The Waiting Game

Reasons to Quit

Are we open our Bibles to Hebrews chapter 10 this morning, I can freely admit to you that there are many reasons., many reasonable reasons to quit Christianity. — even this week if I'm to be honest with you I was talking to a friend about the situation that was going on with a Christian and my comment to him was that sometimes I wish that I could just hide away in a Hermitage somewhere and not have to know about the silliness that goes on with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Last week I brought up the list published by the Southern Baptists listing all of the abuse cases that were known about, but kept quiet. — I know churches that have risen and have fallen based upon an uncharitable attitude that was more interested in bolstering the egos of the “in-crowd” then they were to ministering to those who were hurting.

I have heard news of mainline denominations in the Christian faith practically falling over themselves to compromise with our modern culture even to the point of ignoring or redefining instruction given by God that is as clear as day to read. Our church is an unaffiliated Baptist Church, meeting we have no governing body telling us what to do, but even with that said it hurts me to know and even the Southern Baptists Convention is struggling to stay within the boundaries of historical Christianity as it has always been understood. And I know some good men who are Southern Baptist pastors that are really going to be struggling with what could be coming.

Our culture is a train wreck. It has gotten to the point that are otherwise rational friends and neighbors can't discern good from evil. They can't recognize when basic biology is being perverted for political expedience. And they can't even see the murder of innocent life for what it is.

Leah Torres, an abortionist in Utah made this callous comment on the social media platform Twitter:

You know fetuses can’t scream, right? I transect the cord 1st so there’s really no opportunity, if they’re even far enough along to have a larynx.

I have tried to explain to people that shockingly don’t understand: If I believe that a baby is a life and that abortion is murder (and I do) — then what kind of monster would I be to support abortion?

I read about these things and I hear about these things and I just have to grip my teeth and shake my head. — And my heart cries out in a way that reminds of what the martyrs cry out in the book of revelation

Revelation 6:10 (KJV 1900)

... How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

There are a lot of reasons to quit. A lot of reasons to just pack it up and disengage. Reasons to abandon the faith and the assembly of believers.

And that is where the Hebrew Christians were. They had a lot of reasons to walk away from the church. Look at their fellow churches. Consider the letters Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, dressing them down for their immorality.

The lived in a culture that was every bit as evil as the one that we live in, dare I say significantly worse. They had a lot of reasons to quit a lot of reasons to throw in the towel. That is what is being addressed in vv 37-39 in the book of Hebrews.

Follow with me as we read in Hebrews chapter 10, and we are going to start with the verse we ended with last week, v36 to the end of the chapter:

Hebrews 10:36–39 KJV 1900

36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Our message this morning is entitled The Waiting Game and is the final message in our series A Once for All Life

Let’s Pray

Drawing Back

There is — one — way to deal with all this garbage that we are forced to deal with in the world, or Bible calls it here: drawing back. ὑποστέλλω hypostellō — to draw back or shrink away from. —To abandon the faith to pull away or shrink back form the of the Kingdom of God.

In Luke 9 Jesus dealt with some people like this:

Someone who no doubt had heard Jesus's message of the kingdom of heaven straight from the mouth of the Savior. It was his response “let me go bury my father”. What he is saying here is that if I denounce my Judaism and I follow you my father will disown me and I won't get my inheritance. First let me see my father dead and that I get what is mine. And then there will be plenty of time for me to follow you. — to another Jesus said “follow me”, and the response was “well let me make my goodbyes first” — To this non-committal attitude Jesus warned in v62

Luke 9:62 KJV 1900

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Jesus painting a picture here. This tool of agriculture, a plow. This device used by a farmer to get the soil ready for planting seeds, this implement to perform work. Is being compared to the work of the kingdom of God. In the doubt there's work to be done it is work. — and what Jesus is saying here is that if you recognize that there is work to do you value the work to be done and you put your hand to the plow of the gospel but you find yourself looking back at the world you left behind. We're still a few abandon the plow and returned the world that you left behind. Jesus said you're not fit for the kingdom of God.

That is what Drawing Back here, in the book of Hebrews is talking about. The opposite of having endurance, as a Christian -- which we talked about last week.

Without Delay

Habakkuk

Verse 37 is a reference to the book Habakkuk chapter 2:3

Habakkuk 2:3 KJV 1900

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, But at the end it shall speak, and not lie: Though it tarry, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

To understand this verse you have to understand the setting against which the book of Habakkuk was written. The kingdom of Judah was being threatened by Babylon, and if you know Jewish history you will know that Babylon eventually defeats Israel and subjugates them for a period of time that comes to be known as the Babylonian captivity.

Israel at the time of Habakkuk's writing has become increasingly corrupt. J. Ronald Blue in his commentary on the book of Habakkuk says this:

Habakkuk wrote his lament over the decay, violence, greed, fighting, and perverted justice that surround him — and then asked “Why doesn’t God do something?” — This book could have been written this week rather than in the 7th century BC.

But that is the point — The Kingdom of Judah had become absolutely corrupt. And the righteous were asking of God — How Long?

I don’t want to delve to deep into the grammar here, because it would likely put people to sleep — but the phrase “though it tarry” uses the masculine form of the word ‘it’ — and you could understandably say “so what” — Well, here is what:

Because of this masculine form, we read in the Septuagint, the most common translation at the time of the writing of the book Hebrews the verse rendered in this way:

The Epistle to the Hebrews (C. Call to Perseverance (10:32–39))

if he is late, wait for him, because he will surely come, he will not delay.

not it but he

Which is exactly what we find in in our passage in Hebrews. There was a hint in the masculine form of the word being used, and the subtlety of the Greek language picked up on it. Habakkuk wasn’t just writing about the coming time of captivity and a vision to see them out of it, but also of a deliverer that would come. — In about 600 years — and what does he say?

if he is late, wait for him, because he will surely come, he will not delay.

Listen Judah, it might be a while, it might seem like a long time. But when the time is right the Messiah will come and won’t delay. — That sounds familiar doesn’t it? Galatians 4:4 says

Galatians 4:4 KJV 1900

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Hebrews

The author of Hebrews is using Habakkuk’s prophecy to make his point about the promises of God. Of the return of the Messiah in his second coming. Have endurance. Jesus will return. When the time is right. And -when- the time is right — He won’t delay.

Living by Faith

I read this story, it’s just a story — but I think you will get the point:

A young man desired to go to India as a missionary. Mr. Marvin was appointed to consider the young man’s fitness for such a post. He wrote to the young man and told him to call on him at six o’clock the next morning. Although the applicant lived many miles off, he was at the house punctually at six o’clock and was ushered into the drawing room. He waited, and waited . . . and waited, wondering–but patiently. Finally, Mr. Marvin entered the room about mid-morning. Without apology, Mr. Marvin began, “Well, young man, so you want to be a missionary?” He replied, “Yes sir, I do.”

“Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ?” His response, “Yes, sir, I certainly do.” Mr. Marvin asked, “And have you any education?” The young man replied, “Yes sir, a little.” So he asked, “Well, now, we’ll try you; can you spell ‘cat’?” The young man looked confused, and hardly knew how to answer the insulting question. His mind evidently halted between indignation and submission, but in a moment he replied steadily, “C, a, t—cat.”

“Very good,” said Mr. Marvin. “Now can you spell dog?” The youthful candidate was stunned, but replied, “D, o, g—dog.” Mr. Marvin said, “Well, that is right; I see you’re good at spelling, now for your math; how much is 2 x 2?” The patient young man gave the right reply, and then to his shock, was dismissed.

Mr. Marvin gave his report at the committee meeting. He said, “I recommend that young man; I have duly examined his testimony and character. I tried his self-denial. I made him get up early in the morning to travel to my place. I tried his patience by keeping him waiting. I tried his humility and temper by insulting his intelligence. And he responded well to all. I recommend him wholeheartedly.”

There are a lot of people who want to sell Christianity as just believe and God will make everything in your life perfect. I can't sell that version of the gospel because it's just not true. You might have to endure some things, as the days and years ago on you may have to endure more and more. A wicked culture, disappointment from others the cover myself Christians, and personal heartache.

God has his reasons, and they're not ours. We just have to trust him. To have the heart of Job who cried out

Job 13:15 (KJV 1900)

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: ....

Can we withstand the trials of self-denial, having our patience tested, and having our humility tested. Can we keep our Christian Character when our tempers challenged and our intelligence is insulted? — When the work of the Kingdom of God becomes tedious and heartbreaking:

Will we draw back?

If we do, we need to read carefully v39

Hebrews 10:39 KJV 1900

39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

If you fall away you are making evidence that you really didn’t have saving faith — that is what the verse is talking about — belief to the saving of the soul, and if you draw back or remove your hand from the plow — whichever illustration you prefer — then you aren’t fit for the Kingdom of God. — It is that serious

This isn’t the only place this point is made in scripture either. In 1 John 2:19 we read

1 John 2:19 KJV 1900

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Why did they leave? Well, they weren’t really part of us — they were just exposing the secret truth of their heart.

Hall of Faith

I can’t know your hearts, but I can say this — I can hope what the writer of Hebrews says in v39 for all of you — That you aren’t of them who draw back. That you believe unto salvation.

If that is the case you will be able to join with those we read about in the next chapter. These last verses of chapter 10 are a setup for chapter 11 — What we refer to as the Faith Hall of Fame. Example after example of those saints who had come before us and had faith unto salvation, faith until the very end. Faith that endured. These aren’t the fables of false religion that tell the exploits of those with super-human ability — but those who are just like you and I to whom God said “follow me” and they did.

Invitation

This morning if you feel that tug on your heart, what you are feeling is God through the Holy Spirit giving the same call that Jesus gave when he said “follow me”. Will you follow? What in our lives is holding us back. What is worth taking our hand off of the plow? — I ask this morning that you respond yes.

To say it is simpler than it is, but I will put it this way: To follow Christ is to recognize that you are a sinner in need of a savior. To turn your back on you life of sin and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior. If you pray to God and earnestly commit your life to following him, you will be saved.

That is a lot to unpack, and if you have any questions or would just like someone to pray with — We are going to dismiss and prayer in just a moment. Please come up and talk to me, I would love nothing more than to tell you more about my God.

Let’s Pray