The Enduring Power of Jesus' Blood

Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church podcast

where we are proclaiming the truth to the world.

My name is Pastor Josh and I want to thank you for listening to

this podcast.

I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen

you in the word of God.

Now come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has

for us here today.

We'll take your Bibles and we'll be in Hebrews chapter 10 tonight.

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

Tonight we're going to talk about Jesus.

We're going to talk about his blood, talk about how we are bought,

how we are cleansed, and how we are called with a special calling

according to his purpose for us.

In Hebrews chapter one, it gives a really.

A really neat picture.

It describes Jesus Christ.

Hebrews chapter one and verse one, it says, God, who at sundry

times and in diverse manner spake in time passed unto the fathers

by the prophets, and hath in these last days spoken unto us by

his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by

whom also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory

and the express image of his person, upholding all things by the

word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down

on the right hand of the majesty on high.

And so we see Jesus Christ the Son is the express image, the brightness

of God's glory.

Just a wonderful picture we see of how Jesus Christ is so much

better than anything else.

He's better than the angels.

He's better than the prophet Moses in the Old Testament.

He's better than any other man, any other person, any angelic

being.

And tonight we're going to see that this big idea that because Christ

shed his blood to redeem us fully and finally we must respond

with a life of total surrender, continual cleansing and

active service to the living God.

Now, I'm not sure if you guys ever heard that story before where

there was this deadly disease going around the world.

Not Covid, there's Delhi.

This is going around the world.

And people are.

It was almost like the black, Black death, black plague, where

people are just dying all around the world.

And they're going all through different countries, around the world,

different continents, different people groups trying to

find this cure.

And.

And there was one antidote, but it was with this one family that

had one boy.

And part of this antidote was that required this family to give

their only son take the entirety of the blood of his body

to be able to make this vaccine, to save a bunch of a bunch

of lives around the world.

This family was a small village in Africa, remote village,

and in this family said, you know what?

We're going to give our son to make this antidote.

And he sacrifices their son's life to make this antidote.

And it rescued a lot of lives from this deadly disease.

And as these weeks go on, these months went on, the years went

on, everyone might have forgot about the sacrifice of this boy.

But I guarantee you, the two people who never forgot about that

sacrifice was his two parents that gave their only son to be able

to rescue lives all around the world.

So we take that example to see what Christ has done for us.

Have you remembered or have you forgotten the significance and

the power of what Christ has done for you by his blood, by his

sacrifice for us?

Well, here in the book of Hebrews, it doesn't specify a clear

geographical audience, but the early church tradition and some clues

you see in the book suggest that it was likely written to Jewish

Christians in Rome, who or some other urban center within the

Roman Empire.

Hebrews 13:24 states, they of Italy salute you.

Hebrews 13:24

Possibly indicating that the author was in Italy writing outward,

or that there were Italian believers that were sending greetings

from outside of Rome.

But regardless, the recipients who are part of a church that are

facing pressure, they were facing this pressure in or near the

heart of the Roman power during this time.

The day of the writing of this book was before AD 70, as the destruction

of the Jerusalem temple was never mentioned.

Now, once again, the primary audience is the Jewish Christians

who are familiar with the Old Testament sacrificial system, priesthood

and covenants.

So this ties in with what Pastor Josh is preaching about from

the book of Romans, talking about Abraham, how he believed God

and accounted him for righteousness.

The same kind of ideas you find through the book of Hebrews

and Abraham's actually mentioned in chapter 11 with the

hall of faith of the chapter of faith.

These believers that are being written to here, they were facing

persecution and they were also facing discouragement.

They were going through hardships in their life.

Some were tempted to return back to Judaism to forsake their

identity with Christ, to go back to where they were comfortable,

where they had come from.

This letter was also both a pastoral encouragement, but also

a theological warning.

Do not turn back.

Don't forsake the sacrifice of what Jesus Christ has done.

As far as the author for Hebrews, church tradition says, and

apparently with church history, the old church history documents

said it was the Apostle Paul, but then those documents got misplaced.

So today we officially say we don't know who the official author

is, but that's the rumor is he said that people believe it's the

Apostle Paul, but today we don't know who that exact author

is.

Now, some of the theology you kind of find through Hebrews, it

presents Jesus as a final fulfillment of a bunch of different

shadows and types.

Some themes we see is the superiority of Christ right over

angels, Moses and the priests.

He is the once for all sufficiency, sufficient sacrifice

for us, He's a better and new covenant.

There's perseverance and faith under trial.

And then we see towards the end that God's discipline is as an

evidence of sonship, right?

As a father chastens his son, he loves his son to bring him back,

right?

And so you can kind of see that towards the end.

Now, the key verse in the book of Hebrews is Hebrews 12:2, where

Hebrews 12:2

it says, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our

faith.

So why is this book written?

It is written to warn Jewish believers against drifting from the

faith and encouraging them to endure by showing that Jesus Christ

is superior in every way as prophet, priest and king, and that

faith in him is worth every cost of your life.

The book of Hebrews is broken down in chapters one through four

talk about the supremacy of Christ's person.

Chapters five through seven to talk about the superiority of Christ's

priesthood.

Chapters eight through ten will be there tonight.

In chapter ten is how Christ is superior in his covenant and sacrifice.

And then chapters 11 through 13 is the call to live by faith.

And so we're coming here in chapter 10 where it's kind of summarizing

Christ's covenant and sacrifice.

And it goes into chapter 11 talking about how there are different

portraits of faith that people who trusted in God and literally

lived out faith before God.

And so we're here tonight right in this chapter, this niche,

where it's talking about us remembering Christ's sacrifice for

us.

And so our first point tonight we're going to see is that you must

be bold in Christ.

We're here in Hebrews, chapter 10 and we're going to start, just

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

give you some context, we're going to start in verse 14.

It says, for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that

are sanctified whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us.

For after that he had said before, this is a covenant that I

will make with him after those days, saith the Lord, I will put

my laws into their hearts and their minds.

Will I write them and their sins and iniquities.

I remember no more.

Now the remission of these is there is no more offering for sin.

So a couple of explanations there you go back to verse 14.

It talks about how there was one offering, there was one sacrifice

that Jesus Christ made for you, that he made for me.

A once and done sacrifice.

As you're going throughout your life, you may have a sin, you

may.

You may mess up.

But what does 1 John 1:9 say if we confess our sins, which means

1 John 1:9

to say the same thing as he is faithful and just, to forgive us

our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness?

He is a faithful high priest.

He is one who has passed in the heavens.

Hebrews chapter four talks about that.

Let us come before the throne of grace, that we can attain mercy

and find grace to help in time of need.

Tonight, the beginning of August, towards the end of the summer,

do you find yourself in a time of need?

The people here, who this author is writing to, they were in

a time of need, they were struggling.

So maybe you find yourself here, but when you are struggling,

when you are going through a difficulty or whatever it is, maybe

you're like, yeah, I'm doing great here.

In verse 19, do not forget to be bold in Christ.

Verse 19 it says, Having therefore brethren boldness to enter

into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way,

which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say,

his flesh, and having an high priest over the house of God, let

us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, having

our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed

with pure water, let us hold fast the profession of our faith

without wavering, for he is faithful that promise.

And let us consider one another.

To provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling

of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting

one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Verse 26.

For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge

of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for our sins, but

a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,

which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three

witnesses of how much sure punishment, Suppose ye shall he be

thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God,

and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified.

An unholy thing hath done despite unto the spirit of grace.

For we know him that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto me.

I'll recompense, saith the Lord.

And again the Lord shall judge his people.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Tonight we're going to see this first point is that you must

be bold in Christ.

Being bold in Christ.

What does this word boldness here mean?

It means to have a freedom of speech, to have a confidence.

Does it mean having, having an arrogance?

No, it means to have a confidence, knowing the promises

of God, knowing who Christ is, knowing that his one and done sacrifice.

I can come back to him every single day, every single moment.

I'm going through a struggle, I'm going through a trial, I'm going

through a mistake that I've made in my life.

I'm able to come before him.

Even chapter four talks about that we can come before his throne

of grace to find that help in time of need.

And so we see there's this freedom of speech, a confidence,

a courage.

We are encouraged to come into God's prayer, to be able to intentionally

take that time with God.

They come before him and just say, lord, I need you.

Whether you're going through a, maybe you're in a mountaintop

experience right now, tomorrow going to Six Flags on top of roller

coaster, or maybe you're down in the pits wherever you are.

Being bold and coming before God.

This implies a fearless confidence.

Originally it was used for free citizens who could speak openly

in public assemblies.

Back in the Roman time, there were citizens who were able to come

out to bring their petitions before the leadership of the Roman

Empire.

Being able to say, oh, you know, ruler, I have this request,

I have this need that openness is made available by Christ to every

single one of us.

We have that open accessibility because of Christ.

In the Old Testament, only the high priest entered the most holy

place once a year with blood.

Leviticus 16, 14, 15 in Christ's blood grants all believers

direct access to God's presence.

Have you ever had children or ever been watching some children

before?

And you're sleeping, maybe it's like a stormy night, it's thundering

outside and a little child come and just.

You hear a soft knock, or maybe you wake up in the morning,

your child is sleeping on the outside of the door because they

were scared, you know, whatever the case is, right?

That little child that's coming in, why is that child coming

into your bedroom?

Well, that child is coming into your room because they know

they can Trust you, they know they can come before you.

When they're fearful, when they're, when they're struggling,

they don't know what's going on, they're scared.

They can come before their parents, right?

And be able to come get mommy with mommy or Daddy, right?

Be able to snuggle with them.

But that's kind of the idea here, is that we have this open access,

right, where we can come before him, we can bring our petitions,

bring our requests before Him.

And being able to bring this before, I mean, is he going to turn

us away?

No psalm says, but a broken and a contrite heart he will not

despise.

If you're discouraged, if you have a broken heart, you're going

through something, God's not going to push you, right?

If you're coming with a humble heart, you're coming with that.

If it's a repentant heart from sin, or maybe it's a broken heart

over something in your life.

Being able to come before him, he's not going to despise you.

He's not going to tear you down and say, how dare you come and

how dare you come and talk to me?

No.

He's the kind of God who wants that open relationship with him,

us.

And so we see that we can approach God daily with confidence

in prayer and worship, knowing that Jesus's blood has removed all

the barriers.

Don't let guilt or fear keep you away.

His blood covers a multitude of sins.

And so we take that to look into verse 20.

Verse 20, it says, this is by a new and a living way which he hath

consecrated for us in the veil, that is to say, his flesh.

And so we see this is a new way, meaning that the sacrifice of

Christ is active today.

The blood of Christ covers sins today.

It's not something that just happened 2,000 years ago.

And that's is something that is active and is alive today.

The veil of the temple, it was torn at Christ's death, Matthew 27:51.

Matthew 27:51

It symbolizes his body which was broken for us.

We had the Lord's Supper this morning remembering how he.

How he was torn for us, how he was scourged for our sins.

Isaiah talks about that the chastisement of our peace is upon

him, and by his stripes we are healed.

The stripes of Christ, we are healed presently, today.

And maybe you say, well, Pastor John, you have no idea.

I've been having this one struggle for 20 or 30 or 40 or 50

years.

Well, I can tell you today, before the eyes of God, he knows

exactly where that struggle is and you can confess that sin tonight.

That's the power of the forgiveness of God.

His blood cleanses all sins.

The question is, are you willing to give that up?

Are you willing to remove that idol of your heart to confess that

sin to him?

Which means to say the same thing as saying, lord, I acknowledge

this.

Maybe it's an idol, maybe it's a struggle, maybe it's a sin.

And rather than keeping that in keeping it close to you, saying,

you know what, I want no part of it.

What does the Bible say about that?

We are to put to death, we are to mortify the deeds of our bodies,

the flesh, sin, things that are going on in our lives, the mind

putting to death the desires of the flesh by walking in the spirit.

And here tonight specifically, we see that this is all done through

a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us.

And so we see that we are called to live as if the way, as

if the way to God is always open.

Don't treat Jesus sacrifice as a one time event, but it should be

a living path to intimacy with God.

It should be a continual relationship.

It should be a continual walk, right?

It wasn't just the great high priest going in once a year now.

No, that curtain was torn in two.

And we have accessibility to God every single day, every single

moment, all throughout your life.

If you feel discouraged, if you feel like nobody else understands,

if you feel like nobody knows what you're going through.

Hebrews 4 says that we have a high priest who is touched with the

filling of our infirmities because he knows he was tempted like

as we are, yet without sin.

He was tempted, guys, just like you, just like me.

But he was able to overcome them.

He was able to overcome that by his power.

And if he was able to overcome that, can we overcome that in our

life?

We certainly can.

And here we see that that's the same.

That's simply the truth.

So let's live like it.

Look at verse 21.

It says, Having a high priest over the house of God, Let us draw

near with the true heart and full assurance of faith.

Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies

washed with pure water.

Draw near here.

This is the idea of approaching with purpose and reverence,

right?

We're not just, we're not just half heartedly you know, looking

over here as we're coming over here, right?

We're not keeping our distraction, no, we're having our

full focus on God.

Jesus, our high priest, he intercedes for us.

His blood cleanses our conscience.

This enables us to be able to approach God with that sincerity

and faith, a true heart and full assurance of faith.

This is a heart of truthfulness.

With the fullness of persuasion, I have been persuaded

that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against

that day.

I know that God's a faithful God.

He remembers his promises, he remembers his mercies towards them,

that walk with him, mercies that you were sharing tonight, Mr.

Risa, about being able to testify and to saying, lord, you're

a good God, you're a faithful God, you're watching over me.

And even though I might, the situations, it may be as difficult

that I'm dealing with right now.

But in my heart of hearts, I'm trusting you.

I know that you're a faithful God.

I know that I'm going to keep, as I keep my heart and my mind focused

on you and that cleansing through his blood, our hearts are

sprinkled from that evil conscience.

Why?

How is it done?

Is it just a one time event that our hearts are cleansed?

No, it's every single moment, every single day, right?

It is a continual thing that we are abiding in the truth of God's

word.

They were abiding with God.

We are spending time with him.

2 Timothy 1:12.

2 Timothy 1:12

Paul was telling Timothy, he said, for the which cause I also

suffer these things, right?

Paul endured for the Gospel.

Paul endured for the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus

Christ.

He was declaring that message and he was shipwrecked, he was beaten,

he was thrown in prison.

He went through a lot of hardships in his life.

And he says, nevertheless, I am not ashamed.

He was never ashamed.

He even asked believers in this day, he said, pray that I would

have all boldness that I can just magnify Christ.

He told the Philippians, he said, whether, whether I be, whether

Christ is magnified by my death or by my life, may you be magnified

Christ in and through my life.

But he goes on and he says, for I know whom I have believeth,

who have you believed?

Romans 3 talks about that right to the Jews.

To whom do we believe?

Who is our report about?

We get to believe on Christ.

But here he says, I know who I believe, right?

He's our faithful high priest, our great high priest and am persuaded

that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against

that day.

Like Pastor Josh talking this morning about that eternal focus,

that hope in Christ.

It's not here and now, just the here and now, right, it is a

continual thing until the day of Jesus Christ.

But here he says that I know whom I believe it and am persuaded

that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against

that day.

You know what Paul was saying?

Paul was saying that no matter what I'm going through, I had that

thorn in the flesh.

I asked God to remove that physical difficulty.

I asked God to remove, to be going through things.

But Paul said, I am persuaded that God is able to keep that which

I've committed the Lord.

I'm committing this to you.

I'm committing my life to you.

I'm committing everything to you.

Don't hesitate to pray.

Don't be fearful about worshiping God.

Don't fear that you're not good enough.

Because the truth is that we'll never be good enough in of

ourselves.

We must rest and trust in Christ's cleansing and his approach

to God with that sincere heart.

So where is that object of faith for us as we're struggling,

as we're going through our life?

Where is the object of faith?

It is in God himself.

So first, tonight you must be bold, but secondly, you must embrace

an accountable community.

Look down at verse 23.

It says, Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering,

for he is faithful.

That promise.

Let us consider one another to provoke into love and to good works,

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner

of some is, but exhorting one another.

And so much the more, as you see the day approaching.

Here we see in verse 23, let us hold fast the profession.

That profession there means an open confession, an agreement before

God, a public acknowledgment of faith.

Right?

We're gathered together, Ecclesia.

We are the church.

We are gathered together to proclaim Christ, to proclaim that

he is the high priest, that he is a faithful God.

We are acknowledging Christ together.

And there it says in verse 23, he's telling the audience, he's saying,

let us hold fast the profession of our faith together.

And it says, without wavering, holding fast means to grip tightly

or retain firmly, implying active effort against the opposition,

right?

Without wavering, the Hebrew Christians, they face pressure to

abandon their faith.

But this verse here urges steadfastness.

And where is their steadfastness rooted in?

It's rooted in God's unwavering faithfulness for us.

Now, James chapter one talks about when those scattered Christians,

the Jewish Christians, they were scattered amongst the known

world during that time.

He told them in chapter One he said, as you're going through difficulties,

you're going through trials later on.

In that context it says to ask God for wisdom who gives to all men

liberally.

He breatheth not and it shall be given him.

But as James talks about this and telling believers to ask in faith,

he says to ask in faith without wavering.

And who is the one that wavers?

The one who wavers, he says the one who wavers should not expect

to receive any, anything from the Lord.

That's a very, that's a very stern rebuke.

If we come to God, right, that half hearted approach where we're

like, okay, God, I want your help.

And I also want, I also want something from my own understanding.

I want, you know, maybe it's rich, maybe it's money, maybe it's

fame, maybe it's relationships, it's something that

you know is not Christ.

And maybe you've embracing that and God's tonight, he's telling

you, no, I want you to fully embrace me tonight.

I want you to embrace your calling entirely in Me tonight.

And so we're called to hold fast without wavering.

When life's trials tempt you to doubt or drift, cling to Christ's

promises, your trust in God's faithfulness, it will reflect endurance

in your life.

So maybe think to yourself, right, Monday morning, work man.

My co workers have no idea what I was going through this last

weekend.

Nobody else understands.

And, but, but if you're truly trusting in God, if you're truly

allowing yourself to rest in his faithfulness, to rest in his

power, to rest in his one and done sacrifice for you as you rest

upon him, as, as you yield to him, he gives you that strength to

be able to endure.

Because now you're not relying on yourself, you're relying on Him.

Does that make sense?

And so you rely on him and you say, lord, I truly rely upon you.

And so when you're at work on Monday morning, everyone else is

bringing a cup of coffee and you're bringing out Jesus and you're

able to say, lord, I'm just trusting you this morning and I'm

resting in your grace and resting in your strength today to

help me to get through this.

And so you're trusting God's faithfulness, it will reflect endurance,

but it's not going to be for your ownership.

People are going to look at your hand and say, how is that person

so strong?

And in doing what they're going through right now, and you're

able to say, it's all God.

Has nothing to do with.

And you're able to point them to Christ through that trust in him.

And that's where you see the last part of verse 23, where it says,

for he is faithful, that promise, the one who made the promises

of the one who's a faithful God.

He is the one who is faithful and will always be with you, even

at the very end.

Let me go on to verse 24.

First 24 says, Let us consider one another to provoke unto love

and to good works.

This means to stir up, to strongly encourage, often with urgency,

right?

And so with this word here, considering means to observe carefully,

like you're looking at others needs, right?

And as you're looking at others needs, you see what they're

going through.

Believers are called to.

They're called to intentionally spur each other toward

love and good deeds, not just passively listening or negatively

engaging in conversation.

That's not going to be supportive for that situation.

And so we as believers, right, if we have a problem with somebody,

we go and we talk to them about it.

We go and we address that issue with them.

And we say here, this is what's going on.

Galatians 6:2 says, Bring one of those burdens and so fulfill the

Galatians 6:2

law of Christ.

Like teammates are together in a team, right?

Man, maybe it's a football team.

Man, that quarterback, you did a horrible job tonight.

No, right.

Hey, teammate, can I get with you?

Let's practice your runs, let's practice your throws, right?

Let's practice.

Let's work together.

Can I pray with you?

Can I encourage you?

How can I come alongside you to help you be a better quarterback?

Right?

But fill in the blank, right, with whatever you're seeing within

the church, man, I'm seeing a need over here.

Well, I'm going to go over there and I'm going to step in.

And a lot of you guys do a great job with this of being able

to step in and encourage other people within the congregation here.

But it says there is considering what another to provoke

unto love and to good works.

And so we see that focus there is on love, God's love, right?

Pastor Josh talked about this morning, right?

The love of God, of giving his only begotten Son.

For us, we abide in God's love, and we're able to abide in

the love that we get from the Holy Spirit and being able to look

forward to that hope of eternal life that we have through

Christ.

Look at verse 25.

It says, not forsaken the assembling of ourselves together

as the manner of some is.

And so I've seen this verse before.

And forsaking here means abandoning, right?

Or deserting.

And so there's a deliberate choice to disconnect.

Like, I am not going to be taking an active part within the

local congregation there.

And I personally, I used to be more like legalistic, where I'm like,

all right, we got to be in church every single time the doors

are open, right?

But then the other end too is, well, you know, where are you, right?

Are you here?

Are you present?

But I believe the intentionality behind this verse

is that there should be that continuing.

There should be that continuing relationships in the body

of Christ being present here, right?

If you're missing here and there, you know there's going to

be like a extending many circumstance or whatever, but you're

being intentional on connecting within the body of Christ.

And so what if someone's missing?

Well, if you have a connection with that person.

Hey, I missed you.

You know, I missed you on Sunday.

Is there anything I can do for you?

Right.

Maybe they were sick.

Can I bring a meal by for you?

Right.

Can I encourage you?

Right.

Can I come alongside and pray with you?

Right.

That's the idea.

Just as a ritual, right?

As this a meaningful, meaningless thing.

Not just as a ritual, right?

As this a meaningful, meaningless thing, but something

that I'm intentionally engaging within, having a spiritually

vibrant and accountable life with other believers in the church.

And so we take that to go to our next point here, which means

this, which says, you must beware of judgment lest you forget.

You must beware of judgment lest you forget.

Look at verse 26.

It says, for if we sin willfully, after that we have received

the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice

for sins.

And so we see this word here, knowledge means it is a full experiential

knowledge, not just mere head knowledge, but you've actually received

Christ as your Savior.

And now that you've received Christ as your Savior, you're saying,

all right, thanks, Lord, for saving me.

Now I'm going to go live how I want to live.

I'm going to go to sin against you, and I'm going to take that sacrifice

that you made for me.

I'm going to neglect it.

I'm going to live as I want to live.

This warns against apostasy, deliberately rejecting Christ.

You know, you've experienced the salvation in Christ, you've experienced

that new life in him, but you're actively choosing to live

in rebellion against him, even though you receive Christ as your

Savior, you have neglected him.

And we are called to be remembering, to be engaging right

within our community.

Not forsaking, not neglecting and not forsaking the knowledge of

Christ.

We should be intentionally connecting, like spinning in a lifeboat,

right?

You're, you're trying to preserve this lifeboat.

But, but as you're, as you're trying to, as you're trying to, to

get this lifeboat after being rescued from a sinking ship, right?

You're trying to, you're trying to spit, spit water in this

little, this little lifeboat.

Rejecting Christ.

It leads no other way.

You have to continue living in Him.

He is your anchor.

He is your steadfast hope.

He is the one that is taking you to the finish line.

So examine your heart.

Where are you?

Where are we tonight?

Don't flirt with sin and don't take, don't treat Christ's sacrifice

casually.

But we also see for the but we also see that there is a fearful

judgment reserved for the adversaries of God.

James 4:4.

James 4:4

James condemns the believers who are, who are drifting from God.

He says, ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not if the

friendship of the world is enmity with God.

Whosoever therefore be a friend of the world is the enemy

of God.

Do you realize that tonight, guys, that when you choose to be

living in sin, that you are literally on the enemy lines behind

enemy lines?

And if you're on, if you're on the enemy side, when, when, when

God is sending his firepower against the evil one, who's getting

hit?

We're getting hit, right?

Because we're on the wrong side of the field.

We're supposed to be on God's side, living in obedience to him.

But let's go on to verse 28.

It says, he that despised Moses law died without mercy under

two or three witnesses of how much shorter punishment?

Suppose ye shall he be thou worthy, who hath trodden under foot

the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant

wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath hath done

despite unto the Spirit of grace.

And the context here, this phrase here, he that despised Moses

law died without mercy under two or three witnesses primarily

refers to Deuteronomy 17:2 through seven and related passages

Deuteronomy 17:2

in the Mosaic law, which outlines the punishment for certain

serious sins, particularly idolatry and blatant rebellion against

God's covenant.

The accusation was brought and it was required to be confirmed by

two or three witnesses, and this would help to ensure justice.

It wasn't just one person coming and just saying, all right,

this person's doing a sin.

No, it had me two or three witnesses.

But then, if this person was found guilty, the offender then was

to be stoned to death.

Stoned to death for this.

This serious sin against God.

A punishment carried out without mercy.

Because such scenes were.

Such sins were seen as a deliberate rejection of God's covenant

and authority.

This community was involved in the execution to show collective

agreement with God's judgment and to purge the evil from Israel.

And so this wording here we're seeing of trotting underfoot means

to trample with contempt, showing utter disrespect for Christ's

sacrifice.

Now, rejecting Christ's blood is far worse than breaking the Mosaic

Law, right?

You're rejecting his blood, you're rejecting his sacrifice, and

it insults God's Son and his grace.

It's like taking.

Okay, like, let's say.

Let's say, you know, you got your wife this beautiful.

This beautiful necklace or beautiful jewelry, and she just takes

and she says, thanks, honey.

Goes outside in the backyard in the mud, just throws in the mud

and just tramples on it.

And you're like, I just spent, you know, thousands of dollars or

whatever on this nice piece of jewelry for you.

And you're going back there and you're trampling it, right?

This priceless, this very nice gift I got for you, you're just completely

rejecting it.

Here it says, of how much sorer punishment shall it be?

Verse 30.

For we know him that hath said, vengeance belongeth unto me,

I will recompense, saith the Lord.

And again the Lord shall judge his people.

And so God's justice is certain for those who reject him.

His judgment is not a light matter, but it's a sober reality.

It's like standing before a judge with undeniable evidence of

guilt.

Facing God and him being in this judgment is terrifying.

It's a scary situation, right?

Somebody who.

You violated the law, and now it's like, that's it.

Live with holy fear, knowing that God sees who you are, knowing

that God knows everything.

Let his love drive obedience, not just.

Not his punishment, right?

Oh, I have to.

I have to be able to dodge the.

Trying to dodge the judgment or the punishment of God.

No, But I'm called to live in obedience to him.

And Jesus's blood has opened the way.

So let's draw near with boldness.

Hold fast your faith and stir others up to obedience and walk in

holy fear of God.

Don't shrink back.

Christ died not Just to save you, but to claim you completely.

So is there an area in your life tonight that you would say,

lord, I need to.

I need to turn this over to you.

I need to confess this to you.

Has your faith been bold or has your faith been cold?

Has your faith before God, has it been consistent before everyone

around you?

Right?

Whether it's with our spouse at home, with our children, whether

it's with our co workers, people here at church, are you the

same you no matter where you are, right?

If anybody, if anybody knew you from work, could this is the

same about you here at church?

And ultimately, before the eyes of God, could God say that you're

being consistent in your walk with him?

Secondly, are you stirring others up?

Right?

Are you intentionally engaging with the community here at the Middletown

Baptist Church?

Are you isolating yourself?

You're just pulling back and you're like, oh, I have.

I have my own life.

I have my own secret things I like to do.

I don't like to be held accountable.

We're called to be held accountable.

And lastly, are you honoring Christ's blood or are you treating

it and despising it and saying, I'm going to do what I want

to do?

Verse 30 and 31.

Sorry, verse 31, it says, it is a fierce thing to fall under the

hands of the living God.

Ultimately, we are held accountable before God, right?

So my question for you tonight is this.

Are you going to continue living in your life with sin or living

in your life of rejecting of what Christ has done?

Or will you confess that struggle that you're dealing with

tonight?

Will you confess that sin?

Will you turn to him and to say, lord, I'm done trying to do

this myself.

I need your help.

I'm going to yield this trial of this situation to you.

Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church

podcast.

I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you.

If you would like to find out more information about our church

or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org

or find us on Facebook or YouTube.

You could also email me directly at Josh Massaro at middletownbaptistchurch.

Com if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow

along for future podcast and updates.

Thank you so much.

God bless.

Have a wonderful day.