EBG Preken

Uncomfortable Heroes

Hebrews 11
This is perhaps the best-known chapter in Scripture. The repeated conclusion through all of Hebrews is “Jesus is better.” He is better than the angels. He’s better than the prophets. He’s better than Moses. His priesthood is better than Aaron’s. His new covenant is better than the old covenant. His blood is better than the blood of bulls and goats. And His job is finished, done, accomplished… he sat down!
Some have suggested that Hebrews is a sermon, preached by - well, we don’t actually know that. But the sermon is so good, it was included in the canon of the New Testament. And then we get an Old Testament historical fly-by in chapter 11.

Explanation, Expectation, Extra Endurance
My outline hangs on these words. In verses 1-3 the author gives us an explanation of faith… it is being certain of truth - even though we weren’t there; and it is evidence of that which cannot be seen. Evidence, that we feel - conviction that we know, even though we do not see. Peter declares that “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1Pe. 1:8)

Their expectation in vss 13: promises that were never seen in life. They hoped for a country. A place that is better. This world was not their home. Exiles.

Their Endurance. They kept on believing - even though they never received what we have received and promise that we hold dear: Christ.

So run… hold fast… fight… endure. (12:1)
Four questions:
Am I spending enough time in God’s Word? Psalm 1
Do I spend enough time praying for others? Matthew 6:9-13
Do I invest enough time in the ministries of the Church? 1 Corinthians 9
Am I involved in the lives of others? Hebrews 6:10
Do I show God’s grace in my life to the unsaved? Colossians 4:5-6

Psalm 103
1 Call to praise
David is probably an old man and is looking back at life (verse 5 is an old man’s statement). There are interesting parallels with Psalm 42 & 43. Speaking to yourself and instructing your soul rather than listening to it. “The main problem in the whole matter of “spiritual depression” in a sense is this – we allow our “self” to talk to us instead of “talking to ourself.”” (Martin Lloyd-Jones)
2-5 Do the math
There are six bullet-points. David remembers, first of all, forgiveness. Imagine this adulterer-murderer contemplating all he has been forgiven. God forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies and renews. That last statement brings into focus the thinking and feeling of an old man. When I do the math on God’s benefits to me, my strength is renewed.
6-10 Think back
David broadens His thinking here to acknowledge that God’s goodness is not merely personal, but that this is the experience of the nation. I tend to thinking of “complaining and murmuring” when I think of Israel in connection with Moses… and yet God has not dealt with the nation according to their sins… and that is true of me.
11-13 How much? That much!
This is perhaps the heart of the Psalm, which God’s might, forgiveness and lovingkindness are expressed in childlike terms… How high… the highest I can think of… how far? As far as they could possibly go. How much? A motherly father… “this much” (spreading arms as wide as they go).
14-19 My dad is bigger
Man’s frailty and short life-span is contrasted with God’s might and eternality. God knows who we are and what our weaknesses are. He is altogether different from us and with all His eternal goodness, He looks after us.
20-22 Call to praise
David entreats all of creation to join his soul in praising God

The One who created me part 2
Genesis 2

We are continuing our search for answers in the book of Genesis. Chapter 2:4 introduces a phrase that is repeated 10 times in Genesis and indicates the end of a section. It perhaps also functions as a source for the information. Chapter 2 reveals details about the creation and care of man and sets the stage for chapter 3 - the fall of man.
The questions needs to asked again: what questions does this chapter answer… it does not answer every question. This chapter answers the Who? and Why? Questions.

We’re going to follow the outline of 1:27 and look for details in chapter 2. So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

God created man
Everything in chapter 2 speaks of loving, tender, intimate, compassionate care. Man is created personally by God. This is something you also ought to notice as a change in the narrative. Genesis chapter 1 featured Elohim… the highest God to be feared. Chapter 2 features Yahweh Elohim - starting in verse 4 this name is mentioned 11 times. More than in the rest of the Bible! Mozes is making a point. Yahweh is the personal name of God; the Name he used to introduce Himself to His covenant people. It speaks of His unchangeable character: the eternal faithful one. So, yes He is to be feared as the highest of all and creator, but He is intimate, compassionate and longs to relate to mankind - His highest creation.

In His own image
There are a lot of explanations for what it means that man is created in God’s image: some say it speaks of personhood (intelligence, emotion and will) and that nothing else in creation is created like Him in this way. That could be true, but I don’t think that is the whole picture. Some say it speaks of our dominion - ruling over the earth and subdueing it. Managing requires choices and we are commanded to fill the earth as God filled in chapter 1. This probably has something to do with it, but again, it’s not the whole of it. Some say it is God’s breath in us - we are the only creature to receive the breath of God in our nostrils - thus becoming a living soul. I agree that is a big part of what it means to bear the image of God, but it’s still not the whole of it. I would suggest that all of the above is true and correct and that because of those true things, which God uniquely accomplished in man we are able to reflect God’s moral character as no other created being is able to. Even in our fallen state man is able to bear the image of God to a lesser degree. John helps us understand this when he states that we love, because He first loved us. God’s love is perfect and our love is a reflection of His love. This is true of God’s righteousness, holiness, wisdom, goodness and faithfulness. We have all those attributes, to a lesser degree. He created us in His image.

Male and female
The passage in chapter 2 describes how God took from Adam’s side and made a woman. Rib is insufficient of a translation. God takes from man’s side - flesh, bone and blood. He heals Adam’s wound and fashions a woman from the flesh. He brings her to Adam - as if to say: “Adam, there is one more creature for you to name!”
Much can be said about the creation of woman. But one question that begs answer is why did God not create them simultaneously? The point of the passage is not to indicate inequality - that is settled in chapter 1 (male and female in the image of God). Man and woman are created equal image-bearers before God. What chapter 2 teaches us is the difference in role. Adam is the responsible one. It’s the reason he is addressed first in chapter 3, after they have sinned. Even though Eve was the one deceived. Adam is given the authority to rule and subdue the earth - which is why His work on the earth is cursed. The woman is created to be a fitted helper. And without companionship, God calls man’s situation “not good.”

The design communicated in Genesis chapter 2 is God’s ideal for man. And it is under attack from all sides today.
Genesis 2 teaches us much about what God desires and designed for mankind.
Human sexuality, gender equality and responsibility, human identity - all very modern hot topics are addressed in this fundamental chapter. And yet this is completely under attack:
I refuse to listen to God’s design. I’ll determine my own sexuality - with whomever and whenever I want. I’ll determine my own role - and I want the role that God assigned to someone else. I’ll determine my own identity -God made me male, but I’ve decided that I will be female.
Society has rebelled against this second chapter of Genesis and we are paying the consequences… the nuclear family is being redefined today, because it’s old-fashioned, but we are worse off because of it. Now 22% of children in Holland grow up in a single-parent household.

God gave us a design for life, and we ought to follow the the manufacturer’s instructions.

The One who created me
Genesis 1

To begin a study of the Book of Genesis (or any book of the Bible for that matter), one of the most important things to keep in mind is the author’s intended purpose for the book. “Good hermeneutics, that is, good interpretation and study of God’s Word, starts by taking into consideration the original author, audience, and historical context.” Our natural reaction is to bring our expectations, thoughts, feelings, and culture to a text and with Genesis we want to bring the modern “origins” debate to the table. When we start reading in Genesis, we arm ourselves with arguments against macro-evolution and against the onslaught of arguments made by countless Atheists.

But this is not the original intent of Genesis. If you read Genesis with science in mind, you are going to be sorely disappointed. Every branch of science wants more information than what is given in this chapter… a botanist is not satisfied with verse 11; an astronomer would choke at “and the stars also” in verse 16; a marine biologist would be put off by the lack of words to describe the variety of life in the sea; and an ornithologist - new word for the day - is not impressed by the flighty description of miraculous flying animals.
Can you imagine how long Genesis would need to be if it was indeed the author’s intent to satisfy all these sciences? In asking the text questions that it is not intended to answer, we end up missing the point completely.

Imagine Heather and me sitting on the beach and watching the sunset. We’re enjoying the moment, snuggling in closer for warmth… one of those perfect relationship moments… Heather utters: “I love sitting here with you and watching the sun set.” I look at her and say: “You know, Heather, actually the sun isn’t moving. The earth is spinning and moving in an orbit around the sun and we are turning away from the sun right now. The sun just appears to be setting.” And then I wonder why Heather gets up, shakes the sand off and walks to the car. It ruins the moment and it misses the intent.

Genesis is about introducing God - the mighty God: Elohim. And what He is capable of. In six days he created everything. And why? That’s the point! Genesis is an invitation to worship not an instruction manual for the universe.
What does this almighty creator-God do?
He makes spaces
Day 1He creates time 2-5
Day 2He creates realms 6-8
Day 3He creates a habitat (with food) 9-13
He fills the spaces
Day 4He creates sun, moon and stars 14-19
Day 5He creates marine life and birds 20-23
Day 6He creates land animals and man 24-31

God says, divides, makes, names and sees. He speaks and then assigns function. He sees and calls it good. All of it culminates in the creation of mankind. Everything is created with him in mind… to make life on earth possible, to give time and mark the passing of time, to give a multitude of things to investigate and understand and lead him back to God. Food, work, enjoyment… all for man. And God changes the rhythm in creating man: God speaks to Himself, gets intimately involved in the process, creates in His image blesses, and places all things under his feet. And all of creation is given to man… and His final assessment: it is VERY good.

It all leads us back to God… and we should be in awe of His story. He turns chaos and emptiness (verse 1) to living abundance… and He will do the same with your heart.

That’s not how you learned life.

Jeremiah 10:1-7
Jeremiah presents the problem of idolatry and wanting to be like the nations around them. Jeremiah warns them not to fall for this and instead to acknowledge the emptiness of idolatry and the fulness of God. Who is like Him? Seriously!

We can consider this an Old Testament message, however Paul basically says the same thing in Ephesians 4:17-24. He uses the image of taking off old clothes, changing your mind and then putting on new clothes to symbolize our change from old ways to the new ways of Christ.
He finishes his exhortation with some practical applications and then a beautiful statement about mimicking God… as beloved children.

So… the question is whether you want to be comfortable in your faith - cuddling up to falsities around you. Or uncomfortable in this world, but fully resting on God as the One you pattern your life after.

Ask yourself the question
Jeremiah 9:23-25
The first Sunday of the New Year. What do you expect your pastor to preach on? I was struck by the title of a book recently - not the content, mind you… I haven’t read the book - just the title: uncomfortable. Is it possible we can become too comfortable in our faith? Now, I don’t mean that the only way you can relate to God is through difficulties and that all comfort is a sign of back-sliding. Please don’t go there. But it is entirely possible to develop a blasé, “que sera sera”, way too comfortable attitude towards faith and our relationship with the Lord.
Just like any relationship, there are certain things that ought to be comfortable… certain points of theology ought to be rock-solid and never doubted, but it is a universal truth that we are not holy yet… a lot of change needs to take place when we hold ourselves up to the light of Christ Himself. We must fight the tendency to get comfortable with sin and take God’s immeasurable grace for granted.
To examine this, I want to turn to Jeremiah this morning. This is the last of God’s prophets sent to the southern Kingdom to warn that calamity is coming. Jeremiah has been called the weeping prophet and he wrote the Ecclesiastes. “This prophecy contains several descriptions delivered to the people of the Jews; charging them with the many sins of which they were guilty,; exhorting them to repentance; threatening them with the destruction of their city and temple with captivity in Babylon; and comforting the saints not only with the promise of deliverance for them but of spiritual redemption by the Messiah.” (Boyd’s Bible handbook, 287) The purpose of the book is to teach us how sin, unconfessed and unjudged, will bring full judgment from God in order that His people may be restored.
So… which question ought we ask ourselves? Well, chapter 9:23-25 will be our text and I want to start with verse 25… Jeremiah describes God addressing His own people and he says the following: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh. Literally: circumcised they are still uncircumcised. These are people that have done some religious stuff, but it isn’t reaching the heart. They’ve become comfortable with sin… comfortable to continue living as they are - even if it is an affront to God. Verse 26 even declares: “all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”
The question, then, is: “Do you appear to have more faith than you really do?” Jesus calls this hypocrisy and His harshest words are reserved for the hypocrites. Do not pretend to be something we are not… do not get comfortable with where you are in your spiritual development… grow, deepen, and purify your faith. How?

When I was in Germany last, my brother’s family and our’s decided to head to the top of a mountain. Die Herzogstand. It was a beautifully high mountain and we were thankful for the cable car that took us most of the way up. There was a hike of about a kilometers to another peak. My brother and I happened upon a spot, where a path diverged from the well-trodden path. A sign was posted there that read: The more difficult path. Mark and I decided we would take that. We arrived just a little bit before the rest of the family, sweaty, dirty, and exhausted, but we had seen more of the mountains majesty and had a better appreciation for its height, than the rest.
That’s what we’re talking about.

Knowledge of myself
Jeremiah starts with the problem… boasting in your own accomplishments. He references three areas: wisdom, might, and riches. It is worth examining yourself in light of these words…
wisdom - the arena of the mind: that which we conjure up. Sometimes we’re too smart for our own good… we solve our problems without ever consulting God. We don’t ask for His guidance and will in this situation. We think we can figure it out and
Strength - the physical prowess to fix the problem. I can do it… I’m strong enough. I have the willpower to defeat this sin… I don’t need to do it God’s way. I’ve got this.
Riches - there ain’t no problem my money can’t solve. And my faith wavers most when my bank account is small.

Knowledge of God
God brings it into perspective… don’t boast in what you have… boast in your understanding of God and knowing Him. That is our only claim to fame… isn’t that what Paul teaches us? We can’t only boast in Christ… and then we realize we didn’t expend an iota of energy to receive what He freely gives.
What ought we to know about God? I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. (24) God is working good plans on planet earth and in my life. This is something that we should understand - even when all seems to be falling apart… my faith stands on this piece of knowledge: God is good and He is doing a good thing in my life. All the time.
And then what does God love? What does He delight in? What does God love? That which He is working in the world… and which ought to be our focus also.
“Healthy faith doesn’t just celebrate you as you are, but relentlessly molds and refines you into the likeness of Christ.” (Brett McCracken)

Five questions:
Am I spending enough time in God’s Word? Psalm 1
Do I spend enough time praying for others? Matthew 6:9-13
Do I invest enough time in the ministries of the Church? 1 Corinthians 9
Am I involved in the lives of others? Hebrews 6:10
Do I show God’s grace in my life to the unsaved? Colossians 4:5-6