A Powerful Word

Hebrews 4:12-16

Talk about my drive to Toronto on Sunday afternoon and how I was struck by the trees. They were beginning to change, you could see the evidence of the change by the different colour of the leaves. They didn’t go about getting permission to change, they just changed. It is a natural process to go through change. I don’t like change. I like things to stay the same. I like comfort things. But we are meant to change just like the trees.

This morning I would like to share with you from Hebrews 4:12-16

The trees are firmly rooted and its because of the rootedness of the tree that allows them to endure the harsh seasons. The deeper the roots the more they can withstand. So how do we get those deep roots that go down deep. The roots that are worth cultivating and noroushing. Well it is found in our scripture text this morning.

Now read

Hebrews 4:12–16 NLT

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

The word of God is alive and powerful. Explain how the word of God is alive in my life. Explain the beauty of the cleansing of thoughts. The Holy Spirit at work through the transforming of our thoughts. I don’t know about you but I know there are times I read and I just melt like a puddle. Other times I read it and I am like ouch, I need to go and apologize for that. Other times I am like okay I am going to have to study that to get the meaning there.

It gets to the heart of a matter. It reads into each other= meaning it is a complete work but separate. It means the old is mentioned in the new and the new is mentioned in the old. It is intertwined. When you read scripture ask yourself this, what part of the story do I identify with? And then follow through with what it says. When we see ourselves in scripture that how it exposes our inner thoughts and desires. Everything is made know in front of God. I used to hide in the bathroom to get high thinking no one could see me but God did and he met me there.

God is the one we are accountable to, even though it is good for us to have accountability partners, ultimately we are accountable to God. We are going to be held accountable for the things we did do and the things we didn’t do. Things we did do- we think of the bad things we did but also the good things. What is the motive behind what you are doing?

Talk about my friend Sandra and her constant question what is your motive. Things we didn’t do - Things God asked us to do but we said no or ignored him.

Hebrews 4:14 says,

So what belief is it that we hold firmly to- Jesus was sitting by the fire one evening

with the 11 disciples, Judas wasn't there. He was savoring these last moments

with his beloved friends. He thought about the last three years, the time had

gone so quickly. He remembered the day in the boat when the wind and waves had

come upon them so strong. He was sleeping but his friends were terrified they

would be overthrown; he chuckled to himself over how they acted that day and

where they were now. He remembered traveling with them, healing people along

the way. Taking every opportunity to teach them, and to love them because he

knew this hour would come. He knew in the very short time he had left with them

he needed to teach them, rebuke them, encourage them, and most of all love

them.

Love is a funny thing, Jesus knew that

some had this ideal of what love is. They think it is this mush feeling that

makes their knee’s buckle and their heart quicken but love is so much more and

in just a few short days, Jesus knew he would make the ultimate sacrifice for

love.

Jesus’ mind was jostled back to the

present from the rustle that he heard coming from behind Him. His gaze quickly

turned towards the interruption just in time to see Judas step out of the

darkness. He had come with roman soldiers. He walked up to Jesus, kissed him on

the cheek, "Go ahead my friend do what you came to do."

Jesus friends quickly jumped to action,

“Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” One of the disciples pulled a

sword and struck at one of the guards, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus

said, “Don’t resist anymore. Put your sword away. Those who live by the sword

will die by the sword." Then he reached out to touch where the man’s ear

had been and healed him.

As Jesus moved his hand away, he looked at

the crowd of leading priests, captain of the temple guard and other leaders who

headed up the mob, “Am I some dangerous criminal that you have come armed with

swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the temple? I was

there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness

reigns.”

The soldiers arrested Jesus and then dragged

Him to the high priest's house who was there waiting for them to come; along

with other religious leaders.

Jesus felt the coolness of the floor on

his backside as the mob continued to form around him. He could hear their

insults and the lies that were being shouted against him. Just to make sure

that Jesus didn’t get released, the leaders found a couple of people who gave

false testimony against Him. The high priest stood, waived his hand to quiet

the crowd and then came at Jesus, "Well aren't you going to say anything

about these charges?"

But Jesus said nothing; he knew his hour

had come and he remained silent.

The high priest came at him again, "I

demand in the name of the living God that you tell us if you are the Messiah,

the Son of God."

Jesus replied, "Yes it is as you say.

And in the future you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God's right hand

in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven."

The high priest tore his clothing to show

his horror, "Blasphemy. Why do you need other witnesses you have heard it

all right here. What is your verdict?"

"Guilty", they shouted. "He

must die." Then they spit in Jesus face. They hit him with their fists. Some

of them slapped him, "Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that

time?"

Peter was outside in courtyard, warming

himself by the fire while his beloved Jesus was inside getting beat and mocked.

His heart was heavy and tears glistened in his eyes as a servant girl came up

to him and said, "You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean."

Peter denied it. The same Peter whom Jesus

said was blessed and that God would build his church on his confession of faith

in who Jesus was. Twice more that night Peter denied Jesus and as the rooster

crowed, he remembered Jesus words to him. You will deny me three times before

the rooster crows. He ran, crying bitter tears.

The entire council took Jesus over to

Pilate, the Roman governor. Shoving him, tripping him all the way. Once they

arrived they began at once to state their case: “This man has been leading our

people to ruin by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government

and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king!” The disgust dripped off their tongues,

as water dripping from a sponge.

Jesus hunched over from the beating he

endured only hours before and the constant shoving and pushing stood, as best

he could, stood before Pilate the Roman governor. "Are you the King of the

Jews?" he asked.

Again, the only thing Jesus said, "yes,

it is as you say."

Pilate turned to the leading priests and

to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”

The council became desperate. “But he is

causing riots everywhere he goes, all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!”

“Oh, is he a Galilean?” Pilate asked. When

they answered that he was Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was

under Herod’s jurisdiction and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.

Jesus endured the triecious travel to

Herod’s place.

Herod was delighted at the opportunity to

see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time

to see him perform a miracle. He asked Jesus question after question but Jesus

refused to answer him.

Meanwhile, the leading priests and the

teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations against him.

While Jesus remained silent, Herod and his soldiers began mocking and

ridiculing Him. They thought it funny to put a royal robe on him and sent Jesus

back to Pilate.

Upon seeing the return of Jesus and

hearing Herod’s verdict, Pilate called together the leading priests and other

religious leaders, along with the people and he announced, “You brought this

man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on

this point in your presence and find him innocent. Herod came to the same

conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the

death penalty. So, I will have him flogged, but then I will release him.”

With a mighty roar from the crowd and with

one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!”

Pilate argued, “What has he done?” but his

question was silenced with their chants, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate raised his hand to silence them, and

for the third time he asked them, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have

found no reason to sentence him to death. I will therefore flog Him and let Him

go.”

The crowd that was gathered yelled, louder

and louder "Crucify him! Crucify Him"

When the governor realized that he wasn't

getting anywhere with the crowd and a riot was brewing he ordered a bowl of

water to brought out to him. He said to the mob, "I am innocent of the

blood of this man. The responsibility is yours." Then he ordered that

Jesus be flogged with a lead-tipped whip and the crowd took responsibility for

the blood of Jesus.

The crowd gathered around Jesus as they

watched the soldiers flog Jesus. You could hear the wind with each crack of the

whip as his flesh tore open and the blood poured out. Crack! Crack! Crack!

Lying! Stealing! Gossiping! Slander! Unforgiveness! Crack! Murder! Crack! Adultery!

Crack!

Then the guards took Jesus to their

headquarters and called out the entire battalion, where they stripped him and

put a scarlet robe on him. They made crown out of long thorns and put it on his

head and the blood started to pour from the thorns cutting his flesh. They put

a gold scepter in his hand and then they knelt before him, "Hail the King

of the Jews." making fun of him. They spit on him and grabbed the stick

out of his hand and then they beat him on the head with it.

When they tired of this they ripped off

the robe and put his own clothes back on him and led him away to be crucified.

Jesus full of blood, barely able to walk

carried his cross to Golgotha. The soldiers gave him wine mixed with bitter

gall, but when Jesus tasted it, he refused to drink it.

Then they wrenched one of his arms out to

his side and drove the first nail in and then the second and then the third.

Herod placed a sign over his head that read "The King of the Jews".

At noon time the sky went dark. Around 3pm

Jesus yelled, "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?" Then he

yelled out again and gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the

temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,

and tombs opened.

In three days, Jesus rose again to conquer

sin and the grave. Jesus has the victory.

This is the beauty of the gospel, the

power of the good news, that it saves us. The good news, the word of God has

the power to save us.

This is my King! Jesus, did this for you.

He did it for me. His love for us propelled him to the cross. Jesus took our

place, the ones who should be on the cross, but he did this to save us from the

eternal hell that we deserve. And there is nothing you or I can do to make God

love us more. Do you know Him? This is my King; do you know Him?

Jesus the one who understands us, not the one who has come to condemn but to save us. Jesus the one who knows meekness- Controlled strength. Jesus who understands our pain.

It is because of the word of God that is alive and powerful that we can come boldly to the throne of grace and we will receive mercy. Listen friends it is a promise that we will receive Gods mercy. There is no depth of sin that His mercy does not know. There is no stain that he can not cleanse. There is no pain he can not comfort. God is God and he pursues his creation with an everlasting love.

When we need it most God is there. It seems that he is the last one we go to but He should be the first one.

Lets pray.