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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God for our call to worship you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalms 15 Psalm 15 Psalm 15 I'll begin reading in verse 1 a psalm of David Lord who may abide in your tabernacle who may dwell in your holy hill he who walks uprightly and works righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart he who does not backbite with his tongue nor does evil to his neighbor nor does he take up a reproach against his friend in whose eyes a vile person is despised but he honors those who fear the Lord he who swears to his own hurt and does not change he who does not put out his money at usury nor does he take a bribe against the innocent he who does these things shall never be moved amen well please turn in your hymn books to him number 524 hymn number 524 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Applause] [Music] amen let us pray blessed God and holy father the question the psalmist asks here is most appropriate and fitting who may abide in your tabernacle who may ascend the mountain of the Lord how we thank you for the grace that you've given us in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ how we praise you that Christ has secured access for us into the very throne room of God Almighty we give praise to you for the gospel of our salvation for the Incarnation of the second person of the Trinity his assumption of our humanity with all of the essential properties and the common infirmities thereof and yet without sin he does this in order to obey the Father to render a righteousness and obedience that is that is availed with the father we praise you as well that he went to the cross on our behalf and there he bore the punishment that was due for us he bore the penalty the wrath and the fury of God Almighty against sinners and how we praise you for his resurrection on the third day such that now we have a mediator a lord a savior one who has gone before us into the heavenly places and secured for us that blessed blessed access and we would pray tonight that as we sing and as we pray as we seek to encourage one another that you would be found in the midst of your people here that you would cause us to meditate upon and think on the great truths that scripture affords to us in terms of encouraging our hearts and strengthening us to go back into this world and to seek by grace to live in a manner that is consistent with your Holy Word we pray tonight God in heaven that the father would be glorified as we come through the the great High Priest Jesus Christ and that in the power of the Holy Spirit and to that end we do pray that we would know that that presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst that he would guide us and enable us and help us Lord God to focus and to keep our thoughts directed to the God of heaven and earth we ask that you would forgive us for our sins and our transgressions Lord God you have given us much light in both old and new testaments you've given us grace and life eternal in Christ Jesus our Lord you've justified us freely by your grace and called us to the life of sanctification so God in light of that we are ashamed that we do not live as we ought and so we confess those sins against such a holy God asking and praying for cleansing in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ rejoicing that there is that fountain open for sin and for uncleanness and even now Lord God wash us and purify us and help us father to fear to respond in fear and Thanksgiving to such a great and glorious God we ask father that you would encourage our hearts that you would strengthen us with might and the inner man so that Christ may dwell richly in our hearts through faith and that we might meditate upon and contemplate that great love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and father may these things be a great encouragement to us as we not only as we gather together for worship tonight but as we go back into the world to do battle we pray father for all of the people in our local church that have physical challenges and trials and issues we think tonight and mrs. Boult and we just commit her to you and to the word of your grace we pray that you would watch over our dear sister that you would strengthen her and bless her and encourage her richly as well our Father we pray for your blessing upon children and young people we thank you for the the many blessings that you have given to us in this local church and God our hearts desire and earnest plea to you is that by grace they would remember their Creator in their youth father we pray that they would not make the same sorts of sinful choices and decisions that many of us did we pray that in their youth god they would hear the gospel of salvation and the buyer grace they would believe on that and serve the lord Christ and in the entirety of their lives we also pray our Father that you would look with favor upon other churches not only in our community but throughout the earth we thank you that the kingdom of God on earth is expanding it is growing it is progressing we thank you for the short promise of our blessed Savior that he will build his church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and we would ask Lord God in heaven with reference to two more churches more churches their sound and faithful and Biblical that that preach and teach the truth as it is in Jesus Christ as Christ taught us the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few so we pray to you the lord of the harvest to raise up men men that are gifted by God Almighty men that are qualified according to 1st Timothy 3 and Titus 1 men who have that burden that desire to call sinners to repentance and faith and to be a means of encouragement to the people of God we pray for such men we pray for them in our own ranks among the young men we ask God that you would do that work and that we would see people equipped and qualified and ready to be sent out for we know Lord God that Christ ultimately builds but he does use the means of the church that the church that he is building and our Father we pray for those places throughout the world that are still steeped and in darkness and still have yet to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ we pray that you'd raise up missionaries and lay a burden upon the hearts of men that they would want to go therefore and make disciples of all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and then teach them taking up that second leg of that Great Commission to teach and instruct and to educate the people of God so that all over the earth the Saints of Christ may grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior and our Father and our own it's tonight help us as we consider the Word of God help us father to be attentive to these things and lord help us to grow and help us to be faithful in your sight and for any who've come here tonight that have strangers to the covenants of promise any who are aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel those who are without God without hope in this world we pray that today would be the day of salvation that you and your Grace and in your mercy would bring that conviction for sin and that you would show are set forth the glory of Jesus Christ in his offices and his abilities to save sinners to the uttermost do this father for your glory and for your honor do this for the strengthening of the Church of Jesus Christ and do this for the benefit of souls and we pray these things through Christ Lord amen well please turn with me again in your hymn books to number 463 that's 463 again we'll stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] amen you may be seated and please turn in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 12 for our scripture reading this evening Genesis chapter 12 the call of Abram out of ur of the chaldeans foundational section in scripture programmatic for the rest of the Bible it certainly does show us God's grace God's mercy and God's intention to bless the nations of the earth through this man Abram ultimately through his seed the Lord Jesus Christ that seed is identified in Galatians 3:16 it is Christ as you see consider the land promised and the seed promised in the book of Genesis with reference to Abraham realize that it terminates ultimately upon the Lord Christ he is that seed of Abraham that brings blessing to the the elect and that provides not just a portion of land and Canaan but in Romans 4 Paul interprets and says that Christ inherited the world so I'll begin reading in Genesis chapter 12 at verse 1 now the Lord had said to Abram get out of your country from your family and from your father's house to a land that I will show you I will make you a great nation I will bless you and make your name great and you shall be a blessing I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed so Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him and lot went with him and Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Haran then Abram took Sarai his wife and his and lot his brother's son and all their possessions that they had gathered and the people whom they had acquired in Haran and they departed to go to the land of Canaan so they came to the land of Canaan Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem as far as the terebinth tree of morei and the Canaanites were then in the land then the Lord appeared to Abram and said to your descendants I will give this land and there he built an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him and he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and a eye on the east there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord so Abram journeyed going on still toward the south now there was a famine in the land and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there for the famine was severe in the land and it came to pass when he was close to entering Egypt that he said to Sarah his wife indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance therefore it will happen when the Egyptians see you that they will say this is his wife and they will kill me but they will let you live please say you are my sister that it may be well with me for your sake and that I may live because of you so it was when Abram came into Egypt with the Egyptians saw the woman that she was very beautiful the princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house he treated Abram well for her sake he had sheep oxen male donkeys male and female servants female donkeys and camels but the Lord plagued Pharaoh in his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abrams wife and Pharaoh called abram and said what is this you have done to me why did you not tell me that she was your wife why did you say she is my sister I might have taken her as my wife now therefore here is your wife take her and go your way so Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had amen just a couple of observations on that first section notice in verse 1 of chapter 12 now the Lord had said to Abram that now is very important because it connects us to the previous context essentially what you have is the culmination of man's rebellion against the living and true God at Babel in chapter 11 they build this tower they want to reach up into heaven they want to make a name for themselves they are arrogant boastful proud wicked men and of course God intervenes and he stops their particular plan he confounds their tongue and he disperses them into various nations and then in verse 1 of chapter 12 now the Lord had said to Abram so God in His mercy God in grace orchestrates his plan to bring man to a place of salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ one author William J dumb Braille says in the call of Abram we are dealing with the divine reply to the human disaster of Genesis three to eleven and that's the way we need to understand this God calls Abram as the one from whom the Lord Christ is going to come and it is in the Lord Christ that the nations will be blessed that the peoples of the earth will be blessed that sinners will ultimately find salvation by grace through faith in our Lord but as well notice this call to discipleship he not only graciously calls Abram unto himself but that also demands separation from all those things that had been Abraham's prior notice in verse one get out of your country from your family and from your father's house to a land that I will show you so he graciously gives him this blessing and this salvation but as well Abram must respond in a manner that is consistent with the Lord God you see this in the New Testament justification and sanctification we're saved by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and then daily we need to take up our cross and follow after Jesus we need to leave those things that at one time captivated our hearts at one time we loved at one time we adored and worship so he must leave he must come in the place to go where God has called up and then the specific blessings are outlined in verses two and three I will make you a great nation I will bless you and make your name great and you shall be a blessing the Babel built the tower builders in Babel wanted to make a name for themselves God says I will make your name great it is God's purpose God's plan God's provision in which Abraham will be a great man and then verse 3 unfortunately is misunderstood today I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed you'll oftentimes hear this applied with reference to the to the modern State of Israel well it applies to the Church of Jesus Christ God blesses those who bless the church and he curses those who curse the church it does not apply to the modern State of Israel even though persons invoke this particular passage for that I'm not suggesting we necessarily therefore curse Israel but it does not have that as its focus and intention the Church of Christ according the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6 is in fact the Israel of God the promise is given to Abraham are fulfilled by Jesus Christ and then dispersed among the people of God within the context of the church it really is an encouraging work that the Lord has undertaken on behalf of his people well let us close let us pray father in heaven we thank you for this section of Holy Scripture we know it is foundational to much of what follows we thank you Lord God that Abraham is in fact the father of the faithful he is the one from whom Jesus Christ has come and Lord God we praise you for that seed that blessed one in whom there is salvation there is redemption not just for one body of people on the earth but for Jew for Gentile as those Samaritans confess in John chapter 4 Christ is in fact the savior of the world we bless you and we praise you that you've included us in this that you by grace have called us unto yourself and I praise you that you have assembled us together tonight that we may sing your praises and that we may look to Holy Scripture we praise you through Christ Jesus our Lord amen well for our final hymn before we go again to God's Word will sing number 421 421 you can stand and we'll sing together [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] amen we could turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews Hebrews chapter 10 last Sunday morning we looked at the warning against apostasy in verses 26 to 31 tonight we're gonna look at verses 19 to 25 this is not an exercise in a backward expositional series but rather there is a two-fold reason the first place in this in the morning our in our confession study we consider chapter 13 of sanctification in chapter 10 in the book of Hebrews 19 to 25 concerns that as well and then secondly last week I made the connection between 26 and 30 to 31 if apostasy is a reality one of the ways one of the means by which persons get to that particular point is to neglect the various exhortations that are given in verses 19 to 25 there are two encouragement sand there are three exhortations given for the people of God those who disobey those who neglect those who forsake the three things that are indicated here run the risk of committing apostasy so I thought it would be fitting for us to spend a little time just to unpack verses 19 to 25 tonight so I'll read the section we'll pray and then we'll look at what the Apostle intended for us beginning in verse 19 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 and having a high priest over the house of God 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 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful 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 amen well let us pray our Father we thank you for this section of Holy Scripture we thank you for all of the Bible all scripture given by inspiration of God profitable for doctrine reproof correction and instruction in righteousness and we pray that you would thoroughly furnish each of us unto good works that you would cause us to reflect upon not only the encouragement sin the passage but as well the exhortations what the Apostle intends for the people of God with reference to their lives and and to their their profession of faith grant us help from on high grant us the Holy Spirit that we may understand the Apostles argument here and God again forgive us for all of our sins and anything that would darken our understanding for certainly you've called us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ you have supplied all the resources necessary for pilgrims in this world and we would pray even now Lord God that this passage would be a great encouragement to our hearts and it would spur us on - laughing good works and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen now this particular passage is structurally similar to what you've already seen in Hebrews chapter four if you want to turn back there for just a moment because the Apostle has a particular method that he engages in in this section in chapter 4 he gives encouragement sand exhortations in chapter 10 he gives encouragement and exhortations in these book and what he's discussed concerning the priestly office of our Lord Jesus Christ so in chapter 4 at verse 14 he says seeing then that 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 cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need now going over to chapter 10 it's the same sort of a structure the same sort of a pattern he's discussed in great detail from chapter five at verse 1 to chapter 10 verse 18 the priestly office of our Lord Jesus Christ he has provided that doctrine he has provided that teaching is set forth the supremacy and superiority of Christ over the prophets over Moses over Joshua over the Old Covenant system and here in chapter 10 19 he begins with therefore in other words he comes to apply the doctrine that he has been teaching and preaching to these people and as I said he gives to encouragement stew the people of God and then he gives three exhortations and encouragement is just that something that should feed our soul something that should give us hope something that should cause us to to be content something that should should should bring great Ballman and and help to us and then these exhortations are commands they are specifications they are things that the people of God must undertake and as we mentioned last Sunday morning those who neglect these run the risk of committing the apostasy that is demonstrated in chapter 10 verses 26 to 31 so let's look first at the two encouragement for the people of God in verses 19 to 21 and then secondly the exhortations to the people of God in verses 22 to 25 now notice the two encouragement we see that in verses 19 and 20 is the first and then the second is in verse 21 and the first is we have access to the Holy of Holies verse 19 says 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 this has always been the desire of the creature who comes to understand who God is Psalm 15 we read it at the outset of worship David says Lord who may abide in your tabernacle who may dwell in your holy hill he repeats this in cha Psalm 24 verse 3 who may ascend into the hill of the Lord or who may stand in his holy place we need to appreciate that access to God is one of the best well it is the best thing that the creature can ever have the Lord God made us for communion with himself the Lord God made us for that intimacy in that union with himself and yet we like sheep have gone astray so the perennial question is who may abide in your tabernacle and the persistent problem is our sin but as he's made clear in chapter 5 verse 1 to chapter 10 verse 18 Christ has dealt with the sin problem Christ has alliterated it through his life through his death and through his resurrection it is through the blood of Jesus Christ that we now have access into the very presence of God Almighty and that's the emphasis of the Apostle in this particular place therefore brethren having boldness to enter the holiest now the holiest there is the Holy of Holies remember he's already discussed the tabernacle and the temple prior to this particular point simply put the tabernacle and then the temple was a place where God was met by his people there was an outer place that was called the holy place and then you had the holiest or the Holy of Holies and into that particular place one person went one time a year on the Day of Atonement the high priest would go in there he would make atonement for Israel then he would confess the sins of Israel over the scapegoat and then that scapegoat would be driven out into the wilderness but persons didn't have free access into the holiest persons couldn't just say well you know I want to go meet with God today and enter into that place in fact the priest had to go through certain things before he went into the Holy of Holies and in order to do so he had to go with blood and he had to sprinkle that on the mercy seat well here we have free access because of what Christ has accomplished on our behalf that therefore indicates that this is in fact concrete application following the explanation of Christ's priestly office the boldness and view is that same boldness that he's already specified in Hebrews 4:16 we have boldness in contrast to the legal prohibition of the Old Covenant in the Old Covenant you and I wouldn't have just wandered in to the Holy of Holies we have now access in light of what Christ is accomplished and as well we have boldness in contrast to the dread and the fear that the people of God had in the Old Covenant look at chapter 12 in the book of Hebrews for just a moment verse 18 of chapter 12 for you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire and to blackness and darkness and Tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore for they could not endure what was commanded and if so much as a beast touches the mountain it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow and so terrifying was the sight that Moses said I am exceedingly afraid and trembling well there's a marked contrast between that and what we have the Apostle says we have this boldness to now enter in to access that holiest that place where God dwells John Owen says whatever was typically represented in the most holy place of old we have access unto that is unto God himself we have an access in one spirit by Jesus Christ and then the specific means by which we access it is here summarized by the Apostle after having spent a lot of time amplifying the priestly office of Jesus he says having boldness to enter the holiest by what by the blood of Jesus so you don't just wander into the presence of holy God Israel learned that in the Book of Leviticus the tabernacle is built the Shekinah glory of God has come down upon it and even Moses himself cannot enter into that place then comes the Book of Leviticus which provides the instruction on how sinful man enters into the presence of the living and true God and it's through blood in that particular covenant it was typical here it is realized it is anti-typical it is the blood of Jesus Christ that secures us access into the very presence of God Almighty now if we were a black church in Southern California this might be a good time for the preacher to say now can I get an amen here we have access by the blood of Jesus Christ he doesn't shed his blood and bring us forgiveness of sin and impute his righteousness to us so we can stay far from him he has provided access and one of the exhortations is is that we utilize the access that has been provided to us brethren we have been blessed beyond measure we have the very holiest opened up by the blood of Jesus Christ and more often than not because of our laziness because of our waywardness because of our love of sin or whatever it may be we do not utilize what Christ is secured with his own precious blood the emphasis of the apostle is to encourage the people of God that we have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus verse 20 by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh now this emphasizes the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus in order for him to live in obedience to the father's law in order for him to render that sacrifice of substitution on the cross and bear the wrath and fury of God for us he had to assume our humanity and so the second person of the Trinity does that he comes into this world he takes on our humanity the confession of faith says with all the essential properties thereof and common infirmities thereof and yet without sin the book of Hebrews already highlights this in Chapter two he takes on the seed of Abraham by becoming one of us and here specifically it is it is an encouragement to the people of God by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh now that veil language is a bit difficult in this particular context but what I think he's getting at is that veil that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies and we see at the death of the Lord Jesus Christ that veil is rent in - it's from the top to the bottom it's not us going up to God it's God coming down to us and receiving us unto himself and that flash of Christ has has obliterated that veil so that now we can go into that holiest holiest place and enjoy communion with the living and true God John Owen said in that and that which was signified hereby is only this that by virtue of the sacrifice of Christ we're in his flesh is torn and rent we have a full entrance into the holy place such as would have been of old upon the rending of the veil and then notice the emphasis here is not just on one among us but upon all of God's people got to see that mark contrast between old and new when in chapter 7 and 8 the author tells that the New Covenant is a better covenant grounded on better promises which affords a better hope he's not kidding in the Old Covenant as I've said one day out of the year the high priest alone went into the holiest but here in Christ we have free access by his blood into the very presence of God Almighty that should encourage our hearts the second encouragement that the Apostle gives is found in verse 21 we have a great high priest he says in verse 21 and having a high priest over the house of God again this is parallel to what he does in chapter 4 he's already expounded the significance of the priestly office of Christ in 5 1 to 10 18 and here specifically he highlights that we have him now having is supplied and it's a legitimate supply having a high priest over the house of God it is a blessed reality that Christ is our high priest that Christ is the one who has secured access by his blood to furnish for the likes of you and I that free access into the very presence of God Almighty so those are the two encouragement Swee have access into the very holiest the Holy of Holies and we have this great high priest now let's move to the exhortations and see what his emphasis there is in the first place he says there is this necessity to draw near again I mentioned last week just incidentally the Faith Hope Love does indicate that Paul wrote tests that is a Pauline triad he often uses faith hope and love and you see that embedded in the text verse 22 faith verse 23 Hope first what excuse me verse 24 love these three things the Apostle emphasizes in his writings and this is one of the places where we would go to prove Pauline authorship of the book of Hebrews but with reference to this exhortation to draw near to draw near he's already provided it for us he's already secured it for us by his blood he's already consecrated this new and living way and so the emphasis is that we utilize this we we we improve upon it we we make good on what Christ is secured for us it would be that the the attend a father or mother giving a gift to their child giving you know blessing and conferring good things upon them and then not the child not playing with it not not utilizing you'd say well I've already provided I've already secured it I've already paid the money if I weren't already gone to the store I've already already taken care of all that you need to go out and play with it you need to enjoy it you need to utilize it you need to use it that's the emphasis of the Apostle again you can see how this is intimately connected to the apostasy warning in verses 25 to 3 2016 1 if we don't utilize the free access that has been secured for us by our Lord Jesus if we get comfortable living at a distance from God Almighty then we run the risk of apostasy brethren the best guard against apostasy is to maintain close and vital communion with our Living God that close and vital communion that's already been secured by our good and living God by Christ the Lord through his blood so the emphasis here is to come to God John Owen again says we're for this drawing near contains all the holy worship of the church both public and private all the ways of our access unto God by Christ notice that this is a present now there's a sense where we have not yet entered into all that is going to be ours by virtue of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ there is an age to come there is a consummate glory there is a nearness to God that that we haven't fully comprehended at this point because we walk by faith and not by sight but this is a present emphasis when the Apostle says let us draw near let us draw near let us utilize this access that has been secured for us I believe Owen is absolutely right this drawing near contains all the holy worship of the church in other words it's something that we presently possess it's something that we presently own and it's something that we must presently utilize not only for the glory of God but for the good of our people and brethren before we move on the blessed reality is we're not lying near to God because you and I are great guys and great girls we are drawing nigh to God because Christ is a great Savior we're drawing nigh to God because he took on our humanity we're drawing nigh to God because he suffer suffered the wrath and fury and curse of God on our behalf were drawing nigh to God because he is secured for us those twin blessings and justification forgiveness of sins and the imputation of righteousness we draw nigh because God in His grace has provided us access in and through the Lord Jesus Christ now notice that he specifies the means by which we are to draw nigh verse 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith a true heart in full assurance of faith now that might be a phrase that gives us a bit of cause for worry wait a minute I know my heart it doesn't always look like what the Apostle is expressing in this particular place I think the overarching concern is sincerity sincerity of heart those who have been conquered by God's grace those who've been called out of darkness in the marvelous light we're not practically holy in terms of perfection or we're not morally transformed unto the place of absolute conformity under the Lord Jesus Christ but because we're saved by God's grace because of the Spirit in us we have this sincerity we have this lack of hypocrisy we have this ability to draw an eye in full assurance of faith he goes on to say having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water notice the connection he's not saying we have to have this done to us before we can draw near this is settled this has been taken care of this is what the gospel is about this is what cleansing through the blood of Jesus results in the reality is is that we have been washed the reality is that we have been purified the reality is is that we have been cleansed we've been washed in the precious blood of Christ and as a result we are to draw nigh on to him and the emphasis in the passage is upon what Christ is secured what Christ is provided and therefore brothers and sisters let us utilize the access that God has secured for us through his beloved son now notice the second exhortation it's an exhortation to hold fast verse 30 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful now this is a continual emphasis in this epistle that tried to explain last Sunday morning when we looked at the apostasy passage remember the context I'd really love to do this right now who remembers the context and what was going on in the scenario just to see if anybody paid attention last Sunday morning but the context he's writing to Hebrews he's writing to Jewish Christians professors of Christ that fine that happened to be Jews and the temptation for these Jews prior to the destruction of the temple in AD 70 was to go back to the temple it was a very difficult thing for them in light of friends family business associates I mean some of you probably can relate to some degree or other you belong to a religious community and every deviation or any deviation from that community is looked upon with frowns it's looked upon with great suspicion well imagine you're a first century Jew and you have sided with Jesus Christ you are now confessing him as the Messiah your fellow Jews are not your fellow Jews have rejected your fellow Jews have resisted and your fellow Jews are probably not real happy that you are now going after this Nazarene and perhaps they will cut you off in business dealings perhaps they will cut you off in a in a religious sense perhaps they will no longer have any intimate relationship with you unless you forsake that Nazarene and you come back with us to the temple and you bring your goat you bring your bull you bring your your land and you bring it and you sacrifice it the way a good Jew does there was this pressure upon them and so the emphasis a recurring emphasis in the book of Hebrews is on the professing people of God to hold asked to their confession go back to chapter 2 chapter 2 just to rehearse these quickly because I think this is a most important thing and it should be obvious why this is important relative to the sin of apostasy if we do not hold fast we fall prey to committing apostasy against God but if you look at chapter 2 verse 1 therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we drift away we must give the the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we drift away and I love the language that he utilizes there mentioned last week it's probably not the case that apostates wake up on Sunday mornings and that's it I'm done it's over I'm no longer gonna worship Jesus I'm no longer gonna you're gonna serve the Lord God Most High it happens in steps it it's a process a person gets to that point after having drifted away they don't do it overnight it's by small steps they they stop reading the Bible they stop praying they they stop going to church they stay absent themselves from the supper they no longer have any communion or connection with the people of God around them there's a drifting away and the end result is ultimately apostasy or defection from the glory the glory of God in the gospel we see it as well in chapter 3 at verse 6 chapter 3 verse 6 but Christ as a son over his own house whose house we are if notice if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end chapter 4 verse 1 therefore since a promise remains of entering his rest let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it you see it there in verse 14 we've already read let us hold fast our confession chapter 10 I'm sorry yeah chapter 10 verses 35 and 36 later on in the chapter 10:35 therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward for you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise for yet a little while and he was coming will come and will not tarry now the just shall live by faith but if anyone draws back my soul has no pleasure in it see this recurring emphasis it it makes sense these Jews that had professed Jesus are finding great pressure amongst family amongst friends amongst business associates they are being pressured with leaving the Nazarene and going back to Moses no Moses isn't bad Moses is great but Moses was a covenant that has been surpassed by the Lord Christ who is superior and that's the groundwork that's already been laid in the book of Hebrews so we are to not only draw an eye but we are to hold fast and that's the emphasis there in verse 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering now that's tough and absolutely demands grace and so therefore we ought to be those who are indebted to God Most High Christ and John 15 set apart from me you can do nothing holding fast the confession of our hope we depend upon Jesus we depend upon the Holy Spirit of the living and true God there is no sanctification there is no growth there is no perseverance there is no good thing in the the Christian life apart from the Christ of the Christian life it's by virtue of his death and resurrection that we accrue these benefits and therefore we need to live in close communion with our beloved Savior but notice the security that we have in this statement verse 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful he who promised is faithful now brethren I would suggest there's probably gonna be wavering I hate to burst your bubble but there just might be a little it's not always the case that we are just resolute like our Lord Jesus remember that bit in Luke chapter 9 he set his face like a flint to go to Jerusalem we don't do that we are not steadfast we are not the sorts of people that are described there in Psalm 15 you know who Psalm 15 is about right it's about Jesus Jesus is the one who fulfills all the stipulations in Psalm 15 he ascends into the very tabernacle of God Most High and by virtue of his graciousness to us he brings us along with him we enter him by virtue of his righteousness that is specified there in Psalm 15 and again in Psalm 24 but with reference to our perseverance with reference to the confession of our hope without wavering we need to understand and realize that God is faithful God is not gonna let anything come between us and him God is not going to lose one for whom Jesus died God is on our side and if that is the case what can man do Paul's argument Romans chapter 8 if God be for us who can be against us and that's what we need to consciously consider as we move our way through this world persevering by God's grace we draw near because of the blood of Jesus we persevere and hold fast our confession because of the faithfulness of God I have many passages here concerning the faithfulness of God we could be here another hour just rehearsing the statements in Scripture that highlight the faithfulness of God Deuteronomy 7:9 Deuteronomy 32:4 Psalm 145 13 first corinthians 1:9 first corinthians 10:13 2nd Corinthians 1:18 first Thessalonians 5 24 2nd Thessalonians 3 3 first John 1:9 he's what faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and those are just a sampling among many that the Bible sets forth brethren it is a good fight because ultimately it is God's fight and God will see us through we simply need to cast ourselves upon him because ultimately he cares for us two passages in the context or in the book however highlight this faithfulness of God turn to Hebrews chapter 6 Hebrews chapter 6 if I were to ask you what was a significant thing that occurred often in early Christian art I suppose some would say the fish others perhaps might say the cross but I wonder if any of us would say the anchor it was the anchor anchor was a prevalent piece of Christian art in the early church and I think it's based on this passage in Hebrews 6 Christ is God is the anchor of the soul of the believing center verse 13 in Hebrews 6:4 when God made a promise to Abraham because he could swear by no one greater he swore by himself saying surely blessing I will bless you and multiplying I will multiply you and so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise for men indeed swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is for them and end of all dispute thus God determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immune of immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath now God doesn't make an oath for his benefit you know when we swear an oath in a court realm it's to a firm or a task that we will tell the truth God is Lord God of truth the oath that he swears isn't for him it's not to keep him on track it's not to keep him you know honest it's for our benefit this is the emphasis of the Apostle men indeed verse 16 swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is for them and an end of all dispute thus God determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath it's like he couldn't say it any stronger God goes over and above and beyond the call of duty to assuage any fears in our arts that he's ever going to start something with us and not see it through to the end that would simply be on God Lee on his part so he confirms it by an oath he swears by his own name and then in verse 18 it says that by two immutable unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us this hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which enters the presence behind the veil that's the holiest the holy of holies where the forerunner has entered for us even Jesus having become high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek and then one other in the Hall of faith in Hebrews chapter 11 hebrews chapter 11 again just underscoring the faithfulness of God relative to the patriarchs Hebrews chapter 11 at verse 11 by faith Sara herself also restrict received strength to conceive seed and she bore a child when she was past the age because she judged him faithful who had promised so in the first place we are to draw near because we have access in the second place were to hold fast the confession of our hope because God who has promised is faithful and then thirdly and finally in terms of the exhortation we are to consider one another we are to consider one another and that's what he emphasizes there in verse 24 let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works the believer is called to consider Jesus in chapter 3 at verse 1 here he's called to consider other believers you know in my history as a pastor you know you meet people and they say well you know I don't always get something out of church I've not not anybody here obviously everybody here always get something out of church right but but you know I've met with people and it's just getting nothing out of it do we ever think that I can bring something to the table you know we just come to church for what we get you know that's how marriage is going nowadays you know everybody enters in just for what they can get marriage is about what we can give you say I do to somebody so that you can serve them so that you can love them so that you can give yourself to that what happened to that sort of a concept within the context of the church it's all about us well they have to have you know great nursery care they have to have great programs if they're great preaching that the great everything has to be designed to serve me we ever think that you know somebody might benefit today from me being in church I might be able to speak a kind word an encouraging word I might be able to say some to someone you know I'll pray for you this week that might go a long way to encourage the heart of our fellow do we do we consider that that's what the Apostle says let us consider one another let us think about others let us not be consumed with that unholy trinity of me myself and I let us not be the typical narcissist let us not be the guy narcissist that looks in the water and just gazes about how beautiful and lovely and wonderful yes to the neglect of everything around him brethren we are not supposed to be that way were to consider others were to consider that if I'm absent from the life in the context of the local church I may bring discouragement to people I may not be there to be a boon to others we need to consider actively how it is we can stir one another up to love and good works that doesn't mean we get everybody we peel off on the side we say okay I've got 15 ways that you can stir me up to love and good works or I've got 15 things that I want to say to stir you up to love and good works that's not the point the point is is that we love each other we want to be with each other we want to encourage one another and we want to help one another that I know that may seem a bit countercultural and revolutionary but that's God's purpose within the context of the local church fact go back to chapter 3 for just a moment because this emphasis has already come out in chapter 3 verse 12 beware brethren lest there be in any of you in an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God this apostasy that is later explained in chapter 6 and 10 but exhort one another daily wallet is called today lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin that is a reality none of us were designed to live on our own as Christians he separates himself according to Solomon in the book of Proverbs seeks his own desire and that is not good and godly we are told as God's people having been encouraged that this access has been secured by the blood of Jesus that we have such a high priest we are called to draw near to God we are called to hold fast our confession and we are called to not only think about ourselves but to actually think about others within the context of the church and to figure out ways that we can stir them up to love and good works well nobody ever stirs me up to love and good works then break the vicious cycle and do it either you're part of the part of the problem or part of the solution or you're part of the problem isn't that the way we are unless somebody does it for me I won't won't do it for them unless somebody stirs me up I'm just going I'm gonna stop nobody likes me okay so the right response is to not like anybody else I what's the end game with that kind of logic I don't know what you're gonna end up with this is not good we're supposed to actually do what God says and God says to us were to consider one another within the context of our local church now certainly you can do it outside the context of the local church by all means go out and stir up everybody that's a that would be a great calling for any of you any of us but within the context of the church the people that we eat the bread and drink the cup with the people that we sing with the people that we pray with the people that we hang out with there ought to be in us this desire to help them insofar as we can see there's this mindset that unless I'm a preacher unless I'm a missionary there's nothing really I can do in the context of the church I got something you can do show up just calm it it encourages me it really does it just encourages me somebody doesn't show up that typically shows up do I call them because it almost seems cultic like I'm checking it's not Oh No why weren't you Church why why didn't you come to the supper you know in my home if one of the five kids didn't come down at dinnertime I'd probably go upstairs and say what are you doing it's dinnertime come and eat right not because I mad at them or hate them but because this is a time for family communion and intimacy and union and discussion and love and the expression of all good things brethren would have stir one another up to love and good deeds and notice he says 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 logic is airtight isn't it we can't consider it one another we certainly can't stir them up to love and good deeds if we're not with them you see that connection right 24 and 25 go hand in glove in order to consider one another in order to stir one another up to love and good deeds the the implication the presupposition or the assumption is is that we will actually be together and so the prohibition of verse 25 is to not neglect the place or God calls us to gather don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together as is the manner of some some of these professing Jewish believers had started to drift away some of them had started to absent himself from the house of God some of them were not present among the people of God and therefore they were negligent in considering one another and stirring up others unto love and good works this happened then it happens now this drifting away this easy approach this oh I don't know all I need to do is go once on Sunday I've met that over my 22 years as a pastor as well well the Bible doesn't command an evening service okay but people that are blood-bought like to worship God that that's what I think you know I was taught a very simple approach to Christianity whenever the church doors are open you show up and that's always served me well it's always been a help to me well I don't feel like it who cares what you feel like do you live based on feeling everywhere else in the way I don't feel like getting up on a Monday morning and going to work sometimes I actually take Monday off so perhaps that's not the best analogy Tuesday do I just not go do you really live that way do you do you just tell your employee why I didn't feel like coming to work I just didn't feel like showing up and yet somehow that obtains in the context of the local church it's okay when it comes to to Sunday and it comes to God well we'll just say that I just didn't feel like comment so I didn't come are you kidding me you would be fired from any decent employer anywhere in the Lower Mainland if you live that way God graciously doesn't fire you and we ought to praise him for that but notice the emphasis we need to consider one another in order to stir up love and good works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of psalm Chrysostom that silver-tongued preacher in the early church said he knew that's that much strength arises from being together and assembling together for as iron sharpens iron proverbs 17:17 so also association increases love for a fast own rub against a stone sends forth fire how much more soul mingled with soul it's a great great observation on this particular passage now Owens suggest that some of the reasons why this was happening in the early church at least with reference to these Jews is first of all fear of persecution well if we don't go to church we won't be there when you know the Gestapo runs in there with guns and arrest people and hauls them off so there was this fear of persecution that perhaps weighed upon the heart and the mind of people that that they were afraid and so therefore they wouldn't go brethren we obey God we let God take care of all that we're not supposed to be afraid of persecution now that doesn't mean we walk out and say please persecute me but on the other hand as God's people in this world doesn't Paul lay down the mandate and verse chapter three of second Timothy all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be what they will be persecuted when you signed on the dotted line you signed up for that it's kind of like the guy that goes and joins the military and ends up and you know Timbuktu fighting enemies I said well I didn't sign up for that well actually you did you you put your name on the dotted line you swore an oath and now you find yourself in this situation as the people of God you signed up for that and so the fear of persecution is not legit as well he speaks of spiritual sloth laziness brethren never underestimate the power of remaining corruption in your heart to overwhelm you with the feelings of I don't want to go I don't feel like going do what you know you're supposed to do a fruit of the Holy Spirit is self-control you control yourself you don't let your self control you I don't know if that makes sense but you do what you're supposed to do unbelief working gradually toward the forsaking of all profession you see how intimately connected these exhortations are to the section that follows in terms of the prohibition against or the warning against apostasy if we're not drawing near to God if we're not holding fastest confession if we are not stirring one another up or considering one another we run the risk of apostasy that is an airtight connection in this particular passage now notice what he says and we'll close with the exposition at this point and so much the more as you see the Day approaching and so much the more as you see the Day approaching the believer must exhort one another which assumes Association together the believer must do so in light of the approaching day if we ask the question what is the approaching day the history of interpretation is yielded a couple of different options some suggest it's the day of one's death others suggest it's the day of judgment that final day when we will all be ushered in to the presence of Christ and give an account of deeds done in the body whether good or ill others suggest and I think it is this the day of Jerusalem's destruction in AD 70 so that day is approaching and the common approach to disaster and calamity is not what the Apostle exhorts us to let me give you an illustration let's say that you knew that next Monday the world was going to end what would you do you would get your affairs in order you would hang out with your family you would you know do whatever I don't know maybe you'd run for the hills and try to find a place up north where you could hide you might be inclined to skip church do you know what the apostle is saying never skip Church even on the eve of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 when the Roman armies will surround that city desecrate its temple and utterly decimate the place don't miss Church I think we miss church for a whole lot of lesser reasons I think we miss Church for a whole lot of lesser reasons than utter calamity catastrophe devastation and destruction you ever considered that woman in Luke that woman that that was bound by this this info it was hemorrhaging is what the commentators tell us she was a daughter of Abraham and she's bent over she is she's in bad and rough shape and and jesus heals her and everybody gets upset jesus healed on the Sabbath I mean brethren you might be a Pharisee if you get upset when jesus heals somebody on the Sabbath if you if that bugs you you've got big problems and of course Jesus reproves them for that but but it is intriguing where is she when jesus heals her she's in the synagogue on the Sabbath day she's not on her couch she's not in her bed she's not whining she's not grumbling she's not sniveling she is in the place where she's supposed to be we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together now I realize there are persons outside of the Reformed community that think it's bondage they think it's legalism they think it's horrific to have a Sabbath and to actually exhort people to come morning and evening you know I don't personally care what they think because the Bible tells us there is a Sabbath day to keep holy before our God the Bible tells us that with reference to that Sabbath day were not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some and especially when we see calamity coming when we see catastrophe coming when we see destruction coming we're supposed to still go to church it's a beautiful thing isn't it the beautiful thing and I hope that all of us will see the connection to apostasy in the following section John Owen finally says whatever desolations and destructions may be approaching our best and wisest frame will be to trust unto God in the discharge of our duty approaching judgments ought to influence unto special diligence in all EV angelical duties there's the catastrophe and the calamity and the devastation and the decimation doesn't argue for laziness on our part it doesn't mean that oh well you know there's bad things coming so I'm gonna you know on a sit in my living room today no according to Owen I think that's the emphasis of the Apostle with this calamity coming that is no excuse for you to absent yourself from the public worship of God because it's in that context that you get to consider one another to stir them up to love and good works if you are not doing that you run the risk of committing apostasy as defined by the Apostle in verses 26 to 31 well in conclusion we ought to be encouraged by the present possession that we have we have access unto the holiest and we have a great high priest secondly we need to understand the present responsibility that is ours we need to use the access we've been given it has been purchased with precious blood doesn't that doesn't that make a gift that much better when you give something that's that's really expensive it's not to show off it's not to you know to parade yourself but but but you value that person so much that you're willing to spend that kind of money that kind of work that kind of effort it costs the blood of the Lamb of God for us to have access into the very holiest are we not gonna use that are we gonna say well you know I'd rather not I'd rather live at a distance from God I'd rather I'd rather live on the on the fray no we would never say that in the context of somebody who had given us a gift as well we need to hold fast the confession of our hope brethren you know what one of the challenges that we face in our society sexual ethics what the Bible teaches about sexuality if you would have told me 20 years ago this would be the battleground I probably would have said what but by steps by increments this is becoming a battleground you probably saw the opening of chick-fil-a in Toronto the other day the homosexuals were out there opposing it protesting against it it's a chicken sandwich what are they going to do with the people of God and maintain that it's a sin and an abomination before God Almighty now because we're homophobic but because we're Theo phobic and we don't want the judgment and wrath and fury of God to come upon our fellows we want them to repent we want them to believe we want them to know what the Corinthian ex sodomites knew such were some of you but you were washed you were sanctified you were you were justified it's a bless of reality brethren this is an area that the church is incrementally starting to compromise even good denominations are getting close to this particular issue in a way that is very very discouraging to maintain that manner men and women or women is becoming a test of Orthodoxy within the context of modern evangelicalism we need to hold fast our confession not because we're bigoted not because we're Nazis not because we're racist not because we're homophobes but because we're believers in Jesus Christ and his law demands certain conduct from his creatures and for us to renege on that is to compromise and to let go of the confession of our hope women in the pulpit god forbids it you're not supposed to preach if you're a woman you're supposed to do anything else but preach the gospel in a church oh you bigot you middle what what's the word I am a misogynist yeah I mean anymore if I asked my wife to make me a sandwich I'm a wife beater I mean this is where we're going and it's horrifying and the church or professing church is capitulating brethren we don't capitulate to Rome when they get rid of the doctrine of justification by faith we don't capitulate to Rome when they pronounce papal infallibility we don't capitulate to Pietism we don't capitulate to antinomianism we don't capitulate to legalism and we certainly don't capitulate to a federal government that wants to obliterate role gender distinctions why anybody in their right mind in the professing Church of Jesus Christ would kowtow on this is absolutely baffling to me brethren it is going to be increasingly more difficult to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering and as well we need to consider one another Philip Hughes in his excellent commentary on the book of Hebrews if ever you read one commentary on the book of Hebrews I would encourage you to read Phillip Hughes he says selfishness and divisive neskowin Din Han for self-love breeds the spirit of isolationism he who does not love his fellow Christians fervently from the heart feels no compelling need to associate himself with them that's a very powerful and a pertinent statement with reference to this application we need to be about others as well and then finally we need to appreciate that what is happening in terms of access with reference to our tax both the encouragement and the exhortation is a present reality you're not talking about access after we die and we enter into the presence of God into the holiest place that happens in corporate worship that happens in the public worship of the Living God if you doubt that look with me at Ephesians chapter 2 Ephesians chapter 2 a very churchly book of the Bible emphasis much on the Church of Jesus Christ and in Ephesians 2 after having spoken of how God has brought nigh sinners through the blood of Jesus Christ how God has brought together Jew and Gentile through the blood of Jesus Christ he then celebrates the blessed access and privilege we have together Jews and Gentiles verse 19 of chapter 2 he says now therefore you no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow-citizens with the Saints and members of the household of God having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone in whom the whole building being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the spirit where does God peculiarly dwell in this new covenant setting he dwells in churches like this he is with the people of God the spirit is in our hearts collectively as we gather Most High God is among his people in this place that is a great boon if ever there's a thing or a Sunday morning what do you say I just don't feel like going remember God's gonna be there God is going to be in this place it may not be the Shekinah glory like they witnessed in terms of the tabernacle and temple but brethren we walk by faith not by sight where is Jesus in Revelation chapter 1 he's in the midst of the lamp stands the lamp stands are the seven churches of Asia Minor where is Christ on Sunday he's with us look at Hebrews chapter two you know sometimes you hear churches away you gotta have a choir kind of a choir director we have a choir we're a we have a choir director Jesus is in look at Hebrews chapter two verse 10 for it was fitting for him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings for both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to you Christ is in the midst of the assembly singing praise to the father along with his blood-bought children there is no greater privilege that you and I will ever have on this side of heaven that well then what is specified here in our tax having boldness to enter in to the holiest by the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord who has consecrated this new and living way who has secured for us all of the benefits and the privileges of the children of God Almighty Michael Morales and his excellent book on the Book of Leviticus says and so this heavenly reality is tasted and renewed liturgically in the corporate spirit enabled approach of God's people as they ascend with Jesus to the heavenly Mount Zion Lord's Day by Lord's Day through the new and living way the veil of Jesus flash go to Hebrews 12 is again I think people hear that sort of thing and they say you know that's just not been my experience I find the preaching boring I find the preaching long I find the hands an outdated I find there to be a lot of things that that I don't particularly agree with brethren it's not all about what you particularly agree with it's all about what God has commanded and what we by grace are seeking to obey but if you look at Hebrews 12 I've already read the section where in the Old Covenant the Saints were fearful of drawing nigh to Zara to Sinai but in verse 22 and again this isn't in the future in terms of eschaton it's not the future in terms of heaven it is the church on earth worshiping the Living God verse 22 but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels to the General Assembly in Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven to God the judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel the next time you wake up on a Sunday morning and you say I don't feel like going to church read this section in Hebrews 12 and see what you're missing if you do not come to church well brethren consider the encouragement consider the exhortations and by grace persevere in door and contend earnestly because God Almighty is faithful God Almighty is glorious God Almighty has secured for us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ if you have not gone to God through Christ I exhort you to that end believe on the Lord Jesus Christ turn from your sin look unto Him who is altogether lovely in chief among ten thousand that one who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven that one who lived for sinners that one who died for sinners and that one who was raised for sinners believe on him and you will have everlasting life and as a believer in him utilized the access hold faster confession and consider one another well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for the connection and the consistency that we find here in this section and Hebrews and I pray father that we would be encouraged at the reality that we have access to the holiest that we have a high priest like Jesus Christ our Lord and father help us to be obedient with reference to the things commanded in this passage and in this may we find great joy we know father at times our flesh rails against such things but when by God's grace we do what we're called to do there is great blessing there is great joy there is great encouragement and I pray that we would all know that that we would all be helped and strengthened by your spirit to do what we're supposed to in the context of our local church in the context of our our lives together with one another I ask now that you would go with us that you would protect us and keep us in this coming week that we would know your nearness as our good and that we would seek to glorify you and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen close with you