Community Requires Commitment Series

September 17

Community requires Commitment

Hebrews 10:19-25

Fun LG testimony of committing something to do together. Or..story of First Responder acting to help his teammate

Turn to Hebrews 10:19-25 This morning we continue our three-part series, Better Together. That’s one of the dominant themes throughout the Bible: that we are better together. That’s because we are created in the image of God, and because God exists in community, that we are not better until we are in community with Him and with His people. We saw last week that we are infinitely better when we are reunited, rejoined, brought back into community with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Last week we had ?? people raise their hands to accept covering for their sin provided through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and identify with Jesus for the first time!

Now this morning we turn our attention to the fact that being a part of the body of Christ means that To be committed to God is to be committed to each other.

So let’s read the text for this morning, Hebrews 10:19-25 (on screen)

“Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh ), 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

The first few verses pick up last week’s theme. The writer of Hebrews draws heavily from Old Testament, Hebrew imagery. Here he/she is (we’re not sure who the author was), is conjuring up the physical temple to make a spiritual application. The inner part of the Temple, the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, was off limits except for the high priest who would come in once a year and make sacrifice and sprinkle the blood of the animal to as a symbolic cleansing for the nation of Israel. A curtain separated that area from everything and everyone else. The point of this passage is that Jesus acts acted as both High Priest and sacrifice so that by His physical death and the sprinkling of His blood He has opened up access to God. And those of us who are in Christ, because our hearts are sprinkled clean by His blood, we have bold access. We don’t have to fear God’s judgement; we don’t have to cower in His presence. We can enter His presence boldly because we belong in His presence thru Christ. God has promised and He. Is. Faithful.

But now the author shifts slightly to make another application of this great gospel, good news that brings us into fellowship and community with God. Notice what it says:

“24 And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, 25 not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

You probably noticed that as fellow believers, We are to be committed to each other:

1. Committed to each other’s well-being v.24a

“And let us be concerned about one another”

Turn to the person next to you and say, “I’m concerned about you!” Well, out of context that can mean a lot of things. But here’s what I want you to get down deep in your soul: Just as we belong to Jesus, we belong to each other!

And if we belong to each other, we look out for each other. Story of 2 brothers fighting, man didn’t know they were brothers, tried to intercede so he jumped on one of the brothers and wrestled him to the ground. The other brother jumped on him and then the 2 of them beat the guy up!

Family sticks together. And there is no greater family than the family of God. Now, you know how big I am on family, right? (pic of fam; I’ll provide) We stick together. You got a problem with one of my family members, you got a problem with me.

And yet, even more important than my earthly family, is my heavenly family. If you’re saved, raise your hands. You are my brothers and sisters in Jesus. And that my friends has incredible, eternal significance.

And yet, church folk are notorious for treating their heavenly family with contempt. Some of the nastiest people I’ve ever known were church folk—not really sure they were Christians. Carthage; Jonathan. Flat tires and anonymous threatening notes. Lots of people just stopped coming to church. Others stayed and did all they could to ruin my reputation. They would scowl at me as I preached.