Lenten Midweek Service IV

SERMON

INI

Text: Hebrews 10:19-25

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.

In Christ Jesus, the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), dear fellow redeemed:

For the New Testament believer Holy Week is without doubt the highlight of the religious worship year. Maundy Thursday with the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday with a consideration of Jesus’ death on the cross, and Easter with the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection all assure us that Jesus’ redemptive work on our behalf was accepted by the Father. Its results—victories over sin, death, Satan, and hell--are accomplished facts! For the Old Testament believer, who looked ahead to the coming of the Promised Savior, the highlight of the religious worship year was not Holy Week, for those events had not yet occurred. Rather, it was the Day of Atonement—a day which focused upon the blood sacrifice that the coming Christ would offer in order to atone for the sins of the world.

The High Priest played a central role in the worship service on the Day of Atonement, even as Jesus played the central role during Holy Week. The Day of Atonement came just once each year. On that day and on that day alone the High Priest would take the blood of an animal sacrifice, pass through the curtain dividing the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies in the temple and sprinkle the blood of that sacrifice upon the mercy seat of God. The mercy seat represented God’s throne in heaven, the blood represented the precious blood of the promised Savior, which would atone for the sins both of the High Priest and the people. After offering the blood sacrifice, the High Priest would wash himself and his clothes in clean water, symbolizing the cleansing of sins that had taken place that day. These acts and this day were central to the faith of the Old Testament believer, for they depicted God’s plan for his eternal salvation. The Old Testament believer was not justified by his own acts but rather was justified by faith in the coming sacrifice and cleansing blood of the Promised Christ. Even so, we today are not justified by our own actions but rather by faith in the atoning work of JESUS CHRIST—OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST! These truths are proclaimed by the gospel, and their blessings are brought to us through the waters of baptism. On the basis of the words of our text, I would encourage you today—LET US HOLD FAST TO OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! Let us do so with confidence in view of our High Priest’s sacrifice! Let us do so with love in view of our High Priest’s faithfulness!

I.

In order to understand the opening words of our text, you must keep in mind the activities of the Old Testament High Priest on the Day of Atonement, I just described. The writer to the Hebrews states: “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.”

When the High Priest entered the temple on the Day of Atonement to sprinkle the blood of an animal sacrifice upon the mercy seat of God, he did so being compelled by the law of God, which defined his duties and demanded compliance. All of his actions were dictated by God and were to point ahead to the coming Christ. When Jesus, as our High Priest, was led out of Jerusalem to Calvary, he was being compelled by the laws of men improperly exercised, but also by the law of God, which demanded satisfaction for the sins of the world He was bearing. There on Golgatha—“the Place of the Skull”—Jesus passed through the veil of our sins and entered the presence of God to pay the ultimate price, not with the blood of an animal sacrifice, but with His own precious blood. There on Calvary’s cross He sprinkled His blood before God in atonement for our sins. In so doing, the apostle Paul says, He nailed the accusations of the law against us to the cross—leaving them there, so that our consciences might be freed from sin and now be made clear, our bodies assured of the cleansing through the pure waters of baptism.

My dear friends—this is our faith! God sent His Son into the world to be our High Priest—to offer His own blood up as a ransom for our souls. LET US HOLD FAST TO OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! Let us do so with confidence in view of our High Priest’s sacrifice! Were our salvation dependent upon our own works, as every other religion in the world suggests, we could never be confident, for whom among us can say: “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Proverbs 20:9) None of us can, for as we have already done once again today—we have confess our sins and our dependence upon God to forgive our sins in view of Jesus’ sacrifice. Therein lies our confidence! When Satan accuses us, we can say: “Go away Satan, for the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses me from all sin! I know this to be true, for the Bible tells me so, and the Bible cannot lie, for it is God’s eternal word!”

Consequently, we do not want anyone or anything in this world to cause us to give up our faith in Jesus Christ! The apostle Paul warns us: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:8-10). Therefore hold fast to your faith—cling to your Savior JESUS CHRIST, for He IS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST, and it is through His sacrifice that we possess confidence!

II.

Yes, let us also HOLD FAST TO OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, secondly, with love in view of our High Priest’s faithfulness! The writer to the Hebrews says: “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, nor 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.”

The child of God in this world is to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7), yet because we see so much unfaithfulness in this world, we at times find it difficult in our weakness to trust even God. There is, however, no reason for us not to trust in our Savior. He cannot, He has not, and He never will fail us, for His is our faithful High Priest. Consequently, as we HOLD FAST TO OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, let us do so with love and considering how we might be able to encourage one another to love and to do those good works, which will glorify our Savior name, while securing the blessings of God for all those around us!

Those good works are to be done at all times and under all circumstances. The apostle James reminds us that “pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). The apostle John adds: “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Within the context of our text, however, the writer to the Hebrews encourages all of us believers to remember to gather together in worship on a regular basis, for it is in that context that we can encourage one another to HOLD FAST TO OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! When we join one another in the confession of our sins and hear with joy the announcement of God’s absolution; when we join one another in the singing of praises, in the offering of prayer, and in the confession of our faith; when we join one another as we hear the Scriptures read and sermons preached—we are encouraging one another to remain faithful to our Savior and High Priest, even as He is faithful to us!

Why is that so very important? It is important because our future is not tied to this world, but as the writer to the Hebrews suggests—the Day of Judgment is approaching! This earth will never be turned into a heaven among men, but rather will continue to grow more corrupt until that day God has chosen to bring all of world history to an end. Let us not, therefore, dear brethren, focus our entire attention on the things of this world. Oh, yes, we have been called by God to live in this world—to be a salt and a light…a witness to the truth, but we are never to become part of this world for to the very end it will remain opposes to God and our Savior Jesus!

Dear friends, God has called us to faith in His dear Son Jesus. He has done so in order to bring us into His family and to secure for us a glorious and eternal future in heaven. LET US HOLD FAST TO OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! Let us do so with confidence in view of our High Priest’s sacrifice! Let us do so with love in view of our High Priest’s faithfulness! Amen.

—Pastor Paul D. Nolting
To God Alone be the Glory!