“Living by Faith” [Matt's Messages]

“Living by Faith”

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus - The Letter to the Hebrews

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

October 4, 2026 :: Hebrews 11:8-19  

Keep going! 

Keep going as a Christian. Keep moving forward in the Christian life. 

That’s the main point of this letter to the Hebrews. Keep going! Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Don’t look back. Don’t fall away. Keep moving forward in your faith in Jesus. Or, as this pastor says in chapter 12, “[L]et us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrew 12:1b-2a NIV).

Keep going. Keep “living by faith.” We all need to hear that because it’s not always easy to keep going.

These apparently primarily Jewish Christians were struggling. They were experiencing hard times because they were associated with Jesus. And they were tempted to stop going. And to go back to what they knew before. But that way was now closed. And the Jesus-way is way better. So this pastor urges them to keep going towards Jesus and living by faith in Jesus. And in chapter 11, the writer tries to ignite and inspire faith in their hearts through the examples of faith at work in the lives of Old Testament believers.

Last time we were in Hebrews, back on Celebration Sunday, we entered into the Hall of Faith.

Hebrews chapter 11 is often called “the Hall of Faith” because faith is the subject of the entire chapter. Twenty-four times it says, “By faith, by faith, by faith, by faith,” and it tells the story of the lives of true believers in the Old Testament that had faith and showed their faith by how they lived. They are this great crowd of examples of faith for the Hebrews then and for us today.

Last time we only made it a few steps into the Hall. We just heard about Abel, Enoch, and Noah. Three “faith-ers” before the Flood. Today, we’re going to look at basically one more person and his wife. But he’s the number one example of faith in the Old Testament.

We often call him the Father of Faith. And his name is Abraham. Abraham’s story looms large in the book of Genesis and is foundational for the whole story of the whole Bible (chapter 12-25)! If you haven’t studied Abraham and his life, today is a good day to start. I believe that the youth group is going to dive into these very chapters of Genesis tonight. What perfect timing! So, let’s take a few more steps of faith into this Hall with Father Abraham.

Do you remember what we learned about faith last time, in the first seven verses. What faith is? We learned that faith is confident, commended, essential, and active. 

Faith is confident. Verse 1 says that “...faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” It’s a solid thing. Faith is a solid confidence in what is really real. It’s not just wishful thinking or a religious feeling. It’s a deep knowledge about how things really are. No matter how they seem! We’re going to see that today in Abraham and his family.  Faith is confident. 

And faith is commended.  Every one of these believers in chapter 11 is getting commendation (from God!) for believing in Him. That’s why they make the list. Wait until you see the commendation in verse 16! Wow!

And faith is essential. Verse 6 said, “...without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” And so the opposite is then true. With faith it is possible to please God! We can please God just simply through living by faith.

And faith is active. That means that if you truly believe, it comes out in the way you behave. 

Abel worshipped in sacrifice by faith.

Enoch walked with God by faith.

Noah built an ark by faith.

There’s a pattern through this whole chapter we noted last time:

God says to do something. It seems kind of crazy (like build an ark).

The ancient believer actively does what God says by faith.

They are rewarded. If not at first, then at last.

Faith is active. If you truly believe, it comes out in the way you behave. And we’re going to see that in the life of Abraham. Let’s look at verse 8.

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

I’ve got three points this morning from the life of Abraham (and Sarah!) that describe for us what it means to live by faith. Here’s number one.

#1. OBEYING.

Living by faith means obeying the commands of our Lord.

Hebrews takes us back to the book of Genesis chapter 12 and reminds us that Abraham was not from Canaan. Abraham was from Ur of the Chaldees in ancient Mesopotamia. Modern day Iraq. He was a pagan who worshipped idols. And one day, the LORD, the Creator God of the Universe revealed Himself to Abraham. The God of glory appeared to Him and said, “Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you” (Genesis 12:1, see also Acts 7:2-3).

And Father Abraham did just that! He obeyed. He got up gathered his stuff and left town. He was 75 years old. And he had no idea where he was going. He had never been there. He had never visited on a website. He never used Google Maps or Regrid to check it out first. He just heard God and obeyed.

That’s faith. Faith is active. And it’s obedient. And it can seem a little crazy. I’ll bet that Abe’s neighbors thought that he was going “cuckoo.” Here he was in retirement age moving hundreds of miles away, sight unseen. But that’s what God said. So Abraham was being obedient.

If you truly believe, then you truly obey.

How are you doing at this right now? Are you showing your faith through your obedience? God does not command us all to move away somewhere sight unseen. But He does command us all to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. He does command us all to show hospitality to strangers, to remember those in prison, to honor marriage, to keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what we have (see Hebrews 13:1-5). Those are counter-cultural commands. We will look weird if we do them. But if we obey them, it will show that we are living by faith.

Now, whenever God commands us to do something, He is always providing a promise to go with it. Either implicit or explicit. When God commanded Abraham to get up and go, He also gave him a set of promises. We call them the Abrahamic Covenant. 

Does anybody remember what are the three major promises of the Abrahamic Covenant?

Land

Offspring

Blessing

God said in Genesis 12, “[Abram,] Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (vv.1-3).

And Abraham believed God and left. That’s why he left! He believed in these promises. He was sure of what he hoped for and certain of what he did not see.

And did not see.

And did not see.

And did not see.

That’s point number two this morning.  Living by faith means...

#2. WAITING.

Living by faith means waiting for the promises to fully come. Look at verse 9.

“By faith he [Abraham] made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (vv.9-10). Stop there.

So, Abraham believes God, obeys God, moves to the land that he has been promised, and...does not get the promised land! He never inherits the land. And verse 9 says neither did his son Isaac or his grandson Jacob. 

Spoiler. They never do in the whole book of Genesis! Do you remember this? Do you remember how much land they own, actually own, in Canaan at the end of the book of Genesis? Just a burial plot. Just a little cemetery.  No, they never got to put down roots. They lived in tents. {Not I-N-T-E-N-S-E, though it was intense like that as well.} But in tents. Camping. They stayed in campers the entire book of Genesis. In the Promised Land! 

Imagine if God promised you the entire State of New York. The Lord comes to you and tells you that you and your family after you are going to inherit the entire State of New York. And you need to go home today, pack up, and head up there now. And then you don’t move into the governor’s mansion in Albany. You don’t take over City Hall in New York City. You don’t even get to build a log cabin anywhere in the woods upstate. You have to camp and then camp some more and camp so more. And then when somebody asks you to leave that camp ground, you have to go to the next one. And then next one. You, your son, and your grandson. It’s like you don’t belong there, and yet God said that it was going to be yours.

Living by faith means waiting by faith.

And wandering by faith.

And weirding by faith (looking weird). Abraham looked weird to the Canaanites. Not just to the people he left, but the people he lived among in Canaan. 

He lived like a “stranger in a foreign country.” And so must we. Do you live like a stranger? I don’t mean do you live in a tent? Our son Andrew lived in a tent from April to September this year. But I mean do you live with a different set of values from the people around you? Or do you act just like them? Do you live obediently to the Lord and His commands? Are you believing the Lord and His promises?

Abraham did. And he did it patiently. Because he trusted God and knew that even the promised land was not ultimate. Look again at verse 10. He could live like a stranger... “For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

Abraham’s faith could, in some mysterious way, see beyond the Promised Land to what the Promised Land stands for–the Kingdom of God in all of its fullness. Now, we don’t know how much Abraham would have understood all of that or could have articulated it, but Hebrews says that when Abraham was trusting God for Canaan-land, he was, in his heart, ultimately trusting God for “the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” Himself.

Isn’t that beautiful language? It says that he was “looking forward.” That’s the same word we saw last chapter for “waiting” as in Jesus is waiting to return to us and bring heaven to earth (see 10:13).

Yearning. Expecting. Longing. Abraham was waiting, waiting, waiting for the kingdom to come. It when it does, it will be glorious! And unshakable (see 12:28). That’s worth waiting for!

Are you waiting? We learned in chapter 9, that you know you are ready if you are waiting. Well, here we learn that, that you know you have faith if you are patiently waiting for the promises to be fulfilled.

So, that’s the land promise. What were the other two? Offspring and blessing.

In verse 11, he turns to offspring. How many children did Abraham and Sarah have when they left Mesopotamia at age 75?

Zero. They were promised millions! They had zero. And they waited. And they waited.

And they struggled to wait. They tried to work around God. Read about their sinful choices in Genesis 16. They were not perfect in their faith. None of these people in Hebrews 11 were. And when they were told that it was finally going to happen in a year’s time, they laughed (Genesis 17). They wavered in their faith and laughed at God.

You know how old they were? Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 89. When the baby was to be born, Abraham would be 100 and Sarah would be 90. That’s really old for having a baby. It was strange then. Just as it is strange today. We have 4 ladies in our church in their 90's. I don’t think any of them would expect to start having children (again) at this point. And Sarah had gone 9 decades without ever being able to conceive. That’s waiting! Look at verse 11.

“By faith Abraham, even though he was past age–and Sarah herself was barren–was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.”

Now, some of your versions emphasize Sarah here, and I think that’s right. It’s a very difficult sentence to translate from the Greek, and I won’t bore you with all of the details. See me afterwards if you want to know why the NIV switched from “by faith Abraham” (1984) to “by faith Sarah” (2011).

It doesn’t really matter because it’s true either way, and it took both of them for God to do this miracle, and they both had faith. They both “tried for children” once again at ages 89 and 99. [I’m grateful to Amy Peeler’s commentary for helping me see the dynamics here most clearly.]

Because God had said! And God did it. Verse 12.

“And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.”

They had a baby! And they named him Isaac, in Hebrew, “He laughs!” They had laughed at first, and God had laughed at last. And now they were laughing now with joy.

They had a baby!

And he had a baby–Jacob.

And he had 12 baby sons.

And they had sons.

Many sons had Father Abraham. Offspring. And we know that the Jews are just the tip of the iceberg of Abraham’s children if you count his children...by faith. I am one of them. And, I hope, so are you. So let’s all praise the Lord!

“Descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.”  

Not that Abe and Sarah got to see all of that. No, they did not. Look at verse 13.

“All these people were still living by faith when they died.”

A more literal translation is “all these people died in faith.” 

Living by faith means dying in faith.  hat’s how much waiting we often have to do. We have wait until after death for so many of God’s promises to be fulfilled. 

Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob all died while waiting. They only got a foretaste of the promises, not a full taste, not the full meal. That’s still to come. Look at verse 13.

“They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.”

Weirdos. Foreigners. Immigrants. Sojourners.

That’s what God’s family of faith is like on earth. We don’t quite belong. 

Do you think of yourself as alien and stranger on earth?

“This world is not my home

I’m just a passin’ through...”

Abraham and Sarah were waiting, waiting, waiting for the promises to come. They could see them. Verse 13 says that they “saw them” but it was really far off. Faith is a kind seeing. It’s seeing what is way out there. It’s not here yet.

Faith sees it coming! Faith is seeing what is not here yet. And welcoming it. Believing that it’s coming and choosing that thing that’s coming over whatever else might be on offer.

That’s point number three and last. Living by faith means:

#3. CHOOSING.

Choosing God over anything and everything else.

Abraham and his family chose to see themselves as “aliens and strangers on earth,” and Hebrews says that’s because they had something better than the Promised Land on the way. Look at verse 14.

“People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. [A homeland. The Greek word is ‘patrida,’ a true home of homes. V.15] If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country–a heavenly one.”

Do you see all of the choosing words in there?

“Looking for”

“Thinking of”

“Longing for”

They had their priorities right. They chose the heavenly country that is on the way over the country that they could see right in front of them. They said, “This not our home. The best is yet to come.”

And they chose to live lives that others would see as weird.

This week, I heard a pastor ask this question, “What are you doing in your life that makes no sense to the world and could only be explained by God?”

 

Are you and I choosing to live as aliens and strangers on earth? Because we are longing for the better country–a heavenly one. 

“I am bound. I am bound. I am bound for the Promised Land.”

“We will feast in the house of Zion.

We will feast and weep no more!”

  

But in the meantime, we do weep. And we wait. And we choose. And keep choosing. 

Do you see how it says in verse 15 that Abe and company were choosing? “If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.”

They didn’t go back to Mesopotamia. They didn’t turn back. They didn’t shrink back.

You see how this relates to what the Hebrew Christians were tempted to do? They were tempted to go "back to Ur." But Hebrews says, “Keep going! Like Abraham, keep going. Choose Jesus. He’s better. He’s better than anything!"

See that word “better” in verse 16? “Better country.” Same word that he’s been using over and over and over again in this book. Jesus is better, and His country is better. And His “city,” Zion, that He has prepared for us is better. Don’t turn back. Keep going. Keep choosing Jesus. 

And God will be pleased! And you will be rewarded. And you will be commended for your faith. Abraham was. Look at this amazing statement in verse 16.

They did not turn back. “Instead, they were longing for a better country–a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

Wow! God is not ashamed to be called their God. He goes by the name, “The God of Abraham.” And that doesn’t bother Him. Because Abraham chose Him. Abraham believed in Him. Abraham trusted Him and obeyed Him and waited for Him. Abraham had faith. And that’s all it takes for God to be pleased. He’ll take care of the rest. He will clean up you. He will solve your sin problem. He will give you righteousness. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. You don’t have to be perfect in yourself for God to be pleased with you or to be unashamed to be your God!

If you have genuine faith, then God is not ashamed to be called your God. In fact, it’s the opposite.

God is pleased to be your God. God is glad to be your God.

Do you believe that? God is glad to be your God? Not because you’re so great, but because He’s so great, and you are choosing Him!

And then, God asked Abraham to choose Him one more time. And it was the biggest test of all. Look at verse 17.

“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’”

This is about Genesis chapter 22. Their laughter about having Isaac was turned to tears because God commanded Abraham, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about” (Genesis 22:2).

What?! This is the only time in the Bible when God asks for a human sacrifice.  (Though we know that He’s ultimately behind another one.) I’m sure that Abraham would have rather died himself than tie up his beloved son and take a knife to him and then burn up his corpse on an altar. It’s unthinkable. 

And God has promised! God had promised to bring more sons through Isaac, and Isaac wasn’t even married yet (see Genesis 21:12). He might have been very young. Isaac is the key to the rest of the promises.

So Abraham has a choice. What’s he going to do? 

He thinks it about it. He believes that God exists (V.6). He believes that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. He knows God. By this time, he’s been walking with God for what, 40 years?

He’s been waiting on God. And He’s seen God work.  He knows God’s power. Isaac was a miracle already. What’s one more miracle? Verse 19.

“Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.”

"God said it. I believe it." So, once again, Abraham obeyed. Once again, Abraham chose God over everything else including what he loved the most.

And took Isaac up that mountain. With the kindling and the knife. And he left the rest of his team behind and told them, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you” (Genesis 22:5).

“I am sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see.”

And he binds Isaac and raises the knife, and God says, “Hold up!”

“‘Abraham! Abraham! ...Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.’ And Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:11-13).

Living by faith means choosing God over anything and everything else.

And when we do, we get God, and He is better than anything else.

So, Christian, keep going.

Keep going.

Keep going.

Keep living by faith.

***

Questions for Group Discussion

1. Re-read Hebrews 11:8-19.

2. What is helping you to “keep going” as a Christian these days? 

3. Why is Hebrews 11 often called, “The Hall of Faith?” What four things did we learn about what faith is in the first seven verses that inform what we learn in this passage? 

4. Why is Abraham often called the “Father of Faith?” What moments in his life exemplify faith for us today? What were moments of his life where he wavered or failed to exemplify faith?

5. Pastor Matt brought out three things that “living by faith” means from this passage. What were they? How are they taught in these verses?

6. Obeying. “If we truly believe, then we will truly obey.” Pastor Matt pointed out that when God commands us to do something, He always provides promises to go with it. What did God promise Abraham? What is He promising us today that will help us to obey Him?

7. Waiting. How hard do you think it was for Abraham and his family to wait for the promises to be fulfilled? How was it especially hard for Sarah? What makes it difficult for us to wait for God to keep His promises today?                           

8. Choosing. Abraham and his family clearly were seen as strangers to their neighbors, and they embraced that identity (v.9, vv.13-16) Are you living as an “alien and stranger on the earth?” Do you seem weird (in the right ways) to your neighbors? “What are you doing in your life that makes no sense to the world and could only be explained by God?” 

9. Pastor Matt was astonished by the statement in verse 16 that “God is not ashamed to be called their God.” Why is that statement so amazing and how does it encourage your heart today? Does it feel too good to be true?  How does it help you to choose faith today?

10. Abraham’s biggest test in life was being asked to offer up Isaac (see Genesis 22:1-18). What did you learn about that test in this message? How did Abraham reason his way to faith and obedience? What can you apply that to your life this week?

***

Messages in this Series:

01. "The Son" - Hebrews 1:1-4
02. "Superior to the Angels" - Hebrews 1:5-14
03. "Such a Great Salvation" - Hebrews 2:1-4
04. "We See Jesus" - Hebrews 2:5-9
05. "Flesh and Blood" - Hebrews 2:10-18
06. "Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus" - Hebrews 3:1-6
07. “Today, If You Hear His Voice” - Hebrews 3:7-19
Bonus Historical Message: The Gift of My Rest - A Fictional Letter of Sabbath Theology
08. "A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God" - Hebrews 4:1-13
09. "Great High Priest" - Hebrews 4:14-16
10. "The Source of Eternal Salvation" - Hebrews 5:1-10
11. "On To Maturity" - Hebrews 5:11-6:3
12. "We Speak Like This" - Hebrews 6:4-12
13. "An Anchor for the Soul" - Hebrews 6:13-20
Bonus Message: "Fix Your Eyes on Jesus" - 2026 West Branch Baccalaureate
14. "In the Order of Melchizedek" - Hebrews 7:1-19
15. "A Priest Forever" - Hebrews 7:20-28
16. "Better Promises" - Hebrews 8:1-13
17. "By His Own Blood" - Hebrews 9:1-14
18. "Cleansed with Blood" - Hebrews 9:15-26
19. "Once" - Hebrews 9:27-28
20. "He Sat Down" - Hebrews 10:1-18
21. "Since We Have a Great Priest" - Hebrews 10:19-25
22. "Do Not Throw Away Your Confidence" - Hebrews 10:26-39

23. "Faith Is..." - Hebrews 11:1-7

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“Faith Is...” [Matt's Messages]

“Faith Is...”

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

The Letter to the Hebrews

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

September 20, 2026 :: Hebrews 11:1-7  

Who all loves Hebrews chapter 11? What a glorious chapter of God’s Word!

I was so pleased to realize that we were going to turn the page into Hebrews 11 on Celebration Sunday 2026. What a beautiful chapter of God’s Holy Word! 

We often call Hebrews 11, "The Hall of Faith!" 

Faith is the subject of Hebrews chapter 11.

The Greek word for “faith” gets used at least 24 times in these 40 verses. 

The author keeps repeating it over and over again for effect:

By faith

By faith

By faith

By faith

And then he announces a name, the name of a key person from the Old Testament (he loves his Old Testament, doesn’t he?!), and he gives a snippet of that person’s life story and what they did “by faith” as an example for us today.

He skips through the entire Old Testament in order–just some highlights–to show how faith was at work in the lives of these Old Testament believers, a great cloud of witnesses. We’re going to spend a few glorious weeks working our way down through it. Today, just the first seven verses. From Creation through the Flood. 

And there is an important reason for this chapter. The writer to the Hebrews wants to build faith in God inside of his readers. He wants them (and us) to believe. He’s telling them (and us), “You can do this.”

You can do this. 

You can do this.

And you should do this.

Believe!

And keep believing.

At the end of the previous chapter, there was a scary warning and a strong encouragement.

He warned the Hebrews against apostasy. He told them, “Do not throw away your confidence” in Jesus because if you do, there will be no sacrifice for sins left for you, and, “It’s a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

A lot of your prayer requests on Tuesday were for your loved ones to turn to Christ or return to Christ because, “It’s a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” A scary warning!

But he also said that he doesn’t think they will fall away. He thinks they are like him (at least most of them) believers. People with genuine faith!

He said, last verse, Hebrews 10:39, “[W]e are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed [in the hands of an angry God], but [we are] of those who believe and are saved.”

That’s us! We are faith-ers. We are those who believe (same word as “faith”)...and are [going to be] saved. And he says, all we have to do is believe, and keep believing, and keep on keeping on believing.  He said, “You need to persevere” in faith (10:36).

Now, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. It is simple. Just believe! But it’s not easy. And it’s probably going to get harder.

These Hebrew Christians had, some of them, been insulted and persecuted and lost their homes and property because they had faith in Jesus. Some had gone to prison (Hebrews 10:32-34). And it was probably going to get harder. Maybe some of them were going to die because they had faith in Jesus. It’s harder to have faith when you are facing trouble like that.

Is it getting harder for you to have faith right now? Are you wondering if it’s worth it? Are you wondering if you’re doing it wrong? Because life is getting harder. If you have faith, isn’t it supposed to get easier?]

So this pastor wants to awaken and nurture enduring faith in his readers, and he turns to his favorite place to do just that–the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament of the Scriptures. 

And he gives us this beautiful description of faith doing its thing. Chapter 11, verse 1.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

I have four points this morning to try to capture what “Faith Is” from this passage. And I’ve picked out four adjectives to describe it. Here’s the first one, and it was the hardest to come up with:

#1. FAITH IS CONFIDENT.

Not confident in yourself. But confident in God and His Word.

Do you see the confidence words in verse 1? “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

That’s actually kind of a hard verse to translate which you can tell from the various ways the English versions word it. But the general gist of it is pretty clear. 

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for...” There is a thing that we don’t have yet. We are hoping for it because God has said that we’ll have it, and we have confidence that we’re going to have it. Your version might even use the word “confidence” there. 

The updated NIV (2011) has, “[F]aith is confidence in what we hope for.”

The New Living Translation says, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen...”

ESV and the NASB say, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for...”

The underlying Greek word is a very solid word. It’s the word “hypostasis,” and Hebrews used it in very first chapter to refer to the very nature of God (see Hebrews 1:3).

That’s why the King James Version says, “[F]aith is the substance of things hoped for...” It’s the essence of the thing.

Or the CSB says, “[F]aith is the reality of what is hoped for...”

I almost picked the word “solid” for this first point. Faith is solid.  True faith rests on something solid and substantial. That’s why it can be so confident!

Same thing with the second half of the verse. The word translated, “certain of what we do not see,” is also a solid word. It’s often translated “proof” (CSB) or “evidence.” King James, “[F]aith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” That’s strong. That’s solid!

These things that God has told us to hope for are not fleeting. They’re not fading. They are not falling apart. They are rock solid and can be counted upon.

And genuine faith...does just that! It counts on them. It rests on them. 

It’s almost like it sees them. Faith is like a way of seeing something that you can’t see yet with your senses. It’s like an ability to perceive something very real that you can’t make out yet with your eyes, ears, nose, or skin. It’s like a way of knowing an unseen reality.

Faith is a solid confidence in what is really real.

Now, our faith can be stronger or weaker. Our confidence can be greater or lesser at times. But if it is true genuine biblical faith, it’s really there. And it’s believing something that is really there. It’s a fact.

Even if you cannot see it. Especially if you cannot see it! Look at verse 1 again.  

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

So faith is not just wishful thinking.

Faith is not just a religious feeling.

Faith is not ignorance about how things really are.

Faith is a deep knowledge about how things really are!

Mark Twain once said something like “Faith is believing what you know ain’t true.”

And that’s the exact opposite of what true faith actually is. True faith is confident in something unseen but totally real.

Now, that’s a lot of words, so let me give you an illustration. Let’s say you’re a little kid and your house catches on fire. That would be scary. But your family has practiced your fire-drills, and you know where you’re supposed to go if there’s a fire. So you go there.

Let’s say you’re supposed to go to a particular window in your house. And you’ve got a big strong Daddy, and he’s got outside first. He’s down on the ground below, and he calls up to you.

And he says, “OK. Come down. Jump into my arms. I’ll catch you.”

But it’s nighttime, and it’s dark, and there is smoke, and you can’t see him.

“Jump into my arms. I’ll catch you.”

Faith jumps. Faith knows that your Daddy is there. He said so. You can’t see him. You haven’t jumped yet. But you know your Daddy.

Faith is a solid confidence in what is really real.

Can you see your Daddy? No, but you can “see” your Daddy! And you jump.

“[F]aith is sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Now faith can be directed forward into the future (that’s what we call “hope”) or backward into the past. There are things we have been told happened, and we believe them by faith, as well. But both kinds of faith are faith in God and His Word.

Most of this chapter is about faith in what God has promised in the future.

And it’s encouraging us to jump into His waiting arms.

#2. FAITH IS COMMENDED.

Look at verse 2.

“This [faith] is what the ancients were commended for.”

Your version might says, “approved” or “obtained a good report.”

And that’s by God! These people were given a good report by God Himself because they had faith. 

The “ancients” here are the believers of the Old Testament.  They trusted God, and they got an divine “attaboy” or “attagirl!” They jumped into their Father’s arms, and the Father hugged them and said, “Well done, faith-filled servants! Well done, my child.”

Hebrews says this over and over again in this chapter. He says it in verse 2, and in verse 4 (two times there!), and in verse 5. And the whole chapter ends by saying it all over again. Verse 39. 

“These were all commended for their faith...”

This pastor can’t get over that. He wants that for himself. And he wants that for them. And I want it for myself, too, and I want it for all of us here, as well. Faith is commended by God!

The faith of these ancient believers was commended by God, and Hebrews commends them to us as examples. (See also Hebrews 6:12-18.)

Today, we’re going to look at the examples of Abel, Enoch, and Noah. They were all commended for their faith.

Now, one of the things I love about these all of these folks in Hebrews 11 is how different they are from one another. Abel, Enoch, and Noah had very different lives from one another. They had very different things they had to do. The whole chapter is very varied!

We, as believers, are not one-size-fits-all. We are different from each other and have different callings in life. But we can all learn from each other and from their ancient examples.

Another thing I love about them is that they were not perfect. Far from it! We don’t know that much about Abel and Enoch and their foibles, but after the flood, Noah got plastered and brought shame on his family. And we’ll see that all of these folks had feet of clay. Some of them had clay up to the neck!

But they also all had faith. And God commended them for it! And we can learn from that.

This makes me think about our ancestors here at Lanse Free Church. Since it’s Celebration Sunday, I think of those 10 charter members who gathered in the home of A.J. Palmquist on February 13, 1892 to start a new church in Lanse, Pennsylvania.

They all spoke Swedish. I wouldn’t have understood a word of that first meeting, but they all had faith. They had confidence in God’s promises. They were sure of what they hoped for and certain of what they did not see.

They couldn’t see us! They couldn’t have known that 175 of us would be gathering this morning and getting our picture taken and talking about them and their faith. But they knew their God! They knew their Daddy, and they jumped! And we can learn from their example.

And I think about the 7 members who “re-founded” our church 61 years ago in 1965. When attendance had dwindled, and they had to decide whether or not to close the doors for good or to reach out in faith.

And we can learn from their example.

And we can be an example to others. Have you thought of that? Those folks didn’t know that they were setting an example for us here today, but they were. And you and I don’t know who is going to follow us in faith. So, just like them, let’s trust God and live for His commendation.

Look at verse 3.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

This is the first time of 18 times that he says “By faith,” and interestingly, though it goes back to the beginning, the people who have the faith in verse 3 are...you and me.

“By faith we...” That’s this pastor, the Hebrews, and...us! “We understand...” Faith is a kind of knowing. We are confident. We understand that the universe was formed at God’s command.”

Let me ask you. Were any of you here at creation? When God made the world? Anybody that old here? I’m old, but not that old!  This writer was not there. None of the Hebrews were. We all have to take it by faith that God said, “Let there be...” and there was.

The Youth Group just read Genesis chapter one last Sunday.

This is faith directed backwards. It’s not hope because it’s already happened. But it is faith because we can’t see it.

Now, to be clear, there is evidence for this. There’s all kinds of evidence from what God made that God made it. But nobody was there to see it, and He made it out of nothing, too.

“What was seen was not made out of what was visible.”

I believe that. Do you?

And, of course, those who do not believe in divine creation believe whatever they believe by faith, as well. Because they weren’t there either. So the question is, “Who are you going to believe?”

I believe in the God of the Bible and that He created everything that is. As the Creed says, “All things visible and invisible.” Whether it was 14 billion years ago with a “big bang” or 6 thousand years ago with a ready-made fully-formed world in 6 literal days, I believe God commanded it to be, and it was. I’m confident of that. To me, it’s a fact.

Then, he names a first person. He skips over Adam and Eve–probably because of the whole “Fall of Humanity” thing. Not that they didn’t have faith, but they weren’t the best examples to start with it. And he goes to their son Abel. Look at verse 4, and look for that word “commended.” Verse 4.

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.”

Now, I could preach a whole sermon on each of the people in this chapter. Each of their stories is worthy of our attention. I think our youth group is going to read Abel’s story tonight! It might be good for all of us to take some time this afternoon and read their stories in Genesis. Abel and his brother Cain are in Genesis chapter 4.

They both brought sacrifices to offer to God. This was, apparently, their God-given form of worship at the time. We don’t know that much about it. It’s before the Tabernacle and Levitical Priesthood and all of that.

But they both brought sacrifices, both from their respective worlds of work. Abel was a shepherd and brought something from his flock. Cain was a farmer and brought something from his field. We don’t know if Cain should have brought a blood sacrifice as well. We are not told.

What we are told in the story was that God was happy with Abel and his sacrifice and unhappy with Cain and his. 

And Hebrews says that difference was faith. Perhaps Abel’s sacrifice, as a blood sacrifice, was a better shadow of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ to come. And he knew that and Cain knew better, too. But it doesn’t say that. It says that when Abel brought his, he had faith. He knew God. He saw what was unseen. He trusted God. He had confidence in God’s promises. He jumped into his arms with his sacrifice. And God commended his faith. It says it twice in verse 4. Same word for “when God spoke well of his offerings.” That’s commendation.

But Cain did not have the same faith. And how do we know? Because Cain got angry about it and killed his brother. The first murder was a fratricide–a brother killing.

So let me ask you: Does faith work?

Which one of these guys had faith? Which one lived and which one died? Abel trusts God and gets murdered.

Hebrews is not saying that if you trust God, then everything is going to be okay.

If you trust God, then the cancer will not return.

If you trust God, then the divorce will not be final.

If you trust God, then they won’t take your house.

No, it’s not saying that at all.

Remember, following Jesus is often costly. But it’s always worth it. It’s worth it just to be commended by God! And look what it says in verse 4. “And by faith, [Abel] still speaks, even though he’s dead.” His blood cries out for justice. And his example of faith cries out for us to believe God, too. “Keep going,” Abel says. “You can do this. It’s worth it! Even if you die.”

And then, look at Enoch. This a few generations later, a descendent of Abel’s brother Seth. Enoch’s story is in Genesis chapter 5. It’s our verse 5.

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.”

There’s that word, “commended” again. Enoch never died. Isn’t that amazing?! The Bible says he lived for 365 years, and at the end of that time, God just took Him up. He just “translated” Enoch into His presence. It’s a mystery and a miracle. Most people in the Bible (except for Enoch and Elijah) died. Chapter 9 said that we’re all destined to die (v.27).

But not Enoch! The Bible says that he “walked with God then he was no more, because God took him away” (Genesis 5:24). And Hebrews says, “That’s faith.” That walking with God for hundreds of years was faith.

Now, which of these guys should we be like? Abel or Enoch? 

Both, of course! Be like Abel. Offer a true heart of worship, no matter what. And be like Enoch. Walk with God by faith. You might die. And you might not die. Doesn’t matter. Trust God either way. Jesus died! And He came back from the dead. Enoch trusted God, and he never died. But he was commended. Verse 5. “He was commended as one who pleased God.”

Oh, I want that to be said of you and me! And here’s what it takes to please God. Verse 6.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

#3. FAITH IS ESSENTIAL.

Faith is necessary. Faith is required.  He says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”  So if you want to be commended, and you want to please the Lord, you’ve got to exercise faith. You’ve got to trust Him. Nothing else will do.

Some people try to impress God by working really hard. Doing good works. Giving money to the poor. Going to church. Keeping their nose clean. 

Those things might be things you do by faith. But if you aren’t doing them by faith then they are worthless. It’s not just difficult to please God without faith. It’s impossible. It’s not just that you have to work harder and longer to please Him. It is not something that can be done. Faith is indispensable. Because God deserves the glory. And He gets the glory through our faith. Look at verse 6 and see why faith is so essential.

“...because anyone who comes to [God] must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

To please God, you have to believe that He exists.

That makes sense! If you don’t have a settled conviction that God is real, then He’s not going to be very pleased with you. We can’t see God, but we can be certain of what we do not see!

Do you believe that God exists?  Good!

Now, that’s necessary but not sufficient. The demons believe that God exits and they hate it (see James 2:19). But you’ve got to start there. And the second thing you and I need to come to God is to believe that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Do you believe that?

Do you believe that God is good?

Do you believe that God is merciful?

Do you believe that God is gracious?

Do you believe that God loves you and wants to give you things, things you cannot yet see with your eyes?

Do you believe that God gave His One and Only Son to die for you on the Cross and come back to life to give you life and went through the heavens to present His blood before the throne of God above to save you completely (Hebrews 7:25-26)?

Do you believe that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him?

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded” (Hebrew 10:35).

Do you believe that following Jesus is worth it?

Then, guess what?

You are pleasing God! This is what pleases God! Our faith. God is not hard to please. He just asks us to trust Him. 

This is how we get saved! The Bible says, “[I]t is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

This is essential. This is the essential message of Lanse Free Church and has been for 134 years.

Trust in God. Trust in God’s Son. Put your faith in Him. Not in anything else, including yourself. And you’ll not just be saved. You’ll be rewarded. And you’ll be pleasing to God!

One more. One more person from the first eleven chapters of Genesis. This time it’s Noah. Look at verse 7.

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

Lot’s of “faith” there. Here’s point number four and last, and it will be repeated over and over again as we go through the Hall of Faith.

#4. FAITH IS ACTIVE.

Faith is obedient. Faith does stuff. Faith takes appropriate action because of the true circumstances.

Noah was warned about the “things not yet seen.” What was that?  That’s the flood. Genesis chapters 6 through 9. God saw how bad humanity’s evil had become, and He decided in His just wrath to wipe out the human race.  But the Bible says that he found one man with faith. Genesis 6:8, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” He pleased the Lord.

And he did something about it. When he heard what was coming, Noah did what God told him to do to save his family. Build a giant boat. More than football-field long. A great big floating zoo.

And that was...crazy! Had Noah ever seen a flood? No, he had not. But he had “holy fear.” He had faith. He trusted what God told him, and started hammering and sawing out there in the middle of the dry land. And it might have taken a long time for him to do it.

And everyone around him must have thought he was crazy. “That Noah is “Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!” Because it sure didn’t seem like a flood was coming...until it came. 

But Noah was active. He didn’t just nod his head and say he believed. He did something. And He had faith in God’s promises and God’s warnings. And He did something.

He jumped!

Our works will never save us, but we do works because of our faith.

We’re going to see this pattern again and again in Hebrews 11.

God says to do something. It seems kind of crazy. The ancient believer does what God says by faith. They are rewarded. 

Then again, God says to do something. It seems kind of crazy. The ancient believer does what God says by faith. They are rewarded. 

If not at first (like Abel), then at last (like Enoch).

Here’s the question for us to close with:

What seems-crazy thing is God asking you and me to do in 2026?

It might be to forgive somebody who has wronged us.

It might be to call somebody and share the gospel with them.

It might be to text somebody and spur them on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25).

It might be to keep sex inside of the covenant of marriage (Hebrews 13:4). 

It might be to visit prisoners or take in strangers, maybe immigrant refugees (Hebrews 13:2). 

It might be to give more money than you planned to that Christian cause (Hebrews 13:5).  

It might be to meet at the flag pole on Wednesday and self-identify to your peers as a faith-er in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:13).

It might be to sign up for the Fall Retreat even though you don’t know that many people at the church yet.

Or maybe it’s to start a new church like they did back in 1892! 

Or a thousand other things that the world might say is crazy.

But you believe that faith in Jesus is often costly and sometimes seems crazy, but is always worth it.

Don’t shrink back. Don’t hang in the window crying in the darkness and smoke. In holy fear, do the thing you know you’re supposed to do.

Jump into His arms.

By faith.

***

Messages in this Series:

01. "The Son" - Hebrews 1:1-4
02. "Superior to the Angels" - Hebrews 1:5-14
03. "Such a Great Salvation" - Hebrews 2:1-4
04. "We See Jesus" - Hebrews 2:5-9
05. "Flesh and Blood" - Hebrews 2:10-18
06. "Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus" - Hebrews 3:1-6
07. “Today, If You Hear His Voice” - Hebrews 3:7-19
Bonus Historical Message: The Gift of My Rest - A Fictional Letter of Sabbath Theology
08. "A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God" - Hebrews 4:1-13
09. "Great High Priest" - Hebrews 4:14-16
10. "The Source of Eternal Salvation" - Hebrews 5:1-10
11. "On To Maturity" - Hebrews 5:11-6:3
12. "We Speak Like This" - Hebrews 6:4-12
13. "An Anchor for the Soul" - Hebrews 6:13-20
Bonus Message: "Fix Your Eyes on Jesus" - 2026 West Branch Baccalaureate
14. "In the Order of Melchizedek" - Hebrews 7:1-19
15. "A Priest Forever" - Hebrews 7:20-28
16. "Better Promises" - Hebrews 8:1-13
17. "By His Own Blood" - Hebrews 9:1-14
18. "Cleansed with Blood" - Hebrews 9:15-26
19. "Once" - Hebrews 9:27-28
20. "He Sat Down" - Hebrews 10:1-18
21. "Since We Have a Great Priest" - Hebrews 10:19-25
22. "Do Not Throw Away Your Confidence" - Hebrews 10:26-39

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“Do Not Throw Away Your Confidence” [Matt's Messages]

“Do Not Throw Away Your Confidence”

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

The Letter to the Hebrews

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

September 13, 2026 :: Hebrews 10:26-39  

“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Did you hear those solemn words that were just read to us? They are sobering. They are intentionally and rightfully scary. It’s verse 31. 

“It is a dreadful [which means “terrifying”] thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Make no mistake. You don’t want to end up in danger in the hands of God. You don’t want to end up in trouble in the hands of God. He’s the living God. Never dying. The Ancient of Days. And He’s holy, holy, holy. He’s all powerful. All wise. All good. All just. All angry at sin. And you do not want to fall into condemnation in His hands. 

Sometimes we get the wrong idea about God– that He is all sweetness and all gentleness and all harmless. Like a great big softie Santa Claus in the sky.

He is sweet. Noone sweeter.

He is gentle. Noone gentler.

But He is not harmless. He is holy. 

And it is a dreadful thing to sin against Him and the fall into His holy hands in wrathful judgment. You don’t want go there.

“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

We’ve reached a key “So What” section in the sermonic letter to the Hebrews where this pastor who has been pleading with this congregation  to see just how great Jesus is and encouraging them to keep their eyes fixed on Him is now going to warn them once again of what will happen if they do not.

He’s warned them like this before. We saw it in chapter 2 and chapter 3 and especially chapter 6.

He’s warned the Hebrews to fix their eyes on Jesus or else. To not fall way or else. He’s pulled the fire alarm. There are all kind of sirens blaring. He’s warning these Jewish Christians. He wants them to feel alarmed. And he wants us (to the degree that we are in similar danger) to feel alarmed as well. To feel what’s at stake if you turn your back on Jesus.

I’ve pulled the title for this message from the plea of verse 35 where he says, “So do not throw away your confidence.” And that kind of sounds like a motivational poster. But he’s not talking about your confidence in yourself. He’s talking about your confidence in Jesus.

The word for “confidence” is the same word we saw in chapter 4, verse 16. “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” [See also 3:6.] Sometimes translated, “boldness.”

It’s the same word we read last week in verse 19 of this chapter. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus...and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith...” (Hebrews 10:19-21).

We said last week that the word “confidence” could be translated, “authorization.” We have confidence since we have access. We have access to God through our Great High Priest Jesus Christ. 

Hebrews says, “Don’t throw that away! Don’t let that go. Don’t toss your confidence in Jesus into the trash. Or else." And he’s saying the same thing to us today.

Last week, we studied our memory verses, chapter 10 verses 24 and 25. Where the author encourages us to encourage each other in light of the work of Christ and the return of Christ.

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the [sad] habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Jesus is coming back soon, and we need to get ready and stay ready. So we need to keep meeting and keeping thinking about how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.

BZZT. We need to go around provoking and stimulating each other to love others and encouraging each other to keep doing good works in the name of Jesus.

BZZT. The electric cattle prod of love! 

BZZT. You can do this! 

BZZT. Keep following Jesus!

BZZT. Let’s do this together!

Did you come in this morning on the lookout for who you can encourage? “Encourage!” 

Verse 26 is the very next verse.  And he goes from encouraging to warning. And laying out for the Hebrews what is at stake if you walk away from following Jesus. 

What is at stake if you walk away from following Jesus? What is at stake if you turn your back on Jesus for good? What we call “apostatizing.” Deliberately, decisively, finally, fully rejecting Jesus. Repudiating Jesus. Perhaps under persecution. Turning your back on Him, and rejecting Him.  What’s at stake if, after following Jesus, we reject Jesus? Look at verse 26.

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God” (vv.26-27).

That’s what’s at stake. “A fearful expectation of judgment.” That’s the same word as “dreadful” in verse 31. Fearful. Scary. Frightening. “Raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” I think that’s a description of Hell. [See Zephaniah 1:18 and Isaiah 26:11 for the OT background here.]  That’s what’s at stake. Experiencing the fiery wrath of God. Yes, that’s frightening! And rightly so.

And who can expect that? People who have (v.26), “received the knowledge of the truth” but “deliberately keep on sinning.” 

Now, that doesn’t mean just any sin. It doesn’t mean that if you sin after coming to Christ, you are doomed. Of course not! The Bible is clear that we remain people who sin. Hebrews is clear that even after we are saved, we still sin. We are being made holy day by day. But we are not there yet. We may be all the way there in position, but not yet in practice. We still sin.

But notice what kind of sin this is talking about in verse 26.  “If we deliberately...keep on sinning after we’ve received the knowledge of the truth.”

This is sinning and not caring any more. This is sinning and sinning and sinning. This is defiantly, willfully, arrogantly, unrepentantly sinning in the light of knowledge. This is turning your back on Jesus even though you know all about Him!

If you and I do that, what do we have to look forward to? Judgment and raging fire.

Why? Because (verse 26), “no sacrifice for sins is left” for us.

Not even animal sacrifices. Remember, these Jewish Christians were apparently tempted to stop following Jesus and go back to the Old Covenant sacrifices.

But we’ve learned all summer long that those sacrifices never could really save because they were always pointing to Jesus’ sacrifice. And His sacrifice now that it’s been offered is once-for-all. He sat down! 

He sat down! And that means that those sacrifices are over now. They are gone. You can’t go back to them. So if you stop putting your confidence in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, then  no sacrifice for sins is left for you.

#1. DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE!

Or else.

Does that sound like too much? Is the writer to the Hebrews overreacting?  I mean, is it such a big deal to stop following Jesus? Look at verse 28.

“Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people’” (vv.28-30).

He sure doesn’t think that he’s overreacting.

This is the only place in the letter to the Hebrews were the comparison is from something severe to something that is more severe. Normally the comparisons are how good something in the Old Testament is and how much better Jesus is. And it’s the same logic, but it’s about how much worse the punishment will  be. 

Here’s the logic: If in the Old Testament, you broke the law, and it was a capital offense, then if you had two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6), then you were put to death without mercy. It was justice. 

How much more severely should someone be judged if they don’t just break the the Law of Moses but trample on the Son of God Himself? It’s worse! You get a judgment worse than the death penalty.

What is worse than the death penalty? The eternal death penalty. That’s what you deserve. Because He is so much greater, the punishment is so much worse.

See in verse 29 how terrible this sin really is. When we who know about Jesus rejected Jesus, it’s like we are trampling on His head.

And it’s like we are saying that His blood is unholy. Do you see that in verse 29? “Who has treated as an unholy thing” or a “profane thing” the blood of the covenant that sanctified him.

Instead of “O precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow.” It’s saying, “Oh the blood of Jesus? That’s nothing special.”

And who insulted the Spirit of grace. The Spirit (according to chapter 9, verse 14) empowered the sacrifice of Christ to give us His grace. But those who apostatize, who fall away, insult the Spirit which outrages Him. And which will rightly lead to vengeance.

Deuteronomy 32:35, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay...The Lord will judge his people.” 

Now, all of this raises the question, “Can a true believer sin in this deliberate way and fall away from true salvation?”

He says, “The Lord will judge his people.” Verse 29 says, that the apostate was in some way “sanctified.” Does that mean that He was saved and then lost that salvation by falling away?

It sure seems that way though I am not convinced. 

We talked about this same question when we studied chapter 6, and I laid out three different answers that faithful Christians have come to on that question through the centuries. I’m not going to go over all of arguments again today, I recommend going back and re-listening to or re-reading that message or talk with me afterwards.

What I want to point out this morning is that it doesn’t really matter!

As interesting as that question may be for developing our best theology, the warning of Hebrews 10 should be received as the warning it is. Do not throw away your confidence or else.

Whether you are a genuine Christian who somehow has gotten yourself to that place where you are close to doing so or you are an “almost Christian” who has been greatly blessed (even “sanctified” in some sense by being so close to the kingdom) but now are in danger of walking away from it all, hear and heed this warning! 

Do not throw away your confidence in Jesus. Because the Lord will know, and He will judge.

And, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Don’t risk it. It’s not a game.  Christianity is not a game we’re playing. This real.  And the stakes could not be higher. Do not throw away your confidence.

Are you thinking about? Are you close to throwing in the towel? Are you close to giving up?

Are you thinking about dropping out of the race?

Are you, maybe, backing out of it? Remember, you can drift off into this kind of apostasy.

You stop meeting with other Christians. 

(Oh, it’s just once in a while. Then it’s more often. And then it’s once in a while you come. And then it’s Christmas and Easter and maybe not even then.)

You stop reading your Bible.

You stop praying.

You stop confessing your sins.

You stop repenting of your sins.

You stop resisting temptation.

You stop caring that you’re sinning.

You stop trusting in the blood of Jesus. 

You stop putting your confidence in your great high priest.

And start trampling Him under your feet and treating His blood as unholy and insulting the Spirit of grace.

And you’ll find that there is no sacrifice left for you, just the fearful expectation of fire.

Don’t go there! Do not throw away our confidence in Jesus. 

Last week I said don't be afraid to come to God. 

This week I say be afraid to not come to Him.

“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Do not throw away your confidence.

How? How can we keep from getting there? 

Well, obviously, we fix our eyes on Jesus and we meet together and encourage each other to fix our eyes on Jesus. We draw near and we hold on because we have such a great High Priest.

And verse 32 says we, “Remember.” We look back and see what God has done in our life and we keep doing what we did before. Look at verse 32.

“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.”

This pastor reminds these Christians what it was like when the gospel first took hold of them. 

It’s kind of like a Celebration Sunday thing. He says, “Take some time and think back about how God has been faithful to your church and started a good work in you.” He says it was really hard. Those early times were hard times. They had “a great contest in the face of suffering.” But they stood their ground. They didn’t throw away their confidence then.

Here’s how hard it was. Verse 33.

“Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions” (vv.33-34).

Wow! It was bad. They had experienced persecution. They were called bad names because they followed Jesus.  And even when they weren’t persecuted, they stood in fellowship and solidarity with those who were. Even when their Christian friends got thrown into prison for following Jesus, they stood with them. They didn’t go into hiding. They didn’t say, “I didn’t really know them.”

And they even had their stuff taken away from them. Have you ever had anything taken away from you because you were a follower of Jesus? It’s not clear if it was the authorities who did it or if they authorities just looked the other way when the crowd did it. Maybe the Jews were doing it to these Christian Jews? Kicking them out of their synagogues. They were probably getting kicked on all sides.  

But look how they responded?!! Did you see that in verse 34? They “joyfully accepted the confiscation of [their] property.” What?! Not that they rejoiced that their stuff got taken away, but that if it was going to be taken away, it was because they were following Jesus.

Because (v.34), “you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.”

Here’s the principle: Following Jesus is often costly and sometimes seems crazy, but it’s always worth it.

The Lord Jesus said in His Sermon on Mount, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven...” (Matthew 5:11-12).

The Apostles in Acts chapter 5 were arrested and flogged and ordered “not to speak in the name of Jesus...” and then left their punishment, “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. [And they didn’t stop.] Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ” (vv.40-42).

“Worthy of suffering for the Name.”

That’s how these Christians had been before. They didn’t stand on their rights. They didn’t call an attorney or elect a politician. They didn’t whine about how the culture was against them. They rejoiced that they were counted worthy of suffering for the Name of Jesus. 

And Hebrews says, “Remember that.”

“Remember that you knew that Jesus and His kingdom was worth the suffering.”

Do you believe that? Do you believe that following Jesus, even into suffering, is worth it? That’s going to be the theme for the next three chapters.

And if you believe that, you really believe that, then you are not throwing your confidence!

Hebrews says, “Remember how you were at the start of your Christian life, and keep doing that. You did it before. Do it again. And do it again. And do it again.” Verse 35.

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. [He’s worth it!] You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

#2. PERSEVERE IN YOUR FAITH.

That’s the flipside. The other side of the coin. Don’t throw away your confidence. Keep your confidence. Lean into it. Persevere. 

He says in verse 36, “You need to persevere.” Some translations say, “You have need of endurance” (ESV). Same root word as what they did in verse 32 when they “stood their ground.” They need to do that again. 

“What you guys need is endurance. What you need is staying power. You need to put your faith in Jesus, keep your faith in Jesus, and keep keeping your faith in Jesus."

Or as He’s going to say in chapter 12, “Fix your eyes on Jesus...and run the race with endurance.”

Persevere. “So that [v.36] when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

Which is what? It’s everything. It’s salvation. It’s the kingdom. It’s eternity with Him. It’s what we call “Heaven.” The New Heavens and the New Earth. It’s Zion. “We will feast in the house of Zion. And weep no more!” That’s our better and lasting possession. It’s Jesus Himself! We get Jesus. 

And all we have to do is believe in Him and hold on to that faith.

Because He’s coming back soon. The Bible says so. He quotes Isaiah 26:20 and Habakkuk 2 to prove it. Look at verse 37. 

“For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay.  But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved” (vv.37-39).

I love how he gives them this word of hope and encouragement after those heavy words of warning.

He says, “Don’t shrink back.”

“Don’t retreat.”

“Don’t fall away.”

God will not be pleased if we throw away our confidence. But, he says what he thinks about himself and about (at least most them, even though they are tempted and in potential danger), “That’s not us. We are not those who shrink back (and are destroyed in the hands of righteously angry God) but those who believe and are saved.”

Those are the only two choices! Stay on the path of faith in Jesus, persevere with endurance and be saved, or drop off the path and be lost. 

I know which one I want to be and what I want us all to be. Let me tell you, brothers and sisters, following Jesus is worth it. It’s hard. It’s often costly and sometimes seems crazy, but Jesus is worth every trial. And He’s standing there with open arms calling us to run to Him.

It’s a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

But it’s a wonderful joyous thing to run into His arms! 

***

Messages in this Series:

01. "The Son" - Hebrews 1:1-4
02. "Superior to the Angels" - Hebrews 1:5-14
03. "Such a Great Salvation" - Hebrews 2:1-4
04. "We See Jesus" - Hebrews 2:5-9
05. "Flesh and Blood" - Hebrews 2:10-18
06. "Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus" - Hebrews 3:1-6
07. “Today, If You Hear His Voice” - Hebrews 3:7-19
Bonus Historical Message: The Gift of My Rest - A Fictional Letter of Sabbath Theology
08. "A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God" - Hebrews 4:1-13
09. "Great High Priest" - Hebrews 4:14-16
10. "The Source of Eternal Salvation" - Hebrews 5:1-10
11. "On To Maturity" - Hebrews 5:11-6:3
12. "We Speak Like This" - Hebrews 6:4-12
13. "An Anchor for the Soul" - Hebrews 6:13-20
Bonus Message: "Fix Your Eyes on Jesus" - 2026 West Branch Baccalaureate
14. "In the Order of Melchizedek" - Hebrews 7:1-19
15. "A Priest Forever" - Hebrews 7:20-28
16. "Better Promises" - Hebrews 8:1-13
17. "By His Own Blood" - Hebrews 9:1-14
18. "Cleansed with Blood" - Hebrews 9:15-26
19. "Once" - Hebrews 9:27-28
20. "He Sat Down" - Hebrews 10:1-18

21. "Since We Have a Great Priest" - Hebrews 10:19-25

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“Since We Have a Great Priest” [Matt's Messages]

“Since We Have a Great Priest”

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

The Letter to the Hebrews

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

September 6, 2026 :: Hebrews 10:19-25

So What?! What difference does that make?

How often do we ask that question every single day? 

“We have two dozen eggs.” So what?

“It’s going to rain this afternoon.” So what?

“Tomorrow is a holiday.” So what?

“Ok. I hear what you’re saying. Sounds very important to you. So what?”

We’ve reached an important “So What” section of the sermonic Letter to the Hebrews.

For several chapters which we’ve been studying for several months, this thoughtful pastor has been trying to show these anxious Jewish Christians that Jesus Christ is greater than anyone and anything in their beloved Old Testament. In fact, Jesus is what everyone and everything in their beloved Old Testament was pointing towards. That was all shadow, and Jesus is the substance. 

And he’s especially been trying to show them that Jesus is our (three words, say them with me now), “Great High Priest.”

If you want to see his argument, re-read the last seven chapters or re-listen to the last 12 sermons. 

Jesus is our Great High Priest. Our Greater High Priest.

A greater priest than the Sons of Levi and the Sons of Aaron because He’s on Team Melchizedek, the order of ever-living priest-kings.

A greater priest of a greater covenant, the New over the Old.

A greater priest serving in a greater sanctuary, not the copies on Earth, the Tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem, but the original and ultimate Most Holy Place in the Universe–the heavenly throne room of God!

A greater priest offering a greater sacrifice. Not the inadequate, ineffective, insufficient blood of bulls and goats but the perfect once-for-all sacrifice of His own precious blood.

A greater priest because he doesn’t stand day after day after day offering the same old sacrifices.

No, this priest sat down. He sat down at the right hand of God (v.14).

That’s what Hebrews has been showing us. He’s been building up to this.

And now he wants to ask and answer the question, “So what?” So what if we have a great high priest? What difference should that make for the lives of these primarily Jewish Christians then and for our lives today?

I’ve pulled the title for this message from verse 21:

“Since We Have a Great Priest”

You can feel the logic in it. “Since we have a great priest over the house of God...”

That, by the way, is you and me. Remember how he called us the “house of God” back in chapter 3? Moses was a faithful servant in the house of God. But Jesus is faithful as a son over the house of God. And, we find out here, a great priest over the house of God.

“Since we have a great priest over the house of God...”

What? How should we live today?

The writer to the Hebrews has three main things he thinks we should definitely do because Jesus is our Great High Priest. And here’s the first one:

#1. LET’S DRAW NEAR IN FAITH.

Let’s draw near to God in faith. He says (v.22):

“...since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith...”

Draw near. Now, those words should sound familiar, because it’s what he started this whole section saying. Way back in chapter 4 when he first wrote the words, “great high priest,” he said, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

This is the whole point of this section.

You and I should draw near to God.

We should come close to Him.

We should come into His presence.

Not physically, but spiritually. We should come to Him in prayer, in worship, in intimate personal relationship. 

For the first time, if you never have.

Or for the five millionth time, every single day.

And forever! 

Let’s draw near to God.

What an astonishing thing for him to say! Because you and I are sinners. We are unholy. On our own, we are not welcome in the presence of God. God is holy, holy, holy. And because of our sin, we should not have access to Him.

“Draw near to God???!!! We can do that?!” Oh yes, we can, since we have a great priest.

Now, that word “since,” actually appears in verse 19 in the original. It’s repeated in our English versions in verse 21 to make sure we get the logic of the sentence. In the original Greek, verses 19 through 25 are actually one long complex sentence. We have to break it up into smaller sentences to follow it in English. Let’s back up to verse 19 to follow this astonishing logic. Verse 19.

“Therefore, brothers [and sisters; he’s getting personal again, therefore spiritual family], since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (vv.19-22).

Let’s draw near in faith. 

This is mind-blowing! Even though he’s been saying it for seven chapters, this whole concept is completely astounding when you really think about it. He says that you and I have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place!

The Most Holy Place? You and I are welcome in there?  Do you have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place? That sounds almost crazy.

Were we welcome in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle? No. Only the Jews. Only the Levites. Only the Sons of Aaron.

How about the Holy of Holies? Were we allowed there? No, only the high priest was and that only once a year.

Would you and I be welcome in there?! And that’s just the earthly one. Would we be welcome in the heavenly throne room of the holy God?

Verse 19 says, “Yes!” We have confidence. Or the word could be translated, “authorization.”

We have the boldness because we have the access!

How? “By the blood of Jesus.”

I’m glad we’re going to take communion today.  Because we’re going to hold up the cup, and say, “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.” He’s made a way in. Verse 20 calls it, “a new and living way.” A new covenant. A living Savior. “Opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body.” His flesh. We’ll talk about that more when we take up the bread today. We do not enter the Most Holy Place on our own. And not because of animal sacrifices, but because of the shed blood and torn flesh of our great priest over the house of God. We have access.

And since we have access, let’s use our access! Let’s draw near.

Have you come to know Jesus as your Great High Priest? Have you come to God for salvation through Jesus’ body and blood?

Verse 22 says to come with a sincere heart. That is a heart that truly believes all of this. Come by faith. That word “faith” is going to be increasingly important in this letter, especially in the next chapter. We need to believe. We need to put our faith and trust down on Jesus and what He did for us on the Cross and up in the heavenlies.

Here’s what He did. He sprinkled our hearts. V.22

“Having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilt conscience.”

An evil conscience. We know what we’ve done. We know that we are sinners. Some of us pretend we don’t, but we know it down deep in our hearts. We are evil. We are guilty. But Jesus’ blood cleanses us on the inside!

Our consciences can be cleaned. We can be forgiven and know we’re forgiven and even feel forgiven! Because of the blood of Jesus.

And (v.22), “having our bodies washed with pure water.” Now, I think that’s probably a reference to water baptism, which symbolizes on our outsides what Jesus has done in cleansing our insides. [Not all agree. It doesn’t say, “baptism,” here and could be pointing towards Old Testament cleansing rites. The point is basically the same.]

That’s why we use pure water when we baptize, and we don’t fill this tank up here with Pepsi! We don’t dunk people in mud or milk or Mountain Dew because it symbolizes our cleansing.

Jesus has cleansed us! So let’s draw near in faith.

Why would we stay away from the Most Holy Place if Jesus has done all of this to make a way for us? If our hearts are sprinkled and our bodies cleansed, why wouldn’t we approach the throne? Why wouldn’t we come to God?

Church, don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to come close to God. Don’t be afraid to pray. Don’t be afraid to get to know God. Don’t be afraid to expect God to work in your life. Don’t be afraid to ask God for things, for mercy and grace to help in your time of need. You are not going to be turned away the door. You belong! Since you have a great priest.

I love how the author includes himself in the exhortation. “Let us draw near to God.” Not just, “You guys draw near to God.” Let’s all do it. This is for all of us. Let’s go together! Let’s gather at the Throne. Let’s gather around His Table. Let’s go to God together. He’s our great priest. We have Him. Let’s draw near in faith.

If you have never come to God before, let today be the day. Turn from your sin, and put your trust in the Savior.  You can come to Him by the blood of Jesus.

And once you come to Him, stay with Him. That’s point number two. “Since we have a great priest...”

#2. LET’S HOLD ON TO HOPE.

Look at verse 23. Since we have a great priest...

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

Hold on. Fix your eyes on Jesus and don’t look back. This is whole point of the whole book of Hebrews. These scared Christians were thinking about turning back. Following Jesus was getting hard, and they were tempted to drop out of the race. But Jesus is our great high priest, and He has made us all kinds of promises. And He is faithful! He will keep them.

So hold on. Let’s say our previous memory verse one more time. Hebrews 4:14, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”

Don’t give up. 

Don’t cut out.

Don’t shrink back.

Don’t veer off.

Don’t swerve.

“Let us [again, he includes himself] hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

Hope is faith directed into the future. It’s believing in a promise of what’s to come. And that hope is our anchor. And our anchor holds. Our great high priest is trustworthy, so let’s trust Him and keep trusting Him. Let’s hold on to our hope.

And number three. Since we have a great priest...

#3. LET’S SPUR ON TO LOVE.

Let’s spur one another on to love and good deeds. Now we’ve reached our new memory verse which we are going to work at learning for the next few months. Verses 24 and 25.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I don’t know about you, but I had a little bit of a hard time following the logic here. I can see how having a great high priest would give me the faith to draw near to God and the ability to hold onto my hope in Jesus. But I didn’t immediately see how having a great high priest would propel me towards others. But it obviously does in verse 24.

He’s got another “let us” which is not something you put in your tossed salad, but a corporate call to do something together.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” 

Here’s how I think the logic works: You’ve got a great priest, so you don’t have to worry about yourself any more. You can think about other people! Jesus has opened up the new and living way to the Most Holy Place, and you have confidence to get there, so you don’t have anything really to worry about. You can think about other people and what they need.

The key command here is to “consider” which means to “attend to” someone or “watch out” for them. We’re supposed “consider” each other. And specifically, we’re supposed to consider each other for the purposes of spurring each other on toward love and good deeds.

How can I help them to love others? How can I help them to do good things?

You see how that works?

The word for “spur on” is “paroxysmos,” which is actually where we get the word “paroxysm” like a little convulsion or a jolt. We’re supposed to give each other a loving jolt to love others.

Kind of like a cattle prod? BZZT. You and I are supposed to go around zapping each other (in a good way) to show love to others and to do good works.

Do you think of yourself that way? Are you on the lookout for ways that you can prod your brothers and sister in Christ to love someone else? Are you on the lookout for ways that you can prod your spiritual siblings to do good deeds? 

You have a great priest, you can do this. And you’re supposed to!

Some translations have, “stir one another.” Some have “provoke each other.” Some have “stimulate each other.” It’s not supposed to hurt so much as to get your attention and redirect and energize you.

I saw one scholar said, “Stoke the fire.” Who stokes your fire to be loving?  I hope I do, but I’m not enough. We’re all supposed to do this for each other.

Whose fire are you stoking to do good deeds? Who are you prodding?

BZZT. Hey, have you signed up to clean the free fridge?

BZZT. Hey, are you going to run in the PRC’s 5K?

BZZT. Hey, have you checked on that person that you haven’t seen at church recently?

BZZT. Hey, are you going to invite those new people to sit with you?

BZZT. Hey, are you thinking about running the church table at the Apple Fest?

This spurring on is not optional! Since we have a great priest, we are supposed to consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Now, consider it. Do it carefully. Do it thoughtfully. Don’t go around just zapping people with a guilt trip. We don’t need more shame. We don’t need to chase people. But we all need prodding. We all need “positive irritants” to do good deeds (thanks to Kent Hughes for the helpful juxtaposition of words). 

We need someone to say, “You can do this!”

You know who is good at this? My pastor. Pastor Kerry Doyal. He’s great at giving me a prod to love somebody in a better or fuller way. And my wife Heather is excellent at this for me. I don’t know how many loving things I have done because she gave me a gentle shove in the right direction.

Of course, this also means that we need to be open to receiving those gentle shoves. But we can handle that, too, because we have a great priest!

And there is no age limit here. Kids, you can spur your parents on to love and good deeds. It doesn’t just go one way. 

Look around the room. These are the people for you to prod. This church is really good at this (Thank you!), but we could be even better. Imagine what our church could be like if every one of us came every Sunday on the lookout for someone to spur on to love. To love, mind you. To give yourself sacrificially for others. And to be willing to be prodded, too.

Notice how you can’t do this if you aren’t in each other’s lives. That’s why he says verse 25.

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Now, that’s a verse that many people use to tell Christians that they need to keep going to church, and that’s right. Don’t “give up meeting together” as Christians. Don’t withdraw. Don’t forsake the gathering. Don’t abandon church.

Apparently some of them already were. Some had already gotten into the bad habit of skipping church which is often the first step of falling away from following Jesus.

But notice that it doesn’t just say, “Don’t give up attending worship services.” As if that’s all that church is. It says, “Let us (he includes himself again) not give up meeting together...but let us encourage each other...”

When you come to church, you come on the lookout for who you can encourage! Who you can prod. Who you can spur. Who you can stoke their fire. Who you can speak words of comfort and life into–reminding them about the gospel and their great high priest.

You don’t just come to church looking to be receive ministry. You come to church to minister to others!

That’s why I say, when someone has been missing from church, that we are  impoverished. We need each other here. Don’t stay away from church. We need you! I don’t mean we need your money. (Though you may need to give it.) We need your heart. We need your face. We need your hugs. We need your  handshakes. We need your listening ears. We need your voice. We need your prayers. We need your songs. We need your presence. We need your encouragement. You are needed.

That’s why we don’t do the live-streaming thing. That has its uses, especially for those who absolutely can’t come to meetings. But it can also make it way too easy to not actually encourage one another like this says to.

Turning church into a religious entertainment show instead of an encouragement meeting–a weekly spiritual family reunion.

And it’s obviously not just the weekly gathering on Sundays. Christians need to meet more than that. This is prayer meetings and small groups and Bible studies and lunch-dates and coffee times with other followers of Jesus. It’s Fall Retreat with your church family! We need real community. We need to help each other to fix our eyes on Jesus and not swerve off the path.

We need to keep meeting together to remind each other how great our priest is! 

And to remind each other that He’s coming back soon. You see that in verse 25?

“Let us (he includes himself) encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

What Day is that? It’s the Day of Christ’s return. We don’t know when that will be, but we can all see that it’s coming soon.

He’s coming.

He’s waiting (remember 10:13!).

We’re waiting (remember 9:28!).

And while we wait, we meet! And we spur one another on to love and good deeds and encourage each other more and more and more.

How are you going to apply this last point to your life this week?

Who might you spur on this week?

Who might you spur on today?

Who can you try to encourage before you leave this morning?

What plan do you need to make to ensure that you don’t fall into the bad habit of missing church?

Almost nobody up and decides one day to fall away. Most of the time, it’s gradual. It’s small little choices. It’s seeing church as optional. “I don’t really need that today.”

Instead of saying, “My brothers and sister need me today over there. I’m supposed to go and encourage them. And I need the encouragement, too.”

How are you going to apply this? This is very practical. 

This is the “So What.” And it’s not optional.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We have a great priest, and He’s coming back soon.

****

Messages in this Series:

01. "The Son" - Hebrews 1:1-4
02. "Superior to the Angels" - Hebrews 1:5-14
03. "Such a Great Salvation" - Hebrews 2:1-4
04. "We See Jesus" - Hebrews 2:5-9
05. "Flesh and Blood" - Hebrews 2:10-18
06. "Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus" - Hebrews 3:1-6
07. “Today, If You Hear His Voice” - Hebrews 3:7-19
Bonus Historical Message: The Gift of My Rest - A Fictional Letter of Sabbath Theology
08. "A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God" - Hebrews 4:1-13
09. "Great High Priest" - Hebrews 4:14-16
10. "The Source of Eternal Salvation" - Hebrews 5:1-10
11. "On To Maturity" - Hebrews 5:11-6:3
12. "We Speak Like This" - Hebrews 6:4-12
13. "An Anchor for the Soul" - Hebrews 6:13-20
Bonus Message: "Fix Your Eyes on Jesus" - 2026 West Branch Baccalaureate
14. "In the Order of Melchizedek" - Hebrews 7:1-19
15. "A Priest Forever" - Hebrews 7:20-28
16. "Better Promises" - Hebrews 8:1-13
17. "By His Own Blood" - Hebrews 9:1-14
18. "Cleansed with Blood" - Hebrews 9:15-26
19. "Once" - Hebrews 9:27-28
20. "He Sat Down" - Hebrews 10:1-18

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