An explanation of salvation: justification, sanctification, and glorification.

In our passasge this morning we have two possible approaches to God outlined by the Word of God. One is to come in our merits - by the works we have done in the hope that somehow we"ve done enough. This view sees God as a distant deity who looks upon us as those who never really make it - because we don't. We all fall short of the standard - perfection. The other approach is through the mediator between God and man - Jesus Christ. We are welcome to come to the Holy God through Him in confidence and with great hope. The writer of Hebrews spells out the two options for us with clarity though a discussion of two mountains - Mount Sinai - the place where the lasw was given, and Mount Zion - the New Jerusalem where we find the fulfillment of eternal life promised in Christ.

BIG IDEA: Wisdom confronts reality and provides perspective on the human condition while benefitting the wise by preserving and protecting them.

In verses 1-11, we were told to endure discipline as something that will ultimately produce a deeper walk with our Lord characterized by righteousness and peace. Now in verse 12, we're told to strength ourselves so that we can run the race without becoming weary and feeling like we cannot continue.

In scripture the image of God being the potter and us being the clay is used to illustrate the idea that God chooses to shape and mold us into the image He desires. When we see clay being molded it is spun around on a potter's wheel, the potter then applies pressure to get the clay to form the shape he wants. This is a great picuture of what God does with us - he applies the pressure of trials and discipline to shape and mold us into what He wants us to be for our good and His glory.

The call to run the race set out for us in Hebrews 12 cannot be understood unless we consider what has been shared in previous chapters. Hebrews is a book written to persecuted, discouraged believers of Jewish decent. Many had become discouraged by the hardship their new faith brought, some were giving up the fight. In Hebrew 10 they were encouraged to hang together and not forsake the assembling of themselves together.

Heb 11:32-40

For many today, following God can mean losing family and friends. The obedient walk that God calls us to does not match up with their choices or lifestyles. Today we'll look at the those who chose to follow God no matter what.

After mentioning Abraham and Sarah, as well as, Isaac and Jacob who were heirs of the same promise (v. 9), the writer of Hebrews then makes an important point – all of these people were living in faith when they died. In other words, none of them found the complete fulfillment of all that had been promised. In point of fact they still wait for the fulfillment of the promise as more people are added to Abraham’s descendants and as the fulfillment of the Promised Land being given to God’s people which is yet to come. What we see in all of these were imperfect people who counted on and looked toward God’s promise throughout their lives. Even as they died they counted on God honoring His promise.

Faith is one of the most imporant concepts in all of scripture for us to grasp because it is faith that brings us into a relationship with God. The scriptures reveal that faith comes by hearing and hearing from the Word of God. But what is faith? Hebrews 11 lays out the concept of faith - a description of it. The Greek word for faith is translated "to trust, to believe, to have faith". It has the idea of "entrusting" ourselves to what we believe. Faith then is trusting that something is true and then acting on what we believe to be true.