Hebrews 10:25

Take a coal away from the fire and it cools down quickly.

Heb. 11:1-3 and 12:1-3

Faith and Witnesses

- The epistle was meant to be circulated; author unknown; New Cov. is superior to Old Cov.; Jesus is our High Priest

- The passage is not abstract or philosophical--it was hammered out in the throes of stress

- This lesson warns against apathy in severe testing; exercise your faith; it demonstrates to the reading Jew that salvation is by faith, not works; it uses the OT to do so

- Ch. 11 defines faith; Ch. 12 exhorts to the act of faith

- Substance: uposthsiV--foundation

- Moulton and Milligan report its use as a legal term. They say that it stands for "the whole body of documents bearing on the ownership of a person's property, deposited in archives, and forming the evidence of ownership." They suggest the translation, "Faith is the title-deed of things hoped for." In the case of this first-century Jew, his act of faith in Messiah as High Priest would be the title-deed (Eph. 2:8-9) which God would give him, guaranteeing to him the possession of the salvation for which he trusted God. (Wuest, p. 193)

-No-one is an atheist

-Evolution by faith

-Hope=future, evidence (used in papyri in legal proofs of accusations) =present

-(11:3) God created ex-nihilo--matter can neither be created nor destroyed, only changed

-(11:6) Marvin Vincent: "Faith apprehends as a real fact what is not revealed to the senses. It rests on that fact, acts upon it, and is upheld by it in the face of all that rises to contradict it. Faith is real seeing.

-My faith was once replace by fact. Now fact just strengthens my faith

- Wherefore--those in Ch. 11 notorious for their faith, not works (Rahab)

-Cloud--Homer: "A cloud of footmen, a cloud of Trojans" (mass of living beings)--showing the reader salvation is by faith (as it was in the lives of other recorded) not works

-Witness: marturei; Persecution was a genuine threat; reveals who has faith; Nero (64)/Decius/Diocletian--Church grew under persecution; According to Thieleman J. van Braght (Martyrs Mirror, p. 79) at the time of Nero Christians were 1. dressed in the skins of wild beasts and torn to pieces by wild animals, 2. fastened alive on crosses, 3. were used as candles, torches, or lanterns, to see by them at night; obtained a good report-marturei

- 1 Cor 9:24-25

-gumnoV-naked

-wrestlers and water

-me running with sweats

-what are some weights?

- Looking unto Jesus: cradle-crown (cross?)

- Author and finisher: author: arcegon--the first to lead; finisher: teleioio--on cross

- Jesus looked beyond the cross; suicide counseling and flying above the clouds; set down--pf. Tense

Reasons to Run

Heb. 11:39-12:2

Intro: Illustr. 32

1. Divine Recognition--"These were commended"

OER; There is really only one person you must please--One person in front of Whom you will ultimately stand and give an account

We see the acts, He sees the faith (Ja. 2:14; 1 Sam. 16:7; Job 13:15, "yet will I trust in Him")

2. Delayed Gratification--"None received the promises"

They call it the marshmallow test. A researcher gives this choice to a 4-year-old: "I am leaving for a few minutes to run an errand and you can have this marshmallow while I am gone, but if you wait until I return, you can have two marshmallows."

Researchers at Stanford University ran that test in the 1960s. A dozen years later, they restudied the same children and found that those who had grabbed the single marshmallow tended to be more troubled as adolescents. Astonishingly, the one-marshmallow kids also scored an average of 210 points less on SAT tests. U.S. News & World Report, October 2, 1995, p. 88

Heb. 11:13/24-26 (Moses)

God's plan interviened (In His time; child and knitting an Afgan)

Something better for us--Jn. 10:10

Together with us--they had to wait, yet look at their faith

They have their reward (Mt. 6:16)

3. Maximum Participation--"Let us Run"

We are surrounded by examples (Heb. 11:1 ff; pacing you)

Lay aside the weight (my pushup run)

Run with patience (Gal. 5:22)

4. Focused Visualization--"Look at Christ"

Don't look at the waves (Mt. 14:28-30; 2 Cor. 4:17-18; the weeds choked the seeds)

Author/Finisher of our faith (Rom. 2:4; It is finished)

Endured the cross (crucifixion account; could've stopped but for His love for you; "take this cup")

For the joy set before Him--fellowship with you

Despised the Shame--didn't concern Him that He would be embarrassed

Set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Concl: Illustr. 32

Preaching portion: Heb. 12:6

Subject: Correction

Theme/Proposition: How does God correct us?

Introduction:

1A Word-2 Tim. 3:16

2A Woodshed-Heb. 12:6

1B vv. 9&10--For their own pleasure ("This hurts me more than it hurts you")

3A Wooden Box-1 Cor. 11:30/1 Jn. 5:16

1B Acts 5--Annanias and Sapphira

Conclusion:

On "911?" dog nudged deaf boy back from train tracks. When you are engaging in sin and feel that gentle nudge of God, respond.

It may be something a friend says, something you see, a song you hear--respond.