Indian Pastors

Background

Jewish Christians who are being persecuted for their faith.

OVERALL PURPOSE: To encourage Jewish believers to persevere in the faith by showing that Christ and his salvation was better than, and the fulfillment to, the Old Covenant.

Not just Romans. They were persecuted by everyday people, family, friends for following Jesus.

Mocking, ridicule, shame

Some imprisonment

Jewish High Priest was sick of Christ and Jewish Christians so he banished all Christian Jews from Jewish holy places.

So these believers effectively lost everything for following Jesus. Friends, family, businesses.

You name it. Following Jesus cost them.

Following Jesus costs many of you.

Because of all this, many of these believers were starting to wonder if following Jesus was worth it, and they were thinking about going back to Judaism and walking away from Christ.

The whole point of the book is, “You can’t go back. There’s nothing to go back to. The Old Covenant pointed to Jesus. Salvation is only in him.

3 Reasons to Persevere

I. Jesus is the Only Way to Enter God’s Rest

Hebrews 3:8-14 Today, if you hear his voice,

8  do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,

on the day of testing in the wilderness,

9  where your fathers put me to the test

and saw my works for forty years.

10  Therefore I was provoked with that generation,

and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;

they have not known my ways.’

11  As I swore in my wrath,

‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

The Promised Land of the Jews pointed toward Christ.

The land flowing with milk and honey showed the kind of blessing, life, and peace God gives to all his people in Christ.

The warning is against an unbelieving heart that says there isn’t life, blessing, peace, REST in following Jesus.

COMFORT

Reminds us our Rest isn’t in this world. Our Rest is in Christ.

Even though it doesn’t feel like it when we face persecution from the world around us, there is blessing, eternal life, in following Christ and holding our original confidence firm to the end.

II. Jesus is the Only Sacrifice that Forgives Our Sins

Hebrews 9:12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Jesus is the better High Priest who offers a better sacrifice.

All the sacrifices of the old covenant pointed to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the cross that would secure an eternal redemption for everyone that puts their faith in him.

Another reason these Jews couldn’t go back and walk away from Christ was because they’d be walking away from the only sacrifice that could forgive their sins.

There is salvation in no one else.

Like Peter said when Christ asked his disciples if they wanted to walk away from him just like all the false disciples that abandoned him, John 6:68-69 Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.

Exhortation

Persevere for the sake of your own soul. Where else where you go? Only Christ has the words of eternal life.

Persevere for the sake of your flock. They need shepherds who are strong and courageous in the Lord. Who provide for, protect, and lead the flock so that they can have the joy of eternal life.

Persevere for the sake of India. None of the false gods surrounding you can save any of the people hoping in them. Only Christ.

If you don’t persevere who will share the good news of Jesus so that they can be saved and place their faith in God’s only perfect sacrifice who gives eternal redemption.

III. Jesus’ Kingdom will Never be Shaken

Hebrews 12:27-28 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

At Mount Sinai when God gave the Law he spoke and his voice shook the earth.

The Phrase the Author Quotes is from Haggai where God promises to shake the earth, the things that have been made, so that everything that can be shaken will be removed.

What does he mean?

God is going to shake everything that is against his Kingdom and take them away.

Only Christ’s Kingdom cannot be shaken, and we have received that kingdom in Christ.

Here’s the Big Idea. Jesus Kingdom will overcome all opposing Kingdoms. He is the King of kings and no kingdom on earth is a match and will be shaken until it tumbles down.

Application

The kingdom of this world and of Satan, is trying to shake you. To make you feel like you can’t win.

That you’re going to lose and all the work, labor, and sacrifice you are making for Jesus and his kingdom isn’t worth it.

But you are serving a kingdom that can’t be shaken. So keep going. Keep persevering.

You might feel shaken, but you are secure in Christ and he will overcome and through your sacrifice, the kingdom of his salvation will reign over India and Jesus will save everyone that is his through your labor.

Leave you with this: JESUS IS WITH YOU

You aren’t alone. When Jesus gave the Great Commission what did he promise? And behold I am with you always to the end of the age.

What is that age? The age of his Kingdom which is growing on earth right now like a mustard seed that starts small but becomes the largest tree in the garden.

Christ Kingdom goes forward through the preaching of the gospel. Through your ministry.

So as you suffer. Sacrifice. Labor. Never forget Jesus is with you.

And anytime you are tempted to give up or go back, remember you have a sympathetic high priest who is able and ready to help in every time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.