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Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:19-25

Entering God's Presence

(Hebrews 10:19-25)

 

Intro.

1.  We (properly) encourage regular attendance at worship assemblies.

2.  While we do so we must keep in constant focus why we do so, lest we honor God with our lips with hearts far from Him (Matt. 15:8).

  a.  Israel/Judah forgot why she came before God (Isa. 1:10-11; 29:13).

  b.  We must not forget (become hard of hearing, cf. Heb. 5:10-11).

3.  We assemble to boldly enter the presence of God to praise, worship, and serve Him, Heb. 10:19-25.

  -Come before Almighty God with thanksgiving and song, Psa. 95:1-2.

4.  We are able to assemble to come before the Lord and worship Him acceptably because of what Jesus has done.

5.  By understanding how Jesus brings us into the presence of God we learn why we are not to forsake our assembling together (why we assemble together).

 

I.  JESUS ENTERED THE PRESENCE OF GOD FOR US, Heb. 6:19-20.

  A.  His Sacrifice (an offering for sin), 10:19-20.

    1.  To put away sin by sacrificing Himself, Heb. 9:26.

    2.  Body prepared to be an offering to God, Heb. 10:5-10.

    3.  Cleanses the conscience (heart) of sin’s defilement, Heb. 9:12-14.

    4.  Why we go to Jesus, bear His reproach, and offer the sacrifice of praise unto God, Heb. 13:9-15.

  B.  His Service (come before God as High Priest), 10:21 (4:14; 6:20).

      -Heb. 9:24: Entered heaven to appear in the presence of God for us.

    1.  To offer the propitiatory sacrifice (blood) for our sins, Heb. 2:17.

      a.  Offered himself before God, 7:27; 10:12-14.

      b.  OT High Priest and atonement blood symbolic of this present time, Heb. 9:6-10.

      c.  Christ as High Priest, Heb. 9:11-14. (Like Melchizedek)

    2.  To mediate/dedicate His new covenant, Heb. 9:15-20 (Matt. 26:28).

    3.  To make intercession for us, Heb. 7:25-28. (Rom. 8:34)

 

II.  SO WE CAN ENTER GOD’S PRESENCE, Heb. 10:19, 22-25.

  A.  Enter God’s Presence with Boldness, 6:19.

    1.  For help in time of need, Heb. 4:14-16.

    2.  With prayers for mercy, grace, forgiveness, strength, wisdom, for others, etc.

  B.  Let Us Draw Near to God (10:22):

    1.  With a true heart. Genuine, not pretense (Israel/Judah).

    2.  With full assurance of faith (why we have assurance).

    3.  With cleansed hearts (through conversion).

  C.  Let Us Hold Fast the Confession of Our Hope (10:23).

    1.  Faithful obedience from beginning to end, Heb. 3:14; 4:11.

    2.  Hold fast our hope in God’s promise, not with sluggish neglect (shows a lack of faith that God will keep His word), Heb. 6:11-12.

  D.  Let Us Consider One Another to Stir Up Love and Good Works, 10:24. How?

    1.  By our assembled worship activities.

      a.  By not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.

      b.  Prayers (Acts 2:42), songs (Col. 3:16), giving (2 Cor. 9:6-7), Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11:33), teaching word (Acts 11:26; 1 Cor. 14:26).

    2.  This is why we are not to forsake our assembling together.

 

III.  WHAT THIS SAYS ABOUT WHY WE COME TO WORSHIP SERVICES.

  A.  It Says My Presence at Worship Assemblies is about Others (at least as much) as it is about Myself.

    1.  Being here is about God (worship Him), Jno. 4:24. In His presence.

    2.  Being here is about us: Our personal worship and edification, Acts 2:42 (Jno. 4:23-24); 1 Cor. 14:26 (24).

    3.  Being here is about others: Stirring up love and good works in each other by worshiping together.

  B.  We are Not Here to Pretend to be Faithful to Christ. (to be seen by men)

    1.  We are not here to check off a list of requirements. (This turns our assemblies into nothing more than a façade to be seen by others.)

    2.  We are not here so elders (others) won’t call us and ask where we were.

      a.  That means we are here to please men and to evade genuine spiritual encouragement and help.

      b.  This is lying to ourselves and to others (Acts 5:1-3).

  C.  We are Not Here as a Social Gathering.

    1.  Spiritual assembly to give spiritual service to God.

      a.  By teaching our children to be respectful (not play time).

      b.  By keeping our focus on our spiritual responsibilities.

    2.  Being together before and after worship services is an important but incidental result of being together to worship. (Our purpose is not to “go see family and friends.”)

 

Conclusion

Psalm 100: The how and why we come into the presence of God.

 

 

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: August 2, 2019