Faith And Faithfulness - [Hebrews 13]

Bethlehem Bible Church

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January 22, 2023

00:00: We all would agree as Christians that obedience is good to be faithful to the
00:05: Lord We realize that disobedience is wrong unfaithfulness is Sin, but my question this morning is a simple one.
00:14: What motivates the Christian to obey? What motivates you to obey
00:20: God? Some of the commands in Scripture seem easy some of them are harder, but how can we year in and year out?
00:27: Obey how many people have been saved for more than 50 years.
00:33: Can you raise your hand? Several have been how do you how do you keep obeying? I mean when you first save you're excited and six months a year and all of a sudden the trials come the issues come in Your life, how can you keep obeying 10 years 20 years 30 years?
00:48: How could Methuselah obey for how many years was he alive? 969 years
00:55: I always think what I want to live to be 969. What if you hurt your back when you were 20?
01:01: Okay What motivates obedience from the heart?
01:07: I'd like to honor a God I'd like to give him my heart soul mind and strength when there's difficulties and when year after year come along What motivates?
01:19: Faithfulness is there a key is there a secret a bunch of passages in the scriptures? We should look at to see why we should obey and really how?
01:28: There's commands to athletes their commands to soldiers commands to farmers
01:34: They work hard. We're to obey just like they work hard Certainly God's law is holy and good and just and right it reflects who he is
01:44: I'd like you to turn your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 13, and I want to answer this question this morning
01:50: What motivates a Christian's obedience how can I sustain? Obedient holy living under the
01:58: Lord not just a one -off not just at the beginning of the year But what motivates obedience and lots of times we forget this and so it's the good kind Type of year time of year rather that we talked about this early in 2023 what motivates obedience?
02:14: I know you'd like to obey God. I know it's Christians That's a heart that you have to be faithful, but what?
02:22: Should we do how should we go about it? I really think that what is easy. We'd like to obey
02:28: The why is easy to glorify the Lord But how do we do it and here we have in the book of Hebrews chapter 13 lots of commands to be holy and to be obedient And we're just going to walk through some of these there's a whole barrage of them a bunch
02:46: Of commands from the book of Hebrews that tell its listeners, and then tell us to obey these are important for every
02:54: Christian to obey and and he just Opens with verse 1 let brotherly love
03:00: Continue the first thing he tells these dear Christians is you ought to have Philadelphia kind of love
03:06: Brotherly love this isn't the kind of exotic love erotic love. It's not even agape love
03:13: He's saying I want you to have a brotherly love For other Christians, and we were called of course in the
03:18: Bible brothers and sisters in Christ And even though we're not related to one another we're like brothers
03:23: We're like sisters and things get in the way, and there's bitterness and sin And he says I just want that love to keep going don't stop now
03:32: He gives another command do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for thereby some have entertained angels
03:40: Unawares and of course you know the culture back in those days, and there's no motel sixes and no
03:45: Sheraton's and no What's a nicer than a hotel six Ritz Carlton and? So you'd get to town you're a
03:53: Christian There's no place to stay if you stayed in one of those kind of hotels It was more like a brothel and so Christians would open their door and so we're to do that These recipients of this letter were to do it and so too were we
04:07: I went to California for a conference last Week that I wasn't teaching at but just receiving a conference and sitting there under the meet the word and I stayed with a couple
04:17: I've stayed with them once before. I don't even know who they didn't know who they were I knew they were members of the church
04:22: They said please come and stay and they lived on an avocado farm Overlooking the ocean and I thought maybe they do think
04:30: I'm an angel all the trick I'm not But they just opened their home and serve
04:38: Remember these listeners the recipients of this letter there's persecution there's issues going on and you might not even want to open your house because what if somebody's trying to infiltrate your house because they
04:48: Were a Judaizer they were a Pharisee He says open your homes. He keeps going.
04:54: Do you notice all these commands? These are good and right and holy verse 3 remember those who are in prison as though in prison with them and Those who are mistreated since you are also in the body
05:09: If you say to yourself, how would I treat prisoners? Well, what would I like to have done for me?
05:14: If I was a prisoner because I opened my mouth and said Jesus is the Savior he's the only way to heaven and he's the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and they throw me in jail and When we're on the run
05:26: Hebrews 10 says some of these people who get this letter are losing their houses It might be hard to remember people in prison
05:33: He goes on with another command. That's good and right and holy Let marriage be held in honor among all of course
05:41: Our society doesn't do that at all. Do they the society might not do it. The media might not do it
05:46: The newspapers might not do it, but we in the local church are going to do that We want to have it be held in honor among all that is between a man and a woman who were born both a man
05:55: And a woman and let the marriage bed intimacy be undefiled Outside of a marriage the bed is on is defiled for God will judge sexually immoral and adulterous and So he's writing and Christians even sin
06:12: They don't fall into sin they sin And so he's writing to them saying it's good to obey God in light of who you are in Christ And therefore if we here today need to deal with things like brotherly love continuing and showing hospitality and remembering those in prison and Also, if there are people here today who deal with sexual sin they need to repent it shouldn't even be named among us
06:35: He goes on verse 5. Do you see all these commands here tons of commands that are good and right?
06:42: We want to be faithful We want to honor God keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have
06:48: He could have just left it there, but he gives us a wonderful reason why For he has said
06:54: I will never leave you nor forsake you Bitcoin might leave you Stock market might forsake you
07:00: But he says I'll never leave you nor forsake you so we can confidently say the Lord is my helper
07:06: I will not fear what can man do to me? Here's more commands. We want to obey these commands
07:12: Remember your leaders who spoke the Word of God to you consider the outcome of their way of life imitate their faith
07:20: You want the ultimate leader he goes on to say in verse 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever
07:27: While human leaders fail and falter, and they're not perfect by a long shot the ultimate leader the
07:34: Lord never wavers He gives more commands do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings for it is good for the heart
07:43: I'm not talking about food here. We're not talking about dietary issues and nutrition gut health
07:50: Talk to my wife yesterday. We never had gut health until like the last 10 years of our lives now.
07:55: Everything's gut health Can you pick a different name, please? For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by Right proportions of carbs fats proteins know by grace
08:06: That's what we need to be strengthened by not by foods which not have benefited those devoted to them And he keeps going on command after command after command
08:15: Don't go outside the camp Excuse me let though excuse me therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach
08:23: Don't don't worry about persecution offer a sacrifice of praise verse 15 keep doing good verse 16 and share obey your leaders and submit to them verse 17 and Pray for us verse 18 are those commands good and right and holy the answers yes
08:41: Yes, and yes because they reflect God in his nature and his character But my question again today is what motivates you to do them?
08:50: What's your motivation to obey the law we talked about it here regularly at Bethlehem Bible Church because it's so important The law itself doesn't motivate
09:01: These laws if you just had Romans 13 1 through 15 ish and you were given those laws with nothing else
09:11: How long do you think you'll obey them? How long do you think you can have sustained obedience because remember the law doesn't motivate the law doesn't animate
09:22: It's like a steering wheel the law is and it steers us to godliness and to holiness and away from ungodliness
09:29: And away from trespasses and sins, but it only steers us if you buy a car without an engine
09:35: And it has a really nice steering wheel. I remember when I was 16 my first car was a 1967
09:40: Chevy Nova 2 we had a deal back in those days Chevy buyers were right and all the
09:48: Ford people were wrong We didn't know what a Hyundai was back in those days Or anything else and I had this
09:55: Chevy and you know sometimes a steering wheel you could you can drive it for so long hands at 10 and 2
10:00: I didn't have one of those little knobs down there like the farmers had on their on their tractors
10:05: But you kind of wear out your steering wheel after a while, and so you put a nice little Handle what do they call the steering wheel covers steering wheel covers, and you put it on there.
10:16: It's so nice But you have no engine you can steer and without power steering and my
10:22: Chevy 2 did not have power steering You really have to crank it Here's how you'd have to steer those cars one hand one hand one hand one hand
10:30: But you can do in that in the parking lot all you want and unless you have an engine unless you have something to get
10:35: You there some kind of propulsion. You're not going to do it and so think about the law dear Christian friends
10:41: God's law is good. It reflects his nature It's right for us to say we ought to be content.
10:47: We all struggle with contentment It's right for us to say we have to be sexually pure and we have to avoid
10:54: Pornography and anything outside the marriage bed. It's right for us to say we've had leaders in the past that taught us the
11:00: Bible They were not perfect, but they were telling us about the perfect one and we ought to do these things We have to have gratitude
11:06: But just law alone doesn't motivate. It's like a steering wheel. We need the engine
11:13: What's the engine to get you to obey? What's your motivation? How can you have sustained obedience?
11:20: I mean we got commands in the Bible like husbands love your wives I mean for a day fine a month fine a year fine 30 years fine.
11:30: How many people have been married for over 50 years 50 is a magic number today several How do you love your wife for 50 years like Christ loved the church?
11:39: Don't answer that He's laughing She's laughing that's worse
11:46: Submit to your husband's I mean that is such an awful word these days in our society. How do
11:51: I submit to my husband? I don't even want to I don't want that in the Bible Can you find me a Bible translation that doesn't have that so I could use it?
12:02: And we know at this church that the motivation for obedience is Jesus That he loved you.
12:10: He gave his life for you And he knew every sin you'd ever committed. He said
12:16: I'll die for you. Anyway, Charles Spurgeon said when I thought
12:21: God was hard I found it easy to sin But when I found
12:26: God so kind so good so overflowing with compassion I smote upon my breast to think
12:33: I could have ever rebelled against one who loved me. So and sought my good The motivation the long -term motivation for every
12:42: Christian isn't law It isn't fear of God as some kind of taskmaster
12:51: It isn't guilt. It isn't peer pressure It's that God loved me listen to Paul Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead the offspring of David as I preached in my gospel, which
13:03: I'm suffering therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect knowing who
13:09: Jesus is and Scott prayed about it in his prayer even knowing what we deserve and what we get and we're so motivated
13:17: We think I deserve hell and I get heaven. I deserve to pay for my sins and I get heaven
13:23: I would like to obey God not out of Keeping my salvation if I obey
13:28: I stay a child of God not to earn my salvation I'm not really one. So if I obey enough
13:34: God might adopt me, but since we're Christians we want to obey
13:40: And of course, you know the paradigm there are paradigms in the Bible all over. Here's one. We were guilty in Christ Romans Early chapters, we've been graced by the triune
13:51: God guilt grace and what's the final G? Gratitude who taught you that Guilt grace gratitude.
14:01: It's in the book of Romans Heidelberg Catechism picks it up So, how do we obey long term?
14:07: How do we obey short term? And the answer isn't try harder do more.
14:12: How could you look at your failures in the past? It's gratitude for what
14:18: God has done. I Just want you to think about it just for a second Is there anything you wouldn't do in response to God's grace?
14:27: What if he called you to love your wife knowing what God has done for you in Christ? Wouldn't you say?
14:34: It'd be my pleasure. It'd be my honor if you would do that for me, I would gladly respond The motivation for the
14:41: Christian is who Jesus is and our response of thanksgiving and Gratitude I mentioned
14:50: Heidelberg Catechism earlier. What's your only comfort in life and death? When we're on our deathbed, what's our comfort?
14:57: I'll tell you you need comfort on your deathbed. What about in our life? Yes that I with body and soul both in life and death am not my own you
15:04: Christian. You're not your own But belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. Did you know Christian?
15:10: That's who you belong to He owns you who with his precious blood has fully satisfied all my sins
15:16: You know every sin you've ever committed Christian. It's paid for Jesus said it is finished paid in full and Redeemed me from the power of the devil
15:24: Do you know the devil is real and he's after you and he's prowling and he wants people like you but God has not let him
15:32: That without the will of my father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head Indeed all things must work together for my salvation
15:39: Wherefore by his Holy Spirit, he assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily Willing and ready from now on to live for him.
15:48: You want to live for him? That's because in light of who Jesus is and gratitude and thanks for what he's done
15:55: Jerry Bridges said have you ever thought about the wonderful truth that Christ lived his perfect life in your place and on your behalf
16:07: Bethlehem Bible Church has it gripped you yet that God looks at you today and sees you clothed in the perfect sinless obedience of his son and When he says this is my son whom
16:18: I love with him. I'm well pleased He includes you in that warm embrace And so when you hear that and when you think about it, then you say here
16:30: I am send me Right like Isaiah He wasn't a terrorist he wasn't a bad guy
16:38: He was probably the most holy man in all of Israel and maybe the whole world And when he sees
16:43: God's holiness, he sees his own sin and then here comes the death angel to kill him But no, it was not coming to kill him.
16:50: Unlike what Isaiah knew he deserved the angel comes and what does he do? He cauterizes his lips
16:58: And he cleanses him and Isaiah said is there anything you wouldn't do for the
17:05: Lord Jesus? Who not only has done this for you But also empowers you because you don't get
17:10: Jesus just to be saved you get him also for sanctification The Christian life is not
17:16: Oh Jesus got me into heaven. Now. Just give me the rules Yeah, yeah, there are rules, but they're guides and they're steering wheels.
17:24: That's like a GPS So this morning,
17:29: I'd like you to turn to Hebrews 13 verse 22 for a moment and then we're gonna go back to Hebrews 1
17:38: I want you to realize what the book of Hebrews is You notice I kind of I didn't trick you but I didn't say what
17:45: I said turn to Hebrews 13 This is what Hebrews is all about because I wanted you to see those commands first Then I want you to understand what kind of letter this is
17:54: Then we're gonna look at some of the book and you say why are we in Hebrews again? Because it'll change your life
18:01: Because you need to keep reading it over and over people say What's happened to you in the last 15 years?
18:07: That's kind of rocked your world know many wonderful things positive things, but here are two at the top,
18:13: I guess Hebrews cancer That'll change your life
18:19: But ten times more than cancer. It's Hebrews and Hebrews is what kind of letter. It's a unique letter
18:25: Philemon's unique. That's true. Titus is unique Romans They're all unique in certain ways, but especially unique in this way verse 22
18:34: I appeal to you brothers bear with my word of exhortation
18:40: For I have written to you Briefly boy, that's a pastor's heart right there 13 chapters.
18:47: I just written to you briefly By the way, it's a brief sermon today. Don't be concerned. Did you know
18:57: Hebrews was a sermon? I think you remember that It's a sermon that's what the word of exhortation means in verse 22
19:05: Yeah, it's written down like an epistle, but it was a sermon You know what kind of sermon it was an expository sermon
19:14: Exposing you to the truths of God found in the Old Testament DJ Harrington called it arguably the greatest
19:24: Christian sermon ever written down Do you know it's the only Christian sermon written in all the
19:31: Bible If there's one sermon in all the Bible that was a Christian sermon I think it probably be good to study that to figure out.
19:38: How should you preach to Christians? You say well Paul preached the Areopagus. Yes. He was talking to pagans
19:44: Right talking about God as creator judge and Savior a Peter preached To the men in Acts 2 that's true.
19:52: But how about people? That were listening to a sermon and an established local church
19:58: Say Paul wrote to churches. Yes in the letter style Paul wrote to Ephesus and Colossae and these other places.
20:07: Yes in a letter style But where's the one sermon in the New Testament that proclaims the truth of God?
20:13: That you could by the way get up and read Hebrews from this pulpit and would take how many minutes do you think? the perfect sermon time 45 minutes there's somebody here in the congregation often.
20:27: He comes up to me and says that was 47 minutes today So why
20:33: I have this I have no idea out of all the passages in the
20:39: Bible, this is the Christian sermon Is there law in the
20:44: Christian sermon? Of course there is because God wants to guide us what kind of dad never gives rules to his children
20:52: Do this don't do that. Stay here. Don't do that Let me give you wisdom every father guides his children
20:59: Every father gives law to his children every father with the mother right there gives rules and directions
21:06: Of course, we're not rudderless in this world. You're Christians now figure it out
21:12: No But what's the dominating theme of the only sermon in the
21:18: New Testament given to local Christians? That's the question of the hour and guess what?
21:24: The answer is The answer is it's about the one who motivates you to obey obey those laws
21:29: We joke about it all the time. If you like to hear about Jesus, this is a good church for you But I mean it because that's all
21:37: I have to offer is the Lord Jesus If you have a friend and you say oh, please come to Bethlehem Bible Church, and let's say they're from Tibet They've never been to a
21:48: Christian service. They don't know anything about Christianity They live far away and they sat and listened to a sermon and you said to them afterwards, what do you think
21:57: Christianity is about? Do you know what? I want them to say? Here's what I want them to say.
22:03: It was about Jesus I Don't know about this man.
22:08: They think he's alive. Somehow. He's 2 ,000 years ago. He died, but he's alive. It's not about bare law only law law is included
22:19: Obviously, I just read all those I believe those I'd like to obey those I repent when I don't
22:24: What I want you to see today going back to chapter one, please Is that Jesus is the theme for all gospel ministry because gospel means good news about Jesus That when you want people to obey as counterintuitive as it is you tell them about who
22:46: Jesus is This is also going to serve as a template for dads and moms who teach their children the
22:54: Bible I'm glad when you sit down for family time and open up the Bible, but dear parents if you only give them law by the way, we're good at that aren't we
23:03: I mean I could be such a great drill instructor a Drill sergeant
23:10: I'd be great at it and I was so great at it being a dad for many years.
23:16: Oh Sit down don't you with your mouthful?
23:22: after dinner Say may I please be excused Push the chair in after dinner say to mommy.
23:29: Thank you for dinner Mommy take the plate over rinse it off then put it over here
23:36: Ask can you help I mean over and over over are those wrong to say by the way No elbows on the tables wrong because my father said it to me, so I would never say it to children
23:47: Those things aren't wrong, but what's the context? How do you cheat teach your children if God?
23:54: Motivates by saying I'm such a gracious God by sending the Son and he's a gracious son by dying for you
23:59: And the Spirit is gracious by applying Salvation to you and therefore in light of who God is out of thankfulness and gratitude and love
24:07: I will obey if that's how God parents. How do we parent and Left to ourselves it won't be this way because law is from the heart in the conscience given by God and Gospel and Jesus is outside of us
24:23: Jesus Doesn't dwell in us in the sense that he's just there when you're born.
24:28: You know all about Jesus We dwells in us by the Spirit of God when we're saved. I understand that but that's not my point
24:36: So here's what we're going to do 12 points for the outline today Super simple you said you've already gone 23 minutes
24:43: Remember there's a guy here that keeps track of my introduction probably 25 minutes now It's not really an introduction.
24:50: It's this there are 12 Reminders for you in the book of Hebrews to make sure when you're having a hard time dealing with sin
24:59: You're struggling you're fighting Let's say you think you know what I struggle with anxiousness if you only read verses that say don't be anxious
25:09: Don't do that Philippians has a whole chapters 1 2 & 3 before it even gets to anxiousness if you're having a hard time serving in a local body
25:18: Romans 12 you should have a ministry if you're a Christian member here. You're like well. I don't only have one
25:23: I'm new okay fine, but if you're not new you should be thinking yourself I should do that remember. It's Romans 1 through 11 before we get to 12 to serve
25:33: There's no secret for the Christianity for Christian life Technically, but it's so not talked about these days.
25:41: It seems like it is a secret You say well give me 12 points. What are the 12 points?
25:47: I'm going to show you Jesus in chapters 1 through 12 every chapter Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus And therefore when your children come back from Sunday school
25:58: And you say what was Sunday school about today, and they look at you kind of cross -eyed and say Jesus.
26:04: You'll say amen By the way, where's Cory? What was
26:10: Sunday school about today? Pardon me Psalms okay, it was about Jesus then right all right good you stay hired
26:19: By the way, I walked into the Secretary's office today Paddy's I had my discipleship group, and I gave them a little five -minute assignment
26:27: So I slipped out whenever you want a coffee as the teacher all right guys. Here's your five -minute assignment
26:33: I just slip out have a coffee talk And I walked in there, and I heard a preacher preaching in the
26:40: Sunday in the secretary's office and Tim home was there listening to Cory during Sunday school
26:49: Good job We're gonna just look at every chapter in Hebrews And I want to remind you that your motivation to obey is
27:00: Jesus I want to remind you that when you need comfort in life and death. It's the
27:06: Lord Jesus I want to remind you that every time you turn on the TV or the YouTube or somewhere else a
27:11: Podcast and all they do is TED talk you think I need Jesus I've been to pulpits across the world that some of them have up here
27:19: We would see Jesus if you don't want to talk about Jesus. It's time to sit down I know you all know this
27:25: But reason why I'm preaching it again is because I need it and we need it because we are built as law people only obey, but I want to remind you why to obey and Outline point number one is chapter number one it is about Jesus and in chapter chapter number one
27:41: He starts off with a Genesis 1 1 kind of bang, and he then tells us about Jesus the
27:47: Divine Son Long ago at many times in many ways
27:53: God spoke to our fathers by the prophets But in these last days he spoken to us by his son whom he appointed the heir of all things
28:01: Through whom you know who created this world Jesus created the world He is the radiance of the glory of God the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power after making purification for sins
28:18: No more work to be done Sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high look at verse 8 all these
28:27: Old Testament Psalms Quoted here showing the deity of Jesus, but of the Son he says your throne
28:33: Oh, God is forever and ever the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom The father calls the son
28:40: God. I thought there's only one God. That's true one God three persons father son and Holy Spirit verse 13 to which of the angels has he ever said sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet and So this preacher starts off with chapter 1 saying
28:59: Jesus is God He doesn't even really address them and here you are and here's what you're doing
29:05: You say I think I can find some commands in chapter 10 I think I can find five warnings laced throughout here of course you can but you can also find
29:13: Jesus Christ in every one of these 12 chapters Jesus is divine chapter 1 any guesses what chapter 2 would be
29:20: Jesus is Truly human verse 10 Every chapter
29:27: I want you to see Jesus Jesus Jesus And how what is the paradigm in your life for leading your wife for leading your children for teaching
29:36: Sunday school? for preaching at the rest home For your own personal Bible study it was fitting verse 10 of chapter 2 that he
29:45: For whom and by whom all things exist in bringing many sons to glory that fits him.
29:52: That's that's right And he should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering Verse 14 since therefore the children share flesh and blood
30:01: I mean We're not angels. We don't have angelic nature We have flesh and blood and if you're gonna redeem those in flesh and blood
30:08: What do you have to do he himself likewise partook of the same things that through death his death?
30:14: He might destroy the one who has the power of death loaned Sovereignly by God for a short time that is the devil
30:21: Ever been afraid of death and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong Slavery he had verse 17 to be made like his brothers in every respect that he might become a merciful and Faithful high priest in the service of God to make propitiation our assuagement
30:41: Satisfaction for the sins of the people For because he himself has suffered when tempted he's able to help those who are being tempted
30:50: Do you see what the writer is doing you see what the preacher is doing? Let me tell you more about Jesus, and you say well,
30:56: I kind of know these things well Maybe intellectually, but now in the middle of it. You're thinking okay I have to go to work tomorrow and obey my boss like he's
31:04: God. He's not God, but as if he were God Until he tells me to do something that's wrong.
31:10: Why would I ever do that who wants to do that? Chapter 3 is this point 3 or point 2 chapter 3?
31:21: Supposed to be funny. Oh It's almost like we've come to the center of a sermon chapter 3 guess what it's about It's about Lord.
31:32: Jesus and fixing your attention on him. Yes, but I have trial troubles. I have circumstances. I have trials
31:37: I have issues What does he say? Therefore holy brothers who share in the heavenly calling consider
31:45: Jesus the Apostle and high priest of our confession What's the remedy for all spiritual ills?
31:52: What's the remedy? For Lackluster, I don't really feel like obeying. I've kind of obeyed a lot nobody seems to notice nobody seems to care
32:00: I work behind the scenes. I never get any kudos here is the remedy the meditation carefully looking at the
32:07: Lord Jesus This word means to fix to think to stare when we were children.
32:13: We used to say things like what? I don't know if kids say this anymore or not take a picture it what? There you go all the children in unison.
32:21: Thank you That's what it means to stare at no no, but but you don't understand
32:26: I've got this this issue going on with family, and there's a lot yeah I know he's getting you to try to stop looking at your problems and look to the
32:33: Lord Jesus Consider attentively and since this is a sermon. I ask you the question.
32:40: It's the last time you Attentively this is and what if I got a problem?
32:49: I attentively Google if I've got a medical problem I'm looking at when web
32:54: MD. I'm fixing my mind on all these issues, and what could go wrong Looking for the worst thing
33:01: Who am I? You do it too, though instead of okay,
33:08: I need to reflect on those things fine. I have to live my life But I'm supposed to fix my eyes on the
33:15: Lord Jesus and consider him I Mean all the Bible talks about him. That's true specifically you've got 89 chapters of Matthew Mark Luke and John You've got 13 chapters about Jesus in Hebrews called the fifth gospel by some
33:30: And what is he trying to do look down at verse 6? He's driving you to be faithful hear it from this pulpit.
33:35: We want you to be faithful. We want you to obey lawlessness is a sin But what's the motivation to obey?
33:43: But Christ is faithful over God's house his son and where his house if indeed we hold fast our Confidence and our boasting in our hope
33:51: For people that are less than faithful Look at the faithful one so that you can hold on by faith
33:59: To the Lord Jesus it means to put your head down and think about him to examine
34:10: He doesn't say you know what if you're struggling I want you to think about the temple what you think about the tabernacle
34:16: I want you to think about the sacrifices of the Old Testament. I want you to think about the Feast of Booths I want you to think about the land of Israel and its nation no no no and no
34:26: You put your head down and you study What's the last time you read a book about Jesus? See if we have an anxiety problem.
34:33: We get the book about no anxiety. We have a contentment problem We work on that, but thankfully the books that are written
34:39: Well, like Jeremiah Burroughs on the rare jewel of Christian contentment. It doesn't just talk about be content it talks about whom him
34:48: Jesus to examine to ponder
34:54: Like Paul said that I may know him and the power of his resurrection It's the word that Jesus used
35:00: Consider the Ravens It's the word that Jesus used why do you look at the speck that's in your brother?
35:07: I and not consider our notice or examine the log that's in your own eye Do you know that the immaturity of these listeners the ones that were immature?
35:19: It's because they had a preoccupation an unhealthy preoccupation with themselves and their problems
35:26: And they weren't considering who Jesus was Because problems consume us and so since God knows we're consumed by these problems, and we just get spiraled down like some kind of vortex
35:37: We now are reminded. Oh, I shouldn't be doing that There's a reason why we live by faith and not by sight
35:46: It's thinking it's considering. I love the song and when I Think that God his son not sparing sent him to die
35:54: I can see her skin what take it in that on that cross my burden gladly bearing
36:01: He bled and died to take away my sin sin then sings my soul my Savior God to thee
36:07: How great I am how great I am of course not how great thou art the response to God's Love in Christ Jesus is gratitude is praise
36:20: What does he call in chapter 3 verse 1 the Apostle only time called here the
36:26: Apostle it just means sent one God the Father in eternity past agrees with the Son while the
36:31: Spirits there to be sent The Son is sent to go rescue us and then to be the high priest
36:37: To pray for us to offer sacrifice of himself for us
36:44: Well that leads me to my fourth point, which would be chapter 4. I'm simply walking through the passage saying
36:50: With warning passages in the Bible certainly here, but most of the commands in 13
36:57: This is a book about Jesus Excuse me. This is yeah this book this this book of Hebrews Chapter 4 if you had a zero in on something great it could be really anywhere in this chapter.
37:07: How about verse 14? Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens
37:13: Jesus the Son of God Let us hold fast to our confessions We don't have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.
37:21: You know Jesus sympathizes with your troubles. He knows Jesus knows all about your troubles
37:28: But one in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin Let us then draw with confidence to the throne of grace
37:34: That's what we need that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need Everything here's about Jesus because that motivates you to run in the warning passages
37:43: And it motivates you to obey in the imperatives chapter 5 Verse 5
37:49: I mean did Jesus saunter in and make himself a high priest no So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest
37:56: But was appointed by him who said to him you are my son today I have begotten you and by the way
38:03: He says in verse 6 as he says also in another place you are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek To make sure all the
38:10: Jewish people who would say I thought Jewish priests had to have the last name
38:16: Cohen. I had I thought they had to be Levites You can't be a priest unless you're a
38:22: Levite Remember there's another priest and he's after the order of what Melchizedek. Jesus was not a
38:28: Levitical priest. He was from Judah But he's after the line of Melchizedek Chapter 6
38:35: Everything in this book about it is about Jesus if the only sermon in the New Testament we have and the theme is
38:41: Jesus that Ought to be our thing By the way, if you're teaching through Ephesians and you're with all the commands in chapter 4 with don't steal don't lie
38:50: Tell the truth. Don't be bitter forgive What do you think would be a good idea to remind our listeners of and you can be reminded of if you even read it?
38:59: Chapters 1 2 & 3 right? I just don't just jump into 4 chapter 6
39:05: We have this verse 19 as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul
39:10: For when our hearts are running around and we're afraid and we're hither and thither and pell -mell. We just don't know what to do
39:16: We're anxious. We're nervous. We're getting persecuted as these people were I Need an anchor of my soul a hope that enters into the place behind the curtain
39:27: Where we could never go by the way on our own where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf everything in this book is about Jesus chapter 7
39:39: What's Jesus doing now? I mean Matthew Mark Luke and John tell us what he did in on the earth.
39:44: What does Jesus do in heaven? Don't you love it? Verse 25 consequently he is able to save to the uttermost
39:53: Those who draw near to God through him since Jesus always lives to make intercession for them chapter 8
40:06: Verse 1 now the point and what we're saying is this very direct. I've been told by people like JC Ryle preaching needs to be
40:15: Plain and simple and clear. What's the guy talking about today? Well, here's what he's talking about We have present in such a high priest one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven
40:27: You you have a high priest you have a go -between Chapter 9 everything in this book drives to the exaltation of the
40:36: Lord Jesus because a preoccupation with self is damaging to us all verse 13 for if the blood of bulls and goats
40:46: The sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer sanctify for purification of the flesh How much more will the blood of Jesus?
40:54: The blood of Jesus who through the eternal spirit offered himself without blemish to God Purify you our conscience from dead works to serve the
41:03: Living God What a great Trinitarian verse the blood of Christ the eternal spirit God himself the
41:08: Father Chapter 10 is point 10 verses 5 6 & 7
41:14: What did you say when you were born? What did you say when you came into the world? What did
41:20: Jesus say when he came into the world the God -man verse 5 here's what he said Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired
41:28: But a body you have prepared for me in burnt offerings and sin offerings you take no pleasure
41:34: Then I said behold I have come to do your will. Oh God That's the father as it is written of me in the scroll of the book
41:43: Why does Jesus come? Because Adam didn't obey if Adam would have obeyed no sacrifices
41:50: So what's at the top of the list for God? I want to sacrifice. No, I want obedience I want a man to totally obey and there is a man the eternal
41:58: Son who assumes human nature and he perfectly obeys. I know what you're saying
42:06: Mike chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 chapter 11 It's about faithfulness
42:14: Remember how faithful Samson was I got you Mike. Remember how faithful Jephthah was
42:19: I've got you Remember how faithful Abraham was she's not my sister. She's not my wife. She's my sister.
42:24: I got you chapter 11 is called the way the hall of We say that but you know what we think about we think it's the hall of faithfulness
42:36: It's the hall of faith why because these all had their minds set on an object
42:41: Jesus When I say the just shall live by faith, what am I saying? It's shorthand the just shall live by faith
42:50: In the eternal Son who assumed human nature who was sent by the Father Empowered by the
42:56: Spirit to live a perfect life to die and be raised The hall of faith what makes these people
43:06: Somehow allowed to be in this chapter. I mean Sarah the laugher
43:11: Moses the murderer Rahab the prostitute. How do you get in the hall of faith?
43:17: Answer it's the hall of faith because it was the hall of faithfulness Who would make it would you make it you make it in this
43:25: In the last year five years ten years No wonder Samson the womanizer and Jephthah and his daughter and David the adulterer make it in because they're thinking about The object of their faith verse 6 and without faith in God.
43:39: It's impossible to please him. It's all by faith and Sadly we as evangelicals say faith and we mean faithfulness if I were to ask you the question.
43:52: Are you a person of faith? You'd say yes, I'm here on Sunday. I read my
43:57: Bible. I'd like to evangelize. I'd like to obey God I'd say you didn't quite hear my question.
44:03: I said are you a person of faith? You'd say well You're just the honoree New England pastor and I would say after 26 years of living here finally you welcome me with open arms
44:16: Just in California for that conference last week, and I thought That this before people are too nice.
44:22: They're shallow They're everybody's happy to see me and stuff, but no I know what's going on underneath them
44:29: Romans 3 is true and here in New England You know it took me what 22 years to win over Bob Bruce Bolivar, but now that I won him over.
44:41: I think he might give me a McDonald's Franchise afterward this isn't about faithfulness
44:50: You're not going to heaven because of faithfulness Because God requires perfection why talk about Jesus all the time because Jesus was faithful and The preacher is going to talk about faithful living somehow
45:04: He's either going to talk about your faithful living which is good as a consequence of God's faithfulness
45:09: Are you going to talk about Jesus and the writer here is? Talking about Jesus and his faithfulness
45:14: Jesus in his divinity Jesus and his humanity Jesus as apostle as high priest from Melchizedek You say
45:21: I got all that down, but my life is still a wreck. Well. I might just nicely say You don't have all that down That's why we need to be reminded.
45:30: That's why Paul says on his deathbed remember Jesus Christ We're not people of faith because we read our
45:42: Bible. We're people of faith because we believe in the risen Savior and Then chapter 12 my last point he said what
45:52: I'm saying because I'm trying to be faithful to Hebrews Hebrews 12 1 therefore
45:59: Since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses of Course we want to obey let us lay aside every weight ever try to run with a 45 pound
46:11: Weight from the gold's gym. It's hard to do and sin which clings so closely
46:19: Let us run with endurance the race that set before us run obey. That's true. How do you do it answer verse 2?
46:27: Looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despised the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne on?
46:39: God verse 3 consider him similar language in the English to chapter 3
46:46: Hebrews is clear the motivation for Christian obedience is Jesus himself
46:52: Hebrews is clear law is important, but it doesn't drive you anywhere.
46:57: It only steers you faith in Jesus the high priest spurs on faithfulness
47:07: Not guilt trips from the pastor Not peer pressure not measuring yourself to other people
47:17: Friends, we're not Roman Catholics. Where did that come from?
47:27: We're Protestants and We protest several things many things that Rome did we protest
47:36: That you're standing before God is based on your holy living We poke protest that you just need law to guide you and motivate you to live the
47:47: Christian life We protest that our obedience Makes us acceptable to God through the grace of God we protest that But lurking in every man and woman's heart is this idea that if I do this
48:02: God will do that We live in transactional Christianity Why is
48:08: Rome so big that's one of the reasons because it's following the heart of man It's it's wrong.
48:14: It's backward. We stand before God justified based on the work of the triune God full stop
48:19: We are sanctified by the work of the triune God full stop We will be just we will be glorified by the work of the gut work of the
48:27: Godhead full stop We are Protestants, and we believe that talk about Jesus talk about Jesus talk about Jesus Doesn't lead to lawlessness
48:38: It never be it leads to obedience by gratitude and thankfulness, and we have these things to guide us and to steer us
48:47: This week when you struggle with obedience May I be so kind and nice and gentle to say
48:55: Don't forget about Jesus. Let's pray father in heaven.
49:01: Thank you for this day What a sermon Maybe there's a reason why father we ought not know who preached
49:09: Hebrews because He was pointing to the Son anyway Father may we be like one
49:18: Bible character John the Baptist May we decrease this week so that Jesus might increase by the power of the