Picture this. It’s Sunday morning. You got the family to church. The kids are in Sunday school downstairs. You are sitting in the pew five minutes early before the service starts (I know for most of us, it sounds like a miracle). It’s been such a rush all morning matching shoes finding missing socks getting the kids and family in the van all at the same time. You got here! Congratulations! Now what?
If you’re like most people, when you show up at church, you’re not quite sure what to do.
In North America, we live in such a consumer and spectator culture we can fall into the trap of thinking that we are there to watch a service. We watch the worship leader worship–maybe even sing along. We listen to the pastor preach a sermon–maybe even take notes. But, when we arrive early, we wait for “the program” to start.
Glad To Be Here, But “What Am I Doing Here?”
Think about the last time you went to a church service. What got you to church that day? Perhaps, you had been blessed beyond measure. God had been so phenomenally kind to you this past week, that you couldn’t think of a place you’d rather be on a Sunday morning than in His house singing How Great Thou Art. Or perhaps you’ve been coming to church—sitting in this same spot for so long you wouldn’t know what to do with yourself if you weren’t there. You might be bored beyond belief. If you’re like most people you are probably somewhere between those two poles.
Whatever got you to church, I just want to get us to think about our role in the service. I can already hear you say, “Hey, wait a minute. I’m not the pastor. I just came to church. I don’t have a ‘role’ in the service.” Well please keep reading.
Chances are, you’ve probably sat in a church service, like I have, and listened to a sermon telling you to “not forsake meeting together as some are in the habit of doing”. If you’re like me, you might have said to yourself, “I might have a hundred other things to work on this week, but I think I’ve got this one nailed. “I’m here. Aren’t I?” The pastor told us not to give up meeting together, but he never told me what to do while I’m here.
Let’s read that passage…
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have
Hebrews 10:19-25 (NIV)confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 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. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 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.
The Context
The first word of the passage above is “therefore”. When that’s the first word we see in a passage, it’s usually helpful to take a look back a little to see what it’s there for. Before we consider the point of the passage, let’s take a look at the larger context.
The Context of the book
Essentially, the message of Hebrews is that God has opened a door of fellowship with us. Response brings reward. Rejection brings retribution.
The writer to the Hebrews is involved in a life and death struggle. He realizes that some of his readers are seriously considering abandoning the faith. The writer is interested in building strong and confident believers so that they may withstand the time of testing. After nine chapters of deep doctrinal truths, the author is ready to offer practical points of application. Before he does though, he wants to remind his readers of the major argument.
The Context of the Passage
Now that we have a sense of the big picture of the book, let’s look at the flow of the passage. Often, noticing the action verbs or imperatives (commands) in a passage can help identify the structure. In this passage, there are three significant commands.
- Let Us Draw Near (Verse 22)
- Let Us Hold Unswervingly (Verse 23)
- Let Us Consider… (Verse 24-25)
While inviting the reader to remain in fellowship with God and with other believers, Hebrews 10:19-25 shows that the prepared believer is to come to the worship service seeking to encourage the brethren to love and good deeds.
The basis for the appeal. (v.v. 19 – 21a)
In verse 19, the author draws on the temple imagery that would be so familiar to his Christian readers with roots in Judaism. He likens the fellowship believers can have with the Father to the entering of the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Only the high priest could pass through the curtain and enter the inner room, and then only once a year.
Under the New Covenant, Jesus became the curtain through which anyone who believes may enjoy fellowship with God. (Matt 27:51; Eph 2:13, Heb 6:19, 9:3, John 10:9)
The appeal to fellowship with God. (v.v. 21b – 23)
Since God has so radically changed the way he may be approached, the author issues an invitation for a wholehearted response. …draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. Like James, the writer knows a half-hearted faith (or double-minded man) will easily become spiritual plankton ready to be drawn back to Judaism or taken in by another philosophy. Again, Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess this confidence is well founded for he who promised is faithful.
As Zane Hodges wrote in the Bible Knowledge Commentary, the New Covenant believer can “approach God in the conscious enjoyment of freedom from guilt.”]. Realizing that drawing closer to God will bring a heightened awareness of personal sin, the writer reminds the reader of the forgiveness available. having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. I believe this to be a reference to the believer’s salvation[2] and daily confession of sin[3].
The appeal to fellowship with fellow believers. (v.v. 24 – 25)
In evaluating the church one is attending or considering joining, one is tempted to ask “what’s in it for me?” Beyond the obvious reason of meeting to worship God, our author helps us to realize the purpose for meeting together is to serve rather than be served. Interestingly, if everyone comes together with that mindset each member will leave having served and having been served as well.
Let us encourage one another is not just an empty exhortation. Webster defines courage as “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear and difficulty.” This is exactly the spirit the author is trying to instill in his readers. He goes one step further to assure his efforts will continue. As they encourage each other, they are to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
In the larger context of chapter 10, a strong warning (one of several) is given to those contemplating desertion. The troubled Christian, considering renouncing Christ and returning to the old ways and system, is reminded that if they reject Christ “no sacrifice for sins is left.” This warning is not vindictive nor arrogant. It is merely a statement of the consequences of one’s decision. If the only Way is rejected, there is no other (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).
The truly prepared believer who
- meets with God personally before going to church,
- is freshly aware of our salvation and standing before God in Christ,
- has confessed any known sin and is free from guilt, and
- comes to church knowing that God has their needs are met
will be a tremendous asset to a local church as they actively and confidently draw from God first and then comes to the worship service strong, secure and ready to worship God and to love, serve, and encourage others.
[1] Hodges, Zane C.. Hebrews. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament Edition, Wheaton: Victor 1983 P 805
[2] (Exo 24:6-8 NIV) Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. {7} Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.” {8} Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
[3](Num 19:20 NIV) But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he must be cut off from the community, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, and he is unclean.
(John 13:5-11 NIV) After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. {6} He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” {7} Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” {8} “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” {9} “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” {10} Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” {11} For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
cf 1 John 1:9
[4] Webster 299
