1 JOHN 2:12-14
12 I am writing to you, little children,
since your sins have been forgiven
on account of his name. ak
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you have come to know
the one who is from the beginning. al
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have conquered the evil one. am
14 I have written to you, children,
because you have come to know the Father.
I have written to you, fathers,
because you have come to know
the one who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
because you are strong,
God’s word an remains in you,
and you have conquered the evil one.[1]
 
Sabbath Rest – Comes with true spiritual maturity; the abundant life associated with knowing the Creator intimately.
         1) Failed to enter – Hebrews 3:16–19 - For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses? y 17 With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? z 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. [2]
         2) Failed to enter – Hebrews 4:8 - For if Joshua e had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.[3]
 
Spiritual Rest – Hebrew Christians & Redeemed of all time.
         1) Believers in Hebrews
         2) All believers of all time
Redemption Rest – Rest from spiritual bondage to sin
         1) Entered – Hebrews 3:1 - Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. n[4]
         2) Entered – Hebrews 11:6 - Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. [5]


Canaan Rest – Rest that comes with trusting God to overcome the enemy.
         1) Had begun to enter but had failed to fully enter – Hebrews 10:32-35 -  Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.t 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. u 34 For you sympathized with the prisoners J and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession. K,v 35 So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. w[6]
         2) Encouraged to enter – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, 4 since the weapons of our warfare j are not of the flesh, but are powerful k through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge l of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.[7]


Sabbath Rest – Comes with true spiritual maturity; the abundant life associated with knowing the Creator intimately.
         1) Encouraged to enter – Hebrews 4:9-11 - Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. f 11 Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience. [8]
         2) – Encouraged to enter – Psalm 95:7-11 - For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep under his care. B,z
Today, if you hear his voice: aa
8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the wilderness ab
9 where your ancestors tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did. ac
10 For forty years I was disgusted with that generation;
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray;
they do not know my ways.” ad
11 So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.” ae [9]
 
John 5:16-23 - Therefore, the Jews began persecuting b Jesus A because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. c
17 Jesus responded to them, “My Father d is still working, and I am working also.” 18 This is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill him: e Not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God.
19 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father B does, the Son likewise does these things. f 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing, and he will show him greater works g than these so that you will be amazed. 21 And just as the Father raises h the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants. i 22 The Father, j in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all people may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. k Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. l [10]
 
John 14:7-11 - If you know me, you will also know A my Father. d From now on you do know him e and have seen him.”

• They think alike
• Their answers and responses will always be the same
• Distinct but one
• Unbroken fellowship between them

8 “Lord,” said Philip, f “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”

• They just didn’t get it

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. g How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? h The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. i The Father who lives in me does his works. j

• Jesus did no works, it was His Father in Him that did the works

11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe B because of the works themselves. k[11]
 
Envelopes
 
Philippians 2:13 - For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. [12]
John 15

• Passover meal/Lord’s Supper had just been completed and they had left the upper room to head for the Garden of Gethsemane via the Kidron Valley.

1 “I am as the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, at and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.

• (takes away / NAS;),
• Greek – to raise from the ground, to raise upward, elevate, lift up or draw up.
• Picture of Olive tree
• He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.
• Pruning is painful but necessary

3 You are already clean au because of the word I have spoken to you.

• John 13:10 – You don’t need to bathe.
• They already had his words as information.
• The Holy Spirit was about to reveal it to them.

4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. av

• To live by His life
• Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.

5 I am the vine; aw you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, ax because you can do nothing without me.

• No self-effort will produce such fruit.

6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside ay like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, az and they are burned. ba

• Jesus in context is speaking of how the fruit is borne.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 - For no one can lay any foundation other af than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, ag costly stones, ah wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; ai the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. aj 14 If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience O loss, but he himself will be saved ak—but only as through fire. al [13]

• Judgment Seat of Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat ab of Christ, ac so that each may be repaid ad for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.[14]
• Made Blameless - Jude 24 -  Now to him ar who is able to protect you from stumbling as and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish at and with great joy,[15]
• Works done in our own strength are sinful  Romans 14:23 - whatever is not from faith is sin.[16] (NAS)

Romans 8:1 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation ak for those in al Christ Jesus, K,am[17]

• There is no condemnation for the believer so this judgment is concerning the quality of our works,

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. a

• Abiding in Jesus lines our desires up with the Father.

8 My Father is glorified b by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be A my disciples. [18]
 
1 John 2:12-13
I am writing to you, little children,
since your sins have been forgiven
on account of his name. ak
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you have come to know
the one who is from the beginning. al
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have conquered the evil one. am[19]
 
We traveled from the simplest of things of our faith (forgiveness) to one of the least understood issues of the Scripture (being victorious over the evil one) and to the desirable relationship that we continually pursue (knowing the Father).
 
FEDEx

ak Ps 25:11; Lk 24:47; Ac 2:38; 10:43
al 1Jn 1:1
am Jn 16:33; 17:15; Eph 6:10; 1Jn 2:14; 4:4; 5:4–5; Rv 2:7
an 1Jn 1:10
[1] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
y Nm 14:2; Dt 1:35–38
z Nm 14:29; Ps 106:26
[2] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
e Jos 22:4
[3] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers
n Rm 15:8; Php 3:14; Heb 2:11,17; 4:14–15
[4] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
t Php 1:29–30; Heb 6:4
u 1Co 4:9; Php 4:14; 1Th 2:14
J Other mss read sympathized with my imprisonment
K Other mss add in heaven
v Mt 5:12; 1Pt 1:4–5
w Heb 2:2; 11:26
[6] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
j 1Tm 1:18
k Ac 25:5
l Jn 17:3; 1Jn 4:8
[7] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
f Heb 4:4; Rv 14:13
[8] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
B Lit sheep of his hand
z Ps 79:13
aa Heb 3:7–11,15; 4:7
ab Ex 17:7; Dt 6:16
ac Nm 14:22; Ps 78:18
ad Dt 9:7; Ac 13:18; Heb 3:10,17
ae Nm 14:23,28–30; Dt 12:9
[9] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
b Lk 6:28; 2Tm 3:12
A Other mss add and trying to kill him
c Lk 13:10
d Mt 5:16; 11:27; Jn 8:42
e Mt 12:14; 26:4; 27:1; Mk 3:6; 14:1; Lk 6:11; Jn 7:1,19; 10:33; 11:53
B Lit whatever that one
f Jn 3:35; 6:38; 7:16,28; 8:26–42; 10:18,30,36–38; 12:49–50; 14:9,24,31; 15:9–10; 16:15; 17:9–10
g Heb 3:9; Rv 15:3
h Mk 9:27; Jn 2:19
i Jn 11:25–26
j Mt 11:27
k Jn 15:23
l Lk 10:16
[10] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
A Other mss read If you had known me, you would have known
d Mt 11:27; 1Jn 2:23
e Jn 17:3; 1Jn 4:8
f Mk 3:18
g Jn 5:19,37; 12:45
h Jn 10:30; 14:11,20; 1Jn 2:24; 4:17
i Jn 5:30
j Jn 5:36; 6:28; Heb 3:9; Rv 15:3
B Other mss read believe me
k Jn 10:38
[11] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[12] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
as Ex 3:14; Jn 8:24,58
at Mt 3:10; 7:19; 15:13; Lk 3:9; 13:6–9; Jn 15:6; Rm 11:17,22
au Ps 24:4; Ti 1:15
av Jn 6:56; 8:28; 1Jn 2:5
aw Jms 3:12
ax Mk 4:8
ay Jn 15:2
az 2Th 1:8
ba 1Th 1:8; 2Pt 3:7
af Is 28:16; Rm 15:20; 2Co 10:16; 11:4; Gl 1:6–9
ag Jms 5:3
ah Rv 17:4
ai 2Th 1:8; 1Pt 1:7
aj Ps 62:12; Pr 24:12; Mt 16:27; 2Co 5:10; 1Pt 1:17
O Or suffer
ak Mt 9:22; Ac 16:30; Eph 2:8
al Jd 23
[13] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
ab Jn 5:22–3
ac Mt 25:31–46; Php 1:6; Heb 10:31
ad Mt 16:27
[14] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
ar Rm 16:25; Eph 3:20
as Jn 17:12
at Eph 1:4; 5:27; Php 2:15; Col 1:22
[15] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[16] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
ak Rm 5:16; 8:34
al Rm 8:9–10
K Other mss add who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit
am Rm 8:11,39; 16:3
[17] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
a Jn 14:14
b Jn 11:4; 17:1; 1Pt 2:12
A Or and become
[18] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
ak Ps 25:11; Lk 24:47; Ac 2:38; 10:43
al 1Jn 1:1
am Jn 16:33; 17:15; Eph 6:10; 1Jn 2:14; 4:4; 5:4–5; Rv 2:7
[19] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Review:

• Redemption Rest
• Canaan Rest
• Sabbath Rest

 
CHRIST, A HIGH PRIEST
HEBREWS 5
1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed in matters pertaining to God for the people, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

• Every high priest was taken from among men and served men.
• He served as a mediator between God and man.
• He ministered to the people.
• Exodus 28:1 – Priests were descendants of Aaron.

2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he is also clothed with weakness.

• He is sympathetic and gentle to the people because he has experienced life as they have.
• He knows he has the capability to make the same bad decisions.
• Our flesh wants to bust the chops of those sinning.
• Other people want me to control other people’s flesh.
• I have to teach Truth and trust the Spirit in them.

3 Because of this, he must make an offering for his own sins as well as for the people.

• The high priest made bad decisions as well as the people he was mediating for.
• On the Day of Atonement, he would offer a sacrifice for himself and then for others.

4 No one takes this honor on himself; instead, a person is called by God, just as Aaron was.

• You can’t appoint yourself as priest.
• God appointed each high priest.
• Priests were always descendants of Aaron. (Exodus 28:1)
• All priests were Levites.
• Today, you can basically ordain yourself via the internet.

5 In the same way, Christ did not exalt himself to become a high priest, but God who said to him,
You are my Son;
today I have become your Father, (Psalm 2:7)
6 also says in another place,
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4)

• Christ was appointed by God as high priest.
• Psalm 110:4 - The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back:
• “You are a priest forever
• according to the pattern of Melchizedek.”[1]
• Melchizedek’s priesthood is eternal.
• Aaronic priesthood was only temporary.
• Melchizedek’s priesthood never lapsed because of death.
• Jesus didn’t become priest until His sacrifice at the cross. He was a prophet… now a priest.

7 During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

• Referring to Christ’s night in Gethsemane.
• Jesus honored God for who He was.
• The author is reminding the Hebrew Christians they need to do the same… in reverence.
• Who is responsible for saving?

8 Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

• This is the difference between walking by your flesh versus walking by your spirit.
• We suffer not only from our decisions to walk in the flesh but by others in the fallen world who do the same.
• A wise man will walk in obedience to the Spirit to avoid the pain & suffering of making bad decisions.

9 After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,

• Perfected as the sacrifice on the cross.
• All the sacrifices were to be spotless offerings.
• “source” – originates from Jesus, author, causes it to happen, a never ending well.
• “eternal” – Not temporary… can’t lose it.
• “obey” here is not directive to earn salvation but a byproduct of those who believe.
• If you have salvation in Christ, it would be natural for you to walk in obedience with the Spirit in you.
• Obey = You listen & walk (do)
• We are saved by faith… not works.

10 and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

• Melchizedek’s priesthood is greater than Aaron’s because it is eternal rather than temporary.
• Don’t go back to Aaron’s priesthood ways in Leviticus or you will lose your life in 70 AD.

 
THE PROBLEM OF IMMATURITY
11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.

• “this” or “him” – Melchizedek
• It wasn’t a concern to them obviously because they just went back to their old ways.
• It was easier for them… lazy.
• Their laziness was leading them to suffering and pain and even death.
• Don’t give up… keep processing.
• Their choice to sin was leading them to not pursue God.

12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food.

• We need to stay plugged in and motivated… focused.
• When we stop applying what we know… Financial Peace, diets, to do lists, etc. we forget what we know.

13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.

• So every week we have to come back here and teach identity.
• What if you start teaching identity to those around you?
• What if the Church actually believed they were already made righteous?
• Ephesians 6:17 - and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.[2]
• ‎This sword is the offensive weapon God provides us. The sword is the Word of God.
• The believer saturates his mind with the Truths of God's Word, the Spirit brings to remembrance the specific verses needed to counter each of the enemy's schemes.

14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.[3]

• When we become spiritually mature we have the ability to choose right from wrong and excellent over good.
• We can see things from God’s perspective.
• Spiritual maturity allows us to overcome the evil one and his schemes.
• You have to know that you are already righteous.
• You have the ability to be victorious and not walk around defeated.

Dig deep into His Word.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Ps 110:4). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Eph 6:17). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 5:1–14). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

Review:

• Redemption Rest – Forgiveness - Redeemed
• Canaan Rest – Overcome the evil one
• Sabbath Rest -

 
Sabbath Rest – David lived in Sabbath Rest at a young age… “How can I miss?”
Saul never experienced Sabbath Rest… “How can I hit him”

• The difference is David knew God’s heart.

 
Psalm 95
WORSHIP AND WARNING
1 Come, let’s shout joyfully to the Lord,
shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let’s enter his presence with thanksgiving;
let’s shout triumphantly to him in song.
3 For the Lord is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
4 The depths of the earth are in his hand,
and the mountain peaks are his.
5 The sea is his; he made it.
His hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let’s worship and bow down;
let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep under his care.,
Today, if you hear his voice:
8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the wilderness
9 where your ancestors tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
10 For forty years I was disgusted with that generation;
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray;
they do not know my ways.”
11 So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.”[1]
 
THE PROMISED REST
HEBREWS 4
1 Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short.

• The promise has been there along according to Psalm 95.
• “let us fear” – “to be fearfully anxious” - fear the wrath of God… not for our salvation but for our actual physical lives because 70 AD is coming.

2 For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith.

• I heard on K-Love... "Easter is such a special time to tell people about the Good News."
• Every day is a great day to tell someone about the Good News.

3 For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what he has said, So I swore in my anger, “They will not enter my rest,” even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world.

• Number 13:27-33 - They reported to Moses, “We went into the land where you sent us. Indeed it is flowing with milk and honey, and here is some of its fruit. (great news) 28 However, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified. We also saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites are living in the land of the Negev; the Hethites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”
• Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!”
• But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t attack the people because they are stronger than we are!” 32 So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: “The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size. 33 We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim! To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.” [2]
• They couldn’t enter Canaan rest because they wouldn’t even enter Canaan.
• They couldn’t overcome the thoughts of their enemies even though God promised them.
• Your thoughts about whatever is your enemy look like giants to you.
• Who is responsible for overcoming the enemy?
• Exodus 23:20-23 - “I am going to send an angel before you to protect you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Be attentive to him and listen to him. Do not defy him, because he will not forgive your acts of rebellion, for my name is in him. 22 But if you will carefully obey him and do everything I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. 23 For my angel will go before you and bring you to the land of the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.[3]
• Their only problem was unbelief.
• I promise you that you can never enter Canaan rest without experiencing war.
• There will be a battle.

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works.

• Genesis 2:2 - On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.[4]
• The Rabbis taught that since no evening was associated with the seventh day of creation, unlike the other six days of the week, that God’s rest continues throughout eternity.
• Whatever God did for the kingdom today occurred at the initiation and foundation of creation.
• God is very much at work in the lives of His people, but it was prepared in the beginning.
• What God does now is apparently done in a state of rest.
• Add to what God has already done the free will of man and bad choices

and we have this perfect world that has fallen.

• We need to enter that same rest of God and rest of Jesus when He said, “It is finished.”

5 Again, in that passage he says, They will never enter my rest.

• Sabbath rest = repent of sin, accept the Messiah as Savior and go on to spiritual maturity.

6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience,

• This was a leadership issue.
• The leaders couldn’t enter Canaan rest so neither could the followers.

7 he again specifies a certain day--today (it has always been available). He specified this speaking through David after such a long time:

• Confirmation that God’s Word is written by men but inspired by God.

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.

• If you are a saint… Good News… You do hear His voice!!!

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.

• Sabbath Rest has always been available. Even in the Old Covenant… because David rested in it.
• David rested from his own works and trusted.

9 Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people.

• It’s not about a duty or responsibility… chill out… trust God… He will work through you… especially if you figure out the “Sabbath Rest”.
• Know Him… know His heart.
• What Christ did on the cross was complete.
• We are capable of resting from our own works.

10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

• Effort!! First… just stop doing things!!
• Sit at His feet.
• Know the heart of the Creator

12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

• God’s Word is active and able to change how we view things.
• God’s Word can reveal motives in an instant.
• I’ve had so many people telling me about choices that I needed to make and what God actually intended… yet, they had pursued the heart of God.
• You can actually tell the difference in men who are pursuing the establishing of God’s Church (considered a valid & noble calling) from those who are pursuing God’s heart.

13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

• God knows their hearts… and our hearts.

He knows the things we do in our strength vs His strength.
 
OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.

• “Hold fast to the confession.” – is not about salvation… but the Good News they had originally come to know.
• Keep confessing Christ!

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

• Jesus understood the battle with the enemy better than anyone.
• Jesus understood living in a fallen world and dealing with pain and sorrow (lost his best friend).

16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.[5]

• Grace = the desire and power to do God’s will.
• Jesus is serving as our High Priest.
• Only by grace could they walk in God’s strength and power… same for us.

 
Sabbath Rest –

1. My shoes… Students understand Sabbath rest yet are in the dessert.
2. I wanted to rewrite MercyMe songs… now we are family and going fly fishing this week.
3. When we learn to have Sabbath Rest… He does amazing things.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Ps 95:1–11). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nu 13:27–33). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Ex 23:20–23). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Ge 2:2). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 4:1–16). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

OUR APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST
HEBREWS 3
1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,

• You are holy.
• You were a sinner saved by grace.
• You received total forgiveness… not partial.
• Now you are a saint.

who share in a heavenly calling,

• Philippians 3 – Citizens of heaven

consider Jesus,

• Pursue intimacy with Jesus.

the apostle (sent with w a message… the message of grace) and high priest of our confession.

• There was a priestly order.
• Priests approach God on the behalf of men.
• Jesus died so He could approach God on our behalf.

2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was in all God’s household.

• Appointed as a prophet… when He came to earth.
• Currently serving as the High Priest for our sins.
• Will return as king.
• Moses was considered a faithful leader of the Jewish nation… but he was sinful.
• Jesus is the faithful leader and without sin.

3 For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house.

• Hebrew 1:3 - The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word.[1]
• John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.[2]
• Exodus 34 – Moses went to the top of Mt. Sinai.
• When he came down, the Glory of God was shining on his face.
• 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 - Now if the ministry that brought death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to gaze steadily at Moses’s face because of its glory, which was set aside, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness overflows with even more glory. 10 In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was set aside was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.[3]
• Jesus created the nation of Israel. Because He is the Creator.
• Is the Creator greater than the creation?

4 Now every house is built by someone, but the one who built everything is God.

• Hebrews 1:2 - In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe, through him.[4]
• Colossians 1:16 - For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.[5]
• Jesus is God, but at the same time His own individual.

5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future.

• Moses was the greatest Jew alive in his time.
• Deuteronomy 18:18 - I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.[6]
• Numbers 20:7-11 - The Lord spoke to Moses, 8 “Take the staff and assemble the community. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will yield its water. You will bring out water for them from the rock and provide drink for the community and their livestock.”
• So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence just as he had commanded him. 10 Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?” 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that abundant water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.[7]
• When Moses struck the rock rather than speak to the rock, this was disobedience.
• 1 Corinthians 10:3-4 - They all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.[8]

6 But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household if we hold on to our confidence and the hope in which we boast.

• Moses was a servant.
• Jesus is the son.
• Who is the greatest?
• “And we are that household” – They needed the confidence of what they had already come to believe.
• They were being pressured to change their mind about their faith.
• They were being pressured to believe what they had already experienced and moved on from… continual sacrifices.
• We are constantly challenged in our faith… in what we believe.
• My Mom was always faithful to remind me about Jesus.
• She also reminded me about my behavior.
• But if I just focus on Jesus… He is going to take care of my behavior.

 
WARNING AGAINST UNBELIEF
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

• Scripture is inspired by God.

Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested me, tried me,
and saw my works 10 for forty years.
Therefore, I was provoked to anger with that generation and said, “They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.”
11 So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.” (Psalm 95:7-11)

• That generation died in the wilderness, except Joshua and Caleb.
• In Numbers, they wanted to return to Egypt, but God never let them return, because He was responsible for saving them.
• This is the “redemption rest” we talked about 2 weeks ago.
• They were supposed to enter into “Canaan rest” – Overcoming the evil one.
• Learning to fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons.

12 Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

• Lose salvation? NO!
• Unbelieving hearts could not enter into the land of Canaan.

13 But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.

• Redemption rest, Canaan rest and Sabbath rest.
• Salvation/forgiveness, overcoming the evil one, walking intimately with the Creator (rest from our own works)

14 For we have become participants in Christ if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start.

• If we can live in Sabbath rest, the world will know Jesus and want the same.

15 As it is said:
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.

• 64-66 AD – before the destruction of the temple.

16 For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses?

• This is not about salvation… but about Canaan rest.

17 With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.[9]

• This is not about salvation.
• This is about living an abundant life that was promised to us here on earth.
• It is not about doing things in our own strength, such as obeying the Law.
• It is about walking in the Spirit and allowing Him to work through us.
• It is figuring out that we can live this life by allowing God to even breathe for us.
• To live our lives by another source other than ourselves.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 1:3). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Jn 1:14). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 3:7–11). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 1:2). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Col 1:16). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Dt 18:18). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Nu 20:7–11). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (1 Co 10:3–4). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 3:1–19). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

I John 2:12-13 - I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one.[1]
Physical Rest – Redeemed of Israel
         1) First Generation (Those 20 years and older in Numbers 14:26-30)
         2) Second Generation (Those under 20 years of age)

1. Redemption Rest – Rest from physical bondage in Egypt
    - The first and most basic of the three levels of rest.
            1) Entered – Exodus 6:6-8 - “Therefore tell the Israelites: I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from the forced labor of the Egyptians and rescue you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the forced labor of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you to the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.”[2]
            2) Entered – Exodus 6:6-8
   
   
2. Canaan Rest – Rest that came with trusting God to overcome the enemy.
   - Not a rest that is achieved when they die and go to heaven.
            1) Failed to enter – Numbers 14:26-30 - Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long must I endure this evil community that keeps complaining about me? I have heard the Israelites’ complaints that they make against me. 28 Tell them: As I live—this is the Lord’s declaration—I will do to you exactly as I heard you say. 29 Your corpses will fall in this wilderness—all of you who were registered in the census, the entire number of you twenty years old or more—because you have complained about me. 30 I swear that none of you will enter the land I promised to settle you in, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.[3]

         2) Entered – Joshua 21:43-45 - So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The Lord gave them rest on every side according to all he had sworn to their ancestors. None of their enemies were able to stand against them, for the Lord handed over all their enemies to them. 45 None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled.[4]

1. Sabbath Rest – Comes with true spiritual maturity; the abundant life associated with knowing the Creator intimately.
            1) Failed to enter – Hebrews 3:16–19 - For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses? 17 With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. [5]

         2) Failed to enter – Hebrews 4:8 - For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.[6]
Spiritual Rest – Hebrew Christians & Redeemed of all time.
         1) Believers in Hebrews
         2) All believers of all time

1.  Redemption Rest – Rest from spiritual bondage to sin
            1) Entered – Hebrews 3:1 - Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.[7]
   
   
2. Canaan Rest – Rest that comes with trusting God to overcome the enemy.
            1) Had begun to enter but had failed to fully enter – Hebrews 10:32-35 - Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. 34 For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession., 35 So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.[8]
   
   
3. Sabbath Rest – Comes with true spiritual maturity; the abundant life associated with knowing the Creator intimately.
            1) Encouraged to enter – Hebrews 4:9-11 - Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.[9]

Spiritual Rest – Hebrew Christians & Redeemed of all time.
         1) Believers in Hebrews
         2) All believers of all time

1.  Redemption Rest – Rest from spiritual bondage to sin
            2) Entered – Hebrews 11:6 - Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.[10]
   
   
2. Canaan Rest – Rest that comes with trusting God to overcome the enemy.
            2) Encouraged to enter – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.[11]
   
   

Sabbath Rest – Comes with true spiritual maturity; the abundant life associated with knowing the Creator intimately.
         2) – Encouraged to enter – Psalm 95:7-11 - For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care. Today, if you hear his voice: 8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the wilderness 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10 For forty years I was disgusted with that generation; I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray; they do not know my ways.” 11 So I swore in my anger, “They will not enter my rest.[12]
 
I John 2:12-13 - I am writing to you, little children,
since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one.[13]

[1] Christian Standard Bible (1 Jn 2:12–13). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Ex 6:6–8). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Nu 14:26–30). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Jos 21:43–45). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 3:16–19). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 4:8). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 3:1). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 10:32–35). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 4:9–11). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 11:6). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 10:3–5). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[12] Christian Standard Bible (Ps 95:7–11). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Christian Standard Bible (1 Jn 2:12–13). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

Last night we saw “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once”

• What a waste of time. And Hollywood will celebrate this.
• “Nothing matters”
• “If Nothing Matters, Then All The Pain And Guilt You Feel For Making Nothing Of Your Life Goes Away – Sucked Into A Bagel.”
• “Every New Discovery Is Just A Reminder…” “We're All Small And Stupid.”

 
Paul is exercising the spiritual mind.

• He is looking at things on earth from God’s point of view.
• As a result, he is not upset by things behind him, around him, or before him—things do not rob him of his joy![1]

​REACHING FORWARD TO GOD’S GOAL
PHILIPPIANS 3
12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

• Paul is referring to his behavior… the things he does as being imperfect.
• He is not satisfied with his journey being imperfect.
• Paul has a desire for his flesh to completely line up with his spirit. He can see the difference.
• He wants to know Jesus better and to completely walk by the Spirit that resides in him.
• But he has taken hold of the one who is perfect and did things perfectly and learning to let Jesus do his life for him.

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it.

• Paul does not play the comparison game here.
• Paul could have easily rated his faith walk with those he knew and probably felt pretty good about himself.
• But he really compared himself to Jesus and knew that he had fallen short.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,

• So, what do you do? Focus on the past?
• Sit in your misery?
• “Forgetting what is behind” – my fleshly acts have already been dealt with and forgotten.
• Thank God for that… because if I did not have forgiveness… I would be sitting in the puddle of my past.
• My past is gone.
• And if it is gone for me then it is gone for my spouse who believes. I probably should let it go.
• And for all the other believers who I hold onto their past. “Well, I can forgive… I just can’t forget.”
• Paul says, “forgetting what is behind”
• “To forget” in the Bible means “no longer to be influenced by or affected by.”[2]
• My fleshly acts have already been justified.
• Even my future fleshly acts have been justified.
• I live in a state of justification.
• As in when a runner stretches for the finish line.

14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

• Paul is not referring to salvation here otherwise that would contradict everything he has already said in this chapter… and would be based on works rather than faith.
• In order to run the Greek games, the runner had to already be a citizen.
• He wasn’t trying to earn his citizenship.
• He is pursuing God…
• “I don’t know how”
• You YouTube everything else… YouTube that!
• Listen, Brock Purdy (SF QB) is not going to get in the huddle today and say to his team, “OK guys, Coach has a great game plan, were just gonna stand here and let him do his thing.”
• Nor will he say, “Hey guys, forget whatever Coach said, we are going to do it my way.”
• “Here’s the play Coach called, let’s do it exactly as he taught us.”

15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.

• “mature” – those who are perfect!
• My journey ahead is God revealing things to me in my thinking and doing.
• “I make every effort”
• I want my journey to move forward… not satisfied.
• I study, I learn, I try to eat better, I try to exercise, I move forward by taking a step, I get out of bed… and sometimes it is really really hard.
• I mean… there is something inside of me that is telling me not to. I battle in my head.
• But two things… I know my perfected Spirit is leading me and convicting of the goodness now and ahead.
• And the second thing is, I am hopefully surrounded by a community that is echoing the same thing.
• For me, I am blessed with an earthly partner on this journey… I realize it is not the same for everyone in this room.
• It’s not my kids! It’s my wife. My kids left me… as they should!
• But my second encourager is my wife… after the Spirit.
• Then hopefully my kids, my friends, and the Church.
• The world would be a bonus but I am not dependent on that because we have been set apart from that!
• That is… we are already sanctified. Past tense!

16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.

• But wait… what!?!
• You mean my self-assessment may not be true?
• The churches in Revelation… Samson…
• NO MATTER WHAT!!!
• You should live up to whatever truth we have attained.
• Trust what you know!!!
• What do you know?
• I know my perfected Spirit is leading me and convicting of the goodness now and ahead.
• This is where we have to “Zoom out”.

17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.

• Hang out with the like-minded and pay attention to how they pursue Jesus.
• We are not perfect in our behavior, but we pursue the perfect behavior by trusting Jesus.

18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

• Paul is weeping as he writes this letter.
• Just thinking about those who oppose him upsets his stomach.

19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things,

• Most likely referring to the Judaizers.
• Dietary restrictions and focus on attaining wealth.

20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

• We are no longer citizens of this world.
• We don’t think like the world.
• Don’t expect us to act like the world.
• Don’t expect us to be accepted by the world.

21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.[3]

• A glorified body awaits us.
• Don’t ask me what that looks like, how old it is or what it will eat!
• I don’t know!

Philippians 4
1 So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends. [4]

• Paul loved the Church at Philippi and just wanted to be with them.
• But since he couldn’t be there…
• Trust what you know…

Stand firm together… in the Lord!

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 88). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 89). Victor Books.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Php 3:12–21). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Php 4). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

Ben Deo

• You grew up in a faith based home. But around your high school years, you weren’t buying any of it… almost to the point of declaring atheism. How did you get to that point?
• Today, you are actively pursuing your faith. What was the significant transformation for you?

 
Seth Wilson

• We previously talked about your sophomore year and the opportunity to discuss it here this morning. You didn’t want to talk about it if it came across as bragging, but you were willing to talk about it based upon your learning process.
• You made an empty threat at school that landed in you in Juvie for a couple months. At that point you knew all the concepts of your identity in Christ. Did you question what you knew because of the situation you found yourself?
• How did knowing your identity help you through the process?

 
Mike Shores

• I see the law as a guide to Jesus.
• Galatians 3:24 - The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith.[1]
• The continued failure and falling short seems to lead people to Jesus in my opinion.
• Romans 3:23-24 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.[2]
• With that said, do you think Jesus “enjoys” us failing because in a way it brings those who don’t know him yet to him?

 
Gabe Glover

• Even though I think I understand that the Law was (a) given to the Jews and (b) that the Law passed at the end of the Jewish age, I still struggle to understand Romans 5:20.
• Romans 5:20 - The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more[3]
• It’s really tricky to me trying to figure out what it means that the Law was given so sin would increase. In a Jewish context, I think my biggest questions for Romans 5 revolve around this concept.

 

• Lastly, 5:7 confuses me.
• I simply don’t understand what Paul is aiming to do in comparing a righteous man to a good man. Is this a reference to Jesus? I’m not sure.
• Romans 5:6-7 - For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die.[4]

 
Maddie Hayward
 
Kyle Seghers
 
Caitlin Crecelius
 
Kelly Tyner

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ga 3:24). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 3:23–24). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 5:20). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 5:6–7). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Review:

• We left off last week with Paul talking about the food offered to idols being consumed by some.
• Paul and his ministry as an example of the things he has done.
• There will be people with differing opinions and don’t be a stumbling block to them.

 
1 CORINTHIANS 9
19 Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people.

• But his goal is not to please himself but to please God by exercising his call and commission to evangelize, to spread the Word, to preach the good news as widely throughout the known world of his day as he possibly can.[1]

20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law—to win those under the law.

• 1 Corinthians 11:24 - Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.[2]
• Five times he put up with flogging on his back (and perhaps on the back of his legs or arms as well) of this intensity, when all he would’ve needed to do was announce that, in Jewish eyes, he was committing apostasy;
• he was rejecting his Jewish upbringing;
• that serving Jesus was a new religion, like all of the other options in the Graeco-Roman world.
• The synagogue would have had no jurisdiction over him.[3]

21 To those who are without the law, like one without the law—though I am not without God’s law but under the law of Christ—to win those without the law.

• What is the law of Christ?
• To love others
• To serve others
• Walk by the Spirit rather than a list of rules.
• 10 Commandments were for the Jews.

22 To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.

• It is unfortunate that the phrase “all things to all men” has been used and abused by the world and made to mean what Paul did not intend for it to mean.
• Paul was not a chameleon who changed his message and methods with each new situation.
• Nor was Paul a compromiser who adjusted his message to please his audience.
• He was an ambassador, not a politician!
• He did not parade his liberty before the Jews,
• nor did he impose the Law on the Gentiles.[4]

23 Now I do all this because of the gospel, so that I may share in the blessings.

• It takes tact to have contact.[5]
• Imagine if David would have put on Saul’s armor to protect himself?
• He would have lost his freedom to defeat Goliath.
  ​
  
• What does it look like in today’s world to “be all things to all people”?
• Many times it means to “shut your mouth” or “put your device down”.
• Once you fly your colors… you have lost part of your audience.
• Yah, but there are stands that need to be made.
• Any stand greater than someone coming to know Jesus and letting the Spirit lead them?

24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.

• It’s far easier to be legalistic about everything, to set up a long list of dos and don’ts far beyond anything Scripture explicitly sanctions,
• or to be completely hedonistic about everything—anything goes, do what seems good to you in the moment, go with the flow.[6]
• Zoom out and see the bigger picture.
• It’s not about being the sole winner.
• Live your life as though you have trained well for the race.

25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything.

• Self-control = Free will
• You always have a choice between your flesh and the Spirit that resides in you.

They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.

• In Greco-Roman times the winner received a wreath to place on their head like a crown.
• The wreaths were typically made of pine (like pine needles), olive branches or celery.
• How long did it take for the celery to wilt?

26 So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air.

• Shadow boxing is used as a cardio exercise today.
• I’m sure that Paul had many sparring partners and took many body blows for his beliefs.
• But he learned from them on how to defend himself and to also win.

27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

• Control? Who has control of my body?
• Sometimes my flesh does…
• But I am learning more and more every day to let the Spirit that resides in me to have control.
• Put my device down, my remote…
• Quit dwelling on the things that are temporary but the things that are eternal.
• If I am focused on the eternal… the temporary will take care of itself.
• Zoom out… see the bigger picture.

 
WARNINGS FROM ISRAEL’S PAST
1 CORINTHIANS 10
1 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

• In reference to their ancestors escaping from Egypt under Moses leadership and passed through the Red Sea.
• Baptized = Immersion – But also means to identify with.
• When we baptize at Leavener… we baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit so as everyone knows who you are identifying with.

3 They all ate the same spiritual food, (manna from heaven) 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. (water poured out from an actual rock when struck from Moses rod – Numbers 20:11) 5 Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, since they were struck down in the wilderness.

•  One generation of Jews died in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desire evil things as they did.,

• Paul urges the Corinthians not to follow the Israelites’ example of complaining about provisions given by the rock (Christ).[7]

7 Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; (Exodus 32 – worshipping the golden calf) as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.,, 8 Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, (Moabite women seduced both men and women in the wilderness near the end of the 40 years – Numbers 25) and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died. 9 Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes. (They were tempting God and He sent judgment in Numbers 21) 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, (Numbers 14 & 16) and were killed by the destroyer. (angel)

• Why choose this array of examples of Old Testament sin and rebellion?
• What does that have to do with the Corinthians they thought?

11 These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages, have come.

• They all have something to do with idolatry, of not putting the God, Yahweh of Israel, first in the lives of the children of Israel.
• And strikingly, they all have something to do with aspects of Graeco-Roman pagan worship in the pagan temples in Corinth and the other major cities of the empire.[8]

12 So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. 13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it. [9]

• This passage has always been misconstrued to say that “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”
• That is not what it is saying at all.
• First, it says, “There is nothing new in satan’s game”
• Whatever temptation you are currently dealing with… nothing new… that is why he went back to the age of Moses and listed things.
• As believers in Jesus and with the Spirit of God now residing in you… there is no temptation that can’t be overcome.
• You will always have a way out by choosing to walk by the Spirit… rather than your flesh.
• The sin is not the action… but the choice to follow your flesh.
• The temptation, the test, the trial—all of which come from the same Greek roots—may not go away.
• That is never promised in the Scripture as a generalization for all situations.
• But what is promised is, if we turn to God, we will be able to endure it;
• we do not have to fail the test, give in to the temptation, or be overcome by the trial.[10]

 
Hebrews 3:7-11 - Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested me, tried me,
and saw my works 10 for forty years.
Therefore, I was provoked to anger with that generation and said, “They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.”
11 So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.” [11]

• The difference between the Old Covenant believers and the New Covenant believers is that God has given us the ability to rest from our own works.
• We can continue to do things in our own strength as they did in the wilderness… or we can learn the lesson and surrender to the Spirit in each of us.
• Give it a try this week… rest… trust… put down the device… put down the remote.

Set your eyes on things above… listen for the Spirit… you are in for an adventure!!!

[1] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 11:24). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 601). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 601). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[7] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (1 Co 10:4). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[9] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (1 Co 9:19–10:13). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[11] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Heb 3:7–11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.