[0:00] Hebrews chapter 10. Thank you.
[0:22] Last week we began talking about Hebrews chapter 10 and the fact that it's a pivotal chapter in the book. He's kind of summarizing the things that he has been teaching and going to make a transition. The fact that yes the law was like this, this and this but Jesus is better and now we have this new covenant. Because of this new covenant different things are going to happen. So he's given these this summary of these key doctrines and everything and then he's going to come up and he says Christ has a new and living way.
[0:54] We have to remember that we have a new and living way. It's not based on the law. He said basically that the old system is over. That's done. And he gives some of the things about that old system things that we've talked about and everything. And then he comes up and he says in chapter 10 verse 7 he says then said I lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will O God.
[1:20] Verse 9. Then he said lo I am come to do thy will O God why did Jesus come? He came to do the will of the Father. He came to fulfill what God had for us.
[1:32] And in doing that he did away with the old system. And it wasn't just a matter we talked about it wasn't just a matter of oh this has happened and this has happened we've got to come up with a new plan.
[1:47] No that wasn't what God did. Remember later on in Galatians is this going to say Jesus came in the fullness of time. Well verse 7 there says he came to do the will to do thy will O God.
[2:07] Acts chapter 2 verse 23 we read last week and said him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. God had his plan in place he says before the foundations of the world.
[2:21] Remember God said he had this in place. Acts chapter 4 verse 27 and 28 he says for if you truth against the holy child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together.
[2:40] Okay stop and think about that statement for a minute. Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. Who is that?
[2:53] Everybody. Everybody was gathered against him the Gentiles and the Jews. So everybody was against him. Verse 28 there of Acts 4 says for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
[3:11] So Jesus wasn't an afterthought he wasn't a second thought he wasn't a second plan he wasn't plan B he had been the original plan from the beginning.
[3:22] Had to wait for the fullness of time he said. So he goes on he talks about how the Levitical priest you know again had to do their daily sacrifices and everything but when Jesus came what a difference it made because look at verse 20 no verse 12 verse 12 says but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of God verse 14 for by one offering he had perfected forever them that are sanctified and we talked about that the fact that one time it was done remember what Jesus said on the cross his last statement on the cross it is finished it's finished it's done one time they said that the translation of finished in modern English would be paid in full yep yep so it's paid in full they didn't have to keep doing sacrifices and things like they did in the Old Testament Jesus said one time and it's done and over with so um he goes on from there and he starts the second thing starting in verse 19 he talks about the fact that Christ's new way has come the old wasn't put away new way has come and we started talking about that a little bit and he said talked about the fact that there's a new covenant there's a new way of doing things we can actually come into the Holy of Holies now um he said look at verse 19 to 20 having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh the fact that he made that way for us to come boldly before the throne of grace we can come right before God we don't have to wait for a high priest or for a priest to make it so we can come in and confess our sins and get cleansing from it he says you can come in yourself he talks about
[5:35] Christ's priesthood again in verse 21 having a high priest over the house of God the fact that he had become a high priest after the order of Melchizedek not after Aaron and again the difference that that makes in everything then this is where we left off he says because of all of these things because I've made a new and living way because I've offered the one sacrifice because I've done all of this look at verse 22 let us draw near with a true heart of assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promise and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works not forsake any assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much more as you see the day approaching notice those three let us he says because of
[6:39] Christ coming because of Christ being the new high priest because of a new covenant because of all of these different things let us do this what does he start off with there in 22 let us draw near with a true heart of faith do we come to him with a true heart of faith you know so often Christians throughout history Christians today they say things but do they truly believe them they say things but are they truly living them Isaiah talked about this in Isaiah 29 13 says this wherefore the Lord said for as much as this people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honor me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men he said they say with their mouth they love me their lips they proclaim the things about me but he said their hearts are long ways from me they know the right things to say but they don't live it hmm that sound familiar that sound like a lot of things today a lot of people today they say the right things but are they living it out he's urging them to have a true heart total confidence in Christ and what he has done for them he says look the things that came through the old he said they were good for their time but now instead of just covering sin let's get rid of it let's wash it away let's give it to Christ and let his blood take care of it
[8:35] God sanctifies and he cleanses and he makes them new then he goes on in verse 23 let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised he says God's faithful so let us hold on to him he's not going to fail us he's not going to do a partial job he's not going to just cover things over he's going to wash it away he says cling to that profession that you have hold on to that don't let it slip too many times we say things and we say we have confidence in Christ but then when a push comes to shove we kind of hmm do we truly believe Christ and what he has said do we truly believe that he has taken care of all things for us and then he does the third one verse 24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works he says consider one another that's another thing we don't do a lot as
[9:46] Christians we caught up especially here in America everything in America is about how can I succeed how can I do better how can I move forward how can I get the things that I want how can I he says no he says provoke one another unto love and good works are we provoking one another unto love and good works are we trying to get one another to do the things of Christ that he wants us to do and show love to one another when we get over to chapter 13 he's going to talk some more about that edifying one another building one another up see he says look for you Hebrews one of the great challenges persecution is coming persecution is already being a part of their life and he says look we need to provoke one another unto love and good works because hard times are coming are we ready to do what Christ asks us to do look at verse 25 there again it's a very familiar verse you've heard it over and over he says there in verse 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching so let me ask you a question how do we exhort one another effectively how do we exhort one another and he says and so much more as you see the day approaching how do we do that here's a question for you you use the word okay everything we do needs to be based on the word of God and the way we live and the way we speak and the things that we do base it on the word of God what does
[11:34] God want us to do if I'm going to come to you and say oh everything's going to be okay you don't have to worry well it's one thing for me to say that but it's another thing for me to come along and say the word of God says that Jesus is walking with us he will never leave us nor forsake us he's going to be with us every step of the way there's a whole lot of difference when Jesus says I will be there with you not that I say oh it's just going to be okay you'll be fine okay showing action by love love is an action so often we've talked about this people say oh I love you I care about you our family loves you love is an action when your husband comes along and he says I love you and then he doesn't pay any attention to you whatsoever I'm not going to ask you know when your wife comes along when your wife comes along oh I love you but she doesn't really do anything to demonstrate that fact anything you know it's again our words but it's our heart in it and he's saying the same thing here you know are we showing that we love how else can we exhort one another praying for one another yeah visiting others yeah visiting friday night getting together having fellowship together that was fun having a good time together there loyalty is not so exciting and fun to make a person happy well no loyalty because it kind of goes along with love and things too it can be a matter of oh you're my best bud
[14:16] I just love being around you but it can also be as your friend you know let me tell you you need to know that's right the wounds of a friend are better than kisses of an enemy so yeah listening with understanding yeah good so there are lots of ways we can exhort one another and he says don't forsake the assembling of yourself together if you're not even getting together if you're not even together to hear the word of God and stuff he said how are you going to do that how are you going to be able to do that which brings us to the third point he says there's a challenge that awaits you there's a challenge that awaits and he says look here's part of the challenge I want you to be loyal to one another I want you to love one another I want you to exhort one another I want you to encourage one another I want you to do all these things but you can't do that if verse 26 for if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remain no more sacrifice for sins he says look if we sin willfully that's an interesting thing he says look knowing
[15:39] Christ is better than knowing the old system the Levitical system knowing Christ is better but Christ made how many sacrifices for sin one you know the old times I did this sin let's make a sacrifice I did this sin again let's make a sacrifice I did this sin again let's make a sacrifice I did this sin again let's make a sacrifice he says no if you're sinning willfully no if you make mistakes and you do things and stuff okay but he says if you're going got something in my eye and it's still giving me trouble if you sin willfully I know this is wrong but I'm going to do it anyway he said there's no more sacrifice for sins could be yeah now if we're doing things and we're doing things wrong and we're sinning he says look you know 1 John 1 9 if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness but you notice that he put that word willfully in here
[16:53] I'm going to do this sin I know it's wrong but I don't care yep you did it I forgive it but don't do it again and so yeah when we do things willfully he says hmm then we have a problem you know when we sin willfully and then he says we expect just to get by with it we expect it just to he says it doesn't quite work that way right because that's willfully yep yep and it happens that's different yeah yep i agree yeah
[18:05] Yep. I agree. Yeah. Tamar's brother forcing her.
[18:16] Yep. He planned it out. He had it down to the details. So, yes. Look at verse 28.
[18:28] He says, He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Ooh, what does that mean? Back in the Old Testament times, if you sinned willfully and you had witnesses who knew what you were doing and stuff, what was the penalty?
[18:47] Death. Stoning. Be stoning. Exactly. Matter of fact, turn over to Deuteronomy 17. Hold your finger there in Hebrews. Go to Deuteronomy 17.
[19:04] Deuteronomy 17, beginning at verse 2.
[19:15] Deuteronomy 17, beginning at verse 2. If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his covenant, and have gone and served other gods and worshipped them, either the sun or moon or any of the hosts of heaven which I have not commanded, and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquire diligently, and behold, it be true and a certain thing which such abomination is wrought in Israel.
[19:57] Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman which hath committed that wicked thing unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones till they die.
[20:12] At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death.
[20:23] But at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. And the hands of the witnesses shall be the first upon them to put them to death, and afterward the hands of all the people.
[20:35] So shalt thou put the evil away from among you. So yeah, they were going to be stoned. If they were guilty of idolatry, they're going to be stoned. When we put something in willfully sin, we say, I know this is against what God wants, but I'm going to do it anyways.
[20:55] Haven't we put an idol up? Haven't we put something up that's more important than God? He says, it needs to be dealt with. Did you notice the other thing there?
[21:08] He said in Deuteronomy, they've been found guilty. Two or three witnesses say they're guilty. He says, okay, the first stone is coming from those witnesses.
[21:21] Makes you stop and think about it, doesn't it, before you accuse somebody of something. You can accuse them and say they did it, but he said, all right, you're throwing the first stone then because you're the one who said it.
[21:33] You're the one who said you caught them doing it. Their life is in your hands. Yes. Is that what would happen when the woman was brought by his elders?
[21:44] Yeah. Jesus said, let him who is without sin cast the first stone and all that. And they all left. Yep. Because somebody had to throw the first one because they were all accusing him of it.
[21:56] Okay, so which one of you is throwing the first stone? The one of you that's without sin. Go ahead. So, yes. But if you read that passage, you say she was taken in the act.
[22:12] So they, apparently, was lying wait. Yep. And according to Deuteronomy, it had to be more than one of it and saw it. Had to be at least two or three.
[22:24] So, yep. The what? The tent fell down. Yep, the tent fell. There you go. The tent fell down. Yep. So, where was I?
[22:40] In verse 29. It says, and of much sore punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despot unto the Spirit of grace.
[23:07] He says, look, okay, so these people were found guilty of idolatry. You're going to take them. You're going to stone them. You're going to kill them because they sinned against God and God's commandments.
[23:21] He says, how much more the person who knows Jesus Christ, lives, seen Jesus Christ, heard him speak, heard him teach, and rejected him.
[23:33] They said, I've heard Jesus. I've heard about Jesus. I've heard the gospel of Jesus. I've heard all of this. No, I don't think so. He says, how much more?
[23:45] These are people who actually had seen Jesus, seen his miracles, heard him speak, and he says, now we have the word of God. You've heard, have the Holy Spirit.
[23:57] You have the word of God. You have, how much more? When you think about the fact that Jesus came, he died, he rose, he ascended, we have all that information and we say, no, I don't think so.
[24:16] He says, we wonder why there's a hell. We wonder why there's a place. He said, take the Old Testament. He said, you're not just ignoring God's commandments.
[24:30] You're ignoring God himself. Whoa. Stop and think about it. I don't want to be someone who is not saved. I don't want to be someone who is facing that.
[24:44] They're treating Christ with contempt. You know, and God can't just cancel out justice. We believe in God's grace.
[24:57] Yes, we do. But God's grace doesn't cancel out his justice. He has grace in the fact that he's given us a way to be saved. He's given us a way to know him.
[25:10] He's given us a way to come directly before his throne. But if we don't accept it, that doesn't cancel out his grace, his justice.
[25:21] So, you know, he's going to judge. He's holy. He has to. You know, I'm not going to finish this today. Look at verse 31.
[25:31] Because he says in verse 30, he says, For we know him as said, justice is mine. I will recompense, saith the Lord.
[25:42] And again, the Lord shall judge his people. So he's going to judge. Verse 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
[25:53] How do the people of the world think about that today? It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. people of this world today? They don't care.
[26:05] You think of things that you've seen on TV recently in the news and stuff. People don't care what God thinks. They don't care what Jesus did. On the board out there, if you saw it on your way in this morning, I have no matter who is president, Jesus is king.
[26:25] Most people don't believe that. Most people are like, eh. Now let me ask you a second question. How seriously do people who claim to be Christians take that statement?
[26:41] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Do we really think about that? Well, I'm saved.
[26:52] I'm on my way to heaven. It's no problem. Yes, you are. But do we still think about the fact that we have friends and neighbors who are going to fall in the hands of the living God?
[27:05] Do we have relatives? We have others who, you know, how do we look at that?
[27:17] How do we view that? It's something for us to think about. God is coming back. He is going to be here.
[27:28] We need to face what's going to happen. We read the book of Revelation and I do this too. I read the book of Revelation and I'm like, I don't care. I'm saved. I'm not going to be here for all that.
[27:42] But there are others who could be here. Do we care? We've got people coming in. Let's have a word for her. Father, thank you for today.