Stand Firm, Carry Your Cross

Part 2a: Stand Firm

 

Hebrews 10:32-39

 

by Samuel E. Ward

 

July 14, 2013

 

View the PowerPoint slides at http://www.slideshare.net/samward1/stand-firm-carry-your-cross-part-2

 

 

Introduction

 

It was Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury under George Washington, who said, "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything."  Hamilton had already proven himself a man who abode by that principle in his distinguished service as aid to Washington during the Revolutionary War, his influence in promoting the principles that became our Constitiution, and defending the rights of Loyalists to keep their property after the war even though they opposed those who supported the Revolution.

We have seen in Hebrews eleven a parade of spiritual heroes who took stands of various sorts but all similar in that they involved a commitment to God and faithfulness to Him above anything else.  God's way was always the best way.  Whatever God was offering was always better than what the world could possibly give.  The belief for many was so strong that they were willing to forfeit their lives ,confident that to be in heaven with God was the ultimate prize.  They chose not to fall for the ways of the world but to stand with God.

We take a step backward in our text in Hebrews to chapter ten for the reason chapter eleven was written.  The Jews to whom this letter was written had also seen a better way than that which they had been subjected to under the Law.  The Law had fulfilled its purpose by teaching the necessity of redemption from sin by the blood of a guiltless victim as pictured in their ritualistic sacrifices of bulls and goats.  The real Sacrifice had been offered by Someone like ourselves, completely free from sin and qualified, therefore, to bear the burden of them all for us on the cross. 

 

Two groups within this Jewish Christian assembly needed be addressed.

 

A. Many of these Jews had accepted the invitation by the writer of Hebrews to "enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus" without reservation into this "new and living way."  (Heb 10:19-24)

 

(Heb 10:19-24 NIV)  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, {20} by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, {21} and since we have a great priest over the house of God, {22} let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. {23} Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. {24} And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

 

The admonitions to them were to  . . .

 

1. Draw near to God with sincere hearts, assured in their faith.

2. Hold unswervingly to their professed hope, convinced of God's faithfulness to His promises.

3. Keep thinking of ways to encourage one another to love and serve God together through good deeds.

 

B. Others were beginning to have reservations about this "new and living way." 

 

News of persecution in Macedonia and the possibility of its spreading may have caused some to consider falling back into their old faith.  This may have been due to the fact that the Jewish faith still enjoyed legal standing with the Roman government.  There is certainly a case to be made for this view with the hint of coming persecution to the recipients of this letter in Hebrews 12:1-4.

 

(Heb 12:1-4 NIV)  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. {2} Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. {4} In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

 

The writer of this letter recalls an earlier time of persecution which these believers had experienced and had borne it faithfully.  Recalling the spiritual victories they gained during that time would help them face the future, Heb 10:32-34.

 

(Heb 10:32-34 NIV)  Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. {33} Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. {34} You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

 

Now was the time to stand firm for the reasons stated in Hebrews 10:35-39.

 

I.  Your Confidence in God Will Be Rewarded, Heb 10:35.

 

(Heb 10:35 NIV)  So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

 

If you are going to throw something away, let it be that which keeps you from serving God completely.

 

A. How easy unaddressed sin trips us up in our walk with God. 

 

1. How do we deal with the sin?  We throw it off, Heb 12:1

 

(Heb 12:1 NIV)  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

 

2. Where do we find our inspiration to endure suffering for the faith?  From Jesus Christ, Heb 12:2.

 

(Heb 12:2 NIV)  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

3. Where do we find the strength to endure the persecution inflicted by sinful men upon those of us who seek to stand firm?  Again, from Jesus Christ, Heb 12:3.

 

(Heb 12:3 NIV)  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 

The Greek word analogia carries the sense of comparing one thing with another.  In this case, it is the suffering that these Hebrew Christians have endured or even might have to endure with what Christ has already suffered. 

The writer states the following to move them along in their consideration.

 

(Heb 12:4 NIV)  In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

 

B. How easy do status, things, relationships, affections, etc. distract us from serving God.

 

But Paul said that all of these things must be secondary, even worth leaving behind, for the sake of knowing and following Christ, Phil 3:7-9.

 

(Phil 3:7-9 NIV)  But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. {8} What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ {9} and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

 

II. Your Perseverance Will Assure the Receiving of the Promise, Heb 10:36.

 

(Heb 10:36 NIV)  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

 

What does the writer of Hebrews indicate we are we in danger of missing if we do not persevere?

 

A. The Promises Related to the Gospel, Heb 4:1-2

 

(Heb 4:1-2 NIV)  Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. {2} For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

 

B. The Promise of an Eternal Inheritance, Heb 9:15

 

(Heb 9:15 NIV)  For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

 

C. The Promise of Eternal Life, Heb 10:23

 

(Heb 10:23 NIV)  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

 

D. The Promise of Reward for Perseverance, Heb 10:35-36

 

(Heb 10:35-36 NIV)  So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. {36} You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

 

E. The Promise of a Heavenly Home, Heb 11:13-14

 

(Heb 11:13-14 NIV)  All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. {14} People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.

 

When tempted to "give in", hear the promise of Hebrews 10:37:

 

III. Your God Will Come, Heb 10:37.

 

(Heb 10:35-37 NIV)  So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. {36} You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. {37} For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay.

 

A. God Will Remember Our Perseverance Under Pressure, Mat 5:11-12.

 

(Mat 5:11-12 NIV)  "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. {12} Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

B. God Will Remember Our Reverence for His Name, Rev 11:15-18.

 

(Rev 11:15-18 NIV)  The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." {16} And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, {17} saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. {18} The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth."

 

When tempted to "give in", hear the warning of Hebrews 10:38:

 

IV. The Unfaithful Who "Shrink Back" Will Be Destroyed, Heb 10:38.

 

(Heb 10:38 NIV)  But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."

 

A. One Clear Example of "Shrinking Back" out of fear or embarrassment of identifying one's self with Christ is found in Galatians and involved the no less than the Apostle Peter, himself.

 

(Gal 2:11-13 NIV)  When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. {12} Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. {13} The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

 

There is no place for timidity when it comes to being willing to identify with Christ.  The threat to Peter was relatively light when, for the sake of not offending the Jews, he withdrew from the Gentile Christians.  He might have incurred the Jews criticism or risk being ostracized from their group, but his life was not threatened.  He most certainly could have used the opportunity to show that Christ had fulfilled all aspects of the Law and the only requirement for fellowship with Him was faith.

Later, in the gospel written by Peter's nephew, Mark, it would be recorded that Jesus Himself gave…

 

B. One Clear Consequence of "Shrinking Back, Mark 8:38.

 

(Mark 8:38 NIV)  If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

 

V. The Faithful Will Not "Shrink Back" and Will Be Saved, Heb 10:39.

 

The writer of Hebrews optimistically writes,

 

(Heb 10:39 NIV)  But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

 

Conclusion: 

 

How do you know that you are not among those who "shrink back?"

 

A. You Live by Faith in God, Giving Him Rule Over Everything in Your Life.

B. You Stand Firm for the Faith and in the Faith Even Under Persecution.

C. God's Will Means More to You than Life Itself.