Persevere in Jesus LESSON XXI

REVIEW Let Us Persevere in Christ – Three main questions 1.Christ – Who is He? – Who is He not? 2.Us – What is our relation to Christ and God? – What should we do? 3.Persevere! – What does that look like?

REVIEW God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:1-4 NKJ)

So Far... All things made NEW. – In Chapters 8 & 9 the author introduces the New Covenant the Old Covenant is still in the background – New Covenant, New service for God In a NEW Place: a Heavenly Tabernacle; not made with hands (9:24)—not of this creation (9:11) – (that is: new for ministry on our direct behalf in that place) A NEW sacrifice A NEW Testament: a will, not one that creates a nation, but one that opens the Kingdom—creates a Church. A NEW way to offer the new Offering (Christ); one time. A NEW way to understand the OT figures in light of Christ. and NOW, going forward in the NEW way!

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

Hope We are in the cloud: – the cloud is incomplete without all Whom Christ saves. – We should consider that all these Holy ones are our peers in the faith. They are with Christ, and if we are with Christ, they are also with us. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (11:39-2 NKJ)

Hope “Cloud” – this particular word is only used here in the NT. – It’s used 25 others times in the LXX (the Septuagint), only in the Wisdom Literatuer (Ps. 103, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job) Mostly in Job It’s used as a picture for many different things in Job, but notably – God is said twice to speak directly to Job out of the whirlwind and clouds. only in the LXX, not in the Hebrew. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (11:39-2 NKJ)

Hope “Cloud” – This image reflects the idea of the witness of faith from the Saints of chapter 11 and from us. God speaks through our witness. – our witness isn’t perfect yet, but His voice can be heard more clearly in our conduct and attitudes everyday we walk with Him. So we have a cloud of witnesses speaking His word to us, – and we ought to join them in that witness of faith. – That covers the horizontal dimension (our relation to those around us) And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (11:39-2 NKJ)

Hope “Cloud” – There is yet one above and ahead of us (the vertical dimension). – He is also before us, the author and finisher of our (along with all the Saints of chapter 11) FAITH. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (11:39-2 NKJ)

Hope The Race: – A Pauline image indeed Especially the verb, which Paul characteristically uses of making progress in the faith. – (See 1 Cor. 9:24-26; Gal. 2:2, 5:7; & Phil 2:16) It’s hard to run when you’re carrying a lot of stuff – The Biggest Loser’s Last Race » In one of their last races of every season, they have to run carrying the weight they lost. – So among that cloud of witnesses, we race forward to Jesus: the Alpha and the Omega The Creator and Inheriter of all things. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Hope Under Fire – We know that God created all things and sustains all things. – Everything that’s happening is being sustained by the word of Christ’s power. – Therefore nothing happens without the Lord, even the bad things. He does not do evil, but He is sovereign over it. So here’s how to understand those situations – We’re in the ‘big Time-Out’ – Sometimes it’s HORRIBLE, – we don’t always do something wrong to deserve what happens but on this side of perfect sanctification, we always are something wrong upon which God can mysteriously impove through suffering. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hope Since we have a cloud of witnesses – (those who have gone before us, succeeded, and are ready to be blessed with us by God) Since we have Jesus Christ – the author and perfecter of our faith Since we are, because of Christ, God’s children We need to work to strengthen each other and ourselves. – to choose ways that will not cause us or others to stumble No one will see God without holiness. Essau’s meal: – these two appetites are compared in the Proverbs. (6:24ff & 30:20) Appetite exerts a lot of power on perception and experience, and potentially choices. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

Hope Our hope is an expectation Christ, our hope – NKJ 1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope, (1Ti 1:1 NKJ) Our hope is Christ – He is the beginning and end of Creation – He is the beginning and end of our faith – All things are by Him and through Him and to Him – and He showed us how to suffer in holiness – We know we all will suffer in this life, whatever we choose How much better to hope in Christ and persevere?

Homework Read Chapter 12. Check a couple different translations if you can