FAITH HELD SECURE BY JESUS (CC)
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LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF
THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US IN THE LETTER
TO THE HEBREWS
WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 4,
BEGINNING WITH VERSE 9:
THERE REMAINS, THEN,
A SABBATH-REST FOR THE PEOPLE
OF GOD;
FOR ANYONE WHO ENTERS GOD'S
REST ALSO RESTS FROM
THEIR WORKS, JUST AS GOD DID
FROM HIS.
LET US, THEREFORE, MAKE EVERY
EFFORT TO ENTER THAT REST,
SO THAT NO ONE WILL PERISH BY
FOLLOWING THEIR EXAMPLE OF
DISOBEDIENCE.
FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS ALIVE
AND ACTIVE.
SHARPER THAN ANY DOUBLE-EDGED
SWORD,
IT PENETRATES EVEN TO DIVIDING
SOUL AND SPIRIT,
JOINTS AND MARROW; IT JUDGES
THE THOUGHTS AND
ATTITUDES OF THE HEART.
NOTHING IN ALL CREATION
IS HIDDEN FROM GOD'S SIGHT.
EVERYTHING
IS UNCOVERED AND LAID BARE
BEFORE THE EYES OF HIM
TO WHOM WE MUST GIVE ACCOUNT.
THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE A
GREAT
HIGH PRIEST WHO HAS ASCENDED
INTO HEAVEN,
JESUS THE SON OF GOD, LET US
HOLD FIRMLY
TO THE FAITH WE PROFESS. FOR
WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST
WHO IS UNABLE TO EMPATHIZE
WITH OUR WEAKNESSES,
BUT WE HAVE ONE WHO HAS BEEN
TEMPTED
IN EVERY WAY, JUST AS WE ARE -
YET HE DID NOT SIN. LET US
THEN APPROACH
GOD'S THRONE OF GRACE WITH
CONFIDENCE, SO THAT
WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND
GRACE
TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF
NEED.
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD.
LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY
THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE
MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR
HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR
SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE
AND COMFORT.
AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011,
BY BIBLICA, INC.]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD
AND SAVIOR
JESUS CHRIST:
JAMES AND JOHN CERTAINLY CAME
TO JESUS
WITH AN INTERESTING REQUEST
IN OUR
GOSPEL LESSON FOR THIS
MORNING. REMEMBER THEY CAME
TO JESUS AND SAID: WILL YOU
GIVE US
WHATEVER WE ASK YOU?
INTERESTING QUESTION,
ISN'T IT?
THEN WE HEAR REALLY WHAT
THEY WANTED.
WE KNEW IT HAD TO BE SOMETHING
BIG, SOMETHING GREAT
JUST BY THE WAY THE QUESTION
WAS PHRASED.
BECAUSE WE IN OUR HUMAN
NATURE,
KNOW HOW EASY IT IS TO GO
TO SOMEONE AND NOT ASK THEM
RIGHT OUT SOMETHING BIG AND
HUGE,
BUT MAYBE TRICK THEM INTO
GETTING ON OUR SIDE.
BUTTER THE BREAD A LITTLE BIT
TO MAKE IT TASTE A LITTLE
BETTER.
JAMES AND JOHN WANTED TO
SIT AT
THE RIGHT HAND AND THE LEFT
HAND OF JESUS WHEN
HE CAME IN HIS GLORY.
WOW!
HOW POMPOUS WERE THEY?
WHEN THE OTHER TEN FOUND OUT
ABOUT IT, THEY WERE INDIGNANT
THEMSELVES. MAYBE THEY THOUGHT THEY WANTED THOSE
SEATS OF HONOR. MAYBE THEY
WANTED TO BE WITH THE ONE WHO
WAS GOING TO BE THE LEADER
OF THE PEOPLE
SO THAT THEY COULD BE IN
HIS PRESENCE.
WE WOULD NEVER PRAY LIKE
THAT, WOULD WE?
WE WOULD NEVER GO TO GOD
AND JUST SAY:
GOD, GIVE ME WHATEVER I
ASK.
OR IS THAT
OUR PRAYER LIFE?
GOD, IF YOU GET ME THROUGH
THIS SURGERY,
I SWEAR THAT I WILL NEVER
MISS ANOTHER BIBLE CLASS OR
CHURCH EVER AGAIN.
GOD, IF YOU HEAL ME THIS
TIME, REALLY,
I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING
WRONG EVER.
I'M GONNA GIVE UP ALL THOSE
BAD HABITS.
GOD, IF YOU RESTORE THIS
FRIENDSHIP
THAT I HAVE DESTROYED WITH
GOSSIP, I WILL NEVER EVER
SPEAK ANOTHER WORD AGAINST
ANYONE.
GOD, JUST DO WHAT I WANT!
SOMETIMES THERE'S A LOT OF
PRAYERS LIKE THAT ...
INSTEAD OF BENDING TO GOD'S
WILL.
AND GOD MADE IT OBVIOUSLY
CLEAR TO THE DISCIPLES
WHAT THEIR PURPOSE AND GOAL
IN LIFE WAS TO BE.
THEY WERE TO BE SERVANTS.
THEY WERE NOT TO SEEK THEIR
OWN GLORY;
NOT TO SEEK THEIR OWN GOOD.
BUT THEY
WERE TO SERVE OTHER PEOPLE.
TO FOLLOW
THAT EXAMPLE OF CHRIST AND
WHAT HE DID FOR ALL
HUMANITY. AND WE NEED TO
HEAR THAT REMINDER
AS WELL TODAY. BECAUSE SO
OFTEN IN OUR LIFE,
WE THINK THAT WE KNOW WHAT
IS BEST.
WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED IN LIFE.
WE KNOW WHAT
WE CAN HAVE. WE THINK
SOMEHOW THAT BECAUSE WE'RE
THE CHILDREN OF GOD, WE
SHOULD BE BLESSED IN A WAY
THAT THE WORLD IS NOT.
ALMOST ERASING WHAT
FAITH IS.
FAITH TRUSTS
WHEN IT DOESN'T KNOW
THE FULL ANSWER.
FAITH PUTS ITS HOPE IN GOD,
NOT IN SELF OR NOT IN
THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.
IN THE LETTER, AND IN THE
LETTER TO THE HEBREWS THIS
MORNING, WE'RE REMINDED TO
HOLD
TO THAT FAITH.
HOLD TO JESUS CHRIST WHO
SECURED
THAT FAITH FOR US. HOLD TO
THAT FAITH IN SPITE OF
EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS GOING
ON AROUND US IN THE WORLD.
TO HOLD
FAST KNOWING THAT OUR FUTURE
IS SECURE
BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS CHRIST
HAS DONE.
THAT JESUS IS THE ONE WHO
CAME AS OUR GREAT HIGH
PRIEST.
A PRIEST WHO WAS TO MAKE
SACRIFICES
FOR SIN. AND WE KNOW THE
SACRIFICE THAT
CHRIST MADE FOR US.
ISAIAH SAID THAT HE WAS
NUMBERED
AMONG THE TRANSGRESSORS.
THE ONE
WHO WAS GUILTLESS, WAS
DECLARED GUILTY.
THE ONE WHO WAS SINLESS,
BORE THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN.
BORE ALL OF OUR
TRANSGRESSIONS,
SHED HIS BLOOD, SACRIFICED
HIMSELF
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN.
THE FORGIVENESS OF ALL
PEOPLE. THAT SACRIFICE WAS
TOTAL AND COMPLETE. NO MORE
SACRIFICES
NEEDED TO BE MADE BECAUSE
THE PURE
SPOTLESS LAMB OF GOD
HAD BEEN SACRIFICED FOR THE
SINS OF THE WORLD.
OUR FORGIVENESS
OF SINS IS SECURE BECAUSE
OF THE WORK THAT JESUS
CHRIST DID.
HE BORE OUR PUNISHMENT,
TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF, SO IN
TURN
HE COULD GIVE US BLESSING
AND LIFE
TO LIVE IN THAT SECURITY.
AND THAT'S
WHAT WE REMIND OURSELVES.
SABBATH-REST. THAT REST
FROM ALL
OF OUR SINS. THAT REST FROM
ALL OF OUR LABOR.
THAT REST THAT COMES ONLY
IN KNOWING THAT GOD HAS
SECURED OUR ETERNAL
FUTURE. WE DON'T HAVE TO
KEEP WORKING
AT IT. WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP
KEEPING
A TALLY THAT WE'VE MADE SURE
WE'VE DONE ENOUGH RIGHT
SO THAT WE'VE COVERED ALL
THE BAD.
OR THAT SOMEHOW, SATAN
CONVINCES US THAT WE'RE BEING
PUNISHED BY GOD BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH
GOOD TO EARN HIS LOVE
AND HIS RESPECT.
IMAGINE BEING A HAMSTER ON
THAT WHEEL OF LIFE.
THAT JUST RUNS AND RUNS
AND RUNS AND RUNS BECAUSE ALL
THEY EVER SAID WAS:
YOU HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH GOOD
BECAUSE IF YOU DID
GOD WOULD BLESS YOU. IF YOU
PRAYED
HARD ENOUGH, GOD WILL GIVE
YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT.
EVEN IF IT'S NOT IN ACCORD
WITH HIS WILL.
GET ON THAT WHEEL AND YOU
KEEP RUNNING.
RUN AND RUN AND RUN AND RUN
AND IT'S ENDLESS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE REST
IN CHRIST
BECAUSE HE DID
THE WORK.
AND HE GAVE IT TO US.
AND HE SAID: HOLD ON TO THAT.
TRUST IN THAT. BE SECURE
IN KNOWING THAT YOUR
SALVATION
IS COMPLETE. THAT YOUR
ETERNAL REST
WAITS FOR YOU.
IT'S IN THE WORD. THE WORD
OF GOD THAT IS POWERFUL AND
ACTIVE. DESCRIBED FOR US
AS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD; CUTS
BOTH WAYS.
IT'S EFFICIENT. AND SEPARATES
MEAT FROM BONE.
THE WORD OF GOD 'IS'
POWERFUL AND ACTIVE IN OUR
LIFE.
YES, IT REMINDS US THAT
WHILE WE ARE STILL HERE,
WE ARE SINFUL. BUT WE GO TO
GOD
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR
SINS ... WHICH HE OFFERS
AND GIVES TO US. REMINDING
US IN HIS WORD HERE AND
TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT I
LOVE YOU, YOUR SINS
HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.
YOU ARE MY CHILDREN.
BUT WE KNOW WE CAN'T HIDE
ANYTHING FROM GOD.
BECAUSE HE SEES RIGHT
INTO OUR HEARTS. HE SEES
OUR MOTIVATION. HE SEES
OUR REASONING OF OUR MIND.
WHY WE DO
THE THINGS WE DO; WHY WE
SAY THE THINGS THAT WE SAY.
WHY WE LIE. WHY WE'RE NOT
TRUTHFUL WITH PEOPLE. WHY WE
EVEN MAKE UP REASONS
AND EXCUSES FOR THOSE LIES.
THINGS THAT ARE
SO SIMPLE. THE PERSON WHO
CALLS ON THE TELEPHONE
WHO, YES, IS ANNOYING
SELLING WHATEVER THEY ARE -
WE CAN LIE TO THOSE PEOPLE
WITHOUT THINKING,
WITHOUT EVEN CARING WHAT WE
DO AND SLAM THE PHONE DOWN
ON THEM AND WE JUST GO RIGHT
ON LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED.
SO, OF COURSE, GOD'S GONNA
FORGIVE THAT SIN.
WHY WOULDN'T HE?
THOSE PEOPLE ARE ANNOYING.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE ANNOYING.
SIMPLE LITTLE THINGS
IN OUR LIVES THAT JUST
REMIND US
THAT WE ARE SINFUL.
THAT WE MAKE EXCUSES FOR
OURSELVES.
BUT SOMETIMES, JUST LIKE THE
DISCIPLES,
WE WANT OUR EGOS STROKED AND
WE WANT
TO FEEL BETTER BECAUSE WE'RE
THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
AND THE WORD COMES TO US AND
SAYS:
YOU ARE A SINNER.
BUT GOD LOVES YOU.
HE'S GIVEN HIS SON FOR YOU.
COME TO HIM.
RETURN TO HIM. TRUST IN HIM.
BELIEVE IN HIM.
RECEIVE THAT FORGIVENESS AND
LIVE
IN THAT FORGIVENESS. USE
THAT
GOSPEL MESSAGE TO STRENGTHEN
YOUR LIFE.
TO FEED YOUR SOUL AND TO
NOURISH IT,
SO THAT IT CAN LIVE A LIFE
OF SANCTIFICATION.
DOING THE THINGS THAT GOD
WANTS. NOTICING
THE THINGS THAT ARE AGAINST
GOD'S WILL AND CORRECTING
THEM. AND REMOVING THEM FROM
YOUR LIFE. MAKING THE
EFFORT AND TAKING THE TIME
TO LIVE IN GOD'S FAITH.
TO HOLD TO THAT.
TO SHOW HIM IN THANKS FOR ALL
THAT HE HAS DONE FOR YOU.
AND HE UNDERSTANDS.
OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST,
CERTAINLY
UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFICULTIES
IN THIS WORLD.
HE KNOWS HOW HARD IT IS.
HE FACED
THE SAME TEMPTATIONS THAT WE
FACE.
THOSE SAME TEMPTATIONS
BUT HE DIDN'T GIVE IN TO THEM.
HE KEPT GOD'S WILL PERFECTLY.
BUT HE UNDERSTANDS OUR
STRUGGLE.
HE UNDERSTANDS OUR FIGHT.
IT ISN'T THAT WHAT
WE AS HUMAN BEINGS, ALWAYS
SEEM TO BE LOOKING FOR.
NOT JUST SOMEONE WHO'S GONNA
SHARE GOD'S WORD WITH ME,
BUT SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS
WHAT IT'S LIKE
TO DEAL WITH CANCER.
TO SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS
WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE
AN ADDICTION TO ALCOHOL. TO
TALK WITH THEM.
TO LEARN FROM THEM. TO GROW
WITH THEM.
SOMEONE WHO HAS CHILDREN TO
TALK WITH ME
ABOUT MY CHILDREN. SOMEONE
WHO HAS AN AGING PARENT
TO DISCUSS WITH ME THE
DIFFICULTIES IN THE PROCESSES
THERE. WE ALWAYS WANT
SOMEONE WHO CAN HAVE
COMPASSION; WHO CAN
EMPATHIZE WITH US.
AND SCRIPTURE SAYS: THERE
IS
YOUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST ...
WHO LIVED THIS LIFE.
WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW
DIFFICULT IT IS.
TO HELP.
WHO EMPATHIZES.
WHO KEEPS US ON TRACK WITH
WHAT WE NEED
TO HAVE AND KEEP THAT
ETERNAL REST.
THAT SABBATH-REST. NOT WHAT
MAKES US COMFORTABLE.
NOT WHAT MAKES OUR LIFE
EASIER.
BUT THE THING THAT KEEPS US
CLOSE TO HIM.
CLOSE TO HIS WORD.
CONFIDENT OF OUR ETERNAL LIFE.
AND IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH
FOR US, WE KNOW
THAT HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND
OF GOD,
INTERCEDING FOR US. PRAYING
FOR US FOR THE THINGS THAT
WE NEED BECAUSE HE KNOWS
AND UNDERSTANDS US.
HE KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS ME.
AND GOES TO
THE HEAVENLY FATHER ON MY
BEHALF WITH PRAYERS
THAT I NEED FOR MY LIFE.
TO KEEP ME STRONG IN THE
FAITH.
SECURE IN THAT GRACE.
TO HOLD ONTO HIS LORDSHIP
OF MY LIFE.
AND TO SACRIFICE SOMETIMES
MYSELF. AND MY EGO.
AND MY BRAVADO.
JUST LIKE HE DID WITH THE
DISCIPLES,
HE DOES WITH HIS PRESENT-DAY
DISCIPLES. I DON'T GIVE YOU
EVERYTHING
YOU WANT, HE SAYS TO US.
I GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU
NEED.
BUT UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOUR GOAL IS.
AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR
PURPOSE IS.
TO BE LIKE ME. TO BE
A SERVANT. TO BE SOMEONE
WHO LOOKS TO THE NEEDS
OF OTHERS FOR THEIR
SPIRITUAL GOOD.
SHOW THEM YOUR FAITH.
SHOW THEM YOUR CONFIDENCE
IN GOD. SHOW THEM
THAT YOU FIND STRENGTH
'ONLY' IN GOD'S LOVE AND
IN GOD'S FORGIVENESS.
SERVE THEM,
BUT SHOW THEM THAT YOU DO
THAT
BECAUSE YOUR LORD HIMSELF
WAS A SERVANT.
THERE IS THE TRUTH. THERE IS
THE REMINDER
FOR US THIS MORNING. IT'S
GOING TO BE DIFFICULT
IN THIS LIFE. JESUS SAID THAT
TO HIS DISCIPLES. YOU ARE
GOING TO FOLLOW ME.
YOUR LIFE IS NOT GOING TO BE
EASY.
YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH
SOME OF THE SAME THINGS I
WENT THROUGH. PEOPLE MOCKING
YOU.
PEOPLE DESPISING YOU. PEOPLE
TRYING TO
TRIP YOU UP ALL THE TIME.
AND YOU MAY EVEN GIVE YOUR
LIFE FOR YOUR FAITH.
BUT KNOW THAT HE NEVER
DESERTS US. KNOW THAT HE IS
ALWAYS WITH US. THAT HE 'IS'
OUR LORD AND OUR SAVIOR AND
WE TRUST
IN HIM.
AND WE HOLD TO THE FAITH.
AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD
WHICH GOES BEYOND
ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING
KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR
MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR
LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH
UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.