Good evening, everyone. You can turn in your Bibles with me to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews 10. The last number of Lord's days, we've looked at certain forms or elements of the New Testament epistles.
We've looked at the anatomy of a salutation, the anatomy of a doxology, and then the anatomy of a benediction. This evening we'll look at the anatomy of a letter's main content by reading from the entire book of Hebrews. No, from Hebrews chapter 10 and verses 11 to 25. We're gonna note, generally, the structure of a letter's main content, but then focus specifically on the blessed content of verses 19 to 25.
So this is Hebrews 10, beginning at verse 11, the word of God. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after he had said before, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them. Then he adds, their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
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.
Opening Prayer
Well, let's pray. God, we thank you for this time together in worship. We rejoice that we can freely gather to worship our great God, We thank you for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, for his righteousness, for the forgiveness of sins. We rejoice in the glorious gospel, and we pray that you would help us now as we engage in this act of worship, the preaching of your word.
Do strengthen us by your spirit, do help us by your spirit, and might you be glorified in this exercise. And we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, amen. Well,
Introduction
we've noted, as I indicated at the beginning, a number, and if you'll recall, a number of different forms or elements that we find in the New Testament epistles. If we take away from a New Testament epistle then the salutation, the benediction, or benedictions, and the doxology, what we have remaining is the letter proper, the main content, the letter's main content. And usually what we find, it's not These patterns aren't some sort of cookie-cutter reality that every pistol takes on, but largely speaking, the letter's main content can be summed up in three things, a purpose statement, theology, and exhortation. So three things at large that we will often find in the main content of a New Testament letter.
Again, either an explicit purpose statement or statements from which we can gather the purpose for the giving of the letter. Then we have usually the author of the New Testament epistle giving theological foundation for an exhortation that would follow. And we have that here in the book of Hebrews.
Purpose Statements in Hebrews
First thing we want to note is some purpose statements. Before we get to the content of Hebrews 10, 19 to 25, which does give us theology and exhortation, we want to notice purpose statements. And you can turn with me to Hebrews 4 for a moment. There are three places, not that it's exhausting the purpose statements in the book of Hebrews, but three places where we find a measure of clarity as to what the Apostle Paul, or the writer to the book of Hebrews, What the author's purpose is in writing this letter and in Hebrews 4 at verse 14?
This would also serve as if anybody's to ask you what is give me a one-sentence summary of the entire book of Hebrews it would be Hebrews 4 verse 14 and 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 That is a summary of the book of Hebrews. You can turn to Hebrews 8 for a moment and And it's wonderful. I noted that sometimes the author doesn't explicitly say, this is my purpose statement, colon, space, and then writes the purpose statement. Here in Hebrews 8, though, we have sort of something like that.
Hebrews 8 at verse 1. Now, this is the main point of the things we are saying. We have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord erected and not man. And then a simple statement at the end of the book, very near the end of the book in Hebrews 13 at verse 22.
And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you, in few words. So the purpose statement of the book of Hebrews or the purpose of the book of Hebrews is that these Hebrew Christians would lay hold of the confession of their faith. Christ is glorious. He has perfected.
He is the sum and substance of all theology, the sum and substance of all old covenant realities. They all pointed forward to him. He has come to perfect salvation, therefore hold fast the confession of your faith without wavering. So the purpose statements, and then we have the, largely speaking here now, two things, the theological foundation and the exhortative substance.
And really that's what Hebrews could be broken down to, theological substance and exhortative substance. And here at Hebrews 10, 18, And then 19,
Theology and Exhortation in Hebrews 10
we have a transition from the former to the latter. So a transition from theology to exhortation. We see at the end of Hebrews 18, or excuse me, Hebrews 10, verse 18, after the apostle here opens up the reality of Christ being that promised new covenant champion, we see at verse 18, now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. And then we have a therefore given to us in verse 19.
So what follows is built upon the substance of the letter. It's captured well in this reality that the Lord Jesus Christ is the champion of the new covenant. The new covenant is ratified in his blood. Where there is remission of sins, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Christ has offered himself for sin once for all. And so now we want to look at two things, the theological foundation for the exhortation that we find here, and then the giving of the exhortation itself. The theological foundation for the exhortation is here found in verses 19 to 21, and if we could sum it up, what is the theological foundation for this exhortation that will follow, it is the dignity of the person of Christ and the virtue of his work. It's the language that Owen would often use, the excellence of his person and the virtue of his saving operations with regards to the Lord Jesus Christ.
When we consider our blessed Savior, when we consider the champion of the new covenant when we consider our blessed hero the one the one born of woman who would crush the serpent with his heel we think of the excellence of his person and the virtue of his saving office and we see this language in verses 19 to 21 and
Confidence in Christ's Once-for-All Sacrifice
we want to notice first that we see confidence in the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ so What is going to be the foundation for the exhortation that follows exhortations? One of the things we see is the confidence in the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ notice at verse 19 therefore brethren having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus So the New Covenant reality, this blessed reality that Jesus Christ has perfected salvation for his people and that his people then are the blessed beneficiaries of saving perfection, that is to give us confidence in our New Covenant worship. We are to have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. As we go into worship, as we come into worship, we're not to be such as who sheepishly enter in bearing the guilt of sin, but rather we are to confidently, not arrogantly, but confidently because of Christ and the perfection of his work, enter into worship knowing that he has answered the guilt, he has answered the dominion of sin, that he has cast away all guilt and all All wrath and all curse and all condemnation Therefore we are to enter with great courage and confidence before the throne of grace in in worship of so great a Christ Owen calls it the special privilege of the gospel.
The special privilege of the gospel that we can enter into worship, not by virtue of confidence in our own deeds, not by virtue of confidence in ourselves, not by virtue of confidence because, hey man, we've really put in a good week of obedience to the law of God and I can enter now confidently within one of these two doors and worship my God. No, it's having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus is the foundation for our confidence in worship. The Apostle Paul here is bringing forth the reality that the perfection of the blood, the shed blood of the Savior, over and against, if we were to read beginning at verse 1, over and against the blood of bulls and goats. over and against the sacrifices offered in the old covenant.
The blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins. They were a reminder of sins, and they pointed forward to the one who would come in the fullness of the times to give himself for guilty sinners. But the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins. The implements, the elements of old covenant worship never took away sins.
But this one, when he came, he put an end to sin He offered up himself once for the sins of his people, and there is remission, there is forgiveness in his blood, and therefore we have boldness to enter the throne of grace. Boldness here assumes both liberty from religious restriction and the absence of trepidation. He has hushed the law's loud thunder. Isn't that a blessed verse in the hymn that we sing?
He has hushed the law's loud thunder. Another hymn that we sing is, arise my soul, arise, shake off thy guilty fears. The the stanza doesn't continue by saying because I've put in a good week of obedience to the law of God Arise my soul arise shake off thy guilty fears the bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears that's how we can come confidently and boldly to the throne of grace and That's how we can come confidently and we should come joyfully into the house of worship because this one has shed his blood for guilty sinners. He has risen again.
He has ascended to the right hand of the majesty on high and what now he ever lives to make intercession for his people.
Christ's High Priestly Office
Secondly, we have the glorious fact of Christ's high priestly office. 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. So that sort of ends this theological foundation for the exhortations that will follow, but we have this blessed reality of Christ's high priestly office. We have this new and living way, the old covenant, the old covenant was an old way, and it was a way of death in a sense.
The law spoke death, the gospel brings this living way which Christ has consecrated for us. And notice this language of through the veil that is his flesh. It links the Lord Jesus Christ and his assumption of humanity to the veil of the old covenant temple. And an old brother of ours, Leo Maximus, wonderful name, wrote this concerning this particular reality in the book of Hebrews.
The New Testament was also being ratified and in the blood of Christ, the heirs of the eternal kingdom were being enrolled. The great high priest was entering the Holy of Holies and to intercede with God, the spotless priest was passing in through the veil of his flesh. in fines so evident a transition was being effected from the law to the gospel, from the synagogue to the church, from many sacrifices to the one victim, that when the Lord gave up the ghost, that mystic veil which hung before and shut out the inner part of the temple and its holy recess was by sudden force torn from top to bottom, for the reason that truth, was displacing figures, and forerunners were needless in the presence of him they announced." It's a wonderful statement. Forerunners are needless in the presence of him they announced. In other words, with respect to the book of Hebrews, since Christ has come, since the one to whom all these things pointed, all old covenant religion pointed, since he has come, why would you have your minds and your hearts stolen away back to those things that were fulfilled in Christ?
That was the danger in the book of Hebrews. Tempted by countrymen, tempted by family, tempted by the shiny things of old covenant mosaic religion, Hebrew Christians were being tempted to go back to those things that were fulfilled in Christ. Why would you go back to the prophets when in Christ we have the one to whom the prophets pointed? Why would you go back to the ministrations of angels when in Christ we have the ministry of the maker of angels?
Why would you go back to human priests when we have the great divine high priest, Jesus Christ, who has given his obedience unto cross-death vocation as the salvation for sinners. And so we have this blessed confidence that we can go in to the Holy of Holies, we can come before God Himself by virtue of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the perfection of His sacrifice, the blessedness of His shed blood.
The Three Exhortations
Notice then we have now the giving of the exhortation So the theology is simply the super abounding excellence of Christ over all that had come before him To modify some language from pink the super abounding excellence of Jesus Christ over all that had come before him So then what do we do with this? What are we to do in light of an assailing devil? in light of an opposing world, and in light of the lusts of the flesh, what are we to do in light of the blessed theology of Jesus Christ? Well, we see here three things, and
Draw Near with a True Heart
the first is the call to engage in confident and true New Covenant worship. Notice, as we see At verse 22, we have the theology of the blessedness of Christ behind us. And now this first exhortation, 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. Now, the structure of these three exhortations are threefold.
If we see each of these three exhortations, there is first, the exhortation proper given, secondly, the manner by which the exhortation is to be carried out, and third, a reason or the motivational impetus for heating the exhortation is provided. So here we have in verse 22 the exhortation proper, let us draw near with a true heart. The manner by which the exhortation is to be carried out is given. in full assurance of faith, and then we have the reason or the motivational impetus, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. We come to New Covenant worship with a true heart.
One of the things that the writer to the Hebrews here is getting at in large part, I believe, is a comparison between those who are engaged in New Covenant worship and many who are engaged in Old Covenant worship. Remember the indictments by God through the prophets that they come with their so-called obedience, they come with their so-called sacrifices, But your hearts are far from me the Lord would say they didn't come with true hearts They would bring the blind and the lame and the the lesser sacrifices not coming with true hearts Well in the new covenant all those that are in the new covenant all those in the covenant of grace are Such as who have been brought alive from deadness to life by the Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of the shed blood of Christ and they can now draw near with with true hearts and in full assurance of faith. We can have this as Christians, brethren, full assurance of faith. Not because we're so good and not after a long and extended gaze at our own selves, but because of the finished and perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He has died once for sin that he might bring many sons to glory, and in that we have full assurance of faith. As we'll see in a number of minutes here, the God who is faithful in his promises rests behind this as well. The immutability of his decree of election flowing from the unchangeable love of God the Father. And here we have the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ.
Since you have such a perfect and glorious Savior, Draw new with it draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith and notice having our hearts sprinkled From an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. That's not new language The the writer here is pulling out from the Old Testament Remember the language of well the language first of all of the sprinkling of the blood the sprinkling of the of the blood on the books of the Covenant We have the sprinkling in Ezekiel chapter 36. In the promise of the New Covenant, the language of sprinkling and cleansing with clean water is given. Remember, God promises, giving this New Covenant announcement, that He will bring His people from out of many nations.
He will sprinkle them with clean water. He will cleanse them from all their filthiness and from all their idols. This ultimately obtains by virtue of the perfection of the work of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. By virtue of that work, our hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies are cleansed.
The filthiness of sin is washed by the perfection of Jesus Christ and the spirit of glorious grace. And we have Not only do we have the exhortation given, not only do we have the manner by which it is carried out and the promise, but we have the richness that each of these exhortations is calling us back to the theology of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Hold Fast the Confession of Hope
The call then, secondly here in these exhortations, is the call to be steadfast in the confession of Christ. So this first exhortation calls for us to have that confidence in new covenant worship, and now we have this call to be steadfast in the confession of Christ. And remember, this is largely the point of the writing of the book of Hebrews. that we would hold fast, that these Hebrews would hold fast, and by virtue of the word being living and active, we in our own age ought to also hold fast to the confession of our faith. But notice verse 23.
This is the call to be steadfast in the confession of Christ. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful. So we have the exhortation proper, let us hold fast the confession of our hope. We have the manner in which that is to take place without wavering, and the motivational impetus for he who promised is faithful.
But let's notice first, let us hold fast the confession of our hope. There is this action exhorted unto hold fast, and an object to be held, the confession of our hope. This exhortation to hold fast, it comprehends, first off, the exertion of a strength, the exertion of a diligence. We're to hold fast.
We are to grip. We are to clasp. We are to to exert strength and energy in order to hold on to a thing that is precious. And that's what this exhortation, that's what this exhortation is.
What is the confession of our hope or what is the confession of our faith? It is simply the excellence of the person of Christ and the virtue of his blessed work. That is the confession of our hope. That is what Paul is asking these Hebrew Christians.
That is what God is asking us by virtue of Bible and spirit that we would hold fast the confession of our faith were to do it with the exertion of a strength and with the exertion of a diligence. It is to precious things that we like to hold on to, isn't it? We don't like to hold on to a pack of dirt. Well, maybe that's precious to some of you, but the gripping of a thing, the holding on to a thing argues for the fact that there is high value, there is much value in the thing that is grasped, that is held on to.
And so the Apostle Paul, having spent many a page arguing for the perfection of the work of Jesus Christ, his super abounding excellence, and his supremacy, he gets to this point of holding fast that Christ, and we are to do so because of the preciousness of that Christ. It's the language that the Apostle Peter uses. Wonderful language to those who believe he is precious. Isn't he precious to us as Christians reflecting upon our former selves reflecting upon the madness of sin? reflecting upon, again, a raging devil, a contrary world, and a lusting flesh, we have a champion of our salvation, Jesus Christ the righteous.
He is to be precious to us, and he is to be held fast too. This contemplates not only the exertion of strength, but it assumes that there is something of value to hold on to, and it recognizes the danger of opposition. So we're to exert strength in the holding on, uh, in the holding on of something precious. And we are doing this in the face of opposition.
In this case, the contemporaneous Jewish opposition, but in our own context, once again, that threefold enemy or those three enemies, there isn't a sailing devil. There is a contrary world and there is a lusting flesh. Let's lay hold of the confession of our hope. it is to be without wavering. The manner in which this exhortation is to be carried out is without wavering.
As much as it is possible, and it is possible with God, we are to have a doubtless faith, a non-wavering faith, not being blown here and there by every wind of trial and every wind of whatever else, but whatever comes upon us, we are, by God's grace, to endure In a without wavering holding fast of things that are precious to us
Unwavering Faith: Daniel 3
Turn to the book of Daniel speaking about an unwavering faith Let's have a look at a particular case in unwavering faith and it also helps us a little bit with regards to what faith is the definition of faith in Daniel chapter 3 This is of course the case with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace the closing of the narrative we see in verse 16, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, Nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up You see faith is not having this this strong sense of wishing that God actually will do something that He might he might in fact not do You know, Daniel here, you know, if we, we really, really have, you know, strong faith that God is going to do something in my life. And then when that thing doesn't happen, then there is almost this, this loss and this doubt of faith, because we're, we're thinking of faith in the wrong way.
Faith and hope is resting upon the sure promises of God. When we have faith, we are exercising belief in something that God has revealed to us. And Daniel here says, now notice he says, it might not be the case that God will save them from this fiery furnace. Notice, if it is the case, verse 17, God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us from your hand-oaking, but if not, this wonderful statement, but if not, let it be known to you, and this is the confession of their hope, O King, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up, because they worship the one and only living and true God.
And here we have an unwavering faith These Hebrew Christians were to be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the sense that they're laying hold of something precious, their confession of the God of Israel, and come what may upon them, they will not abandon the glorious preciousness of the triune God. So back to Hebrews 10. This call to steadfastness in the confession of Christ, we see the exhortation, we see the manner in which it is given, we are to do that, the Hebrew Christians were to do that, without wavering. And notice the motivational impetus for this particular exhortation.
Verse 22, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Oh no, excuse me, sorry, verse 23. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful. So, So these who were in danger of their own countrymen and their own families, these who were facing much persecution for their confession of the Lord Jesus Christ, this exhortation comes, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.
And if Paul here was to stop writing, the exhortation wouldn't be any less true and needful, but perhaps they'd be going, man, you know what? Still need a little bit of confidence. Well that confidence comes with this next clause for he who promised is faithful You know, this is this sort of that statement comprehends all the promises of God in divine revelation, the promises to the patriarchs, the promises to the kings, the promises through the prophets, the promises inherent in the sacrifices offered to God. All of the promises, ultimately the promise that the hero born of woman will crush the serpent with his heel and bring many sons to glory.
We can lay hold of that precious Christ because he who promised God is faithful. he will bring about that which he has promised to come to pass. We've noticed this a number of times. Christian hope is not a human hope. Christian hope is not strong wishing.
Christian hope is the certain expectation that the promises of God will come true by virtue of the perfection of Christ and the power of the triune God. And so we have this glorious statement, he who promised, is faithful. So this call to be steadfast in Christ. And then
Consider One Another: The Assembly
thirdly, we have this call to be others minded in our walk with Christ, to be others minded in our walk with Christ. Notice at verse 24, and let us consider one another in order to stir up love 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 So we have this exhortation proper given not forsaking the assembly or excuse me Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works That's the that's the exhortation consider one another in order to stir up love and good works the manner in which it is to take place is not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but exhorting one another. And something of a motivational impetus in the exercise of this is so much the more as you see the day approaching. So this exhortation proper, first, let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.
We are to be others-minded. As we read elsewhere from the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians, no longer to live for ourselves, but for him who died for them for us and rose again. We're not to live for ourselves. If you're here this morning, we only noted briefly Paul's point in the book of Philippians, specifically as it had to do with the lack of humility that was going on with the Philippian Christians.
He asks them to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, he exhorts them unto unity, and the answer to unity is humility, or putting the interests of others before those of our own. And so we see the apostle here writing, then, let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. We're not so many maverick Christians that come into this place all about ourselves to get what we want out of worship and then leave. We're to consider one another, and did you notice as we're reading these exhortations, all three, the language begins with, let us.
They're congregational exhortations. Let us do this. This is the fact that Christians together as a band of brothers and sisters marching towards that celestial city by virtue of the blessings of the triune God, we're to do this together and we are to consider others before the interests of ourselves. Very often it can be a me, me, me Christianity.
Why aren't you doing what I want? Why aren't you propping up my hobby horse? Why aren't you doing the things the way I want them to be done? Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.
We're to be about the congregation for the glory of God. And so we are to consider one another, and the purpose is that we might stir up love and good works. Do you think when, you know, if you say, I'm not gonna go to church today or something like that. And there's no good reason for it.
Not only are you not worshiping God in the house of God for the glory of God, but you're also affecting your brothers and sisters in Christ because we rely on each other for the stirring up of love and good works. Church, as we'll note in a moment, is the best place on earth to be. That foretaste of heaven, that foretaste of Emmanuel's land, where the people are gathered together for the worship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to glory in the Savior. their confession. And so we're to consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.
The manner in which this exhortation is to be carried out is not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. So how is this consideration of one another taking place? How is this stirring up of love and good works taking place? It's by coming to church.
At this time, it was not giving in to the temptation of hiding in the face of opposition from unbelieving Jews. They're seeking to persecute. They had endured the plundering of their goods, Hebrew Christians have. They were struggling.
They were being opposed to gather together in the name of Jesus Christ, this crucified Messiah, gathering together to honor and glorify him, to worship him, to worship the triune God? The answer is, yeah. we're going to church. Whatever opposition may come, whatever may come upon us, we are going to church. We are not going to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but we will consider one another.
We will stir up love and good works as we wake up on Sunday morning. Remember, and again, we're not so many Christians on our own, maverick Christians, just coming in, getting what we hope we'll get, and then leaving. we're coming in that we might worship God and that we might horizontally affect one another, stirring us up to love and good works. Hopefully it cheers your heart when we're standing up and singing hymns and you can look around and see that your brothers and sisters are standing with you. We're singing hymns to the glory of God.
We're singing hymns to the honor of Christ. We're rehearsing the blessed lyrics and things of gospel glory as a gathered church. We are to consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. We're not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but we're to exhort one another, and then we have something of the motivational impetus in a large sense for these Hebrew Christians, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.
What is this particular day, the approaching day? to offer up an explanation. It's not that absolute day of final judgment. It's not the day of personal death, and it's not the Sabbath day generally, but it is the destruction of Jerusalem that was coming upon these Jewish Christians upon Jerusalem as a whole. John Owen writes, whatever desolations and destructions may be approaching, our best and wisest frame will be to trust unto God in the discharge of our duty.
All other contrivances will prove not only vain and foolish, but destructive unto our souls. The day here intended was coming on the city and nation for their neglect and contempt of the gospel. It was the revenge of their murder, unbelief, and obstinacy against Christ. Wherefore, if any that made profession of the gospel were now negligent and careless, the known duties of it they could have no evidence or Satisfaction in their own minds that they should not fall in the fire of that day So I think we are to glean from this among many other things the importance of going to church and and the fact that it is to be cherished.
Why? It's because Christ is held forth, because there in a particular, peculiar, and special way, Christ is with his people. He walks amongst his lampstands, and in the gathered church, he is with them as the worship leader, as the one who comforts, as the one who strengthens, as the one who communes, as the one who gives us all that we need from his ascended place by virtue of the sent spirit. We have wonderful riches in the context of the gathered church.
A note with respect to the Assemblies of the Saints from Benjamin Keech, one of our particular Baptist forebears. The Assemblies of the Saints are the dearest places to God upon the earth. They are his dwelling places where he manifests his special presence and where he delights to bless his people. And then Nehemiah Cox, it is in the assemblies of his saints that Christ walks.
There he manifests his presence and communicates of his grace. It is there that his glory is seen in the sanctuary and his people rejoice in him. To be gathered together in the name of Christ and to have his spiritual presence among them is the highest privilege and honor that can be enjoyed in this world. No exaggeration, no extra weightiness or unnecessary weightiness of words here, not some false rhetoric.
This is true, and this is what the Apostle Paul is getting at, that we have this special presence of Christ amongst us, and this is, in the gathered church, the highest privilege and honor that can be enjoyed in this world. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some, but let's gather together, exhort one another, and encourage one another in our walk with Christ. It is encouraging to be found not by ourselves, but with a band of brothers and sisters who own the Savior, who rejoice in the grace of God, and who glory in the gospel of our God. Well,
Application
just some concluding observations, and one of those things is that we are to reflect often upon the person and work of Christ. It's so easy for a preacher to say that, and it's so easy to say, but it's so right to say. What are we to do in a reading of the book of Hebrews, in a reading of the scriptures themselves? We are to reflect upon the person and work of Christ, because the exhortation here is that since we have such a glorious high priest, Jesus, the son of God, who has entered into the heavens before us, we are to lay hold of the confession of our hope without wavering.
So how do we grip? How do we lay hold of? How do we clasp onto the confession of our faith? We reflect upon the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is, this is, glorious in and of itself, and it is the very ground of our service to God, the person and the work. of Jesus Christ, our Savior. What do we do in a reflection upon Jesus Christ, our precious Savior? We dwell upon His glorious person, very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man. we reflect upon the perfection of His work, the fact that He came in the fullness of the times to effect a perfect salvation, to not render an atonement of perhaps and maybe, to not render some Arminian atonement, but to perfectly secure the salvation of a multitude which no man can number by the perfection of his life, death, the glory of his resurrection punctuated by the majesty of his ascension. We are to seek to contribute to and to encourage a congregational unity in pursuing proper worship and proper reflection upon our God and His Christ.
We are to have this mind where we're contributing to and encouraging a congregational unity, casting aside our own interests, putting the interests of Christ and His cause in front of those, putting the interests of others before those of our own, and seeking to engender a congregational unity. What is it better to not be divided, to not be cast in a multitude of controversies, but to in congregational unity, together with confidence, approach the throne of grace, rejoice in our Savior, finding in Him our all in all, encouraging one another in our united worship? And we are to reflect upon the glory that Christ has perfectly satisfied the justice of God for all who believe in him. So if you're here this morning, These exhortations are built upon the theological weight of the fact that Christ secured your salvation, if you're a believer here tonight.
And if you're outside of Christ, whether young or old, know that this justice will be satisfied in the exhaustion of God's wrath upon you if you are found outside of Christ, not believing in him, not resting upon and rejoicing in the glories of gospel truth. God is, as we read in the book of Hebrews, God is a consuming fire. Yes, he is perfect in his love. Yes, he is perfect in his grace.
Yes, he is perfect in his goodness and in his mercy, but he is also perfect in his holiness and perfect in his justice. And he cannot look upon sin approvingly, but must punish sin. And it's either punished in Christ or it's punished in the sinner. We would pray that each and every one of you, because it is possible with God and with God alone, that you would leave this place rejoicing in our victor, the Lord Jesus Christ, that you would rest upon Him, that you would believe in Him and find in Him the champion of your salvation, and join with our small throng here in rejoicing with and in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the perfection of his salvation, in the glory of his saving work, and that we would work together unto a congregational unity, that we might in peace, each and every Lord's Day, rejoice in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and sing the praises of our saving King.
Well, let's pray.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for Christ our Savior. We thank you for This text that we read out for the perfection of Christ's salvation. We pray that we would heed these exhortations though we do not have the same the same allurements and the same troubles that these Hebrew Christians had in the context of of unbelieving Israel, but We do have, as we've noted, an assailing devil, a contrary world, and a lusting flesh. We pray that you'd help us in this lower world to rejoice in Christ, to seek to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ, that you would help us by your spirit to engender a congregational unity, that we would put Christ before us, that we would put others before us, and that we would gather together as a body, as a unified church, to sing the praises of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. and to lift up the Lord Jesus Christ upon our praises.
Go with us into this week. Help us by your grace to live for your glory. Help us to reflect upon amazing and victorious grace, the person and work of Christ, the glories of our God. And might we do this for your praise and for your honor.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. We'll have a brief time of prayer and meditation. When the piano is finished, you're dismissed.