by Duane Maust
Hebrews 10: 19-25
November 15, 2009
I believe these verses have some good news for us today. They tell about what Jesus has done for us. They will tell us to encourage each other. Then they will help us stick at it because of what the future holds.
I want us to look at four verses now. We have something here today that is really special. Jesus gave us a new way to God compared to what they had to do in the Old Testament. We have a new plan. We can go directly to Jesus for forgiveness. We don’t have to go to the temple with our livestock and have it’s blood cover our sins. Jesus did that for us on the cross.
In verse 20, it is talking about the curtain opening. At Jesus death, the temple curtain was tore from top to bottom. Mark15: 38. What tore that curtain? If someone on the ground would have tore it, it would be from the bottom up. That place behind the curtain was only for the High Priest to go into. Now we can go directly to God.
Jesus is our High Priest. After Jesus went to heaven, he gave us his Holy Spirit to be here with us.
This almost sounds like an Easter sermon, but this is something for us to celebrate all year long. Jesus loves us. Jesus came to give his blood for each of us. Jesus is our High Priest. Jesus came so we can celebrate verse 22.
Read vs. 22 (key words) cleanse us, washed, pure water (because of Jesus)
Read v23 (key word) unswervingly, profess, hope, promised
Read Heb. 3:1
We have something here worth sticking at. We have something here that can give us hope.
Read verse 24-25
Yesterday I was talking to Bob Baldwin about these verses. He said this sounds like our church covenant. Think about it. That is exactly what we try to promise each other.
Read the first part of the covenant
If you want to read the covenant in its complete form, you can go to the church’s web site and read it with verses that support the statements.
The world is full of discouragers; we have a Christian duty to encourage each other. A lot of times a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a person on their feet. Blessed is the person who speaks such a word.
Will Arthur Ward said, “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”
In verse 25, when it talks about meeting together, we need to keep that a priority. In the Barclay Bible commentary it says to go to church demonstrates where your loyalty lies. Even if the sermon is poor and the worship is boring, the church gives us a chance to show people what side we are on.
The writer of Hebrews is saying that our Christian duty to each other is all the more pressing because the time is short. The day is approaching. The writer is thinking of the second coming of Christ when things as we know then will be ended. The early church lived in that expectation. We realize that no person knows when Christ is coming. We realize that we must keep on moving forward but live ready.
Mark 13 is part of the lectionary for today. This fits real good with this last verse.
Read Mark 13: 5-8, 32-33
The day is approaching.
We have much to celebrate today.
Let’s remember what Jesus came and gave us.
Let’s us remember what we have in our friendship in our church family.
Let’s remember what we are living for. We are looking for Christ’s return.