Throughout
my exploration of the teachings on Jesus’ second coming, this has become very
clear: the truth about Jesus’ second coming is not to keep us preoccupied with
trying to figure out when it will take place, but to keep us preoccupied with
serving Jesus faithfully until he comes. This morning I was very encouraged
with Hebrews 10:19-25 which summarizes how Jesus’ servants should live as we
await his return.
19 Therefore, brothers, since
we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
This
speaks of the first coming of Christ and what he accomplished by fulfilling the
first covenant and establishing the new covenant in his blood. Because of this,
we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, the blood of
the new covenant. And, because of Jesus’ work, we can relate to Christ and each
other as brothers.
20 by the new and living way
that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
Jesus’
first coming created a “new and living
way” into God’s presence. We are to make the utmost use of this new and
living way now while we wait for the complete fulfillment of the second
covenant when Jesus comes the second time.
21 and since we have a great
priest over the house of God,
Jesus
satisfied the first covenant by his own sacrifice as the Lamb of God who takes
away our sin, and now he lives and serves as the “great priest” over God’s people. Jesus is the great high priest of
the new covenant, guaranteeing that his sacrifice for our sins justifies us in
his righteousness, sanctifies us from one degree of glory to another, and
secures our glorification upon his return.
22 let us draw near with a
true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an
evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Because
of Jesus’ sacrifice for sin, and his establishing of a new covenant in his
blood, and because Jesus has created this new and living way into the holy
places, we are called and exhorted and commanded to “draw near” to God who fully receives us through his Son.
We
can come with a “true heart”, instead
of the superficial pretense that is so common in churches. We can come with “full assurance” rather than hearts full
of doubts and insecurities. We are able to come because our hearts are “sprinkled clean from an evil conscience”,
leaving us pure and righteous in God’s sight. We are able to come with “our bodies washed with pure water,”
even cleaner and better than the consecrated water used by the priests.
The
point is that the description of our daily relationship with God through Jesus Christ
should be that we are “drawing near”.
The way is opened, let’s keep using it on a daily, moment-by-moment basis.
23 Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
All
that is said here, all that has been explained in the book of Hebrews, gives us
every reason we need to “hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering”. Our hope is in Christ, a hope that
is securely anchored in the most holy place. No matter how we feel on any given
day, our hope is still secure.
What
we must do in response to this solid hope is hold fast to the “confession” of our hope. While the
world, the flesh and the devil will seek to convince us that we are losers in
Christ, our hope promises our victory and their defeat. So, we not only hold
fast to our hope, but to the glad proclamation of hope.
By
this tenth chapter of Hebrews, it is abundantly clear that “he who promised is faithful”. Our hope rests in him, so it is
secure. He does not waver, so our hope in him must not waver. The mirage of the
red dragon’s success will disappear when the clouds part and Jesus appears the
second time. We must wait for this day without wavering.
24 And let us consider how to
stir up one another to love and good works,
This
strikes me in a simple contrast. This week I have looked through Hebrews on the
theme of the two comings of Christ in reference to the two covenants. This is
in conjunction with my series through Revelation that often focuses on the
second coming of our Lord and Savior.
However,
with all that the Bible teaches of the first coming giving us our salvation,
and the second coming giving us the fullness of our inheritance in Christ, we
are not told to “consider how to
understand every detail of Jesus’ second coming”. We are told to consider
things to do with relating to one another as we faithfully serve Christ in this
wicked world while awaiting his certain return.
In
other words, while we must be clear on the things the Bible actually does teach
about Jesus’ second coming, the purpose is not to distract us from our present
work with thoughts of future things. Rather, the certainty of past things
assures us of the certainty of future things so that we can be confident in
living the present things as Jesus’ servants. Servants serve, and we are
instructed in the certainty of the two covenants fulfilled in Christ so we will
not give up serving Christ and his people in love.
Because
Jesus came, and because he is coming, consider how to stir up your brothers and
sisters in the Lord to greater love and good works than we have ever done
before. Is there a temptation to minimize our love and good works because of
the negative reaction from the world, the flesh and the devil? See what a great
covenant relationship you have with the King of kings and Lord of lords and
stir up a fellowship of believers who are devoted to growing to maturity in
love and good works.
25 not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some,
People
can neglect to meet together because they have not felt the impact of Jesus’
covenant work, or because they have been enticed into believing that the immediate
pleasures of sin they can see are superior to the lasting pleasures of
righteousness that are eternally overflowing at God’s right hand (where Jesus
just happens to be sitting). People can neglect to meet together because they
are so convinced Jesus could come any day that they have their lawn chair set
up on some hill hoping to be first in line to the grand event. No matter what
reasons we might use to justify not meeting together, it is a bad habit, and we
are to be sure we do not neglect the fellowship of God’s family.
25 …but encouraging one
another,
While
people neglecting to meet with us can be somewhat discouraging at times, we are
to be the ones who not only meet together, but make it the most encouraging experience
to do so. In other words, we come together as people who have been under attack
from the evil one, under attack from the world around us that hates Jesus and
those who belong to him, and under attack from our own flesh that always wants
the easiest way out of everything. Simply sitting in the same room as other
believers does not do anything for us. We must meet to encourage one another.
We must bring our sharing from the word, our testimonies of divine appointments
and answered prayers, reminders of what God’s word says about things we are
experiencing, and build up the courage of the body of Christ to remain strong,
firm and steadfast in our devotion to Christ.
25 …and all the more as you
see the Day drawing near.
There
is a finish line up ahead. The finish line is “the day drawing near”. The “Day” is the second coming, the final
appearance of Christ that ends life on earth as we know it, and brings judgment
on the world while bringing God’s children into the eternal rest of Heaven.
The
simple fact is that it is much easier to begin a race than to finish it. It is
easier to start a fight than to fight to the finish. It is easy to come into
the church without much fanfare, and difficult to discover that we have become
Satan’s favorite target.
Because
it can be disheartening to press on through a fog, never quite knowing when the
finish line will greet us, everything we do in Christ we must do “all the more”. Lesser things can be
discarded; traditions of man can be forgotten; personal preferences can be
lost, but the life of the New Covenant must grow to maturity, must be lived in
an “all the more” kind of way.
The
fact is that “the Day” is drawing
near. It will still come as a surprise. It will still come suddenly. But it is
coming. And, when it comes, all the pleasures of sin that sought to sabotage
God’s work in our lives, will be gone forever, so let them go now. When Jesus comes,
the very worst of God’s enemies against us will be destroyed, so do not let
them destroy you now.
As
this post falls on a Saturday, let it be a reminder to make sure your Sunday with
God’s people fits this description, and all the rest of the descriptions of
life in the body of Christ. Listen to the preaching of the word of God with a
heart to receive the encouragement you need to be faithful to your place within
the body of Christ, and then pass that encouragement on to others as you share
with them in response to your fellowship together.
The
bottom line is that, if we will tell God we absolutely want to live out this
paragraph from his word in the fullest possible way, he will most certainly
give us the divine appointments to do it.
From
my heart, Monte
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