Hello, friends,
I'm Jill Morikone,
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and I just want to welcome
you to a brand new quarter.
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This is first quarter of 2022.
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We are exploring
the Book of Hebrews,
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In These Last Days
The Message of Hebrews.
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I'm very excited to
dive into the Word of God
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and to study with you at home.
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We want to remind you
if you want your own copy
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of the Sabbath School quarterly,
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you can go to
the following website
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3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com
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That website again is
3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com
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You can
download your own edition
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and follow along with us.
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Get ready for this edition
of 3ABN Sabbath School Panel
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lesson number one,
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The Letter to the
Hebrews and to Us.
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We are so looking forward
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to this study of
the Book of Hebrews
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and we're glad
that you've joined us.
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Glad that we can walk
through this entire book
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over the next 13 lessons.
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With me on the panel
are my brothers in Christ.
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So grateful to
introduce them to you,
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but they don't
need any introduction
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because we're family
and you're family too,
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and we're so glad
that you have tuned in.
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To my left is
Pastor James Rafferty.
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So glad to have
you here, Brother.
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So good to be here.
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So excited about
the Book of Hebrews.
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Great book. Amen.
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To your left, my
pastor, Pastor John Lomacang.
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Glad to have you here, Pastor.
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Yes, Hebrews and I have a
long standing relationship
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for more than 30 years.
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So I'm loving it.
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I'm looking forward to it. Amen.
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To your left, Pastor Ryan Day.
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Glad to have you
here, Brother. Amen.
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Always a blessing to be a part
of the Sabbath School Panel.
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Amen.
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Last but not
least, another pastor,
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Pastor John Dinzey.
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Privileged to have you here.
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Oh, it's a blessing.
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And I'm looking
forward to this Hebrews.
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It's a tremendous book to read.
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It is, absolutely.
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Before we go any further,
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we want to go to
the Lord in prayer.
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And, Pastor James,
would you pray for us?
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Absolutely. Let's pray together.
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Father in
heaven, thank You so much
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for this
opportunity to study Your Word,
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and especially
the Book of Hebrews
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written for our
time for these last days.
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Please guide and direct
us and those who are viewing,
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please send Your Spirit
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to quicken our minds
and our hearts to help us
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to see Jesus in
every page and every verse
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and know what He means to us,
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and He means to this world.
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And we ask it in His name.
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Amen. Amen.
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Thank you so much.
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Lesson number one,
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The Letter to the
Hebrews and to Us.
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He walked in the church
and his eyes were mesmerized
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by the painting on the wall.
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It was two meters
high, three meters wide.
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But it wasn't
the painting so much,
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it was the girl in the painting.
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But it wasn't even
the girl in the painting,
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it was the girl's
eyes in the painting.
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And when he looked at her eyes,
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in her pupils was a reflection
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that the painter
had painted into it,
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a reflection of
Jesus on the cross.
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That's what we see
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and what we're going to
study this entire quarter.
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The theme of
Hebrews, the focus of Hebrews,
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the message of Hebrews is Jesus.
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In Hebrews we find
Jesus as our sacrifice.
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We find Jesus as
the perfect Lamb of God.
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We find Jesus as
our deliverer from sin
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and from self and from Satan.
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We find Jesus
as our High Priest,
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as the Elder
Brother, as our Mediator,
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as one with the human race.
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And most of all, we find Jesus
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as seated at the
right hand of the Father.
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You know, in the
margin of my Bible,
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at the beginning of Hebrews,
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I have written
these three words,
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Jesus is better.
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To me, that's what
the Book of Hebrews
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is all about.
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The New Covenant is better.
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The temple in heaven is better
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than the earthly
sanctuary or tabernacle.
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Jesus, as our High Priest,
is better than the earthly,
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changeable priesthood.
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Jesus' sacrifice is better
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because it was once and for all.
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The key word in
Hebrews is access.
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Through Jesus, we
have access to the Father,
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we have access to
grace, we have access to power,
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we have access to the
promises in the Word of God.
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The lesson brought
out something interesting
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in the introduction
to the whole quarter.
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It talked about
the three dimensions
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of the story of redemption
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that we're going to
see in the person of Jesus.
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First is the local
personal dimension.
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For those who are
tired of the trials
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and hardships of this life,
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this Christian life.
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In the Book of Hebrews,
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we find Jesus as the author
and finisher of our faith,
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and He's someone who sympathizes
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with what we are going through
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because He suffered like we do.
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We also see the corporate
national dimension of Jesus.
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For the people of God
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who are traveling
to the Promised Land,
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Jesus is the new
Joshua, and we follow His lead.
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We also see the
universal dimension
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of Jesus in the Book of Hebrews.
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For everyone,
Jesus is the last Adam.
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He's the Son of man
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in whom God's purposes
for humanity are fulfilled.
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This lesson is
written by Felix Cortez,
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he's the Associate Professor
of New Testament literature
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at the Seventh-day
Adventist Theological Seminary,
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at Andrews University,
and he did a great job.
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When I've been
through studying this,
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he really
arranged it thematically,
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and he did an incredible job.
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So we're grateful for that.
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This week, specifically,
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as we look at the
letter to Hebrews and to us,
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we're going to
cover the overview,
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the theme of
Hebrews, the audience,
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who was Paul writing to?
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What were they going
through at that time?
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And what's the application?
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What can we learn today?
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You know, Hebrews,
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the Book of
Hebrews is really a sermon.
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You know, Hebrews
13:22 calls it what?
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The word of exhortation,
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and we see this expression
used to identify the sermon
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both in the synagogue
and at places of worship.
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Hebrews, you could say,
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is one of the earliest complete
Christian sermons that we have
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written by the Apostle Paul.
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Who's the audience
that Hebrews was written to?
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One, to believers
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who had accepted
Jesus as Messiah.
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Two, to believers
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who had been
persecuted for their faith.
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Three, believers whose
faith was being undermined
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by the contempt and hostility
of the surrounding nations.
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Four, believers who
just are playing tired.
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Five, believers who need
exhortation and encouragement
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to keep pressing on,
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to fix their eyes upon Jesus,
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to get ready for
soon Jesus will come.
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And I don't know about you,
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but I think I could
fall into one of those camps
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at any given day.
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So what does that mean?
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This book is for you.
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This book is for me.
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Let's read our memory text.
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We're in Hebrews 10:36,
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then we'll jump
into Sunday's lesson.
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Hebrews 10:36,
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"For you have need of endurance
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after you have
done the will of God,
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you may receive the promise."
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So let's jump
back, on Sunday's lesson
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we look at A Glorious Beginning.
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Let's jump back
to Hebrews Chapter 2,
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we're going to read
the first four verses,
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Hebrews Chapter 2.
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And we look at the
audience specifically
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that Paul is writing to.
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Hebrews Chapter 2, we
pick it up in verse 1.
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"Therefore we must
give the more earnest heed
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to the things we have heard,
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lest we drift away."
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Jump down to verse 3.
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"How shall we escape
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if we neglect so
great a salvation,
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which at the first began
to be spoken by the Lord,
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and was confirmed to
us by those who heard Him,
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God also bearing witness
both with signs and wonders,
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with various miracles,
and gifts of the Holy Spirit,
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according to His own will?"
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So I see right there three
identifying characteristics
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of the audience.
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You know, when you speak,
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you want to know
who you're speaking to.
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When you teach,
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you want to know
who your students are,
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you want to know them,
you want to understand them.
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So who is Paul writing to?
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Number one, I call them
second generation Christians.
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In other words,
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they didn't hear
the gospel from Jesus,
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they heard the gospel
from those who heard Jesus.
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They are really
second generation Christians.
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Someone else was faithful
to proclaim to them the gospel
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that they had heard.
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Someone was
faithful to share Jesus,
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to share the good
news, to share the gospel.
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That's how they
became Christians.
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Number two, we see that
they had witnessed miracles,
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they had seen those miracles,
they had experienced salvation,
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they saw the signs and
wonders, they saw the miracles.
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Number three,
they had experienced
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the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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So clearly, they were converted.
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They knew Jesus, not firsthand,
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but from
secondhand they had heard Him
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and then they knew Him firsthand
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from experiencing Him.
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They knew those
miracles, they had seen that,
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they had witnessed that,
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they had received the
gift of the Holy Spirit.
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You know, the early
church to me it's fascinating.
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I love to study the Book of Acts
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and that early church experience
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we have, of
course, in Acts 1:8 what?
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The promise of the Holy Spirit.
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Right before Jesus ascended,
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He says, "You will receive power
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after the Holy
Spirit has come upon you
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and you're going to be witnesses
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in Jerusalem and Judea
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unto the uttermost
parts of the earth."
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And then we see,
of course, in Acts 2,
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the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit.
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This is Peter's
Pentecostal sermon,
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3,000 people are
baptized in a day,
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and we see the
exponential growth
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of the early church.
00:10:04.93\00:10:06.94
Acts 2 says the Lord
added to the church daily
00:10:06.97\00:10:10.01
such as those
who were being saved.
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Acts 5 says and believers
00:10:12.24\00:10:14.21
every day
multiplied men and woman
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added to the church.
00:10:17.38\00:10:18.88
Acts 6 says a great
number of the priests
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became obedient to the faith.
00:10:21.72\00:10:24.39
In Acts 4, we see
that the disciples
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who previously were
unlearned, and unlettered
00:10:26.35\00:10:29.22
that they became
bold to speak the gospel
00:10:29.26\00:10:33.23
to preach the gospel for Jesus.
00:10:33.26\00:10:35.60
In Acts 5, we see
miracles performed so much that
00:10:35.63\00:10:38.73
the sick were
dragged in the streets
00:10:38.77\00:10:40.67
so that even the shadow of Peter
00:10:40.70\00:10:42.64
passing by would
bring healing to them.
00:10:42.67\00:10:45.11
Not Peter or the shadow,
but the Lord Jesus, of course.
00:10:45.14\00:10:49.04
And we see the persecution
after the stoning of Stephen
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and the believers
are scattered abroad.
00:10:51.61\00:10:54.02
And everywhere they
went, they took the gospel.
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So this epistle to Hebrews they,
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the audience, they knew Jesus,
00:11:00.62\00:11:02.59
they had experienced Him,
00:11:02.62\00:11:03.96
they had seen signs
and wonders and miracles,
00:11:03.99\00:11:06.83
they'd experienced the
gift of the Holy Spirit.
00:11:06.86\00:11:08.93
Yet, in spite of all
that, they were still in danger,
00:11:08.96\00:11:13.84
lest they drift away.
00:11:13.87\00:11:16.47
Hebrews 2:1,
00:11:16.50\00:11:17.84
"We must give the more
earnest heed to the things
00:11:17.87\00:11:19.81
we have heard,
lest we drift away."
00:11:19.84\00:11:22.58
Here's my takeaways
00:11:22.61\00:11:23.95
before I pass it
over to Pastor James.
00:11:23.98\00:11:25.91
Takeaway number one,
00:11:25.95\00:11:27.35
knowing Jesus precedes anything.
00:11:27.38\00:11:31.22
Knowing Jesus
precedes the signs and wonders.
00:11:31.25\00:11:33.92
We're not going to
see any signs and wonders
00:11:33.96\00:11:35.69
unless we know Him first.
00:11:35.72\00:11:37.29
Knowing Jesus precedes miracles.
00:11:37.33\00:11:39.53
We don't see miracles
unless we know Him first.
00:11:39.56\00:11:42.66
Knowing Jesus
precedes the infilling
00:11:42.70\00:11:45.20
of the Holy Spirit.
00:11:45.23\00:11:46.80
John 17:3,
"This is life eternal,
00:11:46.84\00:11:49.07
that they may
know the only true God
00:11:49.10\00:11:52.01
and Jesus Christ
whom You have sent."
00:11:52.04\00:11:54.61
The important
thing is to know Jesus
00:11:54.64\00:11:58.55
before anything else.
00:11:58.58\00:12:00.92
Takeaway number two,
00:12:00.95\00:12:02.32
knowing Jesus
is not a guarantee.
00:12:02.35\00:12:05.79
It's possible to know
Him, to walk with Him,
00:12:05.82\00:12:09.89
to love Him, to follow
Him, and to still fall away.
00:12:09.92\00:12:15.43
That's kind of scary.
00:12:15.46\00:12:16.80
When you think about that,
00:12:16.83\00:12:18.17
is it even
possible to have known Him,
00:12:18.20\00:12:20.14
to walk with Him,
00:12:20.17\00:12:21.60
to experience Him and
then to still fall away?
00:12:21.64\00:12:24.91
2 Peter 2:21,
00:12:24.94\00:12:27.61
"It would have
been better for them
00:12:27.64\00:12:29.74
not to have personally
known the way of righteousness
00:12:29.78\00:12:32.18
than to have known it,
00:12:32.21\00:12:33.55
and to turn their back
00:12:33.58\00:12:35.62
from the holy
commandment handed on to them."
00:12:35.65\00:12:39.02
So knowing Jesus is
not even a guarantee
00:12:39.05\00:12:41.06
because it is
possible to fall away.
00:12:41.09\00:12:43.53
Takeaway number three,
00:12:43.56\00:12:44.89
focus on your
own spiritual walk.
00:12:44.93\00:12:48.53
Many times we
look at other people.
00:12:48.56\00:12:50.20
"Oh, how's
Pastor Ryan doing today?
00:12:50.23\00:12:51.87
I wonder how his walk?
00:12:51.90\00:12:53.23
Pastor James, I wonder
how his walk with Jesus is?"
00:12:53.27\00:12:56.17
We sometimes compare
ourselves to other people.
00:12:56.20\00:13:00.81
Therefore, 1
Corinthians 10:12 says,
00:13:00.84\00:13:03.01
"Therefore let him who
thinks he stands take heed,
00:13:03.04\00:13:06.01
lest he fall."
00:13:06.05\00:13:07.42
Instead of looking at others,
00:13:07.45\00:13:08.78
we are called
only to look at Jesus.
00:13:08.82\00:13:11.72
And finally,
takeaway number four.
00:13:11.75\00:13:14.72
Beware, lest you
become complacent
00:13:14.76\00:13:17.89
in your own spiritual walk.
00:13:17.93\00:13:21.00
You know that
word in Hebrews 2:1,
00:13:21.03\00:13:23.60
that word for drift
in the Greek it says,
00:13:23.63\00:13:26.33
"Therefore we give
the more earnest heed
00:13:26.37\00:13:28.27
to the things we have heard,
00:13:28.30\00:13:29.64
lest we drift away."
00:13:29.67\00:13:31.31
That word drift
literally means to float,
00:13:31.34\00:13:34.88
to float alongside,
drifting past a destination,
00:13:34.91\00:13:39.95
because you're
pushed along by the current.
00:13:39.98\00:13:42.25
Greg and I went canoeing once,
00:13:42.28\00:13:43.75
and I was
having a glorious time,
00:13:43.79\00:13:45.29
we went
downstream, and he kept saying,
00:13:45.32\00:13:47.09
"Jilly, we need to turn
around, we need to turn around."
00:13:47.12\00:13:49.12
And I said, "I'm
having such a great time.
00:13:49.16\00:13:51.09
This isn't any work at all."
00:13:51.13\00:13:52.46
And he said, "We're
going with the current."
00:13:52.49\00:13:54.03
Well, when we turned around,
I was exhausted and I realized
00:13:54.06\00:13:57.17
how much work it is to
go against the current.
00:13:57.20\00:14:00.14
It is so easy to
become complacent,
00:14:00.17\00:14:02.87
to become apathetic,
00:14:02.90\00:14:04.57
to become spiritually
lethargic in your walk with God.
00:14:04.61\00:14:09.01
Beware, lest you
become complacent
00:14:09.04\00:14:11.88
in your walk with God.
00:14:11.91\00:14:13.25
Pastor James?
00:14:13.28\00:14:14.62
Amen. Thank you, Jill.
00:14:14.65\00:14:15.98
That was an
excellent introduction
00:14:16.02\00:14:17.75
to the Book of Hebrews.
00:14:17.79\00:14:19.12
I have Monday's lesson.
00:14:19.15\00:14:20.49
My name is James Rafferty,
00:14:20.52\00:14:21.86
and the title of
this week's lesson
00:14:21.89\00:14:23.79
or this day's lesson,
00:14:23.83\00:14:25.16
Monday's lesson is The Struggle,
00:14:25.19\00:14:27.03
The Struggle.
00:14:27.06\00:14:28.40
And basically it's talking about
00:14:28.43\00:14:29.76
how when believers
confess their faith in Christ,
00:14:29.80\00:14:31.97
and they join the church,
00:14:32.00\00:14:33.57
they set a boundary
marker that distinguished them
00:14:33.60\00:14:36.97
from the rest of society.
00:14:37.01\00:14:38.94
Unfortunately, this
became a source of conflict,
00:14:38.97\00:14:42.54
because it implicitly
passed a negative judgment
00:14:42.58\00:14:46.15
on their
community and its values.
00:14:46.18\00:14:48.32
In other words,
when these people,
00:14:48.35\00:14:51.09
these men and
women became Christians,
00:14:51.12\00:14:53.19
there was a
standard that they embraced
00:14:53.22\00:14:55.19
and that
standard of Christianity
00:14:55.22\00:14:57.39
caused unbelievers
to feel uncomfortable,
00:14:57.43\00:15:00.33
to feel condemned,
00:15:00.36\00:15:01.70
to feel like these people
00:15:01.73\00:15:04.00
that became Christians
were better than them.
00:15:04.03\00:15:06.00
And because of
that, there was a conflict
00:15:06.03\00:15:08.47
or what we call
persecution that developed.
00:15:08.50\00:15:11.14
So Monday's lesson
is talking about this,
00:15:11.17\00:15:13.04
it asks us to
read Hebrews 10:32-34.
00:15:13.07\00:15:18.38
Hebrews 10:32-34.
00:15:18.41\00:15:21.92
So let's just take a look
there in Hebrews 10:32-34.
00:15:21.95\00:15:27.26
It says, "But call to
remembrance the former days,
00:15:27.29\00:15:29.59
in which, after
you were illuminated,
00:15:29.62\00:15:32.33
you endured a great
fight of afflictions."
00:15:32.36\00:15:35.13
Partly, " verse 33,"
00:15:35.16\00:15:36.80
whilst you were
made a gazing stock
00:15:36.83\00:15:38.80
both by
reproaches and afflictions,
00:15:38.83\00:15:41.57
and partly, whilst you
became companions of them
00:15:41.60\00:15:44.54
who were so used."
00:15:44.57\00:15:45.91
Verse 34,
00:15:45.94\00:15:47.31
"For ye had
compassion of me in my bonds,
00:15:47.34\00:15:50.45
and took joyfully the
spoiling of your goods,
00:15:50.48\00:15:53.82
knowing in yourselves
that you have in heaven
00:15:53.85\00:15:56.65
a better and an
enduring substance."
00:15:56.69\00:15:59.69
So here we have a description
00:15:59.72\00:16:02.22
of what happened to God's people
00:16:02.26\00:16:03.66
as they accepted the gospel,
00:16:03.69\00:16:05.09
as they were illuminated
00:16:05.13\00:16:06.46
and accept the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:16:06.49\00:16:08.53
First of all,
00:16:08.56\00:16:09.90
they endured this
great flight of affliction.
00:16:09.93\00:16:12.13
There was
conflict that took place,
00:16:12.17\00:16:14.14
and then following that
00:16:14.17\00:16:15.50
they lost things
that were earthly,
00:16:15.54\00:16:17.64
they lost material possessions.
00:16:17.67\00:16:19.97
And part of the reason for this
00:16:20.01\00:16:21.34
was because they
started supporting the gospel,
00:16:21.38\00:16:23.14
they gave their whole
heart and their whole being
00:16:23.18\00:16:25.58
to the
proclamation of the gospel.
00:16:25.61\00:16:27.32
And God calls us to support
that not just with our words,
00:16:27.35\00:16:30.05
but with our goods,
00:16:30.09\00:16:31.59
with the material
possessions that we possess.
00:16:31.62\00:16:33.79
And, of course, we want
to do that as Christians,
00:16:33.82\00:16:35.92
we longed to
support the proclamation,
00:16:35.96\00:16:38.49
the teaching, the
preaching of this good news,
00:16:38.53\00:16:41.70
that means so
much to so many people.
00:16:41.73\00:16:43.77
But in that context,
00:16:43.80\00:16:45.13
when you start letting go
of the things of this world,
00:16:45.17\00:16:47.37
and you start
focusing on heavenly things,
00:16:47.40\00:16:49.74
and the things of this
world become secondary,
00:16:49.77\00:16:51.84
other people around
you don't understand that.
00:16:51.87\00:16:54.34
And it seems odd to
them, it seems strange to them
00:16:54.38\00:16:57.25
that you would put
less value in things
00:16:57.28\00:16:59.38
that they highly value.
00:16:59.41\00:17:00.75
Because most of the
time, people in this world
00:17:00.78\00:17:02.82
highly value the
possessions of this world.
00:17:02.85\00:17:06.02
They're looking at
this world as the end all.
00:17:06.05\00:17:10.23
They're looking at retirement,
00:17:10.26\00:17:11.63
they're looking at
the house by the lake
00:17:11.66\00:17:13.66
and the house in the city,
00:17:13.70\00:17:15.03
and they're looking at
all the different things
00:17:15.06\00:17:16.50
that they can
acquire, the toys, etc.
00:17:16.53\00:17:19.03
That can make life comfortable
and make life pleasurable.
00:17:19.07\00:17:22.10
Well, the Christians
let go of all of that stuff.
00:17:22.14\00:17:24.14
And they became a gazing star
in the sense they were like,
00:17:24.17\00:17:26.61
"What kind of
people are this are these?
00:17:26.64\00:17:28.41
What kind of people
00:17:28.44\00:17:29.78
are just going to
let go of all this stuff
00:17:29.81\00:17:31.55
and focus on something
that you can't even see?
00:17:31.58\00:17:33.75
Of course,
Hebrews 11 talks about
00:17:33.78\00:17:35.62
faith is the
substance of things not seen,
00:17:35.65\00:17:37.49
the evidence of
things hoped for.
00:17:37.52\00:17:39.09
And so then in Hebrews 13:3,
00:17:39.12\00:17:41.26
Paul explains in a
little bit more detail
00:17:41.29\00:17:44.59
what their experience is.
00:17:44.63\00:17:45.96
He says, verse 3
of Hebrews Chapter 13,
00:17:45.99\00:17:49.36
"Remember them that are in bonds
00:17:49.40\00:17:51.00
is bound with them,
00:17:51.03\00:17:52.43
and them which suffer adversity,
00:17:52.47\00:17:54.50
as being
yourselves also in the body."
00:17:54.54\00:17:57.24
In other words, Paul is
describing an experience
00:17:57.27\00:18:01.21
that the Christians had of unity
00:18:01.24\00:18:03.51
and a unified experience,
00:18:03.55\00:18:04.95
even though they
weren't necessarily
00:18:04.98\00:18:06.31
in the place of others
00:18:06.35\00:18:07.68
that were being
afflicted or persecuted,
00:18:07.72\00:18:09.58
they could see themselves
00:18:09.62\00:18:11.22
going through
the same experience.
00:18:11.25\00:18:13.19
And let me just
give you an example.
00:18:13.22\00:18:14.82
You may hold a value or truth
00:18:14.86\00:18:16.62
as a Christian
living in a Western country
00:18:16.66\00:18:19.29
with freedom and liberty,
00:18:19.33\00:18:20.70
that is the same
or similar to a value
00:18:20.73\00:18:23.43
that is held by
a Christian living,
00:18:23.47\00:18:24.80
let's say, in a Muslim country,
00:18:24.83\00:18:26.43
or in an atheist
country, or a communist country.
00:18:26.47\00:18:28.80
And you see those people
being persecuted and afflicted
00:18:28.84\00:18:32.31
for the very same
values that you hold.
00:18:32.34\00:18:34.44
And you realize the only reason
00:18:34.48\00:18:36.28
you're not being
persecuted and afflicted
00:18:36.31\00:18:38.08
is because you live
at a certain location
00:18:38.11\00:18:40.25
that is different
from their location.
00:18:40.28\00:18:42.15
And so the Hebrews
00:18:42.18\00:18:43.52
were relating
this to themselves,
00:18:43.55\00:18:44.89
they were saying, "You
know, we live over here,
00:18:44.92\00:18:46.99
the others live over there.
00:18:47.02\00:18:48.52
But if we were
in their situation
00:18:48.56\00:18:50.19
or circumstance, or if
we were in Paul situation,
00:18:50.23\00:18:52.63
specifically, who
traveled to different places,
00:18:52.66\00:18:55.10
and endured all
of these afflictions,
00:18:55.13\00:18:56.83
we will be going
through the same thing."
00:18:56.87\00:18:58.43
In fact, some people
actually traveled with him.
00:18:58.47\00:19:00.67
And they
experienced those things
00:19:00.70\00:19:02.24
and had a
struggle a difficult time.
00:19:02.27\00:19:03.81
I'm thinking of
John Mark, specifically,
00:19:03.84\00:19:05.57
he had a difficult
time hanging with Paul
00:19:05.61\00:19:07.74
during those struggles,
00:19:07.78\00:19:09.11
because he realized that,
00:19:09.14\00:19:10.88
man, this is a
lot tougher to live
00:19:10.91\00:19:12.85
than just to talk about.
00:19:12.88\00:19:14.62
And many times as Christians,
that's our experience.
00:19:14.65\00:19:17.29
That's what we go through.
00:19:17.32\00:19:18.85
So the lesson goes on, though,
00:19:18.89\00:19:20.22
and gives us
great encouragement.
00:19:20.26\00:19:21.59
It says you know, we are
going through afflictions.
00:19:21.62\00:19:23.89
But in 2 Timothy Chapter 3,
00:19:23.93\00:19:26.03
for example, verses 11 and 12.
00:19:26.06\00:19:28.16
All those who live
godly in Christ Jesus
00:19:28.20\00:19:30.30
are going to go
through afflictions.
00:19:30.33\00:19:31.67
Now, what's
interesting about these verses
00:19:31.70\00:19:34.00
in 2 Timothy is it doesn't say
00:19:34.04\00:19:36.17
that all those
who suffer persecution
00:19:36.20\00:19:38.04
are living godly.
00:19:38.07\00:19:39.41
There are a lot
of different reasons
00:19:39.44\00:19:40.78
why we can be
suffering persecution,
00:19:40.81\00:19:42.51
it's not necessarily
00:19:42.54\00:19:43.88
because we're living
godly lives in Jesus,
00:19:43.91\00:19:45.68
but when we do live
godly lives in Jesus,
00:19:45.71\00:19:48.55
we will suffer persecution.
00:19:48.58\00:19:50.59
Another verse in 1
Peter Chapter 5 says
00:19:50.62\00:19:52.79
that the devil is really
the source of our afflictions.
00:19:52.82\00:19:55.62
We don't really wrestle
against flesh and blood,
00:19:55.66\00:19:57.79
and God wants us to
recognize that in our struggle,
00:19:57.83\00:20:01.16
we need to look
beyond the human.
00:20:01.20\00:20:03.20
We need to look
to the principalities
00:20:03.23\00:20:04.73
and powers behind the scenes,
00:20:04.77\00:20:06.27
because our job as Christians
is to really move beyond
00:20:06.30\00:20:10.07
that physical realm so that
we can be a witness to people.
00:20:10.11\00:20:13.68
And perhaps, like
Steven did, who said,
00:20:13.71\00:20:15.31
"Lay not the
sin of their charge,
00:20:15.34\00:20:16.98
be a means to which God can
00:20:17.01\00:20:18.58
actually convict
and convert people
00:20:18.61\00:20:20.48
who are persecuting us."
00:20:20.52\00:20:22.08
And then it goes on to
say in 1 Corinthians 1:3-7,
00:20:22.12\00:20:25.59
that our
afflictions are actually a means
00:20:25.62\00:20:28.32
by which God uses
us to comfort others
00:20:28.36\00:20:31.69
that go through
the same afflictions.
00:20:31.73\00:20:33.70
So Paul was a
powerful comforter,
00:20:33.73\00:20:35.83
because he could talk about
00:20:35.86\00:20:37.20
the afflictions he went through,
00:20:37.23\00:20:38.57
and he could
share them with others
00:20:38.60\00:20:39.93
in such a way to
encourage and comfort them
00:20:39.97\00:20:41.87
in the struggles that
they were going through.
00:20:41.90\00:20:43.51
And that's powerful for
us, and we think about that.
00:20:43.54\00:20:45.37
Okay, I'm going through
something terrible right now
00:20:45.41\00:20:47.04
but God is going to use this.
00:20:47.08\00:20:48.41
And he's going to be
able to encourage others
00:20:48.44\00:20:50.28
that I'm going to meet
00:20:50.31\00:20:51.65
that are going
through similar struggles.
00:20:51.68\00:20:53.21
And then it says
in Philippians 3:10,
00:20:53.25\00:20:56.75
"That fellowship with Christ,
00:20:56.79\00:20:58.52
in His sufferings is
how we get to know Christ."
00:20:58.55\00:21:01.66
There's a group of
people in Matthew 7,
00:21:01.69\00:21:03.76
who are rebuked by Christ
00:21:03.79\00:21:05.29
because they
profess to follow Him
00:21:05.33\00:21:06.90
but Jesus says,
"I don't know you."
00:21:06.93\00:21:08.53
One of the reasons
00:21:08.56\00:21:09.90
why we fail to
know Christ intimately
00:21:09.93\00:21:11.77
is because we refuse
to be partakers with Him
00:21:11.80\00:21:15.34
in His sufferings.
00:21:15.37\00:21:16.81
This is really important in
relationship to the struggle
00:21:16.84\00:21:19.47
that we go
through as Christians.
00:21:19.51\00:21:20.84
Colossians 1:23-24 says
00:21:20.88\00:21:22.91
that we are to fill up
00:21:22.94\00:21:24.61
the measure of
Christ's suffering.
00:21:24.65\00:21:26.18
Now, again, that doesn't
sound very appealing to fill up
00:21:26.21\00:21:28.82
the measure of Christ suffering.
00:21:28.85\00:21:30.19
Oh, give me more
of that suffering,
00:21:30.22\00:21:31.55
give me more of that suffering.
00:21:31.59\00:21:32.92
But the reason for that,
00:21:32.95\00:21:34.29
of course, is to have
that fellowship with Him.
00:21:34.32\00:21:35.66
The reason for that is so that
00:21:35.69\00:21:37.03
we can comfort
others with the same comfort
00:21:37.06\00:21:39.06
that were
comforted in Jesus Christ.
00:21:39.09\00:21:41.73
And then it goes on
here in Hebrews 2:10.
00:21:41.76\00:21:44.97
And let's just
look at this verse,
00:21:45.00\00:21:46.67
because it's in the
book, which we studied now.
00:21:46.70\00:21:48.77
Hebrews 2:10.
00:21:48.80\00:21:50.91
It says, "For it became
him, for whom are all things,
00:21:50.94\00:21:54.41
and by whom are all things,
00:21:54.44\00:21:55.84
and bringing many sons to glory
00:21:55.88\00:21:57.25
to make the captain of
their salvation perfect
00:21:57.28\00:21:59.35
through sufferings."
00:21:59.38\00:22:00.72
So sufferings
actually perfect us.
00:22:00.75\00:22:03.12
They help us to
grow in our character.
00:22:03.15\00:22:06.72
And then, of course,
1 Peter 4:13 says that
00:22:06.76\00:22:09.29
we should rejoice in
sufferings with exceeded joy.
00:22:09.32\00:22:12.23
And that's another
verse in our lesson.
00:22:12.26\00:22:14.36
We're going now
to the next page,
00:22:14.40\00:22:16.00
where it talks a
little bit about this joy
00:22:16.03\00:22:19.00
and how we can have this joy.
00:22:19.03\00:22:22.27
The lesson study
brings out Hebrews 11:24-26.
00:22:22.30\00:22:27.11
Hebrews 11:24-26
describes something that is,
00:22:27.14\00:22:30.88
well, it's divine.
00:22:30.91\00:22:32.91
It's talking about
Moses here in verse 24.
00:22:32.95\00:22:35.08
And it says, "By faith,
when Moses came to years,
00:22:35.12\00:22:37.65
he refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
00:22:37.69\00:22:39.62
choosing rather
to suffer affliction
00:22:39.65\00:22:41.96
with the people of God
than enjoy the pleasure of sin
00:22:41.99\00:22:44.66
for a season esteeming
00:22:44.69\00:22:46.23
the reproach of
Christ greater riches
00:22:46.26\00:22:48.83
than the treasures in Egypt,
00:22:48.86\00:22:50.30
for he had respect
00:22:50.33\00:22:51.67
unto the
recompense of the reward."
00:22:51.70\00:22:53.74
And I think about this
and it's amazing to me.
00:22:53.77\00:22:56.17
I mean, to me,
this is where we need
00:22:56.20\00:22:58.24
to take our
minds and our hearts.
00:22:58.27\00:23:00.48
Moses was focused on
the riches in heaven,
00:23:00.51\00:23:03.08
and not the
riches of this earth.
00:23:03.11\00:23:04.45
And I imagine
00:23:04.48\00:23:05.81
if Moses had accepted
the riches of this world,
00:23:05.85\00:23:08.45
he could have been
a Pharaoh in Egypt,
00:23:08.48\00:23:10.29
he could have had all
of the gold and silver
00:23:10.32\00:23:12.12
that he wanted.
00:23:12.15\00:23:13.49
But the question is,
well, where would Moses be today
00:23:13.52\00:23:16.62
if he had refused
the affliction of Christ
00:23:16.66\00:23:19.59
and accepted the
riches of this world?
00:23:19.63\00:23:21.46
If he had accepted the
pleasure of sin for a season
00:23:21.50\00:23:23.73
where would he be today?
00:23:23.77\00:23:25.27
And the answer is likely
00:23:25.30\00:23:26.84
he'd be in a museum somewhere,
00:23:26.87\00:23:28.54
and we'd be paying
big bucks to go see Moses,
00:23:28.57\00:23:31.51
gold and silver in his
tomb and check him out.
00:23:31.54\00:23:34.58
But the question, friends,
is, where is Moses today?
00:23:34.61\00:23:37.85
And the answer to that question
is found in the Book of Jude.
00:23:37.88\00:23:40.48
It basically tells us
that Moses was resurrected,
00:23:40.52\00:23:43.15
that Michael came for
Moses and took him to heaven.
00:23:43.18\00:23:45.85
Moses is in heaven.
00:23:45.89\00:23:47.49
He is at God's right
hand, Psalm 16:11, says,
00:23:47.52\00:23:51.53
enjoying pleasure forevermore.
00:23:51.56\00:23:54.03
In other words, Moses
endured the affliction,
00:23:54.06\00:23:58.13
the suffering with the people
of God for a little while.
00:23:58.17\00:24:01.10
And during that little while
00:24:01.14\00:24:02.50
he resisted the pleasure
of sin that was seasonal,
00:24:02.54\00:24:05.47
because he wanted the pleasure
that endures forevermore.
00:24:05.51\00:24:08.44
And that is our hope.
00:24:08.48\00:24:09.98
That is our goal
as Christians is that
00:24:10.01\00:24:12.11
we would get our mind on Jesus,
00:24:12.15\00:24:13.78
we would get
our focus on heaven,
00:24:13.82\00:24:15.45
and we'd accept those
pleasures that are forevermore
00:24:15.48\00:24:17.92
and reject the
pleasure of sin for a season.
00:24:17.95\00:24:20.59
Amen.
00:24:20.62\00:24:21.96
Thank you so much, Pastor James.
00:24:21.99\00:24:23.32
We can look unto Jesus,
00:24:23.36\00:24:24.69
the author and
finisher of our faith.
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.06
I love that. Thank you.
00:24:26.09\00:24:27.43
We're going to
take a short break.
00:24:27.46\00:24:28.80
We'll be right back.
00:24:28.83\00:24:30.17
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00:25:00.46\00:25:04.50
Welcome back to our
study lesson number one,
00:25:04.53\00:25:06.74
The Letter to the
Hebrews and to Us,
00:25:06.77\00:25:08.74
and we're going to kick it
over to Pastor John Lomacang
00:25:08.77\00:25:10.91
with today's lesson.
00:25:10.94\00:25:12.31
What a title, Malaise.
00:25:12.34\00:25:14.51
How many times do
you use the word malaise?
00:25:14.54\00:25:17.05
Not often.
00:25:17.08\00:25:18.41
Maybe a word some
of you are hearing
00:25:18.45\00:25:19.78
for the very first time.
00:25:19.81\00:25:21.15
But that's the
title of Tuesday's lesson.
00:25:21.18\00:25:23.28
It's talking
about the discomfort,
00:25:23.32\00:25:25.79
the feeling that
things don't go very well,
00:25:25.82\00:25:28.69
the feeling that
something's wrong,
00:25:28.72\00:25:31.03
and that's often the
experience of many Christians.
00:25:31.06\00:25:33.86
They say, "If I'm a Christian,
00:25:33.90\00:25:36.43
why is there a
general discomfort
00:25:36.46\00:25:38.50
in my service of the Lord?
00:25:38.53\00:25:40.30
Why do things go wrong?"
00:25:40.34\00:25:42.90
Well, the writer of
this lesson focuses on
00:25:42.94\00:25:45.51
the part of Christianity
00:25:45.54\00:25:46.88
that we don't
often like to talk about,
00:25:46.91\00:25:48.51
because the gospel is
often presented as prosperity.
00:25:48.54\00:25:52.31
If you give your life to Christ,
00:25:52.35\00:25:53.68
everything is going to go well.
00:25:53.72\00:25:55.52
Well, my interpretation
and understanding of that is,
00:25:55.55\00:25:58.12
Christianity is synonymous
to, picture this if you can,
00:25:58.15\00:26:03.09
football in America,
00:26:03.12\00:26:04.46
where they wear
helmets and shoulder pads,
00:26:04.49\00:26:05.96
and they get on the
field and they fight it out
00:26:05.99\00:26:07.90
to get a pigskin ball
over one goal or the other.
00:26:07.93\00:26:10.57
When you become a Christian,
00:26:10.60\00:26:11.93
you're on one team or the other.
00:26:11.97\00:26:13.54
When you join
the team of Christ,
00:26:13.57\00:26:15.27
you shouldn't think it's strange
00:26:15.30\00:26:16.94
that the other team
00:26:16.97\00:26:18.31
is determined to keep you
from getting to your goal.
00:26:18.34\00:26:21.08
That's why the
Apostle Paul says,
00:26:21.11\00:26:22.44
"I press toward the goal
00:26:22.48\00:26:23.81
for the prize of the upward call
00:26:23.85\00:26:25.18
of God in Christ Jesus."
00:26:25.21\00:26:26.55
The writer talks
about the endurance
00:26:26.58\00:26:29.38
of the Christian
in spite of malaise,
00:26:29.42\00:26:32.79
that feeling that
00:26:32.82\00:26:34.16
I'm in this for
the wrong reason.
00:26:34.19\00:26:35.92
And the reason why this lesson
to me is so vitally important
00:26:35.96\00:26:38.39
because many Christians give in
00:26:38.43\00:26:41.56
when they start
experiencing malaise,
00:26:41.60\00:26:44.23
when things start falling apart,
00:26:44.27\00:26:46.17
when their lives
begin to get chiseled,
00:26:46.20\00:26:48.70
and they faint along the
way in the Christian race.
00:26:48.74\00:26:52.51
Well, I want to
begin with Luke 23:31,
00:26:52.54\00:26:55.61
because when you look at
00:26:55.64\00:26:56.98
what the Christian goes through,
00:26:57.01\00:26:59.11
it's not any different
than what Jesus went through.
00:26:59.15\00:27:02.02
If the Christian
looks at him or herself,
00:27:02.05\00:27:04.59
as being above
what Christ experienced,
00:27:04.62\00:27:07.29
or I'm not
really, this is not fair.
00:27:07.32\00:27:11.83
So many Christians have
said, "This is not fair."
00:27:11.86\00:27:14.20
And you find also
in the Old Testament,
00:27:14.23\00:27:16.26
in the Book of
Ecclesiastes 33:18,
00:27:16.30\00:27:19.17
the Israelites complained
00:27:19.20\00:27:20.67
how they didn't see God is fair.
00:27:20.70\00:27:23.30
But look at what the
Bible says about Jesus.
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.67
He faced trials,
He faced temptations,
00:27:25.71\00:27:27.71
He was ridiculed,
00:27:27.74\00:27:29.64
He was rejected and
ultimately crucified.
00:27:29.68\00:27:32.91
But look what
Dr. Luke says, 23:31,
00:27:32.95\00:27:36.62
"For if they do these
things in the green wood,
00:27:36.65\00:27:40.56
what will be done in the dry?"
00:27:40.59\00:27:43.26
With a dry wood, so
many of us are replete
00:27:43.29\00:27:46.93
of the things that
the Lord would like,
00:27:46.96\00:27:49.70
or depleted, I should say,
00:27:49.73\00:27:51.33
of the things that the Lord
would desire for us to have,
00:27:51.37\00:27:53.60
which is what?
00:27:53.64\00:27:54.97
Endurance, patience, astuteness,
00:27:55.00\00:27:57.87
a push beyond the
pain of the Christian life.
00:27:57.91\00:28:01.68
Recently, I used the
word that talked about
00:28:01.71\00:28:04.18
the inconvenience of divinity.
00:28:04.21\00:28:06.21
There is an
inconvenience of divinity,
00:28:06.25\00:28:07.75
because we don't often
know what God is doing,
00:28:07.78\00:28:09.88
and He doesn't tell us.
00:28:09.92\00:28:11.32
My ways are not your ways,
00:28:11.35\00:28:12.69
my thoughts are
not your thoughts.
00:28:12.72\00:28:14.19
There's a
difference in distance,
00:28:14.22\00:28:16.06
and in content
between how we think
00:28:16.09\00:28:18.76
and how the Lord thinks.
00:28:18.79\00:28:20.13
And so the writer of this lesson
00:28:20.16\00:28:21.66
points out some
of the challenges
00:28:21.70\00:28:24.13
that the early
Christian church faced,
00:28:24.17\00:28:26.37
and why even though they
may have lost their lives,
00:28:26.40\00:28:29.47
they didn't focus on a
better walk with Christ,
00:28:29.50\00:28:31.87
they focused on a
better resurrection.
00:28:31.91\00:28:34.28
That's something that's been
also deleted from Christianity.
00:28:34.31\00:28:37.01
We don't talk
about the resurrection,
00:28:37.05\00:28:38.75
dying and going
directly to heaven.
00:28:38.78\00:28:40.68
Well there's a resurrection,
00:28:40.72\00:28:42.28
but only those who endure
the malaise of Christianity,
00:28:42.32\00:28:45.72
the days when
things are not going well,
00:28:45.75\00:28:47.96
when it seems like
life is not worth it.
00:28:47.99\00:28:50.19
When even going to church
00:28:50.23\00:28:51.56
and worship seems to
be void of something,
00:28:51.59\00:28:53.96
and Christian friends
around you seem to abandon
00:28:54.00\00:28:56.43
and leave you forsaken.
00:28:56.46\00:28:58.17
That's the malaise moments.
00:28:58.20\00:28:59.87
But listen to the things
that the Christians faced.
00:28:59.90\00:29:02.07
Let's go to the Book of Hebrews.
00:29:02.10\00:29:03.74
Here are some of the challenges
00:29:03.77\00:29:05.11
faced by the Christians
that Paul talks about.
00:29:05.14\00:29:08.91
Hebrews 2:18.
00:29:08.94\00:29:11.71
Let's start with the
first one. I'll read it.
00:29:11.75\00:29:13.82
"For in that He
Himself has suffered,
00:29:13.85\00:29:17.19
being tempted,
00:29:17.22\00:29:18.59
He is able to aid
those who are tempted."
00:29:18.62\00:29:22.46
One of the challenges of
Christians is temptation.
00:29:22.49\00:29:24.66
Yeah.
00:29:24.69\00:29:26.03
Have any of you been tempted
since you've been a Christian?
00:29:26.06\00:29:27.53
No way.
00:29:27.56\00:29:28.90
Don't reveal it
because it might be on tape.
00:29:28.93\00:29:30.50
Somebody might say,
"Ah, they face temptation."
00:29:30.53\00:29:33.00
Hey, don't think it's strange.
00:29:33.03\00:29:35.90
The Lord does not allow
any temptation to come to us
00:29:35.94\00:29:39.51
that will crush us.
00:29:39.54\00:29:40.88
I've often said He
measures every trial,
00:29:40.91\00:29:43.85
but He never measures His grace,
00:29:43.88\00:29:45.65
He never measures His mercy.
00:29:45.68\00:29:48.15
It is new every morning
and His faithfulness is great.
00:29:48.18\00:29:52.02
So if you're being
faced with temptation,
00:29:52.05\00:29:54.49
don't look at it as,
00:29:54.52\00:29:55.86
"Well, this should
not be my experience."
00:29:55.89\00:29:58.09
Jesus was tempted in
all points just as you are,
00:29:58.13\00:30:02.43
just as we were,
just as we are being,
00:30:02.46\00:30:04.93
yet He was without sin.
00:30:04.97\00:30:06.30
So temptation is a
part of the malaise
00:30:06.33\00:30:08.50
of the Christian life.
00:30:08.54\00:30:09.87
Here's another
one, Hebrews 3:12-13.
00:30:09.90\00:30:14.81
"Beware, brethren,
lest there be in any of you
00:30:14.84\00:30:18.71
an evil heart of unbelief
00:30:18.75\00:30:21.15
in departing
from the living God,
00:30:21.18\00:30:23.59
but exhort one another daily,
00:30:23.62\00:30:25.52
while it is called today,
00:30:25.55\00:30:27.76
lest any of you be hardened
00:30:27.79\00:30:31.03
through the
deceitfulness of sin."
00:30:31.06\00:30:33.40
Unbelief, I don't
know, I've had people say,
00:30:33.43\00:30:35.76
"I don't know if I
believe in the Lord any longer.
00:30:35.80\00:30:37.87
After all, I've been through,
00:30:37.90\00:30:39.23
I lost my
mother, I lost my father,
00:30:39.27\00:30:41.24
I have a friend
going through trials,
00:30:41.27\00:30:42.70
my baby died prematurely.
00:30:42.74\00:30:45.11
I don't know if I
really believe in God.
00:30:45.14\00:30:46.57
If there's really a God,
why is there so much suffering?
00:30:46.61\00:30:48.84
I don't really
believe in a God."
00:30:48.88\00:30:50.85
What many people fail to realize
00:30:50.88\00:30:52.28
is we're living
in enemy's territory.
00:30:52.31\00:30:54.28
We are on the battlefield.
00:30:54.32\00:30:56.15
This is where
the battle is raging.
00:30:56.18\00:30:57.75
And the Bible says,
00:30:57.79\00:30:59.12
"The devil has come
down having great wrath
00:30:59.15\00:31:00.86
because he knows
he has a short time."
00:31:00.89\00:31:02.56
He's heating things up,
00:31:02.59\00:31:05.16
but one day the Lord is
going to cool things down
00:31:05.19\00:31:07.90
permanently.
00:31:07.93\00:31:09.26
So if you are faced
with the issue of unbelief,
00:31:09.30\00:31:11.57
because of the trials,
00:31:11.60\00:31:12.93
or the malaise
you're going through,
00:31:12.97\00:31:14.54
the Bible says that,
00:31:14.57\00:31:16.24
"Be careful because
this evil heart of unbelief
00:31:16.27\00:31:19.24
can rob you of
the future blessings
00:31:19.27\00:31:21.78
that are just before you."
00:31:21.81\00:31:23.58
Look at the third
thing, Hebrews 4:15,
00:31:23.61\00:31:26.21
a third aspect of malaise.
00:31:26.25\00:31:28.05
The Bible says,
00:31:28.08\00:31:29.98
"For we do not
have a High Priest
00:31:30.02\00:31:32.25
who cannot
sympathize with our weaknesses,
00:31:32.29\00:31:34.59
but was in all points
00:31:34.62\00:31:35.96
tempted as we
are yet without sin."
00:31:35.99\00:31:37.73
You ever feel weak?
00:31:37.76\00:31:39.33
Jesus knows what that's like.
00:31:39.36\00:31:41.56
Too weak to study your Bible,
00:31:41.60\00:31:43.57
too weak to go to
church, too weak to even say,
00:31:43.60\00:31:48.30
"I want to be
involved in witnessing
00:31:48.34\00:31:50.27
and sharing my faith."
00:31:50.31\00:31:51.64
One preacher I heard once say,
00:31:51.67\00:31:53.17
"Some people are
not going to be lost
00:31:53.21\00:31:54.58
because the
Bible is insufficient
00:31:54.61\00:31:56.51
to give them information.
00:31:56.54\00:31:57.88
But some people are
just too lazy to be saved."
00:31:57.91\00:32:01.15
Weaknesses of Christianity.
00:32:01.18\00:32:03.08
We have to push
beyond the feeling.
00:32:03.12\00:32:05.09
Christianity is not
a religion of feeling.
00:32:05.12\00:32:08.49
Jesus didn't die
because He felt like it.
00:32:08.52\00:32:11.36
He died because He love us.
00:32:11.39\00:32:13.50
And therefore,
before the Lord comes,
00:32:13.53\00:32:16.36
He is going to allow the fabric
of our connection to be tested,
00:32:16.40\00:32:20.10
whether it is weak,
or whether it is strong.
00:32:20.14\00:32:22.24
That's why He
says, "Examine yourself
00:32:22.27\00:32:24.37
to see whether
you are in the faith."
00:32:24.41\00:32:26.27
So weakness is not unusual.
00:32:26.31\00:32:28.31
But turning to
Jesus to find strength
00:32:28.34\00:32:30.45
is what I recommend that you do.
00:32:30.48\00:32:32.18
Here's another one,
not coming to church.
00:32:32.21\00:32:34.18
A lot of people
don't come to church,
00:32:34.22\00:32:35.55
and on the heels of COVID,
00:32:35.58\00:32:37.12
a lot of people don't
want to come back to church.
00:32:37.15\00:32:39.32
But here's the
danger of malaise.
00:32:39.35\00:32:41.16
Hebrews 10:25,
00:32:41.19\00:32:42.82
"Not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together,
00:32:42.86\00:32:46.49
as is the manner of
some, but exhort one another,
00:32:46.53\00:32:51.00
and so much the more
00:32:51.03\00:32:52.60
as you see the day approaching."
00:32:52.63\00:32:54.50
When COVID hit many people said,
00:32:54.54\00:32:56.14
"Oh, I'm really being shaken."
00:32:56.17\00:32:58.21
But now that
the couch has become
00:32:58.24\00:33:00.14
St. Mattress Cathedral,
00:33:00.18\00:33:01.94
they don't want to
go to church any longer.
00:33:01.98\00:33:03.65
They feel they can be Christians
00:33:03.68\00:33:05.01
all by themselves.
00:33:05.05\00:33:06.38
And some people
want to join the church
00:33:06.41\00:33:07.75
and be Christians
all by themselves.
00:33:07.78\00:33:09.55
But the Bible says the closer
00:33:09.58\00:33:10.92
we get to the
coming of the Lord,
00:33:10.95\00:33:12.39
do not forsake the assembling
of yourselves together.
00:33:12.42\00:33:15.22
Get on that front
line as the football team
00:33:15.26\00:33:17.46
and endure the hits together.
00:33:17.49\00:33:19.63
Because the devil if he knows
00:33:19.66\00:33:21.33
he can separate the
sheep from the shepherd,
00:33:21.36\00:33:23.63
a sheep all by itself
00:33:23.67\00:33:25.30
is no match for a grievous wolf.
00:33:25.33\00:33:28.30
The other one is discouragement.
00:33:28.34\00:33:29.94
Hebrews 12:3, discouragement,
00:33:29.97\00:33:32.81
"For consider Him who endured
such hostility from sinners
00:33:32.84\00:33:36.31
against Himself, lest you
00:33:36.34\00:33:38.01
become weary and
discouraged in your soul."
00:33:38.05\00:33:41.02
Is the malaise
of your Christianity
00:33:41.05\00:33:43.28
bringing you to the point
00:33:43.32\00:33:44.65
where Christianity
is grade to you now,
00:33:44.69\00:33:46.65
you feel discouraged,
nothing's going right,
00:33:46.69\00:33:48.99
I just don't know the
answers to the future,
00:33:49.02\00:33:50.86
I can't find light
00:33:50.89\00:33:52.23
in the darkness
of my experience.
00:33:52.26\00:33:53.83
It's not unusual.
00:33:53.86\00:33:55.56
The early Christians
went through discouragement,
00:33:55.60\00:33:57.73
but they endured.
00:33:57.77\00:33:59.10
That's why they endured
not as what they have seen,
00:33:59.13\00:34:02.04
but they looked beyond
the visible to the invisible,
00:34:02.07\00:34:04.91
as was said by Pastor
James, "If you see it,
00:34:04.94\00:34:07.91
why do you still
desire to have it?"
00:34:07.94\00:34:11.21
We are looking to
the eternal world,
00:34:11.25\00:34:13.11
the invisible world,
push past that discouragement,
00:34:13.15\00:34:17.65
and find
encouragement in Christ.
00:34:17.69\00:34:19.22
The last two, weary and tired.
00:34:19.25\00:34:23.26
Hebrews 12:12,
00:34:23.29\00:34:24.63
"Therefore strengthen
the hands which hang down,
00:34:24.66\00:34:27.00
and the feeble knees."
00:34:27.03\00:34:28.50
Be the example to those
who are going through weakness.
00:34:28.53\00:34:32.40
That's why when you find
geese flying in formation,
00:34:32.43\00:34:35.04
there's a head geese.
00:34:35.07\00:34:36.54
He's the one parting the
winds, and when he gets tired,
00:34:36.57\00:34:38.97
they switch places.
00:34:39.01\00:34:40.34
You may want to switch
places with somebody in service
00:34:40.38\00:34:43.11
so that they can encourage you
while you are weary and tired.
00:34:43.14\00:34:46.55
And the last one,
easily led astray.
00:34:46.58\00:34:49.52
Hebrews 12:13,
00:34:49.55\00:34:51.49
"And make straight
paths for your feet,
00:34:51.52\00:34:53.72
so that what is lame
may not be dislocated,
00:34:53.76\00:34:56.66
but rather be healed."
00:34:56.69\00:34:58.59
Be careful, your
example can lead someone astray.
00:34:58.63\00:35:02.83
That's why I end with the
words of the Apostle Peter,
00:35:02.86\00:35:05.93
"Beloved, do not think
00:35:05.97\00:35:07.30
it's strange
concerning the fiery trial,
00:35:07.34\00:35:09.44
which is to try you as though
some strange thing happened."
00:35:09.47\00:35:13.24
Malaise, not unusual.
00:35:13.27\00:35:15.18
Christ, magnificent.
00:35:15.21\00:35:16.85
He is the answer for malaise.
00:35:16.88\00:35:19.15
Amen. Amen.
00:35:19.18\00:35:20.68
Praise the Lord.
00:35:20.72\00:35:22.15
Great foundation.
00:35:22.18\00:35:23.75
My name is Ryan Day, and
I have Wednesday's lesson
00:35:23.79\00:35:26.39
which is
entitled, Press Together.
00:35:26.42\00:35:29.49
And I love this
because the Book of Hebrews,
00:35:29.52\00:35:31.89
Paul preaches and
teaches and communicates
00:35:31.93\00:35:33.86
all throughout the book
00:35:33.90\00:35:35.23
how important it is
for us to press together
00:35:35.26\00:35:37.33
the unity of the faith,
00:35:37.37\00:35:38.83
the unity of the
brethren coming together
00:35:38.87\00:35:40.70
under the banner of Jesus,
00:35:40.74\00:35:42.30
under the banner
of our High Priest.
00:35:42.34\00:35:44.31
And so it's
interesting that as he is,
00:35:44.34\00:35:46.88
as the author is
presenting this concept
00:35:46.91\00:35:48.84
of pressing together,
00:35:48.88\00:35:50.21
he uses the story of
Elijah found in 1 Kings 19:5-18.
00:35:50.25\00:35:55.62
And we're not going
to read all of that,
00:35:55.65\00:35:57.05
because it would
take us the rest of this,
00:35:57.09\00:35:59.12
my time to read all of that,
00:35:59.15\00:36:00.49
because it's a
rather large passage,
00:36:00.52\00:36:01.86
but we're familiar
with the story, right?
00:36:01.89\00:36:03.36
Elijah has just killed
all of these false prophets.
00:36:03.39\00:36:06.09
And now Jezebel is hot,
she's heated, she's upset,
00:36:06.13\00:36:09.73
and she puts out the
messages that within 24 hours,
00:36:09.76\00:36:12.53
I'm going to have your
head, I'm going to kill you.
00:36:12.57\00:36:14.64
And so Elijah is now fleeing,
00:36:14.67\00:36:16.40
notice, and instead
of going to the brethren,
00:36:16.44\00:36:18.17
straightens the
brethren, he isolates himself.
00:36:18.21\00:36:20.84
He's running away,
00:36:20.88\00:36:22.21
thinking that he
can save his life,
00:36:22.24\00:36:23.68
but he's fearful, he's anxious,
he's in a state of despair,
00:36:23.71\00:36:28.15
and his mind is
not in the right place.
00:36:28.18\00:36:29.98
And so he ends up going
out, isolating himself away,
00:36:30.02\00:36:33.02
and he has a
powerful encounter with God.
00:36:33.05\00:36:35.46
God sends a
message at first and says,
00:36:35.49\00:36:37.16
you know, and
provides food for him,
00:36:37.19\00:36:38.83
because he's been
running and running
00:36:38.86\00:36:40.20
and running and running,
00:36:40.23\00:36:41.56
trying to get away and
God provides for his needs
00:36:41.60\00:36:43.03
while he's out there.
00:36:43.06\00:36:44.40
God's trying to bring him back,
00:36:44.43\00:36:45.77
but he's still messed up in
the head for a little while.
00:36:45.80\00:36:48.50
He's fearful for his life.
00:36:48.54\00:36:50.04
And he, in fact, he
shares this with the Lord.
00:36:50.07\00:36:51.97
He says it multiple times.
00:36:52.01\00:36:53.34
He says, "These people
have forsaken Your commandments,
00:36:53.38\00:36:55.38
they have forsaken the covenant.
00:36:55.41\00:36:56.85
And I'm the only one left."
00:36:56.88\00:36:58.58
He thinks I'm the only one.
00:36:58.61\00:37:00.12
I isolated by myself here.
00:37:00.15\00:37:02.08
And so there's some
lessons that we can learn
00:37:02.12\00:37:04.55
that the author brings out
00:37:04.59\00:37:05.92
in this lesson
entitled Press Together,
00:37:05.95\00:37:07.72
that we can also glean
from the Book of Hebrews,
00:37:07.76\00:37:10.63
and for our time today as well.
00:37:10.66\00:37:13.50
The story of God's
dealing with Elijah
00:37:13.53\00:37:15.23
after Carmel is fascinating
00:37:15.26\00:37:16.63
because it shows the tender care
00:37:16.67\00:37:18.53
and wisdom with
which God ministers
00:37:18.57\00:37:20.27
to those who are under distress,
00:37:20.30\00:37:21.87
and who struggle
to regain their faith.
00:37:21.90\00:37:24.41
Are you
struggling in your faith?
00:37:24.44\00:37:26.01
Are you struggling to regain
your faith in Christ Jesus?
00:37:26.04\00:37:28.88
Well, this is a message for you,
00:37:28.91\00:37:30.31
we have a message from God.
00:37:30.35\00:37:31.85
We can read the Book
of Hebrews and find that,
00:37:31.88\00:37:33.88
like Elijah as God
took care of Elijah's needs.
00:37:33.92\00:37:38.29
So God, the Bible promises,
00:37:38.32\00:37:39.89
is not just in
the Book of Hebrews,
00:37:39.92\00:37:41.26
but throughout
all the other texts
00:37:41.29\00:37:43.02
that God provides for our needs.
00:37:43.06\00:37:45.43
And not only should we
understand and be faithful
00:37:45.46\00:37:48.33
in understanding the
promises of God's Word,
00:37:48.36\00:37:50.23
where He promises us
that He will provide for us,
00:37:50.27\00:37:52.50
but we also need
to learn from that
00:37:52.53\00:37:54.40
and also provide for
each other in time of need.
00:37:54.44\00:37:57.84
I'm going to start
there in Matthew 6:31-33,
00:37:57.87\00:38:00.58
just as a principle.
00:38:00.61\00:38:01.94
Jesus says here,
"Therefore do not worry saying,
00:38:01.98\00:38:04.58
'What shall we eat?
00:38:04.61\00:38:06.08
Or what shall we drink?
00:38:06.11\00:38:07.45
Or what shall we wear?
00:38:07.48\00:38:08.82
For after all these
things the Gentiles seek
00:38:08.85\00:38:10.92
for your heavenly Father knows
00:38:10.95\00:38:12.79
what you need and knows
you need all these things.'"
00:38:12.82\00:38:15.62
But He says this in
verse 33, that famous verse,
00:38:15.66\00:38:17.83
"But seek first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness,
00:38:17.86\00:38:21.46
and all these things
shall be added to you."
00:38:21.50\00:38:24.53
Does God provide for us?
00:38:24.57\00:38:25.93
Did God provided for
His prophet in time of need
00:38:25.97\00:38:29.64
when he was in
a time of despair,
00:38:29.67\00:38:31.54
when he was in a time
of discouragement and fear?
00:38:31.57\00:38:33.61
Of course.
00:38:33.64\00:38:34.98
Philippians
4:19, I love this text,
00:38:35.01\00:38:37.05
"And my God shall
supply all your need,
00:38:37.08\00:38:39.98
according to His riches
and glory by Christ Jesus."
00:38:40.02\00:38:43.72
Jesus is there for us,
our God is there for us,
00:38:43.75\00:38:46.35
but not only is
God there for us,
00:38:46.39\00:38:48.99
but God expects us to
be there for each other.
00:38:49.02\00:38:50.96
What's the title of this lesson?
00:38:50.99\00:38:52.36
Press together.
00:38:52.39\00:38:53.73
We need to be pressing together.
00:38:53.76\00:38:55.10
Instead of running
away from our problems,
00:38:55.13\00:38:56.56
God is going to provide
through these despairing times,
00:38:56.60\00:38:59.60
we should press together.
00:38:59.63\00:39:00.97
Hebrews 13:1-6.
00:39:01.00\00:39:03.41
Notice what the Bible says.
00:39:03.44\00:39:04.84
Hebrews 13:1-6, "Let
brotherly love continue."
00:39:04.87\00:39:09.48
It says, "Do not
forget to entertain strangers,
00:39:09.51\00:39:12.51
for by doing so or by doing some
00:39:12.55\00:39:14.65
have unwittingly
entertained angels."
00:39:14.68\00:39:18.15
Remember the prisoners
as if chained with them.
00:39:18.19\00:39:21.19
Those who are mistreated
00:39:21.22\00:39:22.56
since you yourselves
are in the body also.
00:39:22.59\00:39:25.26
Marriage is honorable
among all and the bed undefiled,
00:39:25.29\00:39:28.33
but fornicators and
adulterers God will judge.
00:39:28.36\00:39:30.57
Let your conduct be
without covetousness,
00:39:30.60\00:39:32.93
be content with
such things as you have.
00:39:32.97\00:39:35.54
For He Himself has said,
00:39:35.57\00:39:37.34
'I will never leave
you nor forsake you.
00:39:37.37\00:39:40.44
So we may boldly say:
'The Lord is my helper.
00:39:40.48\00:39:44.11
I will not fear.
00:39:44.15\00:39:45.58
What can men do to me?"
00:39:45.61\00:39:47.85
Our God is there with us
and we should also understand
00:39:47.88\00:39:51.19
that He's there for His
people pressing together,
00:39:51.22\00:39:54.06
together in unity of the faith.
00:39:54.09\00:39:56.26
Another lesson we can
learn is we have to be prepared
00:39:56.29\00:39:58.66
as Elijah had to be
prepared for a little bit rebuke
00:39:58.69\00:40:01.56
and instruction in
time when we need it.
00:40:01.60\00:40:03.63
While he's out
there in this cave,
00:40:03.67\00:40:05.67
trying to isolate himself
and run away from his problems.
00:40:05.70\00:40:07.84
God says,
"Elijah, why are you here?
00:40:07.87\00:40:10.27
Why are you here?
What are you doing?"
00:40:10.31\00:40:12.04
And sometimes we have to receive
00:40:12.07\00:40:13.44
that rebuke as well.
00:40:13.48\00:40:14.81
Hebrews 2:1 gives
us some insight here.
00:40:14.84\00:40:17.25
It says, "Therefore, we
must give the more earnest heed
00:40:17.28\00:40:20.22
to the things we have heard,
00:40:20.25\00:40:21.92
lest we drift away."
00:40:21.95\00:40:24.39
Elijah was almost in a situation
00:40:24.42\00:40:26.45
in which he was
drifting away steadily,
00:40:26.49\00:40:29.22
but surely he was
fearing for his life,
00:40:29.26\00:40:30.93
but yet God brought him back.
00:40:30.96\00:40:32.76
God awakened him
from that situation.
00:40:32.79\00:40:35.43
Hebrews 3:12-13.
00:40:35.46\00:40:39.17
It says, "Beware, brethren,
00:40:39.20\00:40:40.90
lest there be any of you
an evil heart of unbelief,
00:40:40.94\00:40:44.34
in departing
from the living God.
00:40:44.37\00:40:47.14
But exhort one another
daily while it is called today,
00:40:47.18\00:40:50.81
lest any of you be hardened
00:40:50.85\00:40:52.61
through the
deceitfulness of sin."
00:40:52.65\00:40:54.25
Pastor read this
scripture earlier.
00:40:54.28\00:40:56.05
The deceitfulness of sin,
the enemy wants to come in,
00:40:56.08\00:40:59.09
and he wants to
isolate you from the flock.
00:40:59.12\00:41:02.62
He wants to segment
and fragment God's church.
00:41:02.66\00:41:05.29
My friends, we
have to band together,
00:41:05.33\00:41:06.83
we have to press together
00:41:06.86\00:41:08.50
as the message of
Hebrews is teaching us here.
00:41:08.53\00:41:11.10
Hebrews Chapter 5,
00:41:11.13\00:41:12.47
we're not going to read
all of this passage here.
00:41:12.50\00:41:14.17
But Hebrews, if you
read Hebrews 5:19-14,
00:41:14.20\00:41:18.17
and also the first few
verses of Hebrews 6:1-3,
00:41:18.21\00:41:22.38
we get this beautiful message.
00:41:22.41\00:41:23.75
I'm going to read
verses, Hebrews 6:1-3.
00:41:23.78\00:41:27.08
It says,
"Therefore lead the discussion
00:41:27.12\00:41:28.75
of the elementary
principles of Christ,
00:41:28.78\00:41:30.65
let us go on to perfection
00:41:30.69\00:41:32.52
not laying again the
foundation of repentance
00:41:32.55\00:41:34.76
from dead works and
of faith toward God,
00:41:34.79\00:41:36.86
of the doctrine of baptism,
00:41:36.89\00:41:38.23
of the laying on of hands,
of resurrection of the dead,
00:41:38.26\00:41:40.63
or of the eternal judgment,
00:41:40.66\00:41:42.00
and this we will
do if God permits."
00:41:42.03\00:41:44.23
What this passage is
basically teaching us
00:41:44.27\00:41:46.84
is that sometimes God
has to bring correction,
00:41:46.87\00:41:49.57
sometimes we're not
where we need to be.
00:41:49.60\00:41:51.74
And if you read Hebrews 5:9-14,
it's highlighting the fact
00:41:51.77\00:41:55.61
that He's having
to remind these people
00:41:55.64\00:41:57.15
that they're having to
return back to the milk.
00:41:57.18\00:41:58.88
That He has to bring
them back to the milk
00:41:58.91\00:42:00.55
'cause they're not
ready for that solid food.
00:42:00.58\00:42:02.48
You might be wanting
to go on to solid food,
00:42:02.52\00:42:04.39
but you're not ready for that.
00:42:04.42\00:42:05.75
And some of you have
been on the milk so long,
00:42:05.79\00:42:07.52
He says, you need
to get off that milk
00:42:07.56\00:42:09.39
and get on to a greater
more in-depth experience in God.
00:42:09.42\00:42:12.89
Get on some meat of the Word
because God wants to bring us
00:42:12.93\00:42:16.50
from these different
levels, these different stage
00:42:16.53\00:42:18.83
of character
development to another
00:42:18.87\00:42:20.80
so that we can grow and
build in Christ together.
00:42:20.84\00:42:24.21
Last but not least, of
course, we are never alone.
00:42:24.24\00:42:26.94
Elijah thought he was alone.
00:42:26.98\00:42:28.84
We are never alone.
00:42:28.88\00:42:30.21
God always has a
people in the world.
00:42:30.25\00:42:33.35
What did He say to Elijah?
00:42:33.38\00:42:34.78
He said brother I
got 7000 other men
00:42:34.82\00:42:36.99
who have not
bowed the knee to Baal.
00:42:37.02\00:42:39.12
Because Elijah had said two
or three times in that passage,
00:42:39.15\00:42:41.19
he said, "I'm alone.
00:42:41.22\00:42:42.56
I'm all by myself and
they're trying to kill me."
00:42:42.59\00:42:44.23
"God said," Look, I got
7000 others just like you
00:42:44.26\00:42:46.19
who have not
bowed the knee to Baal."
00:42:46.23\00:42:48.56
We should press together,
00:42:48.60\00:42:50.43
encourage one another and
stir up love and good works
00:42:50.47\00:42:54.34
as we're going to
read here in a moment.
00:42:54.37\00:42:55.70
I want to go to
Hebrews Chapter 12.
00:42:55.74\00:42:57.17
This I love Hebrews 12:1-3,
00:42:57.21\00:43:00.28
beautiful message
there again and reminding us
00:43:00.31\00:43:02.74
that we have our High
Priest who is always with us.
00:43:02.78\00:43:05.61
It says there,
"Therefore we also,
00:43:05.65\00:43:07.78
since we are surrounded by
so great a cloud of witnesses,
00:43:07.82\00:43:11.35
let us lay aside
every weight and the sin
00:43:11.39\00:43:14.89
which so easily ensnares us
and let us run with endurance."
00:43:14.92\00:43:19.03
He was running with endurance,
00:43:19.06\00:43:20.40
but he was
running away from God,
00:43:20.43\00:43:21.76
we need to run with
endurance to God, right?
00:43:21.80\00:43:24.40
"Let us run with
endurance the race
00:43:24.43\00:43:26.10
that is set before
us looking," notice,
00:43:26.13\00:43:28.24
here's the key,
"looking unto Jesus,
00:43:28.27\00:43:30.57
the author and
finisher of our faith,
00:43:30.61\00:43:33.01
who for the joy
that was set before Him
00:43:33.04\00:43:35.31
endured the cross,
00:43:35.34\00:43:36.68
despising the shame
00:43:36.71\00:43:38.28
and to sit down
at the right hand
00:43:38.31\00:43:39.65
of the throne of God.
00:43:39.68\00:43:41.02
For consider Him who
endured such hostility
00:43:41.05\00:43:43.55
from sinners
against Himself lest you
00:43:43.59\00:43:45.69
become weary and
discouraged in your souls."
00:43:45.72\00:43:48.72
My friends, we need not
become weary and discouraged.
00:43:48.76\00:43:51.26
That's why I
love Hebrews 10:24-25.
00:43:51.29\00:43:55.36
Love this, it says, "And
let us consider one another
00:43:55.40\00:43:59.17
in order to stir up
love and good works,
00:43:59.20\00:44:02.87
not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together,
00:44:02.90\00:44:07.34
as is the manner of some,
00:44:07.38\00:44:08.78
but exhorting one
another and so much the more
00:44:08.81\00:44:12.31
as you see the day approaching."
00:44:12.35\00:44:15.05
We are fast approaching
the end of this world.
00:44:15.08\00:44:17.19
We don't need to be
fragmented and segmented,
00:44:17.22\00:44:18.99
and separated and isolated.
00:44:19.02\00:44:20.79
You know, there was a
story I heard of a brother
00:44:20.82\00:44:23.49
who had become
bitter with the church.
00:44:23.53\00:44:25.23
He had fallen
away and but decided,
00:44:25.26\00:44:27.20
you know, he'd
become so focused on people
00:44:27.23\00:44:28.80
and all the politics
and the different things
00:44:28.83\00:44:30.23
going on that he decided,
00:44:30.27\00:44:31.60
"You know what, I'm
just going to live for God
00:44:31.63\00:44:33.00
alone in my home."
00:44:33.03\00:44:34.50
And so he decided
he's going to have home,
00:44:34.54\00:44:36.07
he's going to have
church at home by himself.
00:44:36.10\00:44:38.34
Well, week or two had passed,
00:44:38.37\00:44:39.71
finally the pastor
decided to go give him a visit.
00:44:39.74\00:44:42.21
So the pastor went in
it had been a cold winter,
00:44:42.24\00:44:44.65
and he knocked
on the guy's door,
00:44:44.68\00:44:46.48
guy comes and opens the door.
00:44:46.51\00:44:47.92
He walks in,
00:44:47.95\00:44:49.28
of course, this is
one of his church members.
00:44:49.32\00:44:50.65
He walks in.
00:44:50.69\00:44:52.02
He's the guy
sitting by the fireplace
00:44:52.05\00:44:53.39
and they sit
there for a few minutes,
00:44:53.42\00:44:54.76
no words were said.
00:44:54.79\00:44:56.12
The pastor gets up from his seat
00:44:56.16\00:44:57.49
after a few minutes of silence,
00:44:57.53\00:44:58.99
and he takes the tongs
00:44:59.03\00:45:00.36
from off the
side of the fireplace
00:45:00.40\00:45:02.40
and he grabs one
of the pieces of coal.
00:45:02.43\00:45:04.60
And he sets it out by
itself on the edge there
00:45:04.63\00:45:07.04
on the hearth of the fireplace.
00:45:07.07\00:45:09.50
And he goes and
sits back down in a seat,
00:45:09.54\00:45:11.31
and they both watched
00:45:11.34\00:45:13.04
as the moments passed
by without a word spoken,
00:45:13.07\00:45:15.38
as that coal grew colder,
00:45:15.41\00:45:17.15
and colder and colder
until it stopped burning.
00:45:17.18\00:45:20.05
But the other ones
who are pressed together,
00:45:20.08\00:45:22.32
who were in, they were all
bound together in that fire,
00:45:22.35\00:45:24.65
they were burning
hot for one another.
00:45:24.69\00:45:27.42
And when we do
some barbecue cooking,
00:45:27.46\00:45:28.96
we don't barbecue
with one piece of coal,
00:45:28.99\00:45:30.79
we put it all out
there and press it together.
00:45:30.83\00:45:32.63
My friends, we
also are one in Christ,
00:45:32.66\00:45:35.96
God's church, we
need to press together
00:45:36.00\00:45:38.57
and be with Jesus today,
00:45:38.60\00:45:40.20
looking unto Jesus,
00:45:40.24\00:45:41.57
the author and
finisher of our faith.
00:45:41.60\00:45:43.27
Amen. Amen.
00:45:43.30\00:45:44.64
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:45:44.67\00:45:46.24
Well, we now move to Thursday's
portion of the lesson.
00:45:46.27\00:45:50.61
My name is John Dinzey
00:45:50.65\00:45:51.98
for those of you
listening by radio.
00:45:52.01\00:45:53.92
And this portion of the lesson
is entitled These Last Days.
00:45:53.95\00:45:59.32
And as you look at
the Book of Hebrews,
00:45:59.35\00:46:00.96
you're going to notice
some language that tell us
00:46:00.99\00:46:03.99
about the end of
time that we're living in.
00:46:04.03\00:46:07.33
You will see phrases
such as these last days,
00:46:07.36\00:46:10.90
in the end of the world,
00:46:10.93\00:46:13.30
as you see the day approaching,
00:46:13.34\00:46:14.94
yet a little while.
00:46:14.97\00:46:16.40
And these are the scriptures
that are there to let us know
00:46:16.44\00:46:18.97
that the Book of
Hebrews is a book for us
00:46:19.01\00:46:21.78
living in the last days.
00:46:21.81\00:46:23.98
Now when you look
at the Book of Hebrews
00:46:24.01\00:46:26.05
and you see the
phrase last days,
00:46:26.08\00:46:27.78
the Jews understood this
00:46:27.82\00:46:29.15
to mean that
the Messiah had come
00:46:29.18\00:46:31.35
and He will
begin the fulfillment
00:46:31.39\00:46:33.56
of the Messianic prophecies.
00:46:33.59\00:46:35.36
The Messiah has already come,
the Jews are still waiting.
00:46:35.39\00:46:37.86
We know the Messiah has come.
00:46:37.89\00:46:39.49
We are further along in
this history of this world.
00:46:39.53\00:46:43.40
There's great controversy
between good and evil.
00:46:43.43\00:46:45.80
We are living in
the final chapter
00:46:45.83\00:46:48.20
of this world's history.
00:46:48.24\00:46:49.57
We are living in the last days.
00:46:49.60\00:46:52.21
So we should be
pressing together
00:46:52.24\00:46:53.64
as you have heard,
00:46:53.68\00:46:55.01
you're going to hear me repeat
00:46:55.04\00:46:56.48
some things that
have already been said,
00:46:56.51\00:46:58.41
as far as
scriptures are concerned.
00:46:58.45\00:47:00.08
Let's go to Hebrews
1:1-2 to look at the first one.
00:47:00.12\00:47:04.59
It says, "God who
at sundry times..."
00:47:04.62\00:47:06.96
This is the King James Version.
00:47:06.99\00:47:08.32
I love how it reads.
00:47:08.36\00:47:09.69
"God who at sundry times,
00:47:09.72\00:47:11.06
and in divers
manners spake in time past
00:47:11.09\00:47:15.26
unto the
fathers by the prophets.
00:47:15.30\00:47:17.70
Hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son,
00:47:17.73\00:47:23.17
whom he hath
appointed heir of all things,
00:47:23.20\00:47:26.34
by whom also he
made the worlds."
00:47:26.37\00:47:28.61
So in the last days, He
has spoken to us by His Son.
00:47:28.64\00:47:33.35
The prophets have
spoken, but when His Son comes,
00:47:33.38\00:47:37.15
it lets you know
that the final phase
00:47:37.19\00:47:39.75
of this world's
history has come.
00:47:39.79\00:47:42.06
Hebrews Chapter 9.
00:47:42.09\00:47:43.59
Let's look at
the Hebrews Chapter 9
00:47:43.63\00:47:45.06
beginning in verse 26.
00:47:45.09\00:47:47.23
Notice how it says.
00:47:47.26\00:47:48.60
"Now once, at
the end of the ages,
00:47:48.63\00:47:51.97
He has appeared to put away sin
00:47:52.00\00:47:54.37
by the sacrifice of Himself."
00:47:54.40\00:47:56.77
Jesus Christ has come.
00:47:56.81\00:47:59.34
Jesus Christ has
lived a perfect life,
00:47:59.37\00:48:02.41
and He has offered
Himself a sacrifice for you,
00:48:02.44\00:48:06.95
and for me.
00:48:06.98\00:48:08.32
He is now ministering
in the heavenly sanctuary,
00:48:08.35\00:48:11.82
and you're going to see
this brought out beautifully
00:48:11.85\00:48:14.42
in the Book of Hebrews.
00:48:14.46\00:48:15.79
I encourage you
to continue watching
00:48:15.82\00:48:17.49
the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel,
00:48:17.53\00:48:19.56
and you're going to see
insights from God's Word
00:48:19.59\00:48:21.90
that are going to
encourage you and help you
00:48:21.93\00:48:24.17
as you live this Christian life.
00:48:24.20\00:48:26.17
Now, continuing in verse 27.
00:48:26.20\00:48:27.90
"And as it is
appointed for men to die once,
00:48:27.94\00:48:31.87
but after this the judgment:
00:48:31.91\00:48:33.98
So Christ was offered
once to bear the sins of many,
00:48:34.01\00:48:38.85
to those who
eagerly wait for Him,
00:48:38.88\00:48:41.62
He will appear a
second time apart from sin,
00:48:41.65\00:48:45.82
for salvation."
00:48:45.85\00:48:47.36
Praise the Lord.
00:48:47.39\00:48:48.79
Now do not be fazed
00:48:48.82\00:48:51.63
or led us stray
here by the thought that
00:48:51.66\00:48:54.96
He says He will appear
that He died once for many,
00:48:55.00\00:48:59.37
He died for all.
00:48:59.40\00:49:01.74
And it says here for
those who eagerly wait for Him,
00:49:01.77\00:49:04.71
He will appear a second time.
00:49:04.74\00:49:06.07
Jesus Christ will come
and every eye will see Him.
00:49:06.11\00:49:10.75
But for those waiting for Him,
it will be a time of rejoicing.
00:49:10.78\00:49:14.18
Oh, this is our God,
00:49:14.22\00:49:15.55
we have waited for
Him and He will save us.
00:49:15.58\00:49:18.35
Now when He comes,
00:49:18.39\00:49:20.49
He is going to take us with Him.
00:49:20.52\00:49:22.86
Let's go to Hebrews 10:25,
you have heard this already,
00:49:22.89\00:49:26.73
"Not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together."
00:49:26.76\00:49:29.43
Notice this phrase again,
00:49:29.46\00:49:31.53
not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together.
00:49:31.57\00:49:34.74
This is an exhortation
00:49:34.77\00:49:36.77
for those of us
living in the last days
00:49:36.81\00:49:38.51
because every wind of
doctrine is already blowing,
00:49:38.54\00:49:43.61
you know, is blowing and
people are being led astray
00:49:43.65\00:49:47.05
by different things not only
within the Christian church,
00:49:47.08\00:49:50.39
but from the world out there.
00:49:50.42\00:49:52.49
Different
theories are coming out
00:49:52.52\00:49:54.69
and even people
that are claiming
00:49:54.72\00:49:57.06
to be Jesus Christ.
00:49:57.09\00:49:58.43
And we have heard of
people that have followed people
00:49:58.46\00:50:02.03
that claim to be Jesus Christ,
00:50:02.06\00:50:04.00
just in about a month ago,
00:50:04.03\00:50:05.93
there are at least
three different individuals
00:50:05.97\00:50:08.10
that are out there
claiming to be Jesus Christ.
00:50:08.14\00:50:10.74
Jesus Christ has not returned,
but He will soon return,
00:50:10.77\00:50:14.74
and every eye will see Him.
00:50:14.78\00:50:16.54
And all these imposters,
all these false Christs
00:50:16.58\00:50:19.48
will have to bow
down at the King of kings
00:50:19.51\00:50:21.95
and Lord of lords,
00:50:21.98\00:50:23.32
and they are false Christs.
00:50:23.35\00:50:26.05
Hebrews 10:36-38,
00:50:26.09\00:50:29.32
"For you have need of endurance.
00:50:29.36\00:50:31.29
So after you have
done the will of God,
00:50:31.33\00:50:34.76
you may receive the promise.
00:50:34.80\00:50:37.80
For yet a little while,
00:50:37.83\00:50:39.30
and He who is coming
will come and will not tarry.
00:50:39.33\00:50:43.61
Now the just
shall live by faith.
00:50:43.64\00:50:46.07
But if anyone draws back,
00:50:46.11\00:50:47.74
my soul has no pleasure in him."
00:50:47.78\00:50:50.68
I encourage you to
daily follow Jesus,
00:50:50.71\00:50:54.28
that as you follow Jesus,
00:50:54.32\00:50:56.58
you will grow in
grace and in the knowledge
00:50:56.62\00:50:59.25
of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
00:50:59.29\00:51:01.36
Satan will do all he
can to lead you astray.
00:51:01.39\00:51:05.99
And as a matter of fact,
00:51:06.03\00:51:07.36
he wants to do with you
00:51:07.40\00:51:09.70
what he wanted to do with Peter.
00:51:09.73\00:51:11.07
He wants to sift you as
wheat, but hold on to Jesus.
00:51:11.10\00:51:14.64
That's right. And
Jesus is praying for you.
00:51:14.67\00:51:16.84
He's ministering for you.
00:51:16.87\00:51:18.21
He's ministering for
me, hold on to Jesus.
00:51:18.24\00:51:20.41
And we're going to take
a look at that scripture
00:51:20.44\00:51:22.84
in now in Hebrews Chapter 12,
00:51:22.88\00:51:25.65
and onward, verse
25, let's begin there.
00:51:25.68\00:51:30.02
"See that you do not
refuse Him who speaks,
00:51:30.05\00:51:33.15
for if they did not
escape who refused Him
00:51:33.19\00:51:36.69
who spoke on earth,
00:51:36.73\00:51:38.29
much more shall we
not escape if we turn away
00:51:38.33\00:51:41.06
from Him who speaks from heaven,
00:51:41.10\00:51:43.16
whose voice
then shook the earth,
00:51:43.20\00:51:45.30
but now He has promised saying,
00:51:45.33\00:51:47.50
yet once more, I
shake not only the earth,
00:51:47.54\00:51:50.91
but also heaven.
00:51:50.94\00:51:52.41
Now, this yet once more
00:51:52.44\00:51:54.24
indicates the
removal of those things
00:51:54.28\00:51:57.01
that are being shaken,
00:51:57.05\00:51:58.81
as the things that are made that
00:51:58.85\00:52:01.15
the things which
cannot be shaken may remain."
00:52:01.18\00:52:03.89
A shaking is taking place,
00:52:03.92\00:52:06.22
and those that
are not holding on
00:52:06.25\00:52:08.19
to Christ will be shaken.
00:52:08.22\00:52:10.33
So hold on to Jesus.
00:52:10.36\00:52:12.86
Keep looking to Jesus,
00:52:12.89\00:52:14.23
the author and
finisher of our faith.
00:52:14.26\00:52:16.87
Verse 28 says, "Therefore,
00:52:16.90\00:52:18.23
since we are
receiving a kingdom,
00:52:18.27\00:52:21.24
which cannot be shaken,
00:52:21.27\00:52:23.81
let us have grace
00:52:23.84\00:52:25.17
by which we may
serve God acceptably
00:52:25.21\00:52:27.88
with reverence and godly fear,
00:52:27.91\00:52:30.21
for our God is
a consuming fire."
00:52:30.25\00:52:33.25
Be not let us astray.
00:52:33.28\00:52:34.75
Just as there was
a physical shaking,
00:52:34.78\00:52:37.72
when the Lord
appeared there on Sinai,
00:52:37.75\00:52:40.36
there's going to
be a spiritual shaking
00:52:40.39\00:52:43.56
among this earth.
00:52:43.59\00:52:46.16
And you see that as
Jesus Christ is coming,
00:52:46.19\00:52:49.70
Satan will intensify
his efforts to deceive,
00:52:49.73\00:52:54.27
and there are going to be
false miracles taking place.
00:52:54.30\00:52:57.41
And the Bible says
that, if it were possible,
00:52:57.44\00:53:00.71
they would
deceive the very elect.
00:53:00.74\00:53:02.74
So it is time to be
studying God's Word.
00:53:02.78\00:53:05.78
It is time to be
holding on to Jesus
00:53:05.81\00:53:08.32
because a mighty
shaking is coming.
00:53:08.35\00:53:11.22
Hebrews 10:23,
"Let us hold fast."
00:53:11.25\00:53:15.49
This hold fast indicates a,
00:53:15.52\00:53:18.13
you don't want to let go,
00:53:18.16\00:53:20.10
you should not let go
of Jesus because if you do,
00:53:20.13\00:53:23.97
you are in great danger.
00:53:24.00\00:53:25.67
As a matter of fact,
00:53:25.70\00:53:27.04
we are not safe for
a moment without Jesus.
00:53:27.07\00:53:29.94
So let us hold fast
the confession of our hope,
00:53:29.97\00:53:32.84
the confession of our
faith without wavering,
00:53:32.87\00:53:35.71
for He who promised is faithful.
00:53:35.74\00:53:38.65
Jesus Christ is faithful,
and He will soon return.
00:53:38.68\00:53:42.95
Hebrews 12:1-2,
00:53:42.98\00:53:46.59
"Therefore we also
since we are surrounded
00:53:46.62\00:53:50.86
by so great a
cloud of witnesses,
00:53:50.89\00:53:53.19
let us lay aside every weight
00:53:53.23\00:53:56.56
and the sin which
so easily ensnares us,
00:53:56.60\00:54:00.50
and let us run with endurance
00:54:00.54\00:54:02.20
the race that is set before us."
00:54:02.24\00:54:03.67
I'm going to stop
there for a moment.
00:54:03.71\00:54:05.11
And notice how it says,
"Let us lay aside every weight,
00:54:05.14\00:54:08.28
and the sin which
so easily ensnares us."
00:54:08.31\00:54:10.75
By God's grace, we can
lay aside every weight.
00:54:10.78\00:54:15.12
Those things that you love to do
00:54:15.15\00:54:18.22
that are evil that
are going to destroy you,
00:54:18.25\00:54:20.99
if you don't let them
go by the grace of God,
00:54:21.02\00:54:23.89
you can let them go.
00:54:23.93\00:54:25.26
And it appears
that like everyone seems
00:54:25.29\00:54:27.10
to have a particular sin
that easily ensnares them,
00:54:27.13\00:54:31.40
but by God's
grace, we can let that go
00:54:31.43\00:54:34.77
and learn by the grace
of Christ to hate that sin.
00:54:34.80\00:54:39.37
Looking unto Jesus, how?
00:54:39.41\00:54:41.08
Looking unto
Jesus, it says in verse 2,
00:54:41.11\00:54:43.31
the author and
finisher of our faith,
00:54:43.35\00:54:46.15
who for the joy
that was set before Him
00:54:46.18\00:54:48.58
endured the cross,
00:54:48.62\00:54:49.95
despising the shame,
00:54:49.98\00:54:51.45
and has sat down
at the right hand
00:54:51.49\00:54:53.32
of the throne of God.
00:54:53.36\00:54:54.69
How could Jesus
face the cross with joy?
00:54:54.72\00:55:00.10
To me, the joy is the fact
that you accept Him as your...
00:55:00.13\00:55:05.17
Accept Jesus as
your personal Savior.
00:55:05.20\00:55:07.44
That was the joy
that was set before Him.
00:55:07.47\00:55:09.70
And I encourage
you to consider that
00:55:09.74\00:55:11.74
there's a joy set before you.
00:55:11.77\00:55:14.11
The hope of embracing
Jesus and thanking Him
00:55:14.14\00:55:17.48
for the precious salvation
00:55:17.51\00:55:19.18
He has worked out for you.
00:55:19.21\00:55:20.62
The joy of seeing
your loved ones, also,
00:55:20.65\00:55:25.59
experiencing salvation
and having eternal life.
00:55:25.62\00:55:28.29
The joy of
seeing the fulfillment
00:55:28.32\00:55:30.39
of all the promises
00:55:30.43\00:55:32.09
that God has made.
00:55:32.13\00:55:33.60
So, face the trials
00:55:33.63\00:55:35.86
and the
difficulties of this world
00:55:35.90\00:55:37.63
looking unto Jesus,
00:55:37.67\00:55:39.13
because there's
joy set before you,
00:55:39.17\00:55:41.40
endure by the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ
00:55:41.44\00:55:44.54
until the end,
00:55:44.57\00:55:45.91
and you will have
eternal life and happiness
00:55:45.94\00:55:48.61
that will never end.
00:55:48.64\00:55:49.98
Amen.
00:55:50.01\00:55:51.35
Thank you so much,
Pastor Johnny, Pastor Ryan,
00:55:51.38\00:55:53.92
Pastor John and Pastor James,
00:55:53.95\00:55:55.72
incredible open to
the Book of Hebrews.
00:55:55.75\00:55:58.89
I am very excited
about the next 12 weeks,
00:55:58.92\00:56:01.99
encourage you to
share them with us
00:56:02.02\00:56:03.73
as we journey
through this incredible book.
00:56:03.76\00:56:05.83
I want to give
each one of you a moment
00:56:05.86\00:56:07.33
to share a final thought.
00:56:07.36\00:56:08.90
Well, we know
that every one of us
00:56:08.93\00:56:11.37
in on planet earth suffers.
00:56:11.40\00:56:14.04
And the question we
want to ask ourselves is do
00:56:14.07\00:56:16.30
we want that
suffering to be for Jesus?
00:56:16.34\00:56:18.01
To be for a cause
00:56:18.04\00:56:19.67
that is the more
worthy than anything else
00:56:19.71\00:56:21.94
that we can
embrace on planet earth?
00:56:21.98\00:56:25.08
And in my life
personally, I've said yes.
00:56:25.11\00:56:27.48
I am going to
let all the suffering
00:56:27.52\00:56:29.02
that I endure on this earth.
00:56:29.05\00:56:30.49
I'm going to
let it be for Jesus,
00:56:30.52\00:56:32.75
and for a cause that is worthy
00:56:32.79\00:56:35.56
of anything and
everything that we can endure.
00:56:35.59\00:56:37.63
Amen. That's right.
00:56:37.66\00:56:38.99
I don't want
malaise, I want the opposite.
00:56:39.03\00:56:40.60
In Jesus, we can have calmness,
cheerfulness, comfort, ease,
00:56:40.63\00:56:43.70
good health,
happiness, health and joy.
00:56:43.73\00:56:47.04
If you're going through malaise,
00:56:47.07\00:56:48.64
I suggest, choose
the next category,
00:56:48.67\00:56:51.64
and all of those
blessings are found
00:56:51.67\00:56:53.48
only in the person of Christ.
00:56:53.51\00:56:55.91
Amen. Amen.
00:56:55.94\00:56:57.28
John 3:14 says,
00:56:57.31\00:57:00.32
"As Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness,
00:57:00.35\00:57:02.35
so shall also the
Son of Man be lifted up."
00:57:02.38\00:57:04.92
They had to look to the serpent.
00:57:04.95\00:57:07.62
We have to look to Jesus.
00:57:07.66\00:57:09.02
That message doesn't
change here in Hebrews 12:2.
00:57:09.06\00:57:12.26
Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith.
00:57:12.29\00:57:15.33
Amen. Amen.
00:57:15.36\00:57:16.80
I like to point
you to Daniel 2:43-44,
00:57:16.83\00:57:20.60
there in Daniel Chapter 2,
00:57:20.64\00:57:21.97
you see the history of
the kingdoms of the world.
00:57:22.00\00:57:23.74
And in verse 43 and 44, it says,
00:57:23.77\00:57:25.51
"And whereas thou sawest
iron mixed with miry clay,
00:57:25.54\00:57:28.38
they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men:
00:57:28.41\00:57:30.75
but they shall not
cleave one to another,
00:57:30.78\00:57:32.48
even as iron is
not mixed with clay.
00:57:32.51\00:57:34.65
And in the days of these kings
00:57:34.68\00:57:36.05
shall the God of
heaven set up a kingdom,
00:57:36.08\00:57:37.92
which shall never be destroyed:
00:57:37.95\00:57:39.52
and the kingdom shall
not be left to other people,
00:57:39.55\00:57:42.12
but it shall break in pieces
00:57:42.16\00:57:43.49
and consume all
these other kingdoms,
00:57:43.53\00:57:44.86
and it shall stand for ever."
00:57:44.89\00:57:46.26
God's Kingdom
will stand forever.
00:57:46.29\00:57:48.43
Amen. Are you so
grateful for that?
00:57:48.46\00:57:50.30
You might be going
through a struggle or malaise,
00:57:50.33\00:57:53.23
but I want to
encourage you to press together.
00:57:53.27\00:57:54.97
Encourage you, we
are in the last days
00:57:55.00\00:57:57.27
and Jesus is coming soon.
00:57:57.31\00:57:59.47
Please join us next
week for lesson number two,
00:57:59.51\00:58:02.21
the title is The
Message of Hebrews.
00:58:02.24\00:58:05.15