Upcoming Sunday Scripture Commentary (October 6)

October 6 Sermon – “It’s a Privilege to be Here!”

Hebrews 10:19-25

The author of the Letter of Hebrews wants us to see that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Jewish expectation of a coming High Priest who will save us from our sins. In our passage for today, the author highlights the importance of gathering on a regular basis for worship and encouragement.

Verse 22 is what we are invited to do based on everything that has been shared to this point in the Letter of Hebrews – worship! “Drawing near” is another way of saying, “come to worship!”

How should we come to worship?

1) True Heart –  This reminds us of Jeremiah 31:33.

2) Complete assurance of faith – We don’t have to come up with faith. It’s provided for us through Jesus Christ and what he has done for us through his life, death, and resurrection.

3) Hearts sprinkled clean – This means forgiveness!

4) Bodies washed in pure water – A reference to baptism and how we have been initiated into God’s new covenant community in Christ.

Verse 25 – There is no such thing as “solo Christianity.” We need each other. Worship has a communal dimension.

Luke 19:45-48

In our Gospel reading, Luke tells us of the time when Jesus cleansed the Temple from the corrupt money changers. The Temple was the central place of worship for the Jewish people. Jesus' actions show how important our gathering for worship is to God.

Jesus was not only reacting to the corrupt money changers of the Temple. He was also making a symbolic protest against the ideology that the Temple had come to represent which was a nationalistic belief that the people of Israel were more special than anyone else. They had forgotten that they were to be a light to the world and not unto themselves.

When Jesus entered into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that God would one day enter the holy city and bring salvation. Jesus embodied this prophecy. This text helps us to understand that Jesus was the embodiment of God.