Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

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So church, this morning I call you as the writer of Hebrews calls you… remember, remember today when you were first enlightened to the glorious truth of the gospel!

(Pray)

Being forgetful can have harmful repercussions.

In the beginning verse of our text for this morning we find the writer

gghh

I have sang that song since I was a child.

In the year 1873 Horatio Spafford received a telegram from his wife who had sailed to Europe with their four daughters that simply read, “saved alone.”

The boat that Mrs. Spafford and the four girls were traveling collided with another ship in a tragic accident.

This was salt into an already healing wound as the Spaffords had lost their son and their business just three years prior.

In describing the events that followed the loss of his daughters John Piper states, “"He (Spafford) gets on a ship and heads to be with his grieving wife and as he passes over the part of the ocean where the girls went down and were at the bottom, he wrote, 'when peace like a river attendeth my way or sorrows like sea billows roll,'"

This begs the question… what could possibly compel someone to write words like, “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

I believe, and I think the writer of Hebrews would also agree that what compels someone to have hope in the midst of such great suffering is the promise of a better possession than the enjoyments of this world.

This morning I want to expose to you the fact that we have a great need for enduring faith.

We have a great need because we face a great dilemma.

Life is characterized by suffering and if we are not careful our suffering will choke our faith.

We have a great need church..

(pray)

We Endure Through Remembering

The question we need to answer this morning is how do we become people who are not apathetic Christians but are active people who forsake it all for the gospel.

Verse 32

There is a sense of nostalgia in this verse 32.

“But, recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle through suffering.”

However, there was a problem… Thomas Schriener states, “Their current suffering have given them amnesia about how hey responded earlier to the difficulties that beset them.”

When I was a child I spent everyday with my grandmother.

She was some thing of a hero to me.

Everyday after school she would pick me up and we would go back to her house where there was always loads of fun to be had.

Not only that but she was a comfort to me in hard times.

However, there came a time when we moved away.

I missed my grandmother terribly.

Night time was the worst but I soon found comfort in remembering those moments we shared together.

Even today I find comfort during difficult times in remembering her.

It is a strange thing for the writer of Hebrews to call his readers to remember their suffering.

By an large this is something most people want to forget.

We rarely sit around coffee and tell stories about bad stuff that has happened to us.

What is even more strange is that this was not a suggestion.

This was a prescription and a command.

It could be read this way, “You should be remembering!”

In other words, they have become tired, beaten and worn out.

Their current sufferings have become a fog that has distorted their faith and has caused them to lose hope.

Just like those nights as a child in my room we can be comforted in our suffering by remembering what God has done for us in the past.

As one theologian has said, “There is no better remedy for depression than to remember what God has accomplished for one in the past.

One should always remember: God who has been faithful in the past will be just the same in the future.”

There is no better remedy for depression than to remember what God has accomplished for one in the past.

One should always remember: God who has been faithful in the past will be just the same in the future.

What is the connection here between being enlightened “φωτίζω” and enduring “ὑπομένω.”

This is exactly what the writer of Hebrews is calling for in this verse.

We remember the faithfulness of God in our past sufferings and it empowers us to remain faithful in our present sufferings.

Crowson, M. (2000).

The Epistle to the Hebrews (p.

125).

Nashville, TN: Randall House Publications.

The former days spoken of here were not great ones for these early Christians.

They were trying times that were characterized by great loss.

However, those moments of persecution brought spiritual lessons to them that would not be realized until now.

What a lesson for us to learn as well. in the midst of our suffering God is teaching us something that we will not fully understand immediately.

The Christian life is not always easy.

In fact, more times than not it is very trying if we are living obedient lives to God.

However, in our most dark and hopeless moments God is near to us and he comforts us by reminding us of his faithfulness and love in past experiences.

There are two things that were important for these believers to remember.

The first is when they were “enlightened” and the second is the hard struggles they endured.

What is the connection here between being enlightened “φωτίζω” and enduring “ὑπομένω.”

What is the connection here between being enlightened “φωτίζω” and enduring “ὑπομένω.”

There are two things that were important for these believers to remember.

The first is when they were “enlightened” and the second is the hard struggles they endured.

What is the connection here between being enlightened “φωτίζω” and enduring “ὑπομένω.”

There are two things that were important for these believers to remember.

The first is when they were “enlightened” and the second is the hard struggles they endured.

What is the connection here between being enlightened “φωτίζω” and enduring “ὑπομένω.”

Some translations us the word “illuminated.”

I like that translation because is distinguishes the Christian from the unregenerate.

The unregenerate sinner is blinded to the truth of the gospel.

They have no hope or understanding of spiritual matters.

As says,

ὑπομένω

Ephesians 1:18

It is because our hearts have been illuminated to the truth of the gospel we can have hope in our suffering and we can endure until the end.

Consider

We are no longer in darkness!

This light has shown in the darkness and now we see clearly the hope that is found in Christ!

And what is the reward?

The reward is a glorious inheritance that is to come.

It’s also the same word used in john 1:9 where it is said that Jesus has come to give light to our hearts.

What does this mean?

When Christ has brought light into the darkness of our hearts, by faith we have hope in a future inheritance.

The life of a Christian is of continuous growth and increased

The fact that our reward is future rather than present has great implications for our endurance.

Endurance in this life requires patience.

Faithfulness through persecution is not characterized by instant gratification.

However, there was a problem… Thomas Schriener states, “Their current suffering have given them amnesia about how hey responded earlier to the difficulties that beset them.”

In other words, they have become tired, beaten and worn out.

Their current sufferings have become a fog that has distorted their faith and has caused them to lose hope.

This seems like

We need to hear what is being said here.

If we have endured before we can endure today.

But, is that not the atmosphere of our culture?

Give me the reward now!

Why wait when you can have all the pleasure you can ever want right now! Seize the day!

But, not for us.

No, today is not the day of the reward.

As Christians we wait for a better day and for a better reward.