March 21, 2024 -- Hebrews 10:23-25 -- Stirred up to live out loud for our Glorious God

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:23-25 ESV

More than thirty years ago, when Carolyn and I lived in California for a one-year internship, a friend and I committed to memorizing some Scripture. The verses 24 & 25 of this passage were among the first we tackled. Interesting how this passage keeps showing up in my life. It was part of last night's chapel group study in Hebrews.

As people who hold fast to Jesus Christ first evidence of this clinging tightly to Him is expressed in having pure theology. That is, taking seriously what the Bible teaches—we study it with the intention of ever staying true to what it teaches, rather than what we think it says. So many well-intentioned people drift (Hebrews 2:1ff).

Next in view of the Truth of the Word—the Bible and the Living Word Jesus—we hold fast to Jesus by continually conforming our living to what He commands. Believers walk together in love. In fact, it is a defining characteristic of believers, that they stir one another up to love which is based on the prior love of Jesus within them. Such believers actively seek opportunities to demonstrate their love for Jesus by good works.

Yesterday I heard a man being interviewed on the radio who described the previous eclipses he’d seen and his words made it seem as if it were a spiritual experience. He spoke rapturously, “It was a pure moment. It was a all senses alert moment.” Interesting that a once-every-seven-years or so experience can evoke such passion. Now, fellow believers, consider Him Who made the starry hosts. Consider the God of Heaven and Earth Who set the sun, moon, earth and stars on their courses—how glorious He is. Jesus Christ has, as a once-in-eternity event, bore all the sins of man and made propitiation for our sins. That is, He turned away God’s anger and punishment of our sins—that is what it is to propitiate. Believers live in a state of reverent awe at the purity of that moment. Jesus’ glorious work fills the heavens so that all our senses are alert and tender to His goodness.

Believers worship God—in fact, believers hold each other accountable to love, to do good, to gather with fellow believers for worship, and to do so in view that one day soon heaven and earth will pass away. There will be a new heaven and a new earth where God will live with His people forever. The preacher Sinclair Ferguson describes this as living back from the future. Our faith has seen Jesus Christ seated on the throne of power in heaven. Our hope, fixed on Him, then moves back to where we are right now, and by the Spirit’s power in us we live for Jesus and that future moment when our own eyes will see Him. There we will worship Him, and every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord, and this to the glory of the Father.

Our Father in heaven, how great and glorious is Your plan of salvation. Faithful Savior, how extravagant is Your love, by which Your reconciling blood was poured out for the complete salvation of the elect. Spirit of the Living God, stir up our hearts so that we will, as taught by these words of Hebrews, live according to that almost incomprehensibly magnificent moment when Jesus will be fully revealed to all people who have ever lived, are alive, and will be alive at His return. Renew in us, Triune God, the joy of your salvation and guided by Your Truth, may we live as bold ambassadors calling others to the hope, the wonder and the joy that is ours in Jesus Christ. Amen.

https://youtu.be/PS3QinSmPHI?si=rGWmIaPadUr15jdP “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”

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