Pentecost XXV
Fr. Philip Eberhart
Access to the God
the Father
This morning I want to highlight a few of the verses from
our reading from the letter to the Hebrews.
First of all, just take a listen again to the verses we just heard in
Hebrews, written in the Message:
19-21 So, friends, we can
now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has
cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God.
The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body.
22-25
So let’s do it—full of
belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip
on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how
inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding
worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see
the big Day approaching.
All of this is dependant on one verse at the beginning of
the reading – from verse 14:
For by a single
offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
Again from The Message:
By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for
everyone who takes part in the purifying process.
Perfected for all time!
And in the reading the
writer of the letter actually defends the statement by pulling from the promise
in the Prophet Jeremiah, Chapter 31:33-34.
Jeremiah promises a New Covenant with the people of Israel – a promise
that is topped off with the statement: And I will forgive their wickedness, and I
will never again remember their sins!”
What a promise! A
clean slate forever.
So what do we do with that?
Ultimate Thanks-living!
The writer to the Hebrews has some thoughts that are some of
the clearest and best, regarding our response to the amazing grace of God here!
Therefore! There is
that word!
In the light of a permanently clean slate – and no further
need or even a possibility of offering anything to God to atone for our sins –
in THAT light:
Therefore!
There are some things that arise from the statement:
1) We have
confidence to enter in
One of my very favorite bible words is the word “access” –
what we have been given through the sacrifice of Christ – as our reading puts
it: by the new and living way that he opened for
us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh) – what we have been
given is ACCESS!
ACCESS TO GOD – right into the very throne room.
A story is told of a soldier who needed to get in to see
President Lincoln to deliver a message during the War between the States, but
who was turned away at the White House gate.
He went to the park across the street and sat down, frustrated. Soon a young boy came up and asked him why he
was there. He explained his mission to
see the president and the young boy said simply, “Follow me.” And the two proceeded to a back entrance to
the White House grounds, walked right in past the guard post and into the White
House, up right into the Oval Office, and into a high level meeting, with no
opposition or challenge, much to the soldier’s surprise. He was introduced to the President, with the
words, “Dad, this soldier has something he needs to tell you.” The young boy was Todd Lincoln, the son of
the President- who had total access to His Father.
We have total access to God the Father through His Son,
Jesus Christ.
Jesus has opened the way for us to come to God! We have total and complete ACCESS.
Paul said it this way in Romans 5:1-2
5
Therefore,
since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into
this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
And the word that the writer to the
Hebrews uses here for “confidence” is also translated “boldness, Openness or Freedom to speak” – there is the
sense that we have been ushered into the very presence of God and are given the
freedom to speak freely with Him about anything on our heart.
This whole section of Hebrews is
making the parallel between what Jesus has done and the ancient practices of
Temple Sacrifice in the Old Covenant.
The imagery is unmistakable here:
We
enter by the “Blood of Jesus!” (The Lamb
who was slain – Who
takes away the sin of the world)
A
“High Priest” is involved – also Jesus Christ!
Our
hearts are “Sprinked Clean” – a reference to the sprinkling of the blood on the Mercy
Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, done yearly, to cleanse the people of
their sins for that year!
Our
“bodies washed with pure water” – the symbol of the ritual washing as a worshipper
prepared himself to enter into the Temple worship.
prepared himself to enter into the Temple worship.
So Now What?
Let us approach with a
true heart in full assurance of faith.
Friends, when we talk about Anglican Sacramental Theology
and what is happening at on this table as we consecrate bread and wine, and as
we come this is a key verse for us to know and remember!
We don’t believe either extreme about the sacraments: What we do here is not JUST a remembrance of
Jesus death, a memorial service, if you will, each week. It is not just a SIGN of the Kingdom of God
come among us.
But neither is it the ACTUAL FLESH AND BLOOD of the Savior,
made new in the cup, as if by magic, to be venerated, worshipped and adored.
As Anglicans, we believe that Jesus is present here in a
REAL PRESENCE – that He has made a way for us to ACCESS His presence by faith,
through the use of these sacraments of bread and wine – by His design they are
a “means of grace.”
Each and every time you come to this table, you have the
opportunity to meet with Jesus in a special way, as you approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith! You have been cleansed inside and out, by
His Spirit in baptism and by the very water of baptism, and you have
ACCESS. What a glorious reality!!!
Therefore!!!! LET US
…
HOLD FAST to the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful!
Our hope does not depend on us friends, it depends on the
One in whom place our faith!
When you get on a plane it is not YOU who are flying –
though we say we are “flying here or flying there!” You place your faith in and enter into fully
a plane, that takes you where you are destined to go for that trip. At DIA, the plane you get on determines the
destination you end up at!!
So it is with Christ!!
You are IN CHRIST as a Christian and you can hold fast to that reality
and hope without wavering – the faith is the same as what you use when you go
to DIA and get on a plane to fly somewhere.
AND…
LET US consider how to provoke one another!!
HA. Often I don’t
need to do much considering to do that!!
Oh, but we are to provoke one another in specific ways!
Provoke one another to love and to good deeds
Don’t neglect to meet together (for worship), as some are in
the habit of doing.Encourage one another!
Provoke each other to love and to do good
Get together and worship, daily, weekly, as often as you
can.Encourage one another!
Anyone here need encouragement from time to time?
Anyone here need to be provoked to be the best you that you
can be! For Jesus… for the sake of the
Kingdom of God!
We pray every week, “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done, on
earth as it is in heaven”
This is how it comes friends.
In our midst – as we come boldly into His Real Presence;As we receive grace from His Body and His Blood;
As we come to worship together, daily and weekly
People wonder why they are depressed and discouraged after
they have been away from the hope of Jesus for a while. Have you ever taken a coal out of the fireplace and placed
it on the hearth? What happens? It goes cold quickly and black. Place it back in the fire and what happens?
It catches fire again.
22-25 So let’s do
it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep
a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s
see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding
worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see
the big Day approaching.
Amen!! And Amen!!
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