to the tenth chapter of the book of Hebrews chapter ten in that great epistle written by the beloved apostle to the Hebrew believers in the early days of church history chapter ten I would like to begin reading at verse nineteen and go down through verse twenty five it's a wonderful book to recognize how that the beloved apostle, as he wrote by the Spirit, to the Hebrew believers in the early church, magnified and glorified the greatness of the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, in contrast to the Old Testament economy under the law. For all the shadows, and the types that you may find and do find in the Old Testament, they find now the reality, the true manifestation of the greatness of the fact in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And may I point out, as you read the epistle well worth reading and studying, you find that all the way through the Lord Jesus, is lifted above all that preceded in the Old Testament before him. In chapter one you find him spoken of as being greater than all the prophets. You find him also in the same chapter and part of chapter two reveal as being greater than all the angels. In chapter three you find the beloved apostle telling he was greater than even Moses the most venerable saint of God in Judaism that God's earthly people respect you find in chapter four he's spoken of as being greater than Joshua who led the people of Israel to conquer the land of Canaan in chapter five You'll find him spoken of as being greater than Aaron, the one who was the first high priest, anointed as such, in the house of Israel in the days of Moses. In chapter six you'll find the apostle magnifying the Lord Jesus greater than all the principles that you find taught in the law. In chapter seven, you find the Lord Jesus magnified as being greater than one that is mentioned in the Old Testament before Abraham's day, and in Abraham's day, before the nation of Israel was ever existing. Melchizedek, a priest of God, a king and a priest. And in chapter seven, he's thus magnified. greater than Melchizedek, of whom Melchizedek was only but a type of the Lord Jesus. And as you go to chapter eight and on, the nine and ten, you find the Old Testament tabernacle mentioned, the Old Testament sacrifices mentioned, and all the sacrifices that were made, eight, nine and ten, in that Old Tabernacle system of worship. And when you come to the tenth chapter, you find indeed the consummation of that great redemption the Lord Jesus has wrought by doing the will of God and going to the cross of Calvary. Now in chapter ten and verse nineteen, reading through verse twenty-five, the beloved apostle writes, to the saints of that day and to us who are the saints today. Three things which we have and also five things which we should be doing because of what Christ has been and done and is for us. Let me read the words beginning in chapter ten at verse nineteen. Now the apostle says after reciting all that the Lord Jesus has done and accomplished for redemption having therefore brethren boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he has consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh and having an high priest over the house of God Let us draw near with a true heart or a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith, having our heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us all fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promise, and let us consider one another. to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching, without question of doubt, the day that the Apostle refers to, is without doubt the coming again of our Lord Jesus, of which we were singing tonight but meditate briefly with me and I trust profitably on the three things that we have and then the three five things to do first of all beginning in chapter in verse nineteen rather you find the Apostles saying and may I read these words in verse nineteen and twenty having therefore brethren in view of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. My beloved, let me pause for just a moment. Note the word therefore. And when you read that word anytime, try to know what it's therefore. There's a reason for it. Having therefore, brethren, first, Boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Second, to enter by a new and living way, which he has consecrated or dedicated for us, through the veil that is to say his flesh. And third, having an high priest over the house of God, Let me briefly refer again quickly and clearly the three things which we have. All upon the blessed ground of our Saviour's redemptive work. No merit of our own. I'm sure that we confess that. Like the old hymn writer who well wrote, Nothing in my hands I bring, but simply to thy cross I cling. First note, The first thing we have, boldness or liberty is the meaning of it. Freedom to enter where? The holiest by the blood of Jesus. Now I'm sure you can imagine what it must have meant when these Hebrew believers read those words. They were familiar with the expression the holiest. You find it recorded again and again in the Old Testament economy. You read of its inception when God in the wilderness gave the tabernacle with all of its structure and worship and materials. The most sacred place in that tabernacle was the holiest of all, containing only the ark of the covenant and that holiest of all in the tabernacle as well as in the temple later there was no artificial or light of any kind and not even the light of creation to enter into that holiest of all they were enshrouded in that room was one vessel only with the shekinah glory of God's cloud resting upon that ark above it on the mercy seat. And we know from our Old Testament only but once a year could the high priest ever enter the holiest. And it was on the day of atonement when for the nation of Israel their yearly sins were put away temporarily and forgiven to start another year. And he alone could carry it in, following the sacrifice of the altar offering, the blood from the altar, and sprinkle it in the sanctuary of the holiest upon the ark of the covenant once, seven times upon the earth beneath. He could not enter without that blood. But, oh, my beloved, may I say, you and I, please, we have no earthly sanctuary. Now, one of the great things in the book of Hebrews, in chapter eight, I believe, particularly the apostle mentioned, we don't have an earthly sanctuary. We have a heavenly one. My beloved fellow believer, may I ask you, as one of mine own hearts, As we gather tonight for prayer, where did we go? Where is the holiest? Heaven itself. That's what the Word of God is telling us here. Fullness and liberty to enter into the presence of God in heaven itself. Isn't that a wonderful privilege to have? And if you know the Lord Jesus is your Savior, whether it be collectively or individually, that's one thing we have. Liberty to enter the Holy, but not without the blood of Jesus. Oh, thank God. If you were to follow, from the altar in the Old Testament tabernacle into the holiest. And you would find, as it were, a line of blood. Every vessel in the temple and in the tabernacle had been sprinkled with the blood of the altar at some time. My beloved, let me say faithfully, no man, woman, boy and girl can ever go into God's presence unless they have the blood of Jesus over their soul. But beloved, you and I who are saved, this is one thing we have. I don't know how you value it. My heart aches because too many believers don't take advantage of going into the holiest. One dear Christian one time asked me, where do you worship? And I asked him, I said, in the holiest. and you think you worship in this place this tavern this building my beloved look get a little further get a lot further the holiest we have that privilege would to God that every Christian valued corporately or individually coming into the presence of God second knew what the apostle goes on to say we have not only that in verse by a new and living way which has been consecrated for us through the veil and he says that is to say the flesh of the Lord Jesus through his flesh now if you're acquainted with the Old Testament tabernacle again as well as the temple there was a veil forbidding any to enter that holiness And if you read in the book of Exodus chapter twenty-six the description of that veil, you can read of how it was made. But you'll also find upon that great veil there was also embroidered two angels, such as cherubims, typical of the cherubim. And so to say, you can't enter here at the risk of death. Never could the high priest go in there without the precious blood. He would have died. But oh, beloved, those cherubims and that veil, can I remind you what happened at Calvary? Read the Gospel of Luke as well as Matthew. And you recall when the Lord Jesus expired upon the cross. As John recalls it too. When he cried it is finished, the veil in the temple was rent in two from top to bottom. Oh, beloved, the way is wide open for believers to go into the presence of God. The veil is rent, the poet wrote. Our souls draw near unto a throne of grace. The merits of our Lord appear. They fill the holy place. We have a new and living way. We don't have to go the old way. Go through with it. Thank God. Oh, my fellow believer. What a joy to have. Through the veil. Because of the Lord Jesus. His body. His flesh. Uncarried. He bore our sins in his own body. On the tree. And may I point out to you, when you think of the rent, think of the rent body of the Lord Jesus. What it suffered in agony and suffering to pay the judgment and bear the judgment and the penalty for your sins and mine. But the third thing that we have, we have a high priest. We have a high priest. Now let me tell you frankly, we don't have any high priests upon the earth. you'll find in some organizations and ecclesiastical and other associations perhaps a religious character where they seem to have and claim to have a high priest but our high priest is not on the earth he's where he belongs in the presence of God for us as you read in chapter nine of this epistle he entered the holies he entered the sanctuary the presence of God for us and beloved may I say this oh may I give you the reminder think of the Old Testament high priest oh you've got a most beautiful precious study in the Old Testament of the order of worship that they had in the ceremonies that they followed, typifying the Lord Jesus and the blessing that you and I have that are even greater? The high priest, he had to go into the presence of God. And there were occasions when he went into the holy, before he went, not into the holies, but the holy place, preceding the holiest. He went in daily there on behalf of the nation, officiating at the altar of incense and so on, at the table of showbread. But that high priest had a garment, and the glorious garment of the high priest. It had upon his chest precious stones, twelve stones with the names of the children of Israel upon them. Twelve stones, six on one shoulder and six. on the other shoulder engraved in precious stones. He carried the people on his heart, as it were, into God's presence. He carried them upon his shoulders, as it were, into God's presence on their behalf. Beloved, let me tell you this. The Blessed Lord Jesus has every believer upon his heart in the presence of God. Paul wrote, or if it's Paul that wrote the Hebrews in chapter seven verse twenty five, he ever liveth to make intercession for us. And upon the shoulders of his strength, and upon the great heart of the Lord Jesus, I tell you frankly, don't tell me that he doesn't have you, my fellow believer, upon your authority does. And me, and each fellow, each believer. And he carries us on the shoulders of his strength. So we have three things we have. And all in the holiest. Liberty to go in. Through that new and living way. And our great high priest representing us there. In the presence of God. Our pleasure is to realize that. Now know very carefully. As we read on. There are five things to do. look as you will with me in verse twenty two the first thing to do let us draw near let us draw near you remember back in the Old Testament when God gave the law on Mount Sinai if you have ever read it God told the people don't put one foot upon this mountain not even a beast And as you read in the book of Hebrews in chapter eleven, chapter twelve, you'll find that even Moses trembled at the scene at Mount Sinai. There was darkness, there was thunder, there was fire, and there was fear. And God said, don't you draw near. One sure thing, I'll tell you frankly, you'll never come to go near to God through the law. The law will prove to you that he's far away from him. But here's under grace. The way into the holiest. Through the blood of Jesus that knew a living way. And our high priest therefore us. And first thing God said. Let us draw near. Do you ever notice the words of James in chapter four? Draw nigh to God. And he will draw nigh. to you. My beloved, can I raise the question, how often do you really in your heart draw near to God? Draw near, we sing to Him, I remember a dear old hymn, I never have forgotten it. I sung it in my early days as a young Christian with tears running down my eyes. Nearer, still nearer, close to thine heart, Fold me, draw me my Savior, so precious thou art. Fold me or fold me, close to thy breast. Shelter me safe in that haven of rest. Draw nigh to God. You may not believe it, but I do. That's the most precious spiritual experience you can ever have to get near to God. more important than preaching more important than teaching and please know what he adds let us draw near and know with the true meaning a sincere heart having our heart sprinkled from an evil conscience our bodies wash with pure water May I say something to my soul and my heart as well as to yours? You and I, you and me, we who are Christians, the most important occupation for you and for me is to draw near to God. Not preaching. Not teaching. Not doing this or doing that or going here and going there. And you know what he says, with a sincere heart, having our heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Now let again the Old Testament type come before your heart, mind. If you read the Old Testament carefully, you will find something particularly in chapter eight of the book of Leviticus and other scriptures that when a priest was consecrated, to the ministry in the Old Testament, he had a bath first. A bath that was never to be repeated once. Constituted him a priest. But he not only had a bath, but every time he went into the presence of God, he had to wash his feet and his hands with pure water. My beloved, look, You deny that I say, we had a bath too. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? And what a joy to see. Yes, I'm washed in the blood of the Lamb. Oh, the joy of knowing. Look, that's the only way I got a few, that I got a good conscience. In chapter, you find in chapter nine in verse fourteen, the apostle Paul says, if he writes, Our Lord Jesus Christ gave himself, offered himself without spot to God to purge, clean, cleanse our conscience. And beloved, let me say what a joy to know. The blood of Jesus Christ cleansed the conscience. And then, as the apostle has, with pure water. Oh, beloved, the joy of knowing that the water of the Word of God used by the Holy Spirit cleanses and keeps us clean. Now let me emphasize once more, before going further quickly, the most important thing to do first, enjoy the presence of God. Go and do it, friends. Now let me also add a word of encouragement and exhortation. One of the greatest ways to enjoy the presence of God collectively is the Lord's Supper. In worship. In worship. And may I say again, look, you know as well as I do, you can look upon the The church buildings that are around us in many places. And you'll see a scribe upon one of their bulletin boards. Worship. This is a place of worship. Wait a minute. That building isn't a place of worship. I mean, you'll find the name public worship sometimes. I'll tell you one thing. The public don't worship in the presence of God. It's only the saints who can worship there. I often hear people say, come and worship with them. Wait a minute. Just make sure that you can worship in God's presence as a child. And draw near. All the privilege with it. May I go even further? Well, the prayer meeting tonight. The prayer meeting. You know, it's a joy. Not only to come with saints to worship. for joy to come to the prayer meeting. That's not a gospel meaning. That's another thing preaching the gospel to the unsaved. Or even having a lecture off from the word of God as we are tonight in this portion of the service. But the joy of knowing together and enjoying the presence of God with a true heart. Since then our heart sprinkled from an eve of conscience body swatches it were with pure water morally as well as spiritually sincere in the presence of God. That's the most... Now you may not... I know, you may not agree with me. Oftentimes maybe I thought the same thing when I was first saved. I wanted to really get out and be a moody. Look at me, here I am. Look! My first regard, I found later, my first responsibility was Godwood. Then man would. And one sure thing, the more I use my Godward responsibility, the better I'll be able to do my manward responsibility. Oh, my beloved, what a responsibility. But now let's hasten on. The first thing to do, draw near to the presence of God. Then in verse twenty-three, let us all fast the conception of our faith without wavering or doubting. My beloved, may I say something? That's another thing we have to do. Hold fast! And I cannot exhort you greatly. I am finding today there are many Christians that are not holding fast to their confession without wavering. My beloved, look, don't you give up the truth. I am no business as a Christian. to deny anything in the word of God that God has said, but to hold it fast. Hold it fast. John Bunyan in his great book that he wrote, Pilgrim's Progress, wrote of the carer that he called, Mr. Standfast. And we're living in days, and I say this sadly, that I know some of my fellow believers are denying the truth that they once professed in keeping the word of God. Hold fast our confession. And as you note, the apostles saying indeed, our faith. And may I give you this thought? The word faith has two meanings in your New Testament. It not only means the action of faith, but it also means the truth that you believe. Be faith. Jew tells us, contend earnestly for the faith which was once and for all delivered unto the saints. My beloved, frankly, it's something to do. Stand fast. And Ephesians and Epistle chapter six, we're told to put on the whole armor of God and stand therefore firm to the truth of God. But note the third thing we're to do. As you read on the same next verse, let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. The third thing to do, let us consider one another and to provoke unto love and to good works. Let us consider one another. What a joy to know. We should consider one. And you're the best way to provoke one another. It doesn't mean you provoke and get mad. Oh, God forbid. No, it's not that. You do something nice for them. It'll provoke them to do something nice, too. It's what it says here. Provoke one another unto love and good works. And beloved, by example, what we do in manifesting toward one another, that love which we should. We provoke one another to good words. And what a joy to realize. In thus doing what the Apostle says, consider one another. You know, you've got a lot of people to consider, haven't you? This poor old man, for instance, too, you've got to consider him. this old brother that old old sister that young sister that young brother look whether old or young let me give you the thought we're living in days when we're not considering one another as we should sometimes the consideration is given to only a few either to the old or either to the young and it should be to all who belong to the Lord consider one another to provoke unto love and good work. You read First Timothy chapter five and you have the most beautiful thing in the beginning of that chapter where the dear beloved apostle writes to Timothy, look at the old man as elders, look at the old women as mothers, look at the young sisters with all purity and the young brethren in all love. And I want to tell you, when God looks at his family, he says, I don't want any partiality between one another. Provoke one another unto love and to good worth. Consider the old reverend, the older man, as being, as he says, respected. He's not speaking of elders in that official capacity, as you may think, but the older men, the older women, consider them as mothers. Let me ask the question of you. Young Christians, do you consider your old sister in the Lord as a mother? That should be your attitude toward her. The older brother is a father. And the younger is a real brother. And a young woman has a sister with all purity. I tell you, we've got a responsibility. Consider one another. But then go further. Number four, as you find as we go on in verse twenty four. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of psalmist is the fourth responsibility. Don't neglect the prayer meaning. Don't neglect the worship meaning. Don't neglect any meaning. That is the meaning of the assembly according to the word of God. not forsaking the affirming of ourselves together. As the manner of some is. My beloved is home sadly too true. I wonder, now this is an example that I know has often done. This last Sunday there was, what did they call it again, that Super Bowl football game? I guarantee a lot of Christians missed their church service because of that. In fact, I've known that some are doing it in the past. Now, my fellow believe me. I put it before. It's not my book. I didn't write these words. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a manner of some. And I'll tell you frankly, the Lord's got the regular of how faithfully you attended the meetings. And gather together with his people. But then that's, go on last. And you know what he says at the end. But exhorting one or another, meaning encouraging one another, encouraging one another. Believe me, I say, you can encourage me, I can encourage you. We all should be encouraging to one another, not discouraging. Oh, I think of some conditions that have taken place, perhaps even here, where some believe they've been discouraged instead of encouraged. encouraging one another. Now let me sum it all up. Summarize it all up. Three things we have. Very important. I'm not mentioning them in detail again. Five things to do. They're just as important too. But note at the end of the last twenty-fifth verse. The more so as you see what? The Lord's coming. The day's approaching. The day's approaching. We used to sing an old hymn, my young days. When Jesus comes to reward his servants, whether it be noon or night, faithful to him, will he find his watching with our lamps all trimmed and bright. Oh, can we say we are ready, brother, ready for the soul's bright home? Say, will he find you and me, still watching, waiting, waiting when the Lord shall come. Now let me leave it with you. I thank God for the message from my own soul. Three things we have. Five things to do. Shall we pray? Oh, beloved Father, we think of thy words in chapter four of this epistle in verse twelve and thirteen. For the word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. Even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, the joints are narrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. For all things are open and naked to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. We bow humbly at the close of this study, Lord. We pray that the sword of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, will pierce our heart. our consciences correct our lives if necessary and help us to enjoy what we've seen three things that we have and to do the five things we should commend ourselves to the and we thank the Lord you brought us together tonight in thy presence may we go out of thy presence blessed abundantly and devoted In heart to the Lord Jesus our Saviour. For his honour and glory to live in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you. The Lord bless you.