Hebrews chapter 6, Hebrews chapter 5 rather, verse 11 through Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 12. Of whom, Jesus, the high priest after the order of Melchizedek, of whom we have much to say and hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God. And you have come to need milk and not solid food. But everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who are once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put him to an open shame. For the earth, which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. But beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you. Yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love, which you have shown toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. And this is the word of the Lord. Thank you, you may be seated. The Dakar Rally, also simply known as the Dakar, is a daunting off-road endurance race for automobiles. It is held every year and has been held in various continents even around the world. It is a daunting and difficult race. It's a race in which not every vehicle that lines up at the starting line reaches the finish line. In fact, there is an attrition rate average of 32.4%. Nearly one-third of all the vehicles that start fail to reach the finish line. Not to bore you with my hobbies once again, but that attrition rate is nothing compared to jiu-jitsu. By the most generous estimates, those who start to learn jiu-jitsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, by the most generous estimates, only 3% of those who start as white belts ever make it to black belt. And more conservative and probably more accurate estimates are that probably only 1% of those who start ever end up at black belt. There is a famous instructor who has said about jiu-jitsu, it's not who's best, it's who's left. It's not who's best, it's who's left. Now, of course, it's a very small thing in light of eternity if someone starts jiu-jitsu and then drops out after a few years. It's a far more important and far more serious thing for someone to start out at that starting line of profession of faith, and yet fall short and fall away short of that finish line of receiving the eternal promises. The point that I made last week is again the theme of our passage this morning, and that is that those who profess faith must persevere in the faith. By way of review, the book of Hebrews is a book that has as its theme, Jesus is better, don't turn back. It is being written to those who are of Hebrew descent, who have made a profession of faith in Jesus, but as the years go by and as persecutions and difficulties intensify, they are now being tempted to turn back. Some of them, in fact, have spiritually regressed, as we read just now, reaching a point of spiritual immaturity in their backsliding. The author uses, has this main point of Jesus is better, don't turn back to what you held before and what you believed before. He gives three main points throughout the book. The person of Jesus is better, the ministry of Jesus is better, and the way of Jesus is better. But in those three points, he intersperses five significant warnings to those who are thinking about turning back. This passage is part of the third warning within the book of Hebrews. And this passage, like the book as a whole, is an urgent appeal to perseverance. to keep going. Really in the passage that we read, there are two trajectories in view. One is a terrifying trajectory and a trajectory that leads to falling away and to doom. The other trajectory leading to perseverance and life. The author then urges upon us faithful perseverance. Those who profess faith must persevere in the faith. What can we learn and apply to ourselves? What is faithful perseverance? What does that look like? Well, last week we considered three very important points that the author of Hebrews makes. First of all, those who faithfully persevere are not content with inexcusable immaturity. They're not content with inexcusable immaturity. There is a kind of maturity that is natural. Someone perhaps as a baby is not mature because they were just born. And the same is true spiritually of those who have just come to faith in Christ. We don't expect maturity overnight. But if a person like these people to whom Hebrews is written have heard the truth and have made a profession years ago and have had lots of opportunity to grow, for growth and rather than growing, find themselves declining and backsliding. That is a terrible sign because backsliding leads to chastisement or to hell. Hell as it is revealed that these people were never true believers at all. Those who faithfully persevere are not content with inexcusable immaturity. The author of Hebrews also makes the very serious sober point that those who faithfully persevere take spiritual warnings seriously. He gives a very serious warning that there are those who can experience great spiritual blessings And in spite of having experienced these spiritual blessings, fall away from the faith that they once professed. This is not because they've lost their salvation, but rather, like pigs and dogs, they return to that which is consistent with their own nature. They were never saved to begin with. It's a very serious warning because such a person does so to the danger and doom of their own soul, but they also do this to the disgrace of the Son of God. To fall away after having professed faith in Jesus is to essentially side with the crowd that cried out at the foot of the cross, crucify Him, and put Him to an open shame. And as I urged you last week, don't fall away. For the sake of the good of your soul and for the sake of the glory of the Son of God, do not fall away. Those who fall away, it is impossible to renew them to repentance. God himself knows at which point the person has fully fallen away, but when they reach that point, they can't come back. Like Esau, they may search carefully for repentance, even with tears, and never find it. The author of Hebrews also made the point that we considered last week, that those who faithfully persevere respond to spiritual blessings by bearing fruit. The author of Hebrews in verses seven and eight gives an example of two kinds of soil. One kind of soil receives the rain, and it bears fruit. herbs that are beneficial to the person that is cultivating that field. But the other field, what does it bring forth? It brings forth thorns and briars. It's rejected. It's in danger of being cursed. Its end is to be burned. The point the author of Hebrews is making is that those who faithfully persevere, as the rain, the blessings of the word and the spirit fall upon them, they respond with spiritual growth by bearing fruit. And the person that does not bear fruit, it's a very serious condition. Those who faithfully persevere then are not content with inexcusable immaturity. Those who persevere take spiritual warnings seriously. Those who persevere respond to spiritual blessings by bearing fruit. But I want to move forward in our text today I seriously considered beginning my message by simply saying, point number four, but I thought I might have lost some of you. But this is point number four, as the author of Hebrews has explained himself in chapter six. Point number four then, or our first point this morning, those who faithfully persevere labor in love. Those who faithfully persevere labor in love. Look at it with me in verse nine, but beloved, We are confident of better things concerning you. Yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love, which you have shown toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. The author wishes to give his readers every benefit of the doubt. He says, we're persuaded better things of you, better things than the falling away, better things than the apostasy of which I warn you. Rather, those better things that accompany salvation. Of course, this is one of the reasons why I believe that this author has more in mind in this passage than just losing rewards. The author of Hebrews says of his readers, that they have in the past and the present shown evidence of spiritual life, that is, things which accompany salvation. And what is that evidence of spiritual life? Their work and labor of love that they have shown toward his name in that they have ministered to the saints. Love for God and love for others Evidenced in action is a mark of true faith. In fact, Paul would tell the Corinthians, if anyone does not love our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. Let him be accursed. John would say in 1 John 2, he who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John again, chapter three, verses 16 to 18. By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us, and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. In other words, it's not just what we say that reveals our love, it's what we do. Anyone can say, I love you. but not everyone shows I love you. And those who persevere in the faith, that perseverance is marked by a labor of love. Is this not what our Savior even said to his disciples before he died? He said, by this will all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another. And so a question to ask you, my brother, my sister, professing faith in Christ, friends that are here, is your life lived in loving service or do you simply love being served? The way that the author of Hebrews expresses this I think it's helpful for those, number one, whose lives are not lived in love and not showing their reality of faith by true loving service. It's a question for all of us to ask, do we serve in love? But there's another sense in which this is applicable to another category of people. I don't know if you have ever reached the point in your life where you have been toiling and serving and trying to do what's right, and you wonder, is it even worth it? I think that there are times when people turn away from the faith because they've tried to live a certain way for a certain length of time, and they've come to the, in their mind, they come to this conclusion, it doesn't matter. The author of Hebrews tells us something different. He says to you who struggles trying to serve in love, listen, it does matter because God is not unrighteous to forget it. Keep on going. The one who sees in secret will reward openly. Don't turn away, brothers and sisters. Don't turn back. God sees and he is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. Keep So those who faithfully persevere labor in love. Two, or five if you're continuing from last week. Those who faithfully persevere will not abandon hope in Christ. Those who faithfully persevere will not abandon hope in Christ. Look at it with me there in verse 11. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end. One commentator looking at Hebrews chapter six, strangely said, well, this passage has little to say about Jesus because the author is going to talk about him more in the verses to come. And I was like, did you even read the passage? Verse one principles of Christ. Crucify again the Son of God, verse six, put him to an open shame. Now, as we come to verse 11, the name and title of our Lord does not occur in this verse, but he is very present. The author of Hebrews desires that each one of them show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end. He urges their continued diligence. that same kind of diligence that marked their walk and behavior and belief immediately after professing faith in Christ, he says, I want you to show that same diligence and that full assurance of hope to the end. Hope can function as a verb. We say we hope or I hope. It can function as a noun. My hope is in this. Either way, the idea behind it, in a biblical sense, is not just a simple wish, like wishful thinking. I hope the Leafs make the playoffs. I hope they make it to the second round, whatever the case may be. That's not the biblical sense of hope. It's not even a self-centered craving that we expect Jesus to satisfy, which is sadly the way that a lot of people use it today. Hope is about expecting or the anticipation or that which we are expecting or anticipating by faith. We might ask, What are you looking forward to? What are you expecting by faith? And in whom is this hope placed? Well, this hope is placed in Christ. And we are expecting the fulfillment of all of God's promises in him. We've seen this idea earlier in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter three, we saw it on two occasions. Hebrews chapter three, verse six, speaks of Christ as a son over his own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of hope firm to the end. Hebrews chapter three, in verse 14, for we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. Keep trusting Jesus. Keep entrusting your soul to Him, trusting that He will save you completely. This is not about believing that Jesus is gonna give you a new girlfriend, or a new car, or a new job, or a new house. That's not what I'm talking about here. I'm not talking about hope and believing that Jesus is gonna make this earthly life an easy ride. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about trusting God to fulfill His eternal promises in Christ. As we considered this morning, no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Keep trusting. Keep hoping in Jesus. Those who persevere in the faith will not abandon their hope in Christ. Some of you may know the name Charles Templeton. I've mentioned him on more than one occasion. He was a Toronto-born evangelist, church planter, and friend of Billy Graham. He even toured with Billy Graham in Europe, preaching with him in 1946. Many people who heard the two men preach thought that of the two of them, Templeton was a better preacher. By Templeton's own account, doubt began in his mind at least sometime in the late 1940s. And by 1957, he would publicly declare himself an agnostic. In 1996, he published his story in a book which he titled, Farewell to God, My Reasons for Rejecting the Christian Faith. And after a very full and visible life as an inventor, media personality, politician, who even ran for to be Prime Minister of Canada, he passed away in the year 2001 with Alzheimer's. But a couple of years before Templeton passed away, author Lee Strobel interviewed him. And though he was at this point suffering from the beginning stages of Alzheimer's, Templeton was interviewed in a time of lucidity and clarity of thought. Those of you who have known and loved those that experienced Alzheimer's know that in those early stages, there are times when things are just as clear as a bell. and he was able to interview him in one of those times. Templeton's mind was sharp and his answers were coherent. But let me read to you from Strobel's own words during that interview. He asked Templeton, and how do you assess this Jesus? It seemed like the next logical question but I wasn't ready for the response it would evoke. Templeton's body language softened. It was as if he suddenly felt relaxed and comfortable in talking about an old and dear friend. His voice, which at times had displayed such a sharp and insistent edge, now took on a melancholy and reflective tone. His guard seemingly down, he spoke in an unhurried pace almost nostalgically, carefully choosing his words as he talked about Jesus. He was, Templeton began, the greatest human being who has ever lived. He was a moral genius. His ethical sense was unique. He was the intrinsically wisest person that I've ever encountered in my life or my readings. His commitment was total and led to his own death, much to the detriment of the world. And what could say about him except that this was a form of greatness? I was taken aback, Strobel said. You sound like you really care about him, I said. Well, yes, he is the most important thing in my life, came his reply. I, I, I, he stuttered, searching for the right word. I know it may sound strange, but I have to say, I adore him. Everything good, I know. Everything decent, I know. Everything pure, I know. I learned from Jesus. Yes, yes, and tough. Just look at Jesus. He castigated people. He was angry. People don't think of him that way, but they don't read the Bible. He had a righteous anger. He cared for the expressed and exploited. There's no question that he had the highest moral standard, the least duplicity, the greatest compassion of any human being in history. There have been many other wonderful people, but Jesus is Jesus. But, No, he said slowly, he's the most. He stopped and started again. In my view, he declared he is the most important human being who has ever existed. That's when Templeton uttered the words I never expected to hear from him. And if I may put it this way, he said, as his voice begin to crack. I miss him. With that, tears flooded his eyes. He turned his head and looked downward, raising his left hand to shield his face from me. His shoulders bobbed as he wept. Templeton fought to compose himself. I could tell it wasn't like him to lose control in front of a stranger. He sighed deeply and wiped away a tear. After a few more awkward moments, he waved his hand dismissively. Finally, quietly but adamantly, he insisted, enough of that. Enough of that. Abandoning hope in Christ, Feeling the weight of that loss but unwilling to return. Don't turn away from your hope in Christ. Show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end, brothers and sisters. Number three or number six. Those who faithfully persevere. will inherit the promises. Oh, brothers and sisters, those who faithfully persevere will inherit the promises. Look at it with me in verse 12, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience, that is endurance, keep going, inherit the promises. What is this inheritance? It's that promised rest of God that the author of Hebrews already spoken of. Heaven and glory and everything that comes with it, forever with Jesus. The author of Hebrews is later gonna say, and for this reason he, Jesus, is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Oh, friends, keep on going. There's an eternal inheritance that awaits for you. Don't turn back. Don't turn away. Look to our Lord. Lift your eyes up off of these lesser things that would seek to turn you aside and look to him. Isaiah 51 verse six says, lift up your eyes to the heavens and look on the earth beneath for the heavens will vanish away like smoke. The earth will grow old like a garment and those who dwell in it will die in like manner, but my salvation will be forever. and my righteousness will not be abolished. Keep going, brothers and sisters. We are almost home. You remember that when Rob passed away, I preached his funeral message from 1 Peter 1. Great Trials reveal great faith in a great Savior. And we saw the trials that our brother went through. We heard his groans of pain. We saw and heard of the many afflictions that he went through. But did he ever give up? Did he ever turn away from the faith? No, he held fast to Jesus right to the end. He held fast, looking ahead to that great inheritance. I read that day, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you. Friends, that's what awaits us. You look at every earthly pleasure, including legitimate earthly pleasures, and every single one of them fade with time and experience. There's a reason why, as I've said before, the people that live in Niagara Falls are not going down to the falls every single day. They've seen it. And as amazing as it is, even that has lost its allure. There's a reason why people, why Canada's Wonderland keeps building new rides. You get a season's ticket and you go there and you ride the same rides year after year after year, it's gonna get boring. So they gotta get bigger and better and faster. But here's the thing about that inheritance that awaits us at home. It's undefiled. and it doesn't fade away. Only an infinite God can satisfy us infinitely. It is an inheritance in which, if I could paraphrase C.S. Lewis, every day is better than the day before. Keep going. That inheritance, Peter says, is reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith. for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you've been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, you love. You love Jesus. Do you love Jesus? Oh, how I want to see Jesus and be with him forever. As Kay was reaching the end of her life, and she really wasn't responsive, but Sarah and I visited her. I told her that I was a little bit jealous of her, because she was going to see Jesus soon. How I long to see Jesus. whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Or as John Newton would put it, the way that we, when we sing this so often through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. "'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, "'and grace will lead me home." Those who profess faith, my friends, must persevere in the faith. That perseverance reveals the genuineness of it. And the author of Hebrews teaches us that those who faithfully persevere are not content with inexcusable immaturity. Those who faithfully persevere take spiritual warnings seriously. Those who faithfully persevere respond to spiritual blessings by bearing fruit. Those who faithfully persevere labor in love. Those who faithfully persevere will not abandon hope in Christ. And brothers and sisters, those who faithfully persevere will inherit the promises. On January 16th, 2022, I believe it was, maybe it was 2023, that date may not in itself be significant, but you might remember the snow that you had to clean up the day after that, January 17th. It was that snowstorm that left city buses trapped in snow for days. On that day, I found myself returning from preaching up in Sudbury, Ontario, a Korean Baptist church there. It had been a very full day with Sunday school and morning worship and an evening service, and I returned after the evening service that night. And though I was tired, I was happy to be nearing home. It had been a pretty clear drive on the way home. But as I entered the GTA, The conditions began to very rapidly deteriorate. Massive snowfall was paired with mighty winds, and it really was not nice. So here I am driving down 400 south into the city as this storm, which would trap city buses and have an absolute mess for the next couple of days, is just hitting its stride. And I could see people pulling over and stopping. They were fearful of continuing in that storm. But I wouldn't pull over. I said, I gotta keep going. By the grace of God, I made it home, and by the grace of God, it was. I gave great thanks to him when I returned. But what was it, mentally, if I could say, that kept me going? Why didn't I pull over as the storm got worse? Well, I had this thought in my head. If I stop now, I may not make it home. If I stop now, I may not make it home. Brothers and sisters, don't stop now. You may not make it home. Brothers and sisters, the storms of life are difficult and devastating, but don't stop. Jesus is better. Don't give up. Don't give in. Mark Purnell, the deacon I mentioned last week, Charles Templeton, and a thousand others may fall away and fall short, but let us keep going. Rest lies ahead. The promises await. God is faithful. Oh, that day when we will look on Jesus' face, not having put him to an open shame, That day, having been imperfect, yes, but holding the same diligence of the full assurance of our hope to the end. Oh, that day when we will hear, well done. It will be worth it. Or if I could say it this way, I am bound for the promised land. I am bound for the promised land. Who? Who will come and go with me? I'm bound for the promised land.