Pious People Procure Perfected Promises Series

HEBREWS 11:40

PIOUS PEOPLE PROCURE PERFECTED PROMISES

I. THE PANORAMA:

A. Past.

B. Present.

C. Promise.

II. THE PATTERN:

A. Person.

B. Pardon.

C. Partnership.

III. THE PERFECTION:

A. Plan.

B. Provisional.

C. Permanent.

The writer now brings this part of his writing to a close as he lists several Old Testament saints who are included in the Hero Hall of Faith Fame. He says that there were many others whom he could have listed, but time and space no doubt hindered him from writing more. Yet he wishes not to leave them out of his message concerning Faith, but wishes to group them together into one bundle and then proceed with what he was trying to teach.

In one simple verse of Scripture, he links the past saints to the present saints of his and our days and then states that God has something, “Better” for all who follow Him. He is correct in his assertion that PIOUS PEOPLE PROCURE PERFECTED PROMISES and one of these promises is the assurance that God has something better for all of His children in the world to come. From Abel to the prophets of old, the writer stipulates that God has been busy preparing something better than what they endured in this life.

In keeping with his premise, the writer to the Hebrews carefully makes a sweeping charge of the past saints, combining with the present saints and those who will come to tell them that God does not lose one of His children in His promises of making things aright with them for their years of labor for Him. From the dusty streets and paths of old Israel to the broad avenues of modern cities, all those who name the name of Jesus are promised something better in the life to come. From the barrios of Third World countries to the palatial districts of the First World nations, all who name the name of Jesus will be, indeed are, included in the promise of something better for living one’s life for God. From the lowest hovels to the finest buildings of this world, God remembers and marks His own and all the Pious People who claim the name of Jesus are en route to receive their inheritance-not in this world-but in the world to come.

As I study this verse forty of this chapter, I cannot help but see three things, three divisions to the Perfected Promise to God’s Pious People. The first thing I note is the sweeping PANORAMA of the saints this writer includes in receiving a promise from God. The second part of this verse that commands my attention has to do with a PATTERN that I notice of those who claim the name of Jesus and what is in store for them when life ebbs from their veins. Then, the last part of my sermon from this interesting verse has to do with the PERFECTION of the saints and the Perfected Promise the pious People will receive from God.

I. THE PANORAMA: The writer to the Hebrews goes to great length to include all of the saints who have embraced the gospel story both from the Old Testament, the present ones and the ones to come. As he writes these words he tells his readers that God has prepared a final salvation for all of those who follow God and they will all be included in the “Better” thing which He wishes to bestow on His followers. He also tells his readers that all will be included in one great assembling of blessing and none will be excluded.

The first group to which the writer alludes by inference has to do with the former saints, those who served God in the Past. He has just finished his chapter on the saints of yesteryear and these, along with the myriad of others who have followed God will be included in His “Better Thing” of His blessings. Old John Trapp states that this “Better Thing” is none other than Jesus Himself. If so, then the ones who died in the faith looking forward to His coming will be rewarded with His blessing of salvation-none will be excluded.

Not only does he refer to the saints of yesteryear who will be granted a “Better Thing” which includes the salvation of Jesus, but also the saints of that Present time. According to the writer to the Hebrews, the saints of his day will be on the same level of God’s graces as the ones who have gone on before. The writer wished to tell his readers that there are no degrees of saints in the service of God. The new converts to whom he was writing would be included in God’s “Better Thing” of salvation and their faith will be on the same par as the ones who preceded them.