Embracing the New and Living Way in Prayer

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we delve into the profound truths found in Hebrews 10, focusing on the transformative power of prayer and the new and living way opened to us through Jesus Christ. The early Hebrew Christians, once fervent in their newfound faith, faced persecution and doubt, leading them to question their commitment to Christianity. This struggle is not unfamiliar to us today, as we navigate a world filled with uncertainties and challenges. The essence of our spiritual journey is encapsulated in our prayer life, which is not merely a ritual but a bold entrance into the presence of the Living God.

Prayer, as described, is not a simple act but a profound engagement with the divine. It requires us to approach God with sincerity, acknowledging our limitations and the barriers that sin creates. The ancient Jewish temple, with its layers of separation, symbolizes the distance between humanity and God, a distance that Christ has bridged through His sacrifice. The veil, representing His flesh, was torn to grant us direct access to God, a privilege that demands reverence and godly fear.

The sermon emphasizes the necessity of a true heart, sincerity, and the cleansing power of Christ's sacrifice. Our conscience, often burdened by guilt and the pollution of sin, finds solace in the assurance that Christ's blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. This new and living way is not just a path to God but a dynamic, ongoing relationship sustained by Christ's eternal priesthood. Unlike the old priesthood, which was temporary and fallible, Christ's priesthood is unchangeable and everlasting, offering us a secure foundation for our faith.

In conclusion, the call is to embrace this new and living way with confidence, leaving behind the old rituals and embracing the fullness of life in Christ. This path is not only adequate but divinely appointed, ensuring our acceptance before God and empowering us to face the accuser with the assurance of Christ's victory.

Key Takeaways:

- The Nature of Prayer: Prayer is not merely a ritual but an entrance into the presence of the Living God. It requires sincerity and a true heart, acknowledging our limitations and the barriers that sin creates. This profound engagement with the divine is made possible through Christ's sacrifice, which grants us direct access to God. [04:53]

- Overcoming Barriers to Prayer: The sermon highlights the difficulties in prayer, such as an evil conscience and the pollution of sin. These barriers are overcome through the cleansing power of Christ's blood, which assures us of forgiveness and righteousness before God. [12:48]

- The New and Living Way: Christ's sacrifice has opened a new and living way to God, replacing the old rituals and priesthood. This path is dynamic and ongoing, sustained by Christ's eternal priesthood, offering us a secure foundation for our faith. [21:15]

- Assurance in Christ: The new way is not only adequate but divinely appointed, ensuring our acceptance before God. It empowers us to face the accuser with the assurance of Christ's victory, silencing our conscience and overcoming the accusations of Satan. [30:36]

- Living in the Light of Christ's Sacrifice: Embracing this new and living way calls us to leave behind old rituals and embrace the fullness of life in Christ. This path, divinely appointed, ensures our acceptance before God and empowers us to live confidently in His presence. [33:51]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction and Context
- [00:46] - Reading from Hebrews 10
- [01:29] - The Struggles of Hebrew Christians
- [02:48] - The Impact on Prayer Life
- [03:59] - The Importance of Prayer
- [05:27] - Misconceptions About Prayer
- [07:21] - The Difficulties of Prayer
- [10:34] - Entering the Holiest
- [12:30] - The Evil Conscience
- [14:38] - The Pollution of Sin
- [18:52] - Overcoming Prayer Obstacles
- [20:38] - The New and Living Way
- [23:58] - The Foundation of the New Way
- [27:41] - Assurance in Christ
- [33:51] - Living in the Light of Christ's Sacrifice

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Hebrews 10:19-22

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Hebrews 10:19-22 say about the confidence we should have when entering the presence of God? How does this relate to the concept of prayer as discussed in the sermon? [04:32]

2. According to the sermon, what were some of the struggles faced by the early Hebrew Christians that affected their prayer life? [02:32]

3. How does the sermon describe the role of the high priest in the Jewish temple, and how is this role fulfilled by Jesus according to Hebrews 10? [08:43]

4. What are the barriers to prayer mentioned in the sermon, and how does Christ's sacrifice address these barriers? [12:30]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. The sermon emphasizes the need for a "true heart" in prayer. What does having a true heart mean in the context of approaching God, and why is it essential? [19:09]

2. How does the concept of a "new and living way" through Christ differ from the old rituals and priesthood, and what implications does this have for our faith today? [21:15]

3. The sermon discusses the assurance we have in Christ. How does this assurance empower believers to face accusations from their conscience and from Satan? [30:36]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the early Hebrew Christians were tempted to revert to old religious practices, and how does this relate to challenges faced by modern believers? [28:16]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current prayer life. Do you approach God with the confidence and assurance described in Hebrews 10:19-22? If not, what steps can you take to deepen your prayer life? [04:32]

2. The sermon highlights the importance of sincerity in prayer. Are there areas in your life where you struggle to be sincere with God? How can you cultivate a more honest relationship with Him? [19:09]

3. Consider the "new and living way" that Christ has opened for us. How can you embrace this path more fully in your daily life, leaving behind old rituals or habits that may hinder your spiritual growth? [21:15]

4. The sermon mentions the pollution of sin as a barrier to prayer. Are there specific sins or guilt that you need to address to experience the cleansing power of Christ's sacrifice? [14:38]

5. How do you respond to accusations from your conscience or from others about your past? What role does the assurance of Christ's victory play in overcoming these accusations? [30:36]

6. The early Hebrew Christians faced persecution and doubt. Have you experienced similar challenges in your faith journey? How can the lessons from this sermon help you navigate these challenges? [02:32]

7. The sermon calls us to live confidently in the light of Christ's sacrifice. What practical steps can you take this week to live out this confidence in your interactions with others? [33:51]

Devotional

Day 1: Entering the Presence of God Through Prayer
Prayer is not merely a ritual but a profound engagement with the divine, requiring sincerity and a true heart. It is an entrance into the presence of the Living God, acknowledging our limitations and the barriers that sin creates. Through Christ's sacrifice, we are granted direct access to God, a privilege that demands reverence and godly fear. This transformative power of prayer is a bold entrance into the presence of God, where we can find solace and strength. [04:53]

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: What barriers do you feel are hindering your prayer life, and how can you invite God to help you overcome them today?


Day 2: Cleansing the Conscience Through Christ's Blood
The difficulties in prayer, such as an evil conscience and the pollution of sin, are significant barriers that can hinder our spiritual journey. However, these barriers are overcome through the cleansing power of Christ's blood, which assures us of forgiveness and righteousness before God. This assurance allows us to approach God with a clean conscience, free from guilt and shame, and to engage in a deeper, more meaningful prayer life. [12:48]

1 John 1:7 (ESV): "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."

Reflection: Is there a specific sin or guilt that you need to bring before God today, trusting in His cleansing power?


Day 3: Embracing the New and Living Way
Christ's sacrifice has opened a new and living way to God, replacing the old rituals and priesthood. This path is dynamic and ongoing, sustained by Christ's eternal priesthood, offering us a secure foundation for our faith. Unlike the old priesthood, which was temporary and fallible, Christ's priesthood is unchangeable and everlasting, ensuring our acceptance before God and empowering us to live confidently in His presence. [21:15]

Hebrews 7:24-25 (ESV): "But he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them."

Reflection: How can you actively embrace this new and living way in your daily life, leaving behind old rituals that no longer serve your spiritual growth?


Day 4: Assurance and Victory in Christ
The new way is not only adequate but divinely appointed, ensuring our acceptance before God. It empowers us to face the accuser with the assurance of Christ's victory, silencing our conscience and overcoming the accusations of Satan. This assurance in Christ provides us with the confidence to stand firm in our faith, knowing that we are secure in His love and grace. [30:36]

Revelation 12:10-11 (ESV): "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.'"

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to claim Christ's victory over the accusations of the enemy today?


Day 5: Living in the Light of Christ's Sacrifice
Embracing this new and living way calls us to leave behind old rituals and embrace the fullness of life in Christ. This path, divinely appointed, ensures our acceptance before God and empowers us to live confidently in His presence. By living in the light of Christ's sacrifice, we are called to a dynamic and ongoing relationship with God, sustained by His eternal priesthood and love. [33:51]

Colossians 3:1-3 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Reflection: What practical steps can you take today to live more fully in the light of Christ's sacrifice, embracing the new life He offers?

Quotes

"Prayer means entering into the holiest into the holiest of all. What does that mean? He says having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest. Well now there's no difficulty about this. These people, as I've reminded you, have been brought up as Jews and they were familiar with the temple and the construction of the temple." [00:07:30]

"The Christian is a man who lives by prayer. Our Lord himself taught us this. He said that men should always pray and not faint. The alternative to fainting is praying. It's the one antidote to all the troubles in the Christian life. But the question is how can a man who's become uncertain about his faith pray at all?" [00:03:30]

"Prayer isn't just talking to ourselves or uttering up pious hopes and thoughts and aspirations. It's entering into the presence of God and his uncreated beam flashing upon the innermost parts of our souls and our very existence. That's prayer. It seems impossible. Our very minds are dark, our native sphere is dark, our minds are dim." [00:18:12]

"Let us draw near with a True Heart in full Assurance of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Now those verses follow the reading at the beginning, and obviously you see that they deal with this whole question of prayer." [00:00:51]

"How can a man with such a nature enter into the presence of God who is light and in whom is no darkness at all? It seems impossible. We seem so unclean, so unworthy, so vile. How can a man possibly enter into the presence of God and offer prayer?" [00:16:43]

"Prayer means entering into the holiest, entering into the very presence of the Living God. And this is a tremendous thing. This is an awful thing. This man was so impressed by this that at the end of chapter 12 he comes back to it again and he puts it like this: wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved." [00:10:34]

"How can I answer the accusations of Satan? The answer is still the same. They overcame him, says the Book of Revelation, by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony. Your adversary the devil, says Peter, as a roaring lion roams about seeking whom he may devour. How do you deal with him?" [00:31:30]

"Thank God for the gospel. The first thing he tells us that is absolutely essential is that we should have a True Heart. Let us draw near with a True Heart. What does that mean? Well, that just means sincerity. We have to be sincere with God. We can delude ourselves, we can fool others, but not God." [00:18:56]

"Here is the teaching, and this man looks at these people and he says, are you looking back to that old way? Do you want to go back to an Earthly human priesthood with its repetition of sacrifices and offerings? The thing is monstrous. Have you forgotten the Son of God? Have you forgotten what's happened?" [00:28:09]

"Prayer is not easy. It's the very last lesson that the Christian rarely learns in a true sense. How is it possible? How can we overcome these initial obstacles and apparent impossibilities? Fortunately, this man tells us. Thank God for the gospel. The first thing he tells us that is absolutely essential is that we should have a True Heart." [00:18:43]

"How can a man enter into the presence of God? There's only one answer. It is by Jesus Christ and him crucified. He is the new way. He's the living way. Did you notice the reading when he cometh into the world? He said sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me." [00:24:10]

"God has punished your sins and mine in the body of his own son on the cross on Calvary's Hill. His broken body, his shed blood is the way of forgiveness. God hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." [00:27:11]

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Transcript
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