Bulletins - Richvale Community Church

Good morning!
We are continuing our sermon series, Anchored in book of Hebrews.
This morning we're looking at "A Faith That Endures."
It has been said that
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
Starting a journey is exciting.
There is anticipation, energy, and a sense of adventure.
My older brother, Rob, retired a few months ago and decided to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
His goal is to ride his motorcycle across four continents.
He has already traveled serveral thousand miles.. through Europe, crossed into Africa, and now he's just made his way through Turkey…
— It is kind of neat. Thst ..You can follow him live on Google Maps…
He has had some amazing experiences -but…
There have also been challenges ..along the way…
wrong turns, bike repairs, fatigue, and times he feels he might have bitten off more than he can chew…
The real challenge of journey of this magnitude…. is continuing when the road gets difficult…
The Christian life is a lot like that.
It's one thing to begin the journey of faith. It's another thing to keep going ..
That is where the Hebrews Christians found themselves.
They had begun well — but as they began to face challenges that pressed form the out side..in..
they were in danger of-drifting from faith and going back into Judaism …..
It wasn’t that they were openly rejecting Christ, but they became apathetic ..spiritually sluggish..
They were settling for Spiritual infancy …Instead of growing on to maturity…
-
The problem with this kind of faith …it doesn’t last..
The end of Chapter 5.. The preacher of hebrews encourages them to move to liquids ot solids..
Hebrews 5:14 ESV
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
in other word.. there is.. intentionality in Spiritual growth—and maturity…. It more than having Faith… it both believing .. and practicing — faith…
T/s Faith that endures is anchored… and .
I. Anchored Faith Grows
Most us hate getting stuck!
If you are anything like me in a traffic jam?
At first you're patient.
You assume it will clear up in a minute or two… but as time goes on you get impatience ..settles in..
You start looking at the other lanes.
The lane to your left moves a little, and you think, "I picked the wrong lane." So you merge over.
Five minutes later, the lane you just left starts moving while yours comes to a stop.
Then the lane on the right begins to move, and you're tempted to switch again.
Sometimes we spend so much time changing lanes that we never actually make much progress.
Life can feel that way.
We get stuck, and we begin to think, "If only something changed..."
Maybe if I changed jobs.
Maybe if I changed my routine.
Maybe if my circumstances were different.
We naturally assume that if something is different, it must be better.
But here's the reality:
Changing lanes isn't the same as moving forward.
C.S. Lewis said it this way..
"Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth." C.S Lewis.
In other words, growth includes perseverance .. it is moving in the right direction.
It is really staying with the process long enough for God to transform us.
That is exactly where the writer of Hebrews has been leading us.
Let’s look at our text..
Hebrews 6:1–3 ESV
1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.
The writer begins with the goal of faith and that is : maturity (perfection)
He says, "Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity" (Hebrews 6:1).
Notice the phrase, "Let us." This is important - because it tells us that. Growth doesn't happen in a vacuum.
The Christian life is never "me and Jesus."
Maturity happens in the context of community..
We grow through worshiping together,
studying together,
serving together,
and lovingly one another together…
Then he says… let us…., "leave the elementary teachings about Christ."
What are these elementary teachings?
They are the ABCs of the faith—
He lists them in three pairs of teachings.:
Repentance from dead works and faith toward God.
Instructions about washings and the laying on of hands.
The resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.
These elementary truths are really the OT means of salvation..
Remember ..These Hebrew Christians roots were in the OT… teaching..they grew up with..
The Law, the sacrifices, the ceremonial washings, and the promises all pointed forward to the coming Messiah.
But these were shadows and types that anticipated Christ.
Now that Christ has come, the shadows have given way to the substance...
The writer is not saying, "Leave repentance behind."
He is saying, "Don't stop with an Old Covenant understanding of repentance but rather. —see its fulfillment in Christ."
Don't stop at the foundation of ceremonial washings; but experience the cleansing that comes through the blood of Christ.
Don't stop with laying hands on a sacrificial animal to identify with your sin.
Lay hold of Christ, the Lamb of God, who has taken away the sin of the world.
Everything the Old Testament anticipated ….finds its fulfillment in Jesus
The word "leave" does not mean to abandon these truths. It means to build upon them—
Think about building a house.
Once the foundation is poured, you don't keep pouring concrete.
You build the walls, the roof, the windows, and the rooms.
The foundation remains essential, but it was never intended to be the whole house.
— We learn from Hebrews how to grow…
Growth is letting go and moving on…
Christianity is never meant to be static. Faith is always moving forward.
John Barry say a..
Maturity of faith is something you continue to “be” and “do” and “seek.”
John D. Barry; Rebecca Kruyswijk
Spiritual maturity is more than gaining biblical information… it is practice.. James says we are not just to hearers of the word but doers of the word..….faith is a verb..
There are at least two dimensions of spiritual maturity.
The first is intellectual maturity—growing in our understanding of God's Word and the truths of the faith…
The second is behavioral maturity—where our attitudes, words, and actions increasingly reflect Christ.
In other words..
Maturity is measured by obedience…
It is measured by humility.
It is measured by Christlike character.
Have you noticed… that..
Growing people are teachable.
Growing people hunger for God's Word.
Growing people become quicker to repent and slower to criticize.
Growing people increasingly look like Jesus.
T.s Faith that matures..is anchored..…
Is anchored in Growth.
II. Anchored Faith Endures
We may not notice guardrails on our daily commutes..
But..they are important..
Guardrails are placed —along steep drop-offs,
sharp curves, and dangerous are as...
A guardrail serves two important purposes.
First, it warns you that danger is near.
Second, it keeps you from leaving the road.
After urging his readers to grow into spiritual maturity,
he now places a guardrail in front of them.
The warning isn't meant to terrify believers. It's meant to keep them on the road…
To keep them from drifting so far from Christ that they find themselves on the edge of apostasy.
lets read our text..
Hebrews 6:4–12 ESV
4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
This is one of the most sobering passages in all of Scripture.
The text describes people who have experienced extraordinary spiritual privileges—OF BEING PART OF the COMMUNITy of Faith..
IT DESCRIBES FAITH AS…
having been enlightened,
having tasted the heavenly gift,
having shared in the Holy Spirit, and who have
experienced the goodness of God's Word….
This verse has caused quite a bit stir over history of the church…

Because it brings up THE question ..
…CAN A BELIEVER LOOSE their SALVATION.
after tasting of Gods good ness. …how will they be saved if they Drift from faith?
How will they be RESTORED..
Now there are two perspectives.. — that came out OF THE Reformation..
The first is the Arminian perspective, which understands this passage as a warning
… that as Christians it is possible to turn away from Christ through persistent unbelief and apostasy. —
we can loose our salvation..
The second is the Reformed (calvinist) perspective, which emphasizes God's preserving grace—that those who are truly saved will ultimately persevere, (will be saved)
this passage is seen as describing those who have experienced the blessings of the Christian community without possessing genuine saving faith.
In other words they were not saved to begin with..
How…Regardless where fall on this issue
Both position agrees on one the central point—
Faith is about persistence..
It is Warning..
“STAY IN FAITH… DON’T drift NEAR THE EDGE.”
It tells us that our … focus should be On Christ..
To FOCUS ON FRUITFULNESS.
Then the writer gives US an illustration.
Two fields receive the same rain.
One produces crops.
The other produces thorns.
The difference isn't the rain.
(IT IS THE SOIL)
The difference is the response.
The same gospel is preached.
The same grace is offered.
The question is:
Where are we in relationship ot Grace..
Our goal is simple..
—-KEEP CLOSE TO CHRIST (PERSEVERE) AND YOU WILL PRODUCE FRUIT..
What is is interesting this warning…is FOLLOWED.
By one of the most encouraging verses in Hebrews
Hebrews 6:9–12 ESV
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
The writer — calls them beloved.. THEY ARE LOVED.
He is not trying to crush their faith; he is calling them ..to strengthen their faith.
The warning was not meant to push them away from Christ.
The warning was meant to draw them closer to Christ.
He says, "I have spoken strongly, but I believe something better about you—things that belong to salvation."
Why? BECAUSE ..
"God is not unjust..."
GOD HAS SEEN y our EFFORT… your WORK AND LOVE …
God is not unjust to forget.
Here is the thing..
People may overlook your faithfulness.
People may never know the cost of your obedience.
But God sees it all.
And notice what he says about their service:
"...as you still do."
They hadn't stopped.
They were still loving.
Still serving.
Still following.
Then the writer shares his deepest..desire for them— that they finish the journey.
Hebrews 6:12 ESV
12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
if you finish well …, "Look at those who have gone before you. Follow their example."
HEBREWS 11. The herod of Faith..
They inherited the promises because they kept trusting God through difficulty.
They had faith.
They had patience.
They endured.
THE ISSUE IS Not
"How close can I live to the edge and still be okay?"
BUT
"How close can I draw to my Father?"
The closer we walk with Jesus, the less appealing the edge becomes.
The closer we draw to the Father, the more our hearts desire what pleases Him.
Anchored Faith Grows
2. Anchored faith endures.
III. Anchored Faith Hopes
My brother was telling me about a haircut he got while traveling through Turkey.
He decided to try a local barber, not quite sure what to expect.
The barber gave him the shortest haircut he'd ever had. Then, just when he thought the haircut was over, the barber asked if he wanted some extra trimming...
he agreed go the. We experience..
The barber poured alcohol around my brother's ears, struck a match, and set it on fire!
It only lasted a second but certainly got My brother attention..
When it comes to Faith..
there's a big difference between blind trust and biblical hope.
Biblical hope is not wishful thinking.
It is not saying, “I hope things get better.”
Biblical hope is a confident expectation that God will do what He has promised to do.
It is trusting God’s character while patiently waiting for His timing.
The world’s hope is often uncertain: “I hope this works out.”
Biblical hope is secure: “I know the One who holds my future.”
Stuart Brisco.
Faith is only as valid as its object. You could have tremendous faith in very thin ice and drown.… You could have very little faith in very thick ice and be perfectly secure. —Stuart Briscoe
Stuart Briscoe
In Hebrews 6, the writer reminds us that God’s promises can be trusted…. because he is by nature faithful
let’s read our text.
Hebrews 6:13–20 ESV
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
The writer now tells these struggling believers — How to move forward in Faith..
First look back.
Look back to God's covenant with Israel. Look back to the history of God's faithfulness.
He reminds them that when God made Abraham a promise.
He confirmed that promise with an oath.
Why is that important?
Because of who is making an oath…
We have important documents… like deplomas and birth certificates…
they all come with a seal… The seal says this is real…
carries the weight of authority..the person making the promise..
The writer explains why:
"It is impossible for God to lie." (Hebrews 6:18)
Think about that.
There are many things God cannot do.
He cannot deny Himself.
He cannot change His character.
And He cannot lie.
That means our
confidence rests in God's inability to break His Word.
As Numbers 23:19 says,
"God is not a man, that He should lie."
One of the greatest demonstrations of God's trustworthiness is found in the life of Abraham.
When God promised Abraham a son.
Abraham waited...Not for a few months.
Not for a few years.
He waited twenty-five years before Isaac was finally born.
That was a long season of faith.
But surprisingly, the greatest test didn't come while Abraham was waiting for the promise.
It came after he received it.
In Genesis 22, God said,
"Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love... and offer him as a burnt offering."
Can you imagine the tension?
Isaac wasn't merely Abraham's beloved son. He was the fulfillment of God's covenant promise… God’s promise.."
Now God was asking Abraham to surrender the very person through whom that promise would be fulfilled.
Abraham stood at a crossroads.Would he trust what he could see?
Or would he trust the God who had spoken?
Hebrews 11 gives us a remarkable glimpse into Abraham's thinking…
When Abrahm was tested— offering up his only son.. this what he concluded..
Hebrews 11:19
Hebrews 11:19 ESV
19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
In other words, Abraham reasoned,
"I don't understand God's command, but I do understand God's character.
If God made the promise, then somehow God will keep the promise."
we can count on Gods word..
Because..
God not only promises to bless and multiply Abraham, but He also swears to accomplish it. promise snd and oath…
This is double certainty… a double guarantee..
What an encouragement that is for us.
Our hope is not anchored in our feelings.
Our hope is not anchored in our circumstances.
Our hope is not anchored in our ability to figure everything out.
Our hope is anchored in the unchanging character of God.
There will be seasons when God's ways seem confusing.
But we can always trust who God is.
The anchor of our faith is not that life always makes sense.
The anchor of our faith is that God's character never changes, and His promises never fail.
Brings the dead back to life…
CONCLUSION
To be honest there are a lot of Anchors out there… there are anchors of self sufficiency....
Anchors of dependency and interdependency…
There are Anchors in Relationships and Anchors in money… family… on and on…
But..all these anchors can failures..
In Acts 27, Paul was caught in a violent storm at sea.
The sailors dropped four anchors, hoping they would keep the ship from drifting. But the anchors couldn't save them. The ship was eventually driven onto the rocks and broken apart.
Earthly anchors will always disappoint us eventually.
But Hebrews points us to an anchor that never fails.
Hebrews 6:19–20 ESV
19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Our Hope is only as secure as what it is anchored too..
Our a chose is in Christ alone..
We told that Our hope is anchored beyond this world,
behind the curtain, into the very presence of God, where Jesus has already gone before us as our great High Priest.
Our future is secure because our Savior is already there…
Our Achor is in heaven.. .
He is the sure and steadfast Anchor of the soul.
He has gone before us.
He is praying for us.
He will never leave us.
And because He is faithful, we can stand with confidence today and face tomorrow with hope.
praise the Lord..
- - Hebrews 5:14ESV
- - Hebrews 6:1–3ESV
- - Hebrews 6:4–12ESV
- - Hebrews 6:9–12ESV
- - Hebrews 6:12ESV
- - Hebrews 6:13–20ESV
- - Hebrews 11:19ESV
- - Hebrews 6:19–20ESV

I. Anchored Faith Grows

II. Anchored Faith Endures

III. Anchored Faith Hopes

Hebrews 5:14ESV

Hebrews 6:1–3ESV

Hebrews 6:4–12ESV

Hebrews 6:9–12ESV

Hebrews 6:12ESV

Hebrews 6:13–20ESV

Hebrews 11:19ESV

Hebrews 6:19–20ESV