WEBVTT 00:00:19.329 --> 00:00:22.109 As they're making the way out, if you have a 00:00:22.109 --> 00:00:24.070 copy of the scriptures with you, I invite you 00:00:24.070 --> 00:00:32.570 to turn to Hebrews chapter 10, where we're going 00:00:32.570 --> 00:00:36.049 to be looking primarily at verses 22 through 00:00:36.049 --> 00:00:39.909 25. You see that I have up on the wall behind 00:00:39.909 --> 00:00:43.289 me, beginning of verse 19, which was where we 00:00:43.289 --> 00:00:45.130 began two weeks ago. Now, Lord willing, we will 00:00:45.130 --> 00:00:47.689 return back to Matthew in our series, Matthew 00:00:47.689 --> 00:00:50.130 Next Week. But I want to look at this section 00:00:50.130 --> 00:00:52.609 of Hebrews. As I said two weeks ago, last week 00:00:52.609 --> 00:00:54.770 we had a missionary, but two weeks ago I said 00:00:54.770 --> 00:00:57.070 if I was on an island, I only had two books of 00:00:57.070 --> 00:00:59.049 the New Testament that I could read for the rest 00:00:59.049 --> 00:01:01.409 of my life, I would choose the book of Romans 00:01:01.409 --> 00:01:04.269 and the book of Hebrews. And the two most doctrinal 00:01:04.269 --> 00:01:07.430 books in the New Testament. We began two weeks 00:01:07.430 --> 00:01:10.049 ago, verses 19, but we only got to verse 21. 00:01:10.549 --> 00:01:13.069 So let's read it in its entirety, this little 00:01:13.069 --> 00:01:16.109 scripture passage here. Therefore, brethren, 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:20.799 Having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.840 of Jesus By new and living way which he consecrated 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:29.780 for us through the veil That is his flesh and 00:01:29.780 --> 00:01:33.799 having a high priest over the house of God Let 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:37.200 us draw near with a true heart in full assurance 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:40.400 of faith Having our hearts sprinkled from an 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:43.379 evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure 00:01:43.379 --> 00:01:47.200 water Let us hold fast the confession of our 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:50.200 hope without wavering for He who promised is 00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:53.019 faithful. And let us consider one another in 00:01:53.019 --> 00:01:56.900 order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking 00:01:56.900 --> 00:01:58.959 the assembling of ourselves together as is the 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:02.680 Maynard Psalm, but exhorting one another. And 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:06.540 so much the more as you see the day approaching. 00:02:07.319 --> 00:02:12.590 Would you join me in prayer? Father we bow before 00:02:12.590 --> 00:02:14.729 your throne this morning Lord and we recognize 00:02:14.729 --> 00:02:17.909 the authority of your word This is the word of 00:02:17.909 --> 00:02:20.210 the living God and it has a binding authority 00:02:20.210 --> 00:02:24.009 at all times over all people Lord today we desire 00:02:24.009 --> 00:02:25.969 to submit to the authority of the word and father 00:02:25.969 --> 00:02:28.590 Lord. I pray you'd help us understand Lord how 00:02:28.590 --> 00:02:33.030 it is to be understood Lord Lord, we do not believe 00:02:33.030 --> 00:02:35.310 in private interpretations of scripture. So father, 00:02:35.310 --> 00:02:37.770 would you help us to understand this passage 00:02:37.770 --> 00:02:41.969 and Lord God? to draw closer to you, Lord, to 00:02:41.969 --> 00:02:45.569 hold fast our confession and to encourage one 00:02:45.569 --> 00:02:47.710 another in this walk of faith. We pray this in 00:02:47.710 --> 00:02:51.509 Jesus' name. Amen. As I said, it was just two 00:02:51.509 --> 00:02:53.750 weeks ago. Lord willing, we'll look at Matthew 00:02:53.750 --> 00:02:56.469 again next week. But the last time we were in 00:02:56.469 --> 00:02:59.169 the book of Hebrews, we looked at the access 00:02:59.169 --> 00:03:02.509 that you and I as new covenant believers, it's 00:03:02.509 --> 00:03:05.530 access that we enjoy into the very presence of 00:03:05.530 --> 00:03:08.439 God. Now the writer here says it's a new and 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:12.159 living way. That is through Jesus's flesh. Now 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:15.039 obviously that's a synonym for His sacrifice. 00:03:16.039 --> 00:03:19.659 Because of Christ in His death and resurrection, 00:03:20.539 --> 00:03:24.219 you and I, as the people of God, have an unparalleled 00:03:24.219 --> 00:03:28.379 access to God. And today, verses 22 through 25, 00:03:28.419 --> 00:03:30.659 we're going to look at how we should respond 00:03:30.659 --> 00:03:34.060 to that truth. Now I'm going to give you a one 00:03:34.060 --> 00:03:36.770 -minute synopsis of the book of Hebrews. The 00:03:36.770 --> 00:03:39.370 dominant theme in the book of Hebrews by far 00:03:39.370 --> 00:03:42.810 is the superiority of Christ. And the authors 00:03:42.810 --> 00:03:44.889 then start to take apart everything in the Old 00:03:44.889 --> 00:03:47.189 Covenant, and he begins to show how Christ is 00:03:47.189 --> 00:03:50.150 superior. For example, the Lord Jesus we see 00:03:50.150 --> 00:03:53.870 in Hebrews 2 is superior to angels. Then he goes 00:03:53.870 --> 00:03:57.069 on, the Lord Jesus is superior to Moses. Now 00:03:57.069 --> 00:03:59.069 that's a big deal, because this book is written 00:03:59.069 --> 00:04:01.750 primarily to Jews. So he's superior to angels, 00:04:02.009 --> 00:04:04.219 he's superior to Moses. And then he goes on and 00:04:04.219 --> 00:04:06.939 he explains how Christ is superior to all the 00:04:06.939 --> 00:04:10.180 Levitical priesthood. Aaron and his sons, he's 00:04:10.180 --> 00:04:13.419 superior to all of them. In fact, he is superior 00:04:13.419 --> 00:04:17.339 to anything and everything in the Old Covenant. 00:04:18.139 --> 00:04:21.860 He mediates the superior New Covenant, which 00:04:21.860 --> 00:04:26.000 is based on the superior sacrifice, which is 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:28.319 the once -for -all sacrifice of the Son of God. 00:04:29.180 --> 00:04:32.430 Now having that knowledge, Having understood 00:04:32.430 --> 00:04:35.370 what he just said, you and I are called to act 00:04:35.370 --> 00:04:38.709 upon that truth. See, doctrine is not meant to 00:04:38.709 --> 00:04:40.870 fill our heads. Doctrine is meant to motivate 00:04:40.870 --> 00:04:44.750 us to action. It is meant to spur us on, if you 00:04:44.750 --> 00:04:47.990 will. So now considering the death and resurrection 00:04:47.990 --> 00:04:54.990 of Christ, you and I should approach God confidently, 00:04:56.170 --> 00:04:59.279 keep our Christian profession. We guard that. 00:04:59.339 --> 00:05:02.100 We hold fast to it. We don't let it go is the 00:05:02.100 --> 00:05:05.279 idea. And then you and I are called as a church 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:08.720 to help one another. How do we do that? We meet 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:12.360 regularly for edification and encouragement in 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:14.819 the faith. And that's kind of going to be a basic 00:05:14.819 --> 00:05:16.480 summary of what we'll talk about this morning. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:18.920 So let's look at the very first point. In verse 00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:21.699 22, we see that we draw near. Let's read the 00:05:21.699 --> 00:05:25.920 text. Let us draw near with a true heart in full 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:30.759 assurance of faith. Draw near. It's to approach. 00:05:31.620 --> 00:05:35.240 Now, to where or to whom do we draw near? What 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:36.800 is the author of Hebrews talking about? Well, 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:38.480 we don't have to guess because he told us earlier 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:41.540 in chapter 7, verse 19, for the law, that is 00:05:41.540 --> 00:05:44.939 the law of Moses, made nothing perfect. On the 00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:47.300 other hand, there is the bringing in of a better 00:05:47.300 --> 00:05:50.079 hope. That's the new covenant. Through which 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:55.600 we now, what? Draw near to God. This word drawn 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:57.839 near, it's a priestly term. It's the idea of 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:00.720 approaching God. So if you go into the Old Covenant, 00:06:01.779 --> 00:06:06.279 to approach God was the exclusive privilege of 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:09.800 the priestly class. But it really was the exclusive 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:12.939 privilege of the high priest, who could enter 00:06:12.939 --> 00:06:16.459 into the Holy of Holies, also known here in Hebrews 00:06:16.459 --> 00:06:20.259 as the holiest, behind the veil. But he could 00:06:20.259 --> 00:06:23.339 only do so one day a year. And that's on the 00:06:23.339 --> 00:06:27.199 day of atonement or Yom Kippur. If anyone other 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:30.220 than the high priest dared to go behind that 00:06:30.220 --> 00:06:34.319 veil into the Holy of Holies, he would be immediately 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:38.319 struck dead. But now, this is what the author 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:41.720 is saying, the new covenant that has been inaugurated 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:45.939 by Christ, that priestly privilege, has been 00:06:45.939 --> 00:06:49.839 extended to all believers, men and women alike, 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:54.800 at all times. All of us have been made priests 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:59.000 to God because of our union with Christ. And 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:01.920 I told you it's a very doctrinal book. Peter 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:05.120 writes about this priesthood of believers in 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:08.000 1 Peter 2 verse 9. But you, and he's writing 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:10.480 to basically a Gentile audience here, but you 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:13.519 are a chosen generation. You've been called out, 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:19.120 you've been chosen, a royal priesthood, a holy 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:23.410 nation. His own special people. But what's the 00:07:23.410 --> 00:07:26.970 purpose of that? That you and I may now proclaim 00:07:26.970 --> 00:07:29.970 the praises of Him who called us out of darkness 00:07:29.970 --> 00:07:33.470 and called us into His marvelous light. So in 00:07:33.470 --> 00:07:37.269 the new covenant, all worshipers, not just priestly, 00:07:37.970 --> 00:07:40.689 not just the priestly class, I should say, we 00:07:40.689 --> 00:07:43.930 are invited now to approach God in a priestly 00:07:43.930 --> 00:07:48.730 way. We're invited to draw near to Him. But why? 00:07:48.939 --> 00:07:51.300 Why can you and I draw near but they couldn't 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:56.160 in the Old Testament? Verse 21, and having a 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:59.199 high priest over the house of God, he says, let 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:03.120 us draw near. This is why. Because you and I, 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:04.920 yes, we've been made priests to God, but there 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:08.560 is a priest that stands over us. The great high 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:11.899 priest who goes before God the Father, we're 00:08:11.899 --> 00:08:14.540 speaking of Jesus Christ here, He represents 00:08:14.540 --> 00:08:17.779 us, His people. He intercedes for us, His people. 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:21.360 Therefore, you and I have confidence in going 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:24.500 behind the curtain into the very presence of 00:08:24.500 --> 00:08:29.519 God. But we don't do so brazenly or arrogantly. 00:08:30.139 --> 00:08:32.720 How do we draw near? We're told, first of all, 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.919 with a true heart. In other words, we come with 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:40.759 sincerity, not hypocrisy. God does not want an 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:43.820 undivided heart with divided loyalties. If you 00:08:43.820 --> 00:08:45.860 go back to the Old Covenant and you look at Israel, 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:47.840 which the author makes reference to many, many 00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:51.500 times, God was often displeased with Israel. 00:08:51.700 --> 00:08:53.519 Why? Because they would go through the motions. 00:08:54.139 --> 00:08:56.460 They paid lip service, but they had no heart 00:08:56.460 --> 00:09:00.419 affection whatsoever. Isaiah rebuked the people 00:09:00.419 --> 00:09:04.159 for this. God speaking through Isaiah says, inasmuch 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:08.000 as these people draw near with their mouths and 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:11.820 honor me with their lips, but they've removed 00:09:11.820 --> 00:09:16.019 their hearts. Far from me. See, it wasn't that 00:09:16.019 --> 00:09:18.740 Israel completely forgot God. It wasn't that 00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:21.879 they completely abandoned God. They didn't become 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:27.580 atheists. They became apathetic. And God hates 00:09:27.580 --> 00:09:30.480 apathy. If you want to look, you could look over 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.000 in Revelation chapter 3 and you see the rebuke 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:36.539 to the church at Laodicea. What was Laodicea's 00:09:36.539 --> 00:09:40.659 problem? They were lukewarm. Jesus said, I would 00:09:40.659 --> 00:09:43.500 rather you be hot or cold. Because you're lukewarm, 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:47.080 I'm going to vomit you out of my mouth. Apathy. 00:09:47.740 --> 00:09:50.200 Just going through the motions. And that's what 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:54.120 Israel did. There was no true zeal for God. So 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:56.620 they still went to temple. They still went to 00:09:56.620 --> 00:10:00.399 synagogue. Yet their hearts, Isaiah said, God 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:02.720 saying through him, their hearts were far from 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:06.690 him, miles away from him. And God hated it. So 00:10:06.690 --> 00:10:08.549 under the new covenant, God says, you approach 00:10:08.549 --> 00:10:11.049 me, but you come with a true heart. That means 00:10:11.049 --> 00:10:16.870 in a heart of faith and quiet trust. Faith that 00:10:16.870 --> 00:10:20.250 believes what God has said and acts upon it. 00:10:20.610 --> 00:10:24.769 Notice the text, in full assurance of faith. 00:10:25.909 --> 00:10:30.190 What does that mean? It is to be confident in 00:10:30.190 --> 00:10:34.110 what Christ has done. Remember, some of these 00:10:34.110 --> 00:10:37.029 believers, these were Jewish believers, They're 00:10:37.029 --> 00:10:39.289 being tempted to turn their backs on Christ, 00:10:40.070 --> 00:10:42.750 to fall into apostasy. They were to return to 00:10:42.750 --> 00:10:45.669 Judaism, a protected religion at that time, to 00:10:45.669 --> 00:10:47.570 avoid the persecution they were experiencing. 00:10:48.769 --> 00:10:51.190 But the writer says here, the faith that pleases 00:10:51.190 --> 00:10:54.870 God is fully assured. What does that mean? For 00:10:54.870 --> 00:10:57.529 instance, it means all your eggs are in one basket. 00:10:58.750 --> 00:11:02.769 And that's the basket labeled Jesus. Only trusting 00:11:02.769 --> 00:11:06.299 in what He has done. Well, how can we be so fully 00:11:06.299 --> 00:11:09.279 assured? We sing about it every day. This is 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:11.860 why we worship on this particular day. Because 00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:15.600 of Christ's resurrection, you and I are fully 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:19.480 assured that the sacrifice of Jesus was sufficient 00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:22.440 to remove our sins and to present us righteous 00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:26.840 before God. Therefore, we draw near to Him. We 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:29.159 draw to Him because we're assured that what Christ 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:32.759 did was effective. But he says secondly, not 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:35.240 only being foolish or with a clean heart, he 00:11:35.240 --> 00:11:38.139 says with a clean conscience. Having our hearts 00:11:38.139 --> 00:11:42.620 sprinkled from an evil conscience. Having our 00:11:42.620 --> 00:11:45.080 hearts sprinkled. Now he's using pre -sleep language 00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:48.059 again. Now this actually is the fulfillment of 00:11:48.059 --> 00:11:52.299 Ezekiel 36. Notice this text, and I will make 00:11:52.299 --> 00:11:55.879 emphasis. Then I will sprinkle clean water on 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:59.200 you and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:01.000 from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:04.159 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:07.259 within you. I will take the heart of stone out 00:12:07.259 --> 00:12:09.519 of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 00:12:10.100 --> 00:12:12.960 I will put my spirit within you and cause you 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:17.779 to walk in my statutes. Then you will keep my 00:12:17.779 --> 00:12:21.059 judgments and do them. Five times God says, I 00:12:21.059 --> 00:12:24.139 will, I will, I will, I will, I will. And because 00:12:24.139 --> 00:12:29.990 of that, then and only then you will. Works always 00:12:29.990 --> 00:12:33.629 are the fruit of salvation. What God is working 00:12:33.629 --> 00:12:37.090 in is going to be worked out. Now, in the Old 00:12:37.090 --> 00:12:40.570 Covenant, we go back and we read the priest, 00:12:41.070 --> 00:12:42.970 when they're being consecrated for the priesthood, 00:12:43.169 --> 00:12:46.389 they were sprinkled with blood. When the temple 00:12:46.389 --> 00:12:48.870 was consecrated, it was sprinkled with blood. 00:12:49.370 --> 00:12:51.590 When the Book of the Covenant was read, it was 00:12:51.590 --> 00:12:54.250 sprinkled with blood. The people who were there 00:12:54.250 --> 00:12:58.509 that day were sprinkled with blood. But in the 00:12:58.509 --> 00:13:01.490 new covenant, when a person comes to faith in 00:13:01.490 --> 00:13:04.110 Christ, the Holy Spirit, and he uses this language 00:13:04.110 --> 00:13:08.950 here, sprinkles their hearts with blood, with 00:13:08.950 --> 00:13:12.190 the blood of Christ, and cleanses us from all 00:13:12.190 --> 00:13:15.830 our sin. That means there is no further need 00:13:15.830 --> 00:13:19.509 of any lamb, any goat, any bull to ever be offered 00:13:19.509 --> 00:13:23.350 again because Christ, the Lamb of God, has been 00:13:23.350 --> 00:13:27.029 sacrificed and our sins are remembered no more. 00:13:27.680 --> 00:13:31.559 This is why I totally reject the dispensational 00:13:31.559 --> 00:13:35.279 view that the sacrifices will once again be reinstituted 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:37.500 in the Millennium. I cannot align that with the 00:13:37.500 --> 00:13:40.340 book of Hebrews in any way at all. I just reject 00:13:40.340 --> 00:13:43.379 it. Because Christ's sacrifice was sufficient. 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:45.820 There will never be another need for a lamb to 00:13:45.820 --> 00:13:48.559 be offered. That's not going to honor Christ. 00:13:49.419 --> 00:13:53.679 Under the Old Covenant, sins were never completely 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:56.909 removed. How do you know that? And no one ever 00:13:56.909 --> 00:13:59.909 had completely a clean conscience. Why? Because 00:13:59.909 --> 00:14:04.110 every day, there at the temple, morning and evening, 00:14:05.289 --> 00:14:07.389 sacrifices would be offered. And they'd wake 00:14:07.389 --> 00:14:09.549 up the next day and morning and evening, sacrifices 00:14:09.549 --> 00:14:12.289 would be offered. But not only that, under the 00:14:12.289 --> 00:14:15.190 Old Covenant, there wasn't just one priest. Priests 00:14:15.190 --> 00:14:18.450 had to be completely reinstituted. Why? Because 00:14:18.450 --> 00:14:21.549 you had priests who lived, served, died. Then 00:14:21.549 --> 00:14:23.250 another priest would have to be consecrated and 00:14:23.250 --> 00:14:26.970 take his place. So, continual sacrifices, continual 00:14:26.970 --> 00:14:29.009 repetition of priests. But then we come to the 00:14:29.009 --> 00:14:32.830 new covenant. There is only one high priest. 00:14:33.649 --> 00:14:36.710 And he is the one who, yes, he died, but he rose 00:14:36.710 --> 00:14:40.850 again to never die again. That's why Pastor Kyle, 00:14:40.850 --> 00:14:43.350 when he read that, he ever lives to make intercession. 00:14:43.649 --> 00:14:46.129 Therefore, he can save to the uttermost. So, 00:14:46.129 --> 00:14:48.269 that means there is no other need for any priest 00:14:48.269 --> 00:14:51.450 because Christ is never going to die again. Aaron 00:14:51.450 --> 00:14:55.210 died, so his son reigned. Then he died. His son 00:14:55.210 --> 00:14:57.870 reigned. Christ died. He rose again. There is 00:14:57.870 --> 00:15:02.029 never again a need for a great high priest. There's 00:15:02.029 --> 00:15:06.629 no other sacrifice Christ Jesus was given. His 00:15:06.629 --> 00:15:09.409 blood was shed. Why? To cleanse our conscience 00:15:09.409 --> 00:15:13.190 before God. If you look at chapter 9 verse 14, 00:15:14.970 --> 00:15:20.570 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who 00:15:20.570 --> 00:15:24.019 through the eternal spirit offered himself, he 00:15:24.019 --> 00:15:28.980 gave himself without spot to God. Purge your 00:15:28.980 --> 00:15:33.320 conscience. Cleanse your conscience from dead 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:39.519 works to serve the living God. Because Christ 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:42.620 was slain in our place, our conscience is now 00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:45.419 clean. We're no longer burdened with that heavy 00:15:45.419 --> 00:15:48.940 conscience of guilt. You've been internally cleansed. 00:15:48.940 --> 00:15:51.019 That's what the Bible said. So the Spirit of 00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:53.610 God has applied the sacrifice and merit of Christ 00:15:53.610 --> 00:15:55.850 to your heart. By the way, that's what our baptism 00:15:55.850 --> 00:15:58.110 represents. And we'll talk about that in just 00:15:58.110 --> 00:16:01.190 a few moments. Friends, none of us are going 00:16:01.190 --> 00:16:04.190 to draw near to God if you have a defiled conscience 00:16:04.190 --> 00:16:07.269 because your guilt will keep you away. Guilt 00:16:07.269 --> 00:16:10.330 does that. Guilt makes us run and hide from God. 00:16:11.169 --> 00:16:13.909 Look at Genesis 3. Adam and Eve, when they fell 00:16:13.909 --> 00:16:17.710 into sin, they hid from God. But once you come 00:16:17.710 --> 00:16:21.000 to Christ and your guilt is removed and your 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:23.080 conscience is made clean, do you know what you 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:26.200 will want to do? You will want to draw near to 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:29.700 Him and worship Him out of gratitude for what 00:16:29.700 --> 00:16:32.860 He has done. You're no longer going to hide and 00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:35.039 stay away, but you're going to come to Him. And 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:37.940 that's what the author is saying, hey come, approach 00:16:37.940 --> 00:16:41.899 God. What? With a sincere heart, a clean conscience, 00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:46.039 but also a baptized body. Now that may not make 00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:48.019 sense to you, but look what he says, and our 00:16:48.019 --> 00:16:52.480 bodies washed with pure water. Again, there's 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:54.779 a comparison. Under the Old Covenant, there are 00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:57.580 many rituals. There are many ritualistic baths, 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:00.379 many ceremonial washings. The washing of hands, 00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:02.440 washing of feet, the washing of pots and pans. 00:17:03.980 --> 00:17:05.559 But in the New Covenant, you don't find those 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:09.019 anymore. There is no longer a need for a laver. 00:17:09.079 --> 00:17:11.259 There's no longer a need for a washing. Why? 00:17:11.420 --> 00:17:14.299 Because the center has been made completely clean. 00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:18.279 And he said, this is what is signified in our 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:23.099 identification with Christ in baptism. Our sins 00:17:23.099 --> 00:17:27.140 are shown to be washed away. The inner spiritual 00:17:27.140 --> 00:17:31.940 cleansing is outwardly, visibly signified in 00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:34.680 baptism. And these Hebrew believers, now these 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:38.779 were Jews, they're Hebrews. They had been baptized, 00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:43.799 it says, with pure water. That baptism is a sign. 00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:49.119 and a seal of our cleansing, but also our union 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:52.579 with Christ. What is baptism? Baptism, we make 00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:54.700 so little of it, and the Bible makes so much 00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:59.119 of it. Baptism is a sign of our inclusion into 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:03.180 the covenant community. It is a seal of the righteousness 00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:07.130 that comes by faith. So when you were baptized, 00:18:07.250 --> 00:18:10.170 what happened? You were signified. You were one 00:18:10.170 --> 00:18:12.309 with Christ. You're union with Christ. You died 00:18:12.309 --> 00:18:14.650 with him, buried with him, rose again with him. 00:18:14.910 --> 00:18:17.170 You have been cleansed from sin, so the water 00:18:17.170 --> 00:18:19.529 shows that our sin has been taken away. It's 00:18:19.529 --> 00:18:21.930 a sign of our regeneration, being made alive 00:18:21.930 --> 00:18:24.509 with Christ, but it's also a sign of the indwelling 00:18:24.509 --> 00:18:29.410 of the Holy Spirit of Christ. Titus 3 5. It's 00:18:29.410 --> 00:18:32.410 not by works of righteousness which we have done. 00:18:32.809 --> 00:18:35.690 But according to His mercy, He saved us, amen, 00:18:36.910 --> 00:18:41.309 through the washing of regeneration and the renewal, 00:18:41.630 --> 00:18:45.230 the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Circumcision 00:18:45.230 --> 00:18:48.549 was a sign of the Old Covenant. Baptism is a 00:18:48.549 --> 00:18:53.130 sign of the New Covenant. This is what identifies 00:18:53.130 --> 00:18:56.730 you with the people of God. Baptism marks you 00:18:56.730 --> 00:19:01.599 out as belonging to Christ. Now, it is true that 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:05.259 you can have the sign without the inner reality. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:08.779 That means you can be baptized and not saved, 00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:11.759 if you will. You can be baptized and not regenerate. 00:19:12.339 --> 00:19:14.599 But all of those who have been regenerated by 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:18.259 God need to have the sign. It's not optional. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:21.220 Mark 16, and now we can talk about this, and 00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:23.519 baptism does it save you? No, but what does Mark 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:25.480 16, he that believeth and is baptized shall be 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:27.440 saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. 00:19:27.929 --> 00:19:30.650 It's not that baptism is the what? It's not the 00:19:30.650 --> 00:19:32.630 method that saves you. Christ saves you by His 00:19:32.630 --> 00:19:36.069 grace, completely. Baptism works you out. So 00:19:36.069 --> 00:19:38.670 that's like someone in the Old Covenant who then 00:19:38.670 --> 00:19:40.670 comes to faith in Christ but says, I'm not going 00:19:40.670 --> 00:19:42.589 to be circumcised. They were cut off from the 00:19:42.589 --> 00:19:44.910 people. You don't get approached. No, you're 00:19:44.910 --> 00:19:47.890 not a member of the Covenant community. So now 00:19:47.890 --> 00:19:50.789 we come, so we see that yes, you can have the 00:19:50.789 --> 00:19:55.829 sign, but just a circumcision showed you to belong 00:19:55.829 --> 00:20:00.369 to Israel. Baptism identifies you with the church, 00:20:00.569 --> 00:20:05.410 the new covenant people of God. So as a pastor, 00:20:06.069 --> 00:20:08.789 there is no reason for me to believe that one 00:20:08.789 --> 00:20:11.170 is saved who refuses to identify with Christ 00:20:11.170 --> 00:20:15.029 in baptism. Which is why only the people who 00:20:15.029 --> 00:20:16.509 are baptized can come to the table of the Lord. 00:20:17.309 --> 00:20:20.309 We say that every week. Why? That meal that we 00:20:20.309 --> 00:20:22.549 will take up in a few moments is a covenantal 00:20:22.549 --> 00:20:27.170 meal. Who belongs to the covenant? Those who 00:20:27.170 --> 00:20:29.650 have the covenantal sign now you can have the 00:20:29.650 --> 00:20:31.789 sign again I'm not saying because you can be 00:20:31.789 --> 00:20:33.789 baptized and not regenerate of course that you 00:20:33.789 --> 00:20:38.150 can But the sign that marks you out as belonging 00:20:38.150 --> 00:20:42.170 to Christ and so therefore one who refuses to 00:20:42.170 --> 00:20:45.690 be baptized Is to be refused from the table of 00:20:45.690 --> 00:20:49.230 the Lord By the way Passover you didn't get eat 00:20:49.230 --> 00:20:52.890 the Passover meal uncircumcised Couldn't do it. 00:20:53.130 --> 00:20:56.190 It's covenantal meal So the scriptures point 00:20:56.190 --> 00:20:59.769 us here in this verse, in verse 23, to baptism, 00:21:00.130 --> 00:21:02.470 which marks us out as followers of Christ. So 00:21:02.470 --> 00:21:04.829 these Hebrew people had been raised under the 00:21:04.829 --> 00:21:07.650 Old Covenant. They were used to ceremonial washings, 00:21:07.750 --> 00:21:09.869 but they had been baptized and made a profession. 00:21:10.210 --> 00:21:11.910 And now he's going to talk about that in just 00:21:11.910 --> 00:21:14.769 a few moments. But he's telling you to draw near. 00:21:15.769 --> 00:21:17.990 You need to draw near a sincere heart, clean 00:21:17.990 --> 00:21:21.369 conscience, and a baptized body. So draw near 00:21:21.369 --> 00:21:25.930 in genuine worship, draw near in prayer. Why? 00:21:27.509 --> 00:21:29.630 Because of Christ, we understand that we are 00:21:29.630 --> 00:21:33.990 an accepted, beloved child of God, and we desire 00:21:33.990 --> 00:21:36.930 to fellowship with him, draw near to him, both 00:21:36.930 --> 00:21:41.009 in private and public worship. Because he's going 00:21:41.009 --> 00:21:43.430 to, I will do this, I will do this, I will do 00:21:43.430 --> 00:21:47.200 this, and you will walk in my judgments. So the 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:49.720 author says he's wanting these Hebrew believers 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:52.140 who are being tempted to leave Christ. Get it 00:21:52.140 --> 00:21:55.339 in your mind. Christ, the once for all sacrifice, 00:21:55.700 --> 00:21:58.839 he is the one who is the great high priest. He's 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:01.480 praying for you in heaven right now. Draw near 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:04.059 and hold fast that profession you made. Look 00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:08.480 at verse 23. Let us hold fast the profession 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:12.740 of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful 00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:17.539 that promised. Hold fast. What's that mean? Keep 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:21.700 it. Guard it. Here's the utmost serious. Whatever 00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:26.500 you do, don't let it go. Hold it fast. Put yourselves 00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:29.720 in these people's places. They're being persecuted. 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:31.619 Some are losing homes. Some are losing lands. 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:34.480 We're told that in the book. Some perhaps even 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:37.740 losing life. Life is really, really hard for 00:22:37.740 --> 00:22:40.980 them. But life wasn't hard before they came to 00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:43.240 Christ because under Jewish, under Roman law, 00:22:43.539 --> 00:22:46.599 Judaism was a protected religion. Christianity 00:22:46.599 --> 00:22:49.839 wasn't. The author says, but remember your profession 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:53.000 that you made at your baptism. That's what you 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:56.420 identified with Christ publicly, and he's encouraged 00:22:56.420 --> 00:23:00.019 them. Hold fast. Don't let that go what you professed 00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:03.319 that day. By the way, we know through early church 00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:05.380 at their baptism, they would also make a profession 00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:07.140 of faith. A lot of times they would recite the 00:23:07.140 --> 00:23:09.039 creed. That was one of the reasons I wanted my 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:11.799 son Ezra to recite the creed. So remember, Ezra, 00:23:11.819 --> 00:23:14.279 this is what you professed at your baptism. I 00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:15.880 believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of 00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:17.400 heaven and earth, and Jesus Christ, his only 00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:19.619 son, our Lord, conceived by the Holy Spirit, 00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:21.859 born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius 00:23:21.859 --> 00:23:24.200 Pilate, died, was crucified, was buried, descended 00:23:24.200 --> 00:23:26.019 into hell, and on the third day he rose again 00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:27.960 from the grave. That's what I want him to hold 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:32.200 fast to. Don't lose it. You held fast to that, 00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:35.839 Ezra, no matter what happens. Life may get really, 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:39.400 really hard and very, very intense, but hold 00:23:39.400 --> 00:23:41.930 fast to that profession you make. Don't just 00:23:41.930 --> 00:23:44.829 hold fast. He says do so without wavering. Don't 00:23:44.829 --> 00:23:47.309 falter in it. Don't think for a second. Don't 00:23:47.309 --> 00:23:49.849 you dare turn your back on Christ. Yes, you're 00:23:49.849 --> 00:23:51.930 experiencing persecution, but here's how you 00:23:51.930 --> 00:23:54.769 don't turn back. Why? Why not go save your life? 00:23:55.809 --> 00:23:58.970 Look at the text. For he is faithful to the promised. 00:24:00.049 --> 00:24:03.670 God is faithful. Yeah, you may lose homes. Yes, 00:24:03.670 --> 00:24:05.589 you may. You may lose lands. You may even lose 00:24:05.589 --> 00:24:09.569 your own life for the sake of the gospel. You 00:24:09.569 --> 00:24:13.309 may. But God, the one who promised eternal life, 00:24:13.349 --> 00:24:17.230 He's faithful. God doesn't renege. He keeps His 00:24:17.230 --> 00:24:19.750 promises. He promised eternal life in Christ, 00:24:19.809 --> 00:24:22.369 and He sealed that at your baptism, and He will 00:24:22.369 --> 00:24:26.450 deliver it regardless of the cost. 2 Corinthians 00:24:26.450 --> 00:24:31.269 5 .1. For we know that if our earthly house, 00:24:31.329 --> 00:24:34.750 this tent, is destroyed—that's death—we have 00:24:34.750 --> 00:24:39.230 a building from God, a house not made with hands. 00:24:39.940 --> 00:24:42.839 eternal in the heavens. That's true, friends. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:46.940 I believe that. So, how do you hold fast? You 00:24:46.940 --> 00:24:49.339 keep going. You keep on keeping on. You persevere. 00:24:49.819 --> 00:24:51.900 The writer writes about this all throughout the 00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:56.259 book. Hebrews 3, that Christ as a son over his 00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:59.279 own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast, 00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:02.099 the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope, 00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:05.019 firm unto the end. He said, you turn back. That's 00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:10.180 a bleak outlook for you. Don't turn back. Remember 00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:13.619 when Paul's co -worker, his name just slipped 00:25:13.619 --> 00:25:16.079 and he says, having loved this present world, 00:25:16.180 --> 00:25:18.480 if someone can remember it? Thank you, Demas. 00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:20.779 He has forsaken me having loved this present 00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:24.819 world. He turned back. Hebrews 3 .14, for we 00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:27.539 are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning 00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:31.079 over confidence steadfast into the end. 6 .11, 00:25:31.380 --> 00:25:33.700 we desire that every one of you do show the same 00:25:33.700 --> 00:25:36.359 diligence to the full assurance of hope and to 00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:43.960 the end. Be unmoved by the threats. Keep on holding 00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:46.180 on. Because you know why? There's something better 00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:48.900 than life. There's something better than this 00:25:48.900 --> 00:25:52.500 life, and it's Jesus. And you best be prepared 00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:55.599 to die for that belief. I think of our brothers 00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:58.759 today in some Middle Eastern countries. When 00:25:58.759 --> 00:26:01.119 one identifies with Christ, it's not until they're 00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:03.319 baptized. There's all kinds of Muslim contexts 00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:05.279 where people are okay if you make a private confession 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:07.920 of faith in Christ. But when you publicly identify 00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:10.160 with Him baptism, a lot of times a bounty is 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:14.000 placed on your head. You risk your life. But 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:15.460 what they're saying, there is something better 00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:17.980 than life, and that is Jesus, and He is faithful, 00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:22.019 and His promises are true. These believers, they 00:26:22.019 --> 00:26:25.660 had been baptized. It was a seal that what God 00:26:25.660 --> 00:26:28.259 had promised, He will deliver on. Therefore, 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:30.500 there shouldn't be any hesitation or unbelief. 00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:33.579 God is faithful. Everything is sure on His side. 00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:37.349 Think about the testimony. When you can willingly 00:26:37.349 --> 00:26:39.829 suffer the loss of everything, homes, lands, 00:26:40.109 --> 00:26:42.609 family, life, because of the testimony of Christ, 00:26:42.970 --> 00:26:46.170 that is a real testimony to the world of the 00:26:46.170 --> 00:26:50.769 power and sufficiency of the gospel. Look at 00:26:50.769 --> 00:26:53.549 verse 24. We provoke each other to love and good 00:26:53.549 --> 00:26:57.329 works. Let us consider one another to provoke 00:26:57.329 --> 00:27:00.630 unto love and to good works. To stir up is another 00:27:00.630 --> 00:27:03.509 translation. How are you going to keep your profession? 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:08.859 You meet together for encouragement. The Christian 00:27:08.859 --> 00:27:12.200 life, it is never ever meant to be lived in isolation, 00:27:13.059 --> 00:27:16.180 but always in community. This is something we 00:27:16.180 --> 00:27:18.140 in the Western world have a much harder time 00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:22.079 grasping because in our culture, we are by nature 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:25.259 rugged individualists. Americans pull themselves 00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:28.559 up by the bootstraps. So there's a hyper individual 00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:32.200 focus in American culture. But that's not the 00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:35.130 way the biblical culture is. You will be more 00:27:35.130 --> 00:27:37.890 tempted to quit and to fall into despair or turn 00:27:37.890 --> 00:27:40.230 your back on Christ if you go through extreme 00:27:40.230 --> 00:27:43.869 trials and persecution alone. This is why we 00:27:43.869 --> 00:27:45.430 need each other, which is why God has placed 00:27:45.430 --> 00:27:48.390 us in a body, if you will. Think of war and those 00:27:48.390 --> 00:27:51.309 who have been captured as prisoners of war. If 00:27:51.309 --> 00:27:53.650 they have the support of a fellow prisoner or 00:27:53.650 --> 00:27:56.029 fellow soldier, they are much more likely to 00:27:56.029 --> 00:27:58.950 survive both mentally and physically. There's 00:27:58.950 --> 00:28:00.710 something about being isolated, which is why 00:28:00.710 --> 00:28:02.970 one of the tortures is what to put you in isolation. 00:28:04.470 --> 00:28:06.630 But as we look at the welfare, you and I, as 00:28:06.630 --> 00:28:08.269 we come back to the church, we're to look out 00:28:08.269 --> 00:28:10.089 for the welfare of our fellow brothers and sisters. 00:28:11.250 --> 00:28:12.950 So we need to be actively doing something and 00:28:12.950 --> 00:28:14.930 the author says provoke them. Now we normally 00:28:14.930 --> 00:28:17.970 think of provoking them as something that's negative, 00:28:18.549 --> 00:28:21.910 but the word here actually means to incite, stir 00:28:21.910 --> 00:28:25.329 up. You and I are to actively incite each other 00:28:25.329 --> 00:28:28.650 to love and to good works. Richard Phillips in 00:28:28.650 --> 00:28:32.039 his commentary writes this. The result of our 00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:34.460 example and conversation should be love and good 00:28:34.460 --> 00:28:37.819 works in the lives of other believers. Let me 00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:41.019 ask you, if the way you handle yourself provokes 00:28:41.019 --> 00:28:42.880 others to take seriously what the Bible teaches, 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:46.519 does your counsel cut against the grain of worldly 00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:48.599 logic and press home the claims and promises 00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:51.859 of God? Does your behavior set a helpful model 00:28:51.859 --> 00:28:56.819 for weak or new believers? If not, you are not 00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:58.539 making the impact you should for Christ's work 00:28:58.539 --> 00:29:02.880 in the church. You and I are to provoke to love. 00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:06.019 It's a supreme Christian virtue. It's the one 00:29:06.019 --> 00:29:08.380 that Jesus said, by love shall all men know that 00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:10.440 we are his disciples. But what does it mean to 00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:12.559 love? Love is not the emotion that we're taught 00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:14.480 to believe it is. Love doesn't mean you have 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:16.880 warm thoughts about someone. Love is willingly 00:29:16.880 --> 00:29:19.240 seeking out the welfare of another person, period, 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:24.500 biblically speaking. 1 Timothy 1, 5. The purpose 00:29:24.500 --> 00:29:26.900 of the commandment. That's an interesting statement. 00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:31.000 This is the purpose. is love from a pure heart, 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:33.900 from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith. 00:29:34.779 --> 00:29:37.359 Paul wrote that to Timothy. That's the same words 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:40.579 that's used over in Hebrews. Galatians 5 -6. 00:29:40.940 --> 00:29:43.519 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:46.380 uncircumcision basically amounts to anything. 00:29:47.460 --> 00:29:51.859 What does matter? Faith working through love. 00:29:52.609 --> 00:29:54.849 This is an important point. This is what the 00:29:54.849 --> 00:29:56.990 Holy Spirit is doing in the life of the church. 00:29:57.410 --> 00:29:59.769 Love is the very root of the Christian life, 00:29:59.869 --> 00:30:02.549 and the good works that flow from it are the 00:30:02.549 --> 00:30:06.630 fruit. Love and good works. So they're at a hold 00:30:06.630 --> 00:30:09.210 faster confession, and now he's saying, hey listen, 00:30:09.289 --> 00:30:12.349 be involved in each other's lives. Encourage 00:30:12.349 --> 00:30:16.710 each other to persevere. Hold fast to Christ. 00:30:17.490 --> 00:30:19.450 Because these believers were all facing the same 00:30:19.450 --> 00:30:22.490 thing. And when you're weak, you need the strength 00:30:22.490 --> 00:30:25.890 of the body. No one is strong all the time. Friends, 00:30:26.309 --> 00:30:29.089 no one is strong all the time. That's why we 00:30:29.089 --> 00:30:30.769 need each other. That's why we need to be praying 00:30:30.769 --> 00:30:33.289 for each other. I have personally benefited so 00:30:33.289 --> 00:30:35.630 many times by some of you in here reaching out 00:30:35.630 --> 00:30:38.349 and saying, Pastor, I'm praying for you. And 00:30:38.349 --> 00:30:40.009 I usually try to write back and say, that means 00:30:40.009 --> 00:30:43.829 more than you'll know. When we're weak, the prayers 00:30:43.829 --> 00:30:47.730 of God's people avail. But then lastly, how do 00:30:47.730 --> 00:30:50.190 we then really provoke to each other and incite 00:30:50.190 --> 00:30:55.150 one another? Look at verse 25. Not forsaking 00:30:55.150 --> 00:30:56.890 the assembling of ourselves together as a manner 00:30:56.890 --> 00:31:00.089 of some, but exhorting one another so much the 00:31:00.089 --> 00:31:03.630 more as you see that day approaching. How do 00:31:03.630 --> 00:31:07.670 you do this? You don't neglect to gather to work 00:31:07.670 --> 00:31:10.450 corporately to worship the Lord. That means this 00:31:10.450 --> 00:31:13.589 is the priority. This right here, what we're 00:31:13.589 --> 00:31:16.250 doing today, is the priority. Nothing else, not 00:31:16.250 --> 00:31:20.130 sports, nothing else. Public worship is central 00:31:20.130 --> 00:31:22.509 to the Christian life, and it is here that one 00:31:22.509 --> 00:31:25.710 finds the means of grace. Because in the corporate 00:31:25.710 --> 00:31:31.069 worship of God, the word is preached, the sacraments 00:31:31.069 --> 00:31:35.230 or ordinances are administered, prayers are offered, 00:31:37.390 --> 00:31:41.250 hymns are sung, and to neglect that means is 00:31:41.250 --> 00:31:44.720 spiritually dangerous. continue to worship God, 00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:47.160 continue to gather, but you're doing so as an 00:31:47.160 --> 00:31:49.660 encouragement to your brothers and sisters. Now, 00:31:49.859 --> 00:31:52.240 people today neglect corporate worship all the 00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:56.500 time, but that's nothing new. In the first century, 00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:59.920 they were tempted to not meet together because 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:03.359 it was very dangerous. The Roman army might come 00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:05.380 in and attack them. They were being persecuted 00:32:05.380 --> 00:32:09.279 for that. But in the 21st century, in America, 00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:13.059 It's not because we're being persecuted, we've 00:32:13.059 --> 00:32:16.420 allowed other things to become the priority. 00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:19.059 And this is what I see as very dangerous. If 00:32:19.059 --> 00:32:20.579 you look at the book of Revelation, there are 00:32:20.579 --> 00:32:22.779 two enemies, and I'm jumping ahead of myself, 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:25.259 but I want to mention this here. We often think 00:32:25.259 --> 00:32:27.500 about Satan being the great dragon, and he is. 00:32:27.980 --> 00:32:29.960 And the great dragon seeks to just pummel the 00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:32.819 people of God, persecute them ruthlessly, take 00:32:32.819 --> 00:32:36.019 their lives if he can. But that often served 00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:39.099 to purify the church. But there is an enemy that 00:32:39.099 --> 00:32:41.740 is more insidious And perhaps more effective. 00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:45.619 There's the great whore of Babylon, right? And 00:32:45.619 --> 00:32:49.759 what does she do? So as a great whore, she seduces 00:32:49.759 --> 00:32:54.359 God's people. She lures them away, not by persecuting 00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:56.480 them, but by offering them other things that 00:32:56.480 --> 00:33:00.319 they find more desirable. And this is just as 00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:03.779 effective. So maybe the reason we neglect it 00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:06.500 is different, but the result is the same, and 00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:09.750 that's the neglect of corporate worship. And 00:33:09.750 --> 00:33:12.009 Paul said, or excuse me, the author said here, 00:33:12.509 --> 00:33:16.009 you assemble together, you exhort one another. 00:33:17.190 --> 00:33:20.390 Do you see the communal aspect? It's not primarily 00:33:20.390 --> 00:33:22.970 on what you may receive, but rather on how you 00:33:22.970 --> 00:33:26.309 may contribute. So you're to look out for, we 00:33:26.309 --> 00:33:28.569 are our brother's keeper in the church. We're 00:33:28.569 --> 00:33:31.950 to look out for one another. But some here had 00:33:31.950 --> 00:33:35.569 failed to meet together. As a result, sadly, 00:33:35.630 --> 00:33:37.109 some turned their backs on Christ and they went 00:33:37.109 --> 00:33:40.200 back to Judaism. And the writer saying, please 00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:42.900 don't do that. Please don't do that. That is 00:33:42.900 --> 00:33:45.200 to turn your back on Christ. That is to give 00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:47.859 up salvation. That is to turn your back on salvation. 00:33:48.500 --> 00:33:52.099 Don't neglect the public assembly. It is of utmost 00:33:52.099 --> 00:33:55.660 importance in scripture. How often do I as a 00:33:55.660 --> 00:33:57.839 pastor, I hear this, not so much from church 00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:59.599 members, but you hear it in our culture all the 00:33:59.599 --> 00:34:01.680 time. I don't need to go to church to worship 00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:06.400 God. I can worship God by myself at home. In 00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:08.539 a sense, okay, yeah, you can worship God anywhere. 00:34:08.619 --> 00:34:11.780 That's the access we have. But I will say this, 00:34:12.280 --> 00:34:14.579 you cannot be right with God if you do not come 00:34:14.579 --> 00:34:17.119 together to worship God corporately. Yeah, you 00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:19.820 can have private worship. But if you only have 00:34:19.820 --> 00:34:21.340 private worship, never corporate worship, you're 00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:24.619 not right with God. Our Christianity, and this 00:34:24.619 --> 00:34:26.860 is one thing we have to understand, we have to 00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:30.000 reclaim it. We've lost it. Our Christianity is 00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:32.360 not to be lived out in isolation, but in community. 00:34:33.380 --> 00:34:35.760 There's a well -known Scottish preacher of yesteryear 00:34:35.760 --> 00:34:38.320 whose name is Robert Murray McShane, and he wrote 00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:42.579 this. He preached this in 1838. When two travelers 00:34:42.579 --> 00:34:45.300 are going through the wilderness, you may know 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:47.599 which of them is thirsty by his always looking 00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:50.800 out for wells. So it is with thirsty believers. 00:34:51.340 --> 00:34:55.179 They love the word, both read and preached. They 00:34:55.179 --> 00:34:58.980 thirst for it more and more. Is it so with you, 00:34:59.139 --> 00:35:02.059 dear believing brethren? In Scotland, long ago, 00:35:02.199 --> 00:35:06.099 it used to be so. Often, after the blessing was 00:35:06.099 --> 00:35:08.880 pronounced, the people would not go away till 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:10.380 they heard more. The blessing's talking about 00:35:10.380 --> 00:35:12.559 the benediction, like I do at the very end. He 00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:14.239 said, after the preacher had given the benediction, 00:35:14.380 --> 00:35:17.639 people wanted more. They stayed around. Ah, children 00:35:17.639 --> 00:35:20.900 of God, it is a fearful sign to see little thirst 00:35:20.900 --> 00:35:24.119 in you. I do not wonder much when the world stays 00:35:24.119 --> 00:35:26.480 away from our meetings for the word and prayer, 00:35:27.260 --> 00:35:31.590 but ah, when you do, I am dumb. My soul will 00:35:31.590 --> 00:35:36.650 weep in secret places for your pride. We have 00:35:36.650 --> 00:35:39.690 to regain a vision of what God is doing in his 00:35:39.690 --> 00:35:42.469 church, the priority of it. We come together 00:35:42.469 --> 00:35:44.769 to worship our God and to exhort one another. 00:35:45.150 --> 00:35:47.389 Exhort, it's a Greek word, parakaleo, and it 00:35:47.389 --> 00:35:50.530 simply means to implore, to beg, to comfort, 00:35:50.789 --> 00:35:52.769 to beseech, to call to action. It's all those 00:35:52.769 --> 00:35:56.369 things. The Holy Spirit is called our paraclete, 00:35:56.449 --> 00:35:58.929 the one who comes alongside us and helps us. 00:35:58.989 --> 00:36:02.369 So that means you and I are to be vessels used 00:36:02.369 --> 00:36:04.889 by the Holy Spirit to encourage one another in 00:36:04.889 --> 00:36:08.090 our walk with the Lord. As the song says, there 00:36:08.090 --> 00:36:12.329 are many pitfalls, dangers, toils, and snares. 00:36:13.449 --> 00:36:17.170 We can't overcome them on our own. We need each 00:36:17.170 --> 00:36:19.429 other. But no, it says, and so much, and we'll 00:36:19.429 --> 00:36:22.690 close here, and so much the more as you see the 00:36:22.690 --> 00:36:27.210 day approaching. The author said, hey, man, keep 00:36:27.210 --> 00:36:31.230 encouraging another. Keep meeting. And especially 00:36:31.230 --> 00:36:32.789 as you see that day approaching, what day is 00:36:32.789 --> 00:36:36.630 he talking about? The day of the Lord. The return 00:36:36.630 --> 00:36:41.449 of Christ. He is coming back, friends. Christ 00:36:41.449 --> 00:36:44.329 Jesus is coming back. And all your effort, all 00:36:44.329 --> 00:36:46.590 the blood, the sweat, the tears will never be 00:36:46.590 --> 00:36:49.480 in vain. Keep on following the Lord. Which is 00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:51.139 why at the end of 1st Corinthians 15, when he's 00:36:51.139 --> 00:36:52.880 talking about the resurrection, he says, Therefore 00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:55.059 be unmovable, always abounding in the work of 00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:56.960 the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor 00:36:56.960 --> 00:37:00.099 is not in vain in the Lord. Because Christ is 00:37:00.099 --> 00:37:02.980 alive. Now think about it, if you're being persecuted 00:37:02.980 --> 00:37:06.260 for your faith, this is a lifeline. Christ is 00:37:06.260 --> 00:37:09.449 coming back. Christ is going to return. It gives 00:37:09.449 --> 00:37:13.050 them hope and it gives them courage to continue 00:37:13.050 --> 00:37:15.750 on, knowing all these wrongs that I'm experiencing 00:37:15.750 --> 00:37:19.849 will one day be made right. William McDonald 00:37:19.849 --> 00:37:22.449 in his commentary said, there was need to exhort 00:37:22.449 --> 00:37:25.210 one another, especially in view of the nearness 00:37:25.210 --> 00:37:29.550 of Christ's returns. When he comes, the persecuted, 00:37:30.349 --> 00:37:34.889 the ostracized, despised believers, they will 00:37:34.889 --> 00:37:37.989 be seen to be on the winning side. But until 00:37:37.989 --> 00:37:42.010 then, there's need for steadfastness. Many dangers, 00:37:42.329 --> 00:37:45.190 even in America here. It's not physical persecution, 00:37:45.269 --> 00:37:47.469 like I said earlier. We're seduced by the great 00:37:47.469 --> 00:37:50.329 poor of Babylon. You see it in the book of Revelation. 00:37:51.389 --> 00:37:53.989 It seduces the people of God away from our faith, 00:37:55.090 --> 00:37:58.269 offering the best this world has to offer. It's 00:37:58.269 --> 00:38:01.190 what we're most tempted by. What shall profit 00:38:01.190 --> 00:38:04.150 a man if he gains the whole world and loses his 00:38:04.150 --> 00:38:07.400 own soul? So many people have made a risky gamble 00:38:07.400 --> 00:38:11.360 and they've lost. It's not worth it. Look beyond 00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:13.340 this world. Look beyond what you can presently 00:38:13.340 --> 00:38:16.840 see. Look to the eternal. Gathering as believers 00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:19.460 will help you do that. It is a safeguard so that 00:38:19.460 --> 00:38:21.440 you're not seduced by the enemy because every 00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:23.780 week we come and we're reoriented toward true 00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:28.610 north. Okay, Lord, I am being deceived because 00:38:28.610 --> 00:38:31.469 every day, all day long, I'm being tempted and 00:38:31.469 --> 00:38:33.469 there's seduction out there and we're being drawn 00:38:33.469 --> 00:38:35.550 away from the faith. And every Lord's Day we 00:38:35.550 --> 00:38:37.349 gather and say, nope, my allegiance is to King 00:38:37.349 --> 00:38:39.869 Jesus, to his kingdom, and he's returning, so 00:38:39.869 --> 00:38:43.989 I'm not being moved. So my exhortation to you 00:38:43.989 --> 00:38:47.829 today as a pastor is to see that the day is approaching. 00:38:48.710 --> 00:38:52.309 It is drawing near. Don't be fooled. Don't be 00:38:52.309 --> 00:38:56.920 caught off guard. Believer, you have a great 00:38:56.920 --> 00:39:01.380 high priest in the heaven. He's praying for you. 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:05.420 He's interceding for you. So draw near to God. 00:39:06.460 --> 00:39:09.360 Approach Him. Draw near to Him. Keep though your 00:39:09.360 --> 00:39:12.119 profession. And while you're here on this earth 00:39:12.119 --> 00:39:14.760 and as long as you have breath, stir up your 00:39:14.760 --> 00:39:16.980 brothers and sisters in Christ unto love and 00:39:16.980 --> 00:39:19.460 good works until the day that Christ returns. 00:39:20.250 --> 00:39:22.429 This is what it means to have this great high 00:39:22.429 --> 00:39:25.889 priest over the house of God. Let's pray. Father, 00:39:25.929 --> 00:39:29.889 thank you. Lord, it is an encouragement to me 00:39:29.889 --> 00:39:33.070 to know that, Lord, I am not alone. It's an encouragement 00:39:33.070 --> 00:39:36.989 to me to know that Jesus is praying for me even 00:39:36.989 --> 00:39:39.750 now in heaven. It is an encouragement, Lord, 00:39:39.829 --> 00:39:44.269 to know that, Lord, you have given us all that 00:39:44.269 --> 00:39:49.320 we need for life and godliness. Father, would 00:39:49.320 --> 00:39:51.460 you protect us? Lord, all of us are weak. All 00:39:51.460 --> 00:39:55.019 of us are just frail and easily to be seduced 00:39:55.019 --> 00:39:57.619 and led away from the faith or to be led away 00:39:57.619 --> 00:40:01.079 from our steadfastness in Christ. Lord, Father, 00:40:01.079 --> 00:40:04.019 would you keep us from that? Lord, you must hold 00:40:04.019 --> 00:40:07.219 us fast. But Father, as we're doing so, Lord, 00:40:07.300 --> 00:40:09.139 we pray that, Lord God, we will not be moved. 00:40:09.559 --> 00:40:11.179 But Father, Lord, we would encourage one another. 00:40:11.219 --> 00:40:13.639 Lord, may your Holy Spirit work in me, in the 00:40:13.639 --> 00:40:15.619 lives of your saints here this morning, that 00:40:15.619 --> 00:40:17.760 we would encourage each other in our most holy 00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:20.570 faith. that we would grow and mature and see 00:40:20.570 --> 00:40:23.849 what life is really all about, that we will glorify 00:40:23.849 --> 00:40:26.210 you, whether it be by life or by death. Lord, 00:40:26.230 --> 00:40:28.230 I don't say that lightly or flippantly because, 00:40:28.389 --> 00:40:30.449 Lord, I also realize some people truly are hurting. 00:40:31.289 --> 00:40:33.269 Lord, in their hurt, may they find their source 00:40:33.269 --> 00:40:36.710 of comfort in you. Lord, now as we come and we 00:40:36.710 --> 00:40:39.369 not only do we remember by holding the elements 00:40:39.369 --> 00:40:41.090 in our hands that represent the body and blood 00:40:41.090 --> 00:40:43.590 of Christ, but we commune with the risen Lord. 00:40:43.710 --> 00:40:45.489 I don't understand how it happens, but there's 00:40:45.489 --> 00:40:48.530 a true communion with Christ this morning as 00:40:48.530 --> 00:40:51.409 your Holy Spirit makes this meal effective in 00:40:51.409 --> 00:40:53.469 the lives of your people. Father, I thank you 00:40:53.469 --> 00:40:56.409 for that Lord. What an encouragement your church 00:40:56.409 --> 00:40:58.650 is and we pray that God we would continue to 00:40:58.650 --> 00:41:01.150 do so even more as we see the day approaching 00:41:01.150 --> 00:41:04.489 and we ask this in Christ's name. Amen. Mice 00:41:04.489 --> 00:41:06.829 and Deacons if you'll come. Distribute the elements, 00:41:06.909 --> 00:41:07.130 please.