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Listen "Keep Going, Stir Each Other Up (Hebrews 10:19-39)"
Episode Synopsis
https://youtu.be/zrskQkvlSXI?si=n9flo9-ph5kUfzxc
Introduction: Higher Expectations
It is a very unpleasant experience to be called into the teacher's office after you hand in an assignment that you know wasn't your best work. The teacher sits you down and looks at you, and says, This work isn't like you. This isn't the normal quality you usually submit. You normally do work much better than this. Your expected performance is much higher. It's not a great feeling. If we are being honest, it feels like getting punched in the gut. Especially when you know it's true. You know that the work that you submitted wasn't as good, that you hadn't put in the full effort. You phoned it in on this one, maybe out of discouragement or out of tiredness.
The author of Hebrews, like a master teacher or coach, is doing the same thing for his audience. In our passage this morning, Hebrews 10:19-39, the author of Hebrews, like a good mentor or a good teacher, is coaching his readers to continue on in their former diligence, not to be content with this kind of work.
He does this by first pointing out the ample resources available to them to draw on to aid them in their work. Then he warns them of the consequences of falling back in their faith. Finally, he's going to encourage them, reminding them of their potential. They were successful in the past, and he is so confident that they will persevere until the end.
Make Use of Your Gifts
We read beginning in Hebrews 10, verse 19:
“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 the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
In the letter to the Hebrews, there is this beautiful sermon about faithfulness to Jesus and all the blessings and riches that the believer stands to gain that he has through Christ. This better covenant has been discussed over the past nine chapters, and now, at this point in chapter 10, the hope is that the Christian would make use of all these gifts and blessings. Full access to God has been granted through the sacrifice of Jesus. We have an amazing High Priest, better than we could imagine. So the reader is urged to make use of these great privileges.
May you draw near to God with that full assurance of faith he's giving you, because you have been sprinkled clean, you have been washed, you have been purified through Jesus. Draw near and hold fast to your confession. You've been given these resources, so you should use them. Why is studying your Bible exciting? Because it's going to recount to you the love and care that God has for you. Why is reading theology worthwhile? Because it's talking about the faithfulness of our God. Hold fast to the confession of your hope, because the One who made it is faithful both to you and to all of his promises.
It should be obvious what should be done. If we have these blessings, then we should take every opportunity to draw on them, to recall them, to meditate on them. If I have the Torchy's Tacos gold card and I get free queso every time I show up to Torchy's, why would I go to Torchy's and not get free queso? As silly as that analogy is, that's what's going on here in Hebrews. He's saying, you've been given these awesome blessings. You've got these gifts, you have these tools. Make use of them, use them. Don't go to Torchy’s and not get free queso. Draw near to God. Hold fast to the sure hope that you have in Jesus.
Consider Ways to Stir Up Love
Now, as we move on, in verse 24, it says:
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together,
Introduction: Higher Expectations
It is a very unpleasant experience to be called into the teacher's office after you hand in an assignment that you know wasn't your best work. The teacher sits you down and looks at you, and says, This work isn't like you. This isn't the normal quality you usually submit. You normally do work much better than this. Your expected performance is much higher. It's not a great feeling. If we are being honest, it feels like getting punched in the gut. Especially when you know it's true. You know that the work that you submitted wasn't as good, that you hadn't put in the full effort. You phoned it in on this one, maybe out of discouragement or out of tiredness.
The author of Hebrews, like a master teacher or coach, is doing the same thing for his audience. In our passage this morning, Hebrews 10:19-39, the author of Hebrews, like a good mentor or a good teacher, is coaching his readers to continue on in their former diligence, not to be content with this kind of work.
He does this by first pointing out the ample resources available to them to draw on to aid them in their work. Then he warns them of the consequences of falling back in their faith. Finally, he's going to encourage them, reminding them of their potential. They were successful in the past, and he is so confident that they will persevere until the end.
Make Use of Your Gifts
We read beginning in Hebrews 10, verse 19:
“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 the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
In the letter to the Hebrews, there is this beautiful sermon about faithfulness to Jesus and all the blessings and riches that the believer stands to gain that he has through Christ. This better covenant has been discussed over the past nine chapters, and now, at this point in chapter 10, the hope is that the Christian would make use of all these gifts and blessings. Full access to God has been granted through the sacrifice of Jesus. We have an amazing High Priest, better than we could imagine. So the reader is urged to make use of these great privileges.
May you draw near to God with that full assurance of faith he's giving you, because you have been sprinkled clean, you have been washed, you have been purified through Jesus. Draw near and hold fast to your confession. You've been given these resources, so you should use them. Why is studying your Bible exciting? Because it's going to recount to you the love and care that God has for you. Why is reading theology worthwhile? Because it's talking about the faithfulness of our God. Hold fast to the confession of your hope, because the One who made it is faithful both to you and to all of his promises.
It should be obvious what should be done. If we have these blessings, then we should take every opportunity to draw on them, to recall them, to meditate on them. If I have the Torchy's Tacos gold card and I get free queso every time I show up to Torchy's, why would I go to Torchy's and not get free queso? As silly as that analogy is, that's what's going on here in Hebrews. He's saying, you've been given these awesome blessings. You've got these gifts, you have these tools. Make use of them, use them. Don't go to Torchy’s and not get free queso. Draw near to God. Hold fast to the sure hope that you have in Jesus.
Consider Ways to Stir Up Love
Now, as we move on, in verse 24, it says:
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together,
In God we trust