Jesus, The Founder of our Faith!

In the last couple of weeks..

I hope that you have been with us during the last several weeks.

As we have together explored the ins and outs of the Book of Hebrews,

So far in the first 11 chapters...

— We know that the Book of Hebrews was written to a general audience of Jews.

— Probably by the Apostle Paul… Although it is very different writing style than anything we have of Pauls’

— There is an urgency to the whole book. The end is coming and they will not be on the side of Grace but the side of judgement.

— Why them you ask? Why is it not me, my faith is very weak at times?

— If you have accepted Christ… we are washed in His blood… we are as “white as the first snow.”

— Paul’s task is to introduce a new way of life.

— He had instant credibility with the Jews and he intended on using EVERY method or opportunity to reach the people that God initially sent Jesus to save. T

— They rejected Him. They did not know who He was but they certainly did not recognize Him as Messiah.

Paul laid out his reasoning:

To NOT neglect the Salvation that Jesus won for us

Hebrews 2:1 ESV

1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

— Paul dispelled any notion that Moses was greater that Jesus

Hebrews 3:3 ESV

3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.

The Jew has failed to do what is necessary to enter Heaven and His rest… Acknowledge Jesus as Messiah!!!

Hebrews 4:1 ESV

1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.

— Christ is THE HIGH PRIEST… We want a Priest who has all of the answers.

— We want a Priest who can intercede for us. — — We want a Priest who understands our weaknesses.

— We want Grace that comes to us by nothing more than our FAITH!

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 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.

— The Jews need and we need to understand that this was all settled in about 500BC when the prophet Jeremiah said this

A NEW COVENANT… NOT ONE BASED IN A OLD, COLD, WAY OF LIFE BUT ONE BUILT ON THE LAW WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS!

Jeremiah 31:31–33 ESV

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

— Then we come to Chapter 11, The Faith Chapter.

— Why would God put this chapter of examples of Faith?

— Faith is involved in everything… From medicine to science, to the classroom, to our homes and communities at any level.

— We must have faith to answer the easy questions.

— We must have faith to answer the tough questions.

— We must have faith that we are being heard BY THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN FORGIVE SIN AND GIVE US ALL WE NEED AND SOMETIMES OUR MORES.

THAT IS, WAS AND WILL BE FOREVER... JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH

Let’s make a transition now to material for this week. Open your Bibles/Apps to Hebrews Chapter 12. It is on page 1008 in the pew bibles.

Once you get there I want you to back-up two verses into chapter 11.

Hebrews 11:39–40 ESV

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

— “and all these” are the people that we have just talked about through Chapter 11.

— They are great “Faith” examples.

— But as it says they did NOT receive what was promised.

THEY MISSED IT!!!

Their front row seat to the events of the first century such as...

— The death, burial and resurrection of Christ

— The change from a law based relationship with God to a Grace and Mercy relationship with God only through Jesus Christ.

— They missed the coming of the Holy Spirit. They accused the group gathered of being drunk… They weren’t.

— They thought this little sect, now called “The Way,” would just fade away after the death of Christ… It didn’t!

Hebrews Chapter 12 verse 1

— This chapter begins once again with a summary statement. In case the statement covers the “Faithful” of Chapter 11.

— “Therefore”

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

— As a take off from chapter 11 there is a cloud of witnesses…

— Those who have are called out of the muck and dirt of sin, Those who exhibit “Faith.”

— Those who not only acknowledge Jesus as Messiah... but those who are willing to put everything about themselves in “The Race.”

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is not asking us to do anything that he would do… He wants us to take up our own cross and carry it… Even to the point of death!

Verse 3 & 4

Hebrews 12:3–4 ESV

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

— Christ endured hostility, pain, suffering, death and crucifixion for his relationship with His Father.

— When we see the example and follow the example of Christ, anything the world, your enemies, anything satan or his minions throw at us, will not work.

WE ARE NOT AFRAID!! WE ARE MADE TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE WITH EVERY TOOL WE HAVE.

— The full armor of God

— Your testimony… This is the most powerful weapon you have! Accepted Christ as a young person or as an adult.

— We are prepared for war!!!

DISCIPLINE

— The idea of Discipline in scripture has its roots firmly in in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.

— Here is just one example

Proverbs 3:11–12 ESV

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

— We live in a culture where discipline is closely related to a failure.

— No one wants to fail...

— Let me tell you, during the last couple of years it has not been easy to hear and feel the Lord’s discipline.

— It’s tough, it cuts to the core, it exposes the person who we really are. And frankly not a person that I liked so much.

— But Jesus steps in and covers our failures, and hurts… with his blood.

— And he still loves me...

— And wants to build a relationship with us.

Hebrews 12:5–6 ESV

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

— God wants the absolute best for us…

— if he didn’t love us he wouldn’t have sent His son, the one just like him to earth to redeem me and you and the whole human race!

Hebrews 12:6–9 ESV

6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

It’s a matter of RESPECT!

— God is and wants us participate in life, in the world

— The mark of the “participation” is discipline!

— The results of this “discipline” is that we are being treated and sons and daughters.

— The demand is… even though he disciplines us

— He is caring for us as a father, as a papa who wants the best for us.

Hebrews 12:11 ESV

11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

— I have and I am certain that you have felt or experienced the discipline of the Lord.

— I pray that you have felt the discipline of the Lord.

— If he disciplines you he also is there to pick up the pieces if they have fallen apart.

KEEP RUNNING THE RACE… ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD. KEEP YOUR SIDE OF THE STREET CLEAN AND FOCUS… FOCUS ON THE REWARD THAT AWAITS US!

— Let me leave with one final passage...

Philippians 3:12–14 ESV

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

SO WHAT...

THESE ARE OUR MARCHING ORDERS… IF WE FOLLOW, VICTORY IS OURS FOREVER!

1. Continue RUNNING THE RACE… CONTINUE TO PRESS ON!

2. We have not made it yet… Continue straining for what is forward… Not looking back.

3. Have the GOAL in mind… The PRIZE prepared for us in Heaven!!!