Therefore, brothers and sisters, 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 and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

In reading this passage we must first deal with the “Therefore”. What is it there for? Earlier in Hebrews 10, the author details the process by which Jesus set aside the old law with its rules and regulations for a new covenant. “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.” (‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭5‬-‭6‬). In Matthew‬ 9‬:‭12‬-‭13‬, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

So in light of Jesus taking his body and becoming the sacrifice for our sins once and for all, we now have a new way to live life to the fullest. “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” ‭‭(I John‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬-‭12‬)

In light of this truth, we are to live with a new found confidence to enter into relational spaces with God once forbidden to the Jews under the old law. When Jesus died, the physical curtain, which separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, was torn in half. Prior to this, only the High Priest could enter once a year into God’s presence (with the Ark of the Covenant). He had to purify himself first, offering sacrifices for his sin and the sins of the people. They would tie a rope around one of his ankles, in case God found fault with him and struck him dead, they could drag him out without dying themselves. For death was the penalty for anyone else who entered at any other time.

But Jesus did away with this distant relationship with God made of rules for sinful man, by becoming the payment for our sins. He is our high priest forever (Hebrews 7:28), and he invites us to enter into a personal and vibrant relationship with God. His blood is figuratively sprinkled over us to cleanse us forever into the future, just like they would sprinkle the blood of animals to cleanse in Jewish customs.

And so today, friends, we live in the light of an incredible hope, the moment-by-moment and day-by-day ability to live in communion with the God of the Universe, the one and only true God.

And we are called to action in view of this great and wonderful new life through Jesus Christ: 1) We are to spur one another on to love and good deeds. 2) We are to meet regularly together to encourage and enrich each other. And, 3) as the day of his second coming approaches and the times get more evil and the persecution more intense, we are to surge in doing the work of love and good deeds. We are to meet together in unity through the Holy Spirit all the more. Instead of succumbing to the persecution, pressure, and intense attacks that come and may come, we are called to redouble our efforts to serve God, do good, and love intensely! Join me, my friends, let us surge to the finish line and “all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for making this incredible sacrifice for a sinner like me. I know I don’t deserve it. But since you gave it freely, I will honor you with my maximum effort to draw close to you, learn from you, and rely on your power and truth. I commit to never give up, and when the battle rages … to surge all the more because you, my Lord and my King, are so worth my efforts!