Sermon Central
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Being Revived Series
Contributed by Allan Quak on Aug 17, 2019 (message contributor)
Summary: When we are connected to Jesus we can confidently approach the Holiness of God. This confidence should give us cause to consider how to spur on one another and build an environment of encouragement as we commit to our church fellowship.
Message
In Fellowship Together – Being Revived
When we talk to people during the week, and they ask us what we do on the weekend, I’m sure there have been times when we have all said, “I am going to fellowship with my church.”
Have you ever stopped to wonder what “going to fellowship” looks like for someone who has never been to church?
For a “fellowship-novice” coming to church could seem to be an odd thing to do.
Sunday after Sunday we gather to hear a message. The message is encouraging and the people a listening and take it in. They do that even when they are told they are sinners, and that they need to keep growing and changing, and that they need to repent.
Then this is called the “good news”.
Then, when all that has happened, every week a bag goes around and you pay for the privilege of being treated like that.
You can understand why some people look at “going to fellowship” and come to the conclusion that they don’t want any part of it.
Yet, for those of us who have been in fellowship together we don’t want to miss it do we …
Do we … ?
For isn’t it true that we find being in fellowship a spiritually reviving occasion?
Maybe we do …
Maybe we don’t …
So today we are going to look at an aspect of being in fellowship where, in fellowship, we are Being Revived.
Let’s read Hebrews 10:19-25
Did you see the structure of these verses?
Therefore …. (verses 19-21)
=> Let us draw near … (verse 22)
=> Let us hold unswervingly … (verses 23-24)
=> Let us consider … (verses 25-26)
The writer of Hebrews gives us a foundational reason and then applies it in three ways.
Today we will have a brief look at the foundation, and one application
What is the foundation?
The description is saturated in Old Testament imagery.
Enter the Most Holy Place
This was the innermost room in the tabernacle and the temple.
The ark of the covenant and the atonement cover were located here.
It was the place where God Himself lived.
Anyone who saw God by looking behind the curtain would die instantly. No one, except the high priest, could confidently approach God – and that only once a year. Until Jesus paid the price and secured atonement.
Enter through the curtain
Simultaneously with the death of Jesus the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom.
The barrier – that which said “no access” – had been removed.
Those in the temple that day would have cringed in fear not daring to look into the Most Holy place. But the fear was for nothing. God had left the building – no longer would he dwell in a building made by human hands.
In Christ we can confidently approach God, approach the holiness of God, for the blood of Jesus has been shed.
Enter knowing Jesus intercedes for you
The writer of Hebrews regularly compares the ministry of Jesus to the ministry of the High Priest. In Hebrews 7:24-25 we read:-
Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
The way to God is not just initially opened by Jesus. It is kept open by Jesus for us as he continually intercedes and prays and mediates for us. Jesus continually walks the journey of salvation with us. Giving all we need hold firm and confident as we look towards eternity.
That is the foundation.
We are connected to Jesus who enables us to confidently approach the Holiness of God knowing that we will be secure and the way will be open because our Saviour keeps interceding for us.
When we have this foundation then one application will be to think about what this means for our fellowship with one another.
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 foundation where we stand together on Jesus should cause us to “consider” … to one another.
The focus here is on having attention to detail.
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.
Luke 12:24, 27
When you think about fellowship are you considering?
