My 7/8/12AM sermon from Hebrews 12:3-4 was entitled Consider Jesus. In this sermon, we were built and further equipped in running our race of endurance by considering Jesus and His suffering. One part of this was encouragement: so that we don’t grow weary or fainthearted. And, the other part involved focusing us in our present circumstances, helping us keep our circumstances in perspective. Today, if you’re weary, fainthearted or just stumbling in running the race of endurance, consider Jesus and find hope for your perseverance.
Weekend Recap – Marathon
My 7/1/12AM sermon from Hebrews 12:1-2 entitled The Race of Endurance is now online. While there are many directions one could go in this rich passage, I tried to woodenly stick with the main idea which is running the race (of the Christian life) with endurance. I saw the text unfold three helps for running that race of endurance more effectively.
We run in Christian community. The cloud of witnesses surrounding us aren’t there watching us run as mere spectators. They are there to provide a clear witness through their lives that running with perseverance is worth it in light of who God is.
We are also to run unconstrained. We let go of whatever would hinder our enduring. Certainly sin can keep us from running well since it clings closely and hinders our stride. But there are other weights and burdens that can keep us from running the race with endurance as well.
Finally, and most important, we run focused on Christ. He’s the aim. He’s made the race even possible for dead ones like you and me. He’s trailblazed this race before, running His own race to the cross with joy, treating all the shame as a small thing compared to honoring His Father. His ruling at God’s right hand now, makes this race all the more thrilling.
You might need to get your head in the game and run. But today, be encouraged and equipped in God’s Word: He’s given you all that you need for life and godliness, all you need to run well.
Get Your Head In the Game
This coming Sunday, 7/1/12, we will be turning our attending to Running The Race of Endurance marked out for us from Hebrews 12:1-2. After highlighting the importance of perseverance and showing how faith relates to this, in chapter 12, our writer comes right out and tells us that we need to run the race of endurance. Sunday’s sermon will relate to how we can run this race more effectively, specifically highlighting the importance of Christian community, getting rid of obstacles and looking to Jesus.
As we prepare for Sunday, though, I thought I’d ask, are you in the race? There are way to many people in our church who treat Christianity as a casual thing. They do the church thing as it’s convenient for them. Sure, they would be quick to confess they love Jesus. But, when you press them, they don’t talk much about Jesus, how He’s working in their lives, or how He’s their passion. No, they are passionate about gardens, weather, building projects at home or a host of countless other things. As a pastor who feels the burden (like Paul felt) of presenting every man complete in Christ, I’m hoping God does a work this week to get people’s heads in the game. There’s a race to run. There’s a life to live. If we’re not aggressively centering all of it in Jesus, we can easily lose sight of the things of most importance. Therefore, hear the word of the Lord: “Let us run with endurance the race marked out for us.” Headed in that direction with you…
Weekend Recap – New Covenant & Faith
My 6/24/12AM sermon from Hebrews 11:39-40 entitled Faith and The New Covenant is now online. There’s lots of excuses made as to why one can’t live a life of faith, but, Biblically speaking, we have every reason in the world to aggressively pursue it. Simply put, because of the new covenant blessings that are ours in Christ, faith should be the natural way we relate to God. In this closing passage to Hebrews 11, I try to make the case that we should live by faith because that it is a path, a way of life, that is blessed by God. Further, it’s how righteous people live. There’s no other way.
I hope you enjoyed a great Lord’s Day.
Something Better
This coming Sunday, I hope (Lord willing) to finish Hebrews 11 by preaching Hebrews 11:39-40. After listing hero after hero who triumphed in faith one way or another, our writer wants to turn the corner to help us see what this means for us. And, he’s been sitting on a royal flush.
He assures us that God provided something better for us, namely the Lord Jesus Christ and His new covenant work.
All these Old Testament saints had trusted and didn’t have the great and precious promises that we have in Christ. Here’s how Lig Duncan highlights this charge:
“Look you Hebrew Christians, who heard the Gospel from those who had heard it from the apostles themselves. You have seen how the story ends. You have seen the coming of the Messiah. These people before had not seen it and yet they trusted. So why don’t you trust?”
Or Calvin:
“A tiny spark led them to Heaven. But now that the Son of Righteousness shines on us, what excuse shall we offer if we still hold to this earth?”
We’ve been given much more than the heroes of faith had in chapter 11 of Hebrews. The only question that remains is, “Will we live by faith?” Come this Sunday as we explore this.
Weekend Recap – Worthy Heroes
My 6/17/12AM sermon from Hebrews 11:32-38 is now online. It was entitled Worthy Heroes. There were a few things that really stood out to me in this passage…
1) The hope of a better life. In v.35, there are 2 ways contrasted. 2 women triumphed in faith when they received back children from the dead. That was a pretty amazing thing, a physical resurrection. But, what captivates the writer of Hebrews was those who were tortured, and led to death in the hope of a better life, a better resurrection. This spiritual resurrection that is ours should be enough to jolt us in the here and now to live lives of endurance marked by faith. This hope of a better life should help get you through Mondays.
2) Worthy – In v.38, these suffering believers are described as those of whom the world is not worthy. Which led me to ask, well if they aren’t worthy of the world, then who are they worthy of? The answer: God Himself. When we triumph in endurance, God is pleased and esteemed as the most worthy one of the universe.
Today, then, strive to be a worthy hero that honors God by living in faith.
Weekend Recap – Faith & God’s People
My 6/10/12 sermon entitled Faith Developed in God’s People from Hebrews 11:29-31 is now online. The sermon sought to show how God seemed to work faith in His people in this passage. Specifically, we saw faith trust God’s Word of deliverance as the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea. We saw faith cling to God’s promises in the midst of tough circumstances as they marched around Jericho 7 times and saw it fall. And faith obeyed, as Rahab evidenced her faith in obedience to God’s call for her salvation.
There are many rich applications for our lives from this. For instance, we all face tough times and this passage shows how to unrelentingly hold to God through those. I hope you found it encouraging. Have a blessed week.
Weekend Preview – Jericho (In & Out) and God’s People…
Been a rather busy week, so I haven’t blog as consistently, but work still has been in motion for our corporate gatherings tomorrow. In the AM, we are looking at God develop the faith of His people as they cross the Red Sea and conquer Jericho (and with Jericho, we see faith in those outside and inside the city). So, plan to come as we look at Hebrews 11:29-31 and see faith related to God’s people. I’m hoping God works through His Word to develop faith in us.
In the evening, our church will start a week of VBS. We meet from 6:30-8:30 on June 10-14. For more info on this check out the church website. Here’s a short video I made today to promote our week…
VBS 2012 Promo Video from Phil Auxier on Vimeo.
Faith for Finite and Focused…
This coming Sunday, as we gather for Memorial Day weekend, we will be looking at Hebrews 11:20-22 and three patriarchs on their deathbed. This reminds us that we are finite as well. Further, each of these men were focused on future things they couldn’t yet see. Most notable of these is Joseph, who moved to Egypt at the age of 17 and was so throughly acquainted with God’s promises that when he died at the age of 110 (still in Egypt) he gave instructions about his bones to be returned to the Promised Land, because he saw the reality that God’s promise was.
As people of faith who have been given a few years to live for God’s glory, does a future focus define our reality? Are we gripped by the promises of the Gospel in such a way that they inform our living. Come this Sunday as we seek to flesh these realities out.
Weekend Recap – 5/20/12AM
My sermon from 5/20/12 entitled Faith Tested from Hebrews 11:17-19 is online. The sermon examined the story of Abraham’s test to offer Isaac as a sacrifice and sought to show, first of all, that faith can be tested. Many of us think that the Christian life is a life of ease and comfort, but the Bible never paints that kind of picture. Even the greatest heroes of the faith were tested. This was true of Abraham. However, there was great hope in this text as we saw how a faith that is tested is strengthened. Abraham emerged from the testing with a deeper, abiding trust in a good and all-wise God who had commanded him to obey and had given him promises. This is where our faith can be strengthened as well, as we trust in God.
Hope you enjoyed a great Lord’s Day.
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