God's Revelation

Good morning!

I hope you took the time to study part of Hebrews 1 over the last two weeks.

We are going to work through these first few verses today.

These first four are often referred as the most eloquently written in all the Bible.

In the original text, it is one statement and the introduction of this message to the church.

As we begin to digest this passage we will see the powerful theology that is packed into this opening statement.

To set us off on the right foot, I want to begin with a video that is going to help us get our minds in the right place.

It is going to help us feel the need for this text so that we can understand why it was such a good word for the church.

video

Now we can feel it and don’t write that off as important.

Yesterday I was visiting with Jacob and Mattie and we were talking about what makes a good movie.

They didn’t know this, but I had already written in the beginning of this sermon about what makes a good movie.

For Jake, the authenticity of what is happening in the movie is really important.

For Mattie, it is all about character development.

For me, the ones that stick with me are the ones that are have an emotional impact.

If I wake up thinking about it the next day, it was a good movie.

What we call the book of Hebrews was a sermon that was transcribed and then distributed among churches that were struggling with persecution and all the difficulties that come with bucking culture.

If we are going to see this as our story, we have to be connected to it.

I wanted to show this video this morning because it brings us into the text.

It allows us to feel the tension into which this message was first delivered.

As we each spend time in this text throughout the week, not just here on Sunday mornings, we are going to find ourselves in the text as we are dealing with the tension that exists in our own lives.

I told y’all last time we met that we were going to take this slow so that we could really digest what God was saying.

Well, God didn’t disappoint.

My original intention was to do the first four verses today, but we are only going to cover the first two.

So, let’s read our text and dive in.

Hebrews 1:1–2 CSB

1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.

The young man in the story, just like so many of us, needed a breakthrough.

He was struggling with the circumstances of his life and more than anything, he needed to know that he made the right choice.

Following Jesus is hard some days.

We heard the same from Miki this week in her testimony.

Her life has been the worst roller coaster ever.

But instead of it lasting a few minutes, like most roller coasters, she’s been on this terrible ride for the past few years.

In spite of that, she shared with us that is her relationship with God and the trust that she has in his ability to care for her and her family has flourished.

I wanted to start out with these two stories today because it is foundational for us to get comfortable with sharing our stories.

The title of today’s message is God’s Revelation, and we know that one of the ways that God reveals himself is through his people.

This is a significant thing for us to consider because culturally, it is normal for us to hide behind a mask and pretend that everything is okay.

Think about the last time someone asked you how you were doing and you answered them completely honestly.

What is our typical and culturally normal response?

I’m great.

I’m good.

etc...

Today’s message is wrapped around the idea that it is only by shedding our mask and being honest with others, that we will be able to relate to them in a meaningful way.

When we share our struggles, it gives us an opportunity to share how God is working.

I am so thankful that Miki took the time and energy to share her story with us.

We all know Miki and we know God better because of her testimony.

How appropriate for this sermon to the Hebrew people to start with such a foundational idea that God speaks.

Verse one today said...

Hebrews 1:1 CSB

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways.

The church needed and still needs to be reminded that…

God speaks to His people.

Divine revelation is always the turning point of the story.

Since our creation, God has spoken to his people in many ways.

But Now! God speaks through his son.

You know, I love how God does this.

When I was writing all of this, I got a text from Miki asking if we could talk.

She was on the fence about when and how to share her testimony.

I offered to tell her what God was speaking for the message on Sunday to help her figure out if now was the time.

I referenced John 9 and immediately she knew that it was time for her to tell her story.

God used John 9:3 to speak directly into Miki’s crisis of faith.

Her struggle was so great that she cried out to God, desperate to understand WHY all this was happening.

God spoke.

Do you remember me telling you that we were going to be digging into these references that are made throughout Hebrews?

Look at verse one after the word “spoke”.

Do you see the little “a”? if you follow that you will see it point to John 9:29

As I read that verse, I stepped back to look at the broader context.

As I did, God spoke.

He directed me to read this entire passage.

Had he not, I don’t know that Miki and I would have made the connection between what God was speaking to me and to her.

This chapter is a story of what happens when God speaks into someone’s life.

God speaking is always a game-changer.

Look with me at John 9 and let’s see what happens when Jesus reveals himself to someone.

John 9:1–34 CSB

1 As he was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him. 4 We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” 9 Some said, “He’s the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like him.” He kept saying, “I’m the one.” 10 So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.” 12 “Where is he?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he said. 13 They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Then the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 Again they asked the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?” “He’s a prophet,” he said. 18 The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 “We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21 “But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.” 24 So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 “I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?” 28 They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s disciples. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where he’s from.” 30 “This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him. 32 Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.” 34 “You were born entirely in sin,” they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

I want to point out a few things that happen in this story so that we can make some applications.

Jesus saw the man.

Jesus sees us and loves us where we are.

There is a false assumption that disabilities, hardships, or pain are the result of sin.

This is difficult to comprehend for us because we are so entrenched in the cultural idea that God’s people don’t suffer.

We may not readily agree with that, but we act like it when we put on our masks.

Jesus clearly states in verse 3 that this man’s impairment was placed on him so that God could do a work in his life.

We have testimony from Miki that God used this verse to communicate the same thing to her.

The man is healed because he obeyed Jesus' command.

God can speak, but if we don’t obey, the work doesn’t happen.

It also isn’t much of a testimony if we tell someone that God spoke and they asked what happened next and we tell them we didn’t do what he said.

People took notice of God’s work and began to ask questions.

This would be a good thing to discuss in LG.

Have you experienced people taking an interest in your life as they see God working?

This work of God challenged the status quo and caused a disruption in the cultural religion.

Vs 28 lines of belief were drawn and this is what was referenced in Hebrews 1:1.

John 9:28 CSB

28 They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s disciples.

Young lady I met this week.

She grew up in an extremely legalistic denomination.

Her story is very similar to some I’ve heard from you guys.

She was taught that God’s view of her was determined by how well she performed as a “good christian”.

In moving down here, she visited other churches and has begun to understand God’s grace.

God’s activity in the lives of other believers challenged what she grew up believing.

The result is a change in belief.

Not because someone convinced her with cunning words, but because she began to see God’s work in the lives of others and now in her own life.

Cultural religion rejected both the formerly blind man and Jesus.

This is a significant point for many of us.

Our story may be rejected by some because it doesn’t fit into the cultural mold of what a Christian looks like.

We don’t need to be discouraged by it, but simply recognize it for what it is, and continue to ask God to reveal himself to that person.

Jesus, the son of God, brings the formerly blind man into the family of God.

Jesus’ work in this man’s life, revealed the truth about who Jesus was.

This caused him to believe that Jesus was the son of God.

John 9:35–38 CSB

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked. 37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.

Jesus reveals the sin of cultural religion.

As we come to know God, the sin that our culture had justified, gets exposed.

This is what is happening in this story.

The religious leaders had made up all these rules to “protect” everyone from sinning and they completely lost sight of the purpose of the law that God had given.

The same thing will happen in our lives.

Sometimes we are the ones that are blind to what God is doing, and sometimes we are the ones that God is working through.

I mention both because we need to be graceful with one another.

Hebrews 1:2 CSB

2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.

God’s activity draws people.

This is a huge deal!

Prior to Jesus, God only spoke to the people through prophets.

Think about only getting to hear the news from your crazy uncle.

How would your relationship with God be different if you could only hear from him through one person?

That may be a poor example, but you get the point.

For the first time since the garden, God was now speaking directly to his people.

Divine Revelation is otherworldly and grabs people's attention.

Jesus is revealing himself to the blind man, the disciples, the religious leaders, and all those in that local community.

Jesus did the work and the people spread the story that brought the whole community into the conversation.

They began asking questions, thinking, and understanding who Jesus really was by the story of this one man.

We see this pattern of Jesus’ miracles drawing crowds play itself out over and over again in the gospels.

What is the most impactful thing God has done in your life?

We aren’t Jesus, but God is going to work in your life.

It is going to benefit you, but it is also meant to be shared so that others can experience God’s activity.

Remember that God said that he would pour out his Spirit on us.

Acts 2:17 CSB

17 And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all people; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.

People want and need to hear about what God is doing in your life.

Miki’s testimony is a great example of this.

All of us can learn from her walk with God.

I know a lot of her story because she is in our life group, but hearing about God’s activity was so uplifting and such an encouragement.

We also need to address the fact that some of the people that are drawn in won’t be there to encourage.

2 Peter 3:3 CSB

3 Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days scoffing and following their own evil desires,

You know what they say, “Scoffers gonna scoff!”

This is an unfortunate side effect of being a follower of Christ, but just remember that you aren’t going through it alone.

Peter is addressing the fact that there were people and are people whose sole desire is to find ways of tearing down what God is doing.

They will scoff, belittle, and look for inconsistency in your life.

Jesus knows all too well how you feel and he is there with you.

Look at what Jesus tells the disciples in John 15.

John 15:18–20 CSB

18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Share that stuff with you LG and allow them to also encourage you and walk with you.

God’s presence gives us a new perspective on life.

I feel like I’ve made this point so many times over the last few years, but it is true and we see it over and over again in scripture.

God speaks, and people’s lives change.

Divine Revelation shows us God’s perspective on our current situation.

When God speaks, we quickly realize that there is more to our story than we previously thought.

The religious leaders mentioned Moses in John 9.

Consider Moses' life in the wilderness and how everything changed when God showed up as a burning bush.

Moses thought his influence in Egypt was long gone.

Nope.

It doesn’t matter if life is good or if it is difficult, when God speaks into it, our perspective on where we are is changed.

We get a better understanding of why we are where we are.

We get this new perspective because rather than looking at our life through our human eyes, we get a glimpse of it from the eyes of the creator.

Has God changed your perspective on life as He spoke?

Raise you hand if you have ever tried to put together a piece of furniture.

Baby bed, anything from Ikea, book shelf, etc.

Here is what typically happens.

You look at it and think, yeah, i know how this goes together.

After you have disassembled it three times you decide to look at the instructions and see that you didn’t understand, but now you do.

Has that ever happened to any of you or is that just me?

In this passage in John, when Jesus spoke the truth to the blind man and healed him, every assumption he ever made was brought to clarity.

All of the sudden, his whole life made sense because of this single moment.

God wants to do this in all of our lives.

It doesn’t matter what is going on, God wants to be in on it.

When we share our stories, it invites others to begin asking God for his perspective on their situation.

God’s desire is to make himself known to the world and His plan is to use you.

John 15:26–27 CSB

26 “When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 You also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

Because we have heard God speak and understand that the story of God redeeming his people is our story, we are in a unique position to help others.

Our testimony is not a reproduction of something we have heard from another source.

Our personal experiences with God have changed us.

That is all the motivation we should need to share our stories with others.

Acts 4:20 CSB

20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

As we experience God, and practice sharing what God is doing in our lives, we will understand what Peter and John are saying here.

We will be unable to keep ourselves from sharing what God is doing in our lives.

That is dependent on us making the conscious decision to be real with people and to share what God is doing in our lives.

Just like the churches that this letter circulated through after it was transcribed, churches today need to be reminded of God’s activity.

We need to be reminded of the fact that God sent his Son, Jesus, the heir of all things, to speak directly to us.

God created all that exists through Jesus.

The one that spoke the world into existence and the one that healed the broken is still speaking today.

He is still speaking life and he is still healing brokenness.

This is a story, this is a truth that the world needs to hear.

Sharing this message with the world is going to require that we allow God to speak into our circumstances.

As God is speaking, we have to heed his voice.

We have to obey what he is saying.

We have to be honest with people about where we are.

We have to share God’s activity in our lives.

As I was finishing up this week, this new song came on and I want to wrap up with these lyrics.

This song is called Cage and it is by We The Kingdom

What if I got real honest? What if I took a risk? What if I opened up my heart And let you see in? What if I took my mask off? Trying to fit in I don't wanna be a mannequin

What if I let my guard down? What if I took a breath? What if I wasn't perfect? What if I was just a mess? What if I bled my soul out Givin' all I could give? I'm so tired of pretending

I'm comin' out of my cages I'm steppin' down from my stages I'm sick and tired of faking it What I wouldn't give to be known What I wouldn't give to be known