Drawing Near: Our Direct Access to God

Devotional

Day 1: Direct Access to God Through Christ's Sacrifice

The privilege of entering the holy places with confidence is made possible through Jesus' sacrifice, allowing us direct access to God without intermediaries. This access is a spiritual act, not dependent on physical location or posture. The sacrifice of Jesus tore the veil that separated humanity from the divine, granting believers the ability to approach God directly. This profound privilege underscores the essence of the New Covenant, where believers are invited to commune with God intimately and personally. The emphasis is on the spiritual nature of this access, highlighting that it is not confined to a specific place or ritual but is a matter of the heart and spirit. [00:53]

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV): "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally draw near to God today, recognizing the privilege of direct access through Christ?

Day 2: The Spiritual Act of Drawing Near

The Greek word for "draw near" is central to the book of Hebrews, appearing seven times. It emphasizes that drawing near to God is a spiritual act, not a physical one, and can be done anywhere, at any time. This concept challenges the notion that worship and communion with God are tied to specific locations or rituals. Instead, it invites believers to engage with God in the everyday moments of life, whether in solitude or community, in silence or in song. The act of drawing near is a continual invitation to experience God's presence and grace in all circumstances. [02:19]

James 4:8 (ESV): "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a habit of drawing near to God in the ordinary moments of your day?

Day 3: Reconciliation Through Christ

Drawing near to God is the heart of Christianity, representing reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. It is the essence of the Gospel, as illustrated in the story of the Prodigal Son. This parable beautifully depicts the Father's eagerness to welcome us back, highlighting the transformative power of grace and forgiveness. The act of drawing near is not just about proximity but about relationship and restoration. It is a reminder that through Christ, the barriers of sin and separation are removed, allowing us to experience the fullness of God's love and acceptance. [09:33]

Colossians 1:21-22 (ESV): "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. How did you experience His reconciliation and grace in that season?

Day 4: The Father's Eagerness to Welcome Us

The Gospel is about God making a way for us to come home to Him, emphasizing the Father's eagerness to welcome us back. This is the central message of Christianity, inviting us to draw near to God. The story of the Prodigal Son serves as a powerful illustration of this truth, where the Father runs to embrace his returning child. This eagerness reflects God's heart for His people, a heart that longs for restoration and relationship. It is a call to return to the Father, knowing that His arms are always open, ready to receive and restore. [10:29]

Luke 15:20 (ESV): "And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him."

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you feel hesitant to return to God? How can you embrace His eagerness to welcome you back today?

Day 5: The Application of the Gospel

While drawing near is not the Gospel itself, it is the application of the Gospel, the experience of salvation that follows the promise of salvation. This distinction is crucial for understanding the full scope of the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, and drawing near is how we live out that reality in our daily lives. It is the ongoing response to the invitation of grace, a journey of faith that continually seeks to align our hearts with God's will and purpose. [11:47]

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV): "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."

Reflection: How can you actively apply the Gospel in your life today, allowing it to shape your actions and interactions with others?

Sermon Summary

In Hebrews 10:19-20, we are reminded of the profound privilege we have as believers to enter the holy places with confidence, a privilege made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This passage invites us to draw near to God with a true heart and full assurance of faith, knowing that our hearts have been cleansed and our bodies washed. This direct access to God, purchased by Christ through His torn body, is a central theme in the book of Hebrews. It emphasizes that our communion with God does not require intermediaries like angels, priests, or saints. We don't need to be in a specific physical location or posture to approach God; it is a spiritual act of the heart.

The Greek word for "draw near" appears seven times in Hebrews, underscoring its importance. Drawing near to God is not about physical movement but a spiritual act that can be done anywhere, whether standing, sitting, or lying down. It is a call to engage with God directly, without waiting for a specific moment or place. This act of drawing near is central to the Gospel, as it represents the heart of Christianity: reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.

The Gospel is about God making a way for us to come home to Him, as illustrated in the story of the Prodigal Son. This parable shows the Father's eagerness to welcome us back, emphasizing that the essence of Christianity is about drawing near to God through the sacrifice of Jesus. While drawing near is not the Gospel itself, it is the application of the Gospel, the experience of salvation that follows the promise of salvation.

Key Takeaways

1. The privilege of entering the holy places with confidence is made possible through Jesus' sacrifice, allowing us direct access to God without intermediaries. This access is a spiritual act, not dependent on physical location or posture. [00:53]
2. The Greek word for "draw near" is central to the book of Hebrews, appearing seven times. It emphasizes that drawing near to God is a spiritual act, not a physical one, and can be done anywhere, at any time. [02:19]
3. Drawing near to God is the heart of Christianity, representing reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. It is the essence of the Gospel, as illustrated in the story of the Prodigal Son. [09:33]
4. The Gospel is about God making a way for us to come home to Him, emphasizing the Father's eagerness to welcome us back. This is the central message of Christianity, inviting us to draw near to God. [10:29]
5. While drawing near is not the Gospel itself, it is the application of the Gospel, the experience of salvation that follows the promise of salvation. This distinction is crucial for understanding the full scope of the Gospel. [11:47]
** [11:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:20] - Confidence to Enter the Holy Places
[00:53] - Direct Access to God
[01:41] - The Greek Word for "Draw Near"
[02:19] - Spiritual Act, Not Physical
[03:07] - Drawing Near to the Throne of Grace
[03:53] - Access to the Holy Place
[04:23] - Drawing Near to God
[05:18] - Spiritual Act of the Heart
[06:34] - Beware of Misconceptions
[07:28] - The Center of the Gospel
[08:12] - Reconciliation Through Christ
[09:33] - The Prodigal Son
[10:29] - The Way Home to the Father
[11:47] - Application of the Gospel
[12:46] - Upcoming Discussion on Voting

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Hebrews 10:19-20
- Hebrews 4:16
- Luke 15:11-32 (The Prodigal Son)

Observation Questions:

What does Hebrews 10:19-20 say about the confidence we have to enter the holy places? How is this confidence achieved? [00:20]
How many times is the Greek word for "draw near" used in the book of Hebrews, and what significance does this repetition have? [01:41]
In the sermon, what examples are given to illustrate that drawing near to God is a spiritual act rather than a physical one? [05:18]
How does the story of the Prodigal Son illustrate the concept of drawing near to God? [09:33]

Interpretation Questions:

What does it mean to have direct access to God without intermediaries, and how does this change the way believers approach prayer and worship? [01:09]
How does the concept of drawing near to God as a spiritual act challenge traditional views of religious practices and rituals? [06:53]
In what ways does the story of the Prodigal Son reflect the heart of the Gospel message, and how does it relate to the idea of reconciliation with God? [10:29]
How does understanding the distinction between the Gospel and the application of the Gospel help believers in their spiritual journey? [11:47]

Application Questions:

Reflect on your current prayer life. How can you incorporate the understanding that you have direct access to God into your daily prayers? [01:09]
Consider a time when you felt distant from God. What steps can you take to draw near to Him, knowing it is a spiritual act that can be done anywhere? [05:18]
The sermon emphasizes that drawing near to God is not dependent on physical location or posture. How can this understanding change the way you engage with God throughout your day? [06:53]
Think about the story of the Prodigal Son. Is there an area in your life where you need to return to God, and how can you take the first step towards reconciliation? [09:33]
How can you share the message of direct access to God with someone who might feel they need intermediaries to connect with Him? [01:09]
Reflect on the idea that drawing near to God is the application of the Gospel. How can this perspective influence your understanding of salvation and your relationship with God? [11:47]
Identify a specific moment in your daily routine where you can intentionally draw near to God. What practical steps will you take to make this a consistent practice? [05:18]

Sermon Clips

we celebrated the Glorious depths of Hebrews chapter 10 verses 19 to 20. we now have confidence to enter the holy places we go right into the presence of God by the blood of Jesus by the New and Living Way that he opened for us through the curtain that is through his flesh and that means according to verse 22 we should now draw near to God with a True Heart in full Assurance of Faith with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water [00:05:42]

it's an incredible invitation and Pastor John said on Monday's episode we can't repeat these claims too often that all of our communion with God is done by direct access to him and access that Christ purchased for us through his torn body torn like the temple curtain top to bottom thus we pray directly to God Christ is our mediator our only mediator our prayers don't require Angels or priests or Saints or even Mary or Hail Mary's for your prayers to be heard you don't have to be on your knees or inside of a cathedral or at a temple or near a holy Shrine or even standing at a holy place in the Holy Land [00:43:37]

we need none of that to draw near to God the entire book of Hebrews is is given to us to celebrate this new access that we have been given to God through Christ and there the phrase draw near is used over and over draw near is actually one Greek word and that word appears seven times throughout the Book of Hebrews in chapters 4 7 10 and 11. it's a profound word as Pastor John explains in this 1997 sermon clip this this word draw near is a favorite word in Hebrews in fact I would argue that almost maybe not quite the main point of the writing of the book of Hebrews is this word to help you draw near to God without being consumed by his wrath as a sinner and without being hindered by an evil conscience and a sense of unworthiness [00:91:56]

so to answer the question draw near to what we could look at he uses the word seven times let's just look at one or two of the others one is chapter 4 verse 16 where he says let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace so that's what he's talking about here throne of grace God's Throne or go to chapter 7 verse 25 where he says he is able to say for all time those who draw near to God through him so we're drawing near to God Drawing Near to the throne of grace and if you go to chapter 11 go ahead to verse 6 it says he who draws near to God must believe that he is and he's the rewarder of those who seek him so he got three ways of saying it now draw near to a throne of grace draw near to God draw near to a rewarder [00:158:87]

the answer is you don't move a muscle you don't move the muscle of your tongue this is a spiritual act not a physical one when he says draw near to God draw near to throne draw near to reward or it is something you can do Standing Rock Solid it is something you can do flat on your back in a hospital bed and it is something that you can do sitting in a church on a Sunday morning at 11 12 listening to a sermon and I plead with you right now in the name of Jesus to do it you do not have to wait until this sermon is over to go home and get on your knees or to get in a quiet place somewhere after this church service to do this [00:291:66]

this is something that I commend for the doing of right now by in your heart mind will saying eyes open eyes closed God I cover I draw near I want to listen to the rest of this sermon in your presence I want a hand on my shoulder I want a hand of blessing on my head I want support under my back I want the priest at your right hand cleansing my heart I don't want to go through the rest of this service right now distant from you like I felt when I walked into this room you don't need to Bow one millimeter to do that [00:353:40]

beware lest you think coming to God is coming to church beware lest you think coming to God is coming to an altar beware unless you think it's going to small group tonight it might be all of those and it might not be it is a spiritual Act of the heart without emotion of a muscle when I think about this and meditate on this Central Command in Hebrews repeated eight times seven times I was struck this week how this is the center of the Gospel this is the New Testament this is Christianity just think about this for a moment if you ask what is the heart of Christianity what's the essential message [00:407:41]

take first Peter 3 18. Christ bore our sins in his body on the tree that he might bring us to God is That Drawing Near that's that's the gospel or take Ephesians 2 18. through him by one Spirit we have access to God that's the gospel or take Romans 5 10 we exalt in God through Jesus Christ through whom we have now the reconciliation home with God no longer estranged or enemies or take The Prodigal Son almost everybody knows the story of The Prodigal Son but not everybody remembers the context of the story of The Prodigal Son in Luke 15 which begins with Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners the bad people and the Pharisees saying why do you eat with tax collectors and Sinners and Jesus says let me tell you a story [00:486:41]

there was a woman who lost a coin there was a man a Shepherd who lost a sheep there was a father who lost a son and when he took his inheritance and became a dissolute and got tired of eating pig food in the world he remembered there was food oh everyone who thirsts come and he headed home and this father old and dignified pulled up his robes between his legs when he saw this dirty Rascal no-good inheritance wasting son coming home and ran into his arm and kissed him and put a robe on him and a ring on his finger and killed the fatted calf and threw a party and said my son who was dead is alive that's why I'm eating with tax collectors and sinners that's the meaning of my Ministry that's why I came to open a way home to the father [00:566:10]

draw near would you agree with me I wonder are we at the center of the Gospel here draw near to God by the blood draw near to God through the flesh draw near to me the whole point of Christianity is to look upon a lost world moving in the opposite direction toward destruction and to stop them and say God has made a way home yeah God has made a way home for us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ the whole point of the Gospel isn't that so good this clip is from a sermon title let us draw near to God a Palm Sunday sermon preached on March 23 1997 and I know some of you out there are listening to this with a very finely tuned discernment and I love that you are and you're saying to yourself wait a minute coming to God is not the gospel Drawing Near to God is not the good news I draw near to God uh as the fruit of the gospel and if you're saying that you are exactly right [00:636:66]

because while the promise of Salvation is part of the Gospel uh in those texts that Pastor John just read uh to you that that the promise of Salvation is part of the Gospel the actual experience of Salvation in particular uh when we get saved when we draw near to God is not the gospel that's not the gospel itself it's the application of the gospel for more on that difference which is subtle but super important uh see John Piper's book God is the gospel and places like the bottom of page 31 and the top of page 32 that's the section that comes to mind here [00:701:82]

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