Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 6:12-20
Consider: who you imitate, who you look to, who you depend upon.
Consider: If hope is the anchor of your soul, what is your hope?
Faith is almost always what God is going to do. Hope is what God is going to do based on what God has done and what He has said.
Some of us need to:
1) Find our hope. We’re adrift
2) Change our hope. We’re off course. Our boat is too small for the anchor.
3) Trust our hope. Stay the course.
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 6:9-13
The work did not start with you and will not end with you.
Have done…
Am doing…
Will do…until the end
Imitate those who have gone before you who are worthy of imitation. And be worthy of imitation to those who are coming after you.
The cycles of life
Breaking the downward cycle of: addiction, dysfunction, unfaithfulness.
~Desire to make the future better than the past.
~Desire to give more than take
~Desire for people to want to imitate you as a positive influence for Jesus.
On the desk of president Harry Truman, “The Buck Stops Here”
Start the upward cycle: not, continue the flat, straightline cycle.
Every generation will face new, unique challenges.
I can’t imagine the challenges Abraham faced, and Abraham couldn’t imagine the challenges I face.
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 6:4-8
Persistent, unrepentant sin.
When approaching the Word with no preconceived notions, the obvious reading of scripture is often the accurate one.
This isn’t God saying no, this is people saying no. The word impossible is not what God can’t do, but what you won’t do. It is impossible to renew someone to repentance who will not repent.
Romans 10:9
1 John 1:9
The insanity of sin
1 Samuel 15:13-21
Dennis DeHann, "Sin is so dangerous because it is blind to itself."
Charles Colson, "If there is anything worse than our sin, it is our infinite capacity to rationalize it away."
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 6:1-3
Believing God at His Word:
Romans 10:9
1 John 1:9
Fenelon, "Satan is the one who torments us with trivialities. And he often transforms himself into an angel of light, and bothers us with endless self-examinations and an over-sensitive conscience which allows us no peace."
Holy Spirit convicts, Satan condemns. If you don’t move on, you have gone from conviction to condemnation.
Act on what you know to be true.
Thomas Merton, "It seems to me the most absurd thing in the world to be upset because I am weak and distracted and blind and constantly make mistakes! What else do I expect!"
What is the worst restaurant meal you have ever had? What is the biggest mistake you have made in the kitchen?
Romans 2:4, It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. Not His anger, judgment, discipline…
Message: Communion—The cycle of service
Text: 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
James 1:17
Luke 22:27
God is: always the Initiator, Giver, Sustainer, Provider…feeding you and pouring into you.
We are: always needy, receiving, (need to be) thankful, acknowledging, returning…
Patiently wait your turn. Can you see it coming?
Jacqueline, "I think of myself as having a spiritual disability now--I have to rely on God all day long every day. I can't count on myself because I failed myself."
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 5:9-14
Teaching and reaching others
How long have you been a Christian? How’s it going?
When was the last time the Holy Spirit revealed something new to you in His Word? What is the last new thing you have learned from The Word?
Matthew 14:28
Luke 10:34-35
2 Corinthians 10:16
What is your reason for not teaching and reaching anyone?
Use the Word of God to put you to use!
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 5:1-9
Ministry: Aware of your weakness before you can help the weakness of others. Aware of your sin before you can help the sin of others.
Vs 9, often in scripture “perfect” means mature, complete, finished. In this verse perfect is used as “completely qualified” as Jesus is our perfect High Priest, the only One qualified to do so…meeting all the qualifications
Vs 8, Suffering teaches obedience
Hebrews 2:10
When the Father says “No”
Obeying God even though…
Obedience and faith are easy when God is doing everything you want
Acts 9:15-16, Habakkuk 3:17-18
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 4:14-16
Hold on to your confession/profession of faith.
(Romans 10:9)
Public confession/profession is when things start happening, things get done, things start to change.
Why public? So others can hear you say it. So you can remember you said it to others.
Hold on to your prayer.
Never stop asking, because you will never stop needing.
Hold on to Jesus.
Jesus knows what temptation feels like but He does not know what sinning feels like. He understands the desire to quit but He does not know what giving up feels like because He never did. Jesus conquered sin for you because He knows that you can’t.
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 4:12-13
The spoken and written Word of God through, by and for Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God.
Bible Study:
Genesis 1:1-3, John 1:1-5
1 Peter 1:20-23
Hebrews 1:1-2
The Word of God is a “He,” not an “it.”
Application:
Living Word—There is no where that He is not.
Abraham Kuyper, "There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out, "This is mine! This belongs to me!"
(And you are more than one square inch!)
Powerful Word—Matthew 28:18
~Almost all your spiritual growth will be tied in some way with your growth in the sovereignty of Jesus.
~”Hang On!” two ways.
If Christianity is boring to you, you’re not doing it right.
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 4:12-13
The spoken and written Word of God through, by and for Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God.
Bible Study:
Genesis 1:1-3, John 1:1-5
1 Peter 1:20-23
Hebrews 1:1-2
The Word of God is a “He,” not an “it.”
Application:
Living Word—There is no where that He is not.
Abraham Kuyper, "There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out, "This is mine! This belongs to me!"
(You are more than one square inch!)
Powerful Word—Matthew 28:18
Sharper Word—There is nothing about you that Jesus does not know. He knows what is wrong with you, and He knows what is right with you.
What is wrong with you?
What is right with you?
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 4:1-11 (NIV)
Belief + Trust = Faith
Do you believe? So trust…rest.
Mathew 11:28
“Today!” Breaking the cycle from yesterday!
Generations—breaking the cycle of ungodliness and dysfunction.
Personally—breaking the cycle of ungodliness and dysfunction.
N.T. Wright, “Once you stop believing either in the God who called you, rescued you and guides you, or in the future He has promised you, you may simply go round and round in the wilderness and never get anywhere.”
Best message title ever—Joyce Meyer, “Haven’t We Seen This Mountain Somewhere Before?”
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 3:14-19
Rest: Now…and then
Life is the great temptation to not rest, to not trust. Our culture is not an easy place to find rest.
Belief + Trust = Faith
Do you believe? So trust. So rest.
A test of rest:
1) Our circumstances are screaming everything but rest.
2) Because you went thru and passed previous tests of faith, doesn’t always make this one easier.
Matthew 11:28. “Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
1 Peter 5:7,“Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.”
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 3:7-14
“The deceitfulness of sin”—That somehow it’s OK to not trust God, and somehow it’s OK to not obey God.
Deceit:
~Sin is not really that bad. What’s the big deal?
~Slavery wasn’t really that bad. Going back is better than going forward.
~10 to 2. That somehow it’s OK to be one of the 10 instead of one of the 2.
“The will of God isn’t hard to know, it’s hard to do.”
“You only believe the part of the Bible that you do.”
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 3:7-14
Heart: the seat of who you are, what you love, what you trust in, what you think about most…what has you? Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 6:21, Proverbs 3:5
Hard heart: Stiff, not flexible, not easily moved, no longer care. Matthew 3:9 The anger/emotion of Jesus.
Straying heart: This life is not a sprint but a long distance journey. Straying is wanting to go back, not forward, where everything is familiar and seems safer. Back, not forward.
Evil heart of unbelief: Amazing unbelief!
R. Kent Hughes, “The unbelief of God’s people is even more amazing than belief!”
Forgetting what God has done. The long journey takes a toll.
Instead of back to the way things were, let’s go on to the way things can be. Because of what God has done, we look forward to what He will do.
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 3:7-14
Heart: the seat of who you are, what you love, what you trust in, what you think about most…what has you? Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 6:21, Proverbs 3:5
The sarcasm of Isaiah: Isaiah 44
Idol—Something you have to carry.
Jesus—Someone who carries you.
Psalm 95
Max Lucado, "Worship is when you're aware that what you've been given is far greater than what you can give."
A.P. Gibbs, "Broadly speaking, prayer is the occupation of the soul with its needs; praise is the occupation of the soul with its blessings; but worship is the occupation of the soul with God Himself."
Message: A saving, restoring influence
Text: Luke 15:11-32
Father—went to both sons
Younger son—wild, reckless, wasteful
Older son—narcistic, self-righteous, unforgiving
Prostitutes—they are what they are
Employer—heartless, taking advantage of younger son’s need
Younger son’s community—heartless, couldn’t care less
Hired servants—well taken care of. Helped prepare the feast and joined in the celebration. They were happy for the younger son and the father
Older son’s friends—different than everyone else’s friends
Some roles were negative, some were neutral, some were helpful but none would/could fill the role of the father.
You are not one of many!
As Jesus is not One of many!
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 3:1-6
The builder and the house; the servant and the Son…not the same thing, not even varying degrees of the same thing.
Moses—law
Jesus—love
Moses—religion
Jesus—relationship
Moses—institution
Jesus—Person
Jeremiah 31:33, Matthew 22:37-40
The law is easier at first, but weaker in the end—it’s not enough to keep you because you can’t keep it.
Love is harder at first, but stronger in the end.
Law—conduct
Love—character
Law—doing
Love--being
Message: Communion
Text: 1 Corinthians 11:24-26
24-25 Always remembering back:
Don’t forget what Jesus did for you, because of what you were. Don’t ever forget what you were and still could be. Remind yourself often.
26 Always looking ahead:
Acts 13:25 John the Baptist
Gospel Touches
“Who is the most important person for you to reach?”
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 2:17-18
“He had to be…” Why did Jesus have to be made like us?
Vs 17 From God’s perspective:
“Merciful” – the mercy of God
“Faithful” – the truth, the justice of God (Romans 6:23)
Grace – where the mercy and justice of God meet John 1:17
A Redeemer who satisfies the merciful heart and the righteousness of God all at once. Who else could do that, who else can fill that role? Acts 4:12, Revelation 5
Vs 18 From our perspective:
If Jesus is to be sinless, His sinlessness must first be tested by temptation.
Tempted to: back up; give in and quit; lighten up; choose an easier path; stay angry; stay hurt; stay frustrated…
Message: The Letter to the Hebrews
Text: Hebrews 2:14-16
John 10:10 The devil can’t create sin but he does manipulate our fears, inclinations, personalities and takes advantage of our circumstances. The devil can’t create sin, so he works at creating the situation where sin can thrive.
In Jesus, there is nothing to fear:
Revelation 1:17-18
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Revelation 21:4
Isaiah 26:3
Pilgrim's Progress, "I must continue, for to go back means nothing but death. To go forward is the fear of death, but beyond it is life everlasting. I'll keep going forward."
Michael E. Wittmer, "If death was no big deal, then there would be no reason to be a Christian."