Notes: Creator and Sustainer

Big Ideas:

Jesus is better

Jesus is the Creator of the Universe

But he is the creator of something much more significant: our Faith

Jesus is the sustainer of the universe

But he is also the sustainer of something much more significant: our faith.

Illustrations:

Faith is a gift. So is bread, but you have eat it. So is water but you have to drink it.

Barriers to Belief:

I have to save myself: It’s my faith, it’s my responsibility.

I have to sustain myself: it’s up to me.

The lie of Self Sufficiency:

It was never this way from the beginning.

Genesis 3:6 ESV

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Galatians 3:3 ESV

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Gen 3

Philippians 1:5–6 ESV

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

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.

Why we strive:

Perfection was demanded.

Matthew 5:48 ESV

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

We all have this internal drive to be perfect

But we can’t.

the Holidays have this promise of perfection, but they will let you down.

But Jesus was Perfect — that is he completed our faith.

He was the originator of it and the completer of it.

Why this matters?

We all have this DRIVE TO STRIVE but it will exhaust us.

Cars are meant to run on gasoline, put anything else in there and it won’t work.

Jesus is our fuel.

Jesus starts the car, jesus gets the car running — we are the car.

Where are we going to for meaning? power? provision?

How did Jesus do it?

He was perfected through suffering

He is our perfection (completion) — he completes us

This fulfillment — not found in Christmas — found only in Christ

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.

Hebrews 5:9 ESV

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

Hebrews 7:28 ESV

For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Hebrews 7:19 ESV

(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 9:9 ESV

(which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,

Heb 7:19

Hebrews 10:14 ESV

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 11:40 ESV

since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

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.