Who Is Jesus: The Last Adam 

Today, we are exploring the name attributed to Jesus, The Last Adam. Starting in Genesis, we will learn how Jesus fulfilled and completed what Adam was intended to do. We will see the parallels between Adam and Jesus in that they both had God for their Father, and both had the Spirit of God empowering them, but Adam failed to live faithful to what God commanded, and Jesus lived in complete obedience to God and competed the mission. 

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for Breath, Spirit, and Wind is the single word, “ruach”. All through the Old Testament, we see how God breathed “ruach” into Adam and others who he wanted to use for a special purpose.  

God Breathed Life into Adam 

“Then the Lord God formed a man (Literally, Adam) from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Gen. 2:7 

When Adam and Eve sinned, they really did die. The Spirit that God put in them was removed. Throughout the Old Testament, we find multiple examples of how God did give his Spirit to certain individuals to empower them for a certain task or purpose. The most prominent examples are Joseph, Joshua, Samson, Saul, and David. 

Sin and the Spirit (breath) of God cannot reside in the same place. 

The Prophets prophesied that a Messiah would come to redeem Israel. They assumed that the Messiah would restore the Nation of Israel, but God’s plan was much bigger. He was actually restoring, through Jesus, for all humanity, what was lost in Eden. 

“I will pour out my spirit (ruach) on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants, in those days, I will pour out my spirit (ruach).” Joel 2:28 

The Spirit “ruach” would rest on the promised Messiah 

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 

The Spirit (ruach) of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit (ruach) of wisdom and of understanding, 

The Spirit (ruach) of counsel and of might, the Spirit (ruach) of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:1-2. 

In the New Testament, which was written in Greek, the word for Breath, Spirit, and Wind is the single word, “pneuma”. 

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus 

“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit (pneuma) descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22 

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit (pneuma), left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit (pneuma) into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4:1 

The Garden of Eden and the Baptism/Temptation of Jesus are parallel stories 

But where Adam failed, Jesus did not fail.  

Adam and Eve were filled with the Spirit of God, but they failed to resist the Temptation to Sin. 

Jesus was filled with the Spirit of God, and he did not sin. 

Satan triumphed over Adam in the Garden. 

But Jesus triumphed over Satan in the Wilderness and would ultimately triumph over death and hell as well. 

This is the beginning of the end of Satan’s power over people. 

Jesus explains what being filled with the Spirit is all about to Nicodemus 

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit (pneuma). Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit (pneuma) gives birth to spirit (pneuma). You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind (pneuma) blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit (pneuma).” John 3:4-8 

WHAT IS THE NEW BIRTH – IT IS THE RESTORATION OF THE BREATH OF GOD THAT WAS FIRST GIVEN IN CREATION, BUT LOST IN THE FALL. 

Jesus breathes on his disciples after his resurrection 

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit (pneuma).” John 20:19-22 

The Spirit of God is restored to his people 

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit (pneuma) and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit (pneuma) enabled them.” 

The violent wind (Greek: pnoe – breath wind) was the breath of God like when He breathed into Adam. 

The tongues of fire “rested” much like the Spirit rested on Jesus in the form of a dove. 

All of them were filled with the Spirit (pneuma). 

The Apostle Paul recognizes that Jesus is the fulfillment of Adam’s failed mission 

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. 

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! 

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:12-19 

“For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. I Corinthians 15:21-22 

Jesus is the Last Adam – Here’s a recap of what we’ve learned 

1. God Breathed Life into Adam in creation. 

2. When Adam and Eve sinned, God’s Spirit (breath) was withdrawn from them. 

3. The removal of this Spirit (breath of God) caused their spiritual death that we all inherited. 

4. God desired to restore man to his original design and sent Jesus to reverse everything that happened in the Garden of Eden. 

5. Jesus was tempted just like Adam, but he overcame the temptation to sin and became the worthy sacrifice that pleased God and now we are the recipients of God’s grace in salvation and his breath (Holy Spirit) that regenerates us and gives us new spiritual life like what Adam and Eve knew in the Garden. 

6. When God breathes his Spirit into us, we are Born Again (spiritually).  

7. The Holy Spirit living in us is what makes us spiritually alive and what guarantees us that we will have eternal life in Heaven. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg on How Jesus is the Last Adam. Let me just mention a few parallels. 

1. Both Adam and Jesus did not have a human father. God was their Father. 

2. Adam’s sin brought us death and destruction, but Jesus’ obedience brought us immortality. 

3. Adam was the progenitor (father or source) of the human race, but Jesus is the progenitor of a new creation which is the church, the body of Christ. 

4. Adam was the Ruler of the World and lost it, but when Jesus returns, he will rule over the earth, and he will be King of kings and Lord of lords.  

Response: I have some questions for you to consider: 

Are you simply a child of Adam, or have you been born again, and now a child of God? 

Has God breathed his Holy Spirit into and made you alive in Christ, or are you still dead in your sin? 

https://www.bible.com/events/49291217

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Christ Above All: A Study in Hebrews Part 8

Hebrews 12:4-8

After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

Hebrews 12:4-8

In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off big-time, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

Many would agree that one of the most difficult parts of parenting is disciplining your children. As I read the scripture in Chapter 12, I realize that the writer of Hebrews is pulling out some of the very same phrases that we use as parents when talking about God’s discipline.

1. “I’m doing this because I love you!”

Disciple is in the word discipline. Discipleship means discipline. Without discipline, we can’t be disciples.

God is a disciplinarian, and the discipline that He provides is because He has a person al relationship with us. He loves us!

God’s discipline comes from a place of protection and love, not condemnation.

Proverbs 3:11-12

My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

2. “Rules are there or a reason, and this is for your own good.”

Boundaries and rules from the Lord are not designed to suck all fun out of life, they’re to protect us and keep us holy.

Hebrews 12:18-19

You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.

3. I’m not asking you to like it. I am asking you to obey. One day you will understand.

-The word trained in the greek means vigorous exercise.

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

The late Tom Landry, Former coach of the Dallas Cowboys said this, “The job of a coach is to make players do what they don’y want to do in order to achieve what they’ve always wanted to be.”

An athlete must strive to improve their abilities. The understand that the suffering is temporary compared to the gain and reward they receive afterwards. Likewise, our spiritual lives can flourish when we recognize challenges as signs of God’s guidance and discipline.

No Pain, No Gain!

“The fact that He doesn’t allow us to stray away from Him is love in action. He doesn’t ignore us, He comes after us to keep us right in His sight.” – Pastor Kerry WIllis

Romans 5:3-5

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

We can react to discipline in 3 ways.

Resist It

Accept it Grudgingly

Embrace it willingly

( 5 Truths about God’s Discipline, Rick Ezell)

“When God disciples us, He isn’t getting back at us. He is drawing us back to Him.” (Rick Ezell)

God’s chastening is not His rejection, It’s proof of His great love for us.

4. “It hurts me more than it hurts you!”

How can we possibly battle the enemy if we aren’t disciplined and trained to be like our Heavenly Father?

But an army that trusts and respects the commands of their chief will surely win. Especially when God is their commander and chief.

Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

https://www.bible.com/events/49291217

Christ Above All: Hebrews Part 8 – East Rock

The heartbeat of the Book of Hebrews is the ultimate supremacy of Christ over all.

Today we are continuing our summer teaching series in the book of Hebrews called “Christ Above All”.

Hebrews was written to a persecuted group of Christians in or around the city of Rome, and under the pressure of the moment, they were tempted to return to their Jewish roots to escape the persecution that came with the name of Jesus.

But as we find in the letter itself, the author has gone to great lengths to show these weary Christians that Christ is better than anything else they can turn to- they shouldn’t give up on him.

The message from the writer of Hebrews is loud and clear: “There’s no life in the old way of doing things. The only source of salvation is Christ alone. He is above all.”

As chapter 12 begins the pastoral heart of the author shines through in encouragement and exhortation.

Hebrews 12:5-6

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

When we hear about discipline, our mind fills with memories, and it can make it more challenging for us to receive the good news of God’s discipline. We need to be aware that we are coming with “pre-loaded” thoughts and feelings about it

In the face of real challenge and difficulty the author is inviting us to see things differently, through the lens of what God can do through difficult seasons.

To see the trials and tribulations of life as opportunities for God’s grace to transform us into the image of Christ Jesus, to grow us in holiness.

Hebrews 12:4-6

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

“The Lord disciplines the one he loves”

To help unpack this text, we need to do some quick word study work because in this verse there are two different Greek words that are translated as discipline.

The first word translated discipline sounds like “pie-die-ah” in the Greek.

This has in view the whole training and education of children. Cultivating and shaping their mind and morals. It includes commands, admonitions, and punishments to accomplish this development.

In our vernacular, I would say it’s akin to “upbrining”

The second word translated discipline sounds lik “pie-doo-oh”.

It carries the idea of chastisement or punishment in order to shape the character of others. It’s the more specific action taken within the greater framework of a good upbringing.

The author has established his dialogue about discipline within the context of relationship with God. We are God’s children and as God’s kids we should expect his training and discipline, His active involvement in our upbringing.

The author quickly moves to apply this truth to their current situation.

Hebrews 12:7-8

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.

The author is challenging his audience to see their suffering, the challenges and pain they are experiencing through a different perspective.

Rather than something to run from, to avoid at all costs, or even to despise. They are called to see those things as opportunities for God to grow them, as God’s discipline. That’s how the heavenly Father grows and matures his children.

The author doesn’t say God CAUSES these things, God does not author evil. But, in his sovereignty, he does allow it, and what the author wants us to see is that God will use these things for our growth and our good, if we will submit to him. And it’s this discipline, this up brining by God that is the proof that we are in fact children of God.

So often we think we are facing challenges because God is mad at us, or that he has forgotten us. But we are called to remember that God can use these things to grow and mature us.

Hebrews 12:9-11

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

What I appreciate about this text is the honesty about the reality of suffering and even God’s upbringing and times of discipline- Even though God’s using it for our good- it’s not always pleasant. In fact, it might be miserable, downright painful at times. But we have the promise of God’s character and his word, that he is using those times for our growth in Christlikeness.

Hebrews 12:12-13

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

With the language work, the baggage that we can bring along with our ideas of discipline, it’s no easy task to work through this passage and find what is really being said. I cannot imagine it was much easier for the original readers either.

Facing the ongoing pressure of persecution, the daily grind of seeing no relief in sight, perhaps they had become so focused on the problems all around them, they lost sight of the of what God could do in the midst of them. Maybe they forgot that God was with them and working for them.

The author seeks to remind them, this race of faith is a grueling marathon. It will take endurance and faithfulness like they have seen in Christ himself. To finish their race, it would require a new perspective and submission to the discipline of God the Father.

In your challenging and difficult circumstances, what’s your perspective like?

Do you see it as only something to endure, to grin and bear it, to struggle through? Or do you see an opportunity for God to do something in and through the difficult circumstances?

Each of us have a choice to make in those situations- What perspective will we take?

Will you welcome a new perspective about the challenges you are facing?

I want to share a brief yet powerful prayer that you can use in the midst of your circumstances right now.

When our focus is fixated on our problems, when we are asking all the ME focused questions, our prayer is so often:

“Lord, fix my mess.” “Change these circumstances, rescue me, make this go away, do something about this God!”

But the prayer of a new perspective is “Lord, change me”

“The mess around me is what it is God, I have lots of questions, I want to know why, how long, who’s fault it is, but all of that aside, I am seeking what you want to do in me. Lord, change me.”

Giving at COTN

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Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Christ Above All: Hebrews Part 7 – Harrisonburg

The heartbeat of the Book of Hebrews is the ultimate supremacy of Christ over all.

Today we are continuing our summer teaching series in the book of Hebrews called “Christ Above All”.

Hebrews was written to a persecuted group of Christians in or around the city of Rome, and under the pressure of the moment, they were tempted to return to their Jewish roots to escape the persecution that came with the name of Jesus.

But as we find in the letter itself, the author has gone to great lengths to show these weary Christians that Christ is better than anything else they can turn to- they shouldn’t give up on him.

At the heartbeat of the Book of Hebrews is the ultimate supremacy of Christ over all. He is the Great High Priest, the Redeemer of All Mankind, the Radiance of God’s Glory, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, etc.

Hebrews 10:36-39

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

“The righteous/just shall live by faith” is the Christian principle of life

Habakuk 2:1-5

Romans 1:17

Galatians 3:11

FAITH ENCOMPASSES OUR WHOLE LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Acts 16:31 – Saved by faith

1 Peter 1:5 – Kept by faith

Galatians 2:20 – Living by faith

1 Peter 1:7 – Faith shall be tried many times and in many ways

Isaiah 40:31 – Faith knows how to wait on the Lord

1 John 5:4 – Faith is always victorious

Matthew 17:14-21 – Faith will defy reason; it can move mountains

Hebrews 11:32-39 – Faith does not “face the facts”; it never gives up!

Hebrews 11:1-30

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 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, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

Time and again, the heroes of faith in former days looked forward and embraced God’s promises from afar.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Faith honors God and God always honors faith.

Hebrews 11:13

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, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

Hebrews 11:31-40

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Leonard Ravenhill

I would rather die than fail Christ!

Oswald Chambers

If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in— it stirs us up to overcome.

Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we live by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Faith does not have to be perfect,

but it does have to be practiced.

Hebrews 12:1-2

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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

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Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Christ Above All: Hebrews Part 7 – East Rock

The heartbeat of the Book of Hebrews is the ultimate supremacy of Christ over all.

Today we are continuing our summer teaching series in the book of Hebrews called “Christ Above All”.

Hebrews was written to a persecuted group of Christians in or around the city of Rome, and under the pressure of the moment, they were tempted to return to their Jewish roots to escape the persecution that came with the name of Jesus.

But as we find in the letter itself, the author has gone to great lengths to show these weary Christians that Christ is better than anything else they can turn to- they shouldn’t give up on him.

The message from the writer of Hebrews is loud and clear: “There’s no life in the old way of doing things. The only source of salvation is Christ alone. He is above all.”

As chapter 11 opens the author is about to share the “hall of faith” to encourage his readers to persevere in the faith.

Hebrews 11:1-3

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

In Chapter 10 the author has been encouraging the readers to recall how they had already persevered in the midst of hardship and trials.

He is seeking to lift their spirits and spur on faithful living in the face of persecution. Coming into Chapter 11 he is about to share the Hall of Faith, names and stories of people who trusted God in the face of some really difficult circumstances. Before he begins, he wants to clear up what he means by Faith.

“Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

What we notice immediately is that biblical faith is not a flimsy hope. It’s decided and resolute choice, a firm and conscious decision to believe and trust in the reality of the Lord.

And biblical faith is not a static intellectual assent, it’s not a casual “yeah I believe in God”, it’s a settled affirmation that he is LORD of YOUR life that results in action.

Faith in the Lord means we live by his word and his desire, not what we see all around us in the world. And that’s the kind of lives the author is about to show us.

Hebrews 11:4-12

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

From the first children of Adam and Eve, through the great flood with Noah, to the calling of Abraham, the author does a sweep of biblical history to highlight the impact of faith on each persons life.

Notice how many times he says “By faith” then lists the action they took.

This phrase comes up again and again, that repetition is there to drive home the point- True Faith results in ACTION.

All of these stories are unique and different, but they all show a life lived by faith and trust in the word of God.

Hebrews 11:13-16

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, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

The author wants his audience to understand- The life of faith is not all about happy endings. He says “All these people died before they ever saw the fulfillment of the promises.”

Even though they never got to experience what God had promised, they continued to believe and trust him. And that’s the life the author is calling his audience to live.

Hebrews 11:32-40

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

As if he is running out of breath he says “I could go on and on, but I don’t have time to share with you all the amazing stories from the hall of faith. Men and women who despite challenging circumstances in their lives, chose to trust the Lord”

With wording connecting all the way back to verse two the author puts the finishing touch on this whole section. All of these people were commended, were celebrated and approved by God, because of their faith.

Imperfect people can still live a life that pleases God, the life of Faith.

The author has given considerable space in his letter to show his audience what a life of faith looks like and to make it clear- it’s the only life that pleases God.

To the original audience, facing ongoing persecution and pressure from the world, I have to think this came both as an encouragement and a warning.

An encouragement that they were not alone in facing trials and even persecution and yet a warning that they needed to hold firm in their faith.

Generations of God’s people before them faced incredible difficulties in following God’s call for their lives, some even died before they saw the fulfillment of those promises. But they lived each day, moment by moment, trusting in the promises of God. I think that’s what the author was calling his first century readers to, and I believe that’s exactly what we are called to now. To be hall of faith Christians.

These ‘hall of faithers’ did not make this list because they were perfect, but because their faith called them to repent of their sins and failures, and continue after the will and way of God. And that’s exactly what a life of faith is about for us today.

It’s about a conscious and purposeful decision to live every moment, to make every decision, in light of the reality of God. Even if we don’t see the promises fulfilled, even if the world says we are crazy and stupid- choose faith. Cling to the promises of God.

That’s the only life that pleases God.

The beautiful thing about God’s grace is that today can mark a new day in your story. You can start your life of faith today, right now.

Will you live you life by faith?

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