You take your Bibles, turn with me if you would to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10 in a minute. We're going to read verses 19 down through verse 25. Hebrews chapter 10. And we're going to read verses 19 through 25.

We're going to focus this morning on those last two verses but I'm going to bring it in the context a little bit for you before we get there. So, Hebrews chapter 10 beginning in verse 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith. Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful the promise and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and the 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.

Now, let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day, for this opportunity to worship you here together. We thank you Lord for your word and the wonderful message that it brings to our hearts today. We pray the holy spirit would take it and use it to do a wonderful work. Lord, that you would refine us, that you would help to grow us, and transform us into the image of Jesus Christ.

And that Lord, we would submit ourselves to your purpose and to your way. And Lord that you would be magnified in our lives and in this church, we do pray. In Jesus name, amen. It begins in verse 19. Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh and having a high priest over the house of God.

This is the introduction to the following verses and three commands that follow it to begin with let us. This is an important point to make before we get to verse twenty four and twenty five. Since we can now have boldness and we can now have confidence entering into the presence of God to worship him, to serve him, in prayer, through the new and living way that Christ has made. What was that new and living way? That is through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on Calvary's Cross for the sins of not just Israel but the whole one but the whole world.

That's the new way versus the old way which is the old covenant by which Israel had to bring sacrifices to a temple that had to be given to a priest and could not enter into the holiest of holies because of the what? The veil, the curtain that stood between them and God and when Jesus Christ died on a cross, he rent the curtain in the temple from the top to the bottom because he made a way through his blood for all of us to come through his ministry as our high priest, whoever lives to make intercession for us, to come boldly before the what? The throne of grace to receive mercy and help in time of need. That is the the new and living way that we have in Christ Jesus. It is so much better than the old covenant to be part of the new.

That leads us to three commands that follow. The first one is this, since this is now true of us, the church, under the new covenant, let us first of all, 22, draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Since we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we can approach God with with confidence and let us do it sincerely with a sincere heart full of faith. God invites us to draw near to him. The illusion is again back to the temple.

They couldn't draw near to him because of the veil but the veil has been ran into and God now says, now that it has been, let us what? Let us draw near to God. Let's not stay distant from God. As Christians and children of God, we can draw close to God every day in prayer and through his word and in his service. And we need to and we must.

God says, let's do that now. Sincerely from our heart and let's do it in full assurance that the veil has been rent and we can draw near unto God. Number two, let us hold fast. Look if you would in verse 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised.

Hold fast means to retain, seize, grasp with all your might. Since we have this new and living way in Christ Jesus, since Christ has died for us and rent the veil into, let's approach him and let's hold fast to him in our faith. We can have confidence, confident. We have a confident hope in Jesus Christ and one which need not and should not waver. Why?

Because we are always faithful. I wish. But because he is always faithful. He was faithful to come. He was faithful to die, to rise again, and he's faithful as he sits at the right hand of the father to intercede in behalf of all those who come to him by faith.

He says, he that cometh to me, I will in no wise what? Cast down. Come to me all you that labor in heavy laden. I will give you rest because God has demonstrated that he is faithful and we know that he will not fail to keep all of his good promises towards us, his children. We can hold fast in confidence to that to that promise that he has made.

Second Timothy one twelve, Paul says, I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. I believe what Paul is talking about is his soul. He has committed his soul to the Lord and Paul was confident that God was going to what? Keep him and that strengthened his faith. We can hold fast because he is faithful.

We can be confident of our position and security in Christ and can and must hold fast to our faith in Christ without wavering. First John five said 13, these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the name of the son of God. What is John saying? You that have put your faith in Christ, you can what? No.

You can be confident in your faith and confident in your Lord. So, keep on believing and grow in that faith every day. So, we are commanded to trust in him who always does as he has promised. To hold in, hold to him in full assurance that he has a firm hold on who? That he has a firm hold on us.

So, let us draw near. Let us hold fast to our Lord and then let us number three verse 24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and the good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting, encouraging one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. This is where we want to sit here for just a few minutes. Let us consider who? Who are we to consider?

Help me out. One One another, okay? We are to consider one another. We are to draw near to God. We're we're to consider him.

We're to hold fast to our faith in him because we know that he is faithful but we are also to think about one another. Now, who's the one another? Well, the one another is their brethren in the church. Their fellow Christian brethren. So, consider one another, revoke on the love and good works, and not forsaking the what?

The assembling of ourselves together is the manner of some is. So, when we read this verse, what phrase do we usually center on? What catches our attention? Not what? Forsaking the assembling of ourselves.

Yeah. That's what catches our attention and so, over the last couple months, we haven't been able to assemble together and so that's been on some of our minds. This is okay temporarily but we don't want this to keep what? To keep on going because God says to not forsake the assembling of yourselves together. It is his will and that's true it is.

So, since we are now able together and worship together, this command is fulfilled, right? No. No. Not necessarily. You see the focus of the command is not the assembling part.

The focus of the command is the provoking, provoking one another what? To love and the good works. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. That's the focus of this passage. Reminds me of Philippians chapter two.

It says there, look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others. One of the characteristics of a child of God is that they should be concerned considerate, sensitive, caring towards others, particularly the brethren. Jesus said, by this shall all men know that you are my disciples by your what? Your love for the brethren. In the midst of hardship and temptation, you have a team.

You have a team to support and assist you. What is that team? The church. A team which gathers to encourage and instruct one another at least each Sunday. And you need to be a part of it if you are a child of God.

A part of it on Sunday, when we meet and also a part of it throughout the week as well. Now, we focus again on that first part when we meet and we should. That's one of the reasons we meet. But we don't have to stop when we go outside the doors of the church. We are still the church.

We are still to provoke one another to what? To love and good works and that can take place over a phone. That can take place through the mail. That can take place on a computer. It can take place by a visit.

It can take place by a card. There's so many different ways. We can and should be exhorting, encouraging, assisting, and stirring up one another. Under love and the good works. That word provoke means to incite or stir up.

Since we all as believers have the same hope and calling as priests and service to God in this world, we need to help one another in our endeavors for Christ. That's one of the main reasons we gather. That's one of the main reasons we join. A local church is so that we can help one another. The purpose of the local church is the glory of God and we fulfill it by our worship and service to Christ both in the meeting and outside of it.

But we cannot. God does not intend for us to do it how? God intends for us to do it with the help and assistance of other believers. We need one another's help and support. Christ knew what he was doing when he declared he would build his what?

His church. Out of Jews and Gentile believers alike. That would meet and assemble and gather and worship and serve and fellowship and teach and encourage and assist one another. He knew that we need the encouragement, the example, and admonition which our fellow believers provide. Yes, we have the Holy Spirit who lives inside of here.

He is our guide and our teacher but God still intends for us to help each other as well. Galatians chapter six verses one and two. Galatians six one and two. Brethren, if any man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such in one in the spirit of meekness. Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Bear you one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. What does it say, bear you what? One another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. What does that tell me? That tells me that God intends for me to help you and you to help who?

Me. And one another. We need each other. God understood that and so God built a church and he builds local churches and he brings believers together that we might strengthen and stir up love and good works and encourage one another in the work of the Lord. Look if you would in first Corinthians chapter 12.

Turn back if you would. First Corinthians chapter 12. We're going to look at verses 12 to 18. First Corinthians twelve twelve to 18. Paul says there, speaking of the local church, he says, for as the body is one and half many members and all the members of that one body, being many are one body, so also is Christ.

Whereby one spirit, we are all, are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles? Whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit. For the body is not one manner, one member but many. If the foot shall say because I am not the hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? That's a rhetorical question.

Obviously not. The foot is still part of the body whether it recognizes or not. Verse 16, and if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body. Is it therefore not of the body? Of course not.

It is part of the body. Verse 17, if the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members, everyone of them in the body as it hath pleased him. God has brought us together.

Whether we're sitting here today in the auditorium or whether we're watching over the internet and website today, God has brought us together as Missouri Avenue Baptist Church and he has put those in the body to assist and help one another in fulfilling the ministry that God has called us to as the church to bring glory to him. To lift up one another and to bring the lost to Jesus. God knows what he's doing. He expects us to work as a team. My son, Joshua, was on the basketball team the last couple of years at school.

No matter how good one or two players may be, they are nothing without the what? Nothing without the team. The team has coaches, managers, players, guards, and forwards. Those who are good on the inside, those who are good ball handlers, those who are tall, those who are good rebounders, those who are good at three point outside shots, those who are there to cheer them on. They are all part of the team and it takes the team to get the job done.

Everyone is important to the team and so are you. God will not draw you here just to take up space. You are part of a team for Jesus. You are here to learn and to grow. Yes, and as you do, to assist in nurturing other believers and encouraging them on the greater things.

What greater things are we encouraging and assisting other believers in? What tells us here unto love and good works. This love that is that comes from who? A love that comes from God. That which the world calls love is usually a temporary feeling which comes and goes.

Often dependent upon what the object of love can do for you. That's the love that the world usually refers to. The love of God is dependent not upon the response of the object of that love but it is dependent upon the power of the holy spirit and on the value that we place in the one we choose to what? We choose to love. This kind of love is described in first Corinthians 13.

Look, if you would in first Corinthians 13 verse four, it should be just across the page or one page over. First third Corinthians 13 verse four. Charity, another word for love, suffereth long and is kind. Charity envieth not. Charity vaunteth not itself is not puffed up.

Doth not behave itself unseemly. Seeketh not her own. Is not easily provoked. Doesn't have a short temper, thinketh no evil. Rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth.

Charity never what? Charity never faileth. Now, what kind of love is that? That's the love that shed abroad in our hearts by who? By the Holy Spirit.

My God who places it there and although it comes from God, it helps us immensely to see that love demonstrated for us. Does it not? I think it does. It helps us immensely to see with our eyes that love demonstrated. We learn that kind of love from good godly parents.

I thank the Lord for my good godly parents that set a good example of what it means to love one another and to love me and to love the Lord and I learned a lot from how they exemplified the love of God. We learn that kind of love, of course, from Christ. Christ is the ultimate example. Of that kind of love. When he left heaven to come and die for you and me.

We also learn it from other Christians. We also learn how to love that way. By watching other Christian brethren. As we experience, experience their unselfish love for us, when we are down, depressed, ill, exhausted, and in need, we learn how to love others in the same fashion. We need each other to provoke one another, to stir up in one another, the love of God, to exemplify it before one another.

There are some people that don't grow up in good homes. There are some people who haven't had those examples. God wants us to be that example. God wants us to demonstrate that in our lives among our fellow believers in Christ that they may see what it means to love. That we may help them.

To learn how to love. That's why we have a church. To provoke one another to love and also to what? What's the second part? To love and to good works.

Also, good works. Good works which result from that love for God and others. Agape love, the love of God is an active love that must be demonstrated in good works or it isn't that kind of love. The kind of love that God has for us. The kind of love that the Holy Spirit places in our hearts for one another is a love that demonstrates and displays itself in actions and good works.

Take for instance, Romans five eight, but God commended. That word commended means demonstrated but God demonstrated his love for us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ did what? He died for us. How do we know God loves us? Not just because he says so but because he did something to demonstrate that love when he sent his son to die on the cross for our sins.

John three sixteen, for God so loved the world and that's the end of the verse, right? No. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That love results in actions in good works. What kind of works does God mean?

The words translated good works here and throughout the New Testament means virtuous deeds, virtuous deeds. Works work which requires something called effort. Or we call work. Work on whose part? Work on our part.

Work on our part. Work good works requires work. It requires effort on our part but effort which would be entirely ineffective apart from the grace and power of who? Without the grace and power of God. We need God to energize us.

We need God to guide us. We need God to burden us and then give us the energy and strength to do the good works that honor him. The Bible says, without him, we can do what? Nothing. We must have him.

Today, if you're here or if you're watching and you are trying to do good works but without Christ, the Bible says, first three verses, first Corinthians 13, your good works are a lot of clanging, simple, and clanging symbol in the ears of God or in first in Isaiah chapter 64, like dirty, filthy, what? Rags before God. We must be cleansed by the blood of Christ. We must be filled with the holy spirit that we might do good works that do honor our God. Actions which demonstrate love for God.

Go through a list quickly here today and we're going to look at this list more closely in our Sunday evening services to come. Actions which demonstrate love for God, loyalty in the face of persecution, confessing our failures, and forsaking our sin, holiness in the face of temptation and enticement, earnest and often communication with God, Study and meditation upon his words. Obedience to his express will. Sacrifice of things temporal for that which is eternal. Faithful and tireless service for Christ.

These are works which demonstrate our what? Our love for God. They are what kind of works? They are good works. The word translated good can also be translated beautiful.

And that's what they are in the eyes of God. They're beautiful. But actions are works which also demonstrate love for others. For instance, being honest with your neighbor, choosing forgiveness rather than revenge, choosing kindness rather than insults, Choosing to help rather than ignore. Choosing to share the gospel rather than shrink in fear.

Choosing to intercede in behalf of our enemies in prayer. Choosing to place their needs before ours. Choosing to submit when appropriate, choosing humility instead of stubborn pride and we could go on. These are just a few descriptions of good works that come forth out of a love for who? A love for others.

And where do we see these good works exemplified? We see them in Christ. We see them in scripture and we see them in. One another. We see them in one another.

Where can we go and who can we hang out with to learn what our good works? What are not? But through other Christians who show us and teach us what it means to be people of good works. Thus, we must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together but must find ways to encourage and to exhort one another on to greater heights in our faith, in our love, and in our service to God and others. Particularly, as it tells us here as we see the day of Christ return approaching.

Sometimes, as you think the end is coming, it's easy to to sit back, say, well, it's it's it's almost here. Or it's easy to give up. Say, well, there's nothing I can do. But as we see the day approaching, when we see the day of Christ return drawing near, we need to be more zealous, not less. In our service to the Lord and our assembling together and our exhortation of one another.

We must hold the fort till he comes and will take all of us by his grace to do it. Christ Church will never be vanquished by the enemy. The gates of hell will what? Not prevail against it. But whether Missouri Avenue Baptist Church continues until Christ return, that depends largely on the faithfulness of its members.

Can I count on you? Can God count on you? Not just to be here from time to time but to learn and grow and participate and to minister to others. You know, some of you have been doing that even while we have been. Part.

Some of you sent me letters from birthday cards. Many of you did or text. Some of you even drove by my house. Thank you for that. Let the whole neighborhood know I had turned 50.

You've been checking on one another You've been helping one another That must not stop. No, it needs to do what? It needs to expand. And not stop as we start gathering together again. This is how we keep this command, not just coming and sitting in a pew but by considering who?

One another. To provoke unto love and to good works. To exhort and encourage. One another. Before we conclude, there's just one more question.

Are you a part of the church? Not just Missouri Avenue Baptist Church but are you part of God's family? There's only one way to become part of God's family and that's through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who gave his life for you, the one who sits at the right hand of the father and invites you to come to him today. Behold, today is the day of salvation. Will you trust Christ today, he invites you to come boldly and in faith and full assurance to him.

He will show you mercy. If you will humble yourself before him today and receive him and if you are a child of God already. How are we doing? With exhorting and encouraging and provoking one another to love and the good works. Maybe we can do a better job.

And now would be a good time to talk to God about that. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord. For this time that you've given us, we could come together today. Thank you Lord for what you did for us.

There would be no church without Jesus Christ. There would be no eternal life if it weren't for your resurrection. There would be no salvation if you were not at the right hand of the father interceding in our behalf through your blood. There would be no power in serving the Lord were it not for the holy spirit that you sent. To fill us and use us and help us and Lord, you've also given us each other and Lord, I pray that we would do a better job.

In being there for one another. When we're here assembled and when we're not, let us be praying for one another. Lord, remind us to pray for one another. Remind us to be sensitive to what's going on the lives of others that we might encourage them. Admonish them or help them.

Whatever the case may be. Lord, that this church's testimony might shine brightly for Jesus Christ. Might bring glory to the name of Jesus, our savior, and many souls into your kingdom. In Jesus precious name, we do pray.