A New and Living Way
A Sermon on the New and Living Way from Hebrews 10:19-22
Originally preached Sept. 16, 1962
Scripture
19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21And having an high priest over the house of God; 22Let …
Sermon Description
Genuine Christians may lack joy in Christ if they lack certainty of their relationship with God. In this sermon on Hebrews 10:19–22 titled “A New and Living Way,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches of how the writer encourages the reader to have full assurance and draw near to Christ. He addresses the chief problem: the conscience condemns. In one’s own nature, no one is able to come before the throne of God in prayer because of sin. Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlights the Old Testament temple practices of entering the Holiest of Holies and the work of the priest. This was the old way, one that required blood and priests. It was a kind of communion with God few would enter. This practice, however, paved the way to a new and better way. Through the blood of Christ, the vilest of sinners can enter the holiest of all. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus washes and sanctifies the believer, clothing them in righteousness, and fitting them for the presence of God. As the High Priest, Jesus has gone before them and has prepared a way for believers to commune with God. Therefore, draw near to God with a true heart having full assurance of faith. Listen and experience the joy of the Christian life.
Sermon Breakdown
- The writer is addressing Christians who are unhappy and troubled in their faith.
- The central cause of their unhappiness is a lack of assurance and certainty in their faith.
- Prayer is essential to the Christian life but requires boldness and confidence before God.
- There are three difficulties that hinder prayer:
- Entering the holiest place (God's presence)
- The accusations of an evil conscience
- A sense of uncleanness and pollution
- Two things are needed to pray with confidence: a true heart (sincerity) and full assurance of faith.
- Full assurance of faith means understanding and trusting in Christ's work - His death, resurrection, and intercession.
- Christ's death (the shedding of His blood) opened the way to God by dealing with our sin and guilt. We must understand this.
- With full assurance of faith, we can answer the accusations of conscience by pointing to Christ's sacrifice. Our consciences are "sprinkled" by His blood.
- Though we are unworthy in ourselves, we are made clean through Christ's work and clothed in His righteousness. Our "bodies are washed with pure water."
- Christ, our High Priest, represents us before God and makes our prayers acceptable. We can pray with boldness because of Him.
- We must not call "unclean" what God has cleansed - we are made clean through Christ and can approach God with confidence.
- The hymns "There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood" and "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness" express these truths.
- We must pray with boldness, relying on Christ alone and not our own righteousness or humility. True Christians pray with confidence because of Christ.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Hebrews 10:19-22
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the main problem for Christians who aren't experiencing the joy of their faith?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the central problem for Christians who are unhappy and not enjoying their Christian life is "their uncertainty with respect to the very faith which they held and believed." This uncertainty prevents them from experiencing the "fruits and the benefits of Christian salvation" that should characterize the Christian life, which should include "joy unspeakable and full of glory" as described by the apostle Peter.
What does "full assurance of faith" mean according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Full assurance of faith means having complete confidence and certainty in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. It involves understanding that Christ's death on the cross has removed every hindrance to approaching God, recognizing He bore our sins, and His blood was shed for our forgiveness. This assurance gives us boldness to enter God's presence, silences our accusing conscience, and allows us to pray with confidence rather than doubt or uncertainty.
What are the three main difficulties of prayer that Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three main difficulties in prayer: 1. Entering "the holiest of all" - realizing we're approaching the holy, almighty God whose presence is so sacred that in Old Testament times only the high priest could enter once a year 2. The accusations of conscience - our conscience reminds us of our sins and makes us feel unworthy to approach God 3. A sense of uncleanness and pollution - feeling defiled by the world when approaching God's perfect holiness
How has Christ created a "new and living way" for believers to approach God?
Christ has created a new and living way through: 1. His death - "his body broken, his blood shed" on the cross, which rent the veil that separated people from God's presence 2. His resurrection, ascension and heavenly session - He rose, ascended to heaven, and now sits at God's right hand 3. His role as high priest - He "ever liveth to make intercession for us," representing believers before God
This way is "new" in contrast to the Old Testament method of repeated sacrifices, and "living" because Christ "ever liveth" and the approach is not mechanical or formal but life-giving.
What does it mean to have our "hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience"?
Having our "hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" means applying the blood of Christ to silence our condemning conscience. When our conscience accuses us of sin, we can acknowledge our guilt but point to Christ who bore our sins and died for them. The sprinkling of Christ's blood on our conscience frees us from condemnation because "his blood was shed for me... my sins have been punished, and my sins are blotted out." As Lloyd-Jones quotes, "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth me from all sin and unrighteousness."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by having a "true heart" in prayer?
Having a "true heart" in prayer means approaching God with complete honesty and sincerity. It means not concealing anything, not pretending, and having no double-dealings with God. As Lloyd-Jones states, "We must be honest if we really want to pray and to talk to God." He quotes David who said, "Thou requirest truth in the inward parts," and reminds us that "if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." A true heart recognizes that "God cannot be deceived" and "God is not mocked."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use the example of Peter and Cornelius to illustrate assurance in prayer?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones recalls when Peter had a vision before visiting Cornelius' house, where God showed him unclean animals and commanded him to "rise, slay and eat." When Peter protested about eating unclean things, God replied, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." Lloyd-Jones applies this to prayer: when we feel unworthy to approach God because we feel "common" or "unclean," God's response is the same - "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." If God has cleansed us through Christ, we should not consider ourselves unfit to enter His presence, but should "go into the holiest of all with boldness, with assurance, with confidence."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say that humility is not an excuse for lacking boldness in prayer?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that claiming humility as a reason not to approach God boldly is actually hypocrisy and false humility. He addresses those who might say, "Isn't that presumption? Isn't that self-righteousness? I'm a humble man...I don't go with boldness to the presence of God," by stating, "if you're speaking like that...you've never prayed in your life. And you're a hypocrite." True Christian prayer comes with boldness "not because of what he is, but because of what Christ is." Real humility acknowledges complete dependence on Christ and "utterly and entirely relies upon him and upon him alone."
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Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.