Hebrews - Central Baptist Church, Okinawa

Wed, 9th Jul 08 by Rich

Hebrews 12

This is a chapter of exhortations, commands, and applications. It is a rather practical chapter in which the pastor exhorts us, the believers, to live a Christian life. In his own direct manner, the writer exhorts us to stimulate our Christian hope by enduring hardship and affliction. He begins by encouraging us to exercise perseverance, to look to Jesus, to struggle against sin, to submit to discipline, and to overcome weakness.

He encourages us to pursue peace and holiness and warns us against apostasy, immorality, and godlessness. Esau serves as an example, for as Isaac’s first-born he should have received the birthright with its spiritual implications. Instead he despised this right and consequently rejected God. Before he continues to write about the subject of apostasy, the author contrasts the fear and dread of the Israelites who received the law at Mount Sinai with the joy and perfection of believers who come to the city of God at Mount Zion.

Once again he exhorts us to listen to the voice of God. Failure to heed his Word results in punishment. As the Israelites who rejected God did not escape, so we who have God’s revelation through Jesus will not escape if we fall away.

Therefore, the writer says, we ought to live thankful lives because we are part of the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. By living thankfully, we serve God in acceptable worship with deep respect and veneration.

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 15: New Testament commentary : Exposition of Hebrews. Accompanying biblical text is author’s translation. New Testament Commentary (402). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Wed, 2nd Jul 08 by Rich

Hebrews 11:4-40

What is faith? The author answers this question by giving the readers first a brief definition and then the application of faith in the lives of many believers. The definition is not designed to be comprehensive; rather, it is introductory in nature. Using examples taken from life, the writer demonstrates the characteristics and qualities of faith.

After an initial reference to the origin of the world, the author chooses his illustrations from specific periods of history. First, from the period between creation and the flood he selects the names of Abel, Enoch, and Noah. These people lived by faith and experienced intimate fellowship with God. With these examples, the writer depicts a gradual progression: Abel’s faith eventually resulted in physical death; Enoch’s faith brought translation to glory; and Noah’s faith provided salvation for him, his family, and the animals.

Then, from the period of the patriarchs, the author selects incidents from the life of Abraham. He shows Abraham’s obedience relative to traveling to the land of Canaan, the birth of a son, and the sacrifice of Isaac. The patriarchs died without seeing the promises of God fulfilled: they longed for life eternal in a heavenly city. Also, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph looked to the future.

From the time of the exodus from Egypt to the conquest of Canaan, the writer gleans events from the life of Moses: his birth, childhood, education, and departure from Egypt. He also relates the faith of the Israelites in crossing the Red Sea and in marching around Jericho’s walls. A brief remark on Rahab’s faith concludes his comments about that era.

When the author comes to the period of the judges, kings, and prophets, he lists only some representative names. He summarizes the types of trials and triumphs that believers endured and enjoyed. Although he refrains from providing details, he intimates a relation between these persons and deeds of faith.

In his conclusion, the writer discloses that the Old Testament saints and the readers of his epistle share a common faith and together reap the benefits of a fulfilled promise. Believers are made perfect through the work of Christ.

Wed, 25th Jun 08 by Rich

Hebrews 10:32-11:3

As a pastor sensitive to the needs to his people, the author changes his remarks from admonition to praise, from reproof to commendation. He enthusiastically approves of the works of love and mercy they showed to those who were persecuted and those who lost their possessions. The writer draws a parallel to his warning against falling away (6:4-6) and to his tribute to the readers for their demonstration of love and their willingness to help (6:9-11).

The author of Hebrews seems to develop a sequence of the events that had occurred in the lives of his readers. First, they had endured a period of suffering when they “had received the light” (v. 32). Then they were exposed to public insult and persecution (v. 33). Also, they supported fellow believers who suffered similar abuse. And last, they had lost their property, perhaps in a time of political or religious turmoil (v. 34).

If the readers suffered for their Christian faith in earlier days, will they at present throw away the confidence they showed in the face of persecution? Apparently time has elapsed, and the believers are living in a period of peace and safety. Their boldness in confessing their faith in Christ has fallen into disuse. And because they have not exercised their gift of confidence, they are ready to discard it.

The pastor-writer encourages his people. He gives them words of comfort and assurance. He says, “We belong to those people who believe and are saved.” He knows the readers of his epistle and is confident that they will continue to believe. And the people realize that the person who shrinks back faces eternal condemnation, whereas he who believes obtains salvation. The contrast is clearly delineated. No one can plead ignorance, for the one road leads to destruction; the other, to life.

In the concluding verses of chapter 10, the author introduces the concept faith. He sets the tone for a lengthy discussion about the heroes of faith by tracing sacred history from Abel to the prophets.

The writer delights in recounting the history of the heroes of faith recorded in Scripture. Before he cites examples, however, he writes a brief definition of faith.

He begins his illustrations of demonstrating faith with a comment about creation. No one was present at creation to observe the formation of the world. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” God asks Job (38:4). By using the plural we understand, the author includes himself and all his readers in the confession that God created the world.

Wed, 18th Jun 08 by Rich

Hebrews 10:24-31

Preaching sermons on hellfire appears to be something that happened in the past but not today. This type of preaching is considered an oddity of the eighteenth century; it should not be heard from a twentieth-century pulpit. True. Sermons ought to proclaim the gospel of salvation, the call to repentance, the assurance of pardon, and the message of reconciliation between God and man. Proportionally, Scripture says little about God’s burning wrath that consumes his enemies. If Scripture sets the example, we should follow its practice. Nevertheless, no preacher may fail to warn the people of the dire consequences of turning away from the living God. The recurring theme of the Epistle of Hebrews is one of warning God’s people. Note these three texts:

3:12	“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.”
4:1	“Therefore, since the promise of entering [God’s] rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.”
4:11	“Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.”

The terrifying consequences of living a life of intentional sin ought to be mentioned in sermons. In Hebrews we read that every believer has the responsibility to seek the spiritual welfare of his fellow Christians. We may call this corporate responsibility because it is our mutual task. And pastors may refer to hellfire in their sermons, for such a warning also belongs to the full message of God’s revelation. As the pastor warns the wayward, so he encourages the faint-hearted. A believer may lack the assurance of salvation, fearing that he has committed the sin against the Holy Spirit. But the unpardonable sin cannot be attributed to a person who doubts his or her salvation. Only the person who demonstrates an open and deliberate hatred toward God, divine revelation, and Christ’s accomplished work of salvation has committed that sin. The doubter, then, needs words of encouragement. He should be invited to repeat the reassuring words of Paul, “Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).

Hebrews 12

Hebrews 11:4-40

Hebrews 10:32-11:3

Hebrews 10:24-31

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