book is written by divine inspiration for a divine purpose, for our comfort, instruction, and edification in the saving knowledge of Christ.

In reading the Book of Hebrews, have you ever noticed how often we are admonished to do something, with the words "Let us." These two, very familiar words are used powerfully in this epistle. Twelve times in these thirteen chapters the apostle Paul calls us to action, inspires us to do something of tremendous importance with these two words.

  1. Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

  2. Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

  3. Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

  4. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

  5. Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.

  6. Hebrews 10:22 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.

  7. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).

  8. Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.

  9. Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

  10. Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

  11. Hebrews 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

  12. Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.


I may bring a message to you from these twelve rallying texts in the near future, but tonight I want us to focus on that which is before us in Hebrews 10:19-25. Here God the Holy Spirit uses these two words, "Let us," to call us to three very important responsibilities and privileges as God’s saints in this world.

Hebrews 10:19-25 -- "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an 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 profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

In these verses of Holy Scripture the apostle Paul is urging us, as believers, to persevere in the faith. In the face of trials and temptations, difficulties and dangers, heretics and hecklers, we must persevere in the faith. It is written, "He that endureth unto the end shall be saved." It is not the person who begins the race, but the one who finishes it that wins the prize.

Proposition: If we would continue, steadfast in the faith, there are some things we must do.

Divisions: Here God the Holy Spirit calls us to do three things.

  1. "Let us draw near" to our God (vv. 19-22).

  2. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith" (v. 23).

  3. "Let us consider one another" (vv. 24-25).

    4.  

    1. "Let us draw near" to our God (vv. 19-22).


Hebrews 10:22 "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."

This text does not stand alone. It is part of a sentence which begins in verse 19. So let’s read the whole sentence, beginning at verse 19 and we will work our way through verse 22.

  1. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, believing sinners have free access to God almighty upon his glorious throne, by Christ’s precious blood (v. 19).


Through the merit and mediation of Christ, by faith in his sin-atoning blood, you and I can now approach that God who is "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of lords, Who only hath immortality dwelling in light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting" (1 Tim. 6:15-16). Now, look at verse 19.

Hebrews 10:19 "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."

Did you catch that sweet word "brethren"? This is a term of family oneness, spiritual unity, common blessedness, and tender affection. As brethren, you and I have this common privilege. We are here called to enter into the holy presence of God with boldness by the blood of Jesus, our one Savior, our only Savior, our common Savior, our accepted Savior, our enthroned Savior.

The place we may enter with boldness is heaven itself, "the holiest," referring the holy of holies in the tabernacle, which was the type of heavenly glory.

    • This is the most holy place.

    • This is the place of God’s manifest majesty, glory and presence.

    • This is the place of mercy.

    • This is the place where our Father is, where our Savior is, where our brethren are, where our Sacrifice is!


Heaven was symbolically shut by the sin of man, when he was driven out of the garden of Eden. It was typically opened by the entrance of the high priest into the holy of holies on the day of atonement. But now, it really is open. "Behold, a Door open in heaven!" That Door is Christ . He has in person entered into it by his blood. He has opened the way for us. In him and by him we may "enter" now; and, bless God, we do!

Here we come and present our prayers and praises to God by Christ. Here we pour out our hearts to the Lord. Here we find mercy, grace, and peace. And soon, we shall enter, like our Lord himself, personally, all by his blood!

The way of entrance is "by the blood of Jesus." It is his blood which gives both entrance and boldness. By his blood sin is removed both from the sight of God, and the conscience of the believer; peace is made with God and spoken to our hearts, pardon is procured, law and justice are satisfied and no more to be feared. And by his blood the everlasting covenant ratified and confirmed.

Now, read on (vv. 20-21)…

Hebrews 10:20-21 "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ---[21]--- And having an high priest over the house of God."

  1. We may approach God himself with boldness, drawing near to him by faith, because we have a great High Priest sitting in his presence, sitting with him on his throne, accepted forever!

    2. 1 John 2:1-2     "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: ---[2]--- And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

  2. Therefore, let us ever draw near!

    3. Hebrews 10:22 "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."

    1. "With a true heart" – That is to say, not with the body only, but with the heart, with a new heart, one that is right with God, and is single, sincere, is hearty in its desires, and upright in its ends.

    2. "In full assurance of faith" – Faith in and toward the triune God! We cannot draw near to God in any other way. God is seen by faith, known by faith, honored by faith, and worshipped by faith in Christ.

    3. "Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" -- Our consciences are by nature evil, blind, perverse, corrupt, and pronounce us guilty before God. Once the blood of Christ, is sprinkled on the conscience by the Spirit of God, it is thereby purged it from dead works, cleansed it from all sin, and granted the blessed peace of full pardon and forgiveness, upon the ground of justice satisfied. It is this that gives the believing sinner boldness to draw near to God.

    4. "And our bodies washed with pure water" – This is not talking about the water of baptism, but about the grace of God the Holy Spirit, often compared to water in Scripture. The body as well as soul needs washing and renewing. Grace in the heart cleanses the life and sanctifies the whole man. "The allusion," Gill tells us, "is to a custom of the Jews, who were obliged to wash their bodies, and make them clean, when they prayed" worshipped and offered sacrifice to God.


    1. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith" (v. 23).


Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)."

  • The Doctrine of Our Profession

  • The Object of Our Profession

  • Because God is Faithful and He has promised us eternal life and salvation in Christ.


Lamentations 3:21-26 "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. ---[22]--- It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. ---[23]--- They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. ---[24]--- The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. ---[25]--- The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. ---[26]--- It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."

    1. "Let us consider one another" – (vv. 24-25).


Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: ---[25]--- Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

Now, let’s look at these two verses together. May God give us grace to hear and heed his Word, for Christ’s sake.

  1. "And let us consider one another" -- Brethren, let us always be thoughtful and considerate of one another.

  2. As men – We are all but men, men and women of like passions and infirmities. We should consider one another’s weaknesses and make allowance for them. We should consider one another’s outward state and condition in the world, and try to understand one another’s needs, and help each other.

  3. As saints, as believers, as in Christ -- We are all partakers of the same grace, loved with the same love, conceived and brought forth in the womb of God’s eternal electing grace, interested in the same covenant, redeemed by the same blood, and have the same graces and privileges. -- We all have the same and an equal right to heaven and eternal glory in Christ. – We all have one Spirit and the same Spirit, the same grace of faith, the same righteousness, the same fountain to wash in, the same fullness to partake of, the same throne of grace to go to, and the same inheritance to enjoy.

  4. As church members, members of the same family and the same body – God grant us grace always to consider one another in this light.

  5. To provoke unto love – Let us ever provoke one another to brotherly love, to stir it up because it is always apt to wax cold. This is our Lord’s new commandment, the bond of perfection, the evidence of regeneration, that which makes the saints’ communion comfortable and delightful. Without this brotherly love a profession of faith is in empty, meaningless and vain.

  6. And to good works – Works of grace, kindness, forgiveness, patience, forbearance, and faithfulness.


Now, look at verse 25, and learn how we can, must, and should fulfill this admonition.

Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: ---[25]--- Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

Turn to Psalm 5:7.

 

"As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple" (Ps. 5:7).

David, the man after God's own heart, found great pleasure and satisfaction in daily prayer and meditation. Daily, private, personal worship was a characteristic of his life. With the rising of the morning sun his heart was lifted up to God. Every morning he directed his prayer to the throne of grace and looked to his Lord with a heart of faith. Every evening he gave thanks to God and laid his head upon his pillow in the sweet rest of faith. That is the way to begin and end every day! Blessed is the man or woman who worships God in private. Let all who know and trust the living God worship him daily. Let all who follow Christ in the path of faith and obedience follow him also to the solitary place of private prayer. I would do everything within my power to promote and encourage private worship among the saints of God. Let every priest of God offer the daily sacrifices of prayer and praise to the Lord. But them is something even more important than private worship.

Does that last statement surprise you? I know that most people who are genuinely concerned for the glory of God and the worship of God rank personal, private worship above all things in the life of faith. But I am convinced that public worship, if it is true worship, is even more important than private worship.

David, the sweet singer of Israel, gave the highest possible regard to the matter of public worship. Without neglecting private worship, he said, 'As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.' He could not force others to worship God, and would not if he could. 'But,' he says,'as for me, I will come into thy house.' That is to say, 'I will come into the place of public worship in the assembly of God's saints, to worship the Lord my God.' And when he came into the place of worship with the saints of God, David was determined truly to worship the Lord. He says, 'In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.' David was resolved in his heart, at every appointed time, to come with God's saints into the place of public worship, so that he might worship God in heaven, in the temple of his holiness. Let us look at this text a little more closely, and ask the Spirit of God to apply it to our hearts, so that David's words may become the expression of our own hearts' resolve.

'I will come into thy house.' The house of God is the congregation of the saints, wherever they gather in public assembly to worship God.

'I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy.' It is not enough merely to 'go to church'. We must come into the house of God in faith, trusting the Lord's mercy. And there are a multitude of mercies with God in Christ. Sinners need mercy. We must come to the place of public worship as sinners trusting God's abundant mercy in Christ. If we do not come as sinners seeking mercy, we will not worship. But sinners looking to Christ for mercy always find a multitude of mercy in him (Luke 18:13-14). In him we find:

    • Everlasting, covenant mercy (Jer. 31:31-34)

    • Sin-atoning, redeeming mercy (Rom. 3:24-26)

    • Effectual, saving mercy (Micah 7:18-20)

    • Immutable, preserving mercy (Mal. 3:6)

    • Daily, providential mercy (Rom. 8:28)

Truly, 'It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not' (Lam. 3:22), and every worshipper in God's house finds it to be so.

'And in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.' We must come to the house of God with reverence and godly fear to worship him, that is, to see him, to hear him, to adore him, to praise him and to obey him. This was David's resolve. May it ever be yours and mine. May God give us grace to make public worship our delight and truly to worship him in the assembly of his saints.

Public worship is the single most important aspect of the believer's life.

When David was banished from Jerusalem, the place of public worship, he envied even the sparrows who made their nests in the house of God. His heart longed not for the throne, the riches, or the power that had been taken from him, but for the assembly of God's saints in public worship. When the blessed privilege of public worship was taken from him for a short time, nothing was more important or precious to God's child (Ps. 84:1-4).

The fact is, all who are born of God love the assembly of God's saints in public worship and love the ministry of the gospel. There are no exceptions. God's people will not willingly absent themselves from the worship of God. It is true, there are many who very strictly attend, and even love, the outward service of public worship, who do not know the Lord. Their outward worship is nothing but a show of hypocrisy, for they never worship God in private. But anyone who wilfully neglects and despises the public assembly of the saints for worship, also neglects and despises private worship. And those who do not worship God do not know God.

Many people are very busy with all kinds of things. The cares and pleasures of life in this world consume almost all their time and attention. When it is convenient they attend church, give God a little tip and sing, 'Oh, how I love Jesus!' But any time something more important comes up (a good football match, a special television show, a visiting relative, or a sick dog!), they absent themselves from the house of God with little regret. They say to themselves, 'I can always go to church next week. The Lord knows my heart.' Of that much you can be sure: the Lord does know our hearts, and he will judge us accordingly!

Those who are truly God's people love the house of God and the worship of God. They arrange their lives around the worship of God. Nothing ever comes up, over which they have control, to keep them from the house of God. They see to it that when the saints of God gather for worship, they are among them, unless their absence is genuinely unavoidable. Their faithfulness in the matter of public worship is much more than a matter of duty. It is their delightful choice. Public worship is the single most important aspect of their lives in this world. Nothing is more important to the children of God in this world than the public assembly of the saints for worship; and that public assembly of the saints for worship is the local church, the congregation of the Lord, the house of God.

Why do God's people place such importance upon the public worship of the local church? Here are five reasons.

1. This is the place where God meets sinners in saving mercy. It is true that God uses personal witnessing, tracts, tapes, books and other instruments of gospel instruction to call his elect to life and faith in Christ, but generally God saves his sheep in the congregations of his saints when they are gathered for worship (Acts 2:1,37-41). Sinners in need of mercy should seek mercy where mercy is always found in great, overflowing abundance; and mercy is always found in the house of God.

God's saints know themselves to be sinners in need of mercy; so they come, with all their needs, to the house of mercy, seeking the Lord.

2. This is the place where our family gathers. Every true local church is a family of believers. When the church gathers for worship, it is the gathering of our family for sweet and blessed fellowship in the gospel. Family members need each other, comfort each other and help each other, because they love each other.

3. This is the place where the Lord Jesus Christ meets with his people. Our Saviour promised that, wherever his people gather in his name, he would be with them (Matt. 18:20). To gather in Christ's name is to gather by faith in his name, for the honour of his name and to worship in his name. If only two or three gather to worship the Son of God, he will meet with them. The old man, Simeon, found God's salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the temple, the appointed place of public worship (Luke 2:25-32), and if we would see Christ we must come with his saints when they gather in the place of public worship.

4. This is the place where God deals with men. Each local congregation of believers is the house and temple of the living God (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 1 Tim. 3:15). God reveals his glory, gives out his law, makes known his will, bestows his blessings and instructs his people in his temple, his church. It is in this place that God speaks to men by his Spirit through his Word.

In all ages the people of God have been known and identified by their public gatherings for worship. Wherever God has had a people in this world, he has had a congregation to worship him. Sheep are always found in flocks. The only sheep who are alone are either lost or sick. And God's elect are sheep. No matter how few, they have always gathered together in public worship. In the public assembly they bear public, united testimony to the world of their Saviour's grace and glory. As an assembled body of believers they strengthen, cheer, comfort, encourage, edify and help one another by prayer, praise and the preaching of the gospel.

From the beginning of the Bible to the end there is a clear line of succession in this matter of public worship. Cain and Abel came to worship God in a public assembly. Noah's first act after the flood was an act of public worship to celebrate God's saving grace. Wherever the patriarchs pitched their tents in days of old, they erected an altar for worship. Throughout the Mosaic economy, the Jew who did not worship God in the tabernacle or temple was cut off from the congregation. Throughout the book of Acts, wherever God's children were scattered by persecution, they soon gathered in public assemblies for the worship of God.

Public worship is one identifying mark of true believers. With David, every saved sinner is resolved to worship God, saying, 'As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.' By this let everyone examine himself or herself. Those who willingly and habitually absent themselves from the worship of God do not know God. A person may be outwardly faithful to the church of God who does not know God, but no one is faithful to Christ who is not faithful in the public assembly of his church for worship.

  1. The neglect of public worship is the first step towards total apostasy (Heb. 10:23-31). Seldom do men and women turn away from Christ and the gospel of his grace suddenly. Usually the charms of the world take men by degrees, gradually. Apostasy is usually so gradual that those who forsake Christ do not even realize they have forsaken him. How many them are who never attend, or seldom attend, the worship of God, who yet foolishly presume they are children of God! But their continued forsaking of the assembly of God's saints is proof that they never really knew the Lord Jesus Christ in saving faith (1 John 2:19). Those who wilfully neglect the assembly of God's saints for public worship, though they know the truth of God, tread underfoot the Son of God, count the blood of the covenant a useless thing and despise the Spirit of grace.


Application:

1. "Let us draw near" to our God (vv. 19-22).

  1. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith" (v. 23).

  2. "Let us consider one another" (vv. 24-25).
Don Fortner