## On Any Given Sunday

## Hebrews 10:19-25

Oliver Stone has a recent movie that was made about the game of football. I haven't seen it, but it is an attempt to portray what goes on in the NFL on any given Sunday during the season.

I would like to take the title and use it to describe something a bit different. I want to let you know what you can expect on any given Sunday around Grace Baptist Temple. Now, it may not be as glamorous…and most likely will never be made into a movie, but it is far more important than any football game whether it is the opening of the season or the final play of the Superbowl!

Read: Hebrews 10:19-25

I. People Are Raised Up v19-21

A. 'Boldness to enter'

1. This indicates a change in relationship.

2. In the O.T. the average person could not enter into the presence of Almighty God.

3. Only the high priest, and then only on the day of atonement, could enter into the holy of holies…the very presence of God.

4. Even then they did so in fear…they wore bells on the bottom of their robes and a rope around their ankle, so if something were to happen to them while ministering there, they could be removed without others needing to enter in (because to do so meant certain death)

5. But now we see there is boldness to enter in … which means there is a new relationship.

B. 'A New and Living Way'

1. The way of Christ…the way of truth.

(John 14:6) "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

2. Six time in the book of Acts we find Christianity described as the 'way'.

a. Acts 9:2 'found any of this way'

b. Acts 19:9 'spake evil of that way'

c. Acts 19:23 'no small stir about that way'

d. Acts 22:4 'persecuted this way unto death'

e. Acts 24:14 'the way which they call heresy'

f. Acts 24:22 'knowledge of that way'

3. When a person trusts Christ as Savior, they begin to travel a different path… a different way in their lives.

C. People are raised up from their old way…the way of death and put on the way to life.

(Rom 6:23) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

(John 17:3) "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

1. On any given Sunday around here, people are raised up from death and receive eternal life through Jesus Christ!

2. As we place our faith in Him and in His finished work on Calvary, we are born again!

3. This morning, do you know Jesus Christ as Savior?

4. Are you on your way to heaven?

5. In a few minutes we will have our invitation and you will be given the opportunity to respond and come to Jesus!

II. People Are Cleaned Up v21-22

A. The ministry of this church is to evangelize, but that isn't all of the great commission.

1. Jesus said that we were to make disciples and that we were to teach them.

2. A big part of our ministry here is to the believer who has already trusted Christ.

3. Once we are saved, or born again, we are just beginning our new walk with Christ.

4. There are many things we must learn, and there are things that we need during our journey.

5. These things can only be supplied through the local N.T. church!

6. Why? Because God planned it that way!

B. We need cleansing along the way.

1. Our text speaks of having our hearts sprinkled and our bodies washed with pure water.

2. The writer is using something that his Hebrew readers would understand, perhaps better than we would.

3. Before a sacrifice could be offered to God, there was a cleansing process that took place to make it acceptable.

4. As believers, we are to be living sacrifices unto God.

(Rom 12:1) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

C. We are cleansed by the water of the Word!

(Eph 5:26) "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,"

1. As we come together the Word is taught and preached and the Holy Spirit goes to work.

2. God takes the Word, just as He has promised, and uses it to deal with our hearts and to show us areas that we need to get right with Him.

3. David prayed, "Search me O God and know my heart…see if there be any wicked way in me…" cf Ps. 139:23

4. Some folks don't come back to church, because it makes them uncomfortable.

5. I remember when my mom would check my ears and neck to see if they were clean! Usually they weren't…she would take the soap and washrag and scrub me till I thought she was removing the hide!

6. It hurt…I didn't like it…if I had a choice I would have ran the other way!

7. God takes His Word and the Holy Spirit uses it to reveal the areas of our lives that are not clean.

8. When He begins to scrub…it isn't always comfortable, but it is necessary!

9. On any given Sunday, people are raised up from sin, and people are cleaned up for service.

III. People Are Stirred Up. V23-25

A. Provocation to Love and Good Works

1. Provoke = to incite to action

2. It can be wrong action or it can be good action.

3. Here it is used to challenge us to love and to do good works.

4. We need to be an encouragement to others.

B. 'One another'

1. This reminds us that we need each other.

(Eccl 4:9-10) "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. {10} For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."

2. Just as God never intended for man to be alone in creation, He never intended for us to be alone in the new creation.

3. We need others around us…that is why we are admonished not to forsake the assembly! 4. Listen to that again… 'woe to him that is alone when he falleth…'

C. This is accomplished through the Word.

1. As the Word of God is preached, the Holy Spirit takes the Word and brings conviction to our hearts.

2. As we are moved by this conviction we are stirred to be obedient to the Word.

3. This may mean that we stop doing what we are doing and start doing what God would have us do!

4. Note the example of Peter:

(2 Pet 1:12-13) "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. {13} Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;"

5. Often we need to be reminded of things that we already know…things we have already heard, but haven't acted upon!

6. All of us need to be stirred up once in a while to make us usable!

On any given Sunday around here you may find that people who are raised up by the power of God, people who are cleaned up by the Word of God, and people who are stirred up to serve the Lord with their lives. What is going to happen today? It depends upon whether or not we will respond to the message of God. If you are here today and have never been born again, why not come today and be raised up by the power of Jesus Christ? If you are burdened down by sin, why not come and be cleaned up? All of us can be stirred up to serve Christ with our lives! Come today!