Back in January, in the third sermon in this series, “Full
Disclosure”, I mentioned a quote from A.W. Tozer, a deceased Christian and
Missionary Alliance pastor who famously preached and wrote scores of books
throughout his 40+ years of ministry.
In 1963, near the end of his life, Tozer was asked what he
thought of modern preaching in America. He replied, “I have suffered through
many a dull and tedious sermon that took aim at nothing and hit it every time.
But let me tell you, no sermon is like that when the preacher is showing me the
beauty of Jesus.”
That’s what the preacher of Hebrews has been showing us over
the past four months. The question is, “If God loves me, why is my life so
hard?” The answer throughout this sermon is: “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the
Author and the Finisher of your faith.” Indeed, it often takes the difficulties
of life to do just that!
This morning I was reading Psalm 138, a Psalm of Thanksgiving
to the Lord, written by David a thousand years before the death and
resurrection of Jesus. In the last two verses he says, “Though I walk in the
midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the
wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.” Then he adds, “The Lord
will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love (hesed), O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of your
hands.”
Derek Kindner, one of the great biblical scholars of our
day, in commenting on verse 8, recalls the way the Old King James Version
renders it: “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.” What a great
picture that is! But Kidner doesn’t comment on David’s last statement. He seems
to be issuing a command to God when he says, “Don’t forsake the works of your
hands.” In other words, “I’m trusting you to never stop working on me!” And
that’s exactly what the preacher of Hebrews tells us God is doing at the
conclusion of chapter 12 and throughout chapter 13.
But there’s another way in which David’s words are used by
the preacher as he closes his sermon. What he’s saying to these poor persecuted
Christians is, “Don’t you forsake the works of His hands which is the community
in which He has placed you.” For twelve chapters he’s shown us in vivid detail
the beauty of Jesus. He does for us what Helen Lemmel wrote about so many years
ago. He’s turned our eyes upon Jesus. He’s enabled us to look full in His
glorious face. And many of us have found that the things of earth have looked
strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. But this week he gives us
another angle from which to see Jesus – “OUR GRACE”. Chapter 13 marks a great
divide in this sermon. The preacher moves from what is called “the indicative”
to “the imperative”.
For twelve chapters he’s told us the Gospel – all that
Jesus has done for us. In this final chapter he’s telling us how we should,
therefore, respond to it; how we should live. The beauty of the preacher’s
message is that he doesn’t jump to the imperative like most modern preachers.
The buzzword among many modern Christians in America today is, “Just give me
the application!” But without a solid exposition of who Jesus is and what He
has done, there is no sound application, only moralistic quips.
The preacher doesn’t do that. He bases his final exhortation
on the work Jesus never ceases to apply to the life of the Christian. Indeed,
it is His never-ending grace that produces the fruit of the Spirit in our
lives.
In preparation for Sunday’s message from Hebrews 12:28-13:9
that builds on Hebrews 3:1-6, you may wish to consider the following:
- What other places in the New Testament can you cite where the indicative precedes the imperative?
- What’s the danger in focusing on the imperative without properly understanding the indicative?
- How does the chapter break between chapters 12 & 13 interfere with the preacher’s message?
- How does verse 29 of chapter 12 relate to 13:1?
- How do our “brotherly love” and our “hospitality to strangers” demonstrate divine fire?
- Why would verses 1-4 be so radical to those first century hearers?
- How are money, sex, and power redefined for the Christian?
- Do you agree with this statement? “If you come to a worship service, or a Bible study, or a Grove, but don’t give up your privacy and get deeply, intensely connected with other believers, then you are a part of a Christian club, not a community of faith. And you’re not going to be shaped. The empowering presence of God is not going to work through you as He would in community.”
- How do you read verse 5? What’s the nature of Jesus’ promise cited here?
- How does the cross of Christ and His resurrection make verses 1-5 possible?
