The Better Word
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Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a great privilege to steward this pulpit and present the word of God to this church.
Today is combination of joyous and somber. All of us are aware of the events that took place in Uvalde Texas this week. In that heinous act we were confronted with the utter depravity in mankind. We are reminded of how the Fall of man has brought sin, pain, and death to this world. When we see something like that happen, we may be quick to jump to a side and make the whole thing a political sideshow, but I would suggest to you that the right response to utterly confounding and gut wrenching circumstances is that of Maskil of Heman, the Ezrahite who lamented in Psalm 88
O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry!
In our distress and confusion, cry out to the Lord and know that He is God. I don’t know if any of us here today had a personal connection to those who lost their lives to the senseless and sinful actions of a debased individual, but all of us mourn this occurence and cry out to the Lord, God of our salvation.
This weekend is also Memorial Day weekend, it is a bit of a complex holiday in which we celebrate and get together in fun times of fellowship, but we also somberly remember and honor those who gave their lives defending our country and ensuring that we would have the freedoms that we enjoy today. We thank all of those who would defend our country and today especially remember those who lost their lives in such a cause.
Today we are also joyous in celebrating a family dedicating themselves to raising their child with love and care and teaching their little one from the Word of God. This is something that should absolutely be celebrated. In the face of everything that has happened this week, we can see the desperate need for the next generation to be taught from the Word of God and the salvation that He alone brings. Children need the Word of God. Adults need the Word of God. Our country needs the Word of God. The most of heinous of criminals need the Word of God.
Today’s parents have it hard. There are challenges and attacks on the family that would have been unfathomable decades ago. That isn’t to say that parenting was easier back then, but that the current climate has new land mines to avoid and protect their families from. In an attempt to help parents, authors have written hundreds of books addressing the subject. I’m sure there are many many more books on the subject, but I searched for parenting books on amazon and got nearly 300 different options brought to my finger tips in seconds. Many of you may be familiar with Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care book which sold over 50 million copies between 1940 and 1998. However in that book Dr. Spock suggested putting infants to sleep on their bellies, which after later research was found to greatly increase a child’s risk of dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and undoubtedly contributed to over 60,000 deaths worldwide.
I don’t bring this up to pick on Dr. Spock, although growing up, I always thought it was weird that the everyone was getting their advice on babies from the dude on Star Trek. I bring all of this up to say that the books written on parenting can be helpful to families, but they also have their draw backs. Many people gain help and confidence in parenting from them while others are amazing parents without ever cracking a book on the subject.
But there is one book, or One Word, if you would, of which all of us must not neglect. It is the most profitable for parenting, dating, finances, and general living, but more than that it exposes, explains, and shows the reader the absolute solution for the biggest problem of all time: our detestable sin separating us from the Holy God. All of the problems and challenges we face are commonly rooted in sin. This most extreme problem is addressed by the Word of God.
Open your Bibles, if you would, to Hebrews 4. Last week we looked at verse 1-11 which explain the great rest there is nowhere else than in the Lord. We looked at how God’s rest is eternal. After the events of this past week we are longing evermore for that time in which there will be no more pain, tears, and death. The former things, sin included, will have passed away. We also looked at the immediate effect of God’s rest at the point of faith in Jesus Christ. When we understand that Christ completed our salvation on the cross we are freed from the crushing weight of legalism and trying to earn our own righteousness. When we fear the Lord, and remember that is reverential awe and wonder at the greatness and holiness of God, when we fear the Lord we have faith in, depend upon, and respond to Him. We joyfully strive to honor Him and enjoy His rest. At the same time we are reminded that those who do not fear Him, who do not believe in Him, which is made evident through disobedience, do not enter His rest. And it is from that understanding that we arrive at the two verses we will be covering today. Read with me Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
This morning we will discuss four traits of God’s Word that are provided in this text and two important implications for each one of us.
Before we get to those, we need to be clearly define what we are talking about here when we say God’s Word. One could look at these verses in a very broad perspective and say that God’s Word is the whole of Scripture. There is nothing inherently wrong with that definition. But as a church, we want to be expositors of the Word, that is we want to know the intended message of any particular passage and not superimpose our own meaning onto the text. So in this case, the verses we are focussed on do have application to the whole Word of God, but in the fuller context of this section of Hebrews, the author is particularly talking about the Word of God given as a warning in Hebrews 3:7-11 and explained from chapter 3 verse 12 through chapter 4 verse 11. All of this may sound like I am being overly technical, but it needs to be clear that we are directly talking about the Word of warning given from God to the disobedient. It is pointing us to the certainty of judgment there is for all those who rebel against God. This Word of God urges the hearer to heed the warning, to reverentially fear and submit to Him. Five times in that section of Scripture, the word “Today” from Psalm 95 is quoted to convey the urgency there is following the Lord. Time and time again throughout those verses we read “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” and “As I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter my rest.” This section of Scripture is ultimately pointing us to the just judgment of the Lord.
So let’s begin looking at four traits of God’s Word and we will see how they relate ultimately to His just judgment.
The first trait of God’s Word shown in verse 4 is
1. It’s GOD’s Word!
1. It’s GOD’s Word!
This might be a bit simplistic but we can’t understate this. What we are talking about this morning is God’s word. We have to grasp this distinction! I like to throw around simple phrases for us to remember. Here’s one I think I’ve said before but write it down so you remember it. Its so important I’m almost tempted to ask you to repeat after me just to make sure we get it. Actually, sure, let’s go for it. “God is God” *repeat* “and I am not” *repeat*. Try that again. “God is God” *repeat* “and I am not” *repeat*. God is God and I am not. That is something that all of prideful humans need to get through our thick skulls. Understanding that God is God and I am not is to understand that God is so much better than I am! It is humbling because in our sinful flesh pride wants us to think that this world should revolve around us when in reality this whole universe rests in God’s hand.
A couple weeks ago we were at the nursing home and I was talking with the lovely ladies there about the greatness of God and we just started an impromptu rendition of He’s got the Whole World in His hands. It was soul touching. But that simple song has such deep meaning! He’s got the whole world in His hands, He’s got you and me brother in His hands, He’s got you and me sister in His hands, He’s got the whole world in His hands. He’s the one in control and we can’t forget that. Look at what the Lord says in Isaiah.
I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things. “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it. “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?
Let us remember as we dwell upon God’s Word today that it is His Word indeed. It deserves our reverence and acceptance because it comes from God Himself. It is worth more than any words of man. Let’s push on, return to looking at verse 12.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
After understanding that it is God’s Word that we are talking about, we next see that
2. It’s Living and Active.
2. It’s Living and Active.
I want to warn against a false application of this phrase. Someone may see that Word of God is living and equate that to our modern understanding of what is called a “Living Document.” A Living document usually refers to legal document that changes over time. It is added to and adjusted. Sometimes by adding new parts, other times by taking new interpretations that change the original meaning to fit better within the modern context.
Let me say this clearly, the Word of God is NOT a living document in this sense of the term. The original greek work used in verse 12 for living has absolutely nothing to do with a change of interpretation and absolutely everything to do with God’s Word having power. Charles Simeon wrote, “The word is not a mere dead letter, that will soon vanish away: it lives in the mind of God: it lives in the decrees of heaven: it lives and will live for ever:… [it] shall endure, without alteration of one jot or tittle of it, to all generations.”
If you don’t listen to Charles Simeon, maybe the Apostle Peter can make it clear enough for us:
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
No matter the winds of cultural drift, the gospel does not change. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the atonement of sins still has as much power today as it on that resurrection Sunday. It is imperishable, the living and abiding word of God. That is what it means for God’s Word to be living, it is still is and always will be full of power.
This rightly corresponds with God’s Word being active. That is to say that is full of energy, it is working and continues to do so. Applied to the direct context of Hebrews, we can say that “The somber warnings that have reverberated through Hebrews 3-4 are working and effective words which are able to accomplish their purpose.” (PreceptAustin). Their purpose is God’s purpose! When the Word of God goes out, it always accomplished His will!
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
So God’s living and active Word, His warning to fear Him, believe and obey, is not just some empty ideology or relic of times past as some modern philosophers would suggest. God is still in the saving business and He will still be the perfect arbiter of righteous justice in His judgment. Those who do not believe in Him will not enter His rest. His warning is going out and sinners are still being drawn to repentance. That is why we must take our responsibility to share the gospel, to be a gospel conversational church, seriously and joyfully, because God is still working through His word as proclaimed through us and when His Word goes out it will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish everything He intends for it to accomplish! His word is living and active. But there’s more. Look back at verse 12 again:
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
It is GOD’s Word, it’s living and active, and Next we see
3. It’s Sharp and Piercing
3. It’s Sharp and Piercing
God’s word cuts straight to the heart of man. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow. This is seen all throughout the Book of Acts:
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
Now, those last two verses were from the KJV because it more accurately translates the expression “cut to the heart” than the ESV which says the people were enraged. What’s interesting about these three occurences is that the gospel is presented in every single one of them. The people were told to repent of their sin and believe in the Lord. Their sinfulness was exposed. All of them were cut to the heart but we see two different responses. The first group from the sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2 were cut too the heart and drawn to repent and believe. The other two groups from Acts 5 and 7 were enraged and sought to attack the messenger. This tells us that hearing the Word of get gets to the very core of a person, but unless that hearing either produces faith or the person is even more settled in their rebellion. It is impossible to be truly indifferent towards God. You either believe in Him or you offer the greatest offense by not submitting to the Almighty.
Now when verse 12 talks about piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, a careful reading shows us that the two terms of soul and of spirit are used to fully explain and express the ultimate core of our being. The greek word translated soul is psyche and means the breath or the life like everyday living or the concept of being alive and spirit is pneuma and refers to the immaterial part of our personalities. Heb 4:12 is talking about the Word of God striking to the core of everything that we are, not dividing the two apart from one other. It’s saying that God’s Word pierces to the very core of everything that you are. That’s made evident through the comparison to joints and marrow. Joints are between bones. Marrow is inside bones. They aren’t something that is divided from one another but it takes a very sharp instrument to cut into either one. The author is telling us that God’s Word is sharp. It cuts deep.
In Hebrews 3 and 4 God’s pierces everyone who hears it to the core. You either respond with submission or rebellion.
Return once again back to verse 12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
God’s Word is God’s Word, it is living and active, it is sharp and pierces to the core of our very being and the final attribute of God’s Word we will see today is that
4. It is Discerning.
4. It is Discerning.
There are many things in life that you can fake your way through. There was a news story not that long ago about a 18 year old who for nearly a month posed as a doctor at a medical clinic in Florida, leading the public to believe he was a licensed medical doctor, without hold an active license. Now, story is wilder than I have time to get into and he was eventually caught, but the point is that as fallible humans, we often masquerade as something that we really aren’t. How many times have you heard the advice Fake it til you make it?
Well there ain’t no fake it till you make it with the piercing Word of God.
The Word of God discerns, that means it is able to sift out, judge, analyze, all of the thoughts and intentions of your heart. There is no fake it till you make it when it comes to obeying the Lord. You either love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and long to obey Him or you don’t and you stand in rebellion. His word cuts straight to the core of your being and exposes where you stand before Him. You can’t conjure up fake emotions to cover your disobedience. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
There are many people playing church as a kind of moralistic therapy that are more worried about serving for themselves than submitting to the Lord. Our lives are not about us, but about giving glory to God from whom all blessing flow, who saves us through applying the blood of the Son of God to our lives and cleansing us from the stain of sin. You can’t fake it. The Word of God cuts to the core of our being and leaves us fully exposes.
That leads us to the two implications we see in verse 13. Return to our text:
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Two implications we must all understand:
1. Nothing is Hidden.
1. Nothing is Hidden.
We’ve already discussed that we cannot fake it with God. He sees the very thoughts and intentions of our heart. His Word cuts to the core of who we are. Not only does he know us to the center of our being, we also take nothing with us. In our lives “we can hide from others, we can even hide from ourselves. But how do we hide from the One before Whom all hearts are open and all desires are known? We cannot.” (PreceptAustin). We see in verse 13 that all are naked and exposed to the eyes of God. Both of these terms have application to ancient recently. The word for naked would describe someone in nothing but maybe an under-tunic. The word there for exposed refers to “a wrestlers word and was used for seizing an opponent by the throat in such a way that he could not move. We may escape God for long enough but in the end he grips us insuch a way that we cannot help meeting him face to face. God is one issue that no man can finally evade.” (Barclay). We will all one day meet our maker, open and laid bare.
2. We must give account.
2. We must give account.
It is appointed for man to die once and after that comes judgment. We will all give an account to God for our lives.
So ask yourself, as you stand before the One whom you must give an account, the One whose eyes expose everything that you are, the One whose Word is living an active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions and the heart, what will you say in the moment? What will be your defense when you face judgment?
Next week, we will finish out this stint of our series looking at Better. What we will see is that there is nothing we can say to justify ourselves to the Holy God. But thanks be to God that we will be able to draw near the throne of grace, and receive mercy and find grace to help in time our time of need, but we wont be able to do so because of our own actions. We will be able to do so because of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ paid the cost of our sin so that all those who believe in Him would be reconciled to God. When those who believe in Him face judgment and stand before the Great Judge, Christ will have already bore the punishment for our sins. May we conclude today by understanding two Scriptures.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
We have seen all throughout Hebrews 3 and 4 that the unbelieving and disobedient will not enter God’s rest. Every sin will be punished. We can have some peace amidst atrocities like what happened in Texas knowing that the perfect Judge will not let evil go unpunished. And while that is true, we have to also understand that we too have sinned against God. We too will face judgment. And while this is a sobering reality, there is hope for all who will today believe in Jesus.
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Through faith in Jesus Christ we are made alive with Him, all our sins have been forgiven. Is your faith in Him? Make it known today, com forward during this hymn of response.
