Episode 128: Part 2 - Some Keys to Endurance/Steadfastness - Hebrews 10, 11, 12, and 13

PART 2 – SOME KEYS TO ENDURANCE 


 


James 4:6 – But He gives (a) GREATER
Grace / MORE grace  


 


Other Definitions – 1. Being “gracious”/ “grace-oriented” – 2.
Saved by Grace” (undeserved favor) 


 


Grace? charis (gk) - “the power of God to enable Christians to
live the new life in Christ”


 


Divine Enablement - “an influence that produces a result… it is
the essence, the energy, the power and working wrought within as
HE DOES for us, to us, in us, and through us! God’s grace, divine
grace, then, is DIVINE ENABLEMENT!” 


 


Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then with confidence draw
near to the throne of grace, that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help in time of need.


 


****THE KEYS****


 


1.  ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE


 


Heb. 10:34 - 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


 


Heb. 11:13-16 – 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. 14
People who say such things show that they are looking for a
country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country
they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16
Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.


 


Heb. 13:13-14 - 13 Therefore let us go
to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He
endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we
seek the city that is to come. 


 


James 4:14 - …What is your life? For you are a
mist (a vapor) that appears for a little time and then
vanishes 


 


2.  DEAL WITH FEAR


 


Heb. 11:23 - By faith Moses, when he was born,
was hidden for three months by his parents, …and
they [his parents] were not afraid of the king's
edict. 


 


Heb. 11:27- By faith he [Moses] left
Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he
endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 


 


Heb. 11:33 - who through faith
conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped
the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the
edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became
mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight


 


Heb. 13:5-6 - 5 Keep your life free from love of
money, and be content with what you have, for he has
said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we
can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not
fear; what can man do to me?”


 


Rev. 21:7 (Cowards?) - 8
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the
detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that
burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”


 


3.  GATHER IN PERSON


 


Heb. 10:24-25 - 24 And let us consider
how to stir up one another to love and good
works, 25 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. 


 


John MacArthur - "Look, Zoom church is
not church. It’s not church; it’s watching
TV. There’s nothing, there’s nothing about that
that fulfills the biblical definition of coming
together: stimulating one another to love and good
works, coming together, singing, speaking to yourselves in
psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the
Lord, sitting under the Word of God, praying together, being led
by those who preach the Word and open the Scripture.

The definition of a church is crystal clear in the New Testament;
we see the picture of it. They came together on the first
day of the week. They worshiped the Lord. They prayed;
we know it was the apostles’ doctrine, prayer. It was fellowship,
and it was the breaking of bread in the Lord’s
Supper.

So the church is defined clearly, and it’s the communion
of the saints, it’s fellowship, it’s partnership. And the
term koinōnia means “a coming
together,” “a unifying together.” It doesn’t even function unless
people are mutually—as we were saying this morning—mutually using
their spiritual gifts for one another, and meeting the wonderful
fulfillment of all the one anothers.

How many times in the New Testament—edify one another, pray for
one another, rebuke one another, build up one another. On and on,
one anothers, one anothers. We’re only the church when we
are together; and the church is the church when
it corporately worships, when it corporately prays, when
it corporately hears the preaching of the Word of God. Those are
the things that define the church.

I was listening to the latest in the podcast that Austin Duncan’s
been doing…how the church is this communion of people, this
fellowship of people whose lives are all blended together in a
profound expression of love and unity. And that does not
happen in any kind of video environment. I don’t think
it even happens in a “church” where you’re watching a video of a
pastor, because it’s very important that that man’s life be
exposed and visible and known to everyone." 


 


James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins
to one another and pray for one
another, that you may be healed..


 


4. FORGIVENESS 


 


Recent Encounter – PhD – Getting, being and remaining offended)


 


Heb. 12:15 - See to it that no one fails to
obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up
and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;


 


Colossians 3:13 – “forgive one another AS GOD IN CHRIST
has forgiven you. So, you must also forgive”


 


Matt. 6:14-15 - 14 For if you forgive others
their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
15 but if you do not forgive others their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.


 


5.  REJECT “LAZY RIVER” CHRISTIANITY – No
problems, Cheap Grace, Do nothing…


 


Heb. 10:32-36 - 32 But recall the former days
when, after you were enlightened, you endured
a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes
being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and
sometimes being partners (companions/associates) with
those so treated. … joyfully accepted the plundering of
your property, …36 For you have need of
endurance (hupomoné -
Gk), so that when you have done
the will of God you may receive what is promised. 


 


Heb. 11:25-26 - 25 choosing rather to be
mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting
pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of
Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was
looking to the reward. 


 


Heb. 11:35b-38 - 35 …Some were tortured,
refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a
better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and
flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed
with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats,
destitute, afflicted, mistreated - 38 of whom
the world was not worthy - wandering about in deserts and
mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth


 


Heb. 12:5-7 - 5 And have you forgotten the
exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard
lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by
him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises
every son whom He receives.” 7 It is for discipline that
you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is
there whom his father does not discipline? 


 


2 Tim. 3:1, 12 – 1 …in the last days there will
come times of difficulty… 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a
godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted


 


Matt. 10:22 – and you will be hated by all for
my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.


 


1 John 3:7 – …make sure no one deceives you…the
one who practices righteousness is righteous (obedience)


 


1 Pet. 1:15-16 - but as He who called you is
holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is
written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”


 


I Tim 4:7-8 …train yourself to be godly. 


  


6.  REPENTANCE (Dealing with sin in our
lives)


 


Heb. 10:26-31 - 26 For if we go on
sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of
the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a
fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will
consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of
Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three
witnesses.  29 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? 30 For we know
Him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The
Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 


 


Heb. 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside
(throw off) every weight, and the sin that so
easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the
race…


 


Rev. 2:14-16 – Church in Pergamum – “I have a
few things against you…practice sexual
immorality…therefore repent” (To believers, to
the church)


 


False Grace / Hyper-Grace Message = No need for
Christians to repent


 


7.  BELIEVING GOD’S WORD (AGAIN?) -
PRESUPPOSITION


 


Heb. 12:25 - 25 See that you do not refuse Him
who is speaking


 


2 Tim 3:14-17 – 14…continue in what you have
learned and have firmly believed…15 and how from childhood you
have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to
make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All
Scripture is breathed out by God (God-breathed) and profitable
for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work.


 


John 14:26 - But …the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and
bring to your remembrance all that I have said to
you.


 


Daniel Wallace (Dallas Theological Seminary) – “voice of
Jesus” 


Mike Licona – Matt 27:52 vs. Early Church Father