Living With Confidence (Hebrews 10:19-25)
The sermon outline can be found here in the ministry guide.
The title of this sermon could sound like a motivational talk. Google “live with confidence” and we may plenty of advice on how to boost our self-confidence. Many of us wrestle with performance anxiety, perfectionism, and the fear of not measuring up. Many of us struggle with stress and self-doubt. Even seemingly successful people experience “imposter syndrome”. Despite our apparent achievements, we can still feel like incompetent and unqualified frauds. How confident are we feeling this morning?
We tend to understand confidence as a sense of self-confidence. Basically, it has to do with being sure of ourselves. The Cambridge Dictionary defines confidence as “a feeling of having little doubt about ourselves and our abilities”. Hence, to be confident means to have faith in yourself, that you can do it.
Biblical confidence is being sure of Jesus. It doesn’t look within for inner strength, but it looks outward to our only Saviour. If we trust in Him, our lives should reflect our confidence in Christ.
When it comes to spiritual matters, do we think about confidence in a similar way? Is ourassurance based on how much (or little) we’re doing? How might our confidence be shaken when we stumble into sin or go through seasons of suffering? How much of our confidence is actually confidence in ourselves? The author of Hebrews wants us to realise that living with confidence means being confident in Christ. Biblical confidence is being sure of Jesus. It doesn’t look within for inner strength, but it looks outward to our only Saviour. If we trust in Him, our lives should reflect our confidence in Christ.
So far, we’ve seen how “Jesus is better” is the main theme of Hebrews. Jesus is better than the prophets, angels, and Moses because he is God’s Son. Jesus is better than Joshua, for he saves us into a better rest. Jesus is better than the Old Testament priests and sacrifices, because his single sacrifice is sufficient to establish a better covenant with better hope. But, so what if Jesus is better? What difference will it make to our lives?
Live out our confidence in Christ by drawing near, holding fast, and encouraging one another.
Our text marks the start of a new section in Hebrews. Having shown us how Jesus is better, the author now turns from theology to application to help us live out the truth. Our passage has two main parts. The first part gives us two reasons for our confidence in Christ. The second part consists of three exhortations urging us to live in light of our confidence. This is the big idea: Live out our confidence in Christ by drawing near, holding fast, and encouraging one another.
Christ is our confidence (Heb 10:19-21)
Our passage begins with two reasons why we can be confident. Both are focused on who Jesus is and what has done. Our assurance does not ultimately depend on us. So, regardless of our circumstances, experiences, or emotions, although we may be struggling, we can still be confident. We may not always be sure of ourselves, but we can always be sure of Jesus.
The first reason that Christ is our confidence because He is the better sacrifice. Jesus came to do his Heavenly Father’s will by offering Himself obediently as a sacrifice for sin. The “blood of Jesus” (Heb 10:19) refers to His death on the cross. Because we have sinned against the holy and righteous God, we deserve His wrath against us. But God, who abounds in love, grace, and mercy, sent His Son to save sinners. Jesus bore God’s judgment in the place of sinners like us, that we might be forgiven if we repent and believe in Him.
What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus
By the blood of Jesus, our guilty consciences are cleansed. We are made holy. Jesus makes us right with God. He has opened the way for us to “enter the holy places” (Heb 10:19)—not an earthly tabernacle or temple, but the very presence of God. We can come boldly to God, who welcomes us because of what Jesus has done.
In the layout of the tabernacle and temple, a veil or curtain separated the holy place from the most holy place. The high priest could enter the most holy place only once a year, on the annual Day of Atonement. He would pass through the curtain, which symbolised the separation between holy God and unholy sinners. But when Jesus died on the cross, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” (Mk. 15:38). Jesus’ flesh was literally torn to reconcile God and sinners. Praise God that we can now come to him through His Son, Jesus!
Under the new covenant, we are fully and finally forgiven. God remembers our sins no more.
Jesus has opened for us “the new and living way” (Heb 10:20). It is “new” because Jesus has established a new covenant relationship between us and God. By His once-for-all offering for sin, Jesus has done away with the sacrifices of the old covenant. Under the new covenant, we are fully and finally forgiven. God remembers our sins no more. Thanks to Jesus’ single, all-sufficient sacrifice, there is no longer any offering for sin.
The way is “living” because Jesus has been raised from the dead. Our Saviour lives; He has conquered sin and death. He will return to save those who trust in Him. If we are in Christ, then we can look forward confidently to being resurrected and glorified with Him. Jesus is the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life (Jn. 11:25; 14:6).
This brings us to the second reason — Christ is our confidence because He is the better priest. “We have a great priest over the house of God” (Heb 10:21). Jesus has become a priest “by the power of an indestructible life” (Heb 7:16). Unlike the OT priests, whose service was cut short by death, Jesus ever lives to help and pray for us. Thus, Jesus is “able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:25). Unlike Moses, who was faithful in God’s house as a servant (Heb 3:5), Jesus is faithful over the house of God as God’s Son and promised King.
To be confident in Christ means to have the boldness to approach God through Him for mercy and grace. It is to be assured that God is our Heavenly Father, and we are His beloved children.
This confidence is not self-centred; it is not based on our competence, performance, or accomplishments. It is not due to our virtue or works. It does not depend on how we think or feel, or what we are going through. But this confidence remains steadfast in the storms of life, because it is anchored in Jesus, our better sacrifice and high priest. So, keep trusting in Christ. To be confident in Christ means to have the boldness to approach God through Him for mercy and grace. It is to be assured that God is our Heavenly Father, and we are His beloved children.
Hebrews 10:19-21 recap and sum up what we’ve seen so far in Hebrews concerning Christ. Don’t be content to let these truths remain head knowledge. The “therefore” in Hebrews 10:19 tells us we must apply them and live in light of our confidence in Christ. Like the original readers of this letter, we mustn’t drift away. Don’t take God’s grace and the gospel for granted. Don’t lose heart and lose sight of Jesus. Since Christ is our confidence, how then should we live?
Live out our confidence in Christ (Heb 10:22-25)
From this point on in Hebrews, the author focuses more on application. The rest of the letter will unpack specific ways to live out our confidence in Christ. But here, we have three exhortations in the form of three “let us” commands in Hebrews 10:22-25: Let us draw near (Heb 10:22); let us hold fast (Heb 10:23); let us encourage one another (Heb 10:24-25). This is what it looks to live with confidence in Christ: We live a life of worship by drawing near to God. We live a life of truth by holding fast to the gospel. We live a life of love by encouraging others to press on in Christ.
Let us draw near (Heb 10:22)
Since Jesus has opened for us the new and living way, “let us draw near” (Heb 10:22a). What does it mean to draw near?
We draw near to God in worship, in prayer, and through His word.
We draw near to God in worship. We have been saved to glorify God. “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe” (Heb 12:28). Thanks to Jesus, God accepts our worship because we have been cleansed and made holy. So, praise and thank God for the gospel. Through Jesus, we “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name” (Heb 13:15).
Worshipping God includes gathering regularly with God’s people for corporate worship. As it says in Hebrews 10:25, don’t neglect to meet together. Don’t take our gatherings for granted. If Jesus has given His life so that we can draw near to God, then surely we can make the effort to gather with His people for worship.
But, more than our weekly corporate gatherings, worship is all of life. Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Drawing near to God in worship means devoting our whole person, all the different aspects of our life—whether it’s our singleness or marriage, parenting or childlessness, studies, work or retirement, health, or sickness—to glorify God.
We draw near to God in prayer. Our prayer life may be a struggle. We may be inconsistent and distracted. We may forget what to pray for. We may find ourselves at a loss for words, and our prayers may sound clumsy and inarticulate. But don’t lose heart. Be encouraged to keep praying because Jesus, our great high priest, keeps praying for us. God hears us, not because of the excellence or eloquence of our prayers, but because Jesus ever lives to intercede for us.
We draw near to God through His word. Because God has spoken finally and fully through His Son, we can know God and come to Him. To know God, we must know Jesus. And to know Jesus, we must go to God’s word, the Bible. So, pay closer attention to Scripture, which is able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ. We know God by knowing His word.
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your holy Word
We draw near with sincerity, certainty and holiness.
So, draw near to God in worship, in prayer, and through His word. We’ve thought about what we do to draw near; now let’s consider how we draw near. Firstly, we draw near with sincerity: “with a true heart” (Heb 10:22). The heart refers to who we really are on the inside—our thoughts, attitudes, motivations, desires, affections, and will. We’re not merely going through the motions of external religion, but our devotion to God is inward, flowing out from our heart to our words and actions.
Secondly, we draw near with certainty: “in full assurance of faith” (Heb 10:22). This is not a proud, self-righteous sense of entitlement. Rather, it’s a humble, joyful certainty that is the fruit of faith, because we trust in Jesus to save us. We can, therefore, be sure God will not turn us away when we come to Him.
Third, we draw near in holiness: “with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22). Who shall come into God’s holy presence? One who has clean hands and pure heart (Ps. 24:4). Only Jesus can make us truly clean. He has cleansed our consciences and removed our guilt. The washing of our bodies probably refers to baptism, which is the outward sign of inward spiritual cleansing. Baptism is a picture of how our old sinful nature has been crucified with Christ, and how we have also been raised with Him to new life. So, beloved, don’t let our fears or doubts keep us away from God. Thanks to Jesus, we can confidently draw near to Him.
Hold fast (Heb 10:23)
Since Jesus is our confidence, “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering” (23a). Just as we are to live a life of worship, we are to also live a life of truth. “Confession” here refers to how we affirm our belief in God’s truth. Christians throughout the ages have adopted statements of doctrine known as “confessions of faith” to express what they believe. Some of the earliest Baptist churches in history, for example, adopted what was known as the Second London Baptist Confession in 1689. GBC’s statement of faith is largely based on the Baptist Faith and Message, which was adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in the US in 2000. Sound doctrine is vital for our spiritual health. For this reason, we affirm sections of our statement of faith once a month in our worship services to remind us of what we believe, and how we are to hold fast to the truth.
Here, we are exhorted to hold fast to the hope we have in the gospel. Because of what Jesus has done, we have a sure hope of glory. We look forward fully assured that Jesus will come back to bring us home to be with Him forever in the new heavens and new earth. We shall see Him face to face and share in His joy and glory.
Hebrews repeatedly urges us to hold fast to the truth of the gospel:
We are God’s people “if indeed we hold fast our confidence and boasting in our hope” (Heb 3:6).
“We share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Heb 3:14).
“Since then we have a great high priest… let us hold fast our confession.” (4:14)
Thanks to the truth of God’s promise and His oath, we have “strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us” (Heb 6:18). Therefore, remain steadfast in the gospel. Don’t turn away from Jesus to anything else. He is our true hope. Be faithful “for he who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23b). God will keep His word. His promises of eternal life and glory in Christ cannot fail. So, cling on to our gospel hope, because our God is true and trustworthy.
Encourage one another (Heb 10:24-25)
We need other Christians to spur us to draw near to God, because there will be times when we’d rather run away and hide from Him. We need others to spur us on to hold fast to the truth, because we will be tempted to forsake the gospel for other things we imagine to be “better” than Jesus.
Since Christ is our confidence, let us encourage one another (Heb 10:24-25). This third exhortation tells us we can’t do the first and second exhortations on our own. We need other Christians to spur us to draw near to God, because there will be times when we’d rather run away and hide from Him. We need others to spur us on to hold fast to the truth, because we will be tempted to forsake the gospel for other things we imagine to be “better” than Jesus. Point one another to Christ.
How should we encourage one another? Firstly, think and be intentional about it. This is what the word “consider” (Heb 10:24) means. Be thoughtful about coming alongside our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ to build them up. Don’t be self-centred and focus only on ourselves. Instead, considerothers and how they are doing. Are they struggling with sin or suffering? Are they discouraged by disappointment or doubt? Be a good listener. Think about how we can speak the truth in love, as fits the occasion, that we may give grace to one another. Make time and plans to meet with one another—on Sundays for corporate worship, in small groups during the week, or a meal or coffee on a workday.
Don’t be content to merely pop in and out of service on Sundays. Find ways to do spiritual good to one another. This is a vital part of what it means to be a member of this local church. “Stir up”(Heb 10:24) is a strong word, meaning to provoke. Don’t provoke one another to anger or irritation. Instead, provoke one another to grow in Christ. On our own, we get complacent and lazy. Exhort, motivate, incite, and lovingly poke one another to love and good works through our words, actions, and example. Jesus has saved us from sinful, dead works to do good works that bring encouragement, growth, and life to others.
Second, gather regularly, as Hebrews 10:25a writes, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some”. It looks like even the early church faced the problem of non-attending members. Some had made it a habit of not gathering with the rest of the church for corporate worship and fellowship. Don’t allow absence to become a habit, otherwise our hearts will grow colder towards God’s people .God commands us to come together every Lord’s day for corporate worship. It’s understandable if we can’t do so for health reasons, but if we refuse to gather although we’re able to, then we are disobeying God. If we profess to be a Christian but show no desire to gather regularly with God’s people, then are we really in the faith? How can we claim to follow Jesus if we refuse to meet with, let alone love, His people? “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 Jn. 4:20)
Church attendance isn’t just a religious duty to check off. The goal of gathering is to encourage one another to grow in godliness. Hebrews wants us to see how gathering regularly is necessary for our spiritual wellbeing.
Church attendance isn’t just a religious duty to check off. The goal of gathering is to encourage one another to grow in godliness. Hebrews wants us to see how gathering regularly is necessary for our spiritual wellbeing. We may have heard the saying, “Seven days without church makes one weak.” Indeed, how will we encourage one another if we’re not consistently meeting with one another and hearing God’s word together? We’ll find other ways, some may say. But isn’t this presumptuous of us, since we’re refusing to use the ordinary means of grace God has given us?
Not gathering regularly is selfish. We’re depriving our brothers and sisters of the encouragement we could give them if we showed up. Beloved, let’s not be self-centred in how we think about the church: I’ll go if it’s convenient, if I feel like it, or if I’m not too busy. God wants us to be encouragers, not consumers.
Beloved, our spiritual health and perseverance in the faith is a community project. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, so it takes a church to grow a Christian. In this fallen world, we face many dangers, toils, and snares. We cannot run the race of the Christian life on our own. We need teammates to help us press on till the end. Get plugged into the life of the church; don’t keep one another at a distance. How can we encourage or be encouraged if we don’t know one another?
If you’re a not member of a faithful, gospel-preaching church, then can I encourage you to join a local church for the sake of your own soul? If you’re a member of GBC, then seek to cultivate diverse, spiritual friendships to build one another up. Come on time for corporate worship. Don’t rush off afterwards but linger to get to know and catch up with one another. Talk about what God is teaching you from His word. Pray for God’s help to grow in our practice of love and mutual encouragement. Attend the monthly prayer meetings to hear about the needs and work of the church. Meet with other church members to read the Bible, share life, and pray for each other.
Why encourage one another? Because the time is urgent: “All the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb 10:25b). Our time is getting shorter: Jesus’ return is approaching. When he comes back, there will be the final judgment. Therefore, urge one another to keep pressing on in Christ. Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of us may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb 3:13). Encourage one another to stay true to Christ while it is still the day of salvation. Remind one another of our confidence in Christ. Encourage one another to draw near to God and to hold fast to the gospel. May the Lord Jesus find us faithful on that day.