FAITH HELD SECURE BY JESUS (CC)

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.