Hebrews Chapter 10 Verse 23

• I love that! “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for I promised and I am faithful!” NO! That doesn’t even ring right does it! I love this! We hold fast and we don’t waver because…He is faithful! He has done it all! It is all accomplished, done, finito, flawless victory! Read that right and what you’ll come away with is that He is faithful…and I am hopeful!
• This is huge for the reader! The Jew could never hold fast in the past because they were holding onto self…they weren’t even allowed to hold fast in their culture (continual sacrifices – that’s an inevitable loss that simply takes 365 days) but that’s all changed now…and check this out…if we get that and our focus turns to Him…watch this…

Hebrews Chapter 10 Verses 24 – 25

• Look at what this does to a heart! Consideration of others! Why? Because you ain’t so clouded with self any longer…THIS is the power of drawing near to Jesus…we discover others! HA! What a thought! Our heart begins to heal and as it does we naturally begin to be a little bit less cynical…a little bit less self focused and we begin to relate to folks not based on personality or preference but based on practical service to a common King! Jesus said, “He who has been forgiven much, loves much…” and as we draw near to the Lord and learn…man we just start to fuel up with the love of the Holy Spirit…
• Because if we’re honest…the thought of any of us being in heaven, my own thought of me being in heaven…straight up scandalous! I know me! I know what I’ve done! And so if heaven ain’t a complete gift then I ain’t getting in! But it is because He who promised is faithful! It is because He gave all His blood! It’s because He traded His commodity, His legacy, He put Himself in my place and traded me…so as I come to grips (hold fast) with that…all I can do is worship. And serving self doesn’t fit any longer…does it still fit with you? How close are you to the Lord?

• I love this because not only will we consider others, discover others, serve others but we will do so in a manner such that love and good works are stirred up! Many times we think we’ve done our part by just putting in the creamer and the sugar…but have you ever gotten a chunk of creamer in your sip? Gross! Stir it up!!! Pray for them, serve them, exhort them, invest…

• WE are the origination point! So cool and for the folks that say, “I ain’t going to church…I just hate those people…” well why do you think you’re going to like heaven? HA! Cause we all gonna be there! LOL
• Maybe your seat just became a little bit less comfy with that last statement…maybe that’s you you’re thinking…well next up is a warning…one that we should all consider because really without fruit, how on earth can we claim to be Christians? If fruit is the result…we need to take inventory and figure out where we are at…baseline so that we can get on with it!!

Hebrews Chapter 10 Verses 26 – 31

• Ok context first. This book is written to the Hebrews. A culture of folks that are used to sinning willfully and then paying the priest. The point to them is this…that lamb, that turtle dove, that grain offering, that meal offering, that blood offering at the temple…it does nothing. The sacrificial system of the Old Covenant is gone…it is changed…and so now it doesn’t even cover sins because it has died and dead things can do nothing…so there no longer remains a sacrifice…The Messiah has come.
• And even today…He lives. And so it is by His sacrifice, a living sacrifice that you reach a living God. And that’s it…that is what this scripture says to them…
• Now to us, to the church, here’s the message…You’ve received the gospel, you know the truth, you have been told precisely what has been done for you and now what must you do…offer your life a living sacrifice unto the Lord as a reasonable service…if you reject that and live on serving self…there is nothing more available to you for salvation. If you trample the Son of God under foot…that is walk all over Him…take Him for granted…fail to consider the cost of your freedom and with your life insult the Spirit of Grace continually and that is just what you do…then chances are…you’re NOT saved…
• This section of scripture is not talking about folks that are filled with the Spirit of God. Washed clean and clear of sin…these are folks that have heard and just don’t care…(no effect…no power)! All they have done is received the knowledge of the truth…but that knowledge never made it to faith…and we can see that clearly in the words used…watch this…

Hebrews Chapter 10 Verses 32 – 35

• See the stark difference in language? We are talking, not knowledge…illumination! Lit up! Literally! Photizo! And with that comes endurance of even great sufferings! And notice this awesome phrase in verse 34, “enduring possession!” We are talking about an entirely different classification of folks here than previously!
• These are not people that have received knowledge, these are people with changed hearts! Above we have this thought, “knowledge, adversaries, rejected…” Down below we have this thought, “illumination, endurance and enduring possession.” It’s just so clear and un-confusing to me!
• And to the Jews, contextually, acceptance of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant would lead to the need for endurance. It really would cost them…for us, not following Jesus will cost you your family, but to them, following Jesus would almost always cost them their family! Many times they were disavowed, dead to them, and even passing on the street would be completely ignored!
• And so the exhortation…look at these verses as we finish up…

Hebrews Chapter 10 Verses 35 – 39

• To draw back is impossible for the new creation because there is no “back.” See what I’m saying? If 2 Cor 5:17 is true, then there is no “back…” This chapter is so very clear and what are we looking for as proof of salvation…heart change man…period…and up next…FAITH!