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If you have been a Christian, a lover

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of the Lord Jesus Christ, for ten years

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or more, raise your hand.

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For twenty years or more, keep your hand

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up.

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Thirty.

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Yeah, you can put them down.

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Thirty years to follow Christ.

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If you consistently made a journal, you would

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have a lot to remember.

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A lot to reflect back on.

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And I want to speak right now on

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the reality of recalling the former days or

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the glory days.

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The glory days.

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Turn to Hebrews 10.

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Someone ever looked at you and they said,

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ah, you remember the glory days?

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I've heard some of you talk like that

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about past experiences as a Christian.

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The idea is you reminisce about the most

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successful time that you experienced from a past

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period of your life.

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A past time that in many ways was

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maybe going better than you think it is

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right now.

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The glory days might refer to, in the

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secular sense, when your business was successful and

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maybe as you reflect on the glory days,

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it's encouraging you to reignite a new business

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plan and make things better than they ever

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were before.

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Athletes often reflect on the former days.

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Often, you will find athletes reflecting on the

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glory days.

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They might even go sit in the gym

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on the bleachers with the lights partly dimmed

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and the gym is empty and there that

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athlete is in his 60s and he goes

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in the gym.

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He sits down and there he reflects on

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the days gone by.

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He reflects on the dunks that he used

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to be able to do.

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But now he can no longer do that.

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With most sports, you can't have a more

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glorious day in the future.

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Your body falls apart.

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You age.

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You can't jump.

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You can't be as quick as you used

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to be.

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When we think about the glory days, often

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what it is filled with is a lot

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of sentimental longing for those days again.

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Someone wants to go back.

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Now what does that have to do with

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us?

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Does the Bible, does the Scriptures ever call

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us to reflect on the former days?

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Or on the glory days, if you want

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to put it like that, where certain things

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happened that we would look and say that

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was pretty glorious.

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Does the Bible want us as Christians to

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think back on experiences that happened in our

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spiritual lives?

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And it even makes you ask this, what

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even makes something considered glorious?

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Do I even categorize the glory days correctly?

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Do I even think rightly about this?

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Does the Scriptures call us to sit here

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today?

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Is it right for me to even exhort

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you to think about the former days and

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reflect on those days?

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Or am I actually putting a stumbling block?

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Or am I doing something that is Scriptural?

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If we think about the glory days, won't

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that just create some discontentment?

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Make you discontent with the present?

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If it did, would that be all bad?

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No, holy discontentment can actually be a blessing.

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Doesn't Paul say in Philippians 2.13, forgetting

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what lies behind?

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Shouldn't we forget what lies behind and just

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press forward to what lies ahead?

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Yeah, Paul says that there in its context.

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But elsewhere, Hebrews 10.32, this writer here

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in a letter that he says at the

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end is a brief exhortation to these Hebrew

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believers who many of them are drifting away

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from the Lord Jesus Christ.

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They're entertaining things like Moses and angels and

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all these things, and he's appealing to them,

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Christ is better, and what he says is

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a brief exhortation in which this entire letter

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would be read in one setting to those

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believers.

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He says right there in v.

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32, but recall the former days.

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Recall the former days when after you were

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enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.

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You sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and

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affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so

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treated.

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For you had compassion on those in prison,

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and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your

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property since you knew that you yourselves had

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a better possession and an abiding one.

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Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which

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has a great reward, for you have need

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of endurance so that when you have done

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the will of God, you may receive what

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is promised.

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For yet a little while, and the coming

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one will come and will not delay.

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But my righteous one shall live by faith.

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And if he shrinks back, my soul has

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no pleasure in him.

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But we are not of those who shrink

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back and are destroyed, but of those who

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have faith and persevere their souls.

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And then he goes in chapter 11 and

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gives all these examples of people who by

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faith conquered kingdoms.

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He very well could have skipped that and

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went right to Hebrews 12.1, Therefore, since

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we are surrounded by so great a cloud

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of witnesses, let us also lay aside every

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weight and sin which clings so closely, and

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let us run with endurance the race that

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is set before us, looking to Jesus, the

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Founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for

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the joy that was set before Him endured

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the cross, despising the shame, and is seated

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at the right hand of the throne of

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God.

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You know, children, many of you memorized that

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verse this last week in VBS.

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And if you listen to me today, you're

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going to realize all the more importance of

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why that text is right here in this

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letter.

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You're going to realize how essential it is

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that your parents, if they're Christians, keep their

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eyes on Christ.

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Let's pray and then we'll hop in.

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Father, Lord, as Jeff already prayed for me,

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I just ask for Your help.

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Lord, everyone who's been in a pulpit to

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preach, Lord, they can leave the pulpit knowing

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the sense of the help of God or

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the sense of not having that help.

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Lord, no matter what sense subjectively I feel,

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Lord, here I am by faith, trusting that

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this is the Word for the hour, and

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I pray, Lord, that You would empower it

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for the sake of these blood-bought ones

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whom You purchased with the precious blood of

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Your only Son.

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You gave up and consumed by Your wrath

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on that cross for our sakes.

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Lord, help, please.

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Make us alert, quicken our minds.

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Drive this home where it is needed in

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different believers' hearts.

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And somehow, Father, draw the loss to Yourself.

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In Christ's precious name, Amen.

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So though we cannot and should not live

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on past or even present experiences, there is

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a place for reflecting on those former days.

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And there's a purpose for doing so.

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And it's a purpose that goes beyond just

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remembering it to be encouraged about what happened

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in the past and what God has done.

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And so we see here in the verse,

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Hebrews 10.32, he says here, recall the

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former days.

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Recall.

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How do you recall something?

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Where does that take place?

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It takes place up here.

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Like the guy in the gym.

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He's sitting there and he's kind of imagining

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the replays and the highlights of all that

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he could do.

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Right?

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He's reflecting on that in his mind.

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So the author here is calling us to

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use the mind.

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Some of you realize that's a battle in

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and of itself to actually meditate and reflect

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without being distracted in this very busy world.

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He says, recall the former days.

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What days?

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Then he goes on.

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After you were enlightened.

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Isn't that an interesting term?

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After you were enlightened.

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He used that same term chapters earlier in

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chapter 6, verse 4.

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Don't turn there, but he referred to people

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there who've tasted the heavenly gift, shared in

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the Holy Spirit, tasted the goodness of the

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Word of God and the powers of the

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age to come.

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As in these people just got exposed to

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the truth, it seems like many of them

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are new converts.

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These are new believers at this point.

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He's saying after you were enlightened.

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So there was a time when these people

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had just been exposed to the glory of

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Christ.

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They believed in Him.

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They embraced Him.

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They trusted in Him.

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And he's saying recall after you got saved.

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What happened then?

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Recall that time.

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Now, how long ago was this that happened

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compared to when he's writing?

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Was it two years?

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Twenty years?

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Ten years?

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Is this ten months later?

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It's hard to specifically narrow that down.

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We also find the word enlightened in Ephesians

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1.18. It says, having the eyes of

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your hearts enlightened.

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And what happens when the eyes of your

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heart are enlightened?

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What does Paul say to the Ephesians?

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He says that you may know what is

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the hope to which He has called you,

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what are the riches of His glorious inheritance

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in the saints.

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You see, there's something that the Bible describes

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as being enlightened, where one hears the truth

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and their eyes are open.

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In Hebrews 6, many of those who were

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enlightened, they didn't make it.

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So you can be enlightened and yet not

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have the true thing.

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Yet the true Christian has true enlightenment and

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they maintain that hope.

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He says right here in Hebrews 10, but

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we are not of those who shrink back.

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You can shrink back and be destroyed, but

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we are of those who have faith.

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We have faith.

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We have trust in God.

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We are looking to Christ and we persevere.

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We persevere.

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We keep going on with the Lord.

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Okay, so recall the former days.

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Remember when you were first saved.

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Now, for many of us, what did your

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former days look like?

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You got saved.

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You're going to church meetings four times a

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week.

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Going to Christian conferences all the time, right?

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You're going to the G3.

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You're going to the Fellowship Conference.

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You go to all these conferences.

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Is this what these new believers' early days

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looked like?

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Does it talk about all the Christian conferences

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they were going to and all the podcasts

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they were listening to?

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Look at the text.

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This is not how most of us had

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to start.

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After you were enlightened, you endured a hard

277
00:11:10,930 --> 00:11:12,370
struggle with suffering.

278
00:11:13,130 --> 00:11:13,670
Isn't that amazing?

279
00:11:14,170 --> 00:11:17,150
You enter in to the truth, and all

280
00:11:17,150 --> 00:11:20,130
of a sudden, you're faced with a hard

281
00:11:20,130 --> 00:11:23,310
struggle with sufferings.

282
00:11:23,310 --> 00:11:25,690
And then he expounds on the sufferings by

283
00:11:25,690 --> 00:11:27,070
giving two broad examples.

284
00:11:27,270 --> 00:11:30,070
He says, sometimes, and then he says, sometimes.

285
00:11:30,590 --> 00:11:33,930
He says sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach

286
00:11:33,930 --> 00:11:34,530
and affliction.

287
00:11:35,690 --> 00:11:38,570
Meaning, your stand for Christ exposed you to

288
00:11:38,570 --> 00:11:42,850
slanderous comments about your character, and it exposed

289
00:11:42,850 --> 00:11:44,730
you to suffering at the hands of evil

290
00:11:44,730 --> 00:11:45,010
men.

291
00:11:45,910 --> 00:11:48,110
How many of us got saved and right

292
00:11:48,110 --> 00:11:50,050
away the media, was it maligning us?

293
00:11:50,230 --> 00:11:52,150
Right away they were sticking us in prison?

294
00:11:53,130 --> 00:11:54,910
That's not a lot of our former days.

295
00:11:55,190 --> 00:11:56,450
That's not what we had to go through.

296
00:11:58,860 --> 00:12:01,380
What specific time is he referring to when

297
00:12:01,380 --> 00:12:03,960
he says right here, verse 33, publicly exposed

298
00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:04,860
to reproach?

299
00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:07,780
There's a lot of that that happens in

300
00:12:07,780 --> 00:12:08,160
the Bible.

301
00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,100
I don't know what time specifically with this

302
00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:13,100
audience is he thinking about.

303
00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:15,660
It made me think about Acts 17.

304
00:12:16,620 --> 00:12:18,780
Jason, it says that the people, they formed

305
00:12:18,780 --> 00:12:20,380
a mob, they set the city in an

306
00:12:20,380 --> 00:12:22,560
uproar, and they attacked the house of Jason.

307
00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,320
Seeking to bring them out to the crowd.

308
00:12:26,180 --> 00:12:27,040
Have any of you had that?

309
00:12:27,980 --> 00:12:28,960
Have you had that, David?

310
00:12:29,100 --> 00:12:30,840
I haven't seen a mob in front of

311
00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:31,860
your house or my house.

312
00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,060
We don't suffer like they do in their

313
00:12:34,060 --> 00:12:34,740
former days.

314
00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:36,500
At least most of us have not.

315
00:12:38,060 --> 00:12:38,940
Yeah, not yet.

316
00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,540
Then he mentions something else.

317
00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,360
The second thing he says at verse 33,

318
00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,340
sometimes being partners with those so treated.

319
00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:51,000
Partners.

320
00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,220
How were they partners?

321
00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:55,820
He explains, for you had compassion on those

322
00:12:55,820 --> 00:12:56,340
in prison.

323
00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,800
So he's saying if you weren't suffering yourself,

324
00:13:01,260 --> 00:13:03,800
you went and identified and joined in support

325
00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,000
of those who were suffering.

326
00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:07,640
And again, this is totally different than us

327
00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:09,120
going and visiting someone in the prison.

328
00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:11,620
They were going and visiting someone in the

329
00:13:11,620 --> 00:13:14,000
prison for being a Christian and therefore identifying

330
00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:15,520
with the person who's in prison for being

331
00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,940
a Christian and exposing themselves that they're a

332
00:13:17,940 --> 00:13:20,340
Christian and then possibly bringing persecution on themselves.

333
00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:21,900
I mean, how did they know to go

334
00:13:21,900 --> 00:13:23,020
to Jason's house anyways?

335
00:13:24,100 --> 00:13:27,760
You're partnering with those who might cost you

336
00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:31,240
your home, your life, your job.

337
00:13:31,860 --> 00:13:35,060
That's what's happening here for these people when

338
00:13:35,060 --> 00:13:38,420
they were first enlightened and exposed to the

339
00:13:38,420 --> 00:13:38,860
truth.

340
00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:41,440
They joined in support.

341
00:13:41,560 --> 00:13:43,080
It makes you think about Paul when he

342
00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,300
told Timothy, you are not ashamed of my

343
00:13:46,300 --> 00:13:46,660
chains.

344
00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,840
Many people, they are ashamed when others are

345
00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:51,900
suffering severely.

346
00:13:52,460 --> 00:13:54,140
In a small way, we kind of see

347
00:13:54,140 --> 00:13:55,380
that in Canada right now.

348
00:13:55,820 --> 00:13:58,060
There's one church that's got millions of dollars

349
00:13:58,060 --> 00:13:58,680
of fines.

350
00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:00,660
And it's like if you say publicly in

351
00:14:00,660 --> 00:14:02,420
support of that church he's wanting to gather

352
00:14:02,420 --> 00:14:05,360
together, then the government is going to see

353
00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:06,900
you on their radar and now they're going

354
00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:07,720
to go after you.

355
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:10,440
And then, you know what?

356
00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:12,240
If all the Christians would speak up, it'd

357
00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:13,740
be hard for the government to go after

358
00:14:13,740 --> 00:14:14,300
all of them.

359
00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:16,940
But are you going to partner with them?

360
00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:18,640
Or, you know, the cost is too much.

361
00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:20,000
We don't want to identify with them.

362
00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:21,260
We don't want to partner with them.

363
00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:26,000
The same exhortation which this entire letter is.

364
00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:27,560
Remember what he says at the end?

365
00:14:28,340 --> 00:14:31,200
He says in Hebrews 13.3, remember those

366
00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:32,060
who are in prison.

367
00:14:34,210 --> 00:14:35,490
What does it say after that?

368
00:14:36,690 --> 00:14:40,890
Remember those who are in prison as if

369
00:14:40,890 --> 00:14:42,770
you were in prison with them.

370
00:14:43,750 --> 00:14:45,910
As though in prison with them.

371
00:14:46,110 --> 00:14:48,310
And those who are mistreated, remember them.

372
00:14:48,430 --> 00:14:48,650
Why?

373
00:14:48,870 --> 00:14:50,110
What reason does he give?

374
00:14:50,790 --> 00:14:54,650
Since you are one body.

375
00:14:55,910 --> 00:14:56,470
Isn't that amazing?

376
00:14:57,350 --> 00:15:00,570
These early days, the days he's wanting these

377
00:15:00,570 --> 00:15:03,050
people to remember were days of hard struggles,

378
00:15:03,650 --> 00:15:08,410
trials, persecution, property being taken, having to realize

379
00:15:08,410 --> 00:15:10,590
am I willing to identify with this Christian?

380
00:15:10,710 --> 00:15:12,370
It might cost me this, this, and that.

381
00:15:14,420 --> 00:15:16,340
And he's exhorting them to go back to

382
00:15:16,340 --> 00:15:16,560
that.

383
00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,780
Remember, why would he end the letter reminding

384
00:15:19,780 --> 00:15:21,880
them to be with those who are in

385
00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:22,100
prison?

386
00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,900
Because apparently, they have fallen off on some

387
00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:27,440
of this ministry to those who are in

388
00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:27,740
prison.

389
00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,820
You know, having compassion on those in prison

390
00:15:31,820 --> 00:15:32,520
is not easy.

391
00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:34,960
Look what he says after this.

392
00:15:35,910 --> 00:15:38,500
Verse 34, you had compassion.

393
00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:40,920
You're showing love to those who are in

394
00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:41,280
prison.

395
00:15:41,660 --> 00:15:43,000
And you did what?

396
00:15:44,100 --> 00:15:48,860
You joyfully accepted Joe Biden's stimulus check.

397
00:15:52,140 --> 00:15:54,600
Many of us maybe did joyfully accept that.

398
00:15:54,660 --> 00:15:58,900
These people, they joyfully accepted the plundering of

399
00:15:58,900 --> 00:15:59,440
their property.

400
00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:02,040
It's incredible.

401
00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:05,060
You so identify with Christ.

402
00:16:05,340 --> 00:16:08,220
You so identify with His people that it

403
00:16:08,220 --> 00:16:11,180
led your property to get taken, to get

404
00:16:11,180 --> 00:16:15,200
stolen, whether taken by the government, what all

405
00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:16,580
the technicalities happened.

406
00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,760
This earthly possession was lost.

407
00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,380
And their attitude in the midst of losing

408
00:16:23,380 --> 00:16:24,260
it was what?

409
00:16:26,140 --> 00:16:26,780
Joyfully.

410
00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,580
They were joyful in the midst of that.

411
00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:33,940
Why did you identify with the Christians?

412
00:16:34,300 --> 00:16:36,680
Why did you joyfully lose this property?

413
00:16:37,180 --> 00:16:38,940
I mean, you just got the house paid

414
00:16:38,940 --> 00:16:39,400
off.

415
00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:41,340
You were putting extra payments in your mortgage

416
00:16:41,340 --> 00:16:42,220
for 20 years.

417
00:16:42,380 --> 00:16:43,240
And now it's gone!

418
00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:45,900
What a foolish decision, Christian!

419
00:16:47,180 --> 00:16:48,480
Why lose that?

420
00:16:49,380 --> 00:16:50,840
Well, he gives the answer.

421
00:16:53,530 --> 00:16:55,570
Why were you joyfully accepting the plundering of

422
00:16:55,570 --> 00:16:56,130
your property?

423
00:16:56,290 --> 00:16:58,070
Since you knew that you had a better

424
00:16:58,070 --> 00:16:59,590
property.

425
00:17:00,050 --> 00:17:01,850
A better possession, right?

426
00:17:01,910 --> 00:17:03,310
You see, the eyes of faith are always

427
00:17:03,310 --> 00:17:05,650
looking to what is to come.

428
00:17:06,349 --> 00:17:07,310
What is to come.

429
00:17:08,130 --> 00:17:10,450
And he says that is an abiding one,

430
00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:10,730
right?

431
00:17:10,790 --> 00:17:13,010
Nothing here is going to abide.

432
00:17:13,130 --> 00:17:15,130
It's all going to rust, decay, and burn

433
00:17:15,130 --> 00:17:15,410
up.

434
00:17:15,770 --> 00:17:21,290
Why did 21-year-old Perpetua in 182,

435
00:17:21,990 --> 00:17:23,990
she was born into a prominent and wealthy

436
00:17:23,990 --> 00:17:26,790
Roman family, why did she become partners with

437
00:17:26,790 --> 00:17:28,510
those publicly exposed to affliction?

438
00:17:29,770 --> 00:17:31,910
History says her father came into the jail

439
00:17:31,910 --> 00:17:34,130
cell trying to convince her to deny Christ.

440
00:17:34,250 --> 00:17:36,690
And she records this, while we were still

441
00:17:36,690 --> 00:17:38,810
with the persecutors and my father, for the

442
00:17:38,810 --> 00:17:41,370
sake of his love for me, was persisting

443
00:17:41,370 --> 00:17:43,990
in seeking to turn me away and to

444
00:17:43,990 --> 00:17:45,670
cast me down from the faith.

445
00:17:46,310 --> 00:17:49,570
Father, I said, do you see, let us

446
00:17:49,570 --> 00:17:52,330
say, this vessel lying here to be a

447
00:17:52,330 --> 00:17:52,910
little pitcher?

448
00:17:54,050 --> 00:17:55,190
You know, a thing to hold water.

449
00:17:55,470 --> 00:17:56,530
Or something else.

450
00:17:56,790 --> 00:17:58,270
And the father said, I see it to

451
00:17:58,270 --> 00:17:58,790
be so.

452
00:17:59,610 --> 00:18:02,470
And Perpetua replied, can it be called by

453
00:18:02,470 --> 00:18:05,390
any other name than what it is?

454
00:18:06,270 --> 00:18:07,090
And he said, no.

455
00:18:08,110 --> 00:18:12,470
And she said, neither can I myself call

456
00:18:12,470 --> 00:18:14,530
myself anything else than what I am.

457
00:18:14,950 --> 00:18:16,070
I am a Christian.

458
00:18:17,150 --> 00:18:19,490
Then my father provoked at this saying through

459
00:18:19,490 --> 00:18:23,070
himself upon me as if he would tear

460
00:18:23,070 --> 00:18:24,270
my eyes away.

461
00:18:24,850 --> 00:18:28,130
In the arena, it's recorded how accurate all

462
00:18:28,130 --> 00:18:30,010
this is or not, but it's recorded she

463
00:18:30,010 --> 00:18:31,250
was attacked by a gladiator.

464
00:18:31,790 --> 00:18:33,510
His knife plunged into her neck.

465
00:18:33,930 --> 00:18:36,410
And she died at 21, leaving the nursing

466
00:18:36,410 --> 00:18:39,330
child she had had and her prominent family

467
00:18:39,330 --> 00:18:40,590
behind for Christ.

468
00:18:41,610 --> 00:18:44,850
She was looking to a better possession.

469
00:18:45,370 --> 00:18:45,850
Why?

470
00:18:45,930 --> 00:18:46,870
Why would you do that?

471
00:18:46,910 --> 00:18:47,610
Since you knew.

472
00:18:47,910 --> 00:18:50,110
I mean, just look at this phrase in

473
00:18:50,110 --> 00:18:50,230
v.

474
00:18:50,310 --> 00:18:50,810
34.

475
00:18:51,630 --> 00:18:52,830
Why do all this?

476
00:18:52,890 --> 00:18:53,890
Since you knew.

477
00:18:55,710 --> 00:18:59,010
They were really convinced at some point.

478
00:19:00,690 --> 00:19:01,270
Since.

479
00:19:01,650 --> 00:19:03,010
You did all this back then.

480
00:19:03,250 --> 00:19:04,230
Since you knew.

481
00:19:04,990 --> 00:19:05,670
You knew.

482
00:19:05,810 --> 00:19:09,930
You were really, really gripped, Hebrews, that you

483
00:19:09,930 --> 00:19:12,090
had a better possession and an abiding one.

484
00:19:12,890 --> 00:19:14,330
You were really convinced.

485
00:19:15,190 --> 00:19:17,510
Remember, Hebrews, the confident faith you had?

486
00:19:18,390 --> 00:19:19,930
Remember what it led you to do?

487
00:19:21,130 --> 00:19:23,470
And then he gives all these examples in

488
00:19:23,470 --> 00:19:26,650
Hebrews 11 that talks about faith being the

489
00:19:26,650 --> 00:19:28,890
conviction of things not seen.

490
00:19:30,210 --> 00:19:34,270
In Hebrews 11.26, he reminds them of

491
00:19:34,270 --> 00:19:37,410
Moses who considered the reproach of Christ greater

492
00:19:37,410 --> 00:19:40,710
wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he

493
00:19:40,710 --> 00:19:42,410
was looking to the reward.

494
00:19:42,450 --> 00:19:43,550
Where was Moses looking to?

495
00:19:43,690 --> 00:19:44,510
To the reward.

496
00:19:45,110 --> 00:19:47,210
Where were these Hebrews looking to when they

497
00:19:47,210 --> 00:19:49,550
joyfully suffered the plundering of their property?

498
00:19:49,550 --> 00:19:52,310
Since you knew, you yourselves had a better

499
00:19:52,310 --> 00:19:52,870
possession.

500
00:19:54,050 --> 00:19:57,690
They were looking past all that is in

501
00:19:57,690 --> 00:20:03,830
this world by sight, by faith, trusting the

502
00:20:03,830 --> 00:20:04,130
Lord.

503
00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,140
And then he says here, his conclusion here

504
00:20:09,140 --> 00:20:11,560
in wanting them to remember these former days.

505
00:20:12,260 --> 00:20:14,440
Him wanting them to reflect on the golden

506
00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:18,200
days, the glory days, the golden days, his

507
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,240
answer, his goal is right here in v.

508
00:20:20,340 --> 00:20:20,720
35.

509
00:20:21,700 --> 00:20:23,980
Therefore, in view of all of this I

510
00:20:23,980 --> 00:20:27,140
have reminded you of, don't throw away your

511
00:20:27,140 --> 00:20:27,600
confidence.

512
00:20:29,140 --> 00:20:31,240
Isn't that an interesting way the ESV renders

513
00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:31,420
that?

514
00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:32,140
Throw it away.

515
00:20:34,020 --> 00:20:36,440
Have you ever seen someone, they have something

516
00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:38,600
that is of great value, they don't know

517
00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:38,780
it.

518
00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:41,400
You see them going near the treasure.

519
00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,280
Let's say there's a piece of paper and

520
00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,040
in it it's got $1,000 in cash

521
00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:45,780
and they don't know it.

522
00:20:45,780 --> 00:20:47,660
They just think it's some crumbled up envelope.

523
00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:49,180
And they go to throw it in the

524
00:20:49,180 --> 00:20:49,800
trash.

525
00:20:50,500 --> 00:20:51,320
What are you going to do?

526
00:20:51,700 --> 00:20:53,440
If you know the value of what they

527
00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:55,400
possess and they don't recognize it, what are

528
00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:55,900
you going to do?

529
00:20:56,700 --> 00:20:58,140
You're going to tell them to stop.

530
00:20:59,700 --> 00:21:01,520
This is what this writer is seeing the

531
00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:02,200
Hebrews do.

532
00:21:02,500 --> 00:21:04,040
He's seen them go after angels.

533
00:21:04,220 --> 00:21:05,820
He's seen all these things where they're not

534
00:21:05,820 --> 00:21:07,240
considering Christ to be better.

535
00:21:07,460 --> 00:21:09,560
They're not living as they used to live.

536
00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:11,520
They're thinking of throwing it away.

537
00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,060
And he's going to appeal to them and

538
00:21:14,060 --> 00:21:16,020
one of his arguments throughout this letter is

539
00:21:16,020 --> 00:21:17,580
remember your former days.

540
00:21:18,780 --> 00:21:21,260
Recall to when you were first saved and

541
00:21:21,260 --> 00:21:22,880
all that you did by faith.

542
00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:25,200
Recall the joy that you had as your

543
00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:26,380
property was plundered.

544
00:21:27,180 --> 00:21:28,580
Why do you now look at it in

545
00:21:28,580 --> 00:21:31,100
the present as miserable to lose your property

546
00:21:31,100 --> 00:21:32,320
for the sake of Christ?

547
00:21:34,460 --> 00:21:36,720
The author's hope was that as some recalled

548
00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:38,560
the former days, it would stir them up

549
00:21:39,260 --> 00:21:41,660
and encourage their faith and confidence in the

550
00:21:41,660 --> 00:21:41,780
Lord.

551
00:21:41,780 --> 00:21:44,980
He just said this, Hebrews 10, verse 24.

552
00:21:45,300 --> 00:21:47,240
He just said, let us consider how to

553
00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:48,720
stir up one another to love and good

554
00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:49,140
works.

555
00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:50,620
And he's seeking to do that.

556
00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,140
He's seeking to stir them up.

557
00:21:54,140 --> 00:21:56,700
And so obviously that's my hope here in

558
00:21:56,700 --> 00:21:57,120
this message.

559
00:21:57,240 --> 00:21:58,860
I want to stir you up.

560
00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,820
As you recall the former days, as you

561
00:22:02,820 --> 00:22:05,400
remember the days, even as a new Christian,

562
00:22:05,700 --> 00:22:07,880
as you remember the bygone days in the

563
00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,100
past, is there something that you can look

564
00:22:10,100 --> 00:22:12,080
at in the past of your Christian life

565
00:22:13,260 --> 00:22:16,180
where it actually brings some sense of embarrassment

566
00:22:16,180 --> 00:22:18,800
upon you to see where you're at running

567
00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,500
right now and the speed in the present.

568
00:22:21,740 --> 00:22:24,540
He's appealing to them with this to motivate

569
00:22:24,540 --> 00:22:27,140
them in the present to run all the

570
00:22:27,140 --> 00:22:30,280
harder for the Lord Jesus Christ.

571
00:22:31,820 --> 00:22:33,800
How many of you remember those early days

572
00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:34,360
as a believer?

573
00:22:38,490 --> 00:22:41,430
Since I came out of false Christianity, I

574
00:22:41,430 --> 00:22:43,070
was just so gripped with how all these

575
00:22:43,070 --> 00:22:44,410
people were going to hell who thought they

576
00:22:44,410 --> 00:22:45,030
were going to heaven.

577
00:22:46,030 --> 00:22:46,730
That hit me.

578
00:22:47,130 --> 00:22:49,210
All these people I assume were Christians because

579
00:22:49,210 --> 00:22:50,250
they said they were Christians.

580
00:22:50,590 --> 00:22:52,230
All of a sudden, I'm confronted with Matthew

581
00:22:52,230 --> 00:22:53,710
7, verse 21 to 23.

582
00:22:54,030 --> 00:22:55,770
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord,

583
00:22:55,810 --> 00:22:56,970
will enter the kingdom of heaven.

584
00:22:57,210 --> 00:22:59,570
And there was a love of Christ and

585
00:22:59,570 --> 00:23:01,830
a love for these people's souls that motivated

586
00:23:01,830 --> 00:23:06,270
me that 13 years later is it gripping

587
00:23:06,270 --> 00:23:09,330
me, this love of Christ as it did

588
00:23:09,330 --> 00:23:10,990
then?

589
00:23:12,330 --> 00:23:13,930
You know, we can all be very critical

590
00:23:13,930 --> 00:23:15,490
of ourselves in our former days.

591
00:23:15,610 --> 00:23:16,710
We were overly zealous.

592
00:23:18,070 --> 00:23:22,090
Many of us would admit the term they

593
00:23:22,090 --> 00:23:24,730
use now is I was in cage stage.

594
00:23:24,830 --> 00:23:25,810
Have any of you heard that?

595
00:23:26,750 --> 00:23:27,750
Cage stage.

596
00:23:27,790 --> 00:23:30,430
Meaning you get saved and they're so judgmental

597
00:23:30,430 --> 00:23:32,470
as a new Christian, you should stick them

598
00:23:32,470 --> 00:23:34,530
in a cage until they calm down, right?

599
00:23:35,810 --> 00:23:39,290
Is that what Christ did to those who

600
00:23:39,290 --> 00:23:41,150
wanted to call fire to come down from

601
00:23:41,150 --> 00:23:41,990
heaven to consume?

602
00:23:42,810 --> 00:23:43,910
Right there in Luke 9.

603
00:23:43,950 --> 00:23:44,570
No, He didn't.

604
00:23:45,030 --> 00:23:46,570
We don't get stuck in a cage.

605
00:23:47,130 --> 00:23:48,910
We live by faith and we learn.

606
00:23:49,190 --> 00:23:50,230
We learn as we go.

607
00:23:50,290 --> 00:23:51,470
We learn as we're a part of this

608
00:23:51,470 --> 00:23:51,830
church.

609
00:23:52,510 --> 00:23:55,330
You know, there's some freshness and a love

610
00:23:55,330 --> 00:23:57,410
for Christ as a new Christian when your

611
00:23:57,410 --> 00:24:01,410
eyes are first opened that you don't want

612
00:24:01,410 --> 00:24:03,190
to be like those in Revelation who left

613
00:24:03,190 --> 00:24:05,610
their first love.

614
00:24:06,350 --> 00:24:06,790
Right?

615
00:24:06,810 --> 00:24:08,470
We don't want that to happen.

616
00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:12,540
A.W. Pink said, it is a noticeable

617
00:24:12,540 --> 00:24:16,560
fact of history that babes in Christ have

618
00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:20,080
often been the bravest of all in facing

619
00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:23,880
suffering and death, perhaps because the great and

620
00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:27,220
glorious change involved in the passage from death

621
00:24:27,220 --> 00:24:30,700
unto life is fresher in their minds than

622
00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:32,760
in that of older Christians.

623
00:24:34,980 --> 00:24:39,080
Recall the former days of the freshness of

624
00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:41,160
the love of Christ and the cross and

625
00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,600
how it gripped you and how words and

626
00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:45,880
psalms, the first time you sang them impacted

627
00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:47,980
you, and now the hundredth time, it's kind

628
00:24:47,980 --> 00:24:49,320
of become more monotonous.

629
00:24:54,510 --> 00:24:56,530
So here, a few observations are.

630
00:24:57,150 --> 00:24:59,390
First is this, the glory days are not

631
00:24:59,390 --> 00:25:01,590
exactly what one might picture.

632
00:25:02,510 --> 00:25:04,710
This is very important to say because what

633
00:25:04,710 --> 00:25:06,290
do you tend to think about when someone

634
00:25:06,290 --> 00:25:08,630
says the glory days or the former days?

635
00:25:08,690 --> 00:25:10,030
What would be one of the first things

636
00:25:10,030 --> 00:25:11,630
on people's minds?

637
00:25:14,770 --> 00:25:15,290
Revival?

638
00:25:16,270 --> 00:25:17,110
Mass conversion?

639
00:25:18,250 --> 00:25:20,430
Is that what he reminds them of here?

640
00:25:23,110 --> 00:25:24,630
You know what he reminds them of here?

641
00:25:24,830 --> 00:25:25,650
Look at this.

642
00:25:26,430 --> 00:25:28,490
He reminds them of their suffering.

643
00:25:29,550 --> 00:25:31,530
What they were willing to suffer for.

644
00:25:32,090 --> 00:25:34,230
He tells them why they were willing to

645
00:25:34,230 --> 00:25:39,010
suffer as they were since they knew that

646
00:25:39,010 --> 00:25:41,230
they had a better possession and an abiding

647
00:25:41,230 --> 00:25:41,670
one.

648
00:25:42,970 --> 00:25:45,210
And then what's one of the acts here

649
00:25:45,210 --> 00:25:47,510
that the believers were doing that he wants

650
00:25:47,510 --> 00:25:48,230
them to remember?

651
00:25:49,270 --> 00:25:54,530
Verse 34, you had compassion on those in

652
00:25:54,530 --> 00:25:54,790
prison.

653
00:25:56,330 --> 00:25:58,430
You know what I want to phrase to

654
00:25:58,430 --> 00:26:00,890
you is something the glory days to remember.

655
00:26:01,810 --> 00:26:05,230
Recall the time in your life where you

656
00:26:05,230 --> 00:26:07,450
were willing to partner and love the brethren

657
00:26:07,450 --> 00:26:09,070
like no other day.

658
00:26:09,590 --> 00:26:11,190
Not the time you were all the more

659
00:26:11,190 --> 00:26:12,050
evangelistic.

660
00:26:12,950 --> 00:26:15,030
I'm talking about the time when you were

661
00:26:15,030 --> 00:26:18,210
willing to show compassion and love even to

662
00:26:18,210 --> 00:26:20,610
the least of these in this church.

663
00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:23,920
He's reminding them of that.

664
00:26:24,060 --> 00:26:27,280
Their willingness to be sacrificial and love the

665
00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:27,700
brethren.

666
00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:30,040
He's not reminding them of the mighty works

667
00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:30,440
they did.

668
00:26:30,500 --> 00:26:32,260
He's not reminding them of the time there's

669
00:26:32,260 --> 00:26:34,420
tons of fire up there in the upper

670
00:26:34,420 --> 00:26:34,740
room.

671
00:26:34,740 --> 00:26:37,540
He's reminding them of the time that they

672
00:26:37,540 --> 00:26:42,480
so manifested the love of Christ to these

673
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:45,280
other believers who were being persecuted and they

674
00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:47,960
were willing to identify with Christ and these

675
00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,540
other believers because they were looking to an

676
00:26:50,540 --> 00:26:53,120
eternal possession and the life to come which

677
00:26:53,120 --> 00:26:55,300
is far, far better.

678
00:26:56,460 --> 00:26:57,980
Do you remember that time in your life?

679
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,460
When have you most been loving towards the

680
00:27:03,460 --> 00:27:03,760
brethren?

681
00:27:04,900 --> 00:27:06,360
You know, John says by this you know

682
00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:07,740
you've passed from death to life.

683
00:27:08,140 --> 00:27:09,400
And what reason does he give?

684
00:27:12,740 --> 00:27:13,780
That you love the brethren.

685
00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:16,100
Really, I can know if I'm a Christian

686
00:27:16,660 --> 00:27:18,120
whether or not I love the brethren?

687
00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:20,880
That's a test of salvation?

688
00:27:21,940 --> 00:27:22,200
Yeah.

689
00:27:23,460 --> 00:27:25,760
What's so glorious about partnering with those in

690
00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:26,060
prison?

691
00:27:26,820 --> 00:27:28,280
Something like that's never going to get brought

692
00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:28,920
up, is it?

693
00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:31,540
Jesus would argue differently.

694
00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:32,800
Matthew 25.

695
00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:34,920
Picture of Judgment Day.

696
00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:36,420
Christ says, I was sick.

697
00:27:37,020 --> 00:27:37,860
You visited Me.

698
00:27:37,860 --> 00:27:38,860
I was in prison.

699
00:27:39,020 --> 00:27:39,920
And you did what?

700
00:27:40,740 --> 00:27:41,620
You came to Me.

701
00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,220
It doesn't mean Christ Himself was in prison,

702
00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,620
but one of His members of the body

703
00:27:48,620 --> 00:27:50,420
of Christ was in prison and you came

704
00:27:50,420 --> 00:27:50,620
to Him.

705
00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:52,260
And according to the author of Hebrews, they

706
00:27:52,260 --> 00:27:54,720
came to that person and associated with Him

707
00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,480
in prison knowing their house might even get

708
00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:57,800
taken.

709
00:27:58,360 --> 00:28:00,620
Knowing their life might even get taken.

710
00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,240
You're loving this brother so much who is

711
00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:06,940
one of Christ's little ones to even lose

712
00:28:06,940 --> 00:28:07,680
your own home.

713
00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:11,540
What did the early church do in Acts?

714
00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:13,680
They sold their property to give to those

715
00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:14,480
who were in need.

716
00:28:14,700 --> 00:28:17,460
It's incredible the love that was happening.

717
00:28:18,500 --> 00:28:22,420
So, what makes the present days glorious is

718
00:28:22,420 --> 00:28:26,380
not so much what is happening, but what

719
00:28:26,380 --> 00:28:29,040
is your level of anticipation for Christ in

720
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:29,280
heaven.

721
00:28:29,740 --> 00:28:33,100
When have you most been gripped with Christ

722
00:28:33,100 --> 00:28:36,220
and the heaven to come and the pleasures

723
00:28:36,220 --> 00:28:37,920
forevermore at His right hand?

724
00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:39,780
That's what He says to them, since you

725
00:28:39,780 --> 00:28:40,080
knew.

726
00:28:40,460 --> 00:28:42,380
Can you recall the time that you were

727
00:28:42,380 --> 00:28:45,020
most convinced about how much better it will

728
00:28:45,020 --> 00:28:46,980
be to depart and be with Christ?

729
00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:48,780
Where you could say like Paul in Philippians

730
00:28:48,780 --> 00:28:51,020
1.21, for me to live is Christ,

731
00:28:51,180 --> 00:28:52,020
to die is gain.

732
00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:54,580
For to depart and be with Christ is

733
00:28:54,580 --> 00:28:56,820
far better.

734
00:28:58,100 --> 00:29:01,600
So today could be a glory day if

735
00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,660
by your faith you are convinced of a

736
00:29:03,660 --> 00:29:06,060
future glory being far better than anything that

737
00:29:06,060 --> 00:29:07,920
this world has to offer you right now.

738
00:29:09,300 --> 00:29:10,340
You see what I'm saying?

739
00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:12,160
His focus isn't so much...

740
00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:13,460
it is on the works.

741
00:29:13,780 --> 00:29:16,120
But the bigger focus on the days to

742
00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:19,240
recall was the faith and confidence in Christ

743
00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,360
and the heaven to come that they had

744
00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:22,920
that led to the works.

745
00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:25,860
Some people, they want to reflect on the

746
00:29:25,860 --> 00:29:27,380
time they were the most busy.

747
00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:29,140
They were just being busy all the time

748
00:29:29,140 --> 00:29:30,760
and doing all these things for the Lord.

749
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:32,500
You can be busy doing all these things

750
00:29:32,500 --> 00:29:34,540
for the Lord and have no confidence of

751
00:29:34,540 --> 00:29:34,800
heaven.

752
00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:36,060
You can be doing it all to try

753
00:29:36,060 --> 00:29:38,020
to earn your salvation and make yourself feel

754
00:29:38,020 --> 00:29:38,840
like you're a Christian.

755
00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:40,280
That's not a glory day.

756
00:29:40,340 --> 00:29:41,620
That's a bondage day.

757
00:29:44,180 --> 00:29:45,060
Second observation.

758
00:29:46,220 --> 00:29:48,420
What is the big difference between them right

759
00:29:48,420 --> 00:29:50,160
now compared to then?

760
00:29:50,700 --> 00:29:52,180
He's saying recall the former days.

761
00:29:52,300 --> 00:29:54,700
Something has changed.

762
00:29:55,740 --> 00:29:58,520
We've already emphasized it, but let me say

763
00:29:58,520 --> 00:29:58,920
it again.

764
00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:00,200
Since you knew.

765
00:30:00,980 --> 00:30:01,560
So what does he say?

766
00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:03,760
Since you knew that you yourselves had a

767
00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:04,960
better possession.

768
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,020
That seems to imply that in their mind,

769
00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:10,740
they're now thinking maybe this is not worth

770
00:30:10,740 --> 00:30:10,940
it.

771
00:30:12,460 --> 00:30:14,060
Maybe it's not worth it to be a

772
00:30:14,060 --> 00:30:14,380
Christian.

773
00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:19,840
Should I throw away my confidence in Christ?

774
00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:23,580
Should I throw it away for some of

775
00:30:23,580 --> 00:30:25,180
this false doctrine that's come in?

776
00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:26,940
Should I throw it away for sin?

777
00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:29,680
Should I throw it away for what?

778
00:30:31,970 --> 00:30:34,990
Hebrews 2, he said pay much closer attention

779
00:30:35,450 --> 00:30:36,330
to what you've heard.

780
00:30:36,410 --> 00:30:37,350
Don't drift from it.

781
00:30:37,750 --> 00:30:40,330
He said don't neglect so great a salvation.

782
00:30:40,470 --> 00:30:42,490
He said take care, brothers, lest there be

783
00:30:42,490 --> 00:30:44,450
in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart.

784
00:30:45,170 --> 00:30:49,330
Evil, unbelieving, meaning not being as convinced of

785
00:30:49,330 --> 00:30:50,650
the greatness of Christ.

786
00:30:51,410 --> 00:30:53,790
And you fall away from the living God.

787
00:30:54,750 --> 00:30:55,750
The Hebrews are drifting.

788
00:30:55,930 --> 00:30:57,530
He wants them to turn back to Christ

789
00:30:57,530 --> 00:30:58,430
and see His greatness.

790
00:30:58,430 --> 00:31:00,410
He wants them to recall the former days

791
00:31:00,950 --> 00:31:03,890
and let them be reminded of the trials

792
00:31:03,890 --> 00:31:06,430
by which they confidently trusted the Lord in.

793
00:31:07,030 --> 00:31:08,350
Can you recall that?

794
00:31:08,490 --> 00:31:10,790
That severe trial you went through, believer?

795
00:31:11,510 --> 00:31:13,870
And all of a sudden, you committed it

796
00:31:13,870 --> 00:31:16,170
to the Lord by faith and God marvelously

797
00:31:16,170 --> 00:31:18,210
helped you in the midst of that trial.

798
00:31:18,470 --> 00:31:20,890
In view of that, don't throw away your

799
00:31:20,890 --> 00:31:21,690
present confidence.

800
00:31:22,430 --> 00:31:24,390
Can you recall the former day, believer, where

801
00:31:24,390 --> 00:31:25,870
you had all manner of purity in your

802
00:31:25,870 --> 00:31:27,450
life and you were always taking the ways

803
00:31:27,450 --> 00:31:27,870
of escape?

804
00:31:27,870 --> 00:31:29,330
You were believing the Lord.

805
00:31:30,830 --> 00:31:32,110
Recall those days.

806
00:31:32,290 --> 00:31:33,290
That can be now.

807
00:31:33,410 --> 00:31:34,730
You can trust the Lord now.

808
00:31:34,830 --> 00:31:35,550
You can believe.

809
00:31:35,750 --> 00:31:38,030
I don't have to go back to that

810
00:31:38,030 --> 00:31:38,610
sin.

811
00:31:39,950 --> 00:31:43,690
As 1 John says, if anyone does sin,

812
00:31:43,850 --> 00:31:46,270
imply that's not the usual thing for the

813
00:31:46,270 --> 00:31:46,610
Christian.

814
00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:50,800
The third thing, why would one throw away

815
00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:51,420
their confidence?

816
00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:53,160
Why?

817
00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:56,060
We throw away things that are no longer

818
00:31:56,060 --> 00:31:57,140
valuable to us.

819
00:31:58,140 --> 00:31:58,620
Right?

820
00:31:58,740 --> 00:31:59,880
The scrap piece of wood.

821
00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:01,960
You easily put it in the trash can.

822
00:32:02,020 --> 00:32:05,380
It has no more value to us.

823
00:32:08,710 --> 00:32:11,150
What's Christ mean to you right now?

824
00:32:11,190 --> 00:32:15,490
What does the better possession mean to you

825
00:32:15,490 --> 00:32:15,950
right now?

826
00:32:16,070 --> 00:32:17,190
Are you looking to that?

827
00:32:17,290 --> 00:32:18,270
Am I looking to that?

828
00:32:19,010 --> 00:32:22,010
Am I focused on the better possession?

829
00:32:22,670 --> 00:32:24,230
Or do I have all these things in

830
00:32:24,230 --> 00:32:26,030
the physical realm and a house and a

831
00:32:26,030 --> 00:32:28,730
family and all these things where is my

832
00:32:28,730 --> 00:32:30,870
mind being too consumed with this?

833
00:32:31,410 --> 00:32:33,110
Or am I seeing through all of it

834
00:32:33,110 --> 00:32:35,290
knowing I would be glad to joyfully have

835
00:32:35,290 --> 00:32:37,470
it taken for the sake of loving a

836
00:32:37,470 --> 00:32:39,070
brother and sister who are in prison?

837
00:32:41,780 --> 00:32:43,480
Am I willing to lose these things?

838
00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:45,600
Is heaven my home and not earth?

839
00:32:47,850 --> 00:32:49,890
They knew in the past of the value

840
00:32:49,890 --> 00:32:50,350
of Christ.

841
00:32:50,470 --> 00:32:51,410
It was seen in their life.

842
00:32:51,490 --> 00:32:53,210
They were willing to have their property plundered

843
00:32:53,210 --> 00:32:54,490
at one time.

844
00:32:54,930 --> 00:32:56,410
But you see, it's not what you and

845
00:32:56,410 --> 00:32:57,830
I were willing to do one time.

846
00:32:57,910 --> 00:32:59,170
It's what are we willing to do right

847
00:32:59,170 --> 00:32:59,530
now?

848
00:33:00,130 --> 00:33:02,650
Are we keeping on in this belief of

849
00:33:02,650 --> 00:33:04,990
the value of Christ?

850
00:33:05,750 --> 00:33:06,850
A fourth thing.

851
00:33:07,590 --> 00:33:09,110
You know what this text shows us?

852
00:33:09,610 --> 00:33:11,550
A reality that a lot of churches don't

853
00:33:11,550 --> 00:33:12,090
talk about.

854
00:33:12,570 --> 00:33:15,110
You and I have to endure to the

855
00:33:15,110 --> 00:33:15,390
end.

856
00:33:16,990 --> 00:33:19,750
Jesus' well-known words in Matthew 10.22

857
00:33:19,750 --> 00:33:22,130
are often unknown or misunderstood.

858
00:33:22,410 --> 00:33:24,390
What does Jesus say in Matthew 10.22?

859
00:33:25,090 --> 00:33:28,990
Those who endure to the end will be

860
00:33:28,990 --> 00:33:29,310
saved.

861
00:33:29,430 --> 00:33:30,590
And right before that, He said, you will

862
00:33:30,590 --> 00:33:32,150
be hated by all for My name's sake.

863
00:33:32,950 --> 00:33:36,590
Those who endure to the end will be

864
00:33:36,590 --> 00:33:37,390
saved.

865
00:33:37,490 --> 00:33:40,050
Endure is a word constantly found in this

866
00:33:40,050 --> 00:33:40,750
book of Hebrews.

867
00:33:41,090 --> 00:33:42,890
It means to remain behind.

868
00:33:43,010 --> 00:33:44,710
To stay when others depart.

869
00:33:45,610 --> 00:33:47,830
In John 6, when the 2,000 left

870
00:33:47,830 --> 00:33:49,370
and the 12 remained, they endured.

871
00:33:49,970 --> 00:33:51,150
They endured a trial.

872
00:33:51,430 --> 00:33:53,170
What was that trial in John 6?

873
00:33:53,170 --> 00:33:55,890
It was the hard sayings of Jesus Christ.

874
00:33:56,130 --> 00:33:59,270
The hard statements Christ made caused 2,000

875
00:33:59,270 --> 00:34:00,490
people to abandon ship.

876
00:34:01,090 --> 00:34:01,890
Twelve remained.

877
00:34:02,430 --> 00:34:03,150
They endured.

878
00:34:04,050 --> 00:34:06,110
They remained behind when others departed.

879
00:34:06,390 --> 00:34:08,530
To endure, it means to refuse to flee.

880
00:34:08,929 --> 00:34:10,090
It means to hold out.

881
00:34:10,290 --> 00:34:11,790
To stand one's ground.

882
00:34:12,050 --> 00:34:14,469
It's to continually be firm.

883
00:34:15,010 --> 00:34:18,530
The Hebrews are drifting, right?

884
00:34:18,590 --> 00:34:20,690
They don't have the same firmness that they

885
00:34:20,690 --> 00:34:21,489
used to have.

886
00:34:21,489 --> 00:34:24,770
He's wanting them to remember that past confidence

887
00:34:24,770 --> 00:34:27,590
they had in the Lord and how they

888
00:34:27,590 --> 00:34:30,730
endured a hard struggle with sufferings and they

889
00:34:30,730 --> 00:34:32,110
did that as a new Christian.

890
00:34:32,750 --> 00:34:34,389
He's wanting them to remember this.

891
00:34:36,650 --> 00:34:38,670
Now, does enduring to the end mean one

892
00:34:38,670 --> 00:34:39,570
can lose their salvation?

893
00:34:41,070 --> 00:34:42,750
The short answer is no.

894
00:34:43,150 --> 00:34:44,929
But you know what it clearly indicates?

895
00:34:45,270 --> 00:34:48,250
You can prove, and I can prove, that

896
00:34:48,250 --> 00:34:51,070
we don't have true salvation to begin with.

897
00:34:51,070 --> 00:34:53,690
It's not a matter of losing one's salvation.

898
00:34:53,810 --> 00:34:55,270
It's not a matter of going from being

899
00:34:55,270 --> 00:34:58,830
justified and regenerated to now being condemned and

900
00:34:58,830 --> 00:35:00,650
being born again is reverted.

901
00:35:01,090 --> 00:35:03,570
But rather, by one's life, we prove what

902
00:35:03,570 --> 00:35:06,610
was true of us, and many prove they

903
00:35:06,610 --> 00:35:10,010
never had true faith to begin.

904
00:35:10,430 --> 00:35:12,870
The well-known verse, 1 John 2.19,

905
00:35:13,010 --> 00:35:14,630
they went out from us because they were

906
00:35:14,630 --> 00:35:15,230
not of us.

907
00:35:15,550 --> 00:35:16,950
If they had been of us, they would

908
00:35:16,950 --> 00:35:18,830
have continued with us.

909
00:35:18,830 --> 00:35:21,170
But they went out to make it obvious

910
00:35:21,170 --> 00:35:22,750
they were never of us.

911
00:35:23,930 --> 00:35:26,230
Why do so many people get upset at

912
00:35:26,230 --> 00:35:28,090
that statement, you have to endure to the

913
00:35:28,090 --> 00:35:28,290
end?

914
00:35:28,810 --> 00:35:31,030
What does it make it sound to them?

915
00:35:31,870 --> 00:35:32,910
That you and I have got to save

916
00:35:32,910 --> 00:35:33,250
ourselves?

917
00:35:34,130 --> 00:35:35,810
They say, well, it sounds like a work

918
00:35:35,810 --> 00:35:36,450
salvation.

919
00:35:37,810 --> 00:35:39,850
Well, interesting enough, what does Paul say in

920
00:35:39,850 --> 00:35:40,490
Philippians 2?

921
00:35:41,190 --> 00:35:42,490
Work out your salvation.

922
00:35:43,070 --> 00:35:46,030
So yes, your salvation involves recalling your former

923
00:35:46,030 --> 00:35:46,470
days.

924
00:35:46,470 --> 00:35:50,310
Your salvation involves stirring one another up.

925
00:35:50,630 --> 00:35:52,910
Your salvation involves clearing your conscience.

926
00:35:53,050 --> 00:35:55,650
Your salvation involves cutting off right hands that

927
00:35:55,650 --> 00:35:56,530
cause you to sin.

928
00:35:58,030 --> 00:35:59,210
Why do they get upset?

929
00:35:59,510 --> 00:36:03,490
Often, it's because their confidence presently is not

930
00:36:03,490 --> 00:36:04,050
in Christ.

931
00:36:04,150 --> 00:36:05,470
It's in a past experience.

932
00:36:06,330 --> 00:36:08,930
And their present walk is one of allowing

933
00:36:08,930 --> 00:36:10,450
for all manner of sin in their life,

934
00:36:10,510 --> 00:36:11,890
so then they get challenged that they've got

935
00:36:11,890 --> 00:36:13,510
to endure to the end and their confidence

936
00:36:13,510 --> 00:36:15,330
is shaken because the fruit in their life

937
00:36:15,330 --> 00:36:16,550
right now is very concerning.

938
00:36:17,650 --> 00:36:21,230
And so they get upset because you've touched

939
00:36:21,230 --> 00:36:22,410
an idol in their life.

940
00:36:24,850 --> 00:36:26,690
You know what this entire book of Hebrews

941
00:36:26,690 --> 00:36:27,610
testifies to?

942
00:36:27,830 --> 00:36:30,530
It testifies to the reality we cannot just

943
00:36:30,530 --> 00:36:31,350
start well.

944
00:36:31,770 --> 00:36:33,010
We have to finish.

945
00:36:34,350 --> 00:36:36,570
Look, as much as he might motivate them

946
00:36:36,570 --> 00:36:39,450
by recalling the glory days, he's definitely not

947
00:36:39,450 --> 00:36:40,810
wanting to live in those past days.

948
00:36:40,870 --> 00:36:43,030
He's wanting the glory days and recalling the

949
00:36:43,030 --> 00:36:45,470
former days to affect their conduct in the

950
00:36:45,470 --> 00:36:45,850
present.

951
00:36:46,510 --> 00:36:47,510
That's his goal.

952
00:36:47,950 --> 00:36:50,670
It's the present conduct of these Christians.

953
00:36:53,670 --> 00:36:54,850
It's amazing, isn't it?

954
00:36:55,250 --> 00:36:58,710
Christians who've gone through such severe trials, and

955
00:36:58,710 --> 00:36:59,970
all of a sudden, they're wavering.

956
00:37:01,430 --> 00:37:02,750
It kind of reminds you of that Old

957
00:37:02,750 --> 00:37:04,830
Testament verse, if you can't run with the

958
00:37:04,830 --> 00:37:06,630
horsemen, then you can't do what?

959
00:37:06,670 --> 00:37:07,690
You can't run with the chariots.

960
00:37:07,970 --> 00:37:09,270
We haven't even got to run with the

961
00:37:09,270 --> 00:37:11,270
footmen yet.

962
00:37:11,350 --> 00:37:12,050
Not horsemen.

963
00:37:12,370 --> 00:37:13,330
We haven't even been able to run with

964
00:37:13,330 --> 00:37:14,410
the footmen, many of us.

965
00:37:14,690 --> 00:37:17,830
Our trials, it says right there, you endured

966
00:37:17,830 --> 00:37:18,550
a hard struggle.

967
00:37:18,650 --> 00:37:19,970
What do you and I consider to be

968
00:37:19,970 --> 00:37:20,570
a hard struggle?

969
00:37:22,470 --> 00:37:24,290
There are some things in my life that

970
00:37:24,290 --> 00:37:26,370
I think are a big trial, and I

971
00:37:26,370 --> 00:37:28,270
would be ashamed to tell you what I

972
00:37:28,270 --> 00:37:29,710
thought was a big trial in my life.

973
00:37:31,450 --> 00:37:33,250
Because in the big picture of it, it's

974
00:37:33,250 --> 00:37:34,730
teensy-teensy kind.

975
00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:37,580
It really is.

976
00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:41,320
But here, these people endured really hard trials,

977
00:37:41,660 --> 00:37:43,060
and their faith is wavering.

978
00:37:43,300 --> 00:37:45,260
Faith they used to have that was confident.

979
00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:48,360
Things have come along, false doctrine, to get

980
00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:50,320
their eyes off of the Lord Jesus Christ.

981
00:37:50,940 --> 00:37:51,900
Sin has come along.

982
00:37:51,980 --> 00:37:54,980
He says don't be immoral like Esau who

983
00:37:54,980 --> 00:37:56,000
sold his birthright.

984
00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:58,760
Why is he appealing to Esau selling his

985
00:37:58,760 --> 00:37:59,280
birthright?

986
00:37:59,700 --> 00:38:01,880
Because some of those Hebrews are doing that

987
00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:02,500
very thing.

988
00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:06,120
He's wanting them to remember those former days.

989
00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:09,260
Remember what they endured through.

990
00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:11,400
And how long do we have to endure?

991
00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:13,700
I mean, that sounds kind of burdensome, right?

992
00:38:13,700 --> 00:38:14,760
I've got to endure it to the end.

993
00:38:14,780 --> 00:38:16,060
How long until we get to the end?

994
00:38:17,260 --> 00:38:18,080
What does he say?

995
00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:21,800
It says right there in v.

996
00:38:22,060 --> 00:38:23,480
37, yet a little while.

997
00:38:25,310 --> 00:38:26,210
Just a little while.

998
00:38:27,070 --> 00:38:27,650
That's it.

999
00:38:28,810 --> 00:38:30,150
God's time is just going to be a

1000
00:38:30,150 --> 00:38:31,930
little while and it's going to be over.

1001
00:38:32,010 --> 00:38:33,450
He says right there in v.

1002
00:38:33,990 --> 00:38:36,330
25, all the more as you see the

1003
00:38:36,330 --> 00:38:37,170
day drawing near.

1004
00:38:37,390 --> 00:38:40,510
Wait, he said this almost 2,000 years

1005
00:38:40,510 --> 00:38:40,710
ago?

1006
00:38:40,770 --> 00:38:41,610
The day drawing near?

1007
00:38:42,590 --> 00:38:43,590
When's Christ coming?

1008
00:38:44,110 --> 00:38:44,630
You know what?

1009
00:38:44,630 --> 00:38:47,150
When eternity comes, it will be very, very

1010
00:38:47,150 --> 00:38:47,830
small.

1011
00:38:48,350 --> 00:38:50,050
This time that we've got to endure.

1012
00:38:50,190 --> 00:38:52,610
We're not like Methuselah living 900-something years.

1013
00:38:52,770 --> 00:38:53,950
Most of us are not going to make

1014
00:38:53,950 --> 00:38:54,470
it to 90.

1015
00:38:55,490 --> 00:38:56,890
Imagine being 900, Papa.

1016
00:38:58,490 --> 00:39:00,570
I mean, you would have a lot less.

1017
00:39:07,620 --> 00:39:09,640
I wonder how many people who lived that

1018
00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:11,900
long had what they had of the Old

1019
00:39:11,900 --> 00:39:13,160
Testament Scriptures memorized.

1020
00:39:17,150 --> 00:39:21,050
Well, where was I at?

1021
00:39:24,540 --> 00:39:27,920
We often feel like trials go on forever.

1022
00:39:29,540 --> 00:39:31,900
I mean, sometimes just a health trial that

1023
00:39:31,900 --> 00:39:34,460
lasts one week can feel like it's gone

1024
00:39:34,460 --> 00:39:35,060
on forever.

1025
00:39:36,340 --> 00:39:38,160
Because it's your present reality.

1026
00:39:38,500 --> 00:39:41,080
But the text says, in a little while.

1027
00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:43,140
So don't shrink back.

1028
00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:45,360
I mean, if you knew.

1029
00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:47,080
If you knew the war is about to

1030
00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:47,400
end.

1031
00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:48,940
Yes, you're in danger.

1032
00:39:49,100 --> 00:39:50,360
Yes, bombs are going off.

1033
00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:51,300
Yes, there's a war.

1034
00:39:51,300 --> 00:39:54,300
Yes, people are committing mutiny and trying to

1035
00:39:54,300 --> 00:39:56,320
do a takeover and all this conflict is

1036
00:39:56,320 --> 00:39:56,720
happening.

1037
00:39:57,060 --> 00:39:58,360
And it's a hard struggle.

1038
00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:01,840
And if you've got news, just a little

1039
00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:03,420
while left and we're going to have victory.

1040
00:40:03,540 --> 00:40:04,820
It would encourage you to press on.

1041
00:40:04,860 --> 00:40:05,860
That's what He's doing here to them.

1042
00:40:05,940 --> 00:40:06,840
Don't shrink back.

1043
00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:08,920
Don't shrink back from the suffering.

1044
00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:11,600
Don't shrink back from striving for the holiness

1045
00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:13,440
without which you will not see the Lord.

1046
00:40:13,720 --> 00:40:16,180
As He says in Hebrews 12.14. Don't

1047
00:40:16,180 --> 00:40:16,780
shrink back.

1048
00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:20,060
Fifth thing, why didn't they endure?

1049
00:40:22,100 --> 00:40:22,580
Why?

1050
00:40:22,740 --> 00:40:23,660
Was it exhaustion?

1051
00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:25,880
Did the suffering go on and on and

1052
00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:26,520
they just quit?

1053
00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:30,460
Or did the suffering cease?

1054
00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:34,160
And ease came in and hardened them.

1055
00:40:34,980 --> 00:40:36,280
What were their circumstances?

1056
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:37,860
Like I said, much of this letter, it

1057
00:40:37,860 --> 00:40:40,420
deals with false doctrine that has come in,

1058
00:40:40,620 --> 00:40:43,360
taking them away from Christ to different things

1059
00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:43,960
that are Jewish.

1060
00:40:44,220 --> 00:40:46,320
And sure enough, false doctrine will do that.

1061
00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:47,720
It'll get your eyes off of Christ.

1062
00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:49,180
And you get your eyes off of Christ,

1063
00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:50,460
guess where your confidence goes?

1064
00:40:50,780 --> 00:40:51,380
It's gone.

1065
00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:53,700
You get talking about all these things in

1066
00:40:53,700 --> 00:40:55,680
the physical realm and the legalistic cults that

1067
00:40:55,680 --> 00:40:57,100
get you focused on the here and now.

1068
00:40:57,260 --> 00:40:59,280
You're not thinking about your better possession here.

1069
00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:01,480
You're thinking about all the things that are

1070
00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:01,960
external.

1071
00:41:03,540 --> 00:41:07,300
The sixth thing, what is this better possession?

1072
00:41:08,660 --> 00:41:10,020
Is it a physical land?

1073
00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:11,060
Is it Cana?

1074
00:41:11,180 --> 00:41:11,940
No, it's not.

1075
00:41:11,940 --> 00:41:15,500
He says right here, it's an abiding one.

1076
00:41:16,900 --> 00:41:19,080
It's an abiding one.

1077
00:41:19,220 --> 00:41:20,720
It goes on eternally.

1078
00:41:21,960 --> 00:41:22,400
Forever.

1079
00:41:23,580 --> 00:41:25,160
I mean, you and I have an inheritance

1080
00:41:26,660 --> 00:41:27,920
that's not going to run out.

1081
00:41:28,420 --> 00:41:30,720
You say I've got $10 million in physical

1082
00:41:30,720 --> 00:41:31,180
inheritance.

1083
00:41:31,260 --> 00:41:32,020
It's going to run out.

1084
00:41:32,300 --> 00:41:33,440
It's not going to last.

1085
00:41:34,620 --> 00:41:35,740
We have an inheritance.

1086
00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:37,540
It's not going to run out.

1087
00:41:37,660 --> 00:41:39,080
It's unfading.

1088
00:41:39,740 --> 00:41:43,800
The Scriptures say we can't see it.

1089
00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:45,640
Right.

1090
00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:47,560
We live by faith.

1091
00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:49,860
Isn't that what all these in Hebrews 11

1092
00:41:49,860 --> 00:41:50,120
did?

1093
00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:52,940
Did all these in Hebrews 11, did they

1094
00:41:52,940 --> 00:41:54,700
come before or after Christ?

1095
00:41:57,540 --> 00:42:00,140
Oh, you mean they endured all they did

1096
00:42:00,700 --> 00:42:03,160
before the fulfillment of the promises and His

1097
00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:03,500
coming?

1098
00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:05,600
You mean they did all they did looking

1099
00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:08,500
to the shadows and trusting that these things

1100
00:42:08,500 --> 00:42:09,140
would happen?

1101
00:42:11,070 --> 00:42:13,290
Wait, and you mean we actually live after

1102
00:42:13,290 --> 00:42:14,250
Christ came?

1103
00:42:14,650 --> 00:42:15,450
Perfectly lived?

1104
00:42:16,170 --> 00:42:17,170
Substitutionarily died?

1105
00:42:17,450 --> 00:42:19,730
Was raised, appeared to hundreds, and ascended to

1106
00:42:19,730 --> 00:42:19,970
heaven?

1107
00:42:21,310 --> 00:42:23,730
You mean we've got such more evidence?

1108
00:42:23,950 --> 00:42:25,490
Well, the Christian isn't looking for all the

1109
00:42:25,490 --> 00:42:25,770
evidence.

1110
00:42:25,850 --> 00:42:26,650
They're going by faith.

1111
00:42:26,710 --> 00:42:27,430
They're believing God.

1112
00:42:27,490 --> 00:42:28,450
God's changed their heart.

1113
00:42:28,530 --> 00:42:29,390
We're trusting Him.

1114
00:42:29,930 --> 00:42:32,110
If these people in Hebrews 11 could by

1115
00:42:32,110 --> 00:42:35,290
faith endure all they did without having the

1116
00:42:35,290 --> 00:42:37,770
fulfillment of the Christ, and we have Christ

1117
00:42:37,770 --> 00:42:40,590
who has come, how much more should our

1118
00:42:40,590 --> 00:42:44,330
faith be stirred to believe the Lord?

1119
00:42:46,950 --> 00:42:50,330
In Hebrews, it talks about better things belonging

1120
00:42:50,330 --> 00:42:51,070
to salvation.

1121
00:42:51,250 --> 00:42:52,670
It talks about we have a better hope,

1122
00:42:52,910 --> 00:42:56,010
a better covenant, better promises, better possession.

1123
00:42:56,190 --> 00:42:58,290
Hebrews 11 says we've got a better country.

1124
00:42:58,930 --> 00:43:00,270
It says we're going to rise again to

1125
00:43:00,270 --> 00:43:01,270
a better life.

1126
00:43:01,910 --> 00:43:03,490
It's just better, better, better, better.

1127
00:43:03,590 --> 00:43:05,690
God provided something better for us.

1128
00:43:05,710 --> 00:43:06,430
Hebrews 11.

1129
00:43:07,490 --> 00:43:10,530
Christ's blood speaks a better word than the

1130
00:43:10,530 --> 00:43:11,410
blood of Abel.

1131
00:43:12,150 --> 00:43:13,770
Isn't that what he says here in v.

1132
00:43:13,870 --> 00:43:14,350
34?

1133
00:43:14,390 --> 00:43:17,070
Since you yourselves, you knew you had a

1134
00:43:17,070 --> 00:43:18,010
better possession.

1135
00:43:18,350 --> 00:43:20,310
You've got to remember, we've got something better

1136
00:43:20,310 --> 00:43:22,930
than anything here in this life.

1137
00:43:23,070 --> 00:43:25,450
We've got to keep trusting the Lord by

1138
00:43:25,450 --> 00:43:26,390
faith.

1139
00:43:27,570 --> 00:43:27,890
F.

1140
00:43:27,910 --> 00:43:28,050
F.

1141
00:43:28,110 --> 00:43:31,550
Bruce, he says, the eternal inheritance laid up

1142
00:43:31,550 --> 00:43:34,070
for them was so real in their eyes

1143
00:43:34,360 --> 00:43:38,750
that they could lightheartedly, they could joyfully bid

1144
00:43:38,750 --> 00:43:42,590
farewell to material possessions which were short-lived

1145
00:43:42,590 --> 00:43:43,530
in any case.

1146
00:43:44,510 --> 00:43:47,870
This attitude of mind is precisely that faith

1147
00:43:48,020 --> 00:43:50,330
of which our author goes on to speak

1148
00:43:50,330 --> 00:43:50,570
of.

1149
00:43:51,210 --> 00:43:55,530
They could lightheartedly just lose all this physical

1150
00:43:55,530 --> 00:43:58,210
stuff that they labored and toiled with their

1151
00:43:58,210 --> 00:43:58,610
hands?

1152
00:43:59,170 --> 00:44:02,350
Yeah, we have something better.

1153
00:44:03,130 --> 00:44:07,610
Who else joyfully endured trials?

1154
00:44:09,230 --> 00:44:10,490
Look at Hebrews 12.

1155
00:44:11,950 --> 00:44:13,050
Consider Him.

1156
00:44:14,690 --> 00:44:16,050
It talks about considering.

1157
00:44:16,270 --> 00:44:19,090
Verse 2, look into Jesus, for the joy

1158
00:44:19,090 --> 00:44:22,130
set before Him endured the cross.

1159
00:44:22,990 --> 00:44:23,170
Right?

1160
00:44:23,270 --> 00:44:25,450
Christ could see His exaltation.

1161
00:44:26,030 --> 00:44:29,590
He was looking to His death and resurrection

1162
00:44:29,590 --> 00:44:32,270
and exaltation and entering in through those gates

1163
00:44:32,270 --> 00:44:35,070
as Psalm 24 talks about with clean hands

1164
00:44:35,070 --> 00:44:36,770
and a pure heart.

1165
00:44:37,530 --> 00:44:38,170
And He did.

1166
00:44:38,390 --> 00:44:41,010
And He went and endured the cross despising

1167
00:44:41,010 --> 00:44:41,490
the shame.

1168
00:44:41,570 --> 00:44:43,130
He's seated at the right hand of the

1169
00:44:43,130 --> 00:44:43,730
throne of God.

1170
00:44:43,950 --> 00:44:45,650
And He says to these same people who

1171
00:44:45,650 --> 00:44:48,150
are enduring a hard struggle, in Hebrews 10

1172
00:44:48,150 --> 00:44:49,670
.32, He says in v.

1173
00:44:49,850 --> 00:44:51,830
3 of chapter 12, consider Christ.

1174
00:44:52,310 --> 00:44:53,810
Don't just look at all these people in

1175
00:44:53,810 --> 00:44:54,430
chapter 11.

1176
00:44:54,550 --> 00:44:58,090
Consider Christ who endured from sinners such hostility

1177
00:44:58,090 --> 00:45:01,130
against Himself so that you will not grow

1178
00:45:01,130 --> 00:45:01,490
weary.

1179
00:45:01,950 --> 00:45:03,450
Oh, we're getting weary.

1180
00:45:03,790 --> 00:45:04,730
Getting fainthearted.

1181
00:45:04,990 --> 00:45:07,550
Don't let that happen in your struggle against

1182
00:45:07,550 --> 00:45:08,150
sin.

1183
00:45:09,030 --> 00:45:11,670
You have not yet resisted to the point

1184
00:45:11,670 --> 00:45:12,710
of shedding your blood.

1185
00:45:12,810 --> 00:45:14,490
Meaning, you've not yet resisted to the point

1186
00:45:14,490 --> 00:45:14,930
of what?

1187
00:45:15,890 --> 00:45:16,750
Of death.

1188
00:45:18,210 --> 00:45:19,850
Christ resisted sin.

1189
00:45:19,890 --> 00:45:21,090
He never sinned.

1190
00:45:21,270 --> 00:45:22,350
Not one time.

1191
00:45:23,170 --> 00:45:25,910
And He could have sinned and resisted the

1192
00:45:25,910 --> 00:45:26,830
shedding of His blood.

1193
00:45:27,390 --> 00:45:29,430
But instead, He did not sin and He

1194
00:45:29,430 --> 00:45:30,990
went to that cross and His blood did

1195
00:45:30,990 --> 00:45:31,430
get shed.

1196
00:45:32,490 --> 00:45:34,550
And He's saying to these Hebrews in chapter

1197
00:45:34,550 --> 00:45:37,370
10, some of you, you had these afflictions.

1198
00:45:37,910 --> 00:45:41,030
Some of you, you had things plundered.

1199
00:45:41,150 --> 00:45:42,870
Some in chapter 11, it talks about them

1200
00:45:42,870 --> 00:45:43,270
dying.

1201
00:45:43,370 --> 00:45:45,310
They were willing to shed their blood and

1202
00:45:45,310 --> 00:45:47,170
die for Christ.

1203
00:45:49,880 --> 00:45:50,560
Where are you at?

1204
00:45:50,680 --> 00:45:51,520
What's real?

1205
00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:53,520
What's more real to you?

1206
00:45:53,580 --> 00:45:55,160
I mean, I'm asking myself that.

1207
00:45:55,460 --> 00:45:57,200
The earthly or the spiritual?

1208
00:45:57,200 --> 00:46:01,080
That which I can't see, or that which

1209
00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:02,140
I can see.

1210
00:46:02,180 --> 00:46:08,100
Andrew Murray, he says this, they took joyfully

1211
00:46:08,100 --> 00:46:12,000
the spoiling of their possessions, knowing that they

1212
00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:15,600
themselves had a better and abiding possession.

1213
00:46:16,240 --> 00:46:18,900
The Christian stands between two worlds.

1214
00:46:19,640 --> 00:46:22,480
Each one offers him its goods as possessions.

1215
00:46:23,260 --> 00:46:26,800
In unceasing conflict, the two compete for mastery.

1216
00:46:27,660 --> 00:46:29,920
The one has the advantage of being infinitely

1217
00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:32,220
more worthy than the other.

1218
00:46:33,940 --> 00:46:37,700
And it gives infinite satisfaction and lasting forever.

1219
00:46:38,300 --> 00:46:39,100
That's Christ.

1220
00:46:39,300 --> 00:46:40,200
That's the better possession.

1221
00:46:40,500 --> 00:46:44,500
The other is in no way to be

1222
00:46:44,500 --> 00:46:44,960
compared.

1223
00:46:45,800 --> 00:46:47,040
It cannot satisfy.

1224
00:46:47,320 --> 00:46:48,560
It does not last.

1225
00:46:48,880 --> 00:46:52,460
But, in the conflict, it has two immense,

1226
00:46:52,720 --> 00:46:54,560
two terrible advantages.

1227
00:46:55,380 --> 00:46:57,660
The one is it is nearer.

1228
00:46:57,960 --> 00:46:58,720
It is visible.

1229
00:46:59,060 --> 00:47:01,660
It has access to us by every sense.

1230
00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:04,560
Its influence on us is natural and easy

1231
00:47:04,560 --> 00:47:05,380
and unceasing.

1232
00:47:06,220 --> 00:47:10,280
The other disadvantage or advantage it has is

1233
00:47:10,280 --> 00:47:12,600
that our heart is pre-possessed.

1234
00:47:12,780 --> 00:47:15,820
The spirit of the world is in it.

1235
00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:18,040
And so it comes that the possession of

1236
00:47:18,040 --> 00:47:21,560
this world would the most actually win the

1237
00:47:21,560 --> 00:47:25,860
day, even against the better and abiding possession.

1238
00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:28,600
Murray's right.

1239
00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:29,760
There's this battle here.

1240
00:47:30,820 --> 00:47:32,980
Now I would say when he says the

1241
00:47:32,980 --> 00:47:36,340
other, that our heart is pre-possessed, for

1242
00:47:36,340 --> 00:47:37,540
the Christian, that's not true.

1243
00:47:38,340 --> 00:47:40,220
The Christian is now obedient from the heart.

1244
00:47:40,620 --> 00:47:43,060
We battle against the passions of our flesh

1245
00:47:43,060 --> 00:47:43,940
that wage war.

1246
00:47:44,220 --> 00:47:47,160
But we're looking by faith to Christ.

1247
00:47:47,160 --> 00:47:48,880
Where are you at in that battle this

1248
00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:49,140
morning?

1249
00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:50,440
What's going on?

1250
00:47:51,160 --> 00:47:52,240
Where am I at?

1251
00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:54,680
What's my view?

1252
00:47:54,740 --> 00:47:58,300
Can I say I know that I have

1253
00:47:58,300 --> 00:47:59,440
a better possession?

1254
00:47:59,740 --> 00:48:03,160
Or, like the Hebrews, if something happened in

1255
00:48:03,160 --> 00:48:06,380
my life, I drift, right?

1256
00:48:06,420 --> 00:48:09,900
You slowly start losing the confidence and then

1257
00:48:09,900 --> 00:48:11,360
the conduct is affected.

1258
00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:15,640
Just like the market is causing our houses

1259
00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:17,360
to be appraised right now at a higher

1260
00:48:17,360 --> 00:48:19,800
value, which if you're selling, that's good.

1261
00:48:19,840 --> 00:48:21,940
If you're paying property taxes and staying, that's

1262
00:48:21,940 --> 00:48:22,220
bad.

1263
00:48:22,840 --> 00:48:24,840
But I hope your knowledge of the truth

1264
00:48:24,840 --> 00:48:27,340
is increasing in its appraisal.

1265
00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:29,520
That the value keeps going up and up.

1266
00:48:29,860 --> 00:48:31,520
That more and more you see the eternal

1267
00:48:31,520 --> 00:48:32,120
possession.

1268
00:48:32,320 --> 00:48:34,580
It keeps having more and more value as

1269
00:48:34,580 --> 00:48:36,480
all the trials you endure in this life,

1270
00:48:36,680 --> 00:48:38,940
and you start to realize everything here ultimately

1271
00:48:38,940 --> 00:48:42,560
has no value compared to the glory that

1272
00:48:42,560 --> 00:48:43,460
is to come.

1273
00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:50,280
How things were in the past should challenge

1274
00:48:50,280 --> 00:48:52,360
us to trust the Lord in the present.

1275
00:48:53,380 --> 00:48:56,080
If you were recalling the way you joyfully

1276
00:48:56,080 --> 00:48:58,200
had your house plundered in order to identify

1277
00:48:58,200 --> 00:49:01,640
with these Christians, wouldn't you step back and

1278
00:49:01,640 --> 00:49:04,040
say, wow, I trusted the Lord like that?

1279
00:49:06,860 --> 00:49:09,620
I was willing to show hospitality to those

1280
00:49:09,620 --> 00:49:13,020
random people who came on the street and

1281
00:49:13,020 --> 00:49:14,060
take them into my house.

1282
00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:15,440
I was willing to do this.

1283
00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:17,060
I was willing to go give that person

1284
00:49:17,060 --> 00:49:19,400
a ride five hours away for this small

1285
00:49:19,400 --> 00:49:19,540
meal.

1286
00:49:19,560 --> 00:49:21,140
I was willing to take hundreds of dollars

1287
00:49:21,140 --> 00:49:23,160
and pay this man's fee to get rid

1288
00:49:23,160 --> 00:49:25,740
of the block on his license that he

1289
00:49:25,740 --> 00:49:27,320
had from his past when he was lost.

1290
00:49:27,380 --> 00:49:29,020
I was willing to do these things by

1291
00:49:29,020 --> 00:49:29,560
faith.

1292
00:49:29,960 --> 00:49:30,980
Where am I at now?

1293
00:49:31,060 --> 00:49:33,040
Why does my heart close when I want

1294
00:49:33,040 --> 00:49:36,020
to do some of these things?

1295
00:49:36,080 --> 00:49:38,720
The author wants these believers to remember what

1296
00:49:38,720 --> 00:49:39,920
they had previously gone through.

1297
00:49:41,320 --> 00:49:43,580
They had already endured a hard struggle.

1298
00:49:44,180 --> 00:49:46,280
Look, many of you, you've already endured many

1299
00:49:46,280 --> 00:49:47,520
hard struggles as a Christian.

1300
00:49:48,700 --> 00:49:51,500
Recall the confidence you had in Christ during

1301
00:49:51,500 --> 00:49:52,180
that season.

1302
00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:55,280
And if it's not so right now, it

1303
00:49:55,280 --> 00:49:56,100
should humble you.

1304
00:49:57,180 --> 00:49:59,680
Not into a self-pity party, but it

1305
00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:02,180
should humble you into a godly grief that

1306
00:50:02,180 --> 00:50:05,100
causes you to repent of any apathy and

1307
00:50:05,100 --> 00:50:07,920
any lacking of a zeal for your first

1308
00:50:07,920 --> 00:50:10,000
love like it was back then.

1309
00:50:14,060 --> 00:50:17,460
You know, being disgraced at your present conduct

1310
00:50:18,060 --> 00:50:19,920
compared to the former, it's not always a

1311
00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:20,400
bad thing.

1312
00:50:21,360 --> 00:50:24,440
There's a godly shame that one can experience

1313
00:50:24,440 --> 00:50:27,660
that God can use to really motivate us

1314
00:50:27,660 --> 00:50:28,360
in the present.

1315
00:50:30,360 --> 00:50:33,480
So, a couple applications here.

1316
00:50:34,020 --> 00:50:37,680
Number one, recall the season in your life

1317
00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:40,780
that you manifested the greatest love towards the

1318
00:50:40,780 --> 00:50:41,080
present.

1319
00:50:42,500 --> 00:50:45,720
If it was genuine love, you will find

1320
00:50:45,720 --> 00:50:50,060
hand in hand there was a confidence of

1321
00:50:50,060 --> 00:50:50,960
the greater possession.

1322
00:50:51,380 --> 00:50:52,920
It was a confidence of Christ.

1323
00:50:52,960 --> 00:50:54,880
You're going to have those things together.

1324
00:50:57,030 --> 00:51:00,790
When your first love for Christ overflowed in

1325
00:51:00,790 --> 00:51:04,270
great love for the brethren, so much so,

1326
00:51:04,370 --> 00:51:07,030
you joyfully partnered with other believers in their

1327
00:51:07,030 --> 00:51:07,470
sufferings.

1328
00:51:07,590 --> 00:51:08,810
Do you recall times like that?

1329
00:51:08,850 --> 00:51:10,030
Have you had times like that?

1330
00:51:11,650 --> 00:51:13,530
When was the last time you had times

1331
00:51:13,530 --> 00:51:13,870
like that?

1332
00:51:13,890 --> 00:51:15,190
When was the last time I had times

1333
00:51:15,190 --> 00:51:15,730
like that?

1334
00:51:16,170 --> 00:51:19,930
Remembering that our suffering is far less significant

1335
00:51:19,930 --> 00:51:20,990
than what they went through.

1336
00:51:23,130 --> 00:51:25,510
Remember how mightily supported you were by the

1337
00:51:25,510 --> 00:51:25,770
Lord.

1338
00:51:27,250 --> 00:51:30,510
Second thing, recall the season in your life

1339
00:51:31,850 --> 00:51:33,670
where out of your love, you took the

1340
00:51:33,670 --> 00:51:35,950
Gospel the most vigorously to the lost.

1341
00:51:36,970 --> 00:51:37,730
Remember that.

1342
00:51:37,870 --> 00:51:41,350
We should reflect on the former days and

1343
00:51:41,350 --> 00:51:44,310
the times we were more evangelistically zealous and

1344
00:51:44,310 --> 00:51:45,670
loving for the lost souls.

1345
00:51:45,850 --> 00:51:47,990
We always don't have the same zeal as

1346
00:51:47,990 --> 00:51:50,110
Paul did and say I could wish myself

1347
00:51:50,110 --> 00:51:52,350
were accursed and cut off from Christ for

1348
00:51:52,350 --> 00:51:53,530
the sake of my kinsmen.

1349
00:51:54,650 --> 00:51:56,390
We can't say that every day of the

1350
00:51:56,390 --> 00:51:56,670
week.

1351
00:51:57,650 --> 00:51:59,730
We need fresh glimpses of the Lord.

1352
00:52:00,130 --> 00:52:01,450
How did he say in Hebrews 12?

1353
00:52:01,470 --> 00:52:03,530
He told us to be looking to Jesus.

1354
00:52:04,150 --> 00:52:05,870
That's where our eyes have to be.

1355
00:52:07,670 --> 00:52:09,470
Think about other areas in your life.

1356
00:52:09,470 --> 00:52:12,290
Recall the former days in your marriage.

1357
00:52:13,230 --> 00:52:14,910
If you're married here, some of you have

1358
00:52:14,910 --> 00:52:18,290
been married five years, ten years, fifteen years,

1359
00:52:18,330 --> 00:52:19,070
twenty years.

1360
00:52:19,930 --> 00:52:23,370
We all know the example of how people

1361
00:52:23,370 --> 00:52:25,150
were head over heels for each other in

1362
00:52:25,150 --> 00:52:29,490
the engagement period and then the first thirty

1363
00:52:29,490 --> 00:52:34,380
minutes of their marriage for thirty days.

1364
00:52:35,020 --> 00:52:38,080
Or maybe by God's grace, through such holiness,

1365
00:52:40,080 --> 00:52:41,840
you didn't cave off.

1366
00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:42,720
Right?

1367
00:52:42,820 --> 00:52:43,560
Months and years.

1368
00:52:43,640 --> 00:52:46,680
Maybe you've got married and that first love

1369
00:52:46,680 --> 00:52:48,720
is still there burning like it was back

1370
00:52:48,720 --> 00:52:49,040
then.

1371
00:52:49,660 --> 00:52:51,780
But we should even remember our former days

1372
00:52:51,780 --> 00:52:52,500
in our marriage.

1373
00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:56,140
He's talking here about being convinced of a

1374
00:52:56,140 --> 00:52:58,580
better possession causing you to love right now.

1375
00:52:59,360 --> 00:53:00,880
You know who is not going to be

1376
00:53:00,880 --> 00:53:02,580
there to love in heaven?

1377
00:53:03,040 --> 00:53:04,820
Who's not going to need my affection?

1378
00:53:05,060 --> 00:53:06,400
My wife won't care.

1379
00:53:06,400 --> 00:53:09,060
There's no marriage in heaven.

1380
00:53:09,460 --> 00:53:13,180
This is my opportunity to love my wife

1381
00:53:13,180 --> 00:53:14,920
as Christ loved the church.

1382
00:53:15,180 --> 00:53:17,120
Not going to have that opportunity in heaven.

1383
00:53:17,480 --> 00:53:18,300
This is it.

1384
00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:21,460
This is the one chance I get to

1385
00:53:21,460 --> 00:53:23,820
be so convinced of a better possession than

1386
00:53:23,820 --> 00:53:25,960
an abiding one to do that which is

1387
00:53:25,960 --> 00:53:27,520
pleasing to the Lord in the present.

1388
00:53:27,760 --> 00:53:32,320
Notice even here how he describes their obedience.

1389
00:53:32,320 --> 00:53:34,920
He begins, verse 36, "...so when you have

1390
00:53:34,920 --> 00:53:35,800
done..." what?

1391
00:53:36,060 --> 00:53:37,780
"...the will of God."

1392
00:53:37,780 --> 00:53:39,320
That's what this is all about.

1393
00:53:39,380 --> 00:53:41,140
It's about doing the will of God in

1394
00:53:41,140 --> 00:53:43,360
every single facet of your life.

1395
00:53:43,460 --> 00:53:45,200
Being willing to do the will of God

1396
00:53:45,200 --> 00:53:47,780
as you boast and trust in Christ.

1397
00:53:49,560 --> 00:53:51,520
Recall the former days of your parenting.

1398
00:53:53,160 --> 00:53:55,360
Maybe some would say, well, it wasn't that

1399
00:53:55,360 --> 00:53:56,000
good actually.

1400
00:53:56,080 --> 00:53:57,020
We didn't know what we were doing.

1401
00:53:59,030 --> 00:54:01,330
Or some say, wow, we really were on

1402
00:54:01,330 --> 00:54:02,890
our A-game with the first couple of

1403
00:54:02,890 --> 00:54:04,890
children and then life just got busy and

1404
00:54:04,890 --> 00:54:08,090
we've totally dropped off for the youngest.

1405
00:54:09,970 --> 00:54:12,310
Maybe recall your former days when life was

1406
00:54:12,310 --> 00:54:13,230
far more simple.

1407
00:54:15,130 --> 00:54:19,330
2 Corinthians 11.3 "...I'm afraid for you

1408
00:54:19,330 --> 00:54:21,170
as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning,

1409
00:54:21,330 --> 00:54:22,870
so will some of your thoughts be led

1410
00:54:22,870 --> 00:54:25,710
astray from a simple and pure devotion to

1411
00:54:25,710 --> 00:54:26,490
Christ."

1412
00:54:26,490 --> 00:54:28,550
I mean, is your Christianity a simple devotion

1413
00:54:28,550 --> 00:54:29,690
to a person?

1414
00:54:31,170 --> 00:54:33,670
Is following a person, you're looking to Him.

1415
00:54:34,150 --> 00:54:35,250
You're following Him.

1416
00:54:36,830 --> 00:54:38,410
I mean, think about any area in your

1417
00:54:38,410 --> 00:54:40,470
life as far as how you used to

1418
00:54:40,470 --> 00:54:42,270
do the will of God compared to right

1419
00:54:42,270 --> 00:54:42,590
now.

1420
00:54:43,430 --> 00:54:45,210
And if you look at the former days,

1421
00:54:45,690 --> 00:54:47,530
when you had more faith and confidence in

1422
00:54:47,530 --> 00:54:50,250
the Lord, you should do exactly as He's

1423
00:54:50,250 --> 00:54:51,390
calling these Hebrews to do.

1424
00:54:51,450 --> 00:54:53,610
He's calling them to recall it in the

1425
00:54:53,610 --> 00:54:55,690
hopes that they will turn and have those

1426
00:54:55,690 --> 00:54:56,470
days again.

1427
00:54:57,510 --> 00:54:59,530
The great thing with the spiritual realm is

1428
00:54:59,530 --> 00:55:01,070
this, we're not like the sports athlete.

1429
00:55:01,070 --> 00:55:04,290
We're not in the gym right now reflecting

1430
00:55:04,290 --> 00:55:05,890
on all the dunks we could do and

1431
00:55:05,890 --> 00:55:07,450
thinking it's never going to happen again.

1432
00:55:08,010 --> 00:55:09,070
I blew my knee out.

1433
00:55:09,130 --> 00:55:09,550
I did this.

1434
00:55:09,590 --> 00:55:10,150
I did that.

1435
00:55:10,530 --> 00:55:11,110
You know what?

1436
00:55:11,250 --> 00:55:13,290
As the Christian, the spiritual realm, it can

1437
00:55:13,290 --> 00:55:15,630
get all the better, all the holier going

1438
00:55:15,630 --> 00:55:16,130
forward.

1439
00:55:17,330 --> 00:55:19,590
There's great hope to increase.

1440
00:55:19,950 --> 00:55:21,610
Isn't that what Peter says?

1441
00:55:21,690 --> 00:55:22,450
If increasing.

1442
00:55:22,830 --> 00:55:26,330
If these qualities are increasing in you, it

1443
00:55:26,330 --> 00:55:27,570
will cause you to never fail.

1444
00:55:27,670 --> 00:55:29,190
We should expect to be increasing.

1445
00:55:29,190 --> 00:55:31,550
Isn't that what progressive sanctification is?

1446
00:55:31,610 --> 00:55:33,150
From one degree of glory to the next,

1447
00:55:33,270 --> 00:55:34,310
becoming more and more holy.

1448
00:55:35,130 --> 00:55:38,250
Yes, it's got trials and ups and downs,

1449
00:55:38,490 --> 00:55:39,690
but we've got to press on.

1450
00:55:41,880 --> 00:55:44,040
Some of you might say, I have no

1451
00:55:44,040 --> 00:55:44,720
glory days.

1452
00:55:46,700 --> 00:55:48,460
I'm just recently saved.

1453
00:55:50,100 --> 00:55:52,560
Well, look at Hebrews 11 and all those

1454
00:55:52,560 --> 00:55:54,540
who had some pretty glorious days of trusting

1455
00:55:54,540 --> 00:55:55,860
the Lord and go and imitate them.

1456
00:55:57,100 --> 00:55:58,140
Imitate those people.

1457
00:55:59,260 --> 00:56:01,320
Imitate those even in this church.

1458
00:56:01,840 --> 00:56:04,260
This letter ends with him saying, remember your

1459
00:56:04,260 --> 00:56:06,880
leaders, those who spoke to you the Word

1460
00:56:06,880 --> 00:56:09,100
of God, consider the outcome of their way

1461
00:56:09,100 --> 00:56:11,340
of life, the outcome of their way of

1462
00:56:11,340 --> 00:56:13,920
life, pursuing a better possession, and then what

1463
00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:14,660
does he say to do?

1464
00:56:15,360 --> 00:56:18,960
Imitate what about them?

1465
00:56:19,880 --> 00:56:25,480
Imitate their Hebrews 13.

1466
00:56:25,700 --> 00:56:27,120
Imitate their faith.

1467
00:56:28,720 --> 00:56:32,800
Imitate their confident trust in believing that God

1468
00:56:32,800 --> 00:56:34,860
will supply all of their needs according to

1469
00:56:34,860 --> 00:56:36,520
His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.

1470
00:56:36,860 --> 00:56:38,400
Believe their confident faith.

1471
00:56:38,480 --> 00:56:39,920
Look, even as you see Craig going through

1472
00:56:39,920 --> 00:56:42,500
this trial with his wife having cancer, it's

1473
00:56:42,500 --> 00:56:44,720
an example of a faith that's trusting the

1474
00:56:44,720 --> 00:56:44,920
Lord.

1475
00:56:45,040 --> 00:56:46,280
I mean, there's times you would even forget

1476
00:56:46,280 --> 00:56:47,180
his wife has cancer.

1477
00:56:47,420 --> 00:56:49,140
You'd even forget his wife could die in

1478
00:56:49,140 --> 00:56:51,500
a year or something because there's a rest

1479
00:56:51,500 --> 00:56:52,880
and a confidence in Christ.

1480
00:56:54,060 --> 00:56:55,780
We're to imitate that trust.

1481
00:56:57,620 --> 00:56:58,920
You know what, new believer?

1482
00:56:59,060 --> 00:57:00,260
Don't set the bar too low.

1483
00:57:01,300 --> 00:57:03,340
Right after I got converted, we had that

1484
00:57:03,340 --> 00:57:05,560
first Denton Conference and I remember, I'll never

1485
00:57:05,560 --> 00:57:06,620
forget Bob Jennings.

1486
00:57:06,960 --> 00:57:08,640
He did a sermon on God is light

1487
00:57:08,640 --> 00:57:09,920
and he made the comment there.

1488
00:57:10,000 --> 00:57:12,640
He said, isn't it amazing that the Lord

1489
00:57:12,640 --> 00:57:14,720
has set it up where the new convert

1490
00:57:14,720 --> 00:57:17,520
can have more reality than an elder in

1491
00:57:17,520 --> 00:57:18,100
a church?

1492
00:57:19,460 --> 00:57:20,900
That kind of took me aback as a

1493
00:57:20,900 --> 00:57:21,900
new Christian thinking, really?

1494
00:57:23,340 --> 00:57:24,380
That can happen.

1495
00:57:24,480 --> 00:57:25,880
Just like it's happened with the Hebrews.

1496
00:57:26,240 --> 00:57:28,940
In their early days, they're on fire.

1497
00:57:29,740 --> 00:57:32,420
But now, it's not what it used to

1498
00:57:32,420 --> 00:57:32,660
be.

1499
00:57:34,200 --> 00:57:36,080
So don't set the bar too low.

1500
00:57:37,160 --> 00:57:39,180
The new believers in the early church often

1501
00:57:39,180 --> 00:57:41,660
got thrust right into trials and persecutions.

1502
00:57:41,760 --> 00:57:42,940
You know one thing this teaches us?

1503
00:57:43,000 --> 00:57:44,780
God allows new believers to suffer.

1504
00:57:45,840 --> 00:57:46,140
Right?

1505
00:57:46,180 --> 00:57:48,060
If you've just been converted and you're suffering

1506
00:57:48,060 --> 00:57:49,540
right now, guess what?

1507
00:57:49,620 --> 00:57:50,280
They did too.

1508
00:57:51,240 --> 00:57:53,720
And probably more severe than what you are

1509
00:57:53,720 --> 00:57:54,400
going through.

1510
00:57:54,920 --> 00:57:57,300
God allows new believers to suffer.

1511
00:57:57,580 --> 00:57:59,700
He's giving you right now with those trials

1512
00:57:59,700 --> 00:58:02,360
former days to remember years down the road

1513
00:58:02,680 --> 00:58:05,700
and reflect on the present confidence you have

1514
00:58:05,700 --> 00:58:06,200
in Christ.

1515
00:58:06,680 --> 00:58:08,380
So trust Him in the present.

1516
00:58:09,600 --> 00:58:14,060
Another thing, the book of Hebrews testifies to

1517
00:58:14,060 --> 00:58:16,680
the fact that believers go through spiritual seasons

1518
00:58:16,680 --> 00:58:17,680
of ups and downs.

1519
00:58:18,640 --> 00:58:18,900
Right?

1520
00:58:18,980 --> 00:58:20,020
Isn't that what we see in the book

1521
00:58:20,020 --> 00:58:21,020
of Revelation too?

1522
00:58:21,720 --> 00:58:22,640
I mean, where are you at?

1523
00:58:23,280 --> 00:58:24,180
Where am I at?

1524
00:58:24,640 --> 00:58:25,780
Have you plateaued?

1525
00:58:26,120 --> 00:58:27,700
Have you gone like this and now it's

1526
00:58:27,700 --> 00:58:29,520
just plateauing?

1527
00:58:29,720 --> 00:58:33,260
And again, the way I'm identifying it increasing

1528
00:58:33,260 --> 00:58:35,940
is not a great show of outward zeal.

1529
00:58:36,580 --> 00:58:39,000
Though they were outwardly zealous by allowing their

1530
00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:41,180
property to be plundered, what I'm saying for

1531
00:58:41,180 --> 00:58:42,480
you and I to look at is this,

1532
00:58:42,640 --> 00:58:44,700
are you confidently trusting in the Lord?

1533
00:58:45,180 --> 00:58:48,380
In the better possession, looking to heaven towards

1534
00:58:48,380 --> 00:58:50,720
leading you to love your brethren and have

1535
00:58:50,720 --> 00:58:53,380
compassion on those who are being mistreated?

1536
00:58:53,500 --> 00:58:55,520
Because that's something He points to here.

1537
00:58:55,800 --> 00:59:01,000
Are you joyfully showing love towards the brethren?

1538
00:59:03,900 --> 00:59:06,280
Or is your love grown dim?

1539
00:59:10,720 --> 00:59:12,820
Where can we go wrong in recalling our

1540
00:59:12,820 --> 00:59:13,460
former days?

1541
00:59:13,900 --> 00:59:16,100
Well, we might not view them accurately.

1542
00:59:16,960 --> 00:59:19,620
I have found that people often exaggerate on

1543
00:59:19,620 --> 00:59:21,240
the past to be far better than it

1544
00:59:21,240 --> 00:59:22,080
actually was.

1545
00:59:23,480 --> 00:59:26,780
They tend to keep adding a new factor

1546
00:59:26,780 --> 00:59:27,120
to it.

1547
00:59:27,140 --> 00:59:30,800
Not maliciously lying, but we add things to

1548
00:59:30,800 --> 00:59:32,820
our imagination if we did not journal it

1549
00:59:32,820 --> 00:59:33,120
down.

1550
00:59:33,320 --> 00:59:34,700
You know what this is a good reminder

1551
00:59:34,700 --> 00:59:34,960
to do?

1552
00:59:35,000 --> 00:59:35,660
To have a journal.

1553
00:59:36,940 --> 00:59:39,080
Because right there in the darkness and in

1554
00:59:39,080 --> 00:59:40,520
the midst of a trial, if you've got

1555
00:59:40,520 --> 00:59:42,600
that journal, you can reflect and read through

1556
00:59:42,600 --> 00:59:45,960
it and see the faithfulness of God on

1557
00:59:45,960 --> 00:59:46,560
your life.

1558
00:59:46,620 --> 00:59:48,140
It will encourage your faith.

1559
00:59:49,980 --> 00:59:51,860
Where can we go wrong in recalling our

1560
00:59:51,860 --> 00:59:52,420
former days?

1561
00:59:52,500 --> 00:59:54,420
As I already mentioned, don't put so much

1562
00:59:54,420 --> 00:59:56,000
stock in what happened in the past.

1563
00:59:56,120 --> 00:59:58,560
Where are you and I at today?

1564
00:59:59,920 --> 01:00:01,660
And you know what He says to these

1565
01:00:01,660 --> 01:00:01,940
Hebrews?

1566
01:00:02,160 --> 01:00:04,700
He says this verse our kids memorized this

1567
01:00:04,700 --> 01:00:05,580
week at VBS.

1568
01:00:06,840 --> 01:00:08,840
He doesn't just call them to recall the

1569
01:00:08,840 --> 01:00:10,940
former days and not throw off their confidence.

1570
01:00:11,420 --> 01:00:13,600
He tells them something to throw off.

1571
01:00:14,480 --> 01:00:17,120
Don't throw away the confidence, but Hebrews 12,

1572
01:00:17,580 --> 01:00:21,780
do throw away every weight and every sin

1573
01:00:22,160 --> 01:00:25,060
which clings so closely and let us run

1574
01:00:25,060 --> 01:00:28,280
with endurance the race that is set before

1575
01:00:28,280 --> 01:00:28,620
us.

1576
01:00:28,660 --> 01:00:31,040
And the ironic thing is if you go

1577
01:00:31,040 --> 01:00:33,320
to Hebrews 11 and you look at things

1578
01:00:33,320 --> 01:00:36,600
that these people had to throw away, even

1579
01:00:36,600 --> 01:00:41,740
look at Hebrews 11.15, this is something

1580
01:00:41,740 --> 01:00:43,480
they needed to lay aside.

1581
01:00:44,160 --> 01:00:46,960
If they had been thinking of the land

1582
01:00:47,500 --> 01:00:50,620
from which they had gone out, they would

1583
01:00:50,620 --> 01:00:53,100
have had an opportunity to return.

1584
01:00:55,310 --> 01:00:58,050
But, as it is, they desire a better

1585
01:00:58,050 --> 01:01:01,030
country that is a heavenly one.

1586
01:01:01,410 --> 01:01:04,090
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called

1587
01:01:04,090 --> 01:01:07,310
their God, for He has prepared for them

1588
01:01:07,310 --> 01:01:08,190
a city.

1589
01:01:08,330 --> 01:01:09,790
You know what you need to lay aside?

1590
01:01:10,070 --> 01:01:12,830
You need to lay aside thoughts of thinking

1591
01:01:12,830 --> 01:01:14,410
that the here and now is going to

1592
01:01:14,410 --> 01:01:16,470
be better than what is to come that

1593
01:01:16,470 --> 01:01:17,610
you cannot see.

1594
01:01:17,690 --> 01:01:19,590
Because it says here if they had been

1595
01:01:19,590 --> 01:01:22,770
thinking, they would have had opportunity to return.

1596
01:01:23,130 --> 01:01:25,810
People who fall away, they give themselves opportunity

1597
01:01:25,810 --> 01:01:27,650
to fall away by what's going on in

1598
01:01:27,650 --> 01:01:28,170
their mind.

1599
01:01:29,010 --> 01:01:32,290
Those thoughts not being where they should, their

1600
01:01:32,290 --> 01:01:34,430
confidence in Christ not being what it should,

1601
01:01:34,490 --> 01:01:38,050
they give an opportunity to make shipwreck of

1602
01:01:38,050 --> 01:01:39,330
the faith.

1603
01:01:45,010 --> 01:01:47,930
Well, one other thing here, is there something

1604
01:01:47,930 --> 01:01:52,110
you see from someone else's former days that

1605
01:01:52,110 --> 01:01:54,270
you should exhort them to recall in the

1606
01:01:54,270 --> 01:01:54,630
present?

1607
01:01:57,670 --> 01:01:59,290
Whereby you can stir them up.

1608
01:01:59,550 --> 01:02:00,850
Didn't he just say we ought to stir

1609
01:02:00,850 --> 01:02:02,130
one another up to love and good works?

1610
01:02:02,170 --> 01:02:04,550
One way you could stir me up and

1611
01:02:04,550 --> 01:02:07,630
others up is by recalling the former days

1612
01:02:07,630 --> 01:02:09,230
and things that happened in the past.

1613
01:02:09,910 --> 01:02:11,930
And it can stir up your present faith

1614
01:02:12,230 --> 01:02:14,970
so that you do not shrink back.

1615
01:02:15,750 --> 01:02:17,270
And Christ is going to help us.

1616
01:02:17,270 --> 01:02:19,470
Did Christ have former days?

1617
01:02:20,070 --> 01:02:22,270
Did Jesus ever have to recall the former

1618
01:02:22,270 --> 01:02:22,750
days?

1619
01:02:24,550 --> 01:02:26,270
No, He didn't.

1620
01:02:26,510 --> 01:02:28,610
For He always knew to the max that

1621
01:02:28,610 --> 01:02:31,610
one could know that God is faithful and

1622
01:02:31,610 --> 01:02:34,610
He was always looking to this joyful exaltation

1623
01:02:34,610 --> 01:02:35,690
that is to come.

1624
01:02:36,710 --> 01:02:37,570
It's incredible.

1625
01:02:37,770 --> 01:02:39,010
Christ is our example.

1626
01:02:39,570 --> 01:02:41,090
We've got to be looking to the Lord

1627
01:02:41,090 --> 01:02:41,830
Jesus Christ.

1628
01:02:42,030 --> 01:02:43,830
That's where all this even comes to a

1629
01:02:43,830 --> 01:02:45,330
head right here in Hebrews 12.

1630
01:02:45,490 --> 01:02:46,630
It's looking to Jesus.

1631
01:02:46,630 --> 01:02:48,810
That's what He's talking about in Hebrews 11.

1632
01:02:48,970 --> 01:02:51,270
These people who by faith trusted in Jesus

1633
01:02:51,270 --> 01:02:51,690
Christ.

1634
01:02:51,870 --> 01:02:54,050
Am I trusting in Christ today?

1635
01:02:57,290 --> 01:02:59,850
Well, that's my exhortation to you.

1636
01:02:59,950 --> 01:03:01,270
Recall your former days.

1637
01:03:02,430 --> 01:03:05,370
Not of us corporately as a church, so

1638
01:03:05,370 --> 01:03:07,390
much as you individually as a believer.

1639
01:03:08,710 --> 01:03:12,830
Where has the joyful attitude of losing things

1640
01:03:12,830 --> 01:03:15,230
for Christ and loving your brethren, is that

1641
01:03:15,230 --> 01:03:16,190
right now present?

1642
01:03:16,190 --> 01:03:18,990
And it will only be present in the

1643
01:03:18,990 --> 01:03:22,470
present if you trust, if you're looking to

1644
01:03:22,470 --> 01:03:24,790
this better possession that will not be taken

1645
01:03:24,790 --> 01:03:25,130
away.

1646
01:03:25,390 --> 01:03:28,110
And this testifies to us the scary reality

1647
01:03:28,110 --> 01:03:31,670
of how our possessions in this life can

1648
01:03:31,670 --> 01:03:34,030
so easily take our eyes away from that

1649
01:03:34,030 --> 01:03:34,670
which is eternal.

1650
01:03:35,910 --> 01:03:36,510
Let's pray.

1651
01:03:39,110 --> 01:03:42,550
Father, Lord, I admit I don't have a

1652
01:03:42,550 --> 01:03:46,290
completely clear perspective on my own life on

1653
01:03:46,290 --> 01:03:49,370
how all of this even applies to me.

1654
01:03:49,470 --> 01:03:52,490
Lord, as I've studied this, I've searched my

1655
01:03:52,490 --> 01:03:52,730
heart.

1656
01:03:52,810 --> 01:03:54,350
I've asked You to search my heart.

1657
01:03:59,760 --> 01:04:01,360
Lord, I pray You'd help us to run

1658
01:04:01,360 --> 01:04:01,940
faster.

1659
01:04:04,060 --> 01:04:05,420
Lord, to keep progressing.

1660
01:04:06,540 --> 01:04:09,280
Lord, help us to not shrink back.

1661
01:04:10,160 --> 01:04:12,420
Lord, You say there to shrink back and

1662
01:04:12,420 --> 01:04:13,560
be destroyed.

1663
01:04:14,800 --> 01:04:19,460
Lord, instead of being destroyed, help us to

1664
01:04:19,460 --> 01:04:22,720
lay aside every weight and sin which would

1665
01:04:22,720 --> 01:04:23,880
lead to our destruction.

1666
01:04:25,000 --> 01:04:27,400
Lord, help us to have faith in You.

1667
01:04:27,480 --> 01:04:30,720
Lord, give us a reality of this eternal

1668
01:04:30,720 --> 01:04:32,880
possession that we have.

1669
01:04:33,580 --> 01:04:34,700
Lord, forgive us.

1670
01:04:35,620 --> 01:04:38,220
Lord, there are different ways that we love

1671
01:04:38,220 --> 01:04:38,760
the world.

1672
01:04:39,360 --> 01:04:40,920
We love the things in the world.

1673
01:04:42,140 --> 01:04:43,800
Maybe in ways we don't realize.

1674
01:04:44,320 --> 01:04:45,740
Lord, I pray You'd help us.

1675
01:04:46,460 --> 01:04:48,280
Show us Christ as we sing.

1676
01:04:48,420 --> 01:04:51,060
Show us more of the Lord Jesus who

1677
01:04:51,060 --> 01:04:53,940
lived full of the Spirit, full of faith.

1678
01:04:55,660 --> 01:04:57,260
Lord, we thank You for Him.

1679
01:04:57,840 --> 01:05:00,160
In Jesus' name, Amen.