Don’t Lose Hope!

Don’t Lose Hope!Hebrews 10:26-11:1

Remember what “Hope” looks like?Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.”

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.

By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.

Hebrews 10:17-20




Hebrews 10:17-20

Christ Means:

Total Forgiveness

Bold, Free Access

‘A New, Living Way’




Hebrews 10:17-20

Hope Means:

Motivation

Courage

Direction




Hebrews 10:17-20

Hope ‘in Christ’ Means:

Motivation• I will never again remember their sins

Courage• enter heaven’s Most Holy Place

Direction• a new and life-giving way

What Hope Doesn’t Look LikeFor if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.

Heb.10:26-32

What Hope Doesn’t Look LikeAnyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Heb.10:26-32

What Hope Doesn’t Look LikeFor we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His people."

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Heb.10:26-32



Heb.10:26-32

God’s‘talking-points’

God isn’t a butler

He isn’t a clown

He is patient…

But not absent



Heb.10:26-32



He isn’t a clown

He is patient…

But not absent

"You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; Hebrews 2:7 (NASB)



Heb.10:26-32



He isn’t a clown

He is patient…

But not absent

“The Lord will judge…”



Heb.10:26-32



He isn’t a clown

He is patient…

But not absent

Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.

What Hope Doesn’t Look Like

“I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds” (v.17)“If we go on sinning willfully…there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” (v26)

Heb.10:26-32

The ‘small print’ …

What Hope Doesn’t Look LikeFor if we go on sinning

willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES

‘Sinning Willfully’ means ‘rejecting the cross’ Context: chapters 7-

10

Heb.10:26-32

But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. Hebrews 10:3





10 Rituals can’t do

better!

Heb.10:26-32

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Hebrews 10:4





10 Rituals can’t do

better! He defines ‘willful sin’

v.29Heb.10:26-32

How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? Heb. 10:29




‘Sinning Willfully’ means ‘rejecting the cross’ Context: chapters 7-10 Rituals can’t do better! He defines ‘willful sin’ v.29 It is ONGOING..

“while doing this sin…”

Heb.10:26-32




‘Sinning Willfully’ means ‘rejecting the cross’

Never actually says what will happen “A terrifying

expectation of judgment…”

“How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve…?”

Heb.10:26-32





Never actually says what will happen “A terrifying

expectation of judgment…”

“How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve…?”

Heb.10:26-32

For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay."





Never actually says what will happen

He’s messing with their legalistic heads! BE SCARED…! …of your Foolishness?

Heb.10:26-32

Losing Sight of HopeThink back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.

Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.

Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.Heb.10:32-39

Losing Sight of HopeThink back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.

Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.

Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.Heb.10:32-39

30+ Years Ago!

• They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; Acts 2:42-44

Losing Sight of HopeFor you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.

Heb.10:32-39


Heb.10:32-39

Terribly Persecuted• “Seizure..property”• Some Imprisoned!

They Didn’t Care!• Accepted it Joyfully!

Hope-Driven!• knowing that you have

for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one


Heb.10:32-39

How does this writer know so much…?

• And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria…But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. Acts 8:1-3

Paul was impresse

d!

Losing Sight of HopeTherefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward!

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.Heb.10:32-39

Losing Sight of Hope‘For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.’

Heb.10:32-39

This used to be their ‘hope’ !

…and it’s still true!

They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." Acts 1:11

Losing Sight of Hope‘For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.’

‘But my righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’

Heb.10:32-39

Don’t lose focus: ‘living by faith’

‘Righteous…live by faith’

• The central theme throughout the Bible (Hab. 2; Gen. 15; Gal. 3:11 & Rom. 1:17)

• Caused the Reformation.• And more! (chapter 11)

God wants your trust!

• Not YOUR ‘goodness’

So don’t ‘shrink back’

• Follow His leadership!

God’s Plan: “Enter Into My Rest!”But “Don’t shrink back!”

A Bright Future!The View Behind

KADESH BARNEA

They went that-a-way

“Safer!”“Familiar!”

God’s Plan: “Enter Into My Rest!”But “Don’t shrink back!” (Heb. 10:30)

A Bright Future!The View BehindKadesh Barnea

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. Hebrews 10:39Why this waste?

The Slide into O.C.S.Time Passes (30 years later…)Older, wiser, not ‘young and naïve’Competent, ‘responsible members of society’Absorbed by their culture (compromised!)

Good, well-meaning ChristiansObsessed with ‘Do the right thing!’

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24

“How Far You’ve Fallen…!”“New & Living Way” O.C.S. Love-Oriented! Performance-Oriented

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…”

But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. Hebrews 10:3

“How Far You’ve Fallen…!”“New & Living Way” O.C.S. Love-Oriented! Bold, audacious,

fearless!

Performance-Oriented Nervous, fear-of-failure

For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property,

“a reminder of sins year by year” “a terrifying expectation of judgment”


fearless! Clear direction

forward!

Performance-Oriented Nervous, fear-of-failure Confused, baffled

wanderingThis Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." Acts 1:11

‘For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.’



forward! Motivated, joyful!


wandering Tired, demoralized…accepted joyfully

the seizure of your property, Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe

For you have need of endurance,



forward! Motivated, joyful! Trusting God!


wandering Tired, demoralized Shrinking Back…knowing that you

have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.

But “Don’t shrink back!” (Heb. 10:30)



forward! Motivated, joyful! Trusting God! Hope-Driven!


wandering Tired, demoralized Shrinking Back Law-Driven…a better possession

and a lasting one. "The Lord will judge His people.“

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24



forward! Motivated, joyful! Trusting God! Hope-Driven! Victorious!


wandering Tired, demoralized Shrinking Back Law-Driven Defeated…accepted joyfully

the seizure of your property,

For you have need of endurance,

O.C.S. – Seize Your HOPE!Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1


But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Faith

Hope

Love


So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Don’t Lose Hope!

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