Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in Hebrews chapter 10.
!
Our study of Hebrews.
In our study of Hebrews so far, we have seen that the theme of Hebrews is the supremacy and finality of Jesus Christ.
That is, Christ is greater than fill in the blank for our age.
In this letter, the author makes the case that Christ is greater than angels.
Christ is greater than priests.
That Levitical, Aaronic priesthood they were familiar with in their day.
And that Christ is greater than the old covenant redemptive economy.
He has brought a new covenant.
And it is a superior covenant.
And we have seen the theme that Christ is the final Word.
We need no new revelation.
God has revealed Himself fully in the person and the work of Jesus Christ.
Now, the temptation that faced the believers, this letter was originally intended for, was the abandonment of their faith.
And its author is concerned that they persevere to the end.
We have seen in chapter 6 that this beleaguered church had experienced apostasy in their ranks.
They had experienced persecution.
And if the dating is correct, which I believe that it is on this letter,
this has been going on now for some decade and a half.
Many years of persecution.
And in this time, some who had once claimed faith in Jesus Christ had abandoned said faith.
And so the author of Hebrews is seeking to press them on.
To encourage them to hang on and to hold up.
To encourage them to do this even in the face of great adversity.
And we decided to study this text because as followers of Christ, we will experience trials.
And we must prepare ourselves to persevere.
Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 12.
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
And that persecution takes many shapes, right?
In many places and across the ages.
The truth is, if we are walking righteously in this world,
the world will hate us as it hated Christ.
This is not the abnormal thing for the faithful follower of Jesus.
This is the normal thing.
Now, I am not an alarmist.
But brothers and sisters, we need to be mindful of the day in which we live.
We need to be found persevering now.
And we need to prepare ourselves to persevere to the end.
Now, to be abundantly clear, we do not save ourselves by our perseverance.
But rather, because we have been saved, we persevere.
It is of highest importance that we understand that God's loving kindness toward us in Jesus Christ.
The salvation of our souls, right?
Grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone is the cause.
Perseverance is the effect.
Not the other way around.
The author of Hebrews speaks to this once again in the last half of chapter 10.
This is a repetitive theme throughout this book.
Last week, Clay preached on verses 26 through 31 of chapter 10,
which contains within it the sternest warning against apostasy in this book.
It is a stark and trembly passage.
Today, we're going to look at verses 32 through 39,
which is this pastor's following encouragement.
In order to gain perspective and grasp the flow of the chapter,
we're going to begin reading in verse 19 of chapter 10.
Before I lead us in reading this together,
we remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.
It was written for his glory and our good.
And we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises
and to obey its commands.
Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19 and following.
Therefore, brothers,
since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain,
that is, through his flesh,
and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another,
and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
but a fearful expectation of judgment
and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses
dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
How much worse punishment do you think
will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God
and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified
and has outraged the Spirit of grace.
For we know him who said,
Vengeance is mine, I will repay.
And again the Lord will judge his people.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
I believe that Clay helped us to see
that the person that our author is speaking of
in verses 26 through 31
is the person who made a profession of faith in Jesus,
but whose life was not altered.
The effect was never shown,
meaning the cause never happened.
They showed themselves to not be regenerate,
but apostate.
And that's something we need to hear in our day.
In a day that being Christian means that
grandma and grandpa are Christian.
They help put the parking lot in at the church building.
In a day that being Christian means that
I occasionally pop into church
or that I vote Republican.
We need to hear this.
The cause produces something in us.
There's an evidence of who we are in Christ.
A good tree bears good fruit.
And if we find that our lives are only bearing bad fruit,
then we must question the state of our souls.
So after this strong warning
that the author of Hebrew gives,
listen now to his pastoral kindness.
Remember, this church is tired.
Any of you feel tired this morning?
You feel like following Christ is exhausting?
That we have picked up trouble in the world
because we are faithful Christ followers?
Listen to the kindness of this pastor.
But recall the former days
when after you were enlightened,
you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.
Sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction
and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
For you had compassion on those in prison
and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property
since you knew that you yourselves
had a better possession and an abiding one.
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence,
which has a great reward.
For you have need of endurance
so that when you have done the will of God,
you may receive what is promised.
For yet a little while
and the coming one will come
and will not delay.
But my righteous one shall live by faith.
And if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.
But we are not of those who shrink back
and are destroyed,
but of those who have faith
and preserve their souls.
The author of Hebrews
begins instructing his readers
how to persevere in the present
by reminding them
how they persevered in the past.
He says to them,
you will have the grace necessary to persevere now
because look at the evidence
that you have the grace necessary
to persevere then.
He exhorts them to recall
the beginning of verse 32.
But recall.
He's making this case.
We're not those people.
We're not those who are going to abandon the faith
even in the face of difficulty
and struggle and persecution.
We're those who are going to persevere
to the end.
So he reminds them
of something that happened in their lives.
And this happens again
and again and again
in the Scripture.
We're over and over again
instructed and commanded,
exhorted,
encouraged
to remember.
And this is massively important
because we are such forgetful people.
Let me give you an example
from the Old Testament.
In Joshua chapter 3,
we can read of Israel
after sojourning in the wilderness
for 40 years,
crossing over the Jordan River.
If you're familiar with the story,
you'll recall that the priests
held the Ark of the Covenant
and the waters split.
Right?
Just like they had happened
so many years
and to a generation
that had passed previously.
Once again,
God works this miracle
and they walk across
on dry ground.
They walk into the place,
the land of Gilgal.
And in that place,
we can read Joshua chapter 4,
verse 19 and following.
The people came up
out of the Jordan
on the tenth day
of the first month
and they camped at Gilgal
on the east border
of Jericho.
And those twelve stones
which they took out of the Jordan
as they were crossing it
on dry ground,
Joshua set up at Gilgal.
And he said to the people of Israel,
when your children ask their fathers
in times to come,
what do these stones mean?
This wouldn't have been
twelve stones.
Significant.
It pictured something.
But they carried them.
I can't imagine
they were too large.
There's a pile of twelve stones.
This doesn't happen naturally.
So, in times to come,
children are going to ask fathers,
what do these stones mean?
And here's the real significance of them.
Verse 22,
Then you shall let your children know.
Israel passed over this Jordan
on dry ground.
For the Lord your God
dried up the waters of the Jordan for you
until you passed over,
as the Lord your God did
to the Red Sea,
which He dried up for us
until we passed over.
So that all the peoples of the earth
may know that the hand of the Lord
is mighty,
that you may fear
the Lord your God
forever.
So they set up
an altar of sorts,
a memoriam,
that when they saw it,
they would remember
the mighty things
God had done.
Not only had they passed
over the Jordan
into the promised land,
but prior to that,
they had passed out of slavery.
It's meant to bring their minds back
to the whole Exodus story.
And notice that the emphasis
is on,
Joshua says,
what God has done.
We're to be reminded
about what God
has done.
If you go on to read
in the book of Joshua,
Joshua many times
retreats back to Gilgal.
He goes back to this place
to reunify forces
as their conquest is going about
in the promised land.
He goes there to strategize.
And I have to think,
my theological imagination
causes me to think
that he was going back
to a place
that helped him remember
the mighty hand of God.
What God had done
and that he was sure
to keep the promises
he had made.
There is great power
in remembering
who God is
and what God
has done.
Beloved,
this book
serves us so well
in this way.
We would take up
these accounts
and see who our Lord
is.
Remembering
grants us
the confidence
we need
to persevere.
So,
our outline for today
is simply this.
Preserving in the past
and preserving
in the present.
And I want to show you
how the one
serves the other
according to the author
of Hebrews.
So,
let's look first
persevering in
the past.
Verse 32
through 34.
We see a picture
of a strange
group of people.
I hope in some measure
we identify
with these people
that we would say
rejoice with them
and say yes,
amen
to the way
that they lived
their lives.
That wouldn't seem
so far off
and obscure
that our lives
would look something,
some semblance
of this.
He says,
recall the former days
when after
you were enlightened.
He's talking about them
coming to faith
in Christ.
When the gospel
of Jesus Christ
was preached to them
and embraced
by them.
What happened?
A hard
struggle
with sufferings.
And the author
of Hebrews
uses the word
endured.
It doesn't seem
that this was a
brief and passing
thing,
but an ongoing
thing.
And history
shows us
that there was
a great deal
of persecution
in Rome
in their day.
And he gives us
some detail of that
going on in
verse 33.
Sometimes being
publicly exposed
to reproach
and affliction
and sometimes
being partners
with those
so treated.
So they were
drug out
into public
places
and mocked,
ridiculed,
and in some
cases
given physical
injury.
They were hurt
as well.
Beaten.
Spat upon.
Things thrown
at them.
And we find out
in the next verse,
verse 34,
some of them
were imprisoned.
So,
these people
had suffered
and they had
endured
a hard
struggle.
How did they
partner with those
being treated?
They had compassion
on them,
those that were
thrown in prison.
In this day,
if you didn't
have family
or friends
that brought you
provision in prison,
you would die there.
Your jailers
did not take care
of your physical need.
You relied on
those outside
to do so.
And this
precious little
church
bore one
another's burdens,
took up that
task,
and in doing so,
they proclaimed
themselves to be
Christians.
They made it
known to others,
those in
prison
are church,
they belong to
Christ,
and so
do I.
And what
happened to them
in their going
to do this
service to those
is they had
their property
plundered.
As they're
going to serve
their brothers
and their sisters
in prison,
people came
and stole
their property,
ransacked
their homes.
And here's the
peculiar thing
about this
people,
they did it
joyfully.
They joyfully
accepted
the plundering
of their property.
what an odd
bunch.
Why were they
able to do
this?
How was it
that they were
able to endure
hard struggle
with sufferings,
to be partnered
with those
that were
enduring?
It's because
they knew
that they had
a better
possession
and an abiding
one.
They knew
that the things
of this world
are fleeting,
falling away,
someday turning
to dust.
And they
held loosely
to those
things in
order that
they might
hold tightly
to Christ.
They knew
that they
had a better
possession,
Jesus himself,
and an abiding
one,
the gift of
the Spirit,
the Spirit of
Christ in
them,
one that could
not be
taken away.
They understood
that a student
is not greater
than his
teacher.
Christ
suffered.
Christ
was
persecuted.
Why would
we ever
think that
we wouldn't
receive the
same thing
at the hands
of the world?
Paul wrote
in Colossians
1,
verse 24,
Now I
rejoice in
my sufferings
for your
sake,
and in
my flesh
I am
filling up
what is
lacking
in Christ's
afflictions
for the
sake of
his body,
that is,
the church.
Now is Paul
there suggesting
that Jesus'
suffering was
not sufficient
for the
salvation of
his church?
Absolutely
not.
What does
he mean by
lacking in
that text?
I think he
means simply
this.
As we
behold the
suffering of
Jesus Christ,
this is part of
our understanding
of the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
And this is
part of the
way that God
carries the
gospel of
Jesus Christ
into the
world.
Is that
Christians
also
suffer
as
Christ
suffered?
We're
a peculiar
people.
People say,
who are
these people
that joyfully
accept
suffering
and hardship?
What is it
about them
that makes
them so
strange?
And we're
to give
them an
answer.
We have
a better
possession
and an
abiding
one.
We
ought not
think that
we are
greater
than our
master.
They
understood
that
persecution
identified
them
with
Jesus
Christ.
In Acts
chapter 5
and verse
41,
we see
the
apostles
before the
Sanhedrin
and they
are beaten
and charged
to not
speak anymore
in the
name of
Christ.
Verse
41 says,
then they
left the
presence of
the council
rejoicing
that they
were
counted
worthy
to
suffer
dishonor
for the
name.
They
found
great
joy
because
this
beating
was
evidence
that they
were rightly
preaching
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ.
And praise
God,
they weren't
silenced
by their
suffering.
They
went forth
and boldly
proclaimed
the gospel.
Beloved,
we look at
the text,
and the text
is primary,
and it is
of such
great importance,
but this
is also
why I like
to bring
church history
into the
life of
our
fellowship
and how
it helps
to serve
us as
we see
generations
of
Christians
who have
walked
faithfully
and suffered
for it.
On your
bulletin,
there's a
John Bunyan
quote,
and I tried
to find the
exact circumstance
that he wrote
this in response
to,
and I
couldn't,
but Bunyan
was highly
persecuted.
Bunyan
wasn't given
an approval
of the state
to preach,
but he
did anyway,
and he
was thrown
in prison
a number
of times,
and he
would preach
from inside
the courtyard,
and people
would gather
outside the
prison walls,
so he was
thrown into
a dark dungeon
of the prison.
He suffered
much,
and he wrote
this,
Therefore,
I bind
these lies
and slanderous
accusations
to my person
as an ornament.
He decorated
himself with
them.
It belongs
to my
Christian
profession
to be
vilified,
slandered,
reproached,
and reviled.
And since
all this
is nothing
but that,
as God
and my
conscience
testify,
I rejoice
in being
reproached
for Christ's
sake.
He saw it
as part of
the uniform
that you put
on when
you profess
faith in
Jesus Christ.
Do we
understand
that?
Do we
count the
cost of
following
Jesus?
Do we
treasure
Him in
a way
that nothing
else matters
in comparison?
They
understood
that suffering
was for
their good.
God
uses
suffering
as a
kind
Father
to bring
about
maturity
in our
lives.
James
wrote in
James 1,
verse 2
and following,
Count it
all joy,
my brothers,
when you
meet trials
of various
kinds.
For you
know that
the testing
of your
faith
produces
steadfastness
and that
steadfastness
have its
full effect
that you
may be
perfect
and
complete,
lacking
in nothing.
Do we
take on
suffering
in that
way?
Do we
view it
as a
great
evil
and a
thing
that
just
is
unjust
and
should
never
happen?
Or do
we
embrace
it
as
part
of
God's
sovereign
plan
for
our
good?
They
understood
the
concept
of
heavenly
reward.
They
got,
they have
a better
possession
and an
abiding
one.
They
embraced
the
teaching
of
Jesus.
Matthew
chapter 6
verse 19
and 20.
Do not lay
up for
yourselves
treasures
on earth
where
moth
and rust
destroy
and where
thieves
break in
and steal.
They had
actually
experienced
that.
Thieves
broke in
and stole
their
earthly
possessions.
But lay
up for
yourselves
treasures
in heaven
where
neither
moth
nor rust
destroys
and where
thieves
do not
break in
and steal.
Eternal
heavenly
reward.
The
things of
this earth
and our
very lives
themselves
are fleeting.
They are
passing by
and I
know
beloved
that
every
day
does
not
feel
that
way.
Some
days
feel
like
an
eternity.
Press
on
as we
suffer
and it
just
seems
like
it
will
never
end.
One
glorious
day
we're
going to
put
back
on
this
life
and
go
truly
it
was
a
hand
breath.
Truly
I
was
a
vapor
in
the
wind.
Why
did
I
not
heed
this
caution
and
this
teaching?
We
should
have
our
minds
aimed
eternally.
The rest
of that
expanse,
that
massive
amount
of
time
cannot
be
measured
because
it
has
no
measure.
They
understood
but do
we
that we
should be
investing
there
and not
here?
How much
of our
lives
are aimed
at
our
comfort
and
our
leisure
our
temporal
enjoyment
and
how
little
of our
lives
are
aimed
like
that?
These
Christians
were
faithful
in this
way.
I hope
that we
have
been
too.
I
could
think
of
some
examples
of how
we
have
been
as
well.
How
would
we
endure
a
hard
struggle
with
sufferings?
I
hope
we
would
bear
up
by
the
grace
of
God
in
the
same
way.
These
were
Christians
that
had
been
beaten
down.
This
is
why
this
letter
is
being
written
to
them.
It's
trying
to
give
them
courage
to
press
on.
To
persevere
in
the
present.
So
he
goes
on
in
verse
35
and
on
through
the
end
of
our
text
in
verse
39.
Because
of
this
past
persevering
and
persevere
in
the
present.
He
says
in
verse
35,
therefore
do
not
throw
away
your
confidence
which
has
a
great
reward.
Now
as I
said
earlier
their
confidence
is
not
found
in
the
activity
of
enduring
hard
struggles
with
sufferings.
Look
at
us.
We're
endures.
Right?
We're
fantastic
faithful
Christians.
Surely
we
can
press
on.
And
for
them
to
look
and
see
the
great
work
that
God
had
done
in
their
lives.
The
affection
that
God
had
given
them
for
Christ.
That
they
would
treasure
Christ
as a
greater
possession
and an
abiding
one
as a
gift
of
the
Spirit.
That
they
would
joyfully
accept
the
plundering
of
their
property
as
a
gift
of
the
Spirit.
That
they
would
want
to
join
in
and
partner
that
confidence
that
the
author
is
referring
to.
This
confidence
in
their
confession
of
Jesus
as
the
Christ
and
the
evidence
that
they
truly
believe
that.
The
way
that
he's
working
in
and
through
them.
Cause
and
effect.
Remember
the
effect
so that
you'll
remember
the
cause.
You
have
need
of
this.
Do
not
throw
away
your
confidence
because
it
has
a
great
reward.
Another
example
from
church
history.
Hugh
Latimer
who's
one of
the
Oxford
martyrs
if you'd
like to
look
those
guys up
at some
point.
He once
was invited
to preach
before
King
Henry
VIII
and
in
his
sermon
he so
offended
King
Henry
that he
was
ordered
to preach
again
the
following
Sunday
and
to
supply
an
apology
as
part
of
that
sermon.
Can you
imagine
what that
must have
felt
like?
He
so
boldly
proclaimed
the
gospel
that
the
king
was
offended
and
the
king
said
you'll
come
back
and
you'll
apologize.
What a
week
that
would
have
been.
And
Hugh
Latimer
in the
beginning
of this
like the
introduction
to his
sermon
out
loud
in front
of the
king
addresses
himself.
He
speaks
to
himself
and
this
is
that
and
it's
got
words
in it
that we
don't
usually
use.
So hang
with me
as he
does
this.
He's
speaking
to
himself
out loud
in front
of the
king
in his
court.
He said
Hugh
Latimer
does
thou
know
before
whom
thou
art
this
day
to
speak
to
the
high
and
mighty
monarch
the
king's
most
excellent
majesty
who
can
take
away
thy
life
if
thou
offendest
therefore
take
heed
that
thou
speak
is
not
a
word
that
may
displease
!
message
thou
art
sent
even
by the
great
and mighty
God
who
is
all
present
and
who
beholdeth
all
thy
ways
and
who
was
able
to
cast
thy
soul
into
hell
therefore
take
care
that
thou
deliverest
thy
message
faithfully
he
said
to
himself
at
this
dialogue
in
front
of
the
king
that
he
feared
God
more
than
the
king
and
then
he
proceeded
to
preach
the
exact
same
sermon
he
had
preached
the
week
before
and
the
historians
say
but
with
much
more
energy
and
I
don't
know
that
King
Henry
VIII
became
a
believer
but
it
was
received
favorably
he
had
a
council
with
him
and
he
applauded
him
for
his
boldness
to
preach
in
such
a
way
before
the
king
later
as
I
mentioned
Hugh
Latimer
was
one
of
the
Oxford
martyrs
he
was
martyred
not
by
King
Henry
VIII
but
by
Queen
Mary
who
we
know
as
Bloody
Mary
who
wreaked
havoc
against
the
Protestant
church
and
he
was
ordered
to
be
!
at
the
stake
and
he
is
quoted
as
having
said
to
Ridley
play
the
man
Master
Ridley
we
shall
this
day
light
such
a
candle
by
God's
grace
in
England
as
I
trust
shall
never
be
put
out
do
and
the
Oxford
martyrs
these
men
in
addition
to
Ridley
and
Latimer
Cranmer
Thomas
Cranmer
were
burned
in
this
place
there's
a
monument
to
them
there
now
but
was
the
very
beginning
of
the
English
Reformation
and
certainly
by
God's
grace
that is
a
candle
that
has
not
been
put
out
do
not
throw
away
your
confidence
which
has
such
a
great
reward
verse
36
he
goes
on
for
you
have
need
of
endurance
so
that
when
you
have
done
the
will
of
God
you
may
receive
what
is
promised
this
idea
of
endurance
could
be
thought
of
as
perseverance
or
steadfastness
God
is
steadfast
toward
us
and
we
in
return
by
his
grace
are
meant
to
be
steadfast
toward
him
the
Christian
life
is
more
of
a
marathon
than
a
sprint
we
are
meant
to
put
our
head
down
and
run
many
of
us
have
probably
seen
some
sporting
event
where
somebody
just
goes
too
hard
at
the
beginning
they
just
press
and
press
and
press
so
hard
and
they
run
out
of
steam
we
are
not
meant
to
be
those
people
we
are
meant
to
!
the
Puritans
often
called
this
plotting
this
is not
a word
we use
anymore
either
right
but
getting
on the
road
on the
way
of
Jesus
and
just
taking
the
next
step
and
the
next
step
and
the
next
step
and
it
feels
like
plotting
so
often
it's
rare
I find
in my
life
that I
feel
like
skipping
down
this
road
right
it
feels
like
trudging
along
but
by
the
great
grace
that
God
provides
we
will
plod
to
the
end
after
our
text
today
I'm
going
to
be
into
Hebrews
chapter
11
which
is a
list
of
people
and
their
steadfast
faith
we're
going
to
consider
for
a
long
time
faithfulness
and
what
it
looks
like
and
just
after
chapter
11
the author
of
Hebrew
writes
therefore
since
we are
surrounded
by so
great
a cloud
of
witnesses
all
of
these
faithful
people
who
have
gone
before
us
let
us
also
lay
aside
every
weight
and
sin
which
clings
so
closely
and
let
us
run
with
endurance
the
race
that
is
set
before
us
he
means
to
pick
up
this
type
of
imagery
as
he
talks
back
in
chapter
10
about
our
need
of
endurance
that
we
would
keep
up
our
stamina
and
press
on
to
the
end
the
author
then
cites
once
again
the
Old
Testament
book
is
just
packed
full
of
the
Old
Testament
let's
not
divorce
our
faith
from
it
this
time
Habakkuk
chapter
2
verse
3
and
4
the
book
of
Habakkuk
writes
for
still
I'm
sorry
God
speaks
to
Habakkuk
in
this
text
for
still
the
vision
awaits
its
appointed
time
it
hastens
to
the
end
I
will
not
lie
if
it
seems
slow
wait
for
it
will
surely
come
it
will
not
delay
behold
his
soul
is
puffed
up
it
is
not
upright
within
him
but
the
righteous
shall
live
by
faith
this
is
the
text
that
Paul
is
citing
in
Romans
chapter
1
and
verse
17
the
righteous
shall
live
by
faith
this
was
an
exhortation
originally
given
by
God
to
Habakkuk
as
Habakkuk
complained
about
the
advances
of
injustice
and
the
suffering
of
God's
people
Habakkuk
in
the
beginning
of
this
book
is
crying
out
why
oh
Lord
how
long
oh
Lord
and
this
is
the
exhortation
that's
given
to
him
in
response
the
end
is
coming
don't
shrink
back
press
on
in
faith
and
it's
his
meditation
on
this
truth
that
leads
him
to
pin
the
great
song
of
faith
in
Habakkuk
chapter
3
verse
17
and
18
and
19
which
is
what
was
read
previously
by
Clay
this
morning
let me
just
reread
once
again
verse
17
and
18
though
the
fig
tree
should
not
blossom
nor
fruit
beyond
the
vines
the
produce
of
the
olive
fail
and
the
fields
yield
no
food
the
flock
be
cut
off
from
cut
off
from
the
fold
and
there
be
no
herd
in
the
stall
nothing
is
going
our
way
even
though
nothing
is
going
our
way
Habakkuk
says
yet
I
will
rejoice
in
the
Lord
I
will
take
joy
in
the
God
this
is
the
text
Habakkuk
2
3
4
this
exhortation
of
God
that
the
author
of
Hebrews
cites
here
now
he
is
citing
the
rearranged
Septuagint
version
of
Habakkuk
2
3
4
which
is
the
Greek
translation
and
our
New
Testament
authors
were
given
the
latitude
to
do
that
by
the
Spirit
you'll
find
that
inconsistency
sometimes
but
by
the
Spirit
we
have
this
now
Greek
version
of
Habakkuk
2
3
and
4
the
order
is
a
little
bit
different
than
it
is
in
the
Hebrew
but
all
the
same
we
can
see
through
our
New
Testament
understanding
three
things
number
one
Jesus
is
returning
soon
he
will
return
he
will
not
delay
look
verse
37
yet
a
little
while
and
the
coming
one
will
come
and
will
not
delay
this
may
feel
like
a
long
time
to
us
I
hope
your
heart
with
me
could
say
come
Lord
Jesus
today
is
a
great
day
Lord
come
back
today
but
in
due
time
in
God's
sovereign
purpose
he
will
not
delay
Jesus
is
returning
soon
number
two
the
believer
the
true
follower
of
Jesus
Christ
will
persevere
either
to the
end
of
their
life
or
to
the
return
of
Christ
they
will
persevere
they
will
stay
steady
following
Jesus
and
number
three
the
unbeliever
will
not
persevere
verse
38
but
my
righteous
one
shall
live
by
faith
and
if
he
shrinks
back
my
soul
has
no
pleasure
in
him
faith
here
could
also
be
rendered
faithfulness
so
my
righteous
one
shall
live
by
faithfulness
the
evidencing
of
who
they
are
in
Christ
they
stay
steady
they
press
on
they
pursue
beloved
if you
are in
Christ
you
will
be
picking
up
the
graces
of
God
to
you
meeting
with
the
church
scripture
reading
and
obedience
prayer
and you
will
be
pressing
on
in
holiness
you
won't
be
like
a
man
who
looks
in
the
mirror
and
turns
away
and
forgets
his
face
you
will
be
like
a
man
who
rather
looks
in
the
mirror
picks
up
this
text
sees
who
you
are
in
Christ
and
responds
faithfully
to
who
you
are
in
Jesus
the
believer
will
persevere
in
faithfulness
steadfastness
fidelity
the
unbeliever
will
not
the
unbeliever
will
shrink
back
when
things
get
tough
they
will
pull
away
and
Jesus
parable
of
the
sower
this
is
that
rocky
soil
the
one
who
appears
to
spring
forth
life
but
when
the
son
of
tribulation
comes
out
because
there
is
no
root
in
him
he
dries
up
and
withers
away
!
And
finally
verse
39
the
author
says
and
I
hope
this
is
an
encouragement
to
you
but
we
are
not
of
those
who
shrink
back
and
are
destroyed
this
is
not
us
wrote
earlier
in
Hebrews
chapter
6
that
he
is
sure
of
better
things
that
belong
to
God
he
himself
is
looking
from
the
outside
at
this
tired
church
and
saying
I'm
seeing
the
evidences
of
God's
grace
in
your
life
hey
remember
when you
endured
a hard
struggle
with
sufferings
remember
the
love
that
you
had
for
one
another
remember
those
days
when
you
weren't
neglecting
to
meet
together
remember
those
days
when
you
did
in
fact
draw
near
remember
that
we're
not
those
who
shrink
back
we're
those
who
press
on
we're
those
who
have
faith
and
preserve
our
souls
I hope
that this
is true
of you
this
morning
we
must
never
grow
tired
in our
preaching
of the
gospel
of Jesus
Christ
of saying
to people
make
your
calling
and
election
sure
be
sure
in
the
age
in
which
we
live
having
said
yeah
I
believe
in
Jesus
that
your
life
evidences
that
it's
not
just
merely
a
mental
assent
an
acceptance
of
something
handed
down
to
you
through
some
generations
the
cultural
thing
you
think
you
should
do
but
rather
that
you
have
actually
beheld
Jesus
Christ
as
precious
you've
understood
that
he is
God
incarnate
God
himself
humbled
himself
to
become
a
man
massive
!
significance
and
not only
that
to come
and to die
on a cross
to bear
the wrath
of God
for your
sin
it was yours
and he took
it from you
and by faith
in him he gives
you his perfect
life
God would
behold us
in Jesus
and say of us
beloved
you're mine
you belong to me
you're now my
sons and daughters
and I am
your father
because of what
Jesus did
for us
because of
anything
that we've
done
and that
this realization
would be a
thing that
motivates
in you
change
life
a life
lived now
in worship
of God
in every
area
we give
ourselves
away
for the
sake
of knowing
Jesus
we're those
who lose
our lives
in order
that we
might gain
them
we're those
who pick
up our
cross
daily
having counted
the cost
knowing
full well
what comes
our way
being followers
of Jesus
for to be
disciples of
Christ
we should
expect
the life
that Christ
had
and it's
going to
weigh out
in different
measure
I'm married
and I have
children
Jesus didn't
I'm to give
myself away
to the will
of God
in this world
for the glory
of God
the way
that Jesus
did
we should
expect
struggling
hard
struggles
with
sufferings
will come
our way
are we
those who
shrink back
and are
destroyed
are we
those
who have
faith
and preserve
our souls
let's pray
together