Like to talk today about the spiritual battle.
You may not realise this, but the moment you invited Jesus into your life you stepped in a spiritual battle.
I hate to break it to you.
You are a conscript.
We have an enemy, the Devil, who wants to take us out.
We have our flesh, that sin nature.
And we have the world, that wants to press us into its mold.
The Bible says we are to be alert about our enemy, but not alarmed – because Jesus Christ has the victory over him and Jesus can give us the victory too.
The enemy likes to attack in two ways – to go for the head and to go for the heart.
The head – our mind – where the Devil likes to speak lies about Jesus and about who we are in Christ.
The heart – our emotions – where he tries to cause our love for Jesus to grow cold. To draw us away from a devoted love for the Lord.
A compromised soldier is a vulnerable soldier.
A compromised soldier is an ineffective soldier.
So how do we fight this battle?
Want to look today at the book of Hebrews.
Jewish believers in the early Church faced great pressure from the enemy to compromise. Go back to the Law. To turn away from Jesus.
They faced a battle in the head and in the heart.
This book was written as an antidote for Christians feeling the squeeze, pressure to dial back their commitment to Jesus.
It’s a goldmine. Contains powerful truth that fortifies our mind against the lies of the enemy and stokes the fire in our heart of devotion to Jesus.
There’s great encouragement. Powerful reasons to put complete trust in Jesus and keys to stand under pressure.
There are loud, persuasive and competing voices in our lives. Let’s not settle for anything less than Jesus.
Theme running through the book is counterfeit v the real deal. Jesus is the real deal.
Illustration: Border Force at airport. Man who tried to get into Australia with a fake passport. But these experts were onto him. They’d seen it before. They put the passport under special light to look for identifying marks. Then under a microscope they noticed that a thin page had been separated so that a photo could be taken out and a new one put in its place. They were able to spot the fake because they knew what the original should look like.
Jesus is the original. The only one worthy of our devotion. He is the only way we can be made right with God. Nothing or nobody else can do it.
The over-arching theme of the book – in five words – KEEPING OUR EYES ON JESUS.
Illustration: GPS in cars. Amazing tech. Take it for granted now, but there was a time for many of us when all we had was a map. The person next to you in the front passenger seat giving directions. Not great! Now, with GPS, take a wrong turn, no problem, it will automatically get you back on course.
As believers, we need to lock on to Jesus as we go through life. Allow yourself to re-navigate to Jesus. Today – wherever you are, whatever is happening in your life, Jesus invites you – draw near and keep your eyes on me.
QUESTIONS TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE LOOK AT THIS LETTER:
1. WHY SHOULD I TRUST JESUS ABOVE ANYONE OR ANYTHING ELSE?
2. HOW DOES HE HELP YOU AND ME IN THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE?
For those who want to dig deeper, in your own time, look up every reference to “THEREFORE” (what does it say about Jesus) and “LET US” (how is God calling me to live).
1. ONLY JESUS CAN BREAK THE POWER OF SIN AND DEATH IN YOUR LIFE AND MINE
Hebrews 7:24-27. because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself
HE IS ABLE TO SAVE COMPLETELY.He has a permanent priesthood.He occupies a position of greatest authority and power (ABOVE the heavens).
Hebrews 2: 14-15. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death
JESUS REVERSED THE CURSE! Bible says that through sin, came death. Jesus broke the power of sin and death and brought everlasting life!
How did He do this?
HE IS FULLY HUMAN (2:14-17) AND FULLY GOD (Hebrews 1:3) Hebrews 1, in opening lines, speaks of his unique credentials.
Speaks of his work in Creation (1:3, 10), at the Cross (1:3) and now as Exalted King (1:3, 8, 9 and 13).
He is the PERFECT Prophet (Heb 1:1-2), PERFECT Priest (Heb 1:3) and PERFECT King (Heb 1:3, 8, 9 and13).
Hebrews 10:11-12 says this of Jesus. 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 (JESUS) 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.
Jesus’ sacrifice was perfect. It was one sacrifice only. Effective for all time.“He sat down.” It is finished. No more sacrifice is needed.
Our part:Hebrews 10:19-25. Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 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.
We can have confidence in the power of Jesus’ blood. We are invited to draw near with a sincere heart and FULL ASSURANCE that faith (in Jesus) brings.We have been cleansed by Jesus!
Are you here today trusting in anything other than Jesus to make you right with God? IT WON’T WORK. Bible says anything or anyone other than Jesus is “WEAK AND USELESS” (Hebrews 7:18) and “IMPOSSIBLE” (Hebrews 10:4) when it comes to taking away sins and making us right with God.
Religion is man’s way of trying to appease God.
Jesus Christ is God’s ONLY LEGAL way to be made right with Him.
Only Jesus’ perfect sacrifice satisfied the wrath of God and pays the penalty for our sins.
2. ONLY JESUS CAN EMPOWER YOU AND I TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION.
Hebrews 4:14-16. NIV
14. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence (NKJ “COME BOLDLY”), so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
HE IS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST.HIS PRIESTHOOD OPERATES FROM A POSITION OF ULTIMATE AUTHORITY AND POWER –IN HEAVEN ITSELF.HE IS ABLE … TO EMPATHISE. HE UNDERSTANDS! (Remember the story of the leper who came to Jesus. Matthew 8:2-3. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.)
JESUS IS VICTORIOUS OVER SIN AND TEMPTATION.HE INVITES US TO RECEIVE GRACE AND MERCY.HIS THRONE IS ONE OF GRACE.THERE IS NO SHAME TO BE IN NEED. WE ALL HAVE NEED.HIS PROMISE IS A WELCOME RECEPTION (COME ON IN!).
The only thing limiting our access God’s grace is us!
OUR PART:
Hold firmly to the faith we profess. Jesus is a person, not a religion.Approach God’s throne of grace with confidence (COME BOLDLY).
3. ONLY JESUS CAN BRING ULTIMATE GOOD OUT OF SUFFERING
Hebrews 12:1-3. 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, 2 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. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Jesus is described in Scripture as the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53).
He knows what it is to suffer – physically, shame, opposition (Hebrews 12). Temptation to weariness and discouragement. He conquered it all.
This passage describes Jesus as the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. He is our Pioneer – He blazed a trail for us to follow, even where it involves suffering. He is also the “The Perfecter” – who empowers us (gives us grace and strength) to follow. (Philippians 1:6).
Speaks of joy. “For the joy set before him”. There may be suffering – but with Jesus there is joy set before you and I. (Promise of Romans 8:29. ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD).
Hebrews 2:17-18 says this of Jesus. …he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
HE HAD TO BE MADE LIKE US. FULLY HUMAN IN EVERY WAY. HE SUFFERED.
Hebrews 5:7-10 says this... During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
“Fervent cries and tears”. Jesus suffered – not just at the cross, but throughout life. Temptation in wilderness a glimpse of what Jesus endured. Never sinned. Perfect life in broken world cost him.OUR PART:
FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS.RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR US.I can’t run your race. You can’t run mine. We can run with Jesus!
SO YOU WON’T GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART.Are you weary today? Losing heart? Fix your eyes on Jesus.
WRAP UP
1 WHY SHOULD I TRUST JESUS ABOVE ANYONE OR ANYTHING ELSE?
2 HOW DOES HE HELP YOU AND ME IN THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE?
ONLY JESUS CAN BREAK POWER OF SIN AND DEATH
ONLY JESUS CAN EMPOWER YOU AND I TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION
ONLY JESUS CAN BRING ULTIMATE GOOD OUT OF SUFFERING
INVITE RESPONSE.
BENEDICTION AND CLOSE.
Hebrews 13:20-21. Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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