FAITH OVER FEAR - The Lord Is My Helper
Hebrews 13:1-6 March 5, 2023
Introduction:
There’s an old story told by a farmer which explains how cows end up on the road, lost:
A cow is nibbling on a tuft of grass in the middle of a field moving from one tuft to the next, and before you know it he ends up at some grass next to the fence. Noticing a nice clump of green grass on the other side of the fence, the cow stumbles through an old tear in the fence and finds himself outside on the road. “Cows don’t intend to get lost, “ the farmer explained, “they just nibble their way to lostness!”
The farmer, in his amazing wisdom was talking about more than just cows. None of us intends to wander from the green pasture of God’s plan…but then comes the tuft of a relationship…and the tuft of success…and then the tuft of leisure and comfort…and before we know it we discover we have nibbled our way to lostness…and we are a long way from God.
Our text this morning in Hebrews starts out with these words…“Keep on loving.” “Do not forget to show hospitality.” “Continue to remember those in prison.”
Keep on…Don’t forget…Continue…Remember.
Isaiah doesn’t compare us to cows. He compares us to sheep when he says “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way.” (Isaiah 53:6)
It’s the same story…just different animals. Human beings, by nature (a sinful one) are prone to go their own way…prone to nibble their way away from God…and this is true whether we’ve been born again through God’s Spirit or not. Our nature…our independent spirit continually fights to have it’s own way and go it’s own way.
If God’s Spirit lives in you He will work to keep you and I holy. He’ll yell “STOP”… “DON’T”…“QUIT.” But truth be told, we like Paul, many times know what we shouldn’t do and do it anyway…and we know what we should do…and don’t do it.”
(Romans 7:14)
Let me give you some good news about what it means to follow Christ as His disciple…He knows this about us…He experienced every single tempting tuft of grass…He was tempted in every way to turn His own way…and He overcame every temptation…and God’s Word doesn’t say…He thinks we’re stupid…or weak…or worthless…It says:
HEBREWS 4:14-16
We no longer need an earthly priest to be our go between in regard to God. Jesus is now our go between. He is next to the father, at his right hand…interceding for His followers…Romans 8 asks “Who can be against us?” “Who can condemn us?” And the answer: “No one.” And then it says, “The only one who could, Christ Jesus, who died - and more than that was raised to life - is at the right hand of God interceding for us!” (Romans 8:34)?
Jesus isn’t our enemy…or accuser…He is our advocate…He is our helper and it’s His Spirit that lives within us…It’s His Spirit that listens to His words and plan for our lives and fights so desperately against our “go your own way” nature.
He is an amazing Helper, but something we should always remember if we are in Christ and He is in us…
I. OUR LIVES MUST BE OTHER'S FOCUSED
The writer of Hebrews mentions 4 specific “others.”
The first is:
1. The Church: (Keep on loving one another as brothers and sister)
“Our mission statement here at Cornerstone is to be “A family committed to loving Jesus and others so our neighbors, community and world can experience good news.”
If we can’t keep on loving each other as family…as brothers and sisters then how in the world can others believe God’s love is real?
Jesus said, “And they’ll know you are my disciples by the love you have for one another.” (John 13:35)
Yes, sometimes it’s hard to love even our brothers and sisters…sometimes they are stubborn, selfish, and mean…but guess what? Sometimes we’re stubborn, selfish, and mean.
And it doesn’t say keep on loving just the brothers and sisters you like, or have always been your friends, or part of your clique.
As families grow, new people are loved into them. Babies are nurtured, deaths are grieved, victories are celebrated.
Love is always a verb…it’s shown by encouragement, service, and generosity…when love becomes the filter, our family grows and becomes a place of safety and encouragement for all our brothers and sisters…but our lives and love cannot just be focused inward on other disciples…they also must focus on:
2. Showing hospitality to strangers
The writer even suggests that when we do this we might even be entertaining angels. Abraham and Sarah did when God sent 3 messengers to give them amazing news about Isaac’s birth.
The entire point is…God sends people into our lives and we have no idea the message He’s going to deliver to us…The word angel means “messenger” by the way.
Think about that for a minute…If we show love and hospitality to strangers…people we really don’t know…it might just be because God is trying to speak to us through them…The message might not be “you’re going to have a child at 100 and 90,” but it could be one that fills you with joy and laughter as well…
If you never let new people into your life then your world and God’s Kingdom can never get bigger…Fix a meal for a new family…invite someone new to your home for supper…buy groceries for a foster family, take a single mom shopping. Don’t just talk about hospitality in your Sunday School class…take a Godly risk and a biblical command seriously and show it to strangers…the third “others’ mentioned involves those who really need help.
3. Remember those in prison…and those who are mistreated
And what helps you do this? Consider the truth that you could be the one in prison or you could have been the one mistreated.
Jesus became flesh…the word incarnate means “God in flesh.” God, clothed himself with the same material we’re made out of so “He could experience everything we experience….and feel everything we feel. “He is a High Priest who can sympathize with all our weaknesses” for just this reason, the Word didn’t become mere words…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling place among us.
[Kari and I are involved in Angel Tree gifts for families that have a member incarcerated. It’s part of Prison Fellowship International. I have a good friend named Dennis Truesdell who has a lead roll in this ministry…What makes this ministry so powerful and life changing is when you or your family deliver it to the family yourself…names become real people…and real people are always easier to love than just names. Last year Kari and I met a young Mom named Amanda that lives with her kids in Bourbon County with her kids....she was in tears when we met and prayed with her...we kept in contact with her even afterwards.....She works at the Salvation army store close to our house. It's important that ministry involves real people....strangers who become friends)
The 4th other is your spouse.
4. Honor your marriage partner
God has made you one. “Wives are to submit themselves to their husbands, as to the Lord and Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.” (Eph. 5:24-25)
Here’s the truth…the Church doesn’t work right if our marriages don’t work right…Our marriages are to be a witness to the world of what the church is to Christ. We don’t give up…we stay faithful…we honor and respect and love our mates because we are one. “You don’t hurt your own body intentionally…unless someone is seriously dysfunctional in their thinking.”
Our marriages are the building blocks of faith…and Satan has attacked them with his lies continuously. Adultery is the ultimate breaking of the bond…but if you want to keep the marriage bed pure then you guard your family from unforgiveness, power struggles, greed and selfishness…and I promise you…you will need the Lord as your daily helper to do this!
Husbands aren’t bosses in their marriage, they are servant leaders…and wives aren’t lesser people, they are partners in Christ.
Matthew Henry put it well:
“Eve was not taken out of Adam’s head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.”
Loving others is one of the greatest proofs that we are in Christ…and Christ in us.
Let me end today with this challenge. If God is to be our helper we must:
II. TRUST HIM MORE THAN OUR OWN RESOURCES
Let me ask you…would your character and priorities change if I handed you a check for 10 million dollars?
Dwight L. Moody was at a dinner one evening sitting next to a woman who began to talk about her relationships…Dwight L. Moody abruptly asked her “if she would sleep with a man for a million dollars.” And she said, “I believe I would.” He then asked “would you sleep with that same man for 2 dollars…and she angrily said, “Never, what kind of woman do you think I am?” He replied, “We’ve established what kind of woman you are, now we’re establishing your price range.”
My personal belief is if I gave you 10 million dollars it would just magnify the person you already are…If the church, strangers, prisoners or your relationship with your spouse is already nonexistent…it would just become even more nonexistent and self centered. If it was already godly and growing…well, you get the idea.
If you are living a life of faith in God…if Jesus is your Lord and Savior and His Spirit is your daily guide you have a promise…you have security…you have God and His resources in your spiritual bank account…And you will never be alone.
“Never will I leave you,
never will I forsake you.”
With His presence and His assurance we can shout with praise…
“The Lord is my helper…I will not be afraid…what can mere mortals do to me?”
Let’s pray.
