Waiting

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. ² And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous’” (Genesis 17:1-2). 

“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).

“As they were watching, Jesus was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. ¹¹ They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9b-11).

Abraham’s wife Sarah was over 90.  They had waited their entire lives for a child.  Now God promised one, and they had to wait some more.

In Luke’s Gospel, we know that after Jesus arrives in Jerusalem come the horrors of the cross.  Luke tells us he’s headed there in chapter 9, but then we have to go through 12 more chapters before he finally arrives.

The scene in Acts is the Ascension.  The white-robed angels promise Jesus will return in the same way he was taken up.  That was 33AD.  It is now 2018AD.

Waiting.

As I write this, I am waiting for Easter.  Preachers always endure a thematic adjustment from February to early April.  Preaching during Lent is unlike preaching at any other time.

As I write this on a Monday, I am waiting for Saturday.  I am scheduled to fly to Ethiopia for a week with some wonderful children.  I will spend this week waiting for Saturday to arrive.

As I wait, I am waiting for a package in the mail that will have my passport in it.  As a part of our trip prep, we had to submit our passports to the embassy.  I can’t get on the plane without it.  Now I am waiting for it to return.  This may be the most nervous of all the waiting.  It is certainly the most immediate.

For what are you waiting?  While waiting, how will you sit in the time?  We Americans “pass the time.”  Or, being the consumers that we are, we “spend the time.”  I don’t think God wants that for me or for anyone.

Read Luke chapter 10-21.  There is a lot that happens in that stretch from knowing the cross is coming to it actually arriving.  Jesus tells the most re-told of all his parables, the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) and the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), in those intervening chapters.  Much of what we think about in the Gospel falls in Luke 10-21.  We may be going along waiting, but in that waiting space, God is working.  Read the Abraham narratives in Genesis 12-22.  A lot happens between God’s initial promise and the arrival of Isaac.

I am tempted to think, well, this mission trip is some big thing.  And it is indeed some big thing.  However, God might also have some things to do before the mission trip. 

Easter, now that’s important preaching.  Sure.  But God isn’t waiting for Easter to speak into my life and possibly through me into someone else’s life. 

What in your life has you waiting?  Waiting isn’t easy.  It can be excruciating.  But it can also be a space in life for God to work.  Don’t “pass” the time.  Don’t “spend” the time.  Sit in the time.  Sit and listen.  When we do that, we hear what God is trying to tell us.

Eternal Salvation, Hebrews 4:14-15; 5:7-10

“Let us hold fast to our confession”(4:14b). There seems to be urgency in the words of the writer of Hebrews. What was the confession? The writer says it – “[Jesus was] the source of eternal salvation” (5:9). Why do we need to be saved? He states that frankly as well. Sin is ignorant. Sin is weakness. The author assumes all of us humans sin, and it is implied, and states directly elsewhere, that sin cuts us off from God. Life without God is the same as death. We need God, but sin cuts us off, and we all sin. That is not good, but Jesus came for us and has been found worth and is thus the source of eternal salvation for everyone who believes in him. That’s our confession.

“Let us hold fast to our confession.” Grip it tightly and no matter what, don’t let go. That confession is a statement of truth that is the difference between eternal life and being cut off from God. We don’t want to see this wrongly. This is not a choice of Heaven or Hell. People say Heaven or Hell, but the actual Biblical presentation is eternal life or being cut off from God. We want eternal life. Let us hold fast to our confession.

There must have been a worry that people in the church weren’t doing that. People in the first century let go of their heart confession of Jesus for many reasons, but possibly the main problem Hebrews was dealing with, is fear. People renounced or minimized Jesus because they were afraid to do otherwise. The Romans were the ones in power, and they did not care how many gods one worshipped. But they demanded that all under the power of Rome acknowledge that the Roman Emperor was a son of God and was the supreme ruler.

Christians did not do that. They did not say the emperor was Lord. Not only did they refuse to confess the emperor, they also said someone else was Lord –Jesus. Rome responded by putting sending Christians into exile. Rome made it hard for believers to get jobs. On at least one occasion, all the disciples of Jesus Christ were kicked out of Rome – expelled and forced to become refugees. Rome put Jesus’ followers in arenas to be torn apart by lions. Rome nailed Christians to crosses. The book of Hebrews is reacting to the fear that led Christians to think it might be a good idea to be secret Christians. They would believe in Jesus. They just wouldn’t say anything about it out loud, and for show, they might give a nod to the emperor.

Let us hold fast to our confession. It’s only a confession when it is spoken and maintained, even in the face of persecution. This mattered tremendously. Is it such a big deal for us? I don’t know anyone who because of their belief in Jesus has been put into a stadium to be eaten by wild beasts as a crowd of thousands watches. I don’t know of any crucifixions in American history. In this century, I don’t know of any crucifixions anywhere. For us, in the world in which we live, do we need to read Hebrews with the same urgency the first readers had when they read it?

We must maintain all we believe – public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ, Son of God, savior of the world. Let us hold fast to our confession. Is there any danger we won’t do that?

Imagine someone you know finds out that you attend church and that you are a Christian. Imagine that someone says, “Religion is really quite silly. In light of all that has been discovered through scientific research and all that is known and has been developed, it’s just a joke that anyone with education would suppose there is God. How goofy is that? This is the age of technology. Belief in God is the same as belief in goblins and ghosts and fairies and witches.” No, this person you know doesn’t say this directly to you. He says in a group of people – your peers. He says it with you present. Everyone knows you are the churchgoer in the crowd. He says it to challenge you and all eyes in the group seem to turn your way.

Do you hold fast to your confession that Jesus is Lord, that you are a sinner, that you know you need God, that the only way to God and to eternal salvation and life everlasting is through Jesus? Or do you desperately try to find a way out of the room, hopefully unnoticed?

Our ancestors in Christianity, the original readers of Hebrews, were threatened, and they let go of their confession when their lives were in danger. We let go of our confession of faith in Jesus when our lifestyles and our reputations are in danger. This is not a comparison of who was more faithful, first century believers who received the first copy of this letter or 21st century believers who can go on the internet and read this letter in 50 different languages. I am not flogging us saying “see how much more faithful they were?” The word of God given to them was hold on, keep the faith, keep speaking the faith. That is the same word to us. Our situation is different, but just as urgent.

The tendency in our culture and our time is to let our faith become diluted. In attempts to market Christianity in a market-driven society, we see Christian versions of the most popular magazines, music, and movies. We see large Christian churches open food courts within their buildings. We see Christian movements that resemble self-help and self-improvement programs more than they look like the gospel the apostles preached. There is nothing wrong with Christians movies or churches having food courts or churches offering yoga classes and reading scripture in the place of sun salutations. That’s all OK. But it all comes together to reveal a 21stcentury faith that is trying to fit in in the world. We’re tailoring our Christianity according to the standards of our culture instead of determining our participation in that culture by the standards of Jesus. We let the world define our belief instead of our belief determining how we interact with the world. And thus, we let go of our confession.

Diluted faith makes the message of Hebrews essential. Is your faith diluted? Is mine?

Another threat that raises the urgency of the call in Hebrews is fragmentation. We live compartmentalized lives. At church, I am a Christian. At work, I am a professional. At the store, I am a shopper. None of those areas interferes with the other. The decisions I make with my money do not affect my job performance; my choices at work, including the tough ethical decisions I face stay at work and do not come with me on Sunday morning. And, God has no voice when I am on the clock Monday through Friday or when I am out on the town on the weekend with friends. I am describing a compartmentalized life. We become fragmented and we leave parts of ourselves all over. The only choice, when we decide to live this way, is to let go of our confession. We do not hold it. We do not make that confession and say in our life and our actions and our words and our relationships that Jesus is Lord. On the topic of Jesus, we are silent, except at church.

Let us hold fast ... but we don’t. We are silent and so, our own faith is weakened and maybe in jeopardy. Others, who are not in the church, don’t hear. They don’t see someone standing up and declaring the truth about Jesus. They who are outside the church, whether they were never in in the first place or they left, don’t see someone passionately making the statement about God’s love and people’s need for God.

We see the issue, but what then do we do? How can we hold fast? We know we need to but can we? On what authority?

We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, says Hebrews (4:14a). He can sympathize with us in our weakness because he is a human as we are. He knows what is like to go through what we go through. I think when it says he“passed through the heavens,” that is an allusion to something written about at the conclusion of the Gospel Luke and the beginning of Acts. The disciples are gathered and he tells them to take the message of his salvation to the surrounding regions and then to all people on earth, and then he is taken, rising, ascending. This is called the ascension and the image that comes to mind is of Jesus rising into the sky.

But, I don’t think anyone thinks Jesus is somewhere way out in space. So ascension might be a misnomer. He is with God and with God in bodily form. The risen Jesus invited Thomas to touch him. Mary Magdalene grabbed at his feet. He ate fish with the disciples. He did not leave his physical body behind, but it rose – he rose, changed. Resurrected. He is the one who goes before God on our behalf.

Hebrews says Jesus “offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears,”to God (5:7). Where the comment about the heavens, I believe, alludes to his ascension, this comment about Jesus’offering prayers with loud cries and tears alludes to the time he spent in the Garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested, tried, and crucified. Luke writes that when Jesus prayed in the garden, he asked God to remove the cup of suffering, and he prayed with such anguish that he sweat drops of blood and angels came to help him. He asked that the cup be removed, but for our sake it was not. Jesus obediently went to death for the sins of the world.

The ascended Jesus who goes before God and intercedes on our behalf and the agonized Jesus who obeyed God even though doing so was painful, this is the Jesus who makes is possible for us to hold fast to our confession.

Because he is for us, because we are born again in Him, we can hold our faith and name it no matter what. Whether we are killed or embarrassed for doing so, we hold our belief and we let everyone around us know that we belong to Jesus and our lives and our choices are determined by him. Because of Him, we are destined for resurrection. This world is going to be renewed– made new. Paul anticipates this in Romans. Revelation 21-22 talks about the earth and heaven being made new. Just as you and I in our sinful selves died in sin and were made new creations in Christ, the earth will be made new and all who are born again, who obey God as it says in Hebrews 5 (v.10) will have eternal life with Him.

We hold fast with our confession, we tell the truth about Jesus because he gives eternal salvation. In our daily life choices involving money, decisions about where and how to live, in our work and relationships, in our times of play, and in our homes, we hold fast to our confession of faith in Jesus Christ.

Imagine someone you know finds out that you attend church and that you are a Christian, a true Christ follower. Imagine that someone says, “Religion is for the weak-minded. It’s out of date and doesn’t work and isn’t true. Jesus was a good man, but nothing more.” He says it knowing you can hear him. He knows you are a believer and he knows everyone in your circle is waiting to see how you, the one who follows and worships Jesus, will react. Everyone is watching.

Hebrews says, Let us hold fast to our confession. And there is this. Jesus is the one who saves. You know that. But this guy coming after you doesn’t. Someone in the surrounding group doesn’t know it either. Whatever you do in that moment probably won’t immediately lead someone, your verbal attacker or one of the watchers, to faith. If you back down and let go of your confession, it definitely won’t claim any ground for Jesus. But, relying on the strength he gives, if you lovingly, gently, stand your ground and declare your belief in Jesus and your belief that everyone including the guy challenging you needs Jesus, it just be the point where someone’s destiny turns. They see the fiery passion of faith in your eyes, and they, just a little bit start to consider whether the gospel might be true and Jesus might be the one. That moment, they start down the path to faith, because you told the truth in love.

Let us hold firm to our confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the giver of eternal salvation.

AMEN

As we respond in prayer and with singing, take this time to think of a situation in your life in which it is hard for you to stand fast and hold strong to your confession of Jesus. Pray for these next few minutes that God will empower you this week to hold fast to your faith and to tell that Jesus is Lord and gives eternal salvation.

Hebrews 4:12-16

It’s time to pray! By pray of course, we mean talk to God and also listen to God. People sit down to a meal and say the blessing. Sometimes people say a prayer before bed –might be a formula or written prayer; it might be an individual believer praying a passage of scripture; it might be the individual’s own words, his or her own voice speaking to God. We participate in prayer when we come to church or go to a small group for discussion and Bible study. It’s time to pray.

Don’t be too casual. If we literally thought we were going to, with our eyes, see God in this space, we wouldn’t be “aw shucks” about it. We’d be stricken in awe and fear. Right here. God – so I can see Him with my eyes? Whoa! Love, joy, peace, emotion, intimate, fear, raw honesty, full confession over everything, kneeling on the ground, face planting in humble fear, exultant jubilation – all these are good ways to describe prayer. Listen to that list again, and as I go through it, add your own words … Love, joy, peace, emotion, intimate, fear, raw honesty, full confession over everything, kneeling on the ground, face planting in humble fear, exultant jubilation.

But wait! None of those words are words I’d use to describe prayer. I don’t know how to describe prayer. Sure, I come to church sometimes, and I like it. But, I don’t much about prayer.

Wait, we say. I’ve been in church all my life. But prayer – is nothing more than me saying words, desperately hoping someone, somewhere is listening, and all the while, I know that’s a fantasy. I pray, but without any expectations.

Wait … I don’t hardly ever come to church. Today, I am checking things out. I may or may not come back. I think there’s God, sure. I wouldn’t come to church if I didn’t. But I don’t know about words like joy, fear or jubilation. Would you really describe prayer that way? Intimate? I can’t see it.

I hope today as we go through Hebrews, we will be able to see it. Whether you are a long-timer in the life of church, this one or other churches, or you feel unfamiliar and maybe uncomfortable in church, I hope we can together look at Hebrews 4 and see How God wants us to approach prayer. I have an overarching goal that applies to every message I give, it applies in small groups when I am leading and participating, and it applies when I am talking with people one-on-one. I want to be a help – helping people see their lives as story and the Bible as God’s ultimate story. Together we walk the road that is our stories. We walk until we come to that place where the road that is God’s story intersects the road that is our own.

Today, that intersection comes at Hebrews 4:16, “Let us approach the throne of grace with boldness.” Most of the Biblical description of God’s throne and throne room is found in Revelation. The action from the throne room takes off in Revelation 4 and goes to the end of the book, Revelation 22. But, that’s not the only place where the throne is mentioned. It is mentioned here, in Hebrews 4:16, and it is a throne of grace. We do not enter as John did, in a vision, when he wrote the Revelation. So how do we get there? In prayer. We can come before God with boldness.

Now that phrase about entering in boldness is not the only word in this passage. It’s the final word, but some other images jumped out at me as well, and these precede the invitation to enter in boldness.

Verse 12 – “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Think on that verse – chew on it. [Leave this on the screen a moment] Think of what stands out to you from that verse. How would you explain it if you were asked by someone else to describe the message there?

Now, verse 13, “Before him [God] no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.” [Leave this on the screen]. Again, look long and hard at these words from God’s word. What is being said? What is God saying to you in this verse?

“The word of God is living and active; …it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

“Before God no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.”

“Let us … approach the throne of grace with boldness.”

There is much more in these verses to deal with, but for this morning, I thought we should focus our attention here. So, keep Hebrews 4 open before you.

At this point in our church service, three people share testimony. I did not preach any of the text that followed the testimonies. The testimonies were so emotionally gripping and obviously supported by the Holy Spirit, we made the decision to go right into the response time. I did not get the permission of those who testified to post their words on the blog, so here on the blog, you get the sermon I wrote.

The word of God judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Because of this, before God, we are completely exposed. The word ‘naked’ is used and it sounds very provocative. Those physical nudity elicits tremendous response – excitement, shock, disgust – we are more vulnerable when our souls are completely laid bare. Even if someone can force us to strip, in other words, violate us, we can lock them out of the soul. We can’t lock God out.

The word judges, we are exposed, but, and here’s the twist, we are invited to approach God with boldness. When we get exposed, it means our sins are exposed. It means our petty jealousies are known. Our pride, in all its self-serving ugliness, is on display. Our egos, so weak and needy, are revealed. Our hatred and prejudices come to the surface. All that is in us that rejects God’s goodness comes out, and yet – and this is HUGE “and yet” – and yet, we are invited. “Let us approach the throne with boldness.” Let us approach … God

Jesus is the glue that holds all together – all that has been said. The reason we can move from being exposed as sinners laid bare before a God who hates sin to being in a love relationship as children of that same God –the reason we can approach God is Jesus. He’s the connecting point.

And here is something to note in the presentation of Jesus in Hebrews 4. Mostly when Christians think of Jesus and what he did for us as sinners, the cross comes to mind. Jesus took on himself the punishment for sin when he died on the cross. Songs croon about how when “he was on the cross, I was on his mind.” I don’t know that I agree that Jesus specifically thought of Rob Tennant, separate from God in his sin, when he was crucified. But I absolutely believe that Jesus’ death was affective in covering my sins, so I would not be punished. But Hebrews 4 does not mention the cross.

Yes, Jesus carries us from the judgment to the throne of grace where it says we receive mercy. But, the writer of Hebrews didn’t think to talk about the cross, but rather the ascension. That refers to time after the crucifixion. Jesus died, then rose from death, and then went to Heaven. Hebrews says he who went through the Heavens is the one who is for us and who makes it possible for us to receive God’s grace and love and forgiveness. It all depends on Jesus because he was fully God and fully human.

It’s described this way in another translation of the New Testament. The meaning is consistent with what we’ve read to this point, but it is worded differently. This is Hebrews 4:14-16 in a translation that is called The Message.14-16Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

The invitation this morning is for us to walk right up to Jesus and receive what he is ready to give – blessing. It doesn’t matter what your experience with prayer has been to this point. If you’ve have great times of prayer in your life where you truly connected to God, this does not negate that. If you have no idea what prayer is, that’s OK. Jesus is the one opening the door. We’re invited to walk in –in our minds, in our hearts, in the spirit; we are invited into God’s chambers to sit with him and pour our hearts out – all the good, all the bad. He loves us and in Jesus, He understands us.

So, come. We are all invited to come. Let’s walk right up to God and receive his mercy, his grace.

AMEN