WORD up!

I love movies!  I can be a visual learner, so movies have a way of sending a message home for me.  A few years ago, I watched a film called “Overcomer.”  And I watch it once or twice a year, now.  It is about a high school cross-country runner with asthma, the basketball coach who reluctantly agrees to train her, their families and community.  It’s a good story with a solid Christian message from the Kendrick Brothers.  I highly recommend it.  Anyway, when I read this chapter of Hebrews, that movie popped into my mind.  Hebrews 12 starts off talking about running the race marked out for us with Perseverance .  I was a sprinter in elementary school, and never a cross-country runner, but from what I know of the sport, endurance is key to finishing.  The same is true in our Christian walk.  This is not a sprint.  It is a marathon.  So, we would do well to Run the race with endurance and obey Him Who has spoken.   Whe...

Divisions ( run-on sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture/Principles are Aims for each Division – a truth about God, a truth about man, a truth about God’s relationship to man; a sin to avoid, promise to trust, example to follow, command to obey, truth to believe ): 1.Endure hardship as discipline (Hebrews 12:1-11) Principle:   Discipline reveals our legitimate sonship and produces a harvest of righteousness and peace. 2.Let us be thankful (Hebrews 12:12-29) Principle:   The opportunity to walk with Christ and be made like Him, to avoid God’s wrath and anticipate heaven, makes the believer thankful.   Subject Sentence ( 10-word sentence with proper structure showing exactly where you are in Scripture ): Run the race with endurance and obey Him Who has spoken.   Aim (“ To Cause My Audience To…” Know, See, Learn, Understand, etc .): TCMATK Believers’ challenges are discipline, not punishment, and we should persevere and be joyful for the future...

Who are your heroes of the faith?  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, one of the apostles?  Maybe someone closer to our time in history? William Wilberforce?  Dietrich Bonhoeffer?  Jim Elliot?  Maybe someone closer to home like a parent, grandparent, neighbor or friend who introduced you to Christ?   Today, we’re looking at Hebrews chapter 11.   The Hall of Faith.   This is a pivotal point in the letter to the Hebrews.   We are moving out of the doctrinal chapters into the practical application chapters.   Today’s practical application chapter is all about Faith .   And I challenge you to look for glimpses of Christ throughout the passage.   When we walk away from our time together today, I want you to know Faith is given to those who believe (in) God and earnestly seek Him.   That is why the subject of the message today is Faith, confidence and assurance in the unseen, pleases God.   Father, in the ma...

Divisions ( run-on sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture/Principles are Aims for each Division – a truth about God, a truth about man, a truth about God’s relationship to man; a sin to avoid, promise to trust, example to follow, command to obey, truth to believe ): 1.The ancients were commended for faith (Hebrews 11:1-31) Principle:   Acts of faith glorify Christ. 2.The world was not worthy of those commended for faith (Hebrews 11:32-40) Principle:   Acts of faith are for the kingdom of God, not the world.   Subject Sentence ( 10-word sentence with proper structure showing exactly where you are in Scripture ): Faith, confidence and assurance in the unseen, pleases God.   Aim (“ To Cause My Audience To…” Know, See, Learn, Understand, etc .): TCMATK Faith is given to those who believe (in) God and earnestly seek Him.   Application ( not yes or no question.   Meant to bring about heart change ): 1.What is God calling you to do i...

Today, we’re looking at Hebrews 10.  This chapter speaks directly to Jesus’ Perfection, specifically , Jesus being the Perfect Sacrifice.  We will see that Jesus’ one, perfect sacrifice enables believers to live by faith. Have you ever received a traffic ticket?  I have.  Once, I was rear-ended at a traffic light and insisted we wait for the police to come and file a police report.  When the officer arrived at the scene, he asked for our licenses, registrations and proofs of insurance.  At this point, the officer pointed out to me that my insurance had expired.  At that moment, I remembered receiving new insurance cards in the mail and could see in my mind’s eye the exact place on the kitchen counter where this piece of paper was sitting. Oy!  The officer gave me a ticket for expired proof of insurance and told me that the fee for the ticket would be waived if I went to court and presented my valid proof of insurance for that date.  Did I w...

Divisions ( run-on sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture/Principles are Aims for each Division – a truth about God, a truth about man, a truth about God’s relationship to man; a sin to avoid, promise to trust, example to follow, command to obey, truth to believe ): 1.Made holy through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (10:1-10) Principle:   Jesus’ perfect blood makes the born again believer holy. 2.Draw near to God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (10:11-25) Principle:   Jesus’ perfect death makes relationship with God possible. 3.Persevere (in suffering) through Jesus Christ (10:2-39) Principle:   Jesus’ perfect suffering makes it possible for born again believers to persevere.   Subject Sentence ( 10-word sentence with proper structure showing exactly where you are in Scripture ): Jesus’ one, perfect sacrifice enables believers to live by faith.   Aim (“ To Cause My Audience To…” Know, See, Learn, Understand, etc .): TCMATK Born ...

Sin is messy business.  Most importantly, sin separates us from God.  Not only does our sin get us into trouble with consequences, when sin goes unchecked/undiscovered, it eats away at us from the inside.  It creates a depraved state that can potentially run amuck and grow to catastrophic proportions!  In the Old Testament, we read about the sacrificial system, where people acknowledged their sin and brought forth sacrifices to atone for their sins.  On a busy day, the priest’s hands would be pruned from washing blood from them.  There would be a metallic smell in the air from the blood that would eventually affect the animals waiting to be sacrificed. So they would become restless and fearful.  You could taste the stress and fear.  Sin is messy.  Emotionally.  Physically.  Mentally.  Spiritually.   Today, we’re looking at Hebrews 9.   These 28 verses are about atonement .   Christ’s once-for-all, perfect, at...

Divisions ( run-on sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture/Principles are Aims for each Division – a truth about God, a truth about man, a truth about God’s relationship to man; a sin to avoid, promise to trust, example to follow, command to obey, truth to believe ): 1.The Earthly Sanctuary and Priests Ministry (9:1-10) Principle:  The earthly sanctuary and the ministry of the priests point to Christ’s more perfect ministry. 2.The Heavenly Sanctuary and Christ’s Ministry (9:11-28) Principle:  Christ’s more perfect ministry saves souls for eternity.   Subject Sentence ( 10-word sentence with proper structure showing exactly where you are in Scripture ): The first covenant pointed to Christ’s eternal, perfect new covenant.   Aim (“ To Cause My Audience To…” Know, See, Learn, Understand, etc .): TCMATK God used the old covenant to point to His perfect “Plan A”: Jesus!   Application ( not yes or no question.  Meant to bring about hea...

Today, we’re looking at Hebrews 8.  Don’t be fooled because there are only 13 verses.  This chapter is packed!  We’re going to point to the Big Idea that God’s “new”= better .  And when we walk away from our time together today, I want you to know God instituted the “old” to point to the superiority of the “new” .  Let’s pray:   Holy Father, I ask in Jesus’ name that You would open our hearts and minds to the Scriptures today.   I pray that You would encourage us and bring us to a new place of worship.   I ask that You would give us a higher view of You and conviction of our sins and a hunger to confess those things so we may be cleansed, and allow You to do a new work in us today.   Amen.   You may notice something unique about my homiletics today as we study this passage that teaches us Jesus is the superior Priest, the new covenant is better .   Verse six is contained in BOTH of my divisions: 1.The High Priest (8:1-6) ...