And if you would open up to Hebrews chapter 10 in your Bibles, it's on 1194 of your pew Bibles.
I'm going to read for us Hebrews 10, 19 through 25.
I'm actually going to be reaching back into verse 19 for the sermon this morning.
So you can see on your bulletin, I'm going to be preaching 10, 19 through 25.
Hear God's word.
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain that is through his flesh,
and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,
let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience,
and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.
And let us consider to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another in all the more as you see the day drawing near.
May God bless the hearing of his word.
Hey, let me ask you a question.
How does something become a recurring commitment on your weekly schedule?
Whether that's your personal schedule or whether that is your family schedule,
how does something get on your family schedule on a weekly basis?
Maybe it's you are committed to eating together as a family every week.
Why is that so important to you?
Maybe you and your significant other are committed to a weekly date night.
Why is that so important to you?
Maybe you're exercising weekly.
Why does that matter so much to you?
Maybe this is about children's activities, sports, theater, music.
You're saying no to some things to say yes to those things.
Why is that so important?
Maybe like me, you block off three to four hours every weekend to watch a football game.
Why is that so important?
You know, when we're evaluating some of these things that we commit our time to on a weekly basis,
there's a couple questions you can ask.
Like, okay, what is the long-term good that comes out of this weekly commitment?
What is it producing?
Another question you can do to ask about weekly commitments is this.
When Jesus comes back, what will he think about that commitment?
When it comes to our Sunday-by-Sunday gathering as a church,
we all have a sense that it's important.
Have you ever asked the question, why?
Why is this so important?
Should a Christian do all that they can to gather weekly with their local church?
When I bring these topics up with brothers and sisters, members of our church who have been inconsistent,
chronically inconsistent, attending on a Sunday morning,
when I bring it up, it's usually met with some kind of defensiveness or bristling.
Because they think this is a matter of attendance.
Like they're not following through with their commitment.
That's not why I'm bringing it up.
I'm bringing it up because God's word brings it up.
You see, what I'm concerned about,
what God's concerned about,
is your long-term spiritual health and well-being.
This is not a matter of attendance.
This is a matter of God's grace.
In order for us to persevere to the end,
we need weekly infusions of God's grace.
We need to be encouraged by God's grace together to persevere.
At our weekly grace gathering,
God encourages us to endure to the end.
We need to meet weekly for the grace
so that we can hold fast to the end.
That's the point of Hebrews 10, 19-25.
And this is an argument that the author of Hebrews is making.
And it's a three-step argument.
Step one, verses 19-21,
what God has done,
He has given us unlimited access
and an unlimited abundance of grace.
It's amazing what He's done.
Step two,
how we together respond to that.
Three exhortations.
And then step three,
how we together lay hold of that
by meeting together.
We gather weekly for the grace
to persevere all the way to the end.
So let's look at this first step in this argument.
Now, I realize I'm jumping right into
like the last third of the book of Hebrews.
And I just want to let you know,
this is a little bit of preview
because I'm going to start preaching
through the book of Hebrews
as a whole come February.
The book of Hebrews was written to encourage Christians
who were drifting,
who would be tempting to walk away.
And this book of Hebrews
is one long 13-chapter encouragement
to hold fast,
to press on and persevere and endure.
And to that end,
the book of Hebrews
over and over again
fixes our eyes on Jesus.
What He has done.
And in this passage,
the author of Hebrews
points us to
the strategy of our local gathering
unto that end.
In verses 19-21,
we have this first step in the argument.
And what the author of Hebrew does
is he points us to two motivations.
And they're marked by the word since.
Verse 19,
Therefore, brothers,
since we have confidence
to enter the holy places
by the blood of Jesus.
Verse 21,
And since we have a great high priest,
great priest over the house of God.
Here's what He's doing.
He's saying,
Since this is true
and since this is true,
then we must do this
and let us do this
and let us do this.
It's an argument.
Trying to persuade us
of the importance of something.
So let's just look at this first sense real quick.
Therefore, brothers,
since we have confidence
to enter the holy places
by the blood of Jesus,
by the new and living way
that He opened to us
through the curtain,
that is through His flesh.
This first grace motivation
is access.
Through Jesus' death and resurrection,
through His blood and the living way,
His resurrection,
the new is a new covenant.
Through these things that Jesus has done,
He has given us unlimited access
to the holy place of God.
The heavenly holy place.
What we'll see in Hebrews 4
is the throne room of God.
Back in the old covenant,
the Holy of Holies
was this place in the temple in Jerusalem
that only one man
could enter once a year
on Yom Kippur.
The high priest.
To make sacrifice for the people.
And on the 364 days
outside of Yom Kippur,
there was like a sign
on the curtain
separating us,
separating them
from the Holy of Holies.
It said,
no admittance,
no access.
What we're being talked about here
is a heavenly holy place.
A heavenly throne room.
And what Jesus has done
through the good news
of His death and resurrection
is His life,
the curtain,
has been opened to us
so that we can enter in
to the holy place,
God's very presence.
We have unlimited access
to the very presence of God.
There was a time
when we couldn't
because we were in our sins.
But now there's a time we can
because we're in Christ now.
It's through Christ's death
and resurrection
that we have unlimited access
to the Holy of Holies,
the very throne room
of God's grace.
And since we have
been given this unlimited access
to the throne of grace,
we do something now.
But that's just the first sense.
There's a second sense.
And since we have
a great high priest
over the house of God,
the book of Hebrews
makes this phenomenal claim
that Jesus is
the great high priest
who has superseded
and made obsolete
the Jewish priesthood.
because he's
made a better sacrifice
once and for all
himself.
It's a once for all payment
that has forgiven us
forever.
He's a high priest
with a better ministry.
He is constantly
making intercession for us
because
he's alive.
He's a better person.
All of the priests
of the Old Testament
are dead.
Their bodies
have wasted away.
Not our high priest.
His is an indestructible life.
He lives to make
intercession for us.
And this great high priest,
do you know what he's
saying to us?
Come to me,
all you who are weary
and heavy laden,
and I'll give you grace.
You see,
what this great high priest
is pointing us to
is not just
we have unlimited access
to him,
we have an unlimited
abundance
to the grace
that he gives.
Unlimited abundance.
It's not like
we only get three servings
every day.
We can go to him
whenever we want
for the grace.
Listen to this.
This is Hebrews chapter 4,
14 through 16.
Since then we have
a great high priest
who has passed
through the heavens,
Jesus,
the Son of God.
Let us hold fast
our confession.
For we do not have
a high priest
who is unable
to sympathize
with our weaknesses,
but one who
in every respect
has been tempted
as we are,
yet without sin.
Let us then
with confidence
draw near
to the throne
of grace
that we may
receive mercy
and find grace
to help
in time of need.
What is grace?
Many of you
who have been
raised in the church
have an answer.
It's God's
unmerited favor.
It's a posture
of God towards us
where a holy God
is his posture
towards us
is not dependent
on our posture
towards him.
It's unconditional
love for us.
And that is
one aspect
of grace
because when I read
Hebrews 4.16,
I read about
a throne of grace
that provides
help in time
of need.
Do you know
what that is?
Power.
Unconditional love,
unlimited power.
The Apostle Paul
in 2 Corinthians 12
has been praying
that God
would remove
this throne,
this thorn
of his flesh
and Jesus
speaks to him.
My grace
is sufficient
for you
for my power
is made perfect
in weakness.
He equates
grace and power.
So here's how
I want you
to think about
God's grace
and what we have
access to
in unlimited fashion
and what is
available to us
in unlimited abundance.
grace.
It's God's
unconditional love
driving his
unlimited power
towards us.
It's all about
grace.
And you know what?
You need that grace
to persevere
to the end.
You can't do it
on your own.
You can't flesh it out.
You can't muscle it out.
And this is what
God has done.
Unlimited access,
unlimited availability
to his grace
at his throne.
This is what
God has done.
And this is where
this little argument
starts.
Since God
has made a way
to his
unlimited grace.
Step two.
How do we respond?
How do you respond
to that kind of
unlimited access
and unlimited
availability of grace?
Well, there's
three exhortations
in verses 22
through 24.
Let's just take them
off one at a time.
God's grace
is available
to us,
brothers and sisters.
So look at
verse 22.
Since this,
since that,
let us draw near.
Let us draw near.
Draw near to what?
He doesn't say.
He's already said
to the throne of grace.
Let us draw near
into God's presence.
grace.
And we're to do
that with confidence.
With a true heart
and full assurance
of faith.
Sprinkled clean.
Bodies washed.
That's talking about
the cleansing work
of God
through Christ.
His death
and His resurrection.
There is therefore
now no condemnation
for those who are
in Christ Jesus.
So now,
because you're in Christ,
you can enter
the very presence
of God
without any fear
whatsoever.
Come to me.
Come to me for grace.
Anytime you want,
you've got full access.
Draw near to me.
Draw near to my throne.
Did you notice
the word us?
Let us draw near.
How does that happen?
Where and when
does that take place?
Exhortation 2
is in verse 23.
Since God
has made available
His grace,
we're to draw near
to Him
together.
And
exhortation 2,
let us hold fast
the confession
of our hope
without wavering.
Hold fast
the confession
of our hope.
A confession
is this
verbal
acknowledgement,
verbal announcement
of what you believe
to be true.
It's out of your heart.
The mouth speaks.
You're saying,
we're saying together,
this is what I believe
about Jesus.
Hope is a theme
throughout the book
of Hebrews
and our hope
is the one
who's gone before us.
Jesus.
Let us hold fast
the confession
of our hope
without wavering.
Wavering
in terms of
wavering of your faith,
wavering of your
pursuit
of our Lord.
Here's what causes us
to waver.
Distraction.
Spiritual dullness.
Doubting.
These are the things
that get in the way.
What causes us
to waver
and what was causing
this first group
of Christians
to waver
is what the world
says.
What the world
prioritizes.
We can't prioritize
what the world
prioritizes
because they don't
confess Jesus
as their king.
We confess
Jesus
and hold fast
to the fact
that he's
the controlling
center of our lives.
All of us
together.
You know
what the opposite
of holding fast
is?
There are words
for it
throughout the book
of Hebrews.
In Hebrews 2.1
it's drifting away.
Hebrews 2.3
it's neglecting
this great salvation.
In verse 5.11
it's pointing to
a dullness
of hearing.
In 10.39
it's a shrinking
back.
And in verses 3
chapter 3
verse 12
and 6
it's
it's actually apostasy.
It's a falling away.
these are the things
that this book
is written
to help us
fight against
to not get pulled
into.
And so when we talk
about holding fast
it's the very opposite
of drifting away.
It's about persevering.
It's striving
to enter his rest.
It's about enduring
just as the great
hall of fame
all of these
brothers and sisters
they persevere
to the end
just as Jesus
the author
and perfecter
of our faith
has gone before us
enduring the cross.
We're called
to hold fast together.
To press on
to endure
hold fast
this confession
and so together
when we come together
let us
hold fast
the confession
of our hope.
Let us
hold fast
we do this together.
We're saying things
like when we sing
we're singing
to Jesus
we're singing
great things
about our God
we're confessing
what's true
together.
We do this together.
The third
exhortation
is in verse 24
it says
and let us
consider
how to stir up
one another
to love
and good works.
Technically
the exhortation
is to think
carefully.
It's on that
verb consider
but what we're
being told
to consider
is how to
stir one another
up
to love
and good
works
to love
one another
to do
good deeds
and do you know
why we are
to do that?
Because we drift
from that.
We gravitate
to people
who are like
us
who are familiar
with
and what we're
being told
here is to
stir up
one another
to give
careful thought
of how to
stir one another
up
to love
one another
to do good
to one another.
That little
verb
that little
word
stir up
in the ESV
it's a little
stronger than
that.
It's
stir up
is good
but it's
it's
missing
some force.
At the end
of Acts
15
the same
word is
used
to describe
the sharp
disagreement
between
Paul and
Barnabas.
It's a strong
word.
In fact
the NIV
the New
International
Version
translated this
way
consider how
to spur
one another
on
to love
and good
deeds.
Maybe you've
read a version
that talks
about
provoking
one another
to love
and good
deeds.
This kind
of word
it carries
the sense
of causing
discomfort
of
confrontation
even
of
being able
to come
to one
another
and say
come on
let's
go.
You know
cowboys have
spurs on
their boots.
You know
what they're
for?
Spur the
horse
inflict some
discomfort
so that
beast moves.
and so the
idea here
of
stirring
one another
up
is we're
being in
love
willing to
say things
to one
another
to help
each other
persevere
to love
and to
good deeds.
peace.
You see
these three
exhortations
did you
notice
let us
consider
how to
stir up
one another?
Let us
hold fast?
Let us
draw near?
These
exhortations
are means
by which
we encourage
one another
in light of
God's grace.
In light of
what he's
done.
Because of
his grace
we draw
near together
we hold
fast together
we spur
each other
on.
Where do you
think this
happens?
Week by
week.
Brings us
to the last
step in the
argument.
Verse 25
we're shown
where this
happens.
Not
neglecting to
meet together
as in the
habit of
some but
encouraging
one another
and all the
more as
you see
the day
drawing
near.
The primary
way we
draw near
to God
together,
the primary
way we
hold fast
the good
confession of
Jesus together,
the primary
way in which
we spur
one another
on to love
and good
deeds is
by meeting
together in
person Sunday
after Sunday.
We meet
together because
we are in
desperate need
of God's
grace to
persevere to
the end
together.
Quick
technicality,
grammatical
technicality.
You can check
out, I'll check
you back in in a
minute.
Technically,
verse 25 is a
subordinate clause
of verse 24.
And one can
think that
verse 25 is
therefore kind
of operationalizing
verse 24,
but check back
in.
Follow the flow
of the argument.
In verse 21,
since we have a
great high priest
over the house
of God,
the house of
God,
flip back in
Hebrews,
to Hebrews
chapter 3,
verse 6.
But Christ is
faithful over
God's house as
a son,
and we
are his
house.
If indeed we
hold fast our
confidence in our
boasting,
in our hope.
Here's the point I'm
trying to make,
help you see
here.
The writer of
Hebrews is
talking about
the church,
talking about
us,
talking about
the people of
God in a
particular place,
in a particular
time.
He's saying
over the
house of God,
the church,
and then verse
22, the us
is the house
of God.
Verse 23,
the house,
the us is the
house of God,
the people of
God.
24 is the
people of
God.
And so when
we get to
25, it is the
people of God
meeting together,
or not.
All of these
exhortations
happen, they
come to fruition
when we meet
together in
person Sunday
by Sunday.
I'm not sure if
you know this,
but Zach and I
have the privilege
of every week on
our Wednesday
staff meeting,
and we usually
have a blast
doing it.
We create an
order of our
service.
It's what
guides us when
we gather
together as
God's people,
as the house
of God.
It's what some
people call a
liturgy.
And what it is
is basically a
process by which
we draw near to
God, hold fast
our confession,
and spur one
another on.
That's what we
do.
That's one of my
most favorite
moments of the
week.
And so when we
kind of put things
in place, we're
looking to our
Bibles to give
us kind of like,
what do we need to
have together when
we gather?
So there's always a
call to worship.
It's God calling us
to worship.
And then we always
have a benediction,
God kind of wrapping
us up.
And then the songs
that we sing and
that we choose,
they are designed
to unite us in
our confession.
When we pray, like
Zach prayed a prayer
of confession this
morning, it's very
intentional.
Do you know why?
We're drawing near to
God.
It's to serve us,
to serve our
gathering.
It's to help us
lay hold of God's
grace together.
And of course, the
preaching of the
word, we preach
Christ and we
preach so that you
would be spurred on
to love and good
deeds.
That's what God's
word gets done.
You can think about
it as Zach and me
being curators.
Like an art curator
of an art museum
who designs a show
from beginning to
end in which you,
when you come out,
you're like, that
was great.
What Zach and I do
is to curate a
gathering in order
to draw near to God,
hold fast the
confession of Jesus
and spur one another
on.
But it's not all
formalities.
You know one of my
favorite things?
Before and after
service?
Is this informal
spurring one another
on.
It's watching people
pray together, talk
together.
It happens when we
come together.
It is so good.
So when we come
together, there is
this outpouring of
God's grace, both
formal and informal,
in order to
encourage us
to persevere
to the end.
There is a rebuke
in this passage.
Not neglecting to
meet together as is
the habit of some.
A rebuke is
when someone
says,
that's not right.
You shouldn't
be doing that.
The original
audience, if you're
wondering, if you're
in your pew right
now thinking, okay,
I'm not sure if he's
talking about the
Sunday gathering of
God's people.
Maybe he's just
talking about meeting
together with someone
over coffee.
My life group
getting together.
I've got an
accountability group.
I've got a Bible
study on Monday
night.
Let me just help you
understand something.
When the original
audience read this
letter, there's no
doubt how they would
have interpreted that.
The meeting
together was the
meeting together of
their church for
worship and exhortation
with God's word.
And some people
had gotten into a
bad habit of not
gathering together.
And here's how that
pattern shows up.
Hey, where is so
and so?
We haven't seen so
and so for a couple
weeks.
That's how you know
that there's a bad
habit going on.
Hey, where is so
and so?
Why aren't they
here?
Why aren't they
benefiting from
God's grace?
When someone gets
in the bad habit of
not coming to church,
gathering with God's
people, they are
denying themselves a
primary means of
grace.
and they're opening
themselves to
potential drift, to
potential dullness,
and apostasy.
Did you see what
follows this in
chapter 10?
a warning against
apostasy.
There's a rebuke,
and it's a loving
rebuke, because those
who neglect the
gathering of the
church, they're
missing out on God's
grace.
But there's also a
correction.
But encouraging one
another, and all the
more as you see the
day drawing near, the
day drawing near is the
second advent of Jesus.
When he comes back to
judge, make all things
right, and we're all
going to stand before
the judgment seat of
Christ someday, and
we're one day closer.
So we encourage one
another.
By drawing near, by
holding fast, by
spurring one another
on, that's how we
encourage one another,
and it's not all the
less.
It's all the more.
He's talking about
gathering.
That's the immediate
context.
Don't neglect meeting
together.
Meet together all the
more as you see the day
approaching.
You need God's grace to
persevere together.
How do you draw near?
How do we hold fast?
How do we spur each
other on?
How do we hold each other
together?
How do we hold each other
by meeting together in
person week by week?
It's not the only way.
It's a primary way.
So what this means for us?
So what?
What difference does this
make?
I've been praying for you
that God's word would have
an effect that would make
you reconsider your schedule,
your priorities.
If this is true, then it's
going to be reflected in your
weekly schedule because we all
need God's grace together.
So why is the Sunday morning
gathering of our church so
important?
So that you can persevere to the
end.
It's not about attendance for
attendance sake.
It's about God's grace that we
experience when we gather together
in person.
Are you able to articulate that
argument to yourself and others?
Can you make a case for that?
Are you convinced of that?
Do you see our gathering as
essential to persevering to the
end?
These are weekly infusions of
grace to ward off unbelief,
drift, and dullness, and to
strengthen us to hold fast to the
end.
Do you buy it?
Is that what the author of
Hebrews is saying?
Is that what God's saying?
Is that what he's calling on you?
Second, in light of that, does
something need to change?
Your work schedule.
Is it within your power to shift
around your schedule so that you
can be here on a Sunday morning?
youth sports, I hope what this is
doing is compelling you to have a
family conversation.
As a family, mom, dad, engage your
children over Hebrews 10 and say,
okay, we see this in our Bibles.
We need to be gathering together as a
church in order to persevere to the
end.
What do you think, gang?
What do you think this looks like?
What does this mean for what we say no
to and what we say yes to?
What effect will this have over the
course of our lives?
It doesn't stop when your kids are just
young.
Our daughter marries in cheer.
This past fall, we learned that there
was a cheer practice called on a Sunday
morning around 10 a.m.
We had to prepare our daughter for that.
She's so committed.
She is a tremendous team member.
And we had to let her know, no, sweetheart,
this is a conflict of values.
And what we value more than cheer is our
gathering as a church.
And so we got her to a point where she
was okay with it.
And then I called the coach.
I have deep respect for the coach.
Coach is a believer.
I said, hey, we're not going to be coming.
Mary's not going to be there.
We have a commitment to gathering as a
church that we're seeking to train our
daughter in week after week.
And it's more important than a cheer
practice.
And you know what I said?
Coach, is this what you want to do?
Do you want to open the door to this?
The coach responded so well.
They canceled it.
You know what?
Maybe, parents, if you're in youth sports,
maybe the thing that you need to do is get
on sports league boards and be able to say
this.
Hey, you know what?
We'll come to anything except Sunday morning.
Let's schedule our league around that.
Does something need to change?
Livestream.
If you're watching on Livestream right now,
or if you've watched on Livestream,
Livestream is a good thing.
It helps people who have legitimate reasons
not to be able to make it on a Sunday morning.
But what we have found is that the Livestream
becomes a crutch.
It makes it easy for people not to come.
But the argument that we're making,
I'm making here this morning,
is it's actually being here in person,
that there's this fullness of God's grace.
So Livestream is at best a lesser grace of God.
And if you're watching on Livestream
and thinking that you're part of our gathering,
you are in one respect,
but you're just kind of like watching in.
It's when we gather as people together,
God is meeting us in a unique way.
Let's say what's best and go after that.
And what's best is gathering together in person,
week by week.
Another thing that needs to change,
are you avoiding someone?
Are you not coming to our gathering
because you're avoiding someone
or avoiding something?
Consider how to stir up one another
in love and good deeds.
Do you need to get right with someone?
That's the way to deal with that.
Or do you only come on a Sunday
when it's your Sunday to serve?
Will you come on Sundays you're not serving?
Because you need God's grace
to persevere to the end.
Does something need to change?
I want to make one little point right now
and then I'm going to move on to one more thing.
Do you know what is one of the most loving things
you can do, brother and sister in Christ,
week by week?
Show up.
Be present.
Your being here is an encouragement.
It is good.
It's good for the saints when we gather together
to see one another and hear our voices
as we confess our Lord together.
It's good.
Let's add.
Let's make it a priority.
It's good.
We love one another by showing up.
One last question.
How are you preparing yourself to come
on a Sunday morning?
What's your process?
How are you getting ready?
I would encourage you to pray.
Oh God, would you pour out your grace
upon our church gathering this morning
that we would draw near to you,
that we'd hold fast to Jesus together
and that we would spur one another
on to love and good deeds.
And then you can pray this.
God, would you encourage me?
And then you can pray this.
God, would you make me an encouragement
to someone else in the room?
Would you give me eyes to see others?
Would you help me to see someone
who needs some kind of encouragement,
some kind of prayer?
And so now you come as a participant,
not as someone who's just watching.
Should a Christian do all they can do
to gather in person Sunday after Sunday
with their local church?
On the authority of God's word,
absolutely.
Yes.
We need God's grace
to persevere to the end
and Sunday,
our Sunday meeting
is God's primary means of God's grace
to run the race marked out for us.
The more we gather,
the more we'll be encouraged by God's grace
and the more likely to hold fast.
The less we gather,
the less we'll be encouraged by God's grace
and the more likely we open ourselves up to drift.
But this weekly grace gathering
encourages us to hold fast to the end
together following Jesus
Sunday after Sunday.
Let's pray together.
God in heaven,
we want to want to be here together.
Those of us who may not want it,
God, would you change our want?
Would you incline our hearts?
Would you make us courageous
with our calendars?
Would you help us to say no to good things,
to say yes to best things,
your things,
your good design,
your grace?
Father, would you unite us together
in our gathering
week by week?
Amen.