Hebrews Sermon Series #16 June 25, 2014 Power of His Word
A Hebrews 11.1-3 is a glimpse into faith defined before we see a list of faith displayed.
Hebrews 11:1-3 (NKJV) 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
1 Faith is not measurable, gaugeible, open to experimental science.
a Believing that God is the creator, sustainer, source of life is a conviction that isn’t apprehensible to our senses.
aa We don’t need scientific proof, mathematical formula to set our minds at ease.
bb Vs. 3 “By faith we understand...”
b “Understand” means “to perceive with reflective intelligence.”
aa We don’t have to see something to believe it is real.
bb In our day when each of us are on surveillance camera daily, we can see video of nearly every crime. (Running a stop light, armed assault/robbery.) The video gives witness that convicts the law breaker - convinces the jury.
cc We have no footage of the creation, audio recording of God speaking the universe into existence... but faith does not require scientific proof.
c When we see a beautiful sunrise/sunset, blade of grass, tree, river, mountain, rainbow, new born baby... our inward perception/comprehension is that all things are a work of God.
aa Not tectonic plates making mountain ranges, seed fertilizing and egg, light passing through water... God’s hand!
bb Faith requires zero explanation, proof, convincing.
2 Our faith is not limited to just the created physical order of the universe, but also the created periods of time.
a “Worlds” can also be translated as “ages.”
b It includes not only space... but also time... conditions that God is not bound by or to.
aa Time & space didn’t exist independently from God.
bb They are real because they are the word of His word.
c Faith doesn’t require proof (or understanding) that He is the author of creation.
B God created time & space (and all that fills both) with a purpose/plan for all that he created. (Vs. NASB “prepared”, NKJV “were framed”)
1 Everything was made for a reason, purpose to fit together with the whole end also for it’s time.
a In other words, everything, everyone, every event unfolds & develops per God’s plan/purpose, chance, luck... everything has it’s place in what God framed/prepared.
b Our girls didn’t live the life that we envisioned/hoped for... but my faith tells me they accomplished what God created them for.
aa I don’t need proof, convincing... I’ve got Hebrews 11.3.
bb I’ve got faith in the written word of God, vs. 1 “the evidence of things not seen.”
2 How did I come to trust Jesus as Lord? Confess Him as Lord? ... Faith in His Word.
Show Clip of Clinton
C The word “Word” is all in how it’s defined.
1 John 1:1,14 (NASB) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
We discover Jesus is the “word” - Logos
a He is the living Word of God, Word made flesh, all that is deity, expressing itself not in verbs/words/text, but in the revelation of a person.
aa Logos is word used as a designation of the Son of God.
bb Jesus, who is truth, became very specific truth in the incarnation; He became God’s personal message to humanity - God’s final word to us is Jesus!
Hebrews 1:2-3 (NKJV) 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
b As discussed last week, the word “word” in vs. 3 is not logos, but “Rhema.”
aa Author Ralph Speas helps us understand the different between logos and rhema.
Differences on Screen
bb Jesus was/is the living expression of the reality of God’s character.
2 “Rhema” is what happened when God spoke the Word & the world came into existence. (All the pieces fit into place, ages into exact precession.)
a The earth roared to life, mountains sprang forth in stately majesty.
aa At His word... lions roared, birds sang, trees waved their branches.
bb Lions, birds, trees, cannot do what God has taught us to do... speak with words!
b When God’s word (logos) becomes personal word (rhema) to our spirit, it comes with the same power that brought the world into being.
aa Rhema is a word of His power, it sustains the spirit.
bb Matthew 4:4 (NKJV) 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "
cc Simply reading the bible doesn’t sustain, rather allowing the truth to become personal is the key/secret - knowing the words isn’t the same as receiving/confessing them.
dd To stud just for study’s sake will fill your head, but it will starve your spirit.
3 This truth is evidenced in Luke 24:13-32 where the disciples who knew their scriptures (OT) were grieving over the death of Jesus & were walking to Emmaus from Jerusalem.
a Jesus draws near to walk with them, but they didn’t recoginize Him.
aa He gets on them!
Luke 24:25-27 (NKJV) 25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets havespoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
bb They knew the “logos” but the Word had not came alive to them - Jesus turned the logos into rhema for them.
Luke 24:31-32 (NKJV) 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
cc When the word burned in them a fire broke out of their hearts!
D Rhema is also our weapon!
1 Ephesians 6:17 (NKJV) 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
“The sword of the Spirit.” - Rhema
a When we confess the word aloud in the face of the enemy the word is our AR-15, colt 1911 - weapon we need!
b When we draw out His word, in faith, the enemy is always out gunned, overwhelmed.
2 Rhema is also the secret to success in Christian work.
a Luke 5:1-11 (NKJV) 1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
Jesus uses Peter’s boat for a pulpit to speak to the crowd on the sea of Galilee.
aa As they pulled away Jesus said, “Peter, drop your nets.”
bb vs. 5, “Nevertheless at your word (rhema) I will let down the net.” - More fish than they’d ever caught before.
b It was the word of His power that brought the fish in.
aa Luke 5:10 (NKJV) 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."
bb How do we reach people? We fish where He tells us to fish, & when He says to fish! - Here!
Conclusion
Romans 10:8 (NKJV) 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
John 15:7 (NKJV) 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
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