Proper 16
Hebrews10:19-22

Hebrews10:19-22 addresses the spiritual dimension of what happened at the death of Jesus when the veil of the temple was rent in two (see Matthew 27:50-53). In the midst of what was a great human tragedy, God opened up a “New and Living Way” in which generations of His people would receive the blessings of God’s grace. That veil which once kept most of the people out was now torn in two to let all true believers in.

This text looks at the eternal significance of the torn veil. Through the death of Christ, we gain direct access to our divine High Priest and his mediatory work for us. This sermon builds upon the homiletical idea from this text that, growing deeper in the faith, or maturing fully in Christ, is all about stepping boldly into the Holy presence of God through the torn veil, because of what Christ has accomplished on the cross.

The possibility of prayer, the reliability of our hope and the essentiality of fellowship for the Christian are all found in this passage. How do these manifest in our lives?

The text gives three exhortations which lead to increasing spiritual maturity:

1. “Let us draw near. . .” As believers we offer up gifts of praise, thanksgiving, and supplication to God.

2. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope . . .” “Let us consider one another. . .” We are to mutually exhort and excite one another to good works and to fellowship.

Our parishioners look to us pastors as people who pray. This text urges us to do so with confidence, even as we teach others how to approach God confidently in prayer. The passage also calls us to purity of heart and life since our High Priest gave himself up for our sanctification.

I introduce this sermon with reference to the tragedy known to us as “9/11”. As horrific as that was, the cruel death of our Lord had a much greater scope and impact because of what it meant for all of humankind for all time. The sermon explains how, through these events, a “new and living way” was opened up for us all.