Untitled Sermon (11)

THE GREATER FAITH "Jesus is the Greater" ( A study in the book of Hebrews) Hebrews 10:19 - 11: 40 ______________________________________________________________________________________________INTRODUCTION

Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of each passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his other pocket. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat by him. He couldn't find it. The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively. "The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry. I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.'"

Every Good sermon has a “So What”. Knowing who you are is only part of faith, the other part is the confidence of knowing where you are going. Every Sermon has a “So What.” The preacher has just taken us on a Journey with Christ over three and a half chapters. Now here is the “so what.” THE ANSWER: Get Ready for the House of Worship!​ ESV Hebrews 10:19–25 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. NOTE: The High Priestly ministry of Jesus has not made it possible for genuine worship. Jesus Christ parted the curtain and entered into the tent called the Holy of Holies. Under the New Covenant, all of the children of God have access to the “Holy of Holies.” If we are called to worship Him in Spirit and Truth, How do we enter the presence of God in Worship? 1. We come to worship as a community.​ ESV Hebrews 10:19 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have the confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, We are no longer strangers and outcasts but are now the family of God. We are brothers and sisters together, welcomed now into the inner rooms of the House of God. The first thing we should do is to boldly with confidence come into the house of God as those who belong to the family. “WE have the confidence to enter the sanctuary,” the preacher says. We are welcomed into the place that the human heart desires and longs to be, in the very presence of God. The Old Covenant left us continually in guilt and shame; the new covenant is one of grace and forgiveness. Jonathan Kozol’s book Amazing Grace borrows its title from that old hymn. It is a narrative study of the lives of children in the South Bronx, the poorest congressional district in the United States. One of the people described in this book is Anthony, a twelve-year-old boy exposed to more street violence, crime, and poverty than a young life ought to endure but who has also experienced the tender ministries of a local church. When Kozol noticed that Anthony often spoke of “the kingdom of God,” he asked Anthony to describe what he meant by such language. At first, the boy resisted the suggestion, but a few days later, he showed Kozol three pages in his spiral notebook titled “God’s Kingdom.” There, among other things, Anthony had written: No violence will be in heaven. There will be no guns or drugs or IRS. You won’t have to pay taxes. You’ll recognize all the children who had died when they were little. Jesus will be good to them and play with them. At night he’ll come and visit at your house (Kozol, Amazing Grace, p. 238). 2. We come to worship with a sincere heart. ESV Hebrews 10:22 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. “Our bodies washed with pure water is a reference to Christian Baptism.” We come to worship with a true or sincere heart; it must be “whole-hearted” and not mechanical. The writer speaks to coming to worship as those washed with pure water as an outward purification of a sign that God has provided the internal cleansing of the heart. We then come with a full reassurance of God’s acceptance. Even though we spend our lives in somewhat half-hearted commitments, heartsick over the broken pieces of our lives, however, in worship the heart disease of humanity is touched by God’s forgiveness and cured by being sprinkled clean by the grace of God. NOTE: This is the sincerity of a true believer in Christ. In the Old Testament times the serving levitical priest would have to wash himself thoroughly and only then could he enter the holy place. When Christian believers come into God’s presence it is with a sense of concern not about external washing, but about heart purity. They must come with a true or sincere heart. This may also be a gentle reminder to those Jewish Christians who continued to come to the Temple for the ceremonial cleansing. NOTE: One thing is clear the great passion of the writer is that we draw near to God. That we come to His throne to find the help we need. We comet o him confident that he is the only one who has the answers our soul longs for. Drawing near is not a physical act. It’s not building a tower of Babel, by your achievements, to get to heaven. It’s not necessarily going to a Church building or walking the aisle in a Church service. It is the invisible act of the heart. 3. We come to worship hoping and holding to the promise. ​ ESV Hebrews 10:23–25 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. God has promised that a time is coming when no mother will weep again over her lost child, when all will have a place to live and food to eat, when many will come from east and west, north and south for a great homecoming at God’s extravagant banquet table. God has promised that a day is coming when justice will flow down like a waterfall, and when death and pain will be no more.Revelation 21:4 “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the Son’s of God.” But, Christians must live in a world where “we do not see” the realization of these promises, therefore Christians live in a CERTAIN HOPE. We eagerly await the completion of the redemptive activity of God.Romans 8:19 HOW DO WE HOPE AND HOLD to THE PROMISES OF GOD? a) Personal Confession The writer tells his readers once again to hold fast to their initial confession of faith in Christ. This is a call not only to persevere but also to witness. Cultural NOTE: In a society like ours where Christ is not loved, and his moral standards are not honored, where God’s word is widely ignored, and the Christian faith is often dismissed as mere myth and fables meant to imprison people. Believers must be strong and unwavering in their confession of HOPE. When we hold fast to the confession of our hope, we are not merely holding to a doctrine or belief system; we are holding onto the one who gives us life and hope, Jesus Christ. b) Mutual Encouragement This is the act of moving people to acts of compassion and mercy. They have a responsibility not only to hold fast themselves but to encourage others to do the same. Quiet possibly one of the greatest changes in a new believers life is in the area of compassion and mercy. Not that they didn’t care before becoming a Christian. However the pre-Christian many times acted out of selfish motivations or false pretenses. The Born again believer now is motivated by a different motivation. We now act out of an agape love that only comes through Jesus Christ alone. The Church doesn’t gather for a mere social club mentality that is selfishly motivated. A large aspect of our worship should encourage and stir each other up into mercy and service. ESV Romans 12:9–13 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Cultural Problem The rub comes when people feel like they can find community whatever that might look like outside of the traditional Church setting. It is because some people have not found the warmth, care and genuine concern for which they hoped that they have turned away from the organized or institutional Churches to religious communities and house churches, some of them, vibrant with a more intimate commitment to fellowship and caring. c) Gathering with other Believers Gathering together in worship as the body of Christ is an eschatological event; it is participation here and now in the eternal praise of God, a foretaste of the approaching victory of God. Paul describes a day that is coming when “every knee should bend on heaven and in the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” InPhilippians 2:10-11 NOTE: It is easy to lose sight of Christ’s return; to let go of that one truth makes our worship hallow and lacking power and conviction. Some had gotten into the habit of not meeting or gathering together as a body. The disincentives to corporate worship are extensive. We were never meant to live out the Christian life in isolation from the body of Christ. Many confess that they just get tired, tired in worship, and tired of worship. It is not only that the sermon may ramble on a bit too long or that the pace of the service can sometimes lag; the weariness in worship is deeper fatigue, a jaded sense that nothing of real significance is happening here. Our extensive netfix, hulu, or youtube watching list has more interesting stories; the other social interactions have friendlier people; our favorite destination spots have a better view; and sleeping in on Sunday’s provides a better Sabbath rest. What is more, nobody at the beach or the backyard barbecue is going to hand us a pledge card, call us to pray for people in a country we cannot pronounce, or ask us to change diapers in the nursery. The only thing about that is that while we are relaxing in our beach chair, watching t.v. on our smartphone’s eating bar-b-q, The faithful are filling the sanctuary, doing the best they can with their off key voices to belt out “Holy, Holy, Holy,” have been gathered by a mystery beyond their own seeing and knowing into the great choir with the saints in heaven singing ceaseless praise to the Lamb of God who was slain from the foundations of the earth for our redemption. Note: Things are not what they seem. What looks like leisure turns out, in the end, to be exhausting, and what appears to be the labor of prayer leads to “a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at last.” d.) Keep Near (10:26-35) This passage now concludes with an extreme and jaw-dropping warning. “Do not throw away your confidence. He has urged them to draw near as the day approaches, but he fears some have already gone away. He has two ways of recalling people to persistent faith. They must remember 1) those who have fallen and 2) those who have endured. 1) Remember those who have fallen ​ ESV Hebrews 10:26–31 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. a. They have rejected God’s truth. (10:26-28) Here you have some professing Christians, apparently known to the writer and readers of this letter, who either had not been given or had not responded to the encouragement of their fellow believers. They began to drift away from the truth. (Hebrews 2:1) Then they neglected to ‘meet together’ (10:25); gradually, they had been lured on from doubt to a persistent apostasy which is expressed itself not only in unbelief but in violent opposition to Christ and his people. In this text, we are not dealing with the occasional weak backslider or the regretful offender. These apostates have swept aside the eternal blessings of God. They have rejected the Truth. However, they had received the word eagerly and obeyed it instantly; they now go against its teaching and sin deliberately. Apparently, they had abandoned their faith and slipped back into Judaism. b. They have rejected God’s Son. (10:29a) They no longer believed Jesus to be the son of God, and they actually profaned the precious blood he shed for them. If they have rejected Christ’s sacrifice, no other sacrifice can atone for their sin and rebellion. The word profaned points out the sheer rejection and violent manner in which they rejected God and his son. c. They have despised God’s Spirit. The word here translated outraged indicates the deepest kind of personal insult. God’s spirit comes to the sinner in Grace and merciful love; however, it is not always welcomed. Those who insult him are self-condemned and, denying, the only way of forgiveness; this now makes pardon impossible. NOTE: When the writer speaks of willful persistence in sin, he is not here talking about the sin in the Pauline sense as the human condition, the chronic situation of knowing the right thing to do but never being able to do it. Here sin is clearly apostasy: the clear, firm, informed, and deliberate rejection of the gospel by those who have already lived in its joy, who have felt its purifying power, and who know in the marrow of their souls the promises of God and the grace God offers, and still choose to reject the gift. We must be careful not to hear this text through the leans of the hellfire and brimstone sermons we may have heard in our past. In the scripture, the judgment of God is good news, a sign that God’s love for the world will allow nothing to stand that will harm or destroy. The idea of judgement should not picture in our minds eye as a red faced God who gets mad at sinners and strikes out in retaliation; rather, God exercises “good judgement;” “perfect righteous judgment;” He sets things right, repairs the broken creation; behold he is making all things new. 2) Remember those who have endured ​ ESV Hebrews 10:32–36 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised. Apparently, fierce persecution had hit their community sometime after their faith in Christ was young and immature, just after their conversion and baptism. Even their homes were invaded by robbers and vandals, determining to expose them to every possible discomfort and insult. Hebrews 10:32 The secular society in our modern world insists on the importance of the immediate and the priority of the tangible. It is what you have now that matters; promises are valueless. But the believer refuses to choke down such nonsense, future-less outlook. The Christian believes in the reality of Jesus Christ, even though he has never tangibly seen Him. He looks to a God who cannot be seen and presses on toward a distant city, even though it is not visible on the immediate horizon (11:27,10). longed to go and be with the Lord but saw it as more beneficial that he remain on the earth to spread the gospel to more people. It is natural for Christians to long for Christ’s triumphant return. The postponement, however, is an essential aspect of God’s sovereign purpose. Remember Paul inPhilippians 1 In a society obsessed by the lust for possessions, in which people who have never had so much are hungry for more, the Christian rejoices in what he had in Christ, the spiritual treasures which can never be taken away. One of the believers most priceless possessions is the promise of Christ’s sufficiency. Believers in many parts of our world today know only too well that they belong to an ignored, despised or even persecuted minority; their faith is often held up to ridicule, even their matchless Lord is profaned and his deity denied by some who profess to believe in him Get ready for the House of Faith. The writer begins by exposing the true nature and quality of Faith. NOTE: I want to expose one myth or misunderstanding we have about faith. Not everyone who claims to have faith has true genuine saving faith. For some faith seems to be an immovable fixture in their lives. Faith is not situational. In other words faith does not depend on you and your situation at the time. The earlier text we have read indicate that not all who began in faith continue in faith. Some fall away. It is important therefore to interpret this intriguing word ‘faith’. Our writer does not pretend to say all that can be said about it. There are many different uses for the word faith in the New Testament. It can indicate the way we believe (faith in Jesus) and what we believe. It can be used to indicate mere intellectual assent which even demons give to the fact of God’s existence; or deep personal commitment, which only Christians can give. However, the opening verses of this chapter the writer is explaining the kind of faith which is necessary for those who endure and ‘keep their souls to the end. Those with true faith accept God’s word, win his approval and recognize his power. 1. Faith takes God at His Word (11:1) Faith is man’s response to what God has said NOTE: It takes the revealed truth seriously in Holy Scripture. Faith: The assurance (substance) of things hoped for. “Faith, Hope, and Love.” The cardinal virtues for Christians.” 1 Corinthians 13 What is the difference between Faith and Hope? Do I believe that the Dallas Cowboys will win the Superbowl this year. Now, if I am a true Cowboys fan, I will say yes absolutely I believe they will win the Superbowl, now if I am a fare weather fan I might say well I hope they win the Superbowl but I am not for certain. The biblical presence of Hope is the absolute certainty, the future events of God that has yet to take place but will surely take place. Christ has said that He will return and that is a Certain reality, an anchor of the soul of the believer, the thing that keeps us from being blown off course. HOPE IS FAITH LOOKING FORWARD FAITH IS LOOKING BACKWARD AT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE a. It anticipates the future We do not merely live for the passing moment; we realize that there is far more than the immediate and temporary scene of life. We know that there are better things ahead because God has told us so in one way or another. And we preferred to believe that word rather than the flimsy promises and assurances that this world gives us. b. It evaluates the present It would be wrong to imagine that the believer has no interest in the current life and world. The Christian looks far more closely at the immediate scene than the unbeliever. The person without any clear faith often accepts things simply as they are. If money comes his way, then it is obviously his to enjoy. If he is confronted with an opportunity for sexual pleasure, he will take it, regardless of its immediate effects or its ultimate consequences. He does not sit down and weigh the cost or consider whether it damages him or hurts others; that is not his concern. But the man or woman of faith possesses the conviction of things not seen. Such people look beyond the situation as perceived by our natural sight or enjoyed by physical appetites. They do not look simply at their circumstances; they discern the activity of the invisible God (11:27) in their present situation and can endure to the end. Cultural Problem Well I cannot tell you why you should believe me you should just take it on faith. But when I say that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God who died on the cross to pay the penalty of sin. That is a certain reality. Faith is not vague and hidden in secrecy. It is not a myth or a fable. We have eyewitness testimonies. The Bible asks you to believe in what the eyewitness testimonies saw and reported. When Abraham walked by faith and not by sight. Was he exhibiting bling faith? “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and things not yet scene.” Empirical Evidence: “Seeing is Believing.” (saying you will only believe what is tangible and testable.) Does God want us to forget empirical evidence and take a leap in the dark. No, Jesus performed miracles, Jesus appeared to the people in his resurrected form. Moses gave Pharao empirical evidence. I heard God’s voice and saw the glory of God with my own eyes. Unless I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, the acts of God in History. THE THINGS THAT ARE THE TANGIBLE ACTIVITY OF GOD: VISIBLE, AUDIBLE, EMPIRICAL. Faith is not the opposite of evidence, it is the outworking of the things that we have seen, heard, and testified to in the empirical evidence. We are confident that these things will come to pass. Because we trust God, not superstition. Pat Robertson 700 club - They Hold hands and supposedly someone gets the word of knowledge; someone in the south part of the United States someone is right now getting healed of a goiter. Isn’t it amazing that they are given these revelations, but God does not provide the names and addresses. That is nonsense. Now am I saying that Pat Robinson is a fraud, no I think He believes it. The oracle of Delphi. When the prophets of Israel had a word of knowledge knowledge was specific and testable. So you could see whether the person was giving a true word of God or a false Word of God. You are sick and want to be healed of your sickness. You go to a faith healer, “if you believe you are going to be healed before you are healed.” You claim the promise and believe they can see when they cannot see. Has God ever asked someone to believe they can see when they cannot see? No, He says to trust in me and what He has promised. Now, if God had said that He would answer every prayer you prayed for healing, then you should believe Him. Has God promised 100 times out of 100 people that people will be healed? NOTE: Jesus gives us an absolute that Christians will go through trouble and tribulation in this world. 2. Faith wins God’s Approval (11:2) By exercising their faith, the men of Old gained that which mattered most, the commendation of God. What mattered most to these men was receiving divine approval from God. Without this kind of Faith, it was impossible to please God or be satisfied in knowing that his life was a life that had God's divine favor and approval. NOTE: For the Christian pleasing God is of the highest possible priority and importance. He does not set his heart on gaining human approval to boast, which can be dangerous. 3. Faith recognizes God’s Power The writer has made several references to creation and now returns to this theme to emphasize faith’s ability to discern God’s majestic power in the created order. Only by faith can we accept the astonishing statement that ‘the visible came from the invisible.’ When the author makes this statement ‘the first chapter of Genesis is probably on his mind since he is fixing to trace 7 seven living examples of faith from the Hall of Faith in the Old Testament. God’s incomparable power is such that he can call the whole universe into existence when there is nothing from which it can be fashioned. He declares that it was to be, and once he said it, he did it. (Exnihiloh, the uncreated God) ESV Romans 1:20 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 4. Faith challenges our Cowardice 11:4-16 These strangers and exiles have something to say to us about personal evangelism in the twentieth-century world. They made bold confession of their pilgrim attitude towards life. It was made clear that they were seeking a homeland. The majority of our world's lives are as though this world is everything. They have no eternal perspective to their thinking. Abel recognizes his obligations before God. “Jesus testified to Abel’s purity of heart and John testified to Cain’s sinful desires.” This was not simply about the gift but the Motivation also their motivation. Even though Abel was the one murdered, he is the one that is being spoken of all this time later. Enoch maintained his walk with God (11:5-6) “Without Faith, it is impossible to Please God.” Devotion to God is more than the regular sacrifice or act of religious worship or the occasional presentation for the believer. All life belongs to God, and our righteousness extends to the entirety of our whole life. NOTE: Those who possess true faith will walk with God day after day, day in and day out. Noah Rendered his obedience to God. Noah is a perfect example of the believer as defined in the opening verses of this chapter. He accepted God’s word, won God’s approval, and recognized God’s power in both his judgment and his Salvation. This is the attentive believer eager to hear what God has to say and ready to do what he commands. He not only received a warning but built an ark. God said it, so Noah did it. Jesus himself stressed the necessity of the obedient response, and all who walk by faith recognize its importance. Noah exhibited persistent obedience, which led to Salvation, Witness, and Righteousness. In every generation, Christian obedience became the one who gained God’s Righteousness. Abraham lived the Sacrificial Aspect of Faith. Abrahams willingness to go out from all that was secure, prosperous, peaceful, and enjoyable. The sacrifice begins through Abraham’s willingness to make the journey to a place he did not even know where it was to receive an inheritance that he had never seen. He had to place his entire reliance on God, the one who called him, but the one who would also guide his every step, meeting his needs along the way and preparing his future. Faith is a muscle that must be exercised daily, and Abraham used it daily in his Journey with God. vrs. 13-16​ The Message of Hebrews a. Their Confidence All these characters died in faith, this is, under the rule of faith, with the promises of God deeply engraved on the heart and mind, but without the joy of seeing their fulfillment. 5. Faith rebukes our materialism 11:17-32 Those who know what the next life has to offer and its divine certainty do not waste their limited opportunity and time in this life by clutching greedily for the next material opportunity to come along. Believers look to the city beyond and the eternal joys that are coming with it.​ ESV Hebrews 11:10 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose designer and builder is God. ESV Hebrews 11:16 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. 6. Faith moves us to Action Faithful leaders are vital in every age of the Church, but they will be ineffective unless followed by people who trust God’s word and take up the mantle of faith once they are gone. Moses and the Exodus The story of the Exodus and the long march to the Promised Land would provide a key illustration of what faith in action looks like. To step into the waters of the Red Sea, confident of them parting and remaining so for all to reach the other side safely, was the certainty of faith in action. There could be no trial run, no rehearsal to give them the confidence they needed. The Battle for Jericho Even more absurd is to hear the command to march around the walls of Jericho for seven days then blow the rams horn and watch the walls crumble. The Prostitute Rahab Possibly the most unlikely character to be mentioned is the person of Rahab who hid the Israelite spies and proved faithful to be used by the Lord by her Faith that moved her to take action. The Effectiveness of God’s Promises is made a reality through Obedience. Note: Faith always moves forward, it never stands still or shrinks back.​ ESV Hebrews 10:39 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. CLOSING​ ESV Hebrews 11:32 32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— Notice that all six mentioned in this verse are lined with frailties and failures. God uses flawed people to accomplish great things for His Glory. The God who could use a man like Samson is a God of great patience, a reminder that this is not the record of great people who deserve a medal or a parade; this is a lineup of ordinary people made extraordinary by the grace of God. Of these peoples great in faith, it could have been said that the world was not worthy of them, but they had the assurance that they were moving towards a greater goal, and now that hope has become a reality. Once more, we are in the realm of ‘something better. WE SHOULD ONLY LOOK BACK TO PRESS FORWARD TO WHAT IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR. What is worth fighting for? ​ ESV 2 Timothy 4:7 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Notice He had kept the faith, kept the eternal perspective. What will be said about your faith Journey when it is over?