Living with Heaven in Mind
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Hello so good to see you hear today.
I hope and pray your week has been good, I hope that along the way you were able to see God at work in your life and around you this week.
I tell you that, because honestly when we have the joy of working seeing Him at work and then having the privilege joining Him in that work, man we are complete.. we are blessed.
Today I want to bring a new topic to you today, well I guess in reality none of these topics are new, but a new theme for today
So today, lets think about this.... Living with Heaven in mind.
What do i mean by that statement?
Heaven is the goal, and for right now we have time to work, time to serve.
You see there is a deadline coming.... the point where we have to be finished and ready to stand in the presence of the King. I don’t know if it will be by death or by His return but soon, soon we will be in His presence.
Now I do not know your or my own expiration date, when I must leave this world. But I do know this… I must be ready, that is salvation… being a child of God, being saved that is the first part.
The second is being a faithful servant from the point of my salvation until I see Jesus. So that is my goal, to be faithful, living and working with that end goal in mind.
So this morning I want us to go to the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament, and lets find chapter 12.
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, 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.
Now there is speculation about who actually wrote the Book of Hebrews, whether it was Paul or, many scholars think it was Luke’s book. But we are not entirely certain since the author doesn't name himself.
But we are not going to concern ourselves with that, but simply that it is God’s Word and has saved and preserved for us today
There is a push here in this passage, one for us to continue to move forward, to work and to serve the Lord with faithfulness.
So let me share a few thoughts with you today as we “Live with heaven in Mind.”
My first thought is this....
1. Remember the Goal.....
1. Remember the Goal.....
Consider this, every action in this world has a goal in mind. Consider baseball or some other sporting event, the goal, the object is to win the game.
You set a task before you, no matter how large or small, your desire, your goal is to complete it...
So there is a goal in mind in all things, - but for us as the children of God, who are co-heirs with Christ there is a goal that is set before us...
That goal is to push on, finish well because heaven awaits us in the future, and more than just a place, the person we long to see, Jesus.
Jesus is there, and Jesus is our goal
Lets consider all that has been said to us in chapter 11, the testimony of all those who have been before us, the joy and sacrifice of their labor...
Their faithfulness in working to achieve the goal that was before them...
Consider Abraham in verses 8-10 of chapter 11
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
He journeyed with a goal, a place in mind traveling to that land that God has promised to him and to all his descendants.... But Abraham had a greater goal in mind as well, he was looking forward, searching, trying to reach of the goal of discovering the city whose builder and maker was God.
He had a goal before him...
What of Noah… Noah had a goal in mind… look at verse 7
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
God told Noah he was going to destroy the world by water, that rain would come… Noah had never seen rain, there had never been a flood… yet in reverent fear, a holy reverence of God’s word, He did as obedient, and while he preached, while he told of the events to come, only he and His household were saved...
He had a goal of following God’s direction and receiving an inheritance of the things to come.. the plan and purposes of God in this world. And so it is the sons of Noah that bless this world with their off- spring.
And God has called you… toward a goal today… You have the goal of the place and service he has called each of you toward… and the greater goal of living for Him, making it your aim, your desire to be like Jesus, and one day obtaining the resurrection from the dead… Being changed and glorified in His presence as you walk with Him in that city.
Our goal is the upward call of Jesus… Paul testifies to this in Philippians chapter 3, verse 14
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Remember my friends that there is a goal in mind.
Are you living with that direction....that purpose in mind each day.
Now lets move on to this second thought for the day....
2. Train Well.....
2. Train Well.....
let’s start off with this thought...... Everything in life is about preparation.
Wouldn’t you agree, think about it. You prepared to be here. You prepare for meals, for work, for every area of life, preparations are made...
And the writer here is encouraging that every thought here… lets go back to our text… just verse 1 in chapter 12.
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,
The writer is reminding us, of all that has happened in the past by faith, and since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, my friends all of heaven is around us…
Think of the arena where the games would be held, like modern day stadiums, they are there cheering on those who are competing, pushing them to give their best by their very cheers and well wishes.
Heaven is all around us… and those who suffered, those who have fought the good fight of faith, they are the witnesses of a good and faithful Father who saw them through.... and they are there, bearing a witness to us that God will see you through..
With that encouragement, train and prepare yourself well.
So two directions are given here.... the first one is....
A. let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely....
So what is being said here… The word weight there speaks of any hindrance, anything that would weigh a runner down and keep them from running well.
In the first century, runner in the stadium games ran almost naked, they would cast off their long flowing colorful robes and garments so they could run freely.
Runners today, were very light weight items, very light shoes… they go all they can to keep from being hindered
A Question for you… What weight, what hindrances do you need to cast off so that you could run better in this race....
But the other portion of the verse 1 says ‘…and sin which clings so closely”.. sin can and does hinder people, it shackles them if you will, keeping them from advancing or running well.
Have you ever seen a person who is in prison where they have chains going around their waist, it is hooked to their restraints on their hands and feet.. it keeps them from moving to fast...
The writer here doesn’t mention a specific sin, that doesn’t matter. Sin entangles, sin keeps us from growing, serving and being like Jesus.
My friends push back against sin, don't entertain it, don’t keep it lay there and pretend it’s not going to hurt anyone...
let it go.....
And then we come to a second direction....
B. “...and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
This second portion of the command, of training well is building yourself up making sure you are walking and growing in the Lord that you might be able to complete the race.
Listen no one sets our to run the Boston Marathon without first having run other races first, they start off small, they condition and strengthen themselves so they can run and complete the race that is before them.
Soon, they will be strong enough to take on the big race..
My friends we are in the big race, the biggest race of a lifetime… We have faced the hurdles, the broken and uneven ground many times in this race, but we push on, we move forward to complete what is set before us.
This race has been marked out for us by God… our duty, our obligation is to run it and run it well.
Train well, prepare yourself and don’t give up…You see we push our boundaries in training so that we know all is obtainable in life...
He has qualified you in Christ Jesus, You can complete it.. run well my friends
And then just one last thought my friends..
3. Keep Looking toward the Finish Line.... Jesus.
3. Keep Looking toward the Finish Line.... Jesus.
Those is a face and moving forward with each second of time, moving closer the finish line. That’s the goal.. to cross it as the winner.
Now for us, it’s not a matter of who gets there first… it’s about finishing, completing the race so that you share in the reward.
The writer here, reminds us of something special, He says look t Jesus....
There are no better goals for all of humanity my friends than to look to Jesus. lets return to our text, chapter 12, verse 2
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.
This is really complex my friends, we have been paying attention to those from Hebrews 11, but not we are to look away, even though we can identify with them and understand they model great faith and endurance.
The call is for us to “look away” from them and look only to Jesus. The one who is the Prince of life…
Listen to Acts 3;15
15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
The originator of life is the only one worthy to be gazed upon, the only one we should hold fast too… He is the origin of life.
Paul testifies to this in Col 1, verses 15-16
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
But not only is Jesus the author of life, the one who is the object of our affections is noted as the founder and protector of our faith.
The founder or author, He is where our faith originates. He is the source of our faith in that by His death and resurrection, he has become the source of eternal salvation.
Listen to Hebrews 5:9
9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
And is the prefector or model of our faith, He trusted the will of our Father and was obedient to the work of atonement that had been set before Him. As such, we model our lives after Him.
But then the writer goes on and says in verse 2 “...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.”
Understand something here the cross wasn’t a pleasant way to die, but it was the necessary way for Jesus to atone for our sins, to give His life as a sacrifice for sin. Yet there was joy in the fact that He accomplished the will of God the Father and redeemed us from sin, from death and yes even from Hell itself.
He endured that cross, painful, grueling, suffering for us… He was despised for us. Jesus laid down His life… and Now He has been exalted...
He was not only raised up on third day, but Jesus later returned to His rightful place, ar the right hand side of God...
Now Jesus has a name that is above every name, that at His name, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
I believe with all my heart that Jesus lived with heaven in mind… in two aspects.. He would return to His place at the right hand side of God… but he knew us, each one of us, and He has planed for heaven to be our home as well. In fact God wants all the world in heaven, if they would only believe.
I am thankful for the day I believed....
For on that day I was saved, my name was written in the Lamb;s book of life, I was pardoned of all my sins and gained heaven as my future home.
I’m going to that city… but for today, I am living with heaven in Mind
Are you living with heaven in mind?
Is God your focus to the point that all your actions point in that direction, it points others in that direction.
Are you living in such a way that God is glorified and others have the joy of seeing Jesus and the home that could be theirs too one day.
Rememeber the King is coming like the old song.. I am going there, but I have work to do along the way.
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.