Living And Active (Hebrews 4:12-13)
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Good evening! Tonight we find ourselves in Hebrews 4:12-13. While you are turning there I have some cool information regarding the Bible. The Bible has been translated into 4007 languages in full or in part. That means over 95% of the world’s population can access at least part of it in their heart language. It was written over the course of 1,500 years. And for as long as its been around, millions of people have tried to disprove the Bible. Out of those people 0 of them have been able to disprove it. It is the most readily available historical book. 168,000 Bibles are sold every day, 100 million a year, and somewhere between 5-7 Billion are being used. The next most sold book has 500 million. One of the most popular books that you all have heard of is The Lord Of The Rings. 150 million copies of that. That is about 2% of the amount of Bibles. So considering all the people who have access to the Bible, it is the most attacked manuscript and religion. Think of the brilliant minds who have tried yet failed. Or the people who tried and ended up becoming Christians because of it. The Bible is infallible.
The Bible is filled with prophesy that has been fulfilled, but also prophesy awaiting fulfillment. The likelihood of just the prophesies of just the prophecies concerning Jesus being fulfilled by one man is like if you covered the entire United States in coins 5 feet deep, put a black dot with sharpie on one of the coins, stirred it all up, randomly dropped a human and allowed them to grab one coin. The chances of that coin being the marked one is the same likelihood of Jesus fulfilling all those prophesies apart from the sovereign hand of God. It is simply impossible. Most people agree that Jesus was a real person because there has been proof found by archeologist and historians wrote about Him. The Bible proves itself as well. The secular view of how we came to be is so nonsensical. If you look at everything that exists it tells us that a infinite God in His love created it. What does all of this have to do with our passage today? Well lets dive in and find out. Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
For the Word of God is living and active. The Bible after being around for so long still, convicts, offends, and frustrates people. The Word of God is living and active. We see the Bible change lives everyday. People go from hating God to following him. From harming people to loving them. The Word of God is Living and active. The word of God calls people to action. We see people leave everything behind to follow Him and what He calls them to. We see people become bold who never used to be. We see people share the Gospel to their coworkers in their workplace. We see people going house to house to share the good news. We see people afraid of public speaking willing to preach, we see people teaching kids so they can have their lives transformed for God from a young age. The Word of God is living and active. We see people who are so generous with their time and money. Who make meals for the needy. Who volunteer to help in some way whether in their communities or churches. It calls to help the needy and those who cant care for themselves so we see a picture of adoption or caring for those helpless. The word of God has power to heal and deliver from oppression. God’s word cleanses us, The Word of God strengthens and encourages us when we need it. The word of God has authority against the spiritual forces that we fight against daily. The Word of God is living and active. The entirety of the book of Acts is example after example of this being lived out in real way so we can look at those things and be imitators of God. Acts starts with a call to action in Acts 1:8 as Jesus is leaving to go to His rightful place at the right hand of God.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The call to share the Gospel and the promise of a helper who would equip us for that calling. Acts continues in chapter 2 to tell us all about the Holy Spirit coming down on the day of Pentecost. And Peter would be filled and give a sermon and 3000 lives would be changed that day. Acts 2:42 Tells us how the early believers lived.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
The apostles teaching was what Jesus revealed and taught them. So they would teach and learn about Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. To breaking bread together, community, and praying. And God was saving souls through this. The Lord added daily to salvation. In chapter 3 we see boldness of 2 ordinary men Peter and John. Who the only thing special about them was their relationship with Jesus. They heal a man who was paralyzed, and they preach. And when they are arrested and put on trial they boldly call out sin and these hypocritical religious leaders. And instead of stopping when told they go and pray for more boldness to continue proclaiming the name of Jesus. Acts 5:41-42 They get beat and told to stop talking and healing in the name of Jesus and this is their response.
Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
Chapter 6 we see that men are appointed to help with tasks. Because the early church was taking care of the widows and needy. One of those men who was chosen to help Stephen, would be so filled with the Spirit that none could stand against him. So they decided to kill him. He gives an incredible sermon using the history of the Old Testament and was stoned. All of this because the Word of God is living and active. And because the Word of God called him to action. The man who gave permission for the stoning of Stephen, Saul would ravage the church and there would be a scattering of the believers. A man Phillip ends up in Samaria which is the exact place God calls people to go to after they are faithful in Jerusalem and Judea. For you your Jerusalem looks like your city so Tampa. The Judea looks like Florida, your state, and the Samaria looks like the USA. So God would use this man Saul to scatter the church in order to spread the church. Phillip would be a huge piece in a revival of Samaria and the Gospel would spread to Ethiopia through him sharing the Gospel to a eunuch from there. And finally in chapter 9 Saul has a run in with Jesus. And this would absolutely change his life. He will serve faithfully in a church with Barnabas before being called on 3 missionary journeys before ultimately being killed for his faith. All because he experienced Jesus. Because the word of God is living and active.
The Gospel would shortly after this be given to the gentiles who would continue this great work of putting God’s Word first and following God’s commands faithfully. And that is where we find ourselves today. Approached with this verse in Hebrews telling us that God’s Word is lifegiving and lifechanging. So we looked at how it is living and active. Why does it continue on to say its sharper than any two edged sword? What is the role of a sword? It is to separate into 2 pieces. To cut in half. People use it for different tasks. Some prefer using it to slice flying fruit. Some use it for protection. But the idea of the sword stays the same no matter what you are using it on. It splits into 2. So the word of God is sharper than any ordinary sword. And what is it being used to cut into 2?
English Standard Version Chapter 4
piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The soul and spirit. The deepest part of us. The parts that no one knows. The parts that sometimes we dont even know. Think of the times you have listened to a sermon and thought to yourself man this pastor is preaching directly to me and my circumstance! The word of God pierces those deepest darkest places in our lives and brings them out into the light. I will always remember the time before my first missions trip. I was convinced that I was never going to go out of my country on one because I hated traveling and it just sounded miserable on every level. But God through every single sermon I heard was piercing my heart. Telling me Devon dont be like Jonah and run from what I am calling you to. Dont be like Moses and say no to me over and over until I finally give you what you want which is not what I want for you. Every sermon and passage I read pierced through my hard heart and softened it. A sword with 2 edges has both sides that are capable of cutting. There is no blunt side. God’s word is sharp in totality. The only way to make the Word of God not cut and pierce is to take it out of context. Every verse and every chapter is in there for a reason and can pierce. We as Christians should be willing to share the truth of the Gospel in grace and let Gods sword do the piercing and the cutting. Its not us using it as a weapon to cut other to bits. It’s God who does the cutting and the piercing. We just share what He has revealed to us. This sword also has a point. It can stab. That is what causes the piercing.
The other thing it says is joints and marrow. Right the sword can serve as protection against our enemies and cut their attacks off. But the last one is the most scary and convicting to me out of all of these. It is discerning of the thoughts, and intentions of the heart. Lets start with the heart. Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
Culture tries to tell us to listen to our hearts. But according to these verses thats the last thing we should be doing. Our hearts intentions are clearly not in the right place. Especially before God saves us. Our desires tend to be for the wrong things. Paul would write in Romans 7:15-20
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Why do I do the things I dont want to do and why can’t I do the things that I want? Pastor Travis Carrey says it this way. The heart of the problem is the problem with the heart. The other factor here is the thoughts. How often do we find ourselves thinking about something and we catch ourselves. I do this all the time. I have to bring those thoughts to God and hold my thoughts captive as 2nd Corinthians 10:5
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
We so often dont think about these things and instead we fill our mind and thoughts with so that are completely opposite. Well what do we do to change this? The author of Hebrews tells us this. That the word of God can cut those parts of our hearts and our minds out. If we are remaining steadfast in the Word of God and using the armor He has given us it will cut away all of those parts of our lives. Of course we know that sanctification is not a fun process or an easy one. It is a lifelong thing that requires us being intentional with God day by day. Bringing those sin and dark parts of our lives to light. We will finish here with verse 13 which talks about this idea more. Hebrews 4:13
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
This is the truth of God’s word. No one is hidden from His sight. Our everything is known by God who created us and formed us in our mothers womb. The very God who gave you your gifts and talents, put you exactly where you are so He can use you. But we must be intentional because the second we take our eyes off of God we begin to drift like Hebrews 2 tells us. We must Hold fast to God and His word. Because His word is living and active. Creekside has been talking about these same concepts. About how we need our relationship to be a daily thing that we are pursuing. That just going to church isn’t going to sustain us. We must pursue God. We cant let our flames burn out. He tells young pastor Timothy. Fan into flames the gifts within you. Dont let your relationship with Christ become mundane. This trip has been amazing for you to see God work and hear God speak to you in such amazing ways. Some of you maybe for the first time. Some of you might be seeing gifts that God has given you that you have never seen before and didnt know you had. My encouragement to you is not to forget those things. Let the experiences you have had here propel you into walking with Christ in a way that you never thought possible before. The title missionary isn’t just for the people living in foreign countries. We are all called to be missionaries in whatever and wherever God has us. By being faithful in the seemingly mundane things, He will continue to grow your faith and give you more and more open doors. This life isn’t easy but i believe it is worth it. Because we serve a God who is worthy. A.W Tozer says it this way.
We should never come to God as a gesture of pity, thinking that God desperately needs us. We should give ourselves to God because He is worthy.
A. W. Tozer
God has called each and every one of you to something incredible. So let the living and active Word of God change your life. Let it affect every area of your life. Let it overflow out of you so you can share the saviors love with the rest of the world. Because our God is worthy of it all.
