Fear. Strive. Believe.

February 20, 2023

Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, February 19, 2023.

Sermon text: Hebrews 4:1-11


Let us fear.

  1. These warning passages are not there so that we can confidently brush past them.
  2. Many of us come from backgrounds where once saved always saved was taught and emphasized. The more traditional term for that doctrine is the perseverance of the saints. That is a great thing. It’s a reminder we all need, even if we have heard it our whole lives. We often want to base our approval on works, rather than embracing God’s grace. The doctrine of perseverance of the saints help us with that because it reminds us that we are grounded and safe not because of our performance but because of God’s mercy.
  3. Many of us also came from backgrounds where passages like this were avoided for confusion that they might cause, rather than embraced for the warning that they are. There’s a temptation to spend so much time explaining what these texts are not saying, that we completely miss what they are saying.
  4. What this fear produces is not a lack of confidence, but a lack of complacency.
  5. “The fear which is here recommended is not that which shakes the confidence of faith, but such as fills us with such concern that we grow not torpid with indifference.” -John Calvin
  6. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…
  7. If we are not actively transformed, we will be passively conformed -Scott Sutton
  8. Falling away from the faith is a very real possibility.
  9. Turning my ankle.
  10. “What happened to them could happen to you..”
  11. They were among God’s people. We are among God’s people.
  12. They were doing a lot of the right things. You may doing a lot of the right things.
  13. Many of us have known folks who were solid in the faith, confessing Jesus as Lord and seeking to follow him who later abandoned their faith. He’s saying that we should fear that happening to us.
  14. Does that mean we can lose our salvation? No. John makes it clear. 
  15. 1 John 2:19 [19] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
  16. A friend in college who taught this idea that the bridge of faith could be destroyed.
  17. Systematic Theology. It’s helpful, but any system that allows or encourages us to dismiss warnings like this is not a biblical belief system. 
  18. It is God’s intent that we would walk with an awareness of the very real danger and very real possibility that we could walk away from God.


Let us strive.

  1. The posture of the Christian should not be such that we are so confident in our final salvation, that we see no need to strive in order to reach it. The posture should not be, because I believe ABC, I’m good to go. It should be, I am trusting in Jesus, believing the Gospel, and I must continue on in that faith, lest I fall away. We are not instructed to view falling away as an impossibility; rather we are called to strive and hold fast to our faith.
  2. Paul’s posture:
  3. 1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” He is confident, but striving because there is some fear of falling away.
  4. 2 Timothy 4:6–7 [6] For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
  5. This is what we all should strive and hope for. Lying in our death bed with the confidence that we have held fast, fought the fight, and won the race.
  6. Indeed, running the race to the end is the hallmark of genuine, saving faith, while falling away is the mark of a spurious faith that does not lead to salvation. - Richard D. Phillips,
  7. We have confidence that if are indeed in the faith, God will keep us to the end. But we move forward with the awareness that we must strive to not fall away.
  8. Striving for what? To enter His rest. Striving to embrace the idea that I can do nothing to earn God’s favor.
  9. Hebrews 4:9–10 [9] So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, [10] for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
  10. Similar to Israelites who reached the promised land. They were no longer wandering pilgrims with no sense of security. But there was still work to do, and danger to address. It’s the already / not yet.
  11. Our works do not merit our salvation. But we do strive to follow Jesus in order that we might persevere in our faith and thus be saved. 


Let us believe.

  1. Hebrews 3:19 [19] So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
  2. Hebrews 4:2–3a For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. [3] For we who have believed enter that rest,…
  3. Hebrews 4:6 “…failed to enter because of disobedience”
  4. Their disobedience that disqualified them was just nothing more than the fruit of their unbelief. 
  5. Hebrews 4;7 “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” Today is the day of salvation.
  6. It was today for Joshua’s generation, for David’s, and for us.
  7. While the promise still stand. Today.
  8. Can be compared to a harvest. One the day the harvest is gathered, you’re either in or out. Up until then, you have the opportunity to be in.
  9. If you have been attending church, listening to the gospel as it is preached, perhaps enjoying the music and the lovely setting, but have not personally put your trust in Christ, you are in great peril. Do not delude yourself by thinking you are in a neutral or even a promising situation, for you are not. Until you receive Christ as your Savior, you are a rebel against the gospel you have heard, you are excluded from God’s rest, and are under his wrath. You must believe the gospel and rest upon Christ’s saving work for you. -Richard D. Phillips



Discussion Questions

  1. Hebrews 4:1 begins with, “Let us fear.” What should we fear?
  2. What is the difference between a healthy fear (described here) and an unhealthy fear of falling away from God?
  3. Which of the following describes you:
  4. I have a healthy fear of falling away from God
  5. I have an unhealthy fear of falling away from God
  6. I have zero fear of falling away from God
  7. Read Hebrews 4:11. What do you think the “rest” we are called to strive for is? 

Freed to Serve

April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

Cornerstone

April 22, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

Born Again

April 16, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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