Our Access to God’s Presence in the Divine Service
Bible Study on Hebrews 10:19-25

1.	Access to the Heavenly Sanctuary in Hebrews 10:19-25:
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter into the sanctuary with the blood of Jesus by a new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled (clean) from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful, and let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our assembly together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

a.	Who are we?
•	Brothers of Jesus, God’s Son: royal family with the same status and inheritance as Jesus
•	Holy brothers with a holy calling: priestly fraternity with Jesus the great priest
•	We as God’s house: see Heb 3:6
•	God’s household: family of the heavenly King
•	God’s temple: place where God resides

b.	Where do you go when you go to church?
•	Picture: tabernacle in the Old Testament
		
•	Three most holy things in three places
•	Altar for burnt offering in the courtyard
•	Incense altar in the Holy Place 
•	God’s  throne with the mercy seat, the ark and cherubim in the Holy of Holies
•	Hidden presence in the Holy Of Holies: glory cloud
•	God’s meeting with his people at the altar for burnt offering in the daily services at the temple to receive offerings, hear prayers and bless them
•	Limited access to God in the Old Testament
•	Access of Israelites to the altar: public meeting
•	Access of the priests to the Holy Place in the daily service, God’s shrine, his office
•	Access of the high priest to the Holy of Holies: veiled in a cloud of incense: private quarters
•	Entry of high priest into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement
•	Consecrated by sprinkling with most holy oil mixed with blood at his ordination
•	Washing of whole body with water
•	Entry through double layered curtain
•	Entrance with blood from the sin offerings: bull for priests and goat for people
•	Sprinkling of blood: mercy seat and floor, incense altar and floor, altar for burnt offering
•	Sanctification of holy way for God to meet with his people at the altar for burnt offering: three stages of his way out to them
•	Three far greater gifts that we all have
•	The new way into the heavenly sanctuary through the holy things (Heb 9:8)
•	Jesus as our high priest to come out to us and to take us back in with him
•	Our privilege of entry into heaven on that holy way
•	Our entry with Jesus
•	New and life-giving holy way into God’s presence
•	Closed and hidden in the old covenant
•	Now opened up for us and disclosed by our ever-living Lord (Heb 9:8)
•	Double sense of sanctuary in Hebrews
•	Place for entry = Holy of Holies,  heavenly sanctuary, God’s presence, God’s throne, the throne of grace
•	The three most holy furnishings that give access to that place: altar for burn offering, incense altar, God’s throne with its mercy seat
•	The sense of the Greek noun for confidence
•	Right of speech in public assembly
•	Frank, bold speech to a public official
•	Right of access to an official
•	Boldness and confidence in approaching and addressing a public official or a king
•	Use in Hebrews: our privilege of access God the heavenly King for audience with him (Heb 4:16; 10:35; cf. Eph 3:12)
•	Drawing near
•	Liturgical term: Heb 4:18; 7:25; 10:1, 22; 11:6; 12:18, 22
•	Use in Greek OT for the  approach of God by priests and people at the tabernacle
•	Contrast: restricted access ► open access to God
•	The new and living way
•	Inaugurated and consecrated by Jesus
•	Living way:  way of the life-giving risen Lord
•	Way of his living flesh and blood rather than the flesh and blood of a dead animal
•	Way from the font to the altar
•	Aisle: open way for us and our offerings
•	Jesus as our  high priest in the heavenly sanctuary
•	Merciful in bringing God’s gifts to us: way out
•	Faithful in bringing us to God: way in
•	Open access to the heavenly sanctuary together with Jesus 
	through his blood and flesh
•	Phrase by/in his blood:  allusion to Holy Communion from Luke 22: 20 and 1 Cor 11:25
•	Sprinkling of hearts with the blood of Jesus: holy hearts 
•	Contrast with sprinkled bodies of priests (Heb 9:13-14)
•	Blood for sprinkling: the speaking blood as seventh gift in Heb 12:24
•	Washing of bodies with clean water in baptism: clean  bodies
•	New curtain: his flesh
•	Our approach through the flesh and blood of Jesus who became a man to share our flesh and blood
•	Access to heaven in Lord’s Supper
•	Double sense of word for full assurance
•	Full delivery of an assured and assuring gift
•	Full assurance from its reception
•	Answer to our fear of rejection by God
•	Faith as full assurance of our favourable reception by God 
•	Basis: our baptismal washing and sprinkling in Holy Communion
•	Full delivery of assured access through faith in Jesus
•	Our qualification for entry: clear conscience
•	Font ► altar ► heavenly sanctuary
•	Clear conscience and washed bodies
•	Importance of confession and absolution
•	Words in Divine Service 3 and 5: Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God the Father, beseeching him in the name of our Lord Jesus to grant us forgiveness.
•	Access to the Father’s presence through the divine service 
		here on earth

c.	How does God want you to use your new church place?
•	Faithful approach to God each Sunday
•	Faith in our high priest and the access the throne of grace that he provides: prayers for ourselves and others
•	Assurance of favourable reception
•	Gift of true, honest hearts: no need to cover up or pretend before God and each other
•	Hopeful adherence to  the confession of Jesus
•	Our confession of Jesus as God’s Son as the basis for our hope and prayers
•	His inheritance is ours: coheirs of the Father
•	Blessing
•	Eternal life
•	Purity
•	Holiness
•	Peace
•	Spirit 
•	Hope from God’s promises: better things to come
•	Not “name it and claim it” but “believe it and receive it”
•	Loving provocation of each other
•	Normal provocation by demand for justice: hurt, anger, disagreement, dislike and rejection of each other by staying away from church
•	Appreciation of each other as holy  sisters and brothers by church attendance
•	Provocation by love and ‘beautiful’ deeds of mercy
•	Practical help for people in need
•	Hospitality as entertaining angels
•	Solidarity with those who are persecuted
•	Respect for the sanctity of marriage
•	Generosity in offerings
•	Respect for leaders rather than criticism
•	Praying for others
•	Praising God for his goodness
•	Encouragement by regular participation in worship: practice for heaven

3.  Conclusion: Luther
	Before the advent of Christ heaven was closed, but in and through 
Christ heaven stands ajar again. Now Christians see heaven opened. The Heavenly Father still addresses these words to us: “This is my beloved Son!” When you are baptised, partake of Holy Communion, receive the absolution, or listen to a sermon, heaven is open, and we hear the voice of the Heavenly Father; all these works descend on us from the open heaven above us. Still we hear God speaking to us from heaven; we call and cry to Him, and He answers us.