Hebrews 10:19-25 A Gracious Exhortation – audio

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(audio starts part way through the introduction)

Text: Hebrews 10:19-25

Introduction

1. To this point in the epistle to the Hebrews, doctrinal arguments have been presented to encourage faithfulness and steadfastness:

a. Demonstrating the superiority of the Son – Hebrews 1:1-8:6

b. Illustrating the superiority of the New Covenant – Hebrews 8:7-10:18

2. With Hebrews 10:19, the author begins making application based upon these premises:

a. Which he does through a series of exhortations and warnings

b. These comprise the remaining part of this epistle

3. In Hebrews 10:19-25, we find a three-fold exhortation:

a. To draw near to God

b. To hold fast our faith

c. To stimulate one another in love and good works

d. All based upon what Christ has done and will do for us!

Body

I. LET US DRAW NEAR IN FAITH (Hebrews 10:19-22)

A. WE ARE EXHORTED TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD

1. To enter the Holiest – Hebrews 10:19

a. That heavenly place where Christ has entered! – Hebrews 9:11-12

b. Into the presence of God Himself! – Hebrews 9:24

2. How are we to do this?

a. having boldness (with great confidence) – Hebrews 10:19

b. with a true heart (with all sincerity) – Hebrews 10:22

c. in full assurance of faith (without doubt) – Hebrews 10:22

B. WHY ARE WE ABLE TO DO THIS?

1. We are able to enter God’s presence because:

a. Jesus has consecrated a new and living way, through the veil – Hebrews 10:19-20

1) There is now a new way to approach God in heaven, through One who lives!

2) It is made possible by the blood of Jesus…His flesh (His death on the cross)

b. Jesus now serves as a High Priest over the house of God – Hebrews 10:21

1) Who is able to come to our aid – Hebrews 2:17-18

2) Who sympathizes with our weakness – Hebrews 4:14-16

3) Who ever lives to intercede in our behalf – Hebrews 7:24-25

2. But we are also able to enter God’s presence because:

a. We have had our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience – Hebrews 10:24

1) This is an allusion to the Old Testament practice of taking blood from the altar and consecrating the priests by sprinkling them with it – Exodus 29:21

2) It is the blood of Christ purges our conscience of sin – Hebrews 9:14

b. We have had our bodies washed with pure water

1) Another allusion to the manner in which priests were consecrated – Exodus 29:4

2) The author has reference to baptism

a) For baptism is referred to as a washing – Acts 22:16; Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5

b) Though the stress is on the inner cleansing, not the outer – 1 Peter 3:21

II. LET US HOLD FAST OUR HOPE (Hebrews 10:23)

A. WE ARE EXHORTED TO HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE

1. In Christ we have a much better hope – Hebrews 6:19; Hebrews 7:19

2. But there is the danger of apostasy – Hebrews 3:12-13; Hebrews 4:11

3. For which reason we must hold fast the hope which we confess – Hebrews 3:6-14; Hebrews 4:14

4. Indeed, we need to hold fast…without wavering – Hebrews 10:23

B. A GOOD REASON TO HEED THIS EXHORTATION

1. The faithfulness of God: for He who promised is faithful – Hebrews 10:23

2. God will not fail us (Hebrews 13:5); therefore we need to emulate the faith of Sarah, who judged Him faithful who had promised – Hebrews 11:11

III. LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER (Hebrews 10:24-25)

A. IN ORDER TO STIR UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS

1. As we draw near to God and hold fast our hope, we are not to do so alone

2. We are to be mindful of each other and how we are doing (consider one another)

3. With a view to incite or spur on (stir up) both love and good works

4. This is reminiscent of the exhortation in Hebrews 3:12-14

B. ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH FREQUENT ASSEMBLING

1. An important purpose of our assembling is to stir up love and good works

a. Yes, we do come to worship and praise God

b. But we also come to edify and exhort one another! – Hebrews 10:25a

2. Therefore we must not become guilty of forsaking the assembling of ourselves together

a. The word forsake means to abandon, desert

b. To stop assembling with the saints altogether

c. Some evidently had done so (as is the manner of some)

3. Exhorting one another through assembling is even more imperative as you see the Day     approaching

a. The Day refers to the Judgment Day at the Second Coming

1) It certainly fits the context of Hebrews 9:27-29; Hebrews 10:27, Hebrews 10:37

2) And while one might not know the day and hour of His coming, we were given some general signs of His coming – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8

b. The main point is to appreciate the value and necessity of our assemblies, and that forsaking them is indicative of apostasy!

Conclusion

1. With A gracious exhortation, we are encouraged to:

a. Draw near to God in full assurance of faith

b. Hold fast the confession of our hope

c. Consider one another to stir up to love and good works

2. As motivation to heed this exhortation, we are reminded of:

a. The new and living way now open to God, made possible by Jesus’ death

b. The High Priest who now serves for us over the house of God

c. How we have been consecrated through having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water

d. How He who has promised is faithful

e. How we have each other to encourage us along

f. The approaching Day, in particular the Day of Judgment

If we truly appreciate the blessings we now have in Christ, we will do all that we can to draw closer to God, hold fast that hope which we confess, and utilize the opportunities we have to encourage one another in love and good works!