Hebrews 10:32-39
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Dr. Murray- “Some is, Some Ain’t Some Do and Some Don’t- Some Will and Some Won’t”
Dr. Murray- “Some is, Some Ain’t Some Do and Some Don’t- Some Will and Some Won’t”
Some ten years ago now I was in college, and one of the requirements for my degree there was to take a foreign language.
(Spanish, French, German, Greek, or Hebrew)
I decided to take Greek. My advisor told me it was be best because if I ever went to seminary I would already know greek. So I did.
Unbeknownst to me, I took the hardest prof
First day of class- in walked Dr. Murray. He slammed his books down on his desk- he had a habit of that and then he sat down in his chair and looked around.
That first class period, Dr. Murray expressed to us how difficult Greek was and that this was not a FUN class, so if you were taking it for “fun” you will probably quit.
He even said, in fact , most of you will quit after you get run over by the bus of Greek. Needless to say, I was fearful and nervous.
Anyways, I’ll never forget our first Greek test. I studied extremely hard. finished the test. Felt decent about it but was still nervous.
I stopped by Dr. Murray’s office that day.
Asked him how we did- His response,
Some is, Some Ain’t Some Do and Some Don’t- Some Will and Some Won’t
The title of this sermon is Some is, Some Ain’t Some Do and Some Don’t- Some Will and Some Won’t
Last week we spoke of the warning the author of Hebrews gave the people to whom he was writing.
He warned them of turning away from the knowledge of the truth.
He warned them that if they did finally turn and reject the knowledge of the truth that they should not expect that they would be covered by the sacrifice of Christ.
Rather, what they should expect is that there will be for them a terrifying expectation of judgement.
We ended last week with one of the most sober warnings in all of Scripture.
The author of Hebrews says-
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Now I want to remind you here that he is issuing this warning to the people, because there is a reality in that time and in our time of there being those who hear the truth, know the truth, and yet shrink back away from the truth.
Some may know the truth, and may have even outwardly seem to approve the truth at one point or another, but then, eventually, they turn away from it proving who they really are.
John speaks to this very thing.
They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
As your pastor, just being honest, there are times when I get discouraged when I see those who have professed faith in Christ (who may even be on our membership roll) but yet seem to have completely turned away from any resemblance of a regenerate life.
You see someone start coming to church, and then over time, their attendance and involvement minimizes or, in some cases, it becomes nonexistent.
And it is very disheartening, but when we look at passages like the one last week, its not unexpected.
In fact, The church has always dealt with false professions. It has always dealt with those who appeared to be true for a little while, but in the end, time told the true story.
This is what Jesus told us in the Parable of Sower.
Seed is sown in four places, and regardless of how they appeared at first-only one of those places proved to be true.
Its not unexpected.
Some is and Some Ain’t- Some Do and Some Don’t-and Some will and Some won’t.
The author of Hebrews has been repeatedly emphasizing this fact.
That there will be those who shrink back.
But today, there is encouragement to the genuine believer. That though there is a reality of false conversions, false professions, there is also a reality of true conversions.
What fills my heart, and encourages me is that the true people of God do remain faithful.
They continue to serve faithfully in difficult times.
They continue to worship faithfully in difficulty.
They continue to give faithfully in difficulty.
Over the past year, this has become evident to me and is super encouraging.
Do you realize that over the past 10 months, we haven’t passed the offering plate once? We put a five gallon bucket at the back door, and every week, you’ve been faithful to give to the mission of the church. Our giving has been fine.
That speaks of two things. It speaks to God’s faithfulness to continue His work in the lives of His people regardless of what is going on in the world.
And it speaks to your obedience.
But, faithfulness in difficulty, that is not unexpected either.
The righteous one will live by faith.
The author here in this passage today is encouraging and assuring them that the faithful will remain faithful, regardless.
He does this by highlighting three things.
1. He reminds them of their salvation-
1. He reminds them of their salvation-
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
He says here., “Remember the former days, when after being enlightened.”
One translation reads
Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.
I believe this is a reference to their coming to know Jesus.
Its referencing the point and time when the light of the Gospel pierced through their heart by God’s spirit opening their eyes and ears to the truth of Gospel.
Paul refers to salvation in a similar way
For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
He is reminding them of their salvation.
He is reminding them of the first time they heard the good truth of the gospel.
As believers, we need this.
We need to think often of our conversion.
We ought to speak often of our conversion.
i think- Its a helpful tool to provoke our love for something to remember the first time it had an impact on our lives.
This is why, I believe, we love to look at the first pictures of our children. We oo and ahh over those cute little babies- (Never mind the fact they turn into....toddlers) Those are the pictures that bring us the most joy, because it reminds us of the first experience of them.
So too, it is helpful to remember the first time God took the blinders off our eyes and allowed us to see the wonderful grace of God.
He reminds them of this- but something followed their salvation we might not expect.
We might be tempted to think he’s going to say, “Remember when you first were saved and every thing was perfect, and you had a breakthrough, money started flowing in like never before, and your health began to get better, and every body was just rejoicing around you over your salvation.”
But thats not what he says.
He says this
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
He moves on from reminding them of their salvation, to now-
2. He reminds them of their prior faithfulness in suffering.
2. He reminds them of their prior faithfulness in suffering.
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
Historically, most scholars agree here that he is referencing a time just 15 years before when the Roman Emperor Claudius forced the Jewish Christians out. He essentially banished them from Rome.
During that time, though they were forced to leave their property, they remained steadfast. They continued to follow Christ.
So the author of Hebrews now, picks this up as an argument to push them forward in faithfulness.
He essentially is saying,
You’ve been faithful before.
God has been faithful to you before.
You’v e faced difficulty before.
You’ve faced hard times before.
You were made a public spectacle.
partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.
The Emperor of Rome had treated these people harshly. They were berated publicly. Made fun of.
It was theatre for the Romans to treat Christians badly.
But, despite all of that, they remained faithful.
To God and to each other.
The end of verse 33 tells us that they became sharers with those who were so treated.
In other words, the church took care of the church while they suffered together.
They bore one another’s burdens.
I can imagine during that time that worship services were different. Preaching was different. Fellowship was different for a church that saw their brother or sister beaten or forced out of their home that week.
The church was a place of refuge for them as they came to one another in legitimate need for each other.
People in the church actually cared for the one’s who are suffering in their midst. They shared their sufferings with each other, because, quite frankly, the other Christians were the only ones who would love and care for them.
Quite literally, the hardness and harshness of the treatment of the world brought them together as they shared in each other’s misery.
The early church were experts in suffering, and they loved each other better for it.
In the modern American church, I fear that the comfort of our culture has produced something vastly different than what he describes here.
Because quite frankly, We don’t think of the church this way like we ought. I think one reason is that we haven’t had to.
The American culture up to this point has been welcoming to the church and its ideas, but that is changing, rapidly.
I don’t believe it will be long before we will be called upon to this task. To share in the sufferings of Christ and to love each other well through it.
The author of Hebrews commends them. They were faithful to do that.
Verse 34 continues-
For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
The church showed sympathy. The words there “showed sympathy” can be translated- “they suffered with..”
They faithfully suffered with the prisoners.
They accepted joyfully the seizure of their property.
They faithfully gave it all up.
The Romans came for it- the Christian gave it to them joyfully-
Can you imagine this?
A knock at your door. Give me your land your home your possessions. Give it to me and leave if you follow Christ.
What would you say?
Wait a second. How did you get my name? Oh well I’m a member of that church, but I rarely ever go. I’m not really committed. Don’t take my stuff. I just won’t go anymore. I’ll tell them to take my name off the list. That grave plot isn’t that important to me anyhow.
Pause…Is that what you would say?
Some is and some ain’t. Some do and some don’t, and Some will and Some Won’t
In this time period.
The knock did come
Give me your land your home your possessions. Get out if you follow Christ. -
These people said “Here you go.” and they joyfully walked away from it all because they knew they had something better in Christ.
Look at the end of verse 34.
For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
These people had been faithful.
They had a proper understanding of where their citizenship truly was.
They had a proper understanding of earthly possessions.
They had a better possession in Christ.
They gave up their homes and comfort and their safety for Christ, because they valued him more.
A lot of so called Christians today won’t even give up an hour on Sunday, much less their home and possessions for Christ.
A lot of professed Christians today won’t give up time at the ball-field, the beach, the river, the lake, the mall, for Christ. How will they ever stand when persecution comes?
Some is and some ain’t. Some do and some don’t, and Some will and Some Won’t
True believers understand and know that they have a better possession and a lasting one in Christ.
I long to see this. People who love Christ and the church more so than their possessions or their own lives.
I long to see the church follow Christ for Christ.
For too long people have treated the church like a country club. Where we have joined for what we believe we can receive from it rather than what we can give to it.
Pause.
But what happens when it cost you more than you gain by being a member?
These people were faithful. They had counted the cost and they found what they gained in Christ to be better than what they might lose in this world.
Jim Elliot-missionary Who died trying to take the Gospel to Huaorani people of Ecuador. “He is no fool who gives us what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Jim Elliot, These people and Christians across the centuries have understood that.
But we need to be reminded.
The author of Hebrews reminds them of their salvation.
He reminds them of their previous faithfulness.
He reminds them of that because there is always a temptation to take the comfortable road rather the road of Christ.
But he reminds them to look back at the road they have already traveled To encourage them to continue now.
Finally-
3. He reminds them of their future reward.
3. He reminds them of their future reward.
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
He reminds them here again of the reason why they were faithful in the past.
They were faithful because they knew what awaited them was better than what they had down here.
He urges them here- Don’t throw away your confidence.
In other words, Don’t lose hope now. You still have the hope of eternal life. You’ve already done this much. Don’t give up now. Don’t lose confidence now.
(The Story of Karl Wallenda(His great grandson Nic just walked over the volcano back in March - Family is Known for walking tight ropes- In 1978, Karl Wallenda- The Great Wallenda- fell to his death from ten stories up in San Juan Puerto Rico (ocean winds picked up and he fell at age 73). His wife later was interviewed later, and said that a few month prior he had begun to become worried about falling, . She had never heard him become so worried. He wasn’t confident anymore. This is what she said “All Karl thought about for three straight months prior to it was falling. It was the first time he’d ever thought about that, and it seemed to me that he put all his energies into not falling rather than walking the tightrope.”)
As believers we don’t ever have to lose confidence.
The reason why is Our confidence is not in ourselves but in God.
“We have gone through many trials, but never to our detriment, always to our advantage; and the conclusion from our past experience is, that He who has been with us in six troubles, will not forsake us in the seventh. What we have known of our faithful God, proves that He will keep us to the end” Spurgeon
God is faithful to us- and We must do the will of God and endure.
Jesus is coming back to make all things right, and we are called to faithfulness until that day.
Look at verse 37-38
For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
This speaks of the immanence of Jesus.
He is coming quickly. We Are repeatedly warned in the New Testament to be ready.
Are you?
Are you ready For Christ’s return?
Would he find you faithful?
Would he be pleased by your stewardship of what he has given you?
Would you be Wishing you had known he was coming so quickly?
This passage is your warning. He is coming. We are closer now to his return than we've ever been before.
You will either live by faith or you won’t
But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
The last part Verse 38 is a warning tied to the verses from last week.
The one who shrinks back is speaking to the ones who profess Christ, but do not possess Christ.
The one who shrinks back is speaking to those people who in the middle of the difficulty, give up. They count the cost and they’d rather have their stuff.
The one who shrinks back is speaking about the fake, the phony, the hypocrite.
The one who shrinks back is speaking about those whose only tie to the church is that there name is on a list somewhere.
The righteous live by faith.
Those who shrink back, God has no pleasure in him.
The author of Hebrews is sure of that.
We can be sure of that as well. As I said last week, the unrighteous, the unfaithful, the one who shrinks back, we ought not presume that they are just fine. God’s Word says- His soul takes no pleasure in Him.
But there is something else we can be sure of.
Those who are truly God’s people will persevere.
His Final word of Encouragement
His Final word of Encouragement
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Are you worried about the world that we live in?
Are you worried about the world your children will grow up in?
Are you worried that church life is changing?
Let me encourage you. Don’t shrink back. Persevere. Keep running.
Remember your salvation. Remember what Christ has done for you.
Remember where he has already been faithful.
Remember your eternal hope and what He has promised, and be faithful to the end.
God never said it be easy. In fact, Jesus said it would be hard.
Will you shrink back? Or will you stand up?
I finished that semester of Greek. The majority who started the class did not. Now, I made a B, but I finished.
Dr. Murray was right about that Greek Test.
Some is and some ain’t Some do and Some don’t and Some will and Some won’t.
When it comes to persevering in faith.
Are you? Do you? Will you?
If you are truly His, you will.
Paul wrote this to the church of Philippi who were also facing persecution and suffering.
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Let’s pray.