In a recent Canada survey, is it reported that one out of every 10 Canadians aged 15 and over, about 2.6 million people, reported symptoms consistent with alcohol or illicit drug dependence, or illnesses from major depression, mania disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia (open spaces), social anxiety disorder (Social phobia), at some time during the 12 months prior to the interview. Except for the alcohol statistic, women are leading the way in all the other forms of illness.
Staying focused on the essentials and maintaining some semblance of normality and sanity is a daily survival game for far too many people.
Summer is nearly over. Another two weeks and we’re back into routines of work with vacation used up; children’s education costs and back to school priorities are in full swing; church life and activity will call for our attention and unfortunately, the oasis called home is the last thing most people will schedule in.
What are some things we can do, or focus on, to adjust from long summer days, Bermuda shorts and tanning oils, to shorter days, cooler weather and pulling out the autumn gear? I know, autumn is a dirty six letter word but its coming. Have you noticed the leaves are changing color already?
In today’s text, God provides us with a few stabilizers to balance us in the storms!
1. CELEBRATE YOUR POSITION IN CHRIST
A man wanted to see Buckingham Palace. His guide took him to the gate. “Oh, I don’t mean here. I want inside.”
“I’m sorry sir,” replied the guide, “I don’t have authority. Only members of the Royal Family can get you inside.”
Jesus has done this for us! - Verses 18-22…
Quick history lesson:
The history of the Israelites was such that because of their slavery in Egypt and their sojourn in the desert for forty years on route to the Promised Land, Canaan, those who left Egypt died in the wilderness. As a result their children inherited the Promised Land, but they had no skill or knowledge to build architectures or a temple of worship for their God. They only knew warfare and battle. The ark of God’s covenant, the Ten Commandments on stone and the Law of Moses (called the Pentateuch) - handed him by God, were always on display in a (SLIDE) tabernacle or tent that was set up and taken down as they continued their nomadic desert wanderings. Their experience of an established place of worship where they could sacrifice to God was a long-awaited reality. So we can appreciate that when that reality finally came, they took great pleasure in celebrating God’s presence, represented in the icon of Solomon’s temple.
A cut-away view of Solomon’s temple (SLIDE). There were two sections: i) the Holy Place (SLIDE) where the priests offered sacrifices as prescribed by God’s Law; and ii) the Most Holy Place (SLIDE). The Most Holy Place was separated from the Holy Place by a curtain. Only the Priest could enter here once a year to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. He had to engage in a lengthy purification ceremony before entering the Most Holy Place. Leviticus 16 outlines the ceremony requirements before, during and after presentation to God. After reading the 34 verses in one sitting it can feel somewhat cumbersome and awkward. Yet, it was serious business coming into God’s presence. God told Moses in verse 3, "Warn your brother Aaron not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; the penalty for intrusion is death.” Legend has it that when the Priest of God was to enter the Most Holy Place for the annual sacrifice he would have a rope tied to his leg in the event his purification was not complete and he died in God’s presence. The only way to get him out would be to drag his body out because no one else could enter! (BLANK SLIDE)
It is this to which the author of Hebrews refers in these verses of 19-22. The language of “19Most Holy Place…20through the curtain…21great high priest” are all images drawn from Solomon’s temple and the people’s understanding of how they can now come to God through a new order – through the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, on the cross!
The purpose of this lesson injection is hopefully to impress on us the incomprehensible privilege we have to come into God’s presence through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins! The sacrifice of Jesus means we have something on which to focus to keep us anchored, to keep us centered, to keep us purposeful every day we open our eyes to His gift of life and opportunity!
There is another thing we can do:
2. HOLD ON TO HOPE
Verse 23
Dr. William Barclay (Commentator/Theologian): “Let us hold fast to the undeviating hope of our creed.”
(Slide) ‘Against All Odds,’ Carlos (a.k.a. Chuck) Norris Found God’s Plan Bigger Than His Own
Written by Sara Horn (Lifeway…Biblical Solutions for Life)
Most would say that Chuck Norris has reached the pinnacle of success. A six-time world karate champion, he starred as the hero in more than 23 films and wrote and produced his popular television series, "Walker, Texas Ranger." But success couldn’t rescue the Norris family the night they faced a life-threatening crisis.
Norris felt absolutely helpless when his wife, Gena, went into pre-term labor with their unborn twins. But Norris also knew he could rely solely on God. He recounts the events of that frightful night in his new autobiography, "Against All Odds: My Story" with Ken Abraham, published by Broadman & Holman.
"I had earned millions of dollars over my lifetime," he writes. "I’d been a friend to several presidents, yet all the money in my bank account couldn’t help me now. … There was only one person to whom I could turn." It was God. He’d been with Norris throughout his life, and this would be no different. (BLANK SLIDE)
When Chuck and Gena had nothing to hold on to, to save their unborn twins, they held on to hope; HOPE that God would be faithful; HOPE that there is a Greater Power than the burden of their circumstances; HOPE that God’s faithfulness is a confidence that whatever the outcome it is the best outcome and is the result of God’s love. They held fast to “the undeviating hope of [their] creed.”
God has a word for us regarding HOPE!
• To the friends who say “Christianity is not the only way”
• To a society who challenges, “You Christians are so exclusive”
• To a world that believes in “user friendly” religion like a computer program
• To the Enemy of our souls who charges that God is removed from us and our faith is foolishness and doesn’t work when we’re up against the wall,
We must “hold fast to the undeviating hope of our creed.” We must hold on against all odds and dare to believe when we are challenged to let go of belief. We must stay connected, stay online through constant prayer and frequent study of the Scriptures. It is a talk/listen proposition whereby we become anchored, centered and focused on who we are and where we’re headed!
There is one other thing we can do to survive and indeed enjoy the months to come.
3. ENCOURAGEMENT EXPLOSION
Verses 24-25…
(SLIDE) St. John NB native, Stompin’ Tom Connors is a unique personality, known for his ability to write songs about Canada. He is famous for his theme song, “The good ole’ Hockey Game, is the best game you can name!” (BLANK SLIDE) What a fascinating sport it is! Now if I can only get my wife to believe that so she’ll watch with me!
Fan reaction is one of the most riveting things to watch and be a part of when a goal is scored. Inhibitions are cast off. If you don’t like to shout and scream for your team in an arena, YOU are the one who stands out as different or odd! The fans are shouting, whistling and clapping. Then you look at the players and they are high-fivin’ each other. They skate down the bench line and everyone is touching gloves and patting bottoms! Talk about a moralé booster!
As I have watched this faith community for the last two years, I have been a part of a wonderful expression that is difficult to find. I have seen many of you fill people’s lives with encouragement. The ways and reasons of this expression are as varied as our personalities so I cannot begin to adequately list what I have seen. But there have been powerful, deep expressions of love and support.
I think this encouragement expression that I see is what the author in Hebrews is referring to in verses 24-25. May I now take a moment to encourage you to continue to be more intentionally geared to encouragement, acknowledging the accomplishments and efforts of other people? We should be so intentional about it that the author tells us to “24think of ways” to encourage one another. This charge comes with the recognition that it is not a natural inclination for most of us. Some are so gifted but most are not likely inclined to encouragement.
One way of encouraging each other follows in verse 25 as the author charges us about meeting together. It is well timed and an important necessity. Here we are challenged to not only encourage but to warn each other. Warn each other about what? Those things that would draw us away from the faith community; about practices and behavior that can destroy faithful and godly lives; to warn each other about the sins that would corrupt our hearts and rupture God’s work on earth, in our community, in our church, in our personal lives.
WRAP
As we position ourselves to be launched into a busy autumn and winter season, I am convinced that we must intentionally give thought to our POSITION IN CHRIST; to be so focused on the breath-taking experience of being in the awesome presence of God that it inspires HOPE – a hope that is so satisfying, steadfast and immoveable that we are inspired to EXPLODE WITH ENCOURAGEMENT for one another – to uplift the fallen, encourage the faint-hearted and motivate the despairing.
