The popular bible teacher Charles Swindoll left a meeting held in a hospital. As he walked the hallway and was looking down at his next list of appointments, he did not pay much attention and passed through one of those automatic opened doors and then through another automatic door right into an OR room. Suddenly, he noticed the shuffling of plastic covered shoes and everybody was dressed different. With half a dozen eyes glaring at him over their masks and before he could turn around a nurse made her way toward him. She asked two questions. Do you know where you are? Would you please leave?
Suddenly he knew that he was in the OR and clearly, he did not belong there. Feeling embarrassed and foolish he made his way out of the room.
Now the reason he wasn’t welcome in the OR room was because he was unclean. With respect to the OR policy he was dirty from top to bottom. There are two main rules in order to enter an OR room, you need to be invited and you need to be clean.
This is the point the book of Hebrews makes. All who trust in Jesus are made clean and own profound confidence and privileged access to God. You are invited to be part of God’s work on earth and be part of His Operation.
This chapter begins the climax of the story of the book of Hebrews. The author of Hebrews encourages believers to apply Jesus’ person and work in their life. Yet many of them found themselves in uncomfortable situations. Most of them likely faced persecution. This became a reason for them to forsake their faith. For us today, the issues that would cause us to forsake Christ and His work might be arrogance (I don’t need God), distractions (I don’t have time for God) or disappointment (I don’t like God).
What should a believer do when you feel discouraged? What should a believer do to keep on going when you feel like quitting? Or how do you encourage someone distracted in life and straying away from living for God?
The answer is in Hebrews 10, where we have the core of this book addressed to discouraged believers and to those who might be tempted to give up their faith in Christ because of the hardships they are experiencing.
Hebrews 10:19-20 “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
- We will overcome by looking to JESUS.
The writer of Hebrews wants believers to recall what Jesus has done and who He is.
1st, Jesus invited believers to approach God. He made it possible for you to enter the very presence of your Heavenly Father.
Remember, as we have studied together, under the old way, only one man, once a year, could enter into the presence of God. That man was the High Priest, who on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) would wash himself completely, then enter the holiest of holy places in the Temple. There he met with God behind a thick veil, beyond which nobody else could go.
Because Jesus died on the cross, that veil was ripped in two – from top to bottom. And His broken body and shed blood cleansed and washed every believer, so they could be presented before God Himself.
John was a college student who lost his sight after a chemical explosion at the age of thirteen.
He thought that his life was over and felt so helpless. He hated God for allowing this to happen. During the first six months he did nothing to improve his situation. One day his father entered his room and said, ‘John, winter’s coming and the storm windows need to be up – that’s your job. I want those hung by the time I get back this evening!’
“Then he turned, walked out of the room and shut the door.” John says, “I got so angry. I thought who does he think I am? I’m blind! I was so angry yet I decided to do it. I felt my way to the garage, found the windows, located the necessary tools, found the ladder, all the while muttering under my breath, ‘I’ll show them. I’ll fall, then they’ll have a blind and paralyzed son!’”
“He got the windows up. But he learned later that at any moment his father was no more than four or five feet away from his side.” (William Frey, “When Words Come To an End,” Message delivered at Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, Alabama, July 2003; www.PreachingToday.com)
As a believer in Christ, we are in our Heavenly Father’s presence at all times. That’s Jesus promise!
We need to remember that we have direct access to God.
- Also when we go through difficult times remember that Jesus is for us.
Hebrews 10:21 …and having a High Priest over the house of God,
2nd, Jesus watches over believers.
The image of a “house” appears in a number of places in the Bible. But more importantly is that “house” is referring directly to the people of God. In the New Testament in 1 Timothy 3;15 states “whose house we are.” In the book of Hebrews as in 3:6 it refers to individuals who hold firmly to their confidence in Jesus.
The point is that this image of “Gods’ house” is about individuals who are God’s possession and temple.
Do you remember the cloud of God over the temple in the wilderness? All the people witnessed it and knew that God was with them when they saw the cloud hovering over the temple. Their fear of man or the situation was relieved while they knew God was with them.
The message that each of us need to remember is that Christ is our High Priest in all of life. With Jesus we are able to endure hardships. It is like a ship that is built to face hostile waves. We are to confidently point our life into the high seas with strength and power, assured of our anchor in Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:31-34 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Please, don’t forget it! When you feel overwhelmed, remember Jesus. Remember what He has done and who He is. Remember that He gave you access to God, right now He is with you as a Great High Priest.
Since this is true, verse 22 says…
Hebrews 10:22 …let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
The logic of verse 22 is based on the high confidence in what Jesus did for us. This verse means more than God is for us. It means that we are accepted and welcome because we have been made clean through Jesus sacrifice.
Believers need to remember to approach God’s presence with full confidence. Come to the Throne of Grace with the assurance that God will provide your every need.
On another personal level the text says to do this “in full assurance of faith.” The assurance is that God is a God who keeps His promise.
The daughter of the first missionaries to the Congo Republic in Africa celebrated the 100th anniversary of the coming of missionaries to that part of Africa. At the close of a day of speeches and music, an old, old man stood before the crowd and insisted on speaking. He said if he didn’t speak, information that he alone possessed would go with him to his grave.
He told the story that when the missionaries arrived, his people thought them strange and their message dubious. The tribal leaders decided to test the missionaries by slowly poisoning them to death. Over a period of months and years, missionary children died one by one. Then, the old man said, “It was as we watched how they died that we decided we wanted to live as Christians.”
Those who died painful, strange deaths never knew why they were dying or what the impact of their lives and deaths would be. But through it all, they didn’t leave. They stayed because they trusted Jesus Christ. (Leith Anderson, “Mystery Martyrs,” Men of Integrity, January/February 2004)
And that’s what will give you the staying power as well. It’s your faith in Christ that keeps you going, your trust in Him.
Do you need that kind of unlimited grace today? Then come to God in the full assurance of faith.
Have confidence in God’s presence. Hebrews 10:22 …let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
When the temple stood, to enter the temple unclean would mean certain death either by an act of GOD or by the temple guards. Even the high priest in the Old Testament, had to take a ritual washing before he could enter into the holy of holies.
Verse 22 tells us that we have already been declared clean. Our sins are already washed away. God accepts us. Therefore, we can come boldly and confidently to His throne of grace. No matter what you’ve done, God sees you with a clean heart.
It means that if you confess that you are a sinner and trust Christ, He gives you His salvation. Trust Him, who died for your sins on the cross and rose again. Call on the Lord Jesus!
And for those of us who have already trusted Christ, we need to realize that God washed our heart clean, and we never need to be afraid to go to Him.
So, let’s remember Jesus…IS WITH US,
Let us remember Jesus…IS FOR US.
We must persevere and never give up hope, because God always keeps His promises.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
The word “confession” refers to an “expression of allegiance”. It’s an oath of loyalty to God. It talks about our pledge to continue to be conformed to Christ in faith and obedience in our words and actions. Notice the believer’s confession is based upon hope in God’s promises.
The Christian’s hope has substance. The believer’s hope in this verse is based on the context of the book of Hebrews. This command is a believer’s conscious reminder that our anchor for our soul is firm and secure.
Our hope is grounded in the right to enter into the sanctuary behind the torn curtain, where Jesus who went before us, has entered on our behalf. (Hebrews 6:20)
It is a confession of confidence in the superiority of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 4:14-16) This verse reminds every believer who confesses Jesus with their mouth to continue to emulate Him in their life.
Our hope is grounded in the life, death and resurrection, ascension, enthronement and intercession of Jesus Christ.
Our hope is grounded on Jesus Christ who is seated at the right hand of God. Our hope is so substantial and real the New Testament writers call it “an anchor.” (Hebrews 6:19)
It been said that true faith is seen not when times are good but when it’s difficult or bad. It’s easy to trust when things are under your control. But when faith is real is when you need to trust in someone besides yourself. That someone is Jesus Christ our high priest.
Ancient and modern sailors know what can happen during an ocean voyage. No ship would ever sail without an anchor. An experienced sailor knows that there will be situations when the hope of the ship and all on board will depend not on the captain, the crew, the engines, the compass or the rudder but the anchor. When all else failed there is the anchor. This is no surprise that early Christians used this as a symbol of their faith.
Literally, the author of Hebrews commands believers to “hold unbendingly to the hope we confess, for He who promised is faithful.” Yet the anchor is not in the sea but in heaven. The anchor is God’s presence. As the winds pick up and the ship bobs like a cork, as we sail through life, we must hang on and trust in the confession of our hope without wavering, for our hope is anchored in our access to and the advocacy of Jesus Christ. For “without faith it is not possible.”
Remember Jesus is with us, Jesus is for us. Remember our confession and persevere with hope, because God is faithful. And finally, remember to…
- PROVOKE ONE ANOTHER TO LOVE, because Jesus is coming again!
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Now the author’s emphasis is for the believer to encourage others. This emphasis is about individual believers that are part of a community of faith, and the community of faith is strengthened by the commitment of the individuals.
As members of the body of Christ we have a commitment to each other. We have the responsibility to live lives of faith and obedience in such a way that we positively stir up others in their spiritual growth.
As we draw nearer to Christ, we should motivate others in turn. This motivation should manifest itself in actions – good deeds. It means we shouldn’t hide in fear or retreat and cradle our personal relationship with Christ.
The author of Hebrews knows there are important implications for attending gatherings with other believers for worship and instruction, fellowship and expressions of faith, hope and love (Acts 2:42-47). We can’t stir up each other if we do not gather.
Every believer has something positive to contribute. We need to support each other and continue to draw near to Christ our high priest as the day of his appearing draws near.
During the Civil War, General Corse and his men were guarding the fort at Altoma Pass. General Hood, and his army surrounded the fort and ordered General Corse to surrender. Corse refused, and many died in the battle that followed. The situation grew hopeless, but the defenders remained at their posts and refused to give up.
Then a signal flag, across the valley some 20 miles away, waved the message: “Hold the fort, for I am coming.” General Sherman’s army was on its way. The defenders of the fort would be rescued if only they could hold on for a little while longer.
Today, we see the signals of Christ’s coming. The stage is set for the end-time events as described in the Bible. Israel is in the land and controls the city of Jerusalem. World powers are aligned as predicted in the book of Daniel.
The signals are already showing us that Jesus is coming very soon! So hold the fort! Don’t give up, for redemption draws near!
Remember Jesus is with us, for us and we need to persevere with hope, because God is faithful. And finally, provoke one another in love, because Jesus is coming soon!