First General Baptist

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews  

Text: Hebrews 6:9-13  

The work did not start with you and will not end with you.  

Have done…  

Am doing…  

Will do…until the end  

Imitate those who have gone before you who are worthy of imitation. And be worthy of imitation to those who are coming after you.

The cycles of life  

Breaking the downward cycle of: addiction, dysfunction, unfaithfulness.  

~Desire to make the future better than the past.  

~Desire to give more than take  

~Desire for people to want to imitate you as a positive influence for Jesus.  

On the desk of president Harry Truman,  “The Buck Stops Here”  

Start the upward cycle: not, continue the flat, straightline cycle.  

Every generation will face new, unique challenges.  

I can’t imagine the challenges Abraham faced, and Abraham couldn’t imagine the challenges I face.

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews  

Text: Hebrews 6:4-8  

Persistent, unrepentant sin.  

When approaching the Word with no preconceived notions, the obvious reading of scripture is often the accurate one.  

This isn’t God saying no, this is people saying no. The word impossible is not what God can’t do, but what you won’t do.                    It is impossible to renew someone to repentance who will not repent.  

Romans 10:9  

1 John 1:9  

The insanity of sin  

1 Samuel 15:13-21  

Dennis DeHann, "Sin is so dangerous because it is blind to itself."  

Charles Colson, "If there is anything worse than our sin, it is our infinite capacity to rationalize it away."

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews  

Text: Hebrews 6:1-3  

Believing God at His Word:  

Romans 10:9  

1 John 1:9  

Fenelon, "Satan is the one who torments us with trivialities.  And he often transforms himself into an angel of light, and bothers us with endless self-examinations and an over-sensitive conscience which allows us no peace."  

Holy Spirit convicts, Satan condemns. If you don’t move on, you have gone from conviction to condemnation.  

Act on what you know to be true.  

Thomas Merton, "It seems to me the most absurd thing in the world to be upset because I am weak and distracted and blind and constantly make mistakes!  What else do I expect!"  

What is the worst restaurant meal you have ever had? What is the biggest mistake you have made in the kitchen?  

Romans 2:4, It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. Not His anger, judgment, discipline…

Message: Communion—The cycle of service

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:24-25

James 1:17

Luke 22:27

God is: always the Initiator, Giver, Sustainer, Provider…feeding you and pouring into you.

We are: always needy, receiving, (need to be) thankful, acknowledging, returning…

Patiently wait your turn. Can you see it coming?

Jacqueline, "I think of myself as having a spiritual disability now--I have to rely on God all day long every day. I can't count on myself because I failed myself."

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews

Text: Hebrews 5:9-14

Teaching and reaching others

How long have you been a Christian? How’s it going?

When was the last time the Holy Spirit revealed something new to you in His Word? What is the last new thing you have learned from The Word?

Matthew 14:28

Luke 10:34-35

2 Corinthians 10:16

What is your reason for not teaching and reaching anyone?

Use the Word of God to put you to use!

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews

Text: Hebrews 5:1-9

Ministry: Aware of your weakness before you can help the weakness of others. Aware of your sin before you can help the sin of others.

Vs 9, often in scripture “perfect” means mature, complete, finished. In this verse perfect is used as “completely qualified” as Jesus is our perfect High Priest, the only One qualified to do so…meeting all the qualifications

Vs 8, Suffering teaches obedience

Hebrews 2:10

When the Father says “No”

Obeying God even though…

Obedience and faith are easy when God is doing everything you want

Acts 9:15-16, Habakkuk 3:17-18

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews  

Text: Hebrews 4:14-16  

Hold on to your confession/profession of faith.  

(Romans 10:9)  

Public confession/profession is when things start happening, things get done, things start to change.  

Why public? So others can hear you say it. So you can remember you said it to others.  

Hold on to your prayer.  

Never stop asking, because you will never stop needing.  

Hold on to Jesus.  

Jesus knows what temptation feels like but He does not know what sinning feels like. He understands the desire to quit but He does not know what giving up feels like because He never did. Jesus conquered sin for you because He knows that you can’t.

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews  

Text: Hebrews 4:12-13  

The spoken and written Word of God through, by and for Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God.  

Bible Study:  

Genesis 1:1-3, John 1:1-5  

1 Peter 1:20-23  

Hebrews 1:1-2  

The Word of God is a “He,” not an “it.”  

Application:  

Living Word—There is no where that He is not.  

Abraham Kuyper, "There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out,  "This is mine! This belongs to me!"  

(And you are more than one square inch!)  

Powerful Word—Matthew 28:18  

~Almost all your spiritual growth will be tied in some way with your growth in the sovereignty of Jesus.  

~”Hang On!” two ways.  

If Christianity is boring to you, you’re not doing it right.

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews  

Text: Hebrews 4:12-13  

The spoken and written Word of God through, by and for Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God.  

Bible Study:  

Genesis 1:1-3, John 1:1-5  

1 Peter 1:20-23  

Hebrews 1:1-2  

The Word of God is a “He,” not an “it.”

Application:  

Living Word—There is no where that He is not.  

Abraham Kuyper, "There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out,  "This is mine! This belongs to me!"  

(You are more than one square inch!)  

Powerful Word—Matthew 28:18  

Sharper Word—There is nothing about you that Jesus does not know. He knows what is wrong with you, and He knows what is right with you.  

What is wrong with you?  

What is right with you?

Message: The Letter to the Hebrews  

Text: Hebrews 4:1-11 (NIV)

Belief + Trust = Faith  

Do you believe? So trust…rest.

Mathew 11:28  

“Today!” Breaking the cycle from yesterday!  

Generations—breaking the cycle of ungodliness and dysfunction.  

Personally—breaking the cycle of ungodliness and dysfunction.  

N.T. Wright, “Once you stop believing either in the God who called you, rescued you and guides you, or in the future He has promised you, you may simply go round and round in the wilderness and never get anywhere.”  

Best message title ever—Joyce Meyer, “Haven’t We Seen This Mountain Somewhere Before?”