Word of Salvation – Vol.12 No.40 – October 1966

 

Authorised To Come

 

Sermon by Rev. J. H. Derkley on Heb.10:19-22

(Preparatory Service for Lord’s Supper)

Scripture Reading: Heb.10:1–18

Psalter Hymnal: 180; 417; 215:1,2; 428; 412; 468

 

Beloved Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

I am quite sure that not many of our people experience any trouble when going to Church on Sundays.  It is still the accepted thing to do.  Although it is true that some members of the Church of Jesus Christ are not so regular in their Church attendance, this does not mean that they stay home because they fear the holiness of the Church services – it is rather the opposite, they don’t know that a worship service is an holy event, otherwise they would be more careful to come.

It is a fact that many of us have a tendency to forget that the meeting of God’s people is a holy meeting.  We don’t realise sufficiently that in Church we do not come to listen to a more or less successful sermon but that we come to meet the living God.  It is God Himself Who is pleased to meet with us.  True understanding of this fact would help us to be a lot more reverent in Church too.

But when it comes to the Lord’s Supper, then, suddenly, do we realize the holiness of the occasion.  Quite a number of people, probably we all, are in two minds: shall we go to the table or shall we forego this time?

Of course, this is because we know ourselves somewhat.  We know that we are sinners; not only that we transgressed a bit here and there, but that we are sinners by nature, that we sin out of habit.  And we realize quite well that such people are completely out of place at the same Table with the Lord.  Still, at the same time we know that we should not stay away either: for the Lord has commanded us to go.  So we are in a straight: by going we feel that we might be eating and drinking judgment on ourselves; by staying away we disobey the Lord.  And so we often go ….fearing and trembling… and the joy of the Supper of the Lord is often spoilt.

Just for people like this the sound of the words of our text must be like music to their ears.  For it tells us in simple language: “let us draw near” or, as we can also translate the main part of this text: “we may go”.  It is just as simple as that.  It is the essence of our text: “we may go”.  We may go to God, we don’t need to fear; we don’t need to tremble, for “all is well”.  And if we have no reason for fear and trembling before God, then there is also no such reason to prevent us coming to the Table of the Lord, or to spoil the joy of sitting and partaking.  It is well!  There is nothing to prevent the believer.

Of course, you would ask, it this really true?  Is there nothing at all to prevent us?  Don’t we have to prepare ourselves?  What about all our sins?  Don’t we have to do something?

Here in our text it says that we may freely go, fearlessly…. because of what Jesus has done.  Jesus once taught: I am the way, the truth and the life.  This is what our text teaches too.  We can come to God because of Jesus or: through Jesus.  He  reconciled God and man.  Our text teaches us some very special aspects of Jesus’ work of reconciliation.  It reveals to us the ground for our fearlessness, the ground for our confidence in God’s presence.

The very first thing that is said here is that Christ has opened the sanctuary (the holy place) for us.  This reminds us straight away of the O.T. temple service.  The temple was divided into three distinct parts.  First came the courts for the common people.  Then came the temple itself, the entrance was closed off with a heavy curtain.  Behind this curtain only the priests were allowed.  But within this holy place was a special section again, closed off again with a curtain.  This was the Holy of Holies.  God dwelt there.  Heavily guarded from the people, even from the priests – unapproachable.  Or rather: once per year the High priest entered into this Holy of Holies, on the Great Day of Atonement – to make atonement for all the sins of God’s people – once only, each year.  But for the rest of the year: God was hidden away in the Holy of Holies.

That God was hidden away, that He could not be approached, that He was not in open contact with His people had a very good reason, He is the holy God – they were unholy people.  Between God and themselves stood this unsurmountable mountain of sin, the great separation between God and man.  Only the High priest, only once per year, could pass beyond the curtains with the blood of a special sacrifice, and he had to go back again…. shut the curtain behind him… to wait for the next year.

Now in our text we read that Jesus has opened the sanctuary, through the curtain.  Can you understand what this means?  That Jesus entered into the sanctuary through the curtain and left it open, Can you follow the picture here?  The High Priest had to shut the curtain again for next year he had to perform the self-same duties again, But the Great High Priest – Jesus Christ – entered into the sanctuary only once; for the sacrifice He brought His blood was sufficient to take away all the sins of all His people throughout all ages.  He brought the perfect sacrifice which never needs to be repeated, which did reconcile God with man… forever!

You might ask when did this happen?  Our text answers this question as follows: He opened the curtain… when His flesh was torn in death.  His flesh, His humanity was made sin for us and by His death He removed the mountain of sin which separated man from God.  Matthew says, “and behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom”.  This was the mighty sign that through Jesus’ death the sins of His people had been removed, that there is an open road again between God and God’s people.

This was the way that was new – our text uses a word which we could translate: freshly killed, just slaughtered, now sacrificed.  It was the way which Jesus paved between God and man, the way of His death.  And still it was a living road; it does not only lead to life, it is alive, it pulsates with life, it is life eternal, it is what Christ gives His people; it is what He is for His people; the way, the truth and the life.

And because Christ has opened the sanctuary, we too may enter this same sanctuary, we too may come into the presence of God.  For that which separated man from God is gone!  Sin and its consequences are gone.  And God’s wrath against a sinful people which should burn and devour them, has been turned away.  God is pleased, not only to dwell with His people, but also that they should dwell with Him. , We find here the word “confidence”… in the old translation “boldness”.  We dare, yes, we dare to come into the presence of God.  This is the confidence: we would not dare by ourselves, just as we would not dare to open any door of the house we are visiting.  But the door has been thrown open for us, we have been invited to enter, therefore!   And because we recognize the voice of our Saviour, therefore!  And because we find Him there!  We have – not: we had! – we have in Him the great Priest.

Again, we are reminded that Jesus Himself was not a house- breaker.  We enter into God’s presence, “by the blood of Christ”.  He entered into God’s presence with His own blood, which was the officially prescribed sacrifice for the atonement of God’s people.  Do we still tremble?  Only when we forget to look at Jesus.  Next week will we still tremble at the thought that we must sit at the Table?  Only when we forget to look at Jesus.  Oh yes, everyone who dares to sit at the Table without having his hand in Jesus’ hand is a housebreaker.  But everyone who holds fast to Jesus comes and sits down, and partakes, in utter joy.  For Jesus gives him authority!

As long as we take care of certain things!

We have to go with a true heart.  This means that we have to be sincere, genuine!  It may never be a going “for the show.”  It may never be a going “for men”.  It may never be a going “out of custom “.  It may never be a going “out of superstition”.  It may never be a going “to get something out of it”.  Coming into the presence of God must always be a sincere longing to be with God.

This is so when you go to Church.  Coming “because it is just a good custom” -God hates it!  Coming “to be seen by others” or “to look, and to criticize, others” – away with it!  Coming into the Church for any other reason than to worship God… God’s hatred burns against it.

And at the Table of the Lord!  There is only one way… a sincere heart that loves to be with God. This does not mean that those who do not come with sincere hearts can safely stay away.  Of course not.  God wants us to come, into His house, to His table, sincerely.  And surely, isn’t there every reason for it?  We have to come in full assurance of faith.  Faith… faith is necessary, Faith in Christ.  “Do you believe that Jesus Christ, Who is both true and eternal God and very man, Who assumed His human nature from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, is given you of God as a Saviour?”  “And do you believe that you by this faith receive remission of sins in His blood, and that you by the power of the Holy Spirit became a member of Jesus Christ and of His Church?” (Form for Adult Baptism).  This is faith: knowing that Jesus Christ is your personal Saviour, this is the condition.  “All my sins are forgiven only for the sake of the passion and death of Jesus Christ.” (Form for Holy Supper).

You might want to know how you could get this absolute assurance of faith, this sincerity.

.First of all, by the cleansing of our hearts from an evil conscience.  Our hearts are filthy by sin.  That is the reason why we hesitate to come to the Table – our own hearts testify against us.  We hear that little voice inside: “Are you going to the Table? – fine man you are!  Are you going to meet God?”  Oh sure, we have to know that we are evil.  We should not silence our conscience it must speak.  But… we should get rid of the actual sins that are reigning in us.  There is a way, though.  Not by making up for what we did wrong… the only way is: fleeing to Christ.  Again: Christ…!  We must come to God washed by the blood of Christ, sprinkled, as in olden times God’s people were literally sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice… and so made clean.  We must plead the blood that Christ shed… and so we dare to come.

Finally by an appeal to our baptism, the seal of God’s covenant with His people.  God has publicly declared: this one belongs to Me!  You and I, we may, no we must appeal to this sign and seal of God’s love.

It is not in what we have done, it is in what Jesus has done, more, it is in what God Himself has done in and through Jesus for me.

That’s true preparation!  It surely means, beloved, denying yourselves.  “Nothing in my hand I bring!”  It is the end of human pride.

But the joy, the unspeakable joy that YOU and I may enter into the presence of God, because Christ Himself had given YOU and Me authority to do so, because Christ Himself has paved the way between the Father and you and me, because Christ Himself has thrown open the sanctuary for ever and ever… this all makes it a feast, even the end of human pride becomes a feast.

For instead of my empty pride and my hollow boasts I have Jesus, I have God again as my heavenly and loving Father.

Amen.