Four Things You Can’t Do Without
Hebrews 11:1-6
September , 2007
* Interesting headlines in recent newspapers...
* Headlines read- "5 kinds of insurance policies you can’t do without"
- Health, homeowners, disability, life, & umbrella liability
* "Americans can’t do without their credit cards"
* "Youth can’t do without phones, alcohol, & drugs"
* There are some things you gotta have
* There are some things you THINK you gotta have.
* We think we can’t do without:
(some of you are old enough that you have done without some of these)
1- electricity
2- a microwave
3- TV
4- indoor bathroom
5- food
6- money
7- designer clothes
8- teenager can’t do without a ride
9- others can’t do without another beer, another high, another fix
* There are four things the Bible says we can’t do without.
I. Faith - Heb. 11:6
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
* Not all faith is the same in Scripture … different types of faith
A. Saving faith
* can’t be saved without faith
* No relationship with God without faith
* BUT even a child is capable of having saving faith
Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
* Saved not by what we do or achieve, but by what we believe …FAITH
* We are saved as a result of our trust, dependence, and confidence in Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished on the cross.
* Paul spent a little over 3 years in Ephesus and here is what he said he emphasized...
Act 20:20-21 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, (21) Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
B. Sustaining faith Heb. 11:6
* Context of Heb. 11 is sustaining faith - …Many had sustaining faith
- Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
- Heb 11:32-34 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: (33) Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, (34) Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
* These verses aren’t talking about the salvation of these people but they speak to us concerning their sustaining faith in their lives.
* We can’t please God without faith
* We claim to trust God for salvation,…and we do.
* But do we trust God in every other area of life
- finances, family life, social life, work life
- When we run into an obstacle in life, who do we trust God to get us past it?
* Christian life is one of faith.
* We are not only saved initially by faith, we are sustained by faith.
- We don’t just begin the Christian life by faith, we continue the Christian life by faith.
- Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
- You received Him by faith, continue in Christian life to walk by faith
* We are to learn to walk by faith.
* We begin the journey by faith, and we continue the journey by faith.
* We don’t just need faith to be saved, we need faith to live by
* "The just shall live by faith"
II. Shedding of blood Heb. 9:22
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
A. It’s essential, not optional
* We have been accused of ’slaughter house religion’ – or – bloody religion
* v. 23 – necessary
Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
* Not optional … not take it or leave it – not you go your way, I’ll go mine
* No forgiveness without the blood
* Christ’s blood is sufficient to pay the price of the world’s sins
* It’s been that way from the beginning – for Adam and Eve the blood was essential
B. Not our own blood, but Christ’s blood
* Not your blood shed, but Christ’s
* Even the sacrifice of yourself wouldn’t pay for your sins
* Illus. – Martin Luther – used to take physical beatings to punish himself for his sins
* Beatings won’t free us from the guilt of sin-… only the blood
* His blood can make the foulest clean… His blood can cleanse and make you whole
III. Chastisement Heb. 12:5-10
* Now this one may surprise you...you can’t do without discipline.
Heb 12:5-10 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (8) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? (10) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
* Can’t do without chastisement or discipline
* We are raising a generation with no disciplines
- do what you want when you want to
A. Chastisement is proof we belong to God v. 5-7
Heb 12:5-7 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
B. Chastisement has purpose – partakers of His holiness v. 9-10
(9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? (10) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
C. Chastisement has partakers – "all" v. 8
(8) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
* How do we avoid His discipline?
1Co 11:31-32 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Ex. As a child , - obey the rules
- when parents say no … don’t,... it’s for your good
- avoid doing what you know you are not supposed to do
* Paul says if we will discipline ourselves, we will not be disciplined by God
IV. Holiness (Righteousness) Heb. 12:14
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
* Can’t do without holiness … because without it, we shall not see the Lord
* Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
* Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
* Is this perfection? NO … holiness is not perfection
- separateness of life
- a distinguishing of us from others
- becoming God-like in our conduct and character
* Two kinds of holiness
A. Imparted holiness (righteousness)
* Imparted holines is provided by God … received by faith
* Rom 3:21-24 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (22) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
* Rom 4:22-25 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. (23) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; (24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (25) Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.
* Phil 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. (8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
* The righteousness that gets us into heaven is not our own righteousness but God’s
* His righteousness can be charged to our account by faith
* You are never going to get to heaven on your own righteous deeds.
B. Practical holiness (righteousness)
* John distinguishes between the two kinds of righteousness
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
* John makes a distinction between DOING righteous and BEING righteous
* Whomever practices righteousness is proving himself to be righteous on the inside.
* Does not come overnight
* Not come by praying thru or going forward in a meeting
* It is a life-long process
* Obeying God … or by God using His Word and Spirit changing us
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
I. Faith
II. Shedding of blood
III. Chastisement
IV. Holiness
