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Hebrews 10:19-25
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
New International Version (NIV)
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The Lord has been good to us! So what will we do about it? As a young pastor I traveled to a conference and heard back to back expositions of scripture which not only taught me but showed me the way to teach scripture. After Joel Gregory taught about discipleship from the gospel of Luke, a white-haired gentleman named Stephen Olford opened Hebrews 10, not only in the Bible but in my heart.
In view of Christ’s once and for all sacrifice for our forgiveness, we have confidence to approach God through our High Priest, Jesus. Therefore, the writer of Hebrews says three times, “Let us . . .” God has been good to us. What will we do? First notice that it is not “Let me . . .” Your salvation is personal, but not individual. You were born into a family called the church. Here is what we do together: “draw near . . . hold fast . . . consider how to stir each other to love.”
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Come near to God, James says, and God will come near to you (James 4:8). Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering because the God who promised is faithful. Like people riding on a roller coaster, we hold on tight until God brings us safely home. Let us stir one another up. Is it just me or are we really good at stirring each other up? The writer uses a word that means, “Agitate each other . . .” We agitate each other to love and good works as we continue to meet together for worship and encouragement.
In the first century, some were so discouraged or complacent or nonchalant that they stopped meeting with other believers. Like a coal removed from a fire, their hearts grew cold. So the writer says, “We miss you down at the church.” God has been so good to us that we need to come together, eat bread, drink from the cup, sing and read the scriptures, just to survive. The Lord has been good to us. What will we do about it? Let us . . .!
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Pray with me:
Father, how we thank you for all that you have done for us in Christ. We come confidently, boldly into your presence through the new and living way Jesus has made for us. Today help us to draw near, hold fast and stir each other on to love and good deeds. As you hold on to us, help us to hold on to the church to which we belong, in Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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| This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan. Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download
the app at readscripture.org. Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully,
Duane
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