Heb 13:20-25 Making you Complete
Intro
Today we come to the Benediction of the Book of Hebrews final remarks final
thoughts One of the most Beautiful in Scripture
A)It is a Final Blessing Final word of Encouragement Final Reminder of the Heart of God / the Work of God / in their lives / Read
B) This benediction seems to gather together the major themes of Hebrews:
1)
The God of peace, the
resurrected Christ, the blood-that established the New covenant/ spiritual
perfection (maturity), Gods work in the believer.
C) V.20 The writer gives
a description of Jesus that is used only here in the entire Bible Great Shepherd of the Sheep
1) In Jn.10 Jesus declared that He was the Good Shepherd - As the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ died for the sheep
D)As the Great Shepherd, He lives for the sheep in heaven today.
1)
Our Great High Priest
is also our Great Shepherd.
E) When He was on earth,
He worked for us when He completed the work of redemption
1)
Now that He is in
heaven, He is working in
us to mature us in His will
and bring us to a place of spiritual
perfection
The
Phrase to make YOU COMPLETE speaks of the Ultimate goal that God has in mind
for each of our lives
A)He wants to Complete you / He wants to make you
like Jesus Rom 8:29
B) Now this word make
you complete is an interesting word / it WAS used in 4 main ways in the first century Greek culture
C) 1st it was used of a Doctor setting a broken bone or taking a bone that was dislocated or out of joint & making it straight & whole again
D)
This is fitting because all of us were broken
because of sin / We were spiritual lame & unable to walk w/ God
1)
Our lives were in Need
of healing / Strengthening / Areas of our lives that are crooked & dislocated
especially before Christ
Our
HEAVENLY FATHER is the great Physcian
He is full of Wisdom / He is seeking to make the crooked places in our lives
straight
A)Our Great Physcian is
committed to the work of making us complete in that way Completely whole able
to walk w/ God
B) And if you are a
Christian you have experienced part of Gods work in your lives in this way
already
The 2nd
way this Phrase make complete was used was in describing fishermen who were
mending their nets / broken stretched or damaged
A) Life has a way of stretching us out/ Pressures that pull beyond our capacity / Cant function Properly
B)Margie Grocery Bag broke Sometimes life has a way of doing that to us
ripped / stretched cant hold anything holes in my net
C) Jesus patches up the holes Jesus mends the nets of
our lives
1)
Because He has Employed us for a higher CALL He wants to take our
mended lives & use us to be FISHERS OF MEN
D) The Church is a net made of individual strands of rope joined together
and joined to the Lord purpose CATCHING MEN
The
3rd way that this word is
used is of a Tailor fitting a Suit Phrase make complete = Make it well
Fitting /
A)In Eph. 2:10 the Lord says that we are His
workmanship created in Christ Jesus for Good works
B) Workmanship = Poem / work of Art / God has a
perfect plan for our lives
C) When an artist is working on a Song/ Painting / or a
Sculpture- the work of art that comes forth is the expression of what is
on the inside of the artist
1) Every song/ painting/ Sculpture is the outward expression of the heart of the Artist .
D) Well you & I are the Expression of Gods heart to the World that is the work that He is doing in us Fitting us
Jesus
told us to take His Yoke - My Yoke is
EASY = Well fitting / God has a plan for your life that is Well fitting for
this season of life
A)God is doing a work in us
that is Well fitting When He is done we see that it fits well/ fits just right
B)Perfect fit for you (
Place where This is where I belong this is what I was made to being doing
right now
1) Eric Little All I know is that God made me fast & I feel his
Pleasure when I run
4th
Way that this word was used in the first century Greek culture was by a
military General used to equip an army for battle
A)How they were supplied w/ everything that they
needed to win the war to Victorious in the Battle / God
has fully equipped us for battle
B) So this idea of making them complete has a much broader meaning than what we would think at first glance
1) But that is the work that Jesus our Great Shepherd is committed to doing in each one of us
C) He is going to Set the Broken bones / Mend the Stretched out nets / He is going to FIT YOU LIKE A TAILOR calling & ministry Tailor made
1) And He has Equipped us to Stand strong in the Battle It is a work that He will do until the end .
Phil 1:6 Paul declares I am confident of this very thing, that He who has
begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
For
the rest of our time this morning I want us to consider how the Lord is doing
that work by considering 4
places in the NT where this same Phrase
to make you complete is used
A)Each example gives us insight into the means to
which God is doing that work w/ in our lives
( Different order from sheet )
1st Thru our trials
James 1:2-4 2My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various
trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4But
let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing.
A)Trials Testings Note Various trials = many colored
- The trials that we go thru come in many
different colors / Shapes & Sizes/ many colored
B) Color of Financial trials / Health trials / relationship trials / on & on
1) God uses the trials in our lives to Mend us / fix us
C) The trials or test
that we go thru reveal to us the areas of our lives that are broken / they have
a way of revealing what is really in our hearts
1)
Big Gulp
D) They also produce w/
in us a need to be dependent upon God that is part of the process of our
becoming complete
1)
Where we go from being
Self Governed people to God Governed people
From
Self Dependent to God Dependent
Sometimes
for that to Happen God has to break us more / Example my Hip Couldnt walk
broken but to heal me break more
A)6 weeks on Crutches 3 months in PT 1yr. Low impact Knarly scar but now walk Pain free
B) Sometimes that is
what God does w/ us In order to fix us / he breaks us a little more Leaves
a Scar a memory of what our lives used to be
1) Reminder Nothing w/ out Him We need to be dependent upon Him
/
So James says let patience have
its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing LET IT
A)That work that God wants to do in our lives thru the trials that we face is contingent upon our responses in the mist of the trials
Wiersbe insight. They do not last forever; they are for a season.
When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He
keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. If we rebel, He may have to
reset the clock; but if we submit, He will not permit us to suffer one minute
too long. The important thing is that we learn the lesson He wants to teach us
and that we bring glory to Him alone.
So
James declares that the various trials that we go thru are part of Gods plan to make you Complete
Lacking in nothing
A)But this is what is neat Peter uses this same word various in 1 Peter 4:10 When He talking about the Manifold grace of God
B)Same word - ( Manifold many colored Grace of God) - The Connection presents an awesome truth !!!
Our
troubles may be many-colored, but so is the grace of God; there is no colour in
the human situation which that grace cannot match.
A)There is a grace to match every trial and there is no trial without its grace.
B)As we go thru the Trial
the Lord reveals that His Grace is Sufficient. His power is made perfect in
our times of weakness
1) Paul says therefore I will glory in my infirmity for when I am weak then I am
strong His power working in my weakness
C)
So let Patience Have it work in you in the mist
of that trial because God is going to supply you w/ grace to make it thru if
you dont run
1)
That leads us to
consider the 2nd way in which God is seeking to make us complete is
found in 1 Peter 5:10
1st 10But may the God of
all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have
suffered a while, PERFECT establish,
strengthen, and settle you.
Peter
says that it is the God of all Grace who is going to do this Work in our lives
Man
is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue
A)Grace = Gods Undeserved Favor Getting what you
dont deserve
B)But Our God is a God of grace who enjoys Blessing us even when We dont deserve it
C) We were alienated from God because of sin / we
were enemies who deserved to be consumed in the fires of Hell
1)
But the God of all
grace had compassion on us Sent His son Jesus to bear our Punishment
D) Now we are not Just Pardoned but / forgiven/
Justified / adopted into the family of God Co heirs w/ Christ all by the
Grace of God
We are well acquainted w/ Gods
work of grace in our lives in Saving us / But His Grace doesnt stop there /
Continues on !!!
A)Saved by Grace / Walk in Grace / Stand according
to Grace / God allows us to be used by Him thru His Grace
B)Grace has
also been defined as G.R.A.C.E.
1)All the blessings given to us given at
the expense of Christ Grace is a conduit thru which the blessings of God flow
/ A River that never stops
A benevolent person gave
Mr. Rowland Hill a hundred pounds to dispense to a poor minister a bit at a
time, thinking it was too much too send him all at once.
Mr. Hill forwarded five
pounds in a letter, with only these words within the envelope, "More to follow."
In a few days' time, the
good man received another letter; this 2nd messenger contained
another five pounds, w/ the same motto, "And
more
. follow."
A day or two after came
a third and a fourth, and still the same promise, "And more to
follow."/ Just went on & on for quite some time
Every
blessing that comes from God is sent with the same message, "And more to follow." "I forgive you your sins, but
there's more to follow."
"I justify you in the
righteousness of Christ, but there's more to follow." "I adopt you into my family, but there's more to
follow."
"I educated you for heaven, but there's more to
follow." "I give you grace upon grace, but there's more to
follow."
"I
have helped you even to old age, but there's still more to follow."
"I will uphold you in the hour of death, and as you are passing into the
world of spirits, my mercy shall still continue with you, and when you land in
the world to come there shall still be more to
follow."
Every
obstacle is met by His grace / Every victory we are reminded of His Gracious
hand upon our lives / Every Failure is met w/ Grace
In 1986 Bob
Brenley was playing third base for the San Francisco Giants. In the fourth
inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves, Brenley made 4 errors in that one
inning becoming the first player in the 20th century to make four errors in one inning.
Atlanta scored 4 runs
Now, those of us who have made very public errors in one situation
or another can easily imagine how he felt during that long walk off the field
at the end of that inning.
But then in the bottom of the fifth,
Brenley hit a home run. Then in the seventh, he hit a bases-loaded single, driving
in two runs and tying the game.
Then in the bottom of the
ninth, Brenley came up to bat again, with two outs. He ran the count to three
and two and then hit a massive home run into the left field seats to win the
game for the Giants.
Brenley's score
card for that day came to three hits and five at bats, two home runs, four
errors, four runs allowed, four runs driven in, including the game-winning run.
Like Brenely we make errors
upon errors Everyday reminders of just how messed up we are But then God
gives His grace to help us rebound / 2nd 3rd Chance / 4th
chance/ His Grace
never Ends -
So
God is doing a work to make us Complete thru our trials / by His Grace &
3rdly thru His word
2 Tim 3:16,17 16All Scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of God
may be COMPLETE, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
A) 16All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God
all 66 books / all 1,118 Chapters/ all 774,746 verses / All 3 Million 500,000 and 34 words are all inspired
by God
A)Every Book/ Every word /Every verse/Every Chapter/ - inspired by God Profitable -
B)It
is profitable for DOCTRINE (what is
right), for REPROOF
(what
is not right), for CORRECTION (how to
get right),
1)
and
for INSTRUCTION in righteousness (how to stay right).
C) So God uses His word to make
us complete How / 2ways -
1st
James 1;23 Gives us some insight James describes the word as being like a
mirror / What does a Mirror do ? It reflects
A)The scriptures become
like a mirror A mirror that reflects the condition of our hearts and reveals
what is different from in our lives / from Jesus life.
B) We look into the
mirror of Gods word & see Jesus in doing so we see what God needs to do
in our lives
1) We see Jesus - immediately
think - I need to change !!!!
C)We have that same feeling when we get up & look
in the mirror each
morning - WOW!!! / I need to change / talking
over haul
D)As a result we get in the shower - brush our teeth - comb our hair - if
you are a lady - might put on some make up Perfume
1) guys cologne / Out of the PJs & into something more
presentable to wear our in public
That is what
happens when we look in the word Reveals our need to Change / but we dont
know where to start how to do it
A) but something
else happens Supernatural thing that occurs Gods word transforms
Paul spoke of this in 2 Cor. 3:18 But we
all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image
from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
A)So Gods word is this power working in us transforming us / cant explain mathematically / scientifically / - does a work
B) Like Vitamins not
sure how they work but feel the affects
HEB 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
When Bible Translators were first in the Northern
Philippines translating the Bible for the Agta people they ran into trouble
w/ this particular verse H.4:12
Because the Word Powerful in their lang. Was madagat had a dual meaning it can mean
venomous like the stinging bite of a poisonous snake or it can mean powerful
. The Translator asked his assistant how can we solve this problem to give
a clear meaning ? His response was
insightful
If we disregard it, it's like the poisonous snake. But if we live by it, its potency is like medicine."
A
Bible that's falling apart probably belongs to someone who isn't.
B)SO God is using His word to make us Complete One other place where this word is used
V. Gal 6:1 1Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual
RESTORE such a one in a spirit of
gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
God
uses us The Body / we are used in each others lives - Paul speaks specifically here of coming along side a brother
who has stumbled
A)David Livingstone
thought he was called to be a Pastor/ He had a chance to preach in a small church in Scotland
B) Prior to that Sunday
nite He honed his sermon. He'd prepared it so very well. He wanted to be a
great preacher.
1)
And when he got up to
preach that night, he flapped his wings, but he couldn't get off the runway.
C) He tried, but finally
he forgot his sermon altogether; so he apologized to the people and left in
great shame.
But Robert Moffat, the famous missionary, was there.
A)And Moffat came up to
him after the service and said, "You can be a great and wonderful servant
of God. Why don't you go to medical school?"
B)Today you can't
mention Africa w/out thinking about Dr. David Livingstone. / Great Missionary
Doctor to Africa sharer of the Gospel
But
what would have happened to David Livingstone without Robert Moffat?
A) Complete = Well fitting God used Moffat show Livingstone what was Well fitting for him.
B)God can use us in that
way in one anothers lives if we are open / if we are not Critical
Christians are the only army that shoots its wounded
In 2 Cor.2
Paul deals w/ this subject Restoring a brother in error.
A)In Pauls first
epistle to the Corinthians he had to deal w/ a heavy issue man was involved
Sexually w/ his step mother
B)The sin was being done in the open & everyone
in the Church Knew about it but they were doing
nothing TOLERANT
1)
Bible never condones
sin for the sake of tolerance
C) Paul wrote to rebuke them for their Tolerance of the sin
& he instructed them to Confront the man & if he didnt repent
1) throw the man out of the Church / deliver one to Satan for
the
..
they were to stay away
from him as long as he was in his sin
D) Well the Church went
along w/ Pauls advice & it seemed to Bring good result because Paul writes
about that man in 2 Cor .2 :5
5But if anyone has
caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extentnot to be
too severe. 6This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is
sufficient for such a man,
so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort
him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8Therefore
I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
It
seems that the Church was having a hard time forgiving & restoring this man
after his repentence
A)Paul says now is the time to forgive & to comfort / reaffirm your love to him so he isnt eaten up by condemnation
B)Paul goes on to say to
them I have forgiven him & you need to as well - 11lest Satan should take
advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
C)One of the Devices of the Devil is to have Christians living w/ unforgiveness
& bitterness in their hearts { Big Problem }
1)There is no Condemnation in Christ but there can be so much of it in his Church
Now
this is heavy we can be instruments of Condemnation keeping people in Bondage
& ourselves Victory to Satan
A)By our unforgiveness / our Bitterness & our Judgmental attitudes
B)Or we can Show Forgiveness & restoration
defeat the enemy freeing ourselves and others
C) We can be instruments of God used by Him to restore those who have fallen into Sin / stumbled in their walks / stumbled in Ministry
D) Used to Restore a broken bone / mend a stretched out net / help someone find what is their well fitting thing God has called them to.