JESUS THE BETTER WAY: JESUS IS A BETTER GUIDE
HEBREWS 5:11 – 6:20
Big Idea: Jesus has gone before us, on our behalf and provided a hope for the soul that is firm and secure.
Supporting Scripture:
Old Testament: Proverbs 3:5-6
Psalm: Psalm 37:1-9, 30-31
Epistle: Hebrews 6:19-20
Gospel: John 10:1-15
I have been thinking about the role that guides can play in certain events.
Introduction
Have you ever been lost? I mean REALLY lost? Dangerously lost? I can remember one occasion when I was so lost I felt vulnerable. I was a young pastor with two very small children. I was asked to preach at a “Watch Night Service” (which is a New Years Eve service) at an inner city church in Chicago. Vickie, my two small children, and I somehow mistakenly ended up on Chicago’s south side. This is a very dangerous place. I was so lost that I did not know north from south, east from west, or even good from bad. I still remember the police officer looking in my car window seeing two child seats and a very young wife and asking me “What are you doing here?” He then told me he would provide me an escort – he emphatically stated that I was to follow him very close regardless of red lights, etc. I was to follow him and NOT get distracted or turn off course. He did indeed get me to my final destination safely. He then let me know I was a very fortunate man. I am glad he knew the ins-and-outs of the city and could get me to my destination safely.
I learned that dark night in Chicago about the importance of good directions … and a good guide.
• They give you experiences you could not give yourself
• They take you places you could not go on your own
• They reveal things you did not know
• They keep you safe on a journey you’ve never been on before
• They help you reach your final destination
Every once in a while you run across someone who thinks they can do it all on their own and doesn’t need a guide. Inevitably they end up missing more than they find and, if others are on the journey with them, they usually end up with a less-than-full experience.
I remember making a comment in my youthful confidence once. I said, “I think I can get anywhere I need to get without a map.” And then “Chicago” happened. I learned that that was not only arrogant and foolish – it was dangerous for me and everyone with me.
Well, spiritually speaking; have you ever thought about the value of a guide? Your spiritual guide provides the same benefits as a human guide.
Let’s read Hebrews 5:11 – 6:20
Heb 5:11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.
Heb 5:12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
Heb 5:13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Heb 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
Heb 6:2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 And God permitting, we will do so.
Heb 6:4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
Heb 6:5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,
Heb 6:6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Heb 6:7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.
Heb 6:8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
Heb 6:9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation.
Heb 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
Heb 6:11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
Heb 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Heb 6:13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
Heb 6:14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”
Heb 6:15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
Heb 6:16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.
Heb 6:17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
Heb 6:18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.
Heb 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
Heb 6:20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
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What we have just read is a warning. It is a warning against going stray – losing your way spiritually. You see, this passage is about secure people getting “lost” again. It is about getting distracted, turning off course, it is about disregarding the signs and neglecting to follow them (5:11-14), it is about becoming vulnerable.
The word translated “fall away” in verse 6 is “parapipto” and means to fall aside or go astray. It is where we get the word backsliding and carries the connotation “to be diverted.”
He lists things here that make us vulnerable to falling. Things that could have, should have, been avoided. Whereas they should by now be able to teach and lead others they are, instead, quite immature; simply because they did not grow spiritually. They got hung up on simple and basic things (the term “elementary teachings” is literally akin to the ABC’s of the Gospel) and never progressed (5:11 – 6:3). The writer mentioned some pretty bold and heavy doctrines here and then says they should have moved passed these to the “meat of the word.” He says we should “go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” (6:1b-3).
The writer is very forthright and states that being in the Word of God should settle these issues and they should have advanced way past them by now. He is stating that if the only things one ever “learns” in the Bible are things we already know then we are stunted – and deficient spiritually. Failure to grow, you see, makes you vulnerable; it makes you a candidate for “falling away;” losing your way.
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If this passage is, negatively speaking, about the danger of backsliding then it is positively speaking, about the guide that can see us through – give us safe passage.
As is the case in every other part of this book, the solution to the conundrum is not found in ourselves. It is not found in trying harder or being better people – it is in looking to the only One who can guarantees – The One who will not lead you astray and can, without any doubt, “guide” you into truth; Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 5-6 introduces our “Guide to us.”
• Jesus give you experiences you could not give yourself
• Jesus take you places you could not go on your own
• Jesus reveal things you did not know
• Jesus keep you safe on a journey you’ve never been on before
• Jesus help you reach your final destination
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:19-20).
Jesus is the forerunner – the successful trailblazer – the one who has gone before us. The word is “prodomos.” It is one who is sent before to take observations or act as a scout; one who comes in advance to a place where the rest are to follow. Jesus, you see, has gone before us (and for us) into the very presence of God. No other guide can make such claims for you. Therefore, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
How does God guide us? He lists three ways:
1. HIS PROMISES - GOD’S WORD (6:13-15).
The writer uses Abraham as an example of how God guides his people. Good choice since Abraham was called to a country hi did not know and had no choice but to trust YHWH to get him there. Abraham was able to trust the promises of God (the Word of God) only because he listened to God and knew what those promises were.
It seems to me that every time someone drops in my office and they have backslid it always begin because they have neglected God’s word. You cannot rely on God’s promises, allow them to strengthen you or guide you if you do not know them. If you have not spent enough time on God’s word for it to get in you and do its work.
2. HIS CHARACTER – GOD’S SPIRIT (6:16-18).
When God wanted to back up his promises to Abraham he staked his claims on his own character. God was saying, “If I don’t surely bless you, may my name be mud forever.”
Today he has done something very similar … he has imparted His character to dwell within us through His Spirit. God has placed His spirit within us to guide us, correct us, and see us through to completion. That’s a good guarantee that we can count on Him!
3. HIS SON (6:19-20).
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:19-20).
Our hope in Christ is like an anchor for the soul.
This spiritual anchor is different from material anchors on ships.
(1) We are anchored upward-to heaven-not downward to earth.
(2) We are anchored, not to stand still, but to move ahead!
(3) Our anchor is “sure” (it cannot break) and it is “steadfast” (it cannot slip). No other anchor can give that kind of security!
As the findings from the RARE poll I mentioned early in the service suggest – Americans have more fear and concern than they do certainty these days. That is why, as a believer, I am grateful for a sure guide. It does not guarantee things will be good here on earth but it does guarantee we have someone to help us navigate the terrain in the midst of the challenges.
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This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
First Church of the Nazarene
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
www.banazarene.org
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Jesus: The Better Way
(A Congregational Prayer from Hebrews)
Leader: Heavenly Father, giver of all good gifts,
Leader: Because Jesus is better than our legends
All: We will look to Him for character
Leader: Because Jesus is better than our human potential
All: We will look to Him for strength
Leader: Because Jesus is better than our family pedigree
All: We will look to Him for identity
Leader: Because Jesus is a better mediator
All: We will look to Him for reconciliation
Leader: Because Jesus serves as a better guide
All: We will look to Him for direction
Leader: Because Jesus offers a better relationship
All: We will look to Him for communion
Leader: Because Jesus makes better promises
All: We will look to Him for assurance
Leader: Because Jesus ensures a better peace
All: We will look to Him for comfort
Leader: Because Jesus provides better possessions
All: We will look to Him for satisfaction
Leader: Because Jesus instills a better motivation
All: We will look to Him for purpose
Leader: Because Jesus establishes a better family
All: We will look to Him for belonging
Leader: Because Jesus awards a better inheritance
All: We will look to Him for our future
Leader: Because Jesus imparts a better life
All: We will look to Him for an example
Leader: In the name of Jesus, the Better Way, we pray.
