Grow With Pastor Joe

I believe that the greatest tragedy of our day in the church is the sad reality that most Christians do not have a consistent daily walk with the Lord. As a pastor, I have seen a trend in our consumeristic culture both in the church and out. The trend is that Christians who are in church, perhaps even members, perhaps even faithful serving members are falling by the wayside. Many who were once dedicated to the services and ministry of the local church are merely attending in body while their minds and hearts are elsewhere. Jesus addressed this idea in calling out the Pharisees of His day by quoting Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:17-9 saying, “⁷ Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, ⁸ This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. ⁹ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” I believe that today many professing Christians only draw near to God with their lips, but their heart is yet far from Him. There are a multitude of reasons for this which one sermon or book could not cover. The average church sitting Christian is satisfied with being unsatisfied with Christ and the preaching of the Bible. Christians want excitement but not exposition. Christians want a service to make them feel something emotionally but not challenge them in exhortation. Christians want what God has but they don’t really want Him. It makes you wonder how many “Christians” are actually Christian.

The average believer fails to draw near to God in their daily life because they don’t know how. Many have fallen into the trap of believing that their basis for approaching God is their behavior, deeds, or personal righteousness. Our only basis of drawing near to God is strictly our belonging to Jesus. This performance based Christian living has distracted and discouraged many Christians. I see it on their faces each week. Distracted and discouraged Christians then become disinterested and disengaged. How so? Distracted Christians become disinterested because they lost the hunger or have no appetite at all for Biblical, expositional, Christ focused preaching. Worshiping God and responding to the preached word doesn’t spark the slightest interest in their minds. Discouraged believers are often discouraged because of their own walk or lack thereof. They are stuck in performance mode or traditionalism. Their Christianity is in theory only. Then, they disengage. It is seen in their church involvement, both in attendance and service. They grow quiet. They don’t fellowship. They feel out of place, but they keep coming hoping something might change outside of them that will satisfy their longing that only Jesus can fulfill. The unfortunate last step in this process is that these kinds of Christians who don’t deal with the root of their problem, which by the way is their daily drawing near to God, they then simply disappear. They might reappear at another local church, but they will eventually go through the same process until they finally get their vertical relationship with Christ nailed down.

My prayer as we end one year and begin another is that God would open the eyes of these kinds of Christians so that they may learn to live life drawing near to Christ moment-by-moment. We weren’t saved by the good grace of almighty God to struggle or sour. We were saved to be strong, to strengthen others, stand, and serve Christ, His Church, and our communities. God saved us so that we can now freely draw near to Him and the community of believers that we belong to in faith, knowing that God draws us in to send us out together to be the Body and Bride of Christ. The Lord wants you to draw near. He bids you draw near. He commands us to draw near. How and on what basis you draw near to God will determine if you actually draw near to Him or not. It is for our eternal good and His eternal glory that by His eternal grace that we would daily draw near together in and to Christ.

Ove the next few weeks we are going to do a brief study in Hebrews 10:19-25 to deal with the matter of our personal and public walks with the Lord. This is needed perhaps now more than ever. This particular passage is a small portion of the larger context of Hebrews that is being written to encourage and exhort struggling believers. These believers were dispersed through persecution and discouraged. The great danger that is addressed throughout the book is that many believers were falling away from the faith or falling back to their old worthless dead religion. Simply, they were failing to see Christ as sovereign, superior, and sufficient for their daily life’s struggles. Heb. 10:19-25 is one sentence with an explanation of a believer’s benefits and gives commands of exhortation to enjoy the benefits that they have in Christ. Today’s focus is going to be on the first exhortation that says, “let us draw near.” We will focus on drawing near to Christ because of our access in Christ, advocate in Christ, and assurance in Christ.

Heb. 10:19-22 says,

^“19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ²¹ And having an high priest over the house of God; 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.”

            Let us draw near by seeing our access in Christ. The only access to God is in Christ. Jesus said this in John 10:1-10 and later in 14:6. Heb. 10:19-20 declares to us that our access to God is in and through Christ alone. You can’t access the presence of God through your good works, traditions, emotionalism, or a reformation of your moral life. No, you can only access God through Christ. The lost can only be born again by coming to God through Christ and those believers that are being addressed in this passage needed the reminder that they have free access to God in Christ. Stop trying to pay your way into God’s presence. Stop trying to earn the right to enjoy God, when Christ has already done this for you. Notice the phrase, “having therefore.” This shows that it is a completed fact of reality that continually is true in the life of the believer. Access to God is not something that the believer has to search for or strive for. It can’t be earned, only embraced and enjoyed. Access to God in Christ by the indwelling Holy Spirit is something that every believer has whether they realize it or not. It is something that is given the moment of salvation and it never goes away. The only thing keeping you from accessing your access in Christ is your own pride or ignorance. Your life is to be lived in the constant enjoyment of God through your eternal access to Him in Christ. It is not based on your behavior, but rather on your new birth through belief on Jesus Christ. There are two things that give us boldness of access of the presence of God.

One, we have boldness of access in Christ through His blood. Verse 19 says, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,” First of all, the word “boldness” is the Greek word “parrhesia” which is made up of two words, “pas” meaning all and “rhesis” meaning speech. Boldness to access the presence of God through Christ is the freedom that each believer has to speak to God fully, frankly, freely without fear or dread. Our relationship with Him through Christ gives us a confident access that allows us to tell God all about it. So many Christians are not confident in their praying or coming to God because they are focused on their behavior, emotions, circumstances, or methods. We are to have confidence, not in ourselves, but in the blessings and benefits of belonging to God. When we go to Him, we are not simply going to a King as a pauper. We are going to Him as His children who don’t need to make appointments with our Father. No, we have free unlimited and unrestricted access to God in through Christ. This truth is seen also in Heb. 4:16 which says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” The basis of our confidence to draw near to Him is our position, possessions, and privileges that we have been given in Christ. My access to God is not based on my performance but based on what Christ has already performed. Access to God is one of man’s greatest problems. Man was designed to live and enjoy His presence, but sin has ruined that for all of us. In the Old Testament, God’s chosen people Israel still had to struggle with the idea of accessing God’s presence. For them, they could not enjoy His presence as we do under the New Testament brough by Christ’s shed blood. The presence of God was inaccessible to the average Israelite. Actually, God’s presence and voice in the cloud that overwhelmed Mt. Sinai frightened them so much that they didn’t want to hear or see God (Ex. 19-20). For those in Christ, we have the privilege to “enter into the holiest,” meaning the literal presence of almighty God. This phrase is in reference to the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple where the presence of God abode over the mercy seat within the Holy of Holies, separated by a thick veil from the rest of the Tabernacle or Temple. For you and me, there is no longer a Tabernacle, Temple, or veil that keeps us out. We can freely and confidently enjoy access to God in Christ “by the blood of Jesus.” In the Old Testament, the priest never entered either place, but especially the Holy of Holies without the shedding of blood along with the other prescribed procedures in the Levitical law. Under the New Testament, we have access to God by “by the blood of Jesus.” It is not by the blood of animals or the “blood” of our good works that allows us access into God’s presence. No, it is only the blood of Jesus Christ that is sufficient enough to save us and bless us with God’s presence. My only boldness to access and enjoy God’s presence is the blood of Jesus Christ. If you want to see more about the wonder of the blood of Jesus shed for sinners, go read Hebrews 9. My only acceptance by God is because of Jesus’ blood. My access and assurance of my salvation is only by the blood of Christ. Every believer may enjoy the access of God’s presence because of Jesus’ blood, not their behavior.

Two, we have boldness of access in Christ through His body. Verse 20 says, “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;” The Old Testament access of God was hindered by the veil that separated outsiders from God’s presence. In the Tabernacle and Temple, the veil separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place where much of the daily administrational work took place by the priests. The veil could only be parted and entered through once a year on the Day of Atonement where the High Priest would go alone into the presence of God. The veil protected man from God and also acted as the only way in which the High Priest alone could come into the presence of God. The very thing that excluded man is also the same instrument for man to enter into God’s presence. Jesus likened His body to the Temple, and His own body was rent for us so that the veil between God and man too would be forever torn open (See Matthew 27:40-51). Jesus’ bodily death through His broken body and shed blood is the “new” way of access.  The word “new” is the idea of freshness in the sense of a freshly slaughtered sacrifice. This means that the blood of Jesus is just as powerful and potent today as it was when He spilled in on the cross and would then present Himself wounds and all in the Heavenly Temple. Jesus’ bodily death through His broken body and shed blood is the “living way” that grants us access into the presence of God. This phrase is also pointing beyond what He did on the cross, but it is pointing us to the empty grave. Jesus is not a dead sacrifice, but a living one. His blood is not dried up, but it ever flows and pleads for me. The benefits and blessings of Jesus’ body broken and blood shed for us never lose power. The gospel should never lose its luster or wonder. Jesus did this so that you and I may freely enjoy the unlimited access of God’s presence. Why do you then waste such a blessing? Why then do you settle to live without His presence being enjoyed and experienced in your life? We have access in Christ, therefore, let us draw near to God in faith.

            Let us draw near by seeing our advocate in Christ. Hebrews 10:21 says, “And having an high priest over the house of God;” The Old Testament high priest(s) had the heavy burden of representing God to man and man to God. To mess up on either side would result in punishment of death. What is an advocate? An advocate by definition argues the case and cause of another in the court of law. You and I make for terrible spiritual lawyers. We lose every case. Jesus, the Great High Priest of your soul has never lost a case and only has your best interest in heart. You didn’t buy Him or retain His services with your money, riches, talents, or good works. No, instead your advocate retained you by His own blood and now faithfully advocates your case before God, your enemy the Devil, man, and your own heart forever. Christ is the true, better, and sufficient Prophet, Priest, and King overall. His priestly work can be seen in incredible detail in Hebrews 7 which establishes His truer, better, sufficient priesthood. 1 John 2:1-2 says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” According to Heb. 7:25, we see that we have an advocate in Christ who eternally intercedes for each believer. To help drive this wonderful truth home, read these words of the hymn, “Before the Throne of God Above” written by Charitie Smith in the early 1860’s.

“1. Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea: A great High Priest whose name is Love, Who ever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart. I know that while in Heav’n he stands No tongue can bid me thence depart, No tongue can bid me thence depart.

2. When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within, Upward I look and see him there, Who made an end of all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, My sinful soul is counted free, For God the just is satisfied To look on him and pardon me, To look on him and pardon me.

3. Behold him there, the risen Lamb, My perfect, spotless righteousness, The great unchangeable I AM, The King of glory and of grace. One with himself I cannot die; My soul is purchased by his blood. My life is hid with Christ on high, With Christ, my Savior and my God, With Christ, my Savior and my God.”

Your personal performance will never be the advocate that you need, but you have a High Priest, Jesus Christ the Righteous who advocates for you. He has never lost one case. You can draw near to God knowing that although there is much evidence against you presented by Satan and your own piles of sinful disobedience that Jesus Christ is advocating for you. “It is finished” rings out throughout eternity. His blood is still sufficient and His sacrifice for your sins are still superior to anything you could ever do. Dear struggling believer, come and draw near to Christ. Jesus is the High Priest over “the house of God.” This means all believers, yes, even you. If you belong to Christ, then you are a part of His household (Eph. 2:18-22). You don’t need to feel like a stranger in the household of God when you have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus is on your side dear believer.

Let us draw near by seeing our assurance in Christ. Verse 22 says, “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.” Here is the first of three exhortations of Heb. 10:19-25. The focus of today’s passage is that we may and must draw near. We have seen that we may and must draw near to God because we have access and an advocate in Christ. I want us to see that we may and must draw near to God because we have assurance in Christ. To whomever the blood of Jesus has been applied should be assured of their new birth and relationship to God in Christ. Sadly, many Christians are unassured of who they are and what they have in Christ. As we learn to live by drawing near to God we can do so with assurance and grow in our assurance because it is not based upon our behavior but our belonging. Because I belong to Jesus Christ, I am assured that I can draw near to God in Christ. Each person may and must be assured of their salvation and their privileges in Christ. When we draw near to God we are to do so and can do so with full assurance in the finished and sufficient work of Christ. There are four ways that our hearts should draw near to God in our assurance in Christ. One, we draw near with “a true heart.” Having a true heart is the idea of having real, genuine saving faith in Christ. A true heart knows Christ and is devoted to Him. Our “heart” is our mind, emotions, and will; or put another way, our thinker, feeler, and chooser. It is who we really are. You must have genuine authentic faith in order to draw near to God in genuine authentic fellowship with Him in Christ. Two, we draw near with “full assurance of faith.” You will always struggle to enjoy the privileges of your position in Christ if you do not know your position and privileges in Christ. Like Abraham, we are to trust God in full assurance of His word, work, and will (Rom. 4:21). Each believer should be fully persuaded that they have access, an advocate, and assurance in Christ. Three, we draw near with our “hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.” The moment of conversion, we were made positionally and judicially clean before God. However, we know that in our daily life we stumble and struggle with sin. We need clean feet to match our clean hearts (John 13:1-11). Our positional holiness must lead to practical holiness (1 Pet. 1:13-23). All that you are and have in Christ should be more than theoretical, it should and must be practiced in your daily walk. That’s the point of this verse that exhorts us to draw near to God, especially in the difficult, dark, and discouraging days that we are living in. Four, we draw near with our “bodies washed with pure water.” The idea of the last two phrases of this verse points us back to the ceremonial cleansings of the Old Testament. Here, the cleansing is much more than believer’s baptism. This is dealing with the daily cleansing work of the Word of God through the Holy Spirit of God (John 15:3; Eph. 5:26). We draw more near to God as we draw near to Him through His Word. We are assured that we have access and an advocate in Christ through the Word of God and indwelling Holy Spirit who convinces us of truth, convicts us of transgression, and comforts our hearts by truth. You will only be as close to God as you are in the Word and led of the Spirit. Dear believer, you may and must have assurance to draw near to God. You have assurance to draw near by His grace through faith in Christ’s finished work for you. Don’t waste the presence of God in your life by being unassured of who you are and what you have in Christ.

As we wrap this up, do you know that you are saved, cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ? Does the presence of God only bring fear, or does it bring delight? Do you feel free to come to Him? If not, what is keeping you from drawing near to God? My heart breaks over the amount of distracted, discouraged, disinterested, disengaged believers that are disappearing altogether. My heart hurts for Christians that don’t draw near to God, God’s way. My heart mourns for Christians who are lifeless and loveless. If you are the believer today that is distracted by the world, the flesh, or the Devil, then draw near to Christ in full assurance of faith in Him alone. If you are the believer that is discouraged over your walk or lack thereof, draw near, not because of your performance but draw near because you have access and an advocate in Christ. He is on your side. If you are the believer that is disinterested in church or the things of God, I ask you to search your heart and see if you are truly born again or not. Ask God to show you the truth. If you are the believer that is disengaged and uninvolved, draw near to Christ and His people. There is a place for you and that place is filled with the presence and people of God. If you are the believer that is thinking about disappearing, don’t. Draw near to Christ today and see that He is enough. Let me leave you with this comforting old hymn, “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place”

“My faith has found a resting place, Not in device nor creed. I trust the ever-living One; His wounds for me shall plead.

Refrain: I need no other argument, I need no other plea, It is enough that Jesus died, And that he died for me.

2. Enough for me that Jesus saves, This ends my fear and doubt; A sinful soul I come to Him, He’ll never cast me out. [Refrain]

 3. My heart is leaning on the Word, The written Word of God, Salvation by my Savior’s name,
Salvation thro’ his blood. [Refrain]

4. My Great Physician heals the sick, The lost He came to save; For me his precious blood he shed, For me his life he gave. [Refrain]”

May your faith find a resting place and may you by faith draw near to God. By faith, embrace and enjoy your access, advocate, and assurance provided by, in, and through the Lord Jesus Christ.