1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,840 And I'm kind of enjoying this euphoric moment. 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:06,340 And then all of a sudden I hear, 3 00:00:06,340 --> 00:00:08,840 and Angela comes running to me, 4 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:13,220 and it goes from like this slow mo euphoric moment 5 00:00:13,220 --> 00:00:15,360 where I'm like, man, this is such a privilege 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:17,160 to like times two speed. 7 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,600 Like, oh no, this is such a responsibility. 8 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,280 In like 30 seconds, this wave of responsibility 9 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:24,160 like overwhelm me. 10 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,200 And now I'm doing triage on this girl. 11 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,020 I got to discipline the boy. 12 00:00:29,020 --> 00:00:31,880 The other boys got homework, and Gabby's like, 13 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:33,520 hey, so what do you think? 14 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:38,520 And I'm like, you know, I wasn't paying attention, sorry. 15 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,120 And you know, I have, here I am with one leg, 16 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,320 and I have like two legs worth of responsibility 17 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:47,920 all of a sudden, and I'm like, oh no. 18 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:49,880 Have you guys ever been there? 19 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:51,560 Maybe not literally, hopefully you guys have 20 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:56,080 both your legs, but metaphorically, you know. 21 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:00,240 Ben Parker, he said, with great power 22 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,280 comes great responsibility, and I think it would be 23 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,120 equally fair to say that with great privilege 24 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:06,320 comes great responsibility. 25 00:01:06,320 --> 00:01:11,320 If you were to have a kid, or get a dog, or buy a car, 26 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,880 all of those things are an amazing privilege to have them, 27 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,720 but they all carry a ton of responsibility. 28 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,200 And when you get saved, it's a privilege. 29 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,320 You didn't earn it, but you're not saved just to, 30 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:27,040 it's not get saved and chill. 31 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:31,840 You're saved to work out your salvation, to walk in faith, 32 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,800 and to do that with the assembly, with the church. 33 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,440 And the Bible teaches that being part of the assembly, 34 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,280 or the gathering of worship, is both a privilege 35 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:42,880 and a responsibility. 36 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,100 And to understand this privilege and responsibility 37 00:01:46,100 --> 00:01:48,140 of gathering together for worship, 38 00:01:48,140 --> 00:01:51,560 we have to understand first what worship is. 39 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,600 Warren Wearsby says, or said that worship is 40 00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:00,600 a believer's response of all that he is, mind, emotion, 41 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,840 will and body, to all that God is, and says and does. 42 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,760 And so, in other words, worship is a celebration 43 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,080 of God's worthiness using all your faculties. 44 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,800 And when we gather together, that's what we're here to do, 45 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:17,920 to celebrate Christ in our service to God, 46 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:20,920 and in our service to each other in various ways. 47 00:02:20,920 --> 00:02:24,480 And many of us don't always treat it that way though. 48 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,440 Oftentimes we swing between these two extremes 49 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,300 where we come into church, like we own the place, 50 00:02:29,300 --> 00:02:31,160 kind of forgetting that it's a gift 51 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:34,000 that we're even able to be part of the body. 52 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,280 And then others, they come in and they drag themselves in, 53 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,560 like it's a chore, like there's something better 54 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,160 that we could be doing. 55 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,280 And in both of those ways, you're missing out 56 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,000 on that privilege, but God's word says 57 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:47,680 that there's a better way to do it. 58 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,720 Just like that moment when my family, 59 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,240 with my family where it showed me the greatest privileges 60 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,140 in life carried the weightiest responsibilities, 61 00:02:57,140 --> 00:03:00,000 the gathering of worship is no different. 62 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,320 The gathering of worship is arguably 63 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,960 the greatest privilege and responsibility that we have, 64 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,000 and every believer should treat it that way 65 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,600 because of these three calls to worship 66 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,120 that we're gonna look at in Hebrews tonight. 67 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:15,160 But before we do that, we're gonna be in Hebrews 10. 68 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,280 Let's pray and then we'll get started. 69 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,960 Thank you Lord for allowing us to come together 70 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,480 and to worship you, to come together 71 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:25,120 with brothers and sisters in Christ 72 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,320 and to be able to come right into your presence. 73 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,920 And we're gonna pray in a little while 74 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:32,840 for people that we know and the things 75 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:34,040 that are going on in life, 76 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,640 and we're just blessed to even have that opportunity tonight. 77 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:38,720 And I just pray that we would keep that 78 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,200 at the forefront of our mind as we're here tonight. 79 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:42,600 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 80 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,000 So we're in Hebrews 10. 81 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:49,960 The book of Hebrews is written to a Jewish audience 82 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:54,240 facing persecution, Jewish Christians facing persecution, 83 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,240 and they're tempted to abandon the Christian gatherings 84 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,920 and return to Judaism because of these persecutions. 85 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,000 And the author of Hebrews is writing to them, 86 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,680 basically encouraging them to keep the faith. 87 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,040 We were in Hebrews for a while and Pastor Ben taught us 88 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,440 that we should keep the faith because Jesus is greater. 89 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,120 And that's what the point of Hebrews was pointing at 90 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:19,960 is to this Jewish audience, hey, Jesus is greater 91 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,400 than the law, than the sacrifices, 92 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,840 and then everything that was in the Jewish system. 93 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:27,960 Nothing in the Old Covenant could compare 94 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,400 to what Christ was providing them in the New Covenant. 95 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,080 And so we've been in Leviticus in Sunday school 96 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,200 for those who are in Sunday school. 97 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:36,920 Over the past few weeks we've been reading 98 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,160 about God establishing that Old Covenant system. 99 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:44,040 And he's giving the Jewish people the laws 100 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,320 that told them God's expectations. 101 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,160 And we know it's a perfect law 102 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,560 and so it requires perfect obedience. 103 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:52,120 They couldn't keep the law, right? 104 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:53,000 We can't keep the law. 105 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,840 No one can keep the law because we all sin. 106 00:04:55,840 --> 00:04:58,360 And sin separates people from God's presence. 107 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,560 And so God, being the loving God that he is, 108 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:03,320 wanting people to be in his presence, 109 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,400 created for Israel the system to deal with their sins. 110 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,240 God provided the tabernacle to dwell with his people. 111 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,760 He provided the system of atonement, right? 112 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:15,760 The sacrificial system for his people 113 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,040 so that he could dwell with his people. 114 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:19,920 But for the priest, for this to happen, 115 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:24,640 the priest had to follow all of these extensive instructions 116 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,480 without fail and they had to make continual sacrifices 117 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:28,320 for the people. 118 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:34,760 And I thought a good analogy for sin was kind of like a home. 119 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,280 There's no amount of cleaning 120 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:40,120 that can keep our homes clean forever, right? 121 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,040 You might clean your home one day, 122 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:43,560 but there's no amount of cleaning 123 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:44,600 that's gonna keep your home forever. 124 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,440 And there's no amount of animal sacrifice 125 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,040 that was gonna keep the souls of the people of Israel 126 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:50,320 clean forever. 127 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,800 And the people quickly learned 128 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,040 that they had this great privilege 129 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,480 of having the creator of the universe on their side, 130 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,120 but that came with this great responsibility. 131 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,080 And then what Hebrews is telling us, 132 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,800 or what Hebrews has told us kind of up into this point is 133 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,800 that the old covenant, while holy and while good, 134 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:09,520 was never meant to be the final answer. 135 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,640 God had always intended to establish something greater, 136 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,280 to send someone greater. 137 00:06:15,280 --> 00:06:17,000 And that person was Christ, 138 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,100 who was gonna usher in the new covenant through his own blood. 139 00:06:20,100 --> 00:06:23,200 And in the new covenant, God didn't only provide 140 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:28,120 the system for atonement, he provided the sacrifice as well. 141 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,720 The Bible says that Christ fulfilled the law 142 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,600 when he sacrificed himself on the cross for the world. 143 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,560 In Hebrews 10, 14, it says, 144 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,320 for by one offering he hath perfected forever 145 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,360 for them that are sanctified. 146 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,040 And so that meant no more yearly atonement was needed, 147 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,360 no more animal sacrifices required. 148 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:50,280 And I asked my Sunday school classes on Sunday, 149 00:06:50,280 --> 00:06:51,760 could you imagine if there was a way 150 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:53,440 to keep your house clean forever? 151 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,120 That would be amazing. 152 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,240 There's not, but especially if you have three kids. 153 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:02,600 But that's kind of what Christ did for our souls. 154 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,120 Believers are justified in Christ, 155 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,600 their souls are clean in the eyes of the Lord. 156 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,960 And in this new reality, God's law is written 157 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,160 on believers' hearts, and God's presence no longer resides 158 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:16,640 in tents built with hands, 159 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:20,480 or in a temple built with hands, but in his followers. 160 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,080 And through the spirit, we're sanctified, 161 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,680 we're set apart for service, for God's service, 162 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,160 and for service to his people. 163 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,760 And this is kind of like the sanctification process, 164 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:32,680 more like a cleaning process, 165 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,600 where believers become more like Christ, 166 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:37,800 as the Holy Spirit changes them from the inside out. 167 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,800 But we're clean, we're justified, 168 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:42,240 and we're being clean in no way. 169 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:46,560 But what that means today is that now believers, 170 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:48,200 every believer is a priest before God. 171 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,300 And this is what we would have been reading in Hebrews 172 00:07:51,300 --> 00:07:52,560 if we were following through. 173 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:54,960 And that means that you can know God 174 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,800 and love God personally and intimately today. 175 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,040 And that's a privilege, 176 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,880 to have direct access to God is such a privilege. 177 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,640 But that privilege, it comes with responsibility. 178 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,080 And you can be in his presence right now, 179 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:10,160 you can worship him right now. 180 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:12,240 And that means that you should, 181 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:13,480 and as a matter of fact, we're called to, 182 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,000 and that's what we're gonna be looking at tonight, 183 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,080 with this new covenant firmly established. 184 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,880 The writer of Hebrews gives us three specific calls 185 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,360 that show us why we ought to embrace 186 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:26,560 both the privilege and responsibility 187 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,040 of this gathering of worship. 188 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:32,160 And so the first call we're gonna look at 189 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:36,720 is in Hebrews 10 verses 19 through 22, 190 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,120 and it's let us draw near. 191 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:45,120 So Hebrews 10 verse 19 is where we're gonna pick up. 192 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,880 It says, having therefore brethren boldness 193 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,960 to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus 194 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,040 by a new and living way, 195 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:56,920 which he had consecrated for us through the veil, 196 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:58,680 that is to say his flesh. 197 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,080 And having a high priest over the house of God, 198 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:05,640 let us draw near with a true heart, 199 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,000 or with a true heart in full assurance of faith, 200 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:12,080 having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience 201 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,560 and our bodies washed with pure water. 202 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:20,840 And so here's kind of the point in a summary. 203 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:25,080 If you know Christ, you can have boldness 204 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,120 as you enter into his holy presence 205 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,240 and by the blood of Jesus. 206 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,040 In Sunday school, we read about Nadab and Abayu 207 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:36,720 and how they entered in and they offered strange sacrifice. 208 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,880 They offered worship to God that he didn't ordain 209 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,960 and they were consumed by fire. 210 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,360 And then in the next chapters, God instructed Aaron, 211 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,960 the high priest, that he couldn't come in at any time 212 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,960 that he wanted or else he would die like his sons. 213 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:56,760 And so this made the high priest approach to God 214 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:58,960 a kind of solemn and fearful process. 215 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,480 They could only enter after this eight day 216 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,080 cleansing ceremony and multiple sacrifices. 217 00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:08,480 And when they would enter, they would enter with, 218 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,280 people say that they would enter with ropes tied 219 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,720 around their waist so that if they were to die, 220 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:16,480 people could pull them out of God's presence. 221 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:18,880 But that's the old way to approach God. 222 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:23,040 There's a new and living way, the Hebrew says. 223 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,080 And it's consecrated for us through Christ, 224 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:26,720 through his sacrifice on the cross. 225 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,480 When his body was torn on our behalf, 226 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:31,080 then he died and he rose and he opened up 227 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:32,480 this new and living way. 228 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:37,480 And verse 21 kind of reiterates all of that 229 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,520 by pointing out that Jesus took on that priest 230 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,720 or that role as high priest and he also took on 231 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:48,480 that role as mediator or as sacrifice, sorry. 232 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,760 And because we all, because we know Christ, 233 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:51,880 it says let us draw near. 234 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,880 So we're gonna read again verse 21 and 22. 235 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,840 It says, in having a high priest over the house of God, 236 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,680 let us draw near with true hearts and full assurance of faith, 237 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:06,440 having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience 238 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:08,600 and our bodies washed with pure water. 239 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,000 If you know Christ, you can draw near to God 240 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:17,720 with boldness and you should. 241 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,640 That's our responsibility because we have this incredible 242 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:23,720 access to God through Christ. 243 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,000 It's our responsibility to exercise that access. 244 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,840 Think about it, if you had a direct line to the president, 245 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:32,160 wouldn't you use it? 246 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,400 If you had ultimate access to the greatest doctor 247 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:37,800 in the world, wouldn't you get a consultation from him 248 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:39,320 at least? 249 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:43,600 How much more should we access or exercise this access 250 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,040 that we have to the creator of the universe? 251 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,680 And our access to God is far better than we could have 252 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:52,040 to someone like the president or to someone like the greatest 253 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:56,080 doctor in the world because our access to God is like that 254 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,760 of a father to his child through Christ, 255 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,640 that's who God is to us, he's our father. 256 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,160 And that relationship of a father to a child 257 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:05,000 is a special one. 258 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:09,280 If one of you guys came up to me and you laid your head 259 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:12,000 on my chest, I would be like, what are you guys doing? 260 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,320 Get away from me, right? 261 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,880 But if Jason or Angela or Anthony came up to me 262 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:18,080 and they laid their head on my chest, 263 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:19,720 I'm gonna embrace them, give them a kiss, 264 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:21,120 say, hey, what's going on? 265 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:22,600 That's a completely different thing. 266 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,600 And it's not because I don't love you guys, 267 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:26,280 it's just different. 268 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:27,120 It's just different. 269 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:31,360 The access that they have to me is so much better. 270 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,200 And that's the kind of access that we have to God. 271 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,200 So let us draw near it. 272 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,640 So Christ made it possible for us to commune with God 273 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,720 right here, right now. 274 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:43,760 And this is not the same kind of confidence 275 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,120 that they had in the Old Testament. 276 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,600 In the Old Testament, every year, 277 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,560 the high priest would sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat 278 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:53,480 for the sins of the people. 279 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,400 But the author of Hebrews says that Christ sprinkled 280 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,400 the blood, or it says in verse 22, 281 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,960 that Christ's blood has been sprinkled on our hearts, 282 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:07,880 or has sprinkled our hearts, sorry, 283 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,000 from an evil conscience, meaning that our sins are forgiven. 284 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,880 And then it says that we're washed with pure water, 285 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:17,080 kind of like that eight day cleansing ceremony 286 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:18,280 that the priest went through, 287 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,520 which made them fit for service to God and to Israel. 288 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:25,760 The author saying that in Christ we're justified, 289 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,240 we're made righteous in God's eyes, 290 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:30,120 our sins are forgiven for good, 291 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,360 and we're positionally clean before God. 292 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:37,040 And we're sanctified, we're set apart for God's service, 293 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:38,440 and for the service of his people. 294 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:43,000 So in light of that, draw near, worship your God. 295 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,120 And so do you have a place where you can meet with God 296 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,800 regularly, not just a physical place, 297 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,840 but like a dedicated time and place where you can draw near? 298 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:54,320 You need that. 299 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:55,720 You need to draw near regularly. 300 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:57,920 It's important, and you can do that 301 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:01,200 through prayer, fasting, reading. 302 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,640 But the priests, they weren't only drawing near to God, 303 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:06,320 to serve God, they were also drawing near 304 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,560 to God in service of the people. 305 00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:13,240 And it's as important as our individual relationship 306 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:15,960 with God is, and that we can have, 307 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,240 and it's a privilege to have that. 308 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,720 This faith that we have is not an individual faith. 309 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,720 In Ephesians 5, it tells us that God is gonna present 310 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:27,880 himself a glorious church. 311 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:32,400 That's the idea of the Ecclesia, 312 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:34,600 the assembly of believers. 313 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,560 And if you read those verses in Hebrews again, 314 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:40,480 you're gonna notice that there's an emphasis 315 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:41,960 on the group of believers. 316 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:45,000 So it says, having therefore brethren, 317 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,000 boldness to enter into the holiness, 318 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,280 the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 319 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:53,280 by a new and living way which he had consecrated for us 320 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:55,600 through the veil that is to say his flesh 321 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:57,480 and having a high priest over the house of God, 322 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,400 let us draw near with the true heart 323 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:01,680 and full assurance of faith, 324 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,960 having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscious 325 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:06,920 and our bodies washed with pure water. 326 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:09,400 Christ died for the body, right? 327 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,320 He died for individuals, but he died for the body. 328 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,640 And God has given us this place in these people 329 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:17,360 to gather together in worship. 330 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,000 And that's an incredible privilege. 331 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,160 The gathering of worship is an incredible privilege. 332 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:24,760 We can draw near to God together. 333 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,640 And so here's a challenging question. 334 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:29,480 Are you doing that? 335 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,840 Are you drawing near to God? 336 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,280 Because the privilege of access, 337 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:37,960 it demands that response. 338 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,640 If Christ tore the veil for us to enter, 339 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:43,760 if he made us clean so we can approach, 340 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,520 if he gave us bold access to the Father, 341 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,840 then drawing near, it shouldn't just be an option. 342 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,560 We should draw near because drawing near, 343 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:54,720 or we should be drawing near to our heavenly Father. 344 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:56,840 And this is something that the high priest 345 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,000 could only dream of, or that the Old Testament, 346 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:01,520 Israel could only dream of. 347 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:05,120 They entered one man a year with fear and trembling. 348 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,560 When God saves us, he saves us into his family of believers. 349 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:13,200 And that's, and we can enter into the holiest right now. 350 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,640 And that's why, and he saved us into his body. 351 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,640 And that's why the author of Hebrews moves 352 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:22,160 immediately from drawing near to considering one another. 353 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,240 And we're gonna see that in the next verses. 354 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,400 The second call to worship is consider one another. 355 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,080 And so we're gonna pick up in verse 23 through 25. 356 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:36,240 Verse 23, let us hold fast the profession of our faith 357 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:40,040 without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. 358 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,040 And let us consider one another to provoke one another, 359 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,320 to love and to good works, 360 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,960 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together 361 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,200 as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, 362 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,280 and so much the more as you see the day approaching. 363 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,600 Says, let us hold fast the profession of our faith 364 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:04,720 without wavering. 365 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:05,560 What's he saying there? 366 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:07,240 He's saying that all of that stuff 367 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,160 that we just established about Jesus in Hebrews, 368 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:12,400 all that stuff that we believe about Christ, 369 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,280 we should be holding firm to that. 370 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:16,360 So let me ask you guys a simple question. 371 00:17:16,360 --> 00:17:19,040 Is it always easy to hold fast to your faith? 372 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:20,600 Of course it's not. 373 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:22,920 And that's why it says, without wavering, 374 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,400 the natural temptation that we all face is to waver. 375 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,080 It's to doubt God or to doubt ourselves, 376 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:29,880 especially when we're facing opposition, 377 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:34,880 like the early church, these early Jewish people were facing. 378 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,320 The Bible says though that God is faithful, 379 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:38,760 and so we can trust him. 380 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:40,280 We can trust in his word. 381 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:43,280 And even though this is not always, 382 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,680 or because this is not always easy, rather, 383 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,640 Hebrews 24 says, let us consider one another 384 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:50,560 let us consider one another. 385 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,560 God is faithful to us and we can be faithful to him 386 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,200 by being faithful to one another. 387 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:57,160 Finish this verse for me. 388 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,360 It says, by this shall all men know 389 00:17:59,360 --> 00:18:00,740 that you're my disciples. 390 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:03,760 If you love one another, right? 391 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:05,800 That's John 13, 35. 392 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:07,320 In the gathering of worship, 393 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,080 we're called to draw near to God, 394 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,120 but we're also called to consider one another, 395 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:14,280 to love one another, to think of our brothers, 396 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,320 to figure them into our line of thought. 397 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:20,840 And do things based on that, right? 398 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:22,200 Act based on that. 399 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,480 When we think about the struggle of faith, 400 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:28,180 it's easy to think that we're like alone in this, 401 00:18:28,180 --> 00:18:29,760 but you're not alone. 402 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,360 We all struggle with the same internal battle. 403 00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:35,420 We all deal with the flesh versus the spirit. 404 00:18:35,420 --> 00:18:38,160 And I don't know who's dealing with what in here tonight, 405 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:43,160 but it could be sin, doubt, temptation, fear, pride, pain. 406 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,080 We're all dealing with something, right? 407 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,280 And so we need to consider one another. 408 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:51,120 That way, we do draw near. 409 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:53,120 That way, we do hold fast. 410 00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:57,120 If you're gathering and you're only thinking about yourself 411 00:18:57,120 --> 00:19:00,520 or maybe you're only thinking about your immediate family, 412 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:01,360 then you're doing it wrong. 413 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:04,320 We have a responsibility to steward the relationships 414 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,520 that we have to consider each other. 415 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,200 And the author of Hebrews makes it clear that 416 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,160 this is a very important part of our life. 417 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:16,920 It's clear that this is more than just a quick prayer. 418 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:21,600 He says, to provoke each other to love and good works. 419 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,200 And when I think of provoke just off the top of my head, 420 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,800 I usually think of a bad thing. 421 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:30,680 Yeah, you don't want to provoke me to wrath or something, right? 422 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:31,680 Is that what the hawk says? 423 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:34,760 That's like the Bible version of, that's the KJV hawk. 424 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,520 But anyway, provoking, it often has a negative connotation. 425 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:42,560 What it means is to stimulate or to prod or to push. 426 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:47,160 And so you can see why it kind of has a negative connotation. 427 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:50,840 But it can look like encouragement or disagreement. 428 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,800 The idea is to move forward. 429 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:59,640 It can look like, great job, keep it up. 430 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,320 Here's a good next step for you to take. 431 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:03,080 Or it can look like, dude, what are you doing? 432 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,320 Stop, don't do that, right? 433 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:07,000 It can look like either. 434 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:08,600 And everything in between. 435 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:11,680 And the author of Hebrews doubles down on this idea 436 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:13,080 in the next statement when he says, 437 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:15,680 exhorting one another and so much the more 438 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:16,800 as you see the day approaching. 439 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,880 That idea of exhorting is a lot like provoking. 440 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,720 It's encouraging or teaching. 441 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,280 And the author says that we should be doing this 442 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,680 more and more frequently, not less frequently. 443 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,360 We should be more committed to the fellowship 444 00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:34,760 and to fellowshiping with God's people 445 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:36,960 and to the assembly of ourselves together. 446 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:38,800 As we see the day of the Lord approaching 447 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:40,040 and it's fast approaching. 448 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,520 Every day that passes is one day closer. 449 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:47,000 In all signs, we did a lesson a few months ago 450 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:48,000 where we were talking about the signs 451 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:49,880 and all the signs are pointing to the idea 452 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,800 that it could be any day. 453 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:58,680 But all we know for sure is that we're 2,000 years closer 454 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,640 than they were when Hebrews was written. 455 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:05,360 And they were talking as if it was gonna be tomorrow, right? 456 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:09,000 And so Jesus is coming back. 457 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,200 And so considering that, considering the fact 458 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:12,800 that Jesus could be coming back any day, 459 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,320 we need to be considering one another. 460 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:20,960 We all wanna be found faithful when Christ comes back. 461 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,740 The idea is you look out for me, I'll look out for you. 462 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:27,520 And let's endure, let us endure, 463 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,120 let us stay faithful to God's mission. 464 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,360 Because when Christ comes back, I wanna be found so doing, 465 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:35,480 you wanna be found so doing, 466 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,920 we all wanna be found faithful to His mission. 467 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:42,160 And so that's a responsibility on one end. 468 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,680 But it's also a great privilege because I know that personally, 469 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:48,200 and I'm sure there's testimonies of this all around the room, 470 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,120 that I'm thankful for people who took an interest in me, 471 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:55,360 who helped me out, who checked on me and gave me advice. 472 00:21:55,360 --> 00:21:58,160 People even gave me counsel when I didn't want it, 473 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:02,880 because I needed it and it kept me on the right path. 474 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:06,200 You're never gonna get that experience, 475 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,840 you're never gonna get to experience that great privilege 476 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,880 if you're forsaking the assembling of yourselves together. 477 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,800 If we're gonna hold fast to this profession of the faith, 478 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:16,400 we need each other. 479 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,800 And I think a good analogy for that 480 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:21,160 could be like a teen all nighter. 481 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,160 I've never been to a teen all nighter, personally, 482 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,360 but Gabby went last year. 483 00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:29,200 And this year, she, Val, and told me that I will be going. 484 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:34,200 And so I imagine the way that it goes is like the adults, 485 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:39,880 they give the framework and they oversee everything, 486 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,120 and then the kids are just having a great time, right? 487 00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:49,120 But as that's going on, one adult looks to his right, 488 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,040 and Gentry's sleeping. 489 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,320 And so you have to go over there and you go, 490 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:55,800 hey, are you okay? 491 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:56,640 Are you good? 492 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:57,840 Wake up, wake up. 493 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,280 If it doesn't happen right away, get up. 494 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,160 I would never, I would never. 495 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:06,040 But you're yelling at them, hey, get up, 496 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:06,880 we got things to do. 497 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,400 We got these kids about to kill themselves over here. 498 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,360 And then in our passes, and the same guy 499 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:15,360 who was doing all of that like, 500 00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:20,360 exhorting is head down on the table, 501 00:23:20,360 --> 00:23:22,800 and the guy who was getting woken up earlier comes over 502 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,560 and he's like, wake up, here's an energy drink. 503 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:26,880 The hour's fast approaching. 504 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,560 It's 12, we only got six more hours, you know? 505 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,320 And like I said, I'm not speaking from experience, 506 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:36,440 but I imagine that's kind of what an overnighter 507 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:38,040 is gonna be like when I do it. 508 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:41,440 But in that, we're gonna need accountability. 509 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,720 We're gonna probably need some provocation, 510 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,720 maybe some exhortation to some level. 511 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:49,720 We're gonna need each other to make it through the night. 512 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,080 And I think our walk of faith is no different. 513 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:56,800 God calls us to consider one another 514 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:58,320 in this gathering of worship. 515 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:01,560 And we're gonna see what the ultimate purpose 516 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:05,040 of this mutual encouragement and mutual support is 517 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:06,120 in Hebrews 13. 518 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:08,480 And so we're gonna turn ahead in Hebrews 13. 519 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:15,080 But in Hebrews 13, we're gonna see that we're considering 520 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,840 each other so that we can fulfill our highest calling. 521 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,480 The calling of offering ourselves as a living sacrifice 522 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,160 of praise to God. 523 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:26,680 And so that's in Hebrews 13. 524 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:31,680 And the call is, let us offer sacrifice. 525 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,500 And so Hebrews 13 verse 12 is where we're gonna pick up. 526 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:41,040 Says, wherefore Jesus also, 527 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:43,880 that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, 528 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:45,960 suffered without the gate. 529 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:47,960 Let us go forth therefore, 530 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:51,040 unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach, 531 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:54,760 for we have no continuing city, 532 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:56,240 but seek one to come. 533 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,600 By him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice 534 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:00,080 of praise continually. 535 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:03,520 That is, the fruit of our lips, 536 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:05,340 giving thanks to his name. 537 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:11,160 So without going too deep into what he's saying there, 538 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:13,880 the author of Hebrews is basically saying, 539 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,240 because Jesus established this new and living way, 540 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:19,240 we should go to him. 541 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:20,640 Let us worship him. 542 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:25,640 As opposed to the old Jewish system and the old, 543 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:33,000 or maybe our old way of sin, we should go to Christ. 544 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,480 And the phrase outside of the camp is pointing to the fact 545 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:39,520 that the Jewish believers would have had to been going 546 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:41,580 outside of their Jewish traditions, 547 00:25:41,580 --> 00:25:45,880 outside of the sacrificial system to their Messiah. 548 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:47,360 And it also points to the idea 549 00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:50,680 that Jesus was crucified outside of the temple, 550 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:51,760 outside of Israel. 551 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:55,600 But in so doing, as we go to Christ, 552 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:56,960 we put our faith in Jesus, 553 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:01,080 they would bear his reproach. 554 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:03,400 Jesus was rejected by his own people, 555 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,880 and the Hebrews who were gonna be leaving behind 556 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:08,920 the Jewish traditions and the systems, 557 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,680 they were also gonna be rejected like Jesus. 558 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,360 And this was common among Jewish believers. 559 00:26:15,360 --> 00:26:18,720 But bearing reproach, it's not unique to Jewish believers. 560 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:20,240 It was common at that time, definitely, 561 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:21,720 for the Jewish believers. 562 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:25,180 But Jesus tells us in John 15 that there's potential 563 00:26:25,180 --> 00:26:27,840 for every believer to bear some reproach for his name. 564 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:33,160 And John 15, verse 18 and 19, it says, 565 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,680 if the world hate you, you know that it hated me 566 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:37,240 before it hated you. 567 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,320 If you were of the world, the world would love his own. 568 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:42,540 But because you're not of this world, 569 00:26:42,540 --> 00:26:44,160 but I have chosen you out of the world, 570 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,240 therefore the world hated you. 571 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,480 And so if you follow Christ, there's a good chance 572 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,600 you're gonna bear some reproach. 573 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,720 But Matthew 5, it tells us that we shouldn't see 574 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,060 the world's opposition, the reproach, 575 00:26:58,060 --> 00:26:59,360 the reviling as a burden. 576 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:02,100 We should see it as a blessing. 577 00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:04,120 When we're receiving reproach and persecution, 578 00:27:04,120 --> 00:27:06,520 we can rejoice, we can be glad, 579 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,880 because we know that this world is not our own. 580 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:13,780 Philippians 3.20, it says, for our conversation, 581 00:27:13,780 --> 00:27:16,400 or our citizenship is in heaven. 582 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,400 From Wenz, also we look for the Savior, 583 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:20,520 the Lord Jesus Christ. 584 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:23,600 And so what the author of Hebrews is pointing out is 585 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,760 by saying we have no continuing city here. 586 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:31,160 He's saying, hey, we have everlasting life awaiting us. 587 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,240 And then we get into where we're gonna see our last call 588 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:39,200 that we're gonna talk about in verse 15. 589 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,960 He says, by him therefore, let us offer 590 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:45,640 sacrifice of praise to God continually. 591 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,240 That is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to him. 592 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:52,920 The author of Hebrews is telling us that because of Christ, 593 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,680 we should praise God continually. 594 00:27:55,680 --> 00:28:00,320 And the New Testament believers, as New Testament believers, 595 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:01,680 we're not under the law, 596 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:03,880 but we should still be offering God sacrifice. 597 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:08,120 And a sacrifice is giving something of value 598 00:28:08,120 --> 00:28:08,960 to someone else. 599 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:11,120 And so we should be giving something of value to God. 600 00:28:11,120 --> 00:28:12,600 The Jewish believers that he's talking to, 601 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,560 they no longer had to give sacrifices 602 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,720 in terms of animals and grain. 603 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:20,600 They had to give sacrifices of their lips. 604 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:21,960 That's what God was asking them for. 605 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:24,360 And let me just say, if we're gathering, 606 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:25,400 as we gather for worship, 607 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,160 we should be singing praise to God. 608 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:32,000 God is good and we should be considering how much 609 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:33,120 of a privilege that is. 610 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:35,520 The fruit of our lips, it says, 611 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:41,280 our praise is regarded as the fruit of our lips. 612 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:46,280 And when we praise God, it may not please the person 613 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,680 beside you. 614 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,120 I know it doesn't always please the person beside me, 615 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,000 but it pleases God. 616 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:55,880 And it's regarded as fruit. 617 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,560 And the fruit of a tree reveals the nature of the tree. 618 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:01,240 And so the fruit of our lips, 619 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,280 it reveals the character of the source. 620 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:05,880 In other words, out of the abundance of the heart, 621 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:06,720 the mouth speaks. 622 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:11,720 And so when we're talking about this gathering of worship 623 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,240 and praising God in this manner, 624 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:17,560 of course it pleases God because it shows 625 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:18,880 that we're devoted to Him. 626 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,560 And we have this privilege of knowing God through Christ. 627 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:26,520 We have this responsibility to give Him praise continually. 628 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:27,680 Christ died for our sins. 629 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:31,760 And so singing praise to God is the least that we could do. 630 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,640 But Romans 12, it takes a little bit further. 631 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,200 It takes it a step further and it says that 632 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:38,400 because of Christ's mercy, 633 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:42,560 we ought to give our lives unto God as a living sacrifice. 634 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,280 Meaning that we should be giving up the things of the flesh. 635 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:49,440 We should be adopting the things of the spirit. 636 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:52,520 And for a lot of the people who were hearing that at the time, 637 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:54,520 it meant giving their lives as martyrs 638 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:57,440 and people over the years have done that. 639 00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:59,000 But if you keep reading Romans 12, 640 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,080 you'll see that our living sacrifice, 641 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:05,040 including our praise, isn't just for ourselves. 642 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,720 Our praise isn't meant to just stay in these walls. 643 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:12,200 Our praise is meant to go out. 644 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:16,040 And we see that every week when we come for a Sunday service, 645 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:16,880 what do they say at the end? 646 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:18,720 You're not dismissed, you're sent. 647 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:23,720 You're sent to proclaim to the world the goodness of God, 648 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:25,840 the privilege that it is to know Him 649 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:30,280 and that they desperately need Him. 650 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:34,120 And our sacrifice of praise to God 651 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:37,840 is for the good of the body. 652 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,560 It's for honor to God. 653 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:43,240 And it's also for the work of the ministry. 654 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,920 And so that kind of brings all three of these calls together 655 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:48,400 to form this beautiful picture 656 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:53,200 of what the gathering of worship actually should look like. 657 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:56,000 When we come together, we should draw near to God in worship. 658 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:57,800 We should consider one another in fellowship 659 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:02,000 and we should offer sacrifices of praise 660 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:03,920 and service to the Lord. 661 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,040 None of these three calls are the end all be all though. 662 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:09,280 These three calls are to prepare us 663 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:10,760 and to keep us on mission, 664 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,680 to prepare us for the mission and to keep us on mission 665 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:16,480 because Christ made it possible. 666 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:17,640 Let us draw near to God. 667 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:18,920 Let us consider one another. 668 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,120 Let us offer sacrifice. 669 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:22,480 And I think by way of application, 670 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:26,120 all three of these calls, they could be changed to, 671 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:29,120 we should, because of what Christ did for us, 672 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:30,600 we should draw near to God. 673 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:32,680 We should consider one another 674 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,080 and we should offer sacrifice to God. 675 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:36,920 Why? 676 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:41,520 Because that's what Christ died for us to do 677 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:44,560 so that we could serve God and we could serve his people 678 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:47,520 as pictured by the Old Testament priesthood, 679 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:49,080 but in an even greater way. 680 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:51,480 And so how do we do that today? 681 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:54,920 The main way that God, I think, 682 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:59,520 ordains for us to do that is in this gathering of worship. 683 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:02,120 The author of Hebrews says, 684 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:06,160 don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together. 685 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:08,800 We should be gathering and provoking each other to good 686 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:11,200 and supporting each other when life gets hard. 687 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,240 And I think the more that you're around Godly people 688 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,640 and Godly influences, the easier that's gonna be 689 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:18,960 to live out your mission, 690 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:21,640 to live out your calling in the Lord. 691 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:23,920 And I feel like maybe I'm preaching to the choir 692 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,240 being a Wednesday night, 693 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:31,240 but we need to take every opportunity that we have 694 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:36,480 to gather and to be around each other for God's glory, 695 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,240 for the good of others, and for our own good. 696 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:42,360 I don't know what you guys are, 697 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,000 and you don't know what I'm assembling myself to 698 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:46,520 throughout the rest of the week, 699 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:48,960 but I can almost guarantee that if you're not assembling 700 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,360 yourself with the brethren throughout the rest of the week, 701 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:53,560 that whatever it is you're assembling with 702 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:56,920 or whoever it is, is to some degree or another, 703 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:57,760 pulling you away. 704 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:01,320 But when we assemble with each other, 705 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:03,480 the hope and the goal is that we would be pushing each other 706 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,560 forward towards godliness, 707 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:07,160 that we would be pushing each other forward 708 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:08,320 in worship of God. 709 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:13,080 And here at Trinity, we have a whole host of opportunities 710 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:15,680 where you can live that out, 711 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:17,880 where you can live out these three callings. 712 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:22,640 We can draw near together in our worship service 713 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:27,640 and Sunday morning services here tonight at Sunday school. 714 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:31,560 We can consider one another through the discipleship groups, 715 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,680 through the Seven Steps of Joy, 716 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,360 other discipleship programs that we have, 717 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:39,440 or even more practical opportunities 718 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,880 where you can just get a meal with somebody after church 719 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:44,520 or get coffee with somebody, 720 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:46,440 or if you have shared interests, 721 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:49,400 you can meet with them and you can consider one another. 722 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:52,440 Or even tonight as we go into prayer, 723 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:54,880 we're gonna be lifting each other up in prayer 724 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,680 and people in our church that need prayer 725 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:01,480 and we can consider them as we're talking in the pews. 726 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:07,520 We can offer sacrifice of praise to God through praise, 727 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:10,040 through worship when we come together and we sing. 728 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:11,320 You could even join the choir. 729 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:12,320 I don't know if you guys know that, 730 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:13,680 but that's an opportunity. 731 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:17,880 We can do that through weekly outreach ministries. 732 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:19,440 We go out every Tuesday and Saturday 733 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:22,080 and we talk to people about Jesus. 734 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,000 That's an opportunity for you to come 735 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,440 and to gather with brethren and to live out your mission, 736 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:28,480 the mission that God gave you. 737 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,480 You could do that through serving kids ministry 738 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:32,960 or even helping out in your Sunday school class. 739 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:34,240 And that's just to name a few. 740 00:34:34,240 --> 00:34:37,680 Those are just like the ones that I thought of 741 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:39,360 that were really clear and obvious, 742 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:41,200 but there's others as well. 743 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:43,960 And these things, they shouldn't just be programs 744 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:44,800 on our calendar. 745 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:46,280 Lots of us in here we serve. 746 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:49,280 They shouldn't just be programs on our calendar. 747 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:53,280 They're opportunities for us to live out our calling. 748 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:57,040 And so tonight I challenge you to embrace both the privilege 749 00:34:57,040 --> 00:34:59,320 and the responsibility that comes with gathering together 750 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,960 in worship by taking advantage of those opportunities. 751 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,440 If you're treating worship casually, 752 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:09,280 then remember that Christ paid for your access to him. 753 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:10,120 So draw on the air. 754 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,040 If you're worshiping alone or if you're worshiping selfishly, 755 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:15,880 remember to consider one another. 756 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:20,160 And if your praise is just confined to the building, 757 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:24,680 then remember that you're called to offer sacrifice, 758 00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:26,480 offer ourselves as a sacrifice 759 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,880 by declaring his word to the world 760 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:31,680 and declaring that privilege to the world. 761 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,720 And so when you truly understand both the privilege 762 00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:36,000 and the responsibility of worship, 763 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:40,360 it changes everything of how you gather together 764 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:42,400 when you come in here and how you serve 765 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:44,920 and also just how you live. 766 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:48,360 Just like at home, if I were to forget the privilege 767 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,000 that it is to be the father of my home, 768 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:55,000 I would quickly become burdened by the task. 769 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:59,960 Or if I were to forget the responsibility that I have, 770 00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:03,400 then I would fail to serve my family the way that I ought to. 771 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:07,680 But remember, when you understand both, 772 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:09,520 it's a beautiful thing and it helps you 773 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:11,400 to live out your calling. 774 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:12,680 And so let me ask you, 775 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:15,440 what will you do with this privilege? 776 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:16,880 Christ died for you to give. 777 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:18,440 Will you draw near tonight? 778 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:21,800 Will you look around and consider one another? 779 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:24,920 Will you offer a sacrifice of praise to him? 780 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:31,920 Let's pray and then we're gonna go into 781 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:33,960 an extended time of prayer where we're gonna lift up 782 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:35,680 some of our brothers and sisters in Christ 783 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:37,880 where we can consider them tonight. 784 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:39,640 Lord, thank you for your word. 785 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:42,320 Thank you for your example. 786 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:44,560 Thank you for the book of Hebrews 787 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:49,240 that tells us just how much greater you are 788 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:50,680 than the Old Testament law 789 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:53,800 and how you're fulfilling the law on our behalf 790 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:54,960 is such a blessing. 791 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,240 And I just pray that we could keep that privilege in mind, 792 00:36:57,240 --> 00:37:01,680 that we could keep our access to you in mind as we live. 793 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:04,360 And we could remember that it's not simply a privilege 794 00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:07,880 for us to have, but it's also a responsibility for us 795 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:10,960 to live out and to walk faithfully with you. 796 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:12,600 We love you and we wanna do your will. 797 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,560 And I just pray that you would prick our hearts 798 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:16,080 in any way tonight that we are not. 799 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:18,920 And as we lift up people in prayer tonight, 800 00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:20,840 I pray that you would be with us 801 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:22,600 and keep our minds and our hearts pure. 802 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:42,600 In Jesus' name we pray, amen.