Episode 127: Part 1 - God's Perspective on Steadfastness/Endurance - Hebrews 10, 11, 12, and 13

JOEL 2 GENERATION PODCAST

PART 1 – GOD’S PERSPECTIVE ON STEADFASTNESS/ENDURANCE

hupomoné (Gk) - steadfastness, constancy, endurance (Hebrews 10:36, 12:1)

In the N. T., the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings. Especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure) under" the challenges in life.

Hebrews 1:1-10:18 – The Superiority of Christ, the New Covenant, Only Salvation
“His conclusion is clear: Christ is the ultimate and final plan of God for Salvation…There must be no retreat in the Christian life. Instead, believers must remain steadfast in faith, in perserverance, and in holness in order to inherit the promises of God…Faith is the entryway into Christ and all the spiritual promises embodied in Him.”

Hebrews 10:19-22

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:23-31

23 Let us hold fast [*unswervingly] the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. *to be firm, stable, steadfast

Faithful? 2 Tim. 2:13 – if we are faithless/not steadfast, He remains faithful/steadfast)

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

New Covid Variant – “End Times-itis” – “The Day…”? A Day? (There are “Days”)

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

(1 Pet. 4:17 – “…judgment BEGINS with the household of God”)

Hebrews 10:32-39

32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners (companions/associates) with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance (hupomoné - Gk), so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

37 For, “Yet a little while, and the Coming One will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Hebrews 11 = The Hall of Faith – Old Testament Believers

Hebrews 11:1-5

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Creation ex nihilo – “Historic Christianity has always maintained a belief in Creation ex nihilo (CEN) as expressed in the ancient Nicene Creed: “We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” Scripture teaches that there was nothing but God, and that God by means of his incalculable wisdom and infinite power alone brought the universe (all matter, energy, time, and space) into existence from nothing. There was no preexistent physical reality; therefore, nothing should not be understood as an actual something.”

4 By faith Abel…

5 By faith Enoch…

Hebrews 11:6-8, 10-11, 13-16

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly] seek Him.

PRESUPPOSITIONALIST – God exists, His Word is inerrant

7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen,

8 By faith Abraham obeyed…And he went out, not knowing where he was going… 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

11 By faith Sarah…

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 11:17, 20-25,27,29-31

17 By faith Abraham…

20 By faith Isaac…

21 By faith Jacob…

22 By faith Joseph…

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, …and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24 By faith Moses, …refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. (A “Day” of the Lord)

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down…

31 By faith Rahab the prostitute...

Hebrews 11:32-40

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak,

Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets – 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated - 38 of whom the world was not worthy - wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Hebrews 12:1-11

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance (hupomoné - Gk) the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:12-16, 22-24

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, …

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 12:25-29

25 See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 13:1-6,9

1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”…

9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, …

Hebrews 13:12-16,20-21

12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God…

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.