Our Great Founder + Perfecter

Introduction

Thank our Pastors Ben + Tya for their commitment to Jesus & the House

2 Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;”

Thank you for your purity, your yes, your resilience, and labor.

Thank you for being the real thing!

Honor Lauren

For your willingness to be soft before the Lord

Yes to the Gospel

Being the most beautiful wife + mother

Thank God

Prayer

Context

“ I have good news for you today, but it will require humility to receive it”

Pray

1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

This morning, I believe Holy Spirit is bringing liberty to our house. Liberty to our faith. Will you join into being expectant today?

“Picture your faith. If that picture more so resembles a promise rather than the person of Jesus, this message is for you”.

Our Faithful Founder

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

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, 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.

Greek: archēgŏs, ar-khay-gos´ a chief leader:—author, captain, prince.

This word is only used one other time, found in Hebrews 2:10 “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”

What salvation exists without the Lamb of God?

Without a founder, there has been nothing created, built, nor established.

Hebrews 2:10 ESV

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

The Good News of the Gospel is not that I have to work to save myself, or even that I could save myself. The Gospel brings peace and joy to my soul because I have been saved my the man Jesus who founded salvation for all of mankind through suffering.

When we are not moved by the love of God revealed in the Son, we have failed beholding His suffering.

Some of us are numb and indifferent. A hype worship song isn’t going to break your funk. Faith in the Gospel and being moved by His suffering is what is needed.

Luke 10:41–42 ESV

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Remaining at his feet is what is needed.

Concerning our faith, we are not in charge. We are not leading, we are following.

Some of us are getting free because for so long we have approached faith as a muscle we must go work out.

We viewed faith as this thing we have to produce.

Trying to have faith, apart from God will always result in fear, doubt, burnout, resentment, & dead works.

A founder is one who who establishes, births, & starts something.

Ask yourself this: What is something that the Lord has founded faith for?

The Gospel

Righteousness

Healing

Freedom

Reconciliation

Joy

Personal Promises

His return

Did you know that Jesus is founding & perfecting faith into Who He is, more so than what He can do

What good is it to know all of the things God can do, without knowing God. I think we miss Him with a theology like this.

The life of a Christian can summed up in this one word: Response

When I read The Word, I see a big God and creation responding.

I think of Adam taking his first breath as a response of the Father breathing into dirt

I think of the disciples’ response of following Jesus… Because Her called them

I think of 1 John 4, that shows us that God first loved us.

I consider worship, the response of us seeing God & His works

How could we not magnify, glorify, exalt Him?

Romans 12:1 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

I consider Jesus, who gave his life as a ransom to many.

Truth of the Gospel: Manifestation follows faith, not the other way around

If that’s not good news to your soul, it may be due to YOU being the founder/author of your faith

What do I mean by this?

Do we wait for the act of God to happen to begin believing?

If so that’s not faith by definition.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Definitions:

Assurance: confidence, confident, person, substance

Conviction: proof, evidence

Pick your favorite hero of the faith

Noah: a word from the Lord to build a boat, never having seen rain

Abraham: a word from the Lord that he would be the father of many nations, while being in old age

That’s like me getting up here in front of the church and saying God told me I was going to be starting Point Guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. No shot!

Daniel: didn’t have an open heaven, Holy Spirit moment of telling him not to eat the king’s food. He had the law, and after the time of testing (10 days), they would be stronger than all the other youths. Then again after 3 years.

Sidebar about Daniel: notice the Lord “spoke to him through the law - that is His Word. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit. He is better than I even know. However some of us are waiting for Holy Spirit to convict us of something that the Lord has made clear in scripture.

That’s not being spiritual, it’s being lazy. Daniel 1 says that he resolved he would not defile himself.

We are called to be like Christ, not Daniel. However what you’re seeing from Daniel is a resolve for righteousness that comes from being IN the Word.

To echo what Pastor Ben has been saying, “We MUST be a people of Scripture, not Sermon”

In love, read your bible and stop letting culture, your friends, your progressive podcast redefine what The Lord has made clear in Scripture.

Jesus: not just the 300+ prophecies, but the continual voice of the Father is what Jesus had.

Consider this: the Father said that Jesus was His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased. The world, the religious leaders, people of His hometown utterly rejected, cursed, and sought to kill Him.

How did they do it?

How do you do it?

How does one move forward in faith when literally everything you see, feel, taste, and hear points opposite of what The Lord has said - whether through His voice, Word, or leadership?

How do we know if we have founded our own faith?

Are we contending something that Jesus is not breathing on OR even praying about

Example: Single guy believing for a wife when he won’t even honor his covenant with his Bridegroom

Are we finding faith to be a formula?

Fasting

Praying

It’s about my doing, not His founding

Is it more about the promise or the person

Fruit focused vs Abiding in the Vine

His hand vs His Face

Faith has become a place your heart is jaded, insecure, or resentful

You don’t want to keep the faith

If that’s you, can I give you good news today? Jesus is the founder of your faith + you can trust Him. He will show you.

The Perfecter of our Faith

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

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, 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.

If Jesus is perfecting our faith, that means its not already perfect.

For clarity, this does not mean that the thing you’re putting faith into isn’t perfect. He is perfecting our faith.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Hebrews 1:1–3 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

It means faith is a process.

It means that there may be days & seasons where faith is “easy” and others where you have to be diligent to lean in.

Have you ever struggled believing for something?

That you’re actually clean. That you’re actually redeemed. That you’re fully loved.

God said ___________________, but _____________________

The Word says ______________, but _____________________

That the Lord will provide for the bill that seems impossible.

That the Lord would actually ask you to quit your job

Share testimony of moving to Lubbock with family in 2011.

No one bore witness, no one blessed it. We had no family here, no job, no church.

We don’t need faith to see it now, however 15 years ago, we did.

Share current testimony of stepping out in faith

At the end of April, I quit my full time job (in obedience).

No savings

A wife that was 8 months pregnant

8 bookkeeping clients that I was thankful for, but did not even pay half of my bills

Faith is funny because it seems so ludicrous to the natural mind

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

Here I stand 2 months later, not having a fat check that came randomly in the mail like we did 3 years ago. Not knowing how the faithfulness of God will manifest.

BUT here I stand, with a word from God. Saying this will be the most abundant season of our lives. BUT here I stand saying we have not gone without. BUT here I stand, recognizing my security and well being doesn’t come from what the world has determined, but rather it comes from a radical obedience to the Lord. To the Founder + Perfector of our faith.

Share that what my parent’s faith all those years ago showed me a picture of obedience + faith at an early age that marked me.

Revelation 19:10 “Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

To be clear, it wasn’t my parents faith that sustained me. However Jesus founded & perfected faith in me, through the work of faith by my parents.

Parents, your faith matters.

1 Peter 1:6–9 ESV

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Where there are trails, there Jesus is.

How do we know this? Testing brings the validation that Jesus has been perfecting your faith to make it genuine.

Unrefined gold isn’t as valuable as gold that has been refined by fire. Gold in its unrefined form is mixed with impurities—other metals, rock, and debris. Its not to say the faith prior to the trail is not real or authentic. It simply needs perfecting.

Your faith is precious, and the Lord cares. Reading through the Gospels, it almost seems like Jesus is a quality of quantity kind of guy.

Mustard seed faith

Share how we did a home birth for Noelle, and though I couldn’t push that baby out for my wife I was able to be present.

Often times we think we just need the trail to be over. What we really need is His presence.

Psalm 51:11 “Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.”

What to expect in perfecting:

Exposure

Filtering (Pruning John 15)

His presence (Daniel 3)

Perfected Faith brings praise, glory, and honor to Jesus.

Why? Because its not a work of man or self

All things are fulfilled in Him (Ephesians 1:3)

Practical - Hebrews 12:1

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

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, 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.

Lay aside every weight

Exodus 33:18 ESV

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

Glory: Weight

You don’t simply need the weight lifted, you need an exchange of your weight for the weight of His glory - that is His presence. ‘

I have seen in my own life that the soil of my heart tends to be most ready for His Word when I am undone in His presence.

Invitation: if your faith has been suffering because of the weight of _____________, come experience the weight of His presence.

Lay aside every sin

Galatians 5:16–17 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Let bible interpret Bible

Galatians 2:19–20 ESV

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 5:25 ESV

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Repentance is more about who you’re turning to and less about what you’re turning away from

Invitation: It’s been hard to keep the faith because there’s sin that so easily entangles you. Come repent. Come turn away.

Look to Jesus

In the midst of crisis, can you still gaze on His beauty?

Psalm 27:4 ESV

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

Can we slow down to behold the man?

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

You think that your heart needs an answer to the question. What you need is person of Jesus.

Invitation: Come gaze on His beauty, Come slow down