First Baptist Church
Fairbanks, Alaska
805 Sixth Avenue
(907) 456-4923
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Fairbanks, Alaska 805 Sixth Avenue (907) 456-4923 |
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“Graduation!” A Study of the Book of Hebrews (Part 4) Hebrews 5-7 Mark Howdeshell (May 18, 2008) Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Introduction This past week I had the privilege of attending several graduations. This is the season!! I thought that I wouldn’t have to preach a sermon on graduation…but then God showed me otherwise as I was preparing for this morning. What do you think about when I say graduation? How many of you can remember graduation? Here is a story about a certain graduation that took place 17 years ago.
The commencement ceremony described was for the Washington Community High School class of 1991. Class valedictorian Natasha Appenheimer and the American Civil liberties Union won a court injunction the day before graduation that banned any type of prayer at the event. Even though the Benediction and invocation were suggested by the students and intended to be student-led, U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade ruled that, since the prayers were subject to teacher review and would be promoted in school-printed programs, that the prayers violated the constitutional separation of church and state. During the ceremony, Ryan Brown, a fellow student and one of the scheduled speakers, paused on his way to the podium to bow in silent prayer, which was greeted with cheers. During his speech, he faked a sneeze, and a few students, with whom he had previously arranged, shouted "God Bless You" in response. Subtle protests by students were seen throughout the ceremony. Many used tape to spell out the words "Let's Pray" and "Amen" on their caps, while others wore cross necklaces passed out before the ceremony. My intent for sharing this story isn’t to elaborate about prayer in schools, or ways to skirt authority, or the Biblical teachings of either. My intent was simply to make you think about a graduation. Most of you can probably remember the day…and some of you more than one. Some of you have sat through the graduations of children, grandchildren, or neighbor kids. What is it that makes graduations special? The Meat of the Message
i. If we look at graduation as passing from one stage of our lives to the next, we can see that each of us have graduated many times. 1. Graduated from being single to being married. 2. Graduated into becoming a mother or father. 3. Graduated into becoming a grandparent. 4. Graduated into becoming a Child of God’s
Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
i. Acts that lead to death = repentance from sin 1. Genuine sorrow for committing sin 2. Sincere desire to turn away from it ii. Faith in God (Jesus) 1. To believe "in God," therefore, is to believe in him as he "actually exists" - as the true God-the Author of the great plan of salvation by the Redeemer. 2. Needless to attempt to show that faith in the true God is essential to salvation. How can he be saved who has no "confidence" in the God that made him? iii. Instruction about Baptisms (plural) 1. Baptism by the Holy Spirit 2. Baptism by water which symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ iv. Laying on of Hands 1. Many examples in the Scripture of the laying of hands during a. Prayer b. Ordination into office c. Healing 2. Mainly used today during ordination services and during prayers to confer a special prayer from one to another on a solemn occasion v. Resurrection of the Dead 1. The hope of each Christian 2. Our bodies will be resurrected in the end times to be like His vi. Eternal Judgment 1. The basic knowledge that we will all be judged by God 2. The judgment will be final a. No appeals b. No reconsideration c. No changing His mind
Hebrews 5-11-1411 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
i. The solid food we need to be eating are the teachings about righteousness. 1. Jesus as the Great High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek ii. By constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil
i. King of Salem and priest of God Most High (v. 7:1) 1. High priest must be called by God (v. 5:4) a. Selected to represent men in matters related to God b. To offer gifts and sacrifices for sins c. Must offer sacrifices for his own sin because he is also subject to weakness 2. Remains a high priest until death ii. Such a great priest that even Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder after the defeat of the kings!! iii. Had no genealogical ties to Levi or the other priests to warrant such gifts other than the appointment by God.
Heb 4:14-16 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Unconditional Love -
"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I have a friend I'd like to bring home with me." "Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him." "There's something you should know the son continued, "he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mind and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us." "I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live." "No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us." "Son," said the father, "you don't know what you're asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own." At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn't know, their son had only one arm and one leg. The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don't like people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would rather stay away from people who aren't as healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are. Thankfully, there's someone who won't treat us that way. Someone who loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the forever family, regardless of how messed up we are.
Heb 5:7-10 7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek
i. Jesus has faced temptation, weakness, sadness, death, unacceptance, persecution, and terror but through His obedience He became the source of eternal salvation ii. Jesus appointed by God to be our High Priest
i. The Law was changed from the Levitical priesthood 1. Law had no hope of eternal salvation 2. Impossible to keep 3. Weak and useless (v.7:18) 4. Made nothing perfect ii. Jesus became the High Priest with an oath from God 1. “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.” (v. 7:21) 2. Guarantees that Jesus is our High Priest forever and He will never die!
Heb 7:26-28 26 Such a high priest meets our need — one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
The Bottom Line So there is some Spiritual food for you this morning. The plan of Salvation that God put into place wasn’t as simple as many believe. All of prophecy, edicts, and the Law had to be fulfilled with the death of Jesus. God’s perfect plan, set in motion with the birth of His Son, continued through the life of Jesus, and culminated at the death on the cross……….or did it. In fact, Jesus graduated to the next phase of the plan after His death on the cross. His resurrection and the ultimate defeat of death has given us a hope, a promise, a cleansing, a forgiveness, and grace that covers all of our weaknesses. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!!!!!
Invitation I’m going to explain the invitation process a bit this morning. There are several responses that you can make in a moment. You can join the church. For someone that is already saved and has been a member of this church or a similar church that believes in baptism by immersion in the past, you can come on a statement of faith or through the transfer of letter from your previous church. If you’ve never been baptized by immersion, then our church requires you to be baptized. Your baptism by immersion symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and is a step of obedience to Christ. It is also emblematic of the baptism by the Holy Spirit. All of this is for naught if you have not accepted Christ as your Savior and have never been saved. Salvation is the act of accepting Christ as your Savior and inviting Him into your heart. It is as simple as A, B, C. Admit, Believe, Confess.
Admit that you have sinned. That you have broken God’s rules. (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6) Believe that God paid for your sin. (Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Commit your life to Jesus Christ. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe his His name.” (John 1:12) “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelations 3:20) Jesus calls us to repent and live a pure and holy life with His help. Repentance is defined as a “desire to amend.” In other words God gives us an opportunity to start anew and be transformed into the man or woman God desires us to be. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
As we go into a time of invitation this morning, I invite you to come to the front of the church and pray with me, and to let me know if you’ve made any of these decision this morning……1) Accept Christ and be saved 2) Submit to His sovereignty and be baptized 3) Join this church. |
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