Grace Fellowship Baptist Church

Paul wrote to Timothy that in the latter days, some would depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. To depart the faith of Christ is to renounce or defect from Christ. Many in Israel, were falling away and renouncing their faith in God in apostasy.

In the last two verses of Hebrews 10, we read, the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. Now in Hebrews 11, the writer continues to encourage Hebrew believers of the first century (and us) to continue in the faith of Christ, looking forward in hope to the promise of eternal life in heaven.

In the cursed fig tree the Lord Jesus taught His apostles how to trust God by faith in their prayers. Prayer is a work, one of great difficulty at times. We are to labor fervently in our prayers. The apostles asked the Lord Jesus, "Teach us to pray." Jesus cursed the fig tree, and then referred to moving mountains, but Jesus wasn't teaching His disciples that they could literally move a mountain, but He was a saying, when you have an insurmountable problem before you, bring that problem to Me, saith Jesus! Come in faith, and I will move that mountain. But don't forget, in regard to your prayer, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

"For you have need of patience (or endurance and perseverance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise." It wasn't that these first century Hebrew Christians were destitute of patience, they showed it, (Hebrews 10:32), but at this point, they simply needed fresh grace from God and a fresh infusion of patience.

It may seem that false accusers are getting away with their sin, but there will be a day of reckoning. There may be times in your life when friends, family, or even some in the church may falsely accuse you of something. In those times, we must trust God and not take vengeance against them. We must leave these situations to the Lord.

I can't help think that the writer of Hebrews was weeping when he wrote this to his Hebrew brethren. These "professed" believers were on the precipice of falling away into the irrecoverable sin of apostasy. When we speak of God's vengeance against sinners, this should bring great sadness to our souls.

The book of Hebrews is full of warnings, specifically written to Hebrew believers of the first century, who were being persecuted and compelled by Judaizers to return to the dead Old Covenant system. But this is a timeless warning, which is relevant to us today. The sin of apostasy (or of falling away from Christ and renouncing our profession of faith in Christ) is rampant in our day, in America, There is very little to no persecution and fear for those who are Christians in America. But what there is, is far worse, there is ease, comfort, prosperity, and love of the world. These sins plague the church today. It is as if Satan has said, I won't persecute American Christians, I'll just draw them into the world! I will just allure them back to me and back into the world. And in doing so, I will make them adversaries against Christ.

Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final time in His public ministry. This has been historically called Palm Sunday. In this passage, Jesus fulfills what is written in Zechariah 9:9: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." As He rides into Jerusalem, the people should Hosanna, which means "Save Now." The problem, they were looking for salvation from Romans occupation and not salvation from their sins and the captivity of Satan.

Jezreel, which initially, in Hosea 1:4 became synonymous with bloodshed, was name of Hosea and Gomer's first child. Jezreel means, God will scatter and God will sow our plant. Hosea and Gomer's second and third children were named Lo-ruhamah (a daughter), her name means, I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, and then their son, Lo-ammi, which means, you are not my people, and I will not be your God. Thus, God scattered Israel in His wrath to the nations of the world, said of them, ye are not my people. But then in Hosea 1:10-11, God promises to gather and united Judah and Israel once again as one, and this would include the Gentiles.

Do we trust the Lord in the midst of our struggles. David teaches us in this Psalm how to pray and trust God amid his enemies.

Our hearts are sprinkled within which cleanses our filthy and guilty consciences, our bodies, or our outward actions are sanctified or washed with pure water. We are cleansed from all our sins by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, and we are washed by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. The last to "Let us" commands from the writer, are Hold fast to our profession of faith in Christ, and "Let us' consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works.

How do you deal with your sins? Do you say, O, no big deal, I sinned, I will just ask for forgiveness. Do we cast our sins aside and say, well, God doesn't remember my sins. Or, are we grieved over our sins, and we certainly should be as Christians.

Often times, very devout Christians will come to the Lord's table with trepidation and fear of taking it, this, when they have had a difficult week, struggling with sin, Satan and the world. Thus, they may think, since I have had such a difficult time this week, I should refrain. But if we are in Christ, and partakers of the New Covenant, we are not coming in an unworthy manner, but we are worthy, and that, because of Christ and His blood, which was shed for us. The one caveat, if we are harboring sin, or our hearts are cold and we are in a bad place, perhaps we should refrain until we have made our hearts right.

In Hebrews 10:22, because of the work of Jesus our Great High Priest, now the writer encourages us to "Draw near to God" with true hearts, and in full assurance of faith. Are we taking advantage of our free and unrestricted access to God? Are we drawing near to God with true, truthful, sincere, and single hearts? Is our confidence in Christ such that we are assured of our access to God through Christ? Is our assurance based on the work of Jesus who is our Great High Priest?

David expresses confidence in God in his distress. First, In this Psalm we see David's appeal for help. Second: Confrontations that David had with those who were faithless. Third, the affirmation of God's favor. And last, a call to righteousness.

This is not an arrogant or earthly boldness, but it is a confidence that we have in Christ, secured for us by Jesus our Great High Priest! The Lord Jesus has opened the way for us into the presence of God through the veil of His flesh, (or His perfect humanity).

Having completed the doctrinal part of Hebrews, and after the writer has made his argument that Jesus is a Mediator of a better covenant filled with better promises, and that Jesus is a better high priest than Aaron or any Levite high priest; and Jesus is also a better sacrifice than all of the animal sacrifices offered in the time of the Old Covenant. And now Jesus is our great high priest, who is in heaven now, interceding for us in the presence of God. When man sinned in Eden, Adam and Eve were driven from nearness to God and from His immediate presence, and it was God who made a way, "opened the way" for sinners to be saved, and to once again be near to God, and to draw near to God. Thus, the writer encourages Hebrew believers of the first century to draw near to God.

David was excited about how God had guided him through all of his adversities and trials. He was very descriptive as he praised God with all his heart.

This Psalm written when Absalom rose up against David his father.

Bartimaeus, a blind man heard of Jesus coming where he was sitting, and thus, Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus for mercy.

This was a battle report on the children of Israel, which teaches us, how are we doing in the battle. In this passage, we will see that Israel failed to finish off their enemies.

Kiss the Son in submission and loyalty! "Kiss the Son lest He be angry, and ye perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. But blessed are they that put their trust in Him." Consider the woman who broke the alabaster box of ointment, who wept at Jesus feet.

The cross is at the center of Christian theology. Paul, in Galatians 6:14 said, "But God forbid tat I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, but whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Jesus, at this point in His earthly like and humanity was on His way to where His enemies were awaiting Him. He knew that He was going up to Jerusalem to suffer and die for the sins of the world. And, that He would rise from the dead on the third day.

In this section of Hebrews, the writer makes his final argument to Hebrews believers of the first-century, and us, that perfect salvation and atonement for sins can only be given by Christ's one offering of Himself. Christ perfects forever them that are sanctified. The word perfect speaks to the atonement of Christ, that only His offering can save us to the uttermost, which none of the Old Covenant offerings and sacrifices could do.

This is a marvelous picture of God in His glory. This is one of the most worshipful pictures of God in all of the bible. This happened in the year that King Uzziah died. He reigned for a very long time, 52 years. To the people of that day, it was a very long time. And though it was very long, Uzziah's reign came to an end. But we must know that God is the High and Lofty One which inhabits eternity! And His reign shall never end.

The writer once again teaches first century Christians (and us) that the law could not make them perfect; could not bring them a complete atonement and forgiveness of sins. "The law could not make the comers thereunto perfect." And then, in (V5-10), the writer shows us a divine conversation that happened between God the Father and God the Son. God, says the Son, was never satisfied with sacrifices and offerings. And he shows us that Christ was not just a sinless human sacrifice, but in Jesus' life and in His death, He delighted to do the Father's will. The writer was teaching Hebrews Christians that there was so much more to Christ than just an earthly and fleshly body to be offered up in sacrifice. He delighted to do His Father's will! There had never been, nor ever shall there be a Man to walk upon this earth whom God delighted in like the Lord Jesus Christ!

Whatever the world might say about following Christ, and the things that are associated with the Christian life, it must be remembered that the only way to live this life is "in Christ." No one that follows Christ will be disappointed in the world to come, in heaven, when our salvation and our everlasting life is finally "sight."

Jehu was anointed King in Israel by Elisha the prophet, by the command of God, to carry out the prophecy of God to Elijah the prophet in 1 Kings 21. This was concerning Ahab and his wife Jezebel. Ahab is one of the most wicked kings in the history of Israel, and his wife was responsible for having many of the prophets of the LORD killed. Jehu carried out God's orders, God said to Jehu, you did all that was in my heart to do concerning the house of Ahab, (so your sons will sit on the throne of Israel for 4 generations), but in all that you did to the house of Ahab, you did it to promote yourself and your own glory, rather than to honor Me. Jehu was all about himself and his zeal and his reputation. And worst of all, though he killed all the worshipers of Baal, he kept the golden calves that Jeroboam the son of Nebat had made, and he even perpetuated idolatry in Israel.

The big question from the rich young man was, "What must I do to inherit eternal life? This man came running to Jesus and kneeled before Jesus! This is good! This showed that he had humility. This young man called Jesus, "Good Master." Thus, he knew that Jesus was a "Good Teacher." Jesus answered his question with a question. Why do you call me good? He wanted this man to know who he was speaking to.

The writer has now transitioned from Christ's one offering and death for the sins of fallen humanity, as our Great High Priest, to our appointed death, which will be but once. Hebrews 9:27. And after this, the judgment. And then in (V28), the writer describes Christians as "Them that look for Him" to whom He shall appear when He returns. Now this does not mean that Christians are the only ones that will see Christ when He returns, for we know as written in Revelation 1:7 that "every eye shall see Him." But we as believers in Christ are those who, as Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:8, "love and anticipate His appearing."

The Lord Jesus is ruling now. He is "Sovereignly" in control of everything. Nothing is happening in the world without God permission. God in the Old Testament warned sinners in Israel over and over again to turn from their sins in repentance. What we are all called to do as children of God is to (by His grace) serve Him with fear and trembling.

Just as our birth was appointed by God, so it is also appointed the day of our death. As the writer of Hebrews as strongly argued that Christ died but once for the sins of fallen humanity, as our Great High Priest, so now, he calls our attention to the fact that each of us shall die but once, and after this, the judgment. Since there are no do-overs, none of us, after we have passed through the gates of death, we cannot return to make anything right or to change anything that was left undone. We cannot return to believe in Christ, now that we realize (in death) that we neglected the business of our souls.

As fathers love to hear and answer the pleas and heart-cries of their children, so our heavenly Father loves to hear and answer the pleas, prayers, and heart-cries of their believing children! The effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much! Our prayers to our God ought to be such as to move God on our behalf! How much more than when many of us prayer fervently to God! Even though Jehoshaphat's army was formidable, he would not depend upon his army, but rather upon God!

Job was a good father. He was a great man, a devoted man with a good and godly reputation, he was no dishonest, but well respected, and that is because he was a man who was continually turning from sin and wickedness. Furthermore, he was a rich man, and he was also a man who was the father of 10 children, for whom he continually prayed. And then, Job followed God in both the good and difficult times.

Christ saves to the uttermost - Christians are the possession of the Lord Jesus Christ! You, child of God are bought with a prices. What a glorious thing to be the inheritance of Christ! Those at Babel sought to break the bands of God from them, to seek by their own self-will to reach heaven, but God scattered them to become all nations. But, in Christ, all nations are gathered together. Revelation 7:9-10: After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb."

The wonderful doctrine of the intercession of Christ should be a constant comfort to our souls! Jesus ever lives to make intercession "FOR US" His beloved saints. And since His intercession is continual, since the Risen and Ascended living Christ is always appearing before the face of God for us, we should always be full of comfort and rejoicing that we are saved to the uttermost!

Jehu obeyed God's command when he carried out God's command to wipe out the house of Ahab and Jezebel. But not only did he eliminate sin in Israel, sadly, he perpetuated it. He obeyed God, but then he did not obey God or walk in his ways. Jehu was concerned about getting the glory for himself rather than for God. Ref. "Come and see my zeal for the LORD." He was too busy blowing his own trumpet, rather than glorifying God.

If the people of Old Testament Israel knew anything, they knew that blood must be shed if their sins would be forgiven. Hebrews 9:22, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins." And then in Hebrews 9:23, the writer teaches us that the types and shadows of heavenly things (the tabernacle, the ark, and the vessels of ministry) were purified (sanctified) with the blood of animals. They must be if God would descend upon the tabernacle and ark. And then he writes, that heavenly things themselves (the heavenly sanctuary) was purified or sanctified with better sacrifices than those animal sacrifices. Let me just say that heaven is not impure or defiled in any way. Ref. Revelation 22:17. But when Christ entered into heaven by His own blood, heaven was then made ready to receive us. Heaven could not receive us until it first received the Risen Christ! If heaven would be prepared for us and us for heaven, Christ must first enter therein with His blood and prepare it for us! John 14:1-6.

Jesus' Words on marriage and divorce were controversial in the 1st century, and they are still controversial today. What He taught them was that marriage is not a contract, it is a covenant between and man and woman before God. The Pharisees came to Jesus tempting Him, asking Jesus if it was lawful for a man to put away his wife. And that Moses allowed it. So the were trying to trap Jesus, and pit Him against the law of Moses. Jesus answer their question with a question, pointing them back to the law of Moses, and told them, Moses allowed this because of the hardness of your hearts.

Hosea, the prophet of God, who's name means savior or deliverer was sent to Israel, (to the northern kingdom, the 10 tribes) to call them to repentance for their sins of idolatry. It was a time of prosperity and faithlessness in Israel. God would shock the people of Israel in Hosea's marriage to a woman who was a harlot. His marriage to Gomer was to show the people of Israel what they were doing to Him! But in all of Hosea's prophecy, we see God's unwavering love for His covenant people! He would not leave nor forsake them.

First: God is victoriously seat in the heavens having conquered His enemies. Second: God, who is sitting in the heavens laughs at His enemies, and Thirdly, God will have His enemies in derision or He shall mock at those that would fight against Him.

Christ, by His own blood entered once into the holy place (in heaven) having obtained eternal redemption for us, this by His blood. Christ accomplished what no Levitical Priest could do, nor could eternal redemption be obtained with the blood of bulls and goats. All of the sacrifices and ordinances of the Old Covenant could only make the comers ceremonially and outwardly clean, but only by Christ are we made inwardly cleansed in our hearts! Now in Christ, we have eternal redemption, through Him who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God. All those who have been redeemed by Christ, have an eternal inheritance in heaven.

Jesus gives us a warning. We must not trifle with our sins, but we must be ruthless with our sins, casting them from our lives. If we do not kill our sins, our sins will take us down.

God's awesome and unlimited power is hard to comprehend. And yet, He is all-powerful. God is in this passage called, my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer, The God of my rick, in Him will I trust. All of us should be able to say what David says here.

The writer continues after teaching the better promises of the New Covenant, and now by showing the excellence of the New Covenant, by showing the weakness and insufficiency of the Old Covenant and its ordinance. And then there's this extraordinary truth, in the Old Covenant sacrifices, there was a remembrance of sins every year. And then there was this, under the old covenant there was a remembrance of your sins every year, but not under the New Covenant. God promised, your sins and your iniquities, will I remember no more.

In this passage, the Apostles were arguing among themselves about who among them would be the greatest. Jesus taught them that greatness in the Kingdom of heaven is not like the proud greatness in the world. Trying to be first in the world is not the greatness in Christ's Kingdom. There's always a desire to be number one, but Christ taught His disciples, the last would be first, and the first would be last.

James having taught us about an untamed tongue now teaches us about two wisdoms. One from above and the other from beneath. You will know what is the prominent wisdom of your life by how you behave and conduct yourself in this world.

This is a Messianic Psalm which speaks prophetically of how God's enemies raged against Jesus, the Anointed King.

Mary, a young and faithful virgin, who lived in Nazareth of Galilee was greatly honored to be chosen by God to carry the Christ into the world, and to be mother to the Son of God. One cannot overstate what she must have felt within her heart, we read her song of praise when she visited her cousin Elisabeth, who was herself partaking of a miraculous birth in John the Baptist. But again, it cannot be overstated that Mary would conceive and carry the Savior of the world into the world. The salvation of Israel that she had long waited for would come into the world through her own body. The Word was made flesh within her very flesh.

This took place as Jesus and Peter, James, and John, came down from the Mount of Transfiguration. After this great spiritual experience, they come back down into the gloom, sin, and unbelief in the world. The other disciples could not cast out the unclean spirit from the young man. The young man's father was crying out for help! And, the scribes and Pharisees were there causing trouble.

Two questions were asked, one by the disciples, and one by Jesus. The disciples question was, Why say the scribes that Elijah must come first? Jesus question was, How is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?