Hebrews 10 - Why You Need To Go to Church and Be in a Small Group! And This is Not a Guilt Trip!

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 10

In chapter 10, the author continues the theme of Jesus' once and for all sacrifice, which is far superior to the daily sacrifices the priests in the temple offered. God even became frustrated with those sacrifices because they did not change the people's hearts, they just keep on sinning and not trusting in Him. 

In this chapter, he also writes of the suffering these early Christians went through and encouraged them to keep on persevering. Apparently these Christians were tempted to go back to the Law, after they had received the promises of Christ's grace. They were taking grace lightly and returning to sin. The writer shows how outlandish this is having received grace only to return to sin. We call this "cheap grace" today.

Finally, he encourages them to not neglect meeting together, as some are doing, but to encourage each other all the more as the day of the Lord comes near. The author realized that their return to sin, and or going back to the Law, could be mitigated by their being in community and fellowshipping together on a regular and consistent basis. 

4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

The temporary nature of the temple sacrifices are shown by the fact that they could never really take away the sins of the people. 

8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law

God doesn't desire our sacrifices if they are not accompanied by a change in our hearts. He would rather not have them at all. The sacrifices weren't bad in and of themselves, but the sacrifice God desires the most is a willing and broken heart. Psalm 51:16-17 says, 

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

Jesus' body, his own flesh and blood, was what made his sacrifice the end all of previous sacrifices. 

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. v14

The other difference in Jesus' sacrifice for us is that it has "made us holy". The Israelites could never be made holy, but we are "perfected" or "made holy" by what Jesus has done for us. When God sees us, he sees us as "perfect" because Christ lives in us. This is different than the perfect the world strives for. 

“This is the covenant I will make with the after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

The new covenant is superior, because God has written in on our hearts. The old stone tablets couldn't do it, but the Spirit given us are the living tablets of His commands. 

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

This is a really important verse not only for the book of Hebrews but also for the whole New Testament. The hope we have, we hold on to in faith. The hope we have is in what Jesus did for us on the cross. We can have confidence in this hope because of what he did for us backed by His promise. He is faithful and which can count on that a 1000 times. This is why we can come to God at any time, even when we have sinned, and be confident that we can be cleansed, forgiven, and sent forth in peace. 

This also underscores the importance of why we meet together on a regular basis at church on Sunday and during the week in a small group. We need each other to remind each other of what Jesus has done for us and what he has promised to do. 

Do you attend church on a weekly basis? Are you in a small group where you can be encouraged and reminded of what God has done for you in Christ? 

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left. verse 26

This is a warning for Christians who "deliberately" and "willingly" go back to sin after becoming a Christian and receiving the Holy Spirit. I don't think this is saying that we lose our salvation if we do this, but we are are going back to the lie of being justified by works. There is no sacrifice for someone who goes back to works because they are not relying on the grace of God.

David Guzik says this about this verse, 

In a sense, every sin is a “willful sin.” But here, the writer to the Hebrews spoke of something much more severe and relevant to these discouraged Jewish Christians who contemplated a retreat from a distinctive Christianity and a return to Judaism with its sacrificial system. This is turning your back on Jesus.

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.

The writer reminded them of their courageous faith they had when they were being persecuted. This would help them to see why returning to sin made no sense. They had been very faithful in the midst of extreme trials for the sake of Jesus, so why would they go backwards. The assumption here might also be that the persecution was not so heavy any more. 

36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.”

Take some time today to encourage someone who is struggling their faith or facing trials. Certainly we need to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East! And .... make sure you get to church tomorrow! LOL