Saturday, March 17, 2018

2018.03.17 Hopewell @Home ▫ Hebrews 10:23-25

Questions for Littles: What should we do with the confession of our hope (v23)? Without what should we hold fast? Why should we hold fast without wavering (end of v23)? Whom should we consider (v24)? In order to stir up what? What must we not forsake (v25)? As we see the Day approaching how much should we exhort one another? 
Has it ever crossed your mind that “all I need is Jesus; I don’t need the church”?
If there were ever a place in Scripture that we might think to find such thinking, the book of Hebrews would be it.

Here we have Jesus declared in all of His unique glory as being in very nature God Himself. Here we have Jesus, even with respect to His human nature being the only possible Priest for us, the only effective sacrifice for us, the One in whom we are certain to be completely forgiven and saved to the uttermost.

It is by His blood alone that we are emboldened to draw near to God. It is by the pathway alone of His flesh that we are enabled to draw near to God. It is by baptism into Him alone that our hearts are unburdened from an evil conscience.

Jesus alone! Jesus alone! Jesus alone! How wonderful it is, therefore, that this is the very passage in which He says most clearly, “But it is My will and My way that you do not have Me by being alone!”

He has called us to be alongside one another. This is the literal meaning of that word “exhorting” in v25. Sometimes it is translated exhort, sometimes comfort, or encourage, or counsel, or rebuke. It is the word that Christ uses of the Spirit, when He says that He will send another “Comforter.”

Gathering as the church is not optional. On these Lord’s Days, in which He does that Word-work on softened-hearted believers, He points us to that great Day of entering His rest. He announces His work, and calls forth our love. He tells us His will, and calls forth our works.

It is in the Lord’s Day assembly that Jesus has especially appointed for us to draw near to God in the Holy of Holies. It is in the Lord’s-Supper-celebrating assembly of the baptized that Jesus has especially appointed for us to hold fast to our confession, to hold fast to Him.

What a good command and glorious gift are these Lord’s Day assemblies. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together!!
What are some reasons that you are tempted to miss church? Why shouldn’t you?
Suggested Songs: ARP189 “Universal Praise” or HB435 “I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord”

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