Empowered by the Treasure of Christ - Hebrews 10.32-39 - 110327AM@TBC

Series Review

Inside Out:
From Loving God
to Loving Others

Part 1: Is this Biblical?
Part 2:  What are the obstacles?
Part 3:  How do we live this way?

Part 1: Is this Biblical?

• We will be most for others when we are most for God. PM
• Love begins in our hearts and flows out to others. JJ

Part 2:  What are the obstacles?

• Lack of a God centered orientation will hinder our focus on others. AM
• God calls us to courage. Nothing is risky for Him . AM

Part 3:  How do we live this way?

We are motivated by…

• the love of Christ.  PE
• the treasure of Christ.  PM
• joining the joy of Christ. PE
• having the heart of Christ. JJ

Context

>>BEFORE

The superiority and absolute necessity of Christ’s sacrifice.

&   10.10 The superior “… offering of the body of Jesus Christ once...”

⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 ¹¹ Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ¹² But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. ¹⁴ For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

10. 23  “Let us hold fast for … He who promised is faithful…”

²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 >>After

11:24 By faith Moses…

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he became of age,

refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God

than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt;

for he looked to the reward.

²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king;

for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

1:39 “And all these having obtained a good report by faith…”

³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

TEXT:  Hebrews 10.32-39

²⁶ For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,

there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation

of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

²⁸ Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

²⁹ Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy

who has trampled the Son of God underfoot,

counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing,

and insulted the Spirit of grace?

³⁰ For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people." ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

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³² But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated,

you endured a great struggle with sufferings:

 ³³ partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated;

³⁴ for you had compassion on me in my chains, [or “those in chains”]

 and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods,

knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.

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 ³⁵ Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.

³⁶ For you have need of endurance,

 so that after you have done the will of God,

you may receive the promise:

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³⁷ "For yet a little while,

And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.

 ³⁸ Now the just shall live by faith;

But if anyone draws back,

My soul has no pleasure in him."

 ³⁹ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition,

but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Big Idea:

The Treasure of Christ provided a three-fold empowerment.

I. The Past Partnership with Christ’s reproach.

³² But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated,

you endured a great struggle with sufferings:

 ³³ partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated;

³⁴ for you had compassion on me in my chains, [or “those in chains”]

 and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods,

knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.

1. The Struggle with Sufferings (32)

struggle ἄθλησις, εως   Lit. Of an athletic contest or combat  Fig. of a great struggle

ylt, nasb—conflict; kjv—fight; nkjv, esv, Wuest---struggle; niv—contest

sufferings πάθημα pathēma suffering, misfortune

• These believers were in a struggle and contest that involved suffering and misfortune.
• It was made up of two parts

1. Partly being made a spectacle of with insults/being publicly shames and persecution.
2. Partly being plundered/loosing their goods as they partnered with others who were thus treated.

2. The Partnership with Others (33)

companions κοινωνός  a partner, associate, comrade, companion

ylt, esv—partners; kjv, nkjv—companions; nasb—sharers;  wuest—partakers;  niv—stood side by side; nlt—helped others

Hebrews 11

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he became of age,

refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God

than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt;

for he looked to the reward.

²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king;

for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

This involved a sympathy or compassion for others.

They chose to focus on others who were suffering for Christ at the expense of their personal prosperity.

3. The Enduring Possession (34)

Hebrews 11.10 --Abraham

..he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 11.16  --Abraham, Sarah, etc…

But, now, they desired a better, that is a heavenly country.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

What is your “enduring” possession?  Christ or Egypt?

Application:

Have passing pleasures won your heart?

“…choosing rather to suffer

with the people of God

than to enjoy the

passing pleasures of sin.”

Hebrews 11:26

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he became of age,

refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God

than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt;

for he looked to the reward.

²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king;

for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

II. The Present Bold Confidence in Christ

³⁵ Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.

³⁶ For you have need of endurance,

 so that after you have done the will of God,

you may receive the promise:

1. The Bold Confidence (35) 

G3954 – parrēsia παρρησία freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech;   openly, frankly, i.e without concealment

2. The Need for Endurance (36)

Strong's G3954 ὑπομονή- parrēsia Lit. to remain under;  the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings

James 1.2-3

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

The focus on the promise, the treasure of Christ, will provide the staying empowerment.

Application:

Confidence in Christ has great reward.

“esteeming the reproach of Christ greater …

 …for he looked to the reward.”

Hebrews 11:26

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he became of age,

refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God

than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt;

for he looked to the reward.

²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king;

for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

III. The Expectation of Christ’s Second Coming.

A special encouragement to persevere in found in the assurance the Christ will return and not delay in fulfilling his saving plan.  –DA Carson

³⁷ "For yet a little while,

And “He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”  Hab. 2.3d

 ³⁸ “Now the just shall live by faith”;  Hab. 2.4c

“But if anyone draws back,

My soul has no pleasure in him."  Hab. 2.4a-b

 ³⁹ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition,

but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

· Snippet in 37a from Isaiah 26:20 we do not have time to address.

· Verses 37-38 reference Habakkuk chapter 2

· Habakkuk asked how God tolerate the wickedness of Judah.

· God responded that he was raising up the Chaleans to punish them.

· Habakkuk asked how God could use even more wicked people to judge them.

· God tells Habakkuk in 2.3-4 to faithfully wait for Him to act.

Habakkuk 2:3-4

² Then the Lord answered me and said:
"Write the vision And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
³ For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
⁴ "Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.  [38a]

Then chapter two pronounces five woes on the Chaldeans.

1. He Who is Coming (27)

• In the Hebrew the subject is the vision, in the sinse of its fulfillment in “the day of Lord’s judgment”, in a limited way, of the Chaldeans.
• The author of Hebrews uses the LXX and sees it as pointing to the larger fulfillment—the final judgement of the wicked and setting right of all things at Christ’s coming.
• The disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus, “Art thou the one that should come, or should we look for another.”--Wuest
• He encourages these Jewish believers to have the same patient faith and faithfulness.

³⁷ "For yet a little while,

And “He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”  Hab. 2.3d

 ³⁸ “Now the just shall live by faith”;  Hab. 2.4c

“But if anyone draws back,

My soul has no pleasure in him."  Hab. 2.4a-b

 ³⁹ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition,

but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

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2. The Just (37-38)

δίκαιος^a, α, ον: pertaining to being in accordance with what God requires—‘righteous, just.’ Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὤν ‘Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man’ Mt 1:19.

kjv, nkjv—just; ylt, nasb, esv, niv, wuest, nlt--righteous

Hab 2.4 צַדִּיק (ṣǎd∙dîq): adj.; ≡ Str 3072, 6662; TWOT 1879c—1. LN 88.12–88.23 righteous, upright, just, i.e., pertaining to being a person in accordance with a proper standard (Ge 18:23, 24^(2×),25^(2×),26, 28); 2. LN 88.289–88.318 innocent, guiltless, i.e., pertaining to not having sin or wrongdoing according to a just standard (Ex 23:7), note: for niv text in Isa 49:24, see 6883

by faith

πιστεύω^b; πίστις^b, εως

1. to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance—‘to believe in, to have confidence in, to have faith in, to trust, faith, trust.’

2. the state of being someone in whom complete confidence can be placed—‘trustworthiness, dependability, faithfulness.’

Hab. 2.4   אֱמוּנָה S⁵³⁰ TWOT^116e GK⁵⁷⁵ n.f. firmness, steadfastness, fidelity

· The believer does not live in self-reliance, selfishness, and pride (like the Chaldeans), but with a Christ focused faith.

· It is our expectation of His coming that sempowers us and reinforces our faithfulness to Him and His people.

1 Corinthans 15.19

¹⁷ And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! ¹⁸ Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. ²⁰ But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

3. Those Who Draw Back (39)

ὑποστέλλω^b; ὑποστολή, ῆς f: to cease doing something of presumed positive value because of adverse circumstances or fear—‘to cease, to stop, to give up doing.’

We must keep in mind that this letter is written to the professing Church which is made up of true believers and of unbelievers.  --Wuest

 Application:

Don’t draw back. Believe!

“The just shall live by faith.”

Habakkuk 2:4

CONCLUSION

The treasure of Christ motivates us to

Partnership

with believers,

confidence, and

enduring faith.