A Daily Walk

Narrator: Just think of it, we have access to God anytime we want thanks to Jesus. Pastor John Randall explains.

John Randall: Do you need help tonight? Do you need God's strength tonight? What do you do? You run to the holiest of all places. You go in with boldness and say, "Father, I need You. Lord, I need You. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to handle this. I'm not sure what decision to make." You come boldly before His throne of grace and He promises to give you help in time of need. You as a Christian, you have access to that tonight. His assistance is available for you this evening. I think sometimes we run around, it's like you're running around the tabernacle like, do you know that you can just walk right in?

Like you can just walk right in. You can just walk right into your Father and say, "I'm right here." You have access because of relationship. Do you understand?

Narrator: If you were granted access to the president of the United States or your favorite athlete or movie star, you'd most likely be very excited and realize what a great honor that is. But think of this, if you're a Christian, you have complete access to the God of the universe. Now that's amazing, it doesn't get any better than that. Today on A Daily Walk, mull that over with us as we get back into Hebrews. Pastor John Randall has an eye on chapter 10, verses 19 through 38.

John Randall: The book of Hebrews, chapter 10, with a message entitled "Draw Near and Hold Fast." Hebrews chapter 10, picking up this evening in verse 19. "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 the last several studies in the book of Hebrews, we have considered some very wonderful and weighty truths concerning the superiority, the greatness of Jesus Christ over everything. We come now to a turning point within this epistle because the writer of Hebrews now moves from information to application. Now that he has presented all of these things in 10 chapters, he now begins to encourage his readers to actually apply what it is that they've read. To not just have the information, but now to put that information into its practical purpose. We move away just from theological knowledge to practical application within our lives, which by the way, this is really important.

I want to say that it's important as a Christian because you can have a great amount of biblical knowledge, but if you don't apply it, it does you no good. You can know the books of the Bible in order, you can have a sense of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, you can be apologetically astute. You have information, but the question is, do you actually live out what you claim to know? Because it really doesn't matter what you know if it doesn't affect your life. So it's one thing to know about it, it's another thing to actually live it. In fact, the Bible tells us in the book of James, "Don't just be hearers of the word and not doers, lest you're deceiving yourself." The deception lies in because I've heard it, I think I've done it. Actually, when you've done it, you've done it. Not until then.

If you've only heard it, then you've just heard it. So the writer is saying, "Listen, I want you to do more than just read what I'm sending to you in this letter. I actually want you to take it and apply it in your life because if not, it's just nothing more than information." And so we begin with a word here that should be very familiar to all of us in reading through this epistle. It's the word "therefore." And that word "therefore" ties us to everything that has been spoken of previously. "Therefore," or in light of everything that I've been telling you up to this point right now, therefore, all the information that I've passed to you, everything that I've said, who Jesus is, what Jesus has done, therefore.

Listen to what you have in light of this. You have first of all access, access into God's presence, His presence. Listen, it says here, "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." The Jews who worshipped under the old covenant, under the sacrificial system that we have spoken of throughout the book of Hebrews, were never given the opportunity or the privilege to enter into the holiest of holy places. I want to refresh your memory.

This is the tabernacle. There was one way in, there was an altar, there was a sacrifice that had to be made, there was a cleansing that was then provided. You would enter into the holy place and then you would go beyond the holy place, eventually one day a year, beyond the holy place through this veil into the holy of holies. The normal person, the average person, would never be able to see it, would never enter into it. There was only one person that could go in one day out of the year, and that was the high priest. No one else could enter in to the very presence of the Lord. That's where God's presence dwelt. The Ark of the Covenant was a representation of the throne of God on the earth.

God's presence dwelt there. But you and me, we wouldn't have access to that unless we were part of the Levitical tribe and we were actually one of the high priests who had the opportunity to go in once a year on the day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. We'd never have access into that. But listen, because not the blood of an animal, but because of the blood of Christ, Jesus passed through the veil as it were, opening up the veil, tearing the veil so that we now have access and entrance into the holiest of all places. I can speak to the Lord, be in His presence as it were, through prayer, no matter where I'm at, no matter what my location, I have access to the presence of the Lord because of the sacrifice of Christ.

Where before you couldn't even get close to the Holy of Holies, let alone look at it, but here it says because of the work of Christ, which by the way, this is what makes Him better, you have now access to enter boldly. I mean, the priests were so fearful even of going in they'd have to have a rope tied around their leg to go through the veil lest they were unclean and died in the presence of God and had to be pulled out until the next guy could go in. You talk about fear and trembling. But here it says because of the blood of Jesus that's been applied to our lives, because of the work of Christ, we now have access into the presence of the Lord.

I can come boldly before the throne of grace. Why? Because of the blood of Jesus Christ. And this word "boldness" that the writer uses means freedom of speech. It's the attitude of openness that stems from a lack of fear. I don't have to be afraid. The Lord welcomes me in, He invites me in, therefore I can come boldly through this new and living way as opposed to the old and dead way because of what Christ has done. The Bible tells us, Hebrews chapter 4, verse 16, we read it many studies ago, it says this, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find help in time of need."

Do you need help tonight? Do you need God's strength tonight? What do you do? You run to the holiest of all places. You go in with boldness and say, "Father, I need You. Lord, I need You. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to handle this. I'm not sure what decision to make." I come boldly before Your throne of grace and You promise to give me help in time of need. You as a Christian, you have access to that tonight. His assistance is available for you this evening. And I think sometimes we run around, it's like you're running around the tabernacle like, do you know that you can just walk right in? Like you can just walk right in, you can just walk right in to your Father and say, "I'm right here."

You have access because of relationship. Because of your relationship to the Lord. But not only do you have access into His presence because of the blood of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, but folks, secondly, we see that we have an Advocate within the presence. Notice it says in verse 21, "and having a High Priest over the house of God." Again, for the sake of reminder, this is one of the themes that has surfaced throughout this letter to the Hebrews. The question was, "Well, you don't have a high priest, who's ministering on your behalf? You don't have a physical tabernacle to go to and we have a high priest, where are you going to go?"

Well, actually we do have a High Priest. His name is Jesus and He doesn't go into a physical temple. He's actually in the eternal heavens and He makes intercession for me at the very throne room of God. That's where He's seated right there, interceding for me right now. I don't need a man as it were to go through a physical tabernacle. I have a Savior, I have a King who is also a High Priest who is making intercession for me. This theme reoccurs over and over. Let me remind you. Hebrews chapter 2, verse 17 says this, "Therefore, in all things, Jesus, He had to be made like His brethren that we might have a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

Hebrews chapter 3, verse 1, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." Hebrews chapter 4, verse 14, "Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God." Hebrews chapter 6, verse 20, "where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a High Priest forever." Hebrews chapter 7, "For it was fitting for us to have such a High Priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens." And then Hebrews chapter 8, "Now the main point of what has been said is this: we have such a High Priest who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of majesty in the heavens."

Do you get the idea? We have a High Priest, He's there, He's ministering on our behalf. And that's what the writer is saying, and Jesus is so much better. He's not in some temporal, physical space. He is in glory there advocating, making intercession for us. Do you know what it means when it says that He is our Advocate? The word "advocate" means defense attorney. In other words, Satan is accusing, constantly accusing what we've done and Jesus is there saying, "Hey, that's Mine, I paid for him, he's Mine. My blood covered him." I'm his Advocate, the defense attorney approaches the bench. Innocent, justified, paid for him. The price has been paid. We have an Advocate, folks. Praise God for that.

It's great news. But the fact that we have access and we have an Advocate, because of this, now the writer is going to exhort us as believers, as followers of Jesus. What are we to do in light of what we have? Here's what he says, verse 22, "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." The first thing that we are to do in light of the access that has been granted because of the blood of Jesus, because of the Advocate that we have in the person of Jesus, what do I do? I draw near to Him.

And to draw near literally means to come facing toward. It means to approach, to draw near, to visit, to associate with. And by the way, this is an invitation. It's an exhortation, but it's also an invitation. Draw near. Draw near. The Bible tells us in the book of James chapter 4, verse 8, it says, "Draw near unto God and He will draw near unto you." Draw near to Him. He's not going to force you to come, but He's saying, "I'm right here. If you need Me, here I am. The door's open, I've made the way. You can come boldly. Draw near." And as we draw near, we do so with full assurance.

"I don't know if I can draw near, if He's really going to..." Full assurance of faith. You don't have to wonder whether He's going to receive you or He's going to accept you. The blood has covered you, you are accepted. "In the Beloved," the Bible says. You have access, you can have full assurance that He will receive you when you come to Him. And when it says that our hearts, notice this passage here, "our hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." Again, I've told you throughout this study that there are many references that the writer makes and pulls from illustrations from the Old Testament.

He pulls something from the Old Testament and gives the New Testament equivalent of it. So when he says you've been washed with water, he's talking about the fact of that Levitical ceremony in the Old Testament where they would physically be washed with water and sprinkled with blood in order to be purified, in order to minister. That was something that took place externally, on the outside. But in the New Testament, friends, because of the work of Jesus, His blood that was shed upon the cross, we've been cleansed on the inside. On the inside, from the inside out. There is a transformation that starts within and makes its way out.

You can do all the cleaning up on the outside you want and still be rotten and evil on the inside. What we need is something to change us on the inside. And the blood of Christ, the work of Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, this is not some topical solution here. We're talking about something internal, transformation. That's why I have full assurance. He died for me, so now I have access. He died for me, I have an Advocate. He died for me, I can draw near with full assurance. I've been washed, I've been cleansed inside. He has altered my disposition. He has changed my speech, my mentality, my vision.

Everything about me is in this process of sanctification. This is a work of the Holy Spirit. He begins the work, He completes the work, but I'm in the process. But it's happening on the inside, making its way on the outside. And therefore I draw near. I draw near. When was the last time you just drew near to the Lord? How do we draw near? We draw near through the study of God's word. We draw near through worship. We draw near through prayer. These are the ways that we draw near to the Lord. Spending time with Him, associating with Him, fellowshipping with Him. But not only are we encouraged to draw near, but the second thing he says in light of everything we have, well, also we're to hold fast to what we have.

Hold fast. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering." It's one thing to hold fast, it's another thing to hold fast without wavering or letting go. And why? Why should I hold fast without wavering? Here's why: because He who promised is faithful. That's why you should. Because He's faithful. To hold fast literally means to hold down. Without wavering, without bowing, without yielding, without going back to the old ways and the old way of doing things. Again, you remember this letter to the Hebrews, what were they doing? They were going back to the old way of doing things. And so the writer is saying, "No, don't do that."

You have an Advocate, you have access, you've been cleansed on the inside. Jesus is better, so draw near to Him and hold fast. Don't let go of that. Don't let go of that and go after this. There's nothing there, there's no substance there. And why should I do this? Again, I want to say it again and I have this, just these few words: He who promised is faithful. Maybe you should underline that, make a note of that. He who promised is faithful. He's faithful. And this is important to be reminded of this evening that God's faithful. He's faithful 100% of the time. You and me, we should have a desire to be faithful, I want to be faithful, but we're not always faithful.

Sometimes we falter, but the Lord never does. In fact, the Bible tells us in Second Timothy chapter 2, verse 13, and I absolutely love this passage of Scripture, I remind myself of it often, that if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. He is faithful even when you don't, and you're not, and I'm not. He is. His faithfulness to us. And so because He who promised is faithful, draw near, hold fast. But not only are we to draw near and to hold fast, well, also we're to consider one another and to stir one another up. Notice what it says in that next verse, "And let us consider," think about, "one another in order to stir up love and good works."

Now the exhortation is to take careful note of your brother and sister's spiritual well-being. And the purpose of this attentive and continuous care for one another is in order to provoke one another, to stir one another up. That's what the word means. To love and good works. And the provocation or the stirring up isn't in a negative context like, "Oh yeah? Oh yeah?" It's not like that negative, "I'm going to watch what I'm going to do right now. You want some of this?" Provoking. I don't think you do. That's the flesh. But it's pushing one another in a positive way, in a loving way, to go further, to go farther and deeper in our walk with the Lord.

It's amazing when you have someone in your life who is holding you accountable. You can do more than you normally could if you didn't have that person with you, alongside of you, encouraging you, pushing you. One of my sons was for some time, and still does once in a while, was a personal trainer. And I've gone in with him before. When I'm by myself, I'm just chilling. It's kind of like, "Hey, how's it going? Need prayer? No, I'm good." But when you have somebody with you pushing you, "Let's go, let's go, come on, hey, come on!" "All right, I'm going, I'm going." You just, it holds you accountable. If you've ever been in any kind of sport, you have a coach and it just pushes you in a good way and you end up going farther than you think you could go or you'd even want to go naturally.

And he's saying, "You know what? In the body of Christ, we need to be loving one another so much that we're holding each other accountable. Not judging, not being critical, don't get weird. I'm just talking about, 'Hey, let's push each other. Let's encourage each other. Let's hold one another accountable. Let's go farther in our walk with the Lord.' You help me, I'm helping you in that sense." And we need encouragement, we need one another, we need the body of Christ. So we stir one another up, we're provoking one another to love and to good works. "Oh, you're going to do that? You know what? I'm going to do that too. Oh, you're going to do the men's study? You know what? I'm going to do it too." It's good. Good. I love it. That's a good thing.

Well, one of the areas that we are to stir one another up in, here it comes, be prepared to be stirred, and that is in the area of fellowship and gathering together. Notice the emphasis on the importance of fellowship here. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 25, "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another," that is encouraging, stirring up, same idea, "and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." One of the practices that is mentioned in the early church of the first century, something that they continued in in addition to the word of God, was fellowship. That is the gathering together of the believers. It was a consistent thing in their life as the church assembling together.

Assembling together, there was this blessing of mutual encouragement, of prayer, of worship, of accountability by being together. Over the last year, all of us experienced fellowship being hindered because of a virus that we knew very little about. And the entire world was closed. We stayed home and we were isolated. We began to watch church online. But many of us came to realize very quickly how unfulfilling that was. I'll be the first to admit, there's nothing like preaching to an empty room. It's very discouraging. It's just not right. It was so weird. I didn't like it. I like to be with the people. But decisions were made in spite of suggestions we were given and we chose to gather together. And what a blessing it has been. How fruitful it's been.