"Dream Stealers"

Matthew 12:1-8

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Introduction: Alan Jones, in his book Passion for Pilgrimage, said this: “We live in a time when faith is thin, because our aching for what is above and beyond us has been anaesthetized and our capacity for wonder reduced to clever tricks.”

I spent 3 years pastoring at a church in Pueblo West, Colorado. One of the nice things about Pueblo West, is that we would get some snow, but not a great amount; not enough to disturb your life.

Snow is one of God’s inventions that causes us to wonder; especially having been born and raised in Southern California, I did not experience much snow in my life. So it was intriguing to me when it snowed. But even more, it was intriguing to my son Tyler, who spent the first 3 years of his life in Colorado. And I remember the first time we let him go out and experience the snow for himself. He was about 1 at the time, and we got him all dressed up in his snow clothes. And then we went out to our front hard and played in the snow. He thought it was the greatest.

I loved watching the wonder that Tyler experienced during this time of playing. Kids have so much wonder in their being. But unfortunately, we lose much of this wonder as we get older. We get hardened towards life; and towards God. Today we are starting a series from the book Dangerous Wonder, by Mike Yaconelli. And I hope that through this series we will gain back some of the wonder God wants us to experience in life and faith.

I. The Obstacle of Dullness- (Matthew 16:24-25)

Wonder is about surrendering ourselves to those things of God, which we do

not understand. And really, these times of wonder are holy moments; moments where we are giving ourselves over to the presence of God. We should want a lifetime of these moments; a lifetime of wonder. Jesus challenged those around him to become more like children; children who have a great capacity to wonder. What would happen if we took Jesus’ advice? It might be dangerous in a sense, because we would have to stop letting the obstacles around us “squelch our wonder and steal our souls.”

To live in “dangerous wonder” we have to overcome some obstacles. The first obstacle is the obstacle of dullness. Dullness is a critical issue facing Christians today. Too many Christians have lost the sense of astonishment. We have lost the sense that the “Good News” of Jesus’ teaching is really good news. We think that it is okay news. Now why would I say that? Because if we really believed it was “good” news, then we would be offering it to all those around us who do not know about it.

Another part of the dullness of the Christian life is that Christianity is no longer “life changing.” People see their faith more as life enhancing. What is the difference? The difference is that for our faith to be life changing, we have to give ourselves totally over to the ways and teaching of God. As Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-25, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.’” But people don’t want to be a radical for Jesus anymore. They just want to be nicer. What happened to radical Christianity, the kind that turned the world upside-down?

A. W. Tozer said a long time ago: “Culture is putting out the light in men

and women’s souls.” Dullness is not just a religious issue, it is a cultural issue. Our entire culture has become dull in so many ways. People have lost the sparkle in their eyes in regards to life. Marriages have lost their passion; work has lost its meaning; and faith has lost its joy.

The Bible names this problem; SIN. Sin isn’t just turning our backs on God and God’s ways, it is turning our backs on the life God has created for us. The greatest enemy of Christianity isn’t those who don’t believe, but those who say they believe but who are no longer astonished and amazed by life. Jesus Christ didn’t just come to rescue us from sin, but to rescue us from listlessness and lostness. We have forgotten how to dance, and sing, and laugh. We have allowed technology to beat our imaginations into submission, and we have become tourists rather than travelers. This has led us to live a life of mediocrity.

II. The Obstacle of Dream Stealers- (Matthew 12:1-8)

The second obstacle is that of “dream stealers.” Somewhere along the way

the child has been chased out of us. It is usually done when others tell us what we “can’t do.”

Example- I have an uncle who is an artist. He is very skilled at drawing. But he tells me that when kids start out in drawing, we should not give them any limitations. He says that we shouldn’t make them stay within the lines, or draw things as we expect them to be. To do this limits their imagination and creativity, and steals away their ability to dream.

In many ways, our current form of schooling can be a dream stealer.

Story: There is a story of a high school student whose father was a horse trainer. Because the family had to follow the horse-racing season, the young boy had to change schools throughout the year. During his senior year he was asked to write a paper about what his dreams for the future were. His paper described his dream of owning a 200-acre horse ranch with stables and tracks, and a 4,000-square-foot home. He even drew a diagram of the property and the design of his house. When he got the paper back there was a big “F” on the front. When the boy sought out the teacher for an explanation, the teacher explained to the boy that his dream was “unrealistic.” The teacher said that if the boy re-wrote the paper with a much more realistic dream, he would reconsider the grade. The boy went home and discussed this with his father, who told his son it was his decision. The next day the boy went up to the teacher, and as he handed the paper to the teacher he said: “Here, you can keep the “F” and I will keep my dream!”

In the Bible, we see that the Pharisees were dream stealers. We see an example of this in our reading this morning, Matthew 12:1-8. Christ’s disciples, new to the faith, were excited about following Jesus. They were filled with a new awe and wonder to life and faith. One day they were hungry, and they began to pick food from the field to eat. Suddenly they are reprimanded by the Pharisees in verse 2: “When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, ‘Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.’” In essence, they were saying that religion is about rules and regulations, and that they were acting irresponsibly. THEY WERE BEING DREAM STEALERS.

Jesus puts it into perspective when He answers them in verse 8: “If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” In essence, Jesus is saying, “You can have your rules. I’ll keep giving people their dream of an adventurous faith.” CHRIST IS THE DREAM GIVER who wants us to listen to His dream for us, so we can run like children in the fields of His grace.

The challenge is to overcome the obstacles in the field that deafen us to God’s dreams for us, and try to keep us from an adventurous faith.

III. The Obstacle of Predictability- (Luke 12:1-5; Romans 1:20)

The third obstacle is that of predictability. In 1964, a French Christian

named Jacques Ellul predicted that the emergence of technology would alter the nature of life as we know it, just as the Industrial Revolution did. He looked at it this way: first there was man and nature, then there was man and machine, and then there was just machine. He believed that this new technology would lead us to the place where the machine would define humans. Human beings would be franchised, first by exterior cloning, and then by genetic cloning.

In many ways, he was right. Even genetic cloning is upon us. But cultural cloning is upon us, and it is harmful to our souls. Cultural cloning levels human personality and deifies predictability. Diversity begins to be less important, and no longer recognized as a strength in the culture. Sameness becomes the bottom line.

Predictability and faith cannot coexist. What characterized Jesus (and His disciples) was unpredictability. The things Jesus said and the things Jesus did was always surprising those around Him. He ate with sinners, hung around tax collectors, prostitutes, and lepers, and healed people on the Sabbath. In fact, when Jesus was present, everyone was uncomfortable because they didn’t know what to expect. Example- We read in Luke 12:1-5, “Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ²There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ³What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. ⁴I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. ⁵But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.’” Imagine being in the crowd, and Jesus starts to talk against the Pharisees. Wouldn’t that make you nervous? And then Jesus starts to talk about hell. Jesus had everyone on the edge of their seat.

If you take surprise out of faith, all you have left is dry, dead religion. And that is what Jesus came to change. Jesus came to bring back the mystery of being in a relationship with God. Jesus came to bring back the wonder of living a life guided by God. Jesus came to do away with the dreariness of rules without meaning, and to bring back the excitement of knowing and worshipping God. Jesus came to break off the aspect of sameness, and give us the freedom to experience God in so many ways. The apostle Paul says this in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” God is to be seen and experienced in all of His creation, including us His people!

IV. Recapturing our Dangerous Wonder- (Mark 4:35-41)

So, if we have lost the gleam in our eye, how do we get it back? We get it

back by deepening our relationship with God, through Jesus. When we stand

in the presence of God, we should stand there in awe. Many of you know the

song “I Could Only Imagine,” by Mercy Me; a song which talks about imagining

our reaction when we get to see God face to face. It goes like this:

“I could only imagine, What it would be like, When I walk by your side.

I could only imagine, What my eyes will see, When your face is before me.

I could only imagine.” *Chorus* “Surrounded by your glory, What will my heart fear,

Will I dance for you Jesus, Or in awe of You be still.

Will I stand in Your presence, To my knees will I fall, Will I sing hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all? I could only imagine; I could only imagine.”

Dangerous wonder is possible for us. You have to give yourself the okay to experience terror, awe, risk, amazement, fear, adventure, exhilaration, laughter, passion, when it comes to your relationship with God and this life He has given you.

Let me give you an example: Mark 4:35-41, “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.’ ³⁶Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don't you care if we drown?’ ³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. ⁴⁰He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ ⁴¹They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’” The Jesus of the Bible, the Jesus of reality, was a long way from dull. Jesus exhibited dangerous wonder. He was dangerous to the power structure, dangerous to the people who followed Him. He caused great awe and wonder in those around Him. He should cause great awe and wonder in you and me as well.

Conclusion: Dangerous wonder is a place where both children AND grownups can find God. It is a place devoid of dull people and dream stealers. It is a place that has to be discovered again; a place of risky curiosity, wild abandon, daring playfulness, quiet listening, happy terror, and naïve grace. It is a place where we discover again our uniqueness and creativity. It is a place where we dare to imagine what God might imagine; a dream that seems too unrealistic.

In a day when most of us are tired, worn-out, thirsty, and starving for life and joy and peace, maybe it is time to become child-like again. Maybe it’s time to play in the snow again. Maybe it is time to live in the dangerous wonder of faith. I pray that today’s sermon has wet your appetite for what we will be talking about over the next few weeks, so that we can wake ourselves up to the wonderful life and faith that God wants us to experience, this day and every day. Amen.

"Looking for a Better Place"

Hebrews 11:13-16

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Introduction: The Declaration of Independence starts out: “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..”

When many of the people came to America, they came to seek out a better place to live; a place that would allow them to worship God in freedom, and to live life the way God created us to live. These people didn’t believe they could find this in Europe, under the oppression of their king and government.

As we look further at Hebrews, chapter 11, we see how the text recalls a number of stories of the Old Testament saints, and their experiences with faith. I want to focus on the story of Abraham and Sarah, and God’s call on them to “Go to the land I will show you…” God was going to take them to a better place.

I. Looking for Something More- (Matthew 6:19-21, 13:44-45;

Hebrews 11:13-16)

a. Treasures of heaven- One aspect of the story of Abraham and

Sarah that we need to understand is that God’s ways are not our ways. You see, the life of faith makes us long for that which we do not have. Remember last week how we talked about having a faith that leads us to hope for what we don’t have and what we cannot see. But this longing needs to be for that which this world cannot offer. Meaning, that we have longings in us: a longing to be happy; a longing to be safe; a longing to be secure; a longing to have provisions; a longing for peace.

But these longings will only be fully satisfied by the things of heaven, not the things of earth. That is why Jesus told us in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The treasures in heaven opens our hearts to the possibilities of beauty and connectedness and love that relationships in this physical world will never be able to supply.

In speaking of the saints, Hebrews 11 talks about Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And then we read in Hebrews 11:13-16, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. ¹⁴People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

These saints understood that this life on earth was temporary, and that the ultimate promise of God would not be fulfilled until they were in heaven. So, from a distance, the distance of earth to heaven, they longed for this better place, knowing that they were aliens on this earth.

b. Ultimate fulfillment- The writer of Hebrews wants to put the

whole concept of death in perspective. God made many promises to Abraham and Sarah, and some of them (like the birth of Isaac) were realized. But they died before many of them came to be. Not all the promises were fulfilled. So we wonder, why didn’t God fulfill them all? Did God give up on Abraham and Sarah? I will talk about some of these unfulfilled promises in a minute.

Example- Have you ever thought about how we can call “Good Friday” good? I mean, Good Friday is the day that Jesus Christ was killed; crucified on the cross. How could the death of Jesus be a good day? It is a good day because without Jesus’ death, we would not be able to have freedom from our sinful nature here on this earth. But even more, we would not be able to have eternal life in heaven with God. So Jesus’ death is good because it makes our death good. When we die, we can know that we will go to heaven; that place where all God’s promises are fulfilled.

In Matthew 13:44-45 we read these words from Jesus: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. ⁴⁵"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Or Jesus telling the rich man that his riches were keeping him from heaven, and that he needed to sell them and give to the poor. Jesus is telling us here that heaven is worth more than anything we have on this earth; it is worth selling all that we have to attain it.

The author of Hebrews wants us to understand that death is actually a doorway that leads us to the great gifts life can’t provide. When we have faith, we become aware of a myriad of possibilities. And the further we venture into our understanding of God and the things of God, the more we realize that our longings can’t be fully fulfilled in this life here on earth. But in heaven, they can be fulfilled.

Did you catch that? We will have ultimate fulfillment in heaven!

It comes down to understanding that God has more for us than just what we experience here on earth. I don’t know about you, but I am glad for this.

II. No Turning Back- (Hebrews 11:13; Matthew 14:13-21; John 6:68)

a. Don’t give in- I believe Alpha to be a wonderful study. We have

been doing it now for almost 8 years, and I have seen so many people come to a fuller understanding of their faith and the teachings of the Bible. But it also has led people to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to become more secure in their faith, and excited about their faith.

But unfortunately, I have also seen a number of people who come seeking, and yet go away to fade back into their old way of living. Even though their old way of living is not satisfying, it is familiar and comfortable. Somehow, the teaching of Jesus, and the Bible, seems too challenging for them; too overwhelming to implement in their lives.

One of the great lessons we learn from Abraham and Sarah (and the other saints here in Hebrews 11), is that they refuse to go back. They could have done so. Abraham and Sarah could have chosen to go back to Ur. It would have been tempting. Ur was a fertile region with an advanced culture. They could have left their journey and gone back to the kind of life they had before. But they rejected this option.

If we are going to be a Christian, then we need to refuse to go back as well. When the Christian journey gets hard and confusing, we can’t give up. We can’t stop and say: “I’m done with this. Following Jesus doesn’t seem to work. I’m getting off this narrow road and back onto the broad road. I’m going to go back to being selfish, and focus more on myself than on God!”

It is interesting to me to see how people seem to forget that there are struggles apart from Jesus as well. Life without Jesus isn’t a life free of hardship. In fact, in many ways, the hardships are greater. And what’s more, the hardships, the struggles, the trials have to be faced without Jesus being there for you. Why would anyone think that it is better to go back to a life without Jesus?

The writer of Hebrews tells us in 11:13- “All of these people were still living by faith…” The saints were faithful to live by faith; to stay true to their call from God; to not give up when things got hard; to not give up believing in God’s promises.

b. It’s about relationship- There’s a reason that the saints didn’t give

up. It is because going back wasn’t so much an issue of geography, but of the breaking of a relationship. They couldn’t just go back to the land where they started. They had been called by God. And when they agreed to this call, they were entering into a relationship with God. Going back would have meant losing intimacy with the One who called them on the journey.

The reason Abraham was in the Promised Land was because when God said to go there, God promised to be Abraham’s companion along the way. To go back would have meant that Abraham would have had to leave the presence of God. And even though life was chaotic on this journey with God’s presence, imagine what life would be like without God’s presence.

This truth is true for us as well. God calls you and me on a journey just like God called Abraham and Sarah. It may not require us physically leaving the place that we live, but it does require for us to step out in ways that God leads us. As we seek to live out this call, God walks with us. And as the journey goes forward, our relationship with God gets deeper. So, for us to turn back, means that we would have to leave this relationship with God; we would be choosing to live our life without God’s intimate presence.

One story that is included in all four of the gospels is that of the feeding of the 5,000. This story is one of the great miracles of the New Testament. Let’s read it from the Matthew passage (Matthew 14:13-21)- “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. ¹⁵As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ ¹⁶Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ ¹⁷‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. ^18‘Bring them here to me,’ he said. ¹⁹And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”

Of course, people are astonished at this miracle, and when Jesus leaves, a great many people follow Him. As they follow Him, He begins to teach them, and challenge them. But after hearing Jesus’ teaching, most of them depart, because they hadn’t entered into a relationship with Jesus; they were just caught up with His miracles. Jesus then turns to the disciples in John 6:68 and says: “You do not want to go away also, do you?” To which Peter says: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.”

In faith, we have to believe this, that Jesus has words of eternal life; that Jesus is God in the flesh come to be in relationship with us; that Jesus will walk with us in all of life.

III. A Place For Us- (Hebrews 11:16; John 14:2-3)

a. The City of God- And so, as we walk on the journey with God, we

have to understand that the ultimate destination is not here on earth, but in heaven. Hebrews 11:16 talks of the “city of God.” This city is the “one” city that will be lasting, since its architect and builder is God.

Think about this, as Abraham and Sarah traveled around, they had to live in tents; they had to live in cities that were not theirs. And yet, these cities are no more. These cities have long passed. There is only one city that is eternal; the city that is in heaven.

At the end of verse 16 we come across the phrase “for them.” What a wonderful phrase that is. God has prepared this city with His children in mind.

Example- If you have ever built something for yourself, or done any remodeling in your house, you know that you take great care and time to make it perfect. And yet, in time, you might want to make more changes. You never can seem to get it just right. There is no such thing as perfect in this world.

In the dwelling made for us by God, it will be perfect, because it is made by a perfect God. As Jesus said in John 14:2-3, “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” In these words we should have great excitement, because Jesus is going to prepare a place for you, and for me!! It is going to be the best possible place for us, and it will last forever. All the things we have hoped for, all the things we have longed for are being prepared for us.

And in all of this, we can know that God believes in us. Listen again to these words in Hebrews 11:16- “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God…” God is not ashamed to be our God. God loves us; God delights in us; God welcomes us into His holy eternal city, and wants us to live in His presence.

b. Going home- Illus. There’s an old story about Franklin Delano

Roosevelt, who was returning to the United States by ship. He was surrounded by a great many people (security and other political figures). When the ship docked in New York City, there was great fanfare with military guards, reporters taking pictures, a band playing “Hail to the Chief.” On this same ship was a missionary couple who had retired, and were returning home after many years of giving their lives serving God overseas. They were the last ones off the ship. As they came down the gangway and onto the dock, they noticed that everyone had left. The husband turned to his wife, and with sadness in his voice said: “We have given our lives to God, and there is not one person here to welcome us home. No one even knows we are home!” But his wife turned to him and said: “There is a welcoming waiting for us. We just aren’t home yet.”

As Christians, we live in an interesting balance; a balance between what we are called to do here on earth, and the life we will experience when we get to heaven. In many ways, this life here on earth is a preparation for our lives in heaven. We are called to serve God and give praise to God through our lives here. We will serve God and give praise to God in heaven as well.

We need to realize that there is no way that God can give us everything He has prepared for us here. There is another place, another world, where things are different. And the longer we live, the more we long for this place, this city, where the foundations and all that are in it are built by God. It is built to last; to last for eternity. And it is prepared for all who believe in Jesus Christ as their savior.

This does not mean that our lives here on earth is meaningless. They are very meaningful. And the more we follow God’s call to “love our neighbors as ourselves,” the more meaningful it will be. LAST WEEK we gave a picnic for the women and children from the WomenShelter of Long Beach. It was a magnificent time of giving to those who had needs. One little girl, age 9, expressed how it was the first picnic she had ever been to!! The happiness and love shown on the faces of these mothers and children were priceless.

Conclusion: So how will we live now? Will we live as faithful sojourners, enjoying this world God has placed us in, and anticipating the world to come?

Going back to Matthew 6:19, we remember that Jesus knew it was important for our minds to be on heaven, even though our bodies are on this earth. The apostle Paul challenged us with similar words in Colossians 3:1-2, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” The better place for us to live is in the thoughts of God. If we set our minds on the things of God, then we will live a much better life here, and we will be much more prepared for the life that is to come. Let us commit to do this today and always. Amen.

"What is Faith"

Hebrews 11:1-3

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Introduction: The Apostles Creed says: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.”

The creed was originally written around 180 A. D. to combat Marcion. Marcion believed that Jesus Christ revealed a good God of love and mercy, but that He was not the Messiah; He was not God in the flesh; He was not the savior of the world. Marcion’s beliefs became a movement that lasted several centuries. All along time, Christians have been challenged in their beliefs. What are we to believe? What is faith? Using Hebrews 11:1-3, I want to look into just that this morning.

I. Assurance of things hoped for- (Hebrews 11:1; Matthew 7:7-8;

Psalm 37:4; James 4:3; Hebrews 9:27; John 14:1-3, 13)

a. Earthly hope- Hebrews 11:1 starts out by telling us that the faith

we have in God allows our lives to be founded in hope. Now we can hope for many things: we can hope for a better job; I can hope for Tyler to do well hitting; we can hope for our problems to go away. Hoping for something in some ways can be like wishing for something to happen. This is not the hope that is being talked about here. The hope that faith brings us is a knowing of something that will come to pass.

Even though the future is uncertain, the faith the writer of Hebrews talks about, can be counted on because it rests in God. God who created the world. God, who showed His love and concern for us by sending His Son Jesus so that we could have eternal life. This is the God on whom our faith rests, on whom our future rests.

Our faith then is on God, and on what God determines. That means that our faith rests in the will of God. For Example- You might read the verses in Matthew 7:7-8, which says: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” This verse makes it sound like anything we ask for from God will be given to us; anything we hope for in faith, God will do.

However, we need to be careful not to take the Bible (or Jesus’ words) out of context. It needs to be balanced with the whole truth of the Bible. So let’s turn over to the gospel of John, 14:13, where Jesus says: “I will do whatever you ask in my name….” Sounds the same as what Jesus said in Matthew; right? But the verse continues, “…so that the Father may be glorified.” Let’s list 2 more scriptures to put everything in balance: Psalm 37:4- “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” And James 4:3, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” So, as we put these verses all together, we see that we are to have faith that God is a God who desires to bring His will into our lives, and when we believe and trust, and ask in faith, we can have hope that God will work out for us what is best for our lives, and for His kingdom. Our faith assures the future of our lives; it benefits our tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.

b. Eternal hope- But this faith also gives us hope into the eternal

future. We are told in Hebrews 9:27 that we are destined to die once. Death is a certainty. But it can actually be something that we look forward to. The apostle Paul looked forward to it. He talked about wanting to be with God in heaven, but knowing that it was good to be here on the earth as long as God still had work for him to do.

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can look forward to the life we will live in heaven after our life here on earth is done! We can be assured of what is promised to us about heaven. That is why Jesus said in John 14:1-3, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. ²In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Illus. There is a story of a man who was talking to his doctor, worried about the fact that he would be dying soon. He asked the doctor: “How can I know what heaven will be like?” The doctor thought for a moment, and then responded: “We can’t know exactly what heaven is like; but we don’t need to worry.” At this he heard his dog scratching on the other side of the door. He looked at the man, and a thought crossed his mind: “My dog doesn’t know what is in this room, but he hears my voice, and knows that I am here. Because I am here, he wants to be in here with me. We know that Jesus is waiting for us on the other side. That should give us hope enough!”

Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that we can say no to despair, because we have hope of the wonderful blessings God can and will do in and through our lives. But we also have great hope because we know the eternal future in store for us. We can know that someday, we will talk to Jesus about our lives. Because of this hope, we should choose wisely in how we live in the present.

II. Convictions of things not seen- (Hebrews 11:1; John 16:5-7, 12-14;

1 Corinthians 2:10-12, 16; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 53:4-7)

a. The invisible present- The writer of Hebrews goes on to talk about

how we can not only have hope for our future, but we can be certain about our future. Even though the things that have not happened are unseen, we can be certain about them.

There are things in this world that are unseen; angels, demons, God’s power, the Holy Spirit. We cannot prove scientifically that they exist. But by faith we can be certain that they exist. Through the Bible, and through experiences, we have information about them. For example, the Bible talks about our bodies being a temple for the Holy Spirit; through God’s Spirit, God lives in us. We can’t prove this, but it is important. How is it important? It is important for 2 reasons:

1. It is important because we can receive revelation from God. One of the

greatest aspects of our relationship with God, is that God can speak to us.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12, 16- “But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” We can know that God’s Holy Spirit is real in many ways, but one of the most profound, is how God speaks to us through His Spirit!

2. But a second reason of importance for having God’s Spirit within us is

that we can know the will of God. The Christian life is best lived when we allow God to guide us and lead us; when we live in the way God designed for us to live. That is why Jesus made sure His disciples understood (and that we understand as well) that when He left this earth, we wouldn’t be alone. In John 16:5-7, 12-14, Jesus says: “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' ⁶Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. ⁷But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you… I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”

There are many things in this world we cannot see, but by faith we believe.

b. The invisible future- Likewise, there are many possibilities of the

future that have not happened, but can. The future is indeed invisible. The prophets of the Old Testament regularly prophesied about what would happen in the future. And their prophesies all came true, because they were from God.

Example- Just the life of Jesus Himself had many prophesies foretold.

1. Where Jesus would be born what foretold in Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem

Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

2. Jesus death was foretold in Isaiah 53:4-7, “Surely he took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. ⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”

How Jesus would keep His mouth shout and not offer a defense; how He would be pierced in His side; How He would be punished and led like a lamb to a slaughter; these were all foretold in the past, but it was a certainty that they would come true….. The future of our life is a certainty when we trust in God.

We will be blessed by God; We will receive God’s love and

forgiveness; We will be used by God to make a difference for the kingdom of God;

We will experience joy in this life; We will have meaning to our life!

III. By Faith we understand- (Hebrews 11:3; Colossians 1:26)

The writer of Hebrews then goes on to tell us, in Hebrews 11:3, “By faith we

understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” It is faith that helps us to understand the things of God. That is why the apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 1:26, “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.”

The saints; those who believe in Christ, are able to understand the mysteries of God. That is why it is impossible for people who are not Christians to really understand the Bible. That is why there are so many who don’t know Christ, who also question God’s existence. They don’t understand the mysteries of God.

And the truth is, that God doesn’t always disclose His mysteries in the ways we might imagine. We don’t always find understanding by the normal means.

Example- There is a movie called “Evan Almighty,” starring Steve Carrell. In this movie, Evan goes from being a newscaster, to a Senator. But then Evan is chosen by God to do be a modern day Noah. So Evan is called upon to build an ark. In building this ark, he is seen by everyone around him (including his family) as being crazy. People can’t understand why he is building this ark. His wife begins to doubt their future together, and takes the kids and leaves for a while. But then she gets a visit from God (although she doesn’t know it is God), and God gives her some important insight. IN THIS SCENE, GOD (played by Morgan Freeman) SHARES SOME IMPORTANT THOUGHTS WITH EVAN’S WIFE… Let’s see the clip.

When we pray to God for us to have patience, God doesn’t just give us patience. God wants us to understand about patience first, so He gives us situations that lead us to learn how to be patient. By faith, as we understand about patience, we are then able to live it out in our lives. You see, there is so much of life that we cannot see, but we won’t understand it, until in faith we seek God and ask Him to show it to us.

Unfortunately, so many people, because they can’t see God, and can’t understand God, think that life is random. They believe that we were randomly made by some “big bang,” and then from there on, things just happen. In faith, we can understand that this is not true; we can believe in, and understand how everything is so intimately connected, because it was created by an intimate God.

Conclusion: Hebrews 11:1-3, gives us a wonderful definition of faith. Faith is believing in a God who is inseen. Faith is believing that this world was created by an unseen God. Faith is knowing that as God gives you hope, you can be sure that it will come to pass. Faith is believing, even when you can’t see how it can be done. Faith is hearing the word of God, and letting it percolate in your mind, but only as long as it takes to make it to your heart.

And yet, even though faith seems to come from that which is unseen and unknown, there is a way that our faith is proven to be true. And the way of proof is when God is faithful in answering His promises. If you are like me, God has come through as I have trusted in Him; God has helped me to understand when I struggled to understand; God has led me forward when I wasn’t sure where I needed to go. And in all of this, my faith is not only lived out, but justified. Let us give thanks to God, who helps us to have faith, live by faith, and trust in faith. Amen.

"The Need for Endurance"
Hebrews 10:32-39
Sunday, April 13, 2008

Introduction: Imagine a long distance runner, who has run much of the race, but still has a ways to go, and asks himself the question: “Do I have what it takes to finish the race?” Most Christians will go through times like this in their lives, where they are frustrated, or overwhelmed, or in a period of doubt, and they wonder what it will take for them to finish the race and stay strong in their faith.

Illustration: In 1972, during the Olympic Marathon race, Frank Shorter was an American who had a real shot at winning the race. Americans don’t usually do that well in marathon races, but this year he was one of the favorites. As the race was nearing the end, Frank Shorter was not only winning the race, he was crushing the field; he was ahead by more than a half a mile, running by himself way out in front of the field. Frank was almost finished, as he ran through the tunnel, into the stadium, and out onto the track to the finish line. But before he got onto the track, an imposter came out of the tunnel and ran onto the track. The crowd knew this was an imposter, and began to boo, just as Frank Shorter ran out of the tunnel. Imagine what he felt, being the leader of the race, in the highlight of his career, expecting cheers from the crowd, and instead getting boos!! Of course, the boos weren’t for him, but he didn’t know this at first.

The Christian walk is often like this. The Bible tells us that the angels are cheering us on, but we can’t see them, and the silence often times feels like boos; it can be quite disheartening. This morning I want to talk about the need for perseverance, and how God can and does give us a persevering spirit.

I. Narrow is the Road- (Hebrews 10:32-36; Matthew 7:13-14;

Romans 5:3-5; Galatians 6:9)

a. The need for perseverance- Researchers describe a phenomenon

that takes place in distance running. They have discovered that the liver and muscles make something called “glycogen” which helps with short -term energy. This energy in the glycogen is readily accessible in the human body, especially in a well-conditioned athletes. But they have also found out that in a marathon race (which is 26 miles long), the glycogen runs out at about the 20-mile mark. This is what is referred to as “hitting the wall;” it is the point where an athlete feels like they can’t continue, and they have to will themselves to persevere in the race.

EX. Jim Foster, from the missionary family we help to support, participated in the biggest cycle race in the world held in Cape Town, South Africa back in March. It was quite the experience; listen to Jim’s description of his experience.

“What an experience! Over 31,000 cyclists take part in this 109 kilometer cycle race over very mountainous and beautiful terrain on the Southern Peninsula of South Africa. I was one of the last groups to start (at 9:42) with a group of about 800 other cyclists. Each group of approx. 700-800 cyclists takes off 5 minutes apart from the city center starting at 6:45 in the morning. Never having spent more than 2 1/2 hours on my bike at a time (and 50 kilometers being the furthest I have ridden), I set out to complete the 109 kilometer course. The start of a race is always exhilerating with the anticipation and excitement in the air. The first 20-30 kilometers were enjoyable as I just took it easy knowing I would need my energy for some tough hills later in the race. Then, towards the middle, I started to realize that the seat of my mountain bike was just not built for comfort. Ouch! Talk about saddle sore! Then, on the third ascent of some very tough climbs, I also realized that my legs were just not used to so many loooooong hills! That 5-minute climb up the hill to our house -where I trained - was a bunny slope compared to these 20-30 minute climbs. About three hours into the race (and only halfway there), I started to wonder if I was going to make it. About 60 kilometers into the race, I started to notice cyclists just falling over as is if somebody had pushed them over. What must have been dehydration (as it was a warm day of about 80 degrees) or just fatigue was taking its toll as I must have seen 6 or 7 cyclists succomb to the fatigue. Several times, I noticed the ambulance speed by to pick up one of the many cyclists who needed medical attention. I also noticed a van going around picking up cyclists who had admitted defeat or were unable to continue. What a temptation to hitch a ride! But I just kept telling myself "You can do this! I will finish! I will finish!" Even if it takes me all day. About 4 hours and 65 kilometers into the race, I came to Chapmans Peak! This ascent up the cliffs along the coast was both breathtaking and an exhausting 30 minute climb. But, reaching the top was a fantastic reward as I stopped to take in the scenery and enjoy my accomplishment. On my way up each hill, I just kept reminding myself that the downhill was coming. And what a blessing the downhills were! The last major hill, Suikerbossie, was a dreaded hill and many cyclists were forced to just walk their bikes to the top. However, I got my second wind and sped to the top knowing there were no more major hills before the finish line.

In fact, I managed to really pick up the pace for the last 10 k's or so and finish faster than I started. Although I finished in a very slow 6 and 1/2 hours, I was just happy to have enjoyed the day and make it to the finish line. After all, it wasn't about winning but finishing. And it really was an enjoyable day! Come join me next year if you are looking for an adventure!”

b. The reward for perseverance- In Hebrew 10:32-35, the writer of

Hebrews says: “But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations…Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward…”

For many people, when they first become Christians, or for those who have been Christians all their life and they get to a point to where their faith becomes really meaningful to their life, there is an excitement. Even though there is sufferings (maybe from your family not wanting you to be a Christian, maybe from your co-workers wondering why you aren’t that partier any more, maybe from people around you not wanting to hear about Jesus), these tribulations and reproaches don’t bother you so much, because of this enthusiasm for this new life you have found in Christ.

But in time, as the sufferings and struggles go on, and you wonder why being a Christian hasn’t made them all just go away, you start to get frustrated. It is the equivalent of “hitting the wall” for the Christian faith. What are we to do at this point when we hit the wall? You see, the course has gotten tougher because we have chosen to go down the narrower path, as Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” It is like the difference of running a 5k race, or a marathon. At least that is how it seems as we are trying to stay on the narrow road. The narrow road is where we make the choices that cost us having to give up some things, in order to follow the path that will lead us to heaven, and make the lives of all of those around us better.

We just heard how Jim had persevered. He had gotten to that point of “hitting the wall” and had to push through. One of the things that helped him was the idea of the reward for finishing. To him, just finishing was a reward!

But the writer of Hebrews also talks of the reward that comes from our confidence. When we are excited about our faith, we have confidence in the choices we are making, and confident in the understanding that Jesus will use us. There is great reward in this confidence, because the confidence allows us to move forward with determination and energy.

Once we realize that this spiritual “glycogen” has run out, we have to push through toward the finish line. How can I forgive this person time after time after time? How can I continue in this job that seems to drain me; why isn’t God giving me another job? How come it seems that God isn’t hearing my prayers? The apostle Paul gives us some important words in Romans 5:3-5, “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Or Galatians 6:9- “Let us not lose heart in doing good…” By persevering, and by doing good, we will be blessed by God’s love and by God’s blessings.

II. No Shrinking Back- (Hebrews 10:37-39, 2 Corinthians 5:17;

Hebrews 9:11-14; 1 Peter 3:15; Matthew 25:21)

Let us read Hebrews 10:37-39 again: “For in just a very little while, ‘He who

is coming will come and will not delay. ³⁸But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’ ³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”

a. Fear- The writer of Hebrews reminds us that there are things in

this world that cause us to be afraid; and this fear causes us to shrink back.

1. Fears of our past life- One aspect of the fear comes from

us having to deal with our past life. While 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” But we still have those moments where the old comes back and haunts us. (The abuse we had in the past; the addictions we had in the past; the failures we had in the past.) These all come forth and remind us of who we were in the past.

To walk down the narrow road, we have to stand up to our past. We have to believe that Jesus will come and help us overcome. Last Sunday, in our adult Sunday school class, we talked about an aspect of this in Hebrews 9:11-14, “When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. ¹²He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

What is being said here is that now that Jesus has come once, and given Himself as a sacrifice for us on the cross, we can have clean consciences. The forgiveness we receive through Jesus Christ not only takes away our sin, but is there to take away the guilt and fear of our sin as well!! Amen.

2. Fears of standing up for Jesus- But there is also the fear

of standing up for Jesus. We are told in 1 Peter 3:15, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

And yet the idea of doing this brings fear to many people. To do this we only need to be prepared to tell of the difference Christ has made in our lives, and why this gives us hope.

The writer of Hebrews tells us “in just a very little while.” This phrase means that we have to wait on Jesus to act. Jesus will be faithful, and will be there for us, but sometimes the waiting is hard; sometimes the waiting causes us to be fearful; sometimes the waiting causes us to doubt. (When will this reward come?) Of course we know that the ultimate reward is heaven, and this reward of heaven helps us to overcome our fear. But there will be earthly rewards along the way as well.

b. Having faith- This is where having faith comes in. We are told in

Hebrews 10:39 that we are “not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but those who believe and are saved.” Let’s go back to Jim Foster’s bike ride. As he went through the ride, he was having periods of doubt that he would finish. Listen again to a couple of his quotes: “About three hours into the race (and only halfway there), I started to wonder if I was going to make it.” AND “I noticed a van going around picking up cyclists who had admitted defeat or were unable to continue. What a temptation to hitch a ride!”

Knowing Jim like I do, I’m sure that he didn’t rely on his own strength. He even admitted that he hadn’t ridden more than 50 kilometers, and this race was 109! Jim knew that God was with Him, and that God had given him a persevering spirit; a spirit which allowed him to carry on to the finish line even when he struggled to feel the confidence to do so.

Sometimes the best advice comes from those who have suffered through what doesn’t work, and passes it on to you, like this wisdom we receive from children:

“Don’t change horses…until they stop running.” “Strike while the…bug is close.” “You can’t teach an old dog….new math.” “If you lie down with the dogs…you’ll stink in the morning.” “Laugh, and the whole world laughs with you. Cry…and you have to blow your nose.” “You can lead a horse to water…but how?” “When the blind lead the blind…get out of the way.”

The Christian life is pictured in the book of Hebrews as a long, demanding race. But the writer of Hebrews is also giving us advice from experience. It is advice that has come from one who has followed Jesus, who has experienced struggles and tribulations, and has experienced the reward of faithfully following.

Having faith, is about understanding that God calls us to live for Him, and not for ourselves. Having faith, is about giving of ourselves to others. Having faith, is about having an enduring spirit. And with this faith, will come the words “well done.” In the gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, we read of the parable of the talents. We have talked about this a few times over the last few months, but I want to remind you of one particular verse; Matthew 25:21, which says, “His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” The master said this not so much because the servant doubled his money, but because he took what was given to him, and in faith ventured forward!

Conclusion: I believe the race that Jim rode in South Africa gives us a good under-standing of the race of faith. God doesn’t see it as a race in time. It took Jim over 6 hours to finish. He was not in any of the leader categories. But he finished. He finished with excitement; he finished with praise for God; he finished with determination. When we get to heaven, God isn’t going to look at us and judge us for our speed; or for our numbers; or for our so-called “success.” God will look at our faith, and our confidence in Him, and our persevering spirit.

Having a persevering spirit is about rejecting the temptation to quit or to shrink back. It is the ability to trust God for the strength to keep running after we have “hit the wall.” It is knowing that the angels in heaven are cheering us on (and hopefully some people down here on earth as well). It is having the understanding that we have a reward in heaven after we have lived the life to which God calls us. Let us receive this persevering spirit from God this day. Amen.