Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today.

Our desire is for the word of God spread throughout all me know join is now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina, verse one. Hebrews chapter 12 wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which doth so easily beset us. It was amazing God makes it clear here that it is so easy for a sin to quickly take over your life and stop your ability to serve God.

It is so easy for that to happen. And yet we let it in. So easy.

It's just amazing. He says, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself last ye be wearied and faint in your minds that we have this reminder in verse four, compared we want to talk about how bad we've suffered verse four ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin as Jesus did. By the way, looking unto Jesus, Lord, I pray you help us this morning made this really help our daily walk with you and for you and in you in Jesus name we pray. Amen. The author of Hebrews. Obviously if you're custom what new church or whatever we don't know for sure who wrote the book of Hebrews. Many of us believe that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews and we know other books that Paul wrote in theirs for many reasons. We think this is writing style in different we don't know for sure. So, we will refer to the author of Hebrews, but I do want to understand that in Hebrews chapter 11 we have what is called the faith chapter we we dug into that over the past two years, a number of times and in this chapter were given exemplary examples of faith. It goes from person to person to person and talks about their faith in all that they were able to do for the Lord and by the way, we know what faith is, by the way the Bible defines it for us and faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen for us to say my faith or you know that went. When we talk about here in verse two looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. That word faith means it's our system of beliefs. It it literally is the set of of belief system that controls our life that dictates things in our life. That's what our faith is in the word faith itself means it's something that we don't have in front of us, yet, but it is something that we believe so strongly that we believe it's already happened as if it has happened although it hasn't happened yet that I have I confused you. Yet, it means this that I believe it has taken place and will take place.

Although it hasn't taken place yet. I believe God's promises are true and real insured. And so my faithless look at me folks, it's not just based on Jesus.

My faith is Jesus now in Chapter 11. All these folks displayed faith in NY. They are mentioned in this hall of faith chapter is because all of them spend their lives claiming promises that they never solve fulfill.

It means that they were fulfilled but they didn't see them fulfilled on earth they saw all those things fulfilled when they reached home in heaven and all of a sudden in chapter 12 we find in verse one.

The word wherefore and that means everything that you've just been told. Wherefore, know the words that means this so it begs to differ. In verse one of chapter 12 says we are come past or compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, it means were surrounded in Chapter 11 were given all these wonderful individuals of faith out of God's word and then in chapter 12 it says wherefore or therefore because of that, seeing we are compassed or come past about. With such a great cloud of witnesses, who are these witnesses and we have this debate is not a debate we have all kinds of options that we have thought of. Over the years who are these witnesses and some people believe that these witnesses literally are folks in heaven and we believe maybe a loved ones that go on to heaven that they're able to see certain things in our life. We don't know what that isn't and we don't know if they are for sure. Whatever the case might be, and I like to think that maybe you know that my mom and heaven is able to see certain things or maybe was even able to watch her own funeral service. I don't know that I like to think that I don't have necessarily the guarantee of God's word but we do know of individuals that were in heaven that were able to witness some things on earth, but I don't know some people believe that these witnesses are basically people on earth where come past and surrounded with people that are watching us and because they're watching us. We need to lay aside every weight, and the sin which stops us so easily and we need to run with patience the race that God's chosen. Some believe that the witnesses that are mentioned in chapter 12 literally are all those that were mentioned in Chapter 11 because they mention all these people in Chapter 11 in the goes right to verse one wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. In other words, all these individuals that were mentioned in verse 11 that I want you to understand before we can go further in verse two were were heading this morning. I believe that that word witnesses means differently than we've always thought now and I've shared this with you before, but I want to catch everybody up to speed that I don't necessarily believe that it's one of these things that there's a whole bunch of people watching us so we need to run with patience the race that is set before us, and by the way, I don't understand why we have to be such a great example to people that are in heaven are already in heaven.

If you think about it we really need to be an example to those around us. If the witnesses are in heaven, why do we need to run the race for them were not running for them. This word witnesses doesn't mean that there watching us. I believe I believe that word witnesses, men it means those that have watched Jesus in other words, we are compassed or come past about with a great cloud of individuals that are now in heaven that have seen that God's promises are true.

They are witness to the fact that everything that Jesus claimed Israel there is a heaven and there is a home there. And Jesus is there and we have witnesses that were come past about with that have watched and see that Jesus is true and real. I believe witnesses here doesn't mean there watching us. I believe that these witnesses have watched Jesus different.

I want you to understand all these people mentioned in Chapter 11. They are now witness to the fact they have seen the promises fulfilled.

They know that Jesus is real and they are now in their home in heaven and they now can be witness to the fact that everything that the Bible says is now listen to me so I what is that mean bone verse one it says that we have these witnesses that are there and can verify and prove that this is real, that God is right that God is true that God's promises are real and he says therefore basically let us lay aside every weight, another words they have proven B and they now know because they're in the presence of the Savior. They now know that all this is true that this is worth it. And so therefore we need to lay aside every weight we need to get that sin out of our life that would stop us from running this race and we need to run this race with patience because all those that stayed faithful and ran their races. They are now in heaven and realize it was one that so how do we do this preacher. How do we lay aside these weights and how to get rid of this sin and how do we run this race that God has set for us and everybody has a different race and everybody has different things that you have to go through in life.

So preacher how is it that we do this with patience and how do we stay faithful. Verse two looking unto Jesus. What is interesting in Chapter 11. He never says look unto these people of faith, look at me different they are witnesses now that by their faith everything that they claimed was real.

They now know is, but God never said to look at them to run our race. God says we have to look to Jesus to run our race.

Do you get it. All these people in Chapter 11 are wonderful people. But let's look at me.

They can't motivate you to run this race if you look and say why Abraham was a great benefit. How to be like Abraham us can last a week and you find out you can be in Abraham, think of all these people. They were great people of faith.

I want to be like him and we should want to have faith like that but different to me to tell you we can't be them because were not then you have to be you and so instead of us looking at individuals or as people you and I have to look unto Jesus. That means that you can't look at me to run your race and I can't get you to run my race. We both have to look to Jesus in order for us to finish our race. He gives the reasons why notice this verse to looking unto Jesus and and I want to break each of these down will go home this morning, but we need to understand why it is important for us to look under Jesus for us to finish our race. When the first thing he is the author and finisher of our faith. Now that is very very important to look up at me and what you understand this this Bible says that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.

Do you know that there are a lot of individuals that have authored different faiths.

Buddha offered it offered a different faith. Mohammed authored a different faith. They all have different religions. They all have different things. There's a whole bunch of different faiths, religions beliefs out there they have all been authored by different people, but none of them are the finisher of those for they all died there all in a grave in their and their bones related agreement are probably burning in hell right now because if they offered any different belief system than that based on Jesus Christ himself.

They are in hell, burning Jesus is the only one that authored and finished a faith get this is what means you gotta get this now you gotta think a little bit with me on Sunday morning. God did not author our faith, God offered creation he created us he loves us.

Look at me, but by the fact that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. That's why in Hebrews were told that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Why does he say that, look at me different than what you get this. The fact that he was the author and the finisher means that he's the one that created it and he's the one that proved it. Now look at me.

Gotta get this our faith is not a belief system about Jesus. Our faith is Jesus because he is the author and finisher. There's not a belief system that leads me to something. It is Jesus himself, and my faith is in the fact that my redemption was purchased through the blood of Jesus Christ. And there's no way I'm ever going to run this race unless my faith is in the author and finisher of my beliefs and that Jesus Christ can be different. You'll never finish your race unless you believe he is not just the author but he's the finisher. The fact that you believe is the author and finisher of my faith means that that I believe when I get to heaven.

Everything he promised, is going to be true because he will finish it you get this got me different. Author means he makes promises finisher means he keeps them and he has kept everyone you could take to the bank different.

Listen, I have faith to believe what he said that in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so would've told you.

I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there. He may be also. That's what Jesus said. He said that's real. He said there's a heaven, he said, is preparing a place for me and he said that when I die in my faith and trust in Jesus Christ that I will go there, look at me. I haven't seen it yet. I can't prove it and if I do die can't come back and tell you all about it because I'll be in heaven. But I'm here to tell you, it hadn't happened yet and I can't see it but I know it's true because he didn't just offer it to you finished it when he rose out of the grave and defeated finish that faith. Notice the second things that you'll never run your correct, you'll never run your race until you get a grip on that notice.

The second thing he says looking on the Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross notice that the joy that was set before him.

Preacher, what does that mean now this is the one probably this is a little anti-climactic because we got some other things. After this, but this was my favorite. This is what just blew me away. In a sense, and maybe I'm the only one because sometimes it's you gotta be a certain area in your life. Maybe go through certain things and some things mean to you mean more to you then.

I don't know. Listen to this for the joy that was set before him. That word set means it was placed securely.

Now what was the joy that was set before him. What was his joy. Are you looking at me.

It was us the reason he was able look at me folks to endure the cross was because he kept his focus on the thing that brought him joy and the thing that brought him joy was the fact that he was going to be able to offer and purchase redemption for you and me.

He loved us so much that what God him through the suffering was thinking of us. And yet while here on earth.

The people he was thinking of, ridiculed, and they're the ones that put them on the cross. And yet there, the very ones he thought of that help to make it through the suffering that makes sense does it listen to me. I want you to get this, he was motivated to endure his suffering by thinking of us.

He endured it by disciplining himself to focus on us instead of what was going on around him. He was being scourged he was being beaten he was being spit upon, he was being ridiculed he was being crucified, all these things he went through what God him through that. He focused on us know what is that mean to me, preacher, wise to say looking to Jesus for that.

Look at me get this the cross that the father may Jesus bear Jesus got through it by thinking of us. The way you and I get through the cross.

We have to bear is by thinking of Jesus. We were the joy set before him, he must be the joy that we set before us. That's how we get through the race we got a look at what Jesus did and what Jesus did. He made it through by keeping the joy in front of him. We were his joy looked at me, he must be our joy if you look to people to be your joy, your to quit, you'll never finish your race but all that he went through he went through it because he kept us as his focus in all that you and I must go through. The only way will ever finish our race is to make him Lord, joy, and to keep him as our folk wow. That means this look at me. He looked at us instead of looking at the scourging. He looked at us instead of looking at the beating he looked at us instead of looking at the spear in his side.

He looked at us instead of looking at the very people he was dying were trying to kill that he was trying to save were trying to kill him. He looked at us instead of the crown of thorns. He looked at us instead of the spit that was spit in his eyes. All that that was going on what you and I do everything that happens around us. That's what we focus on and that's why were tempted to quit and that's what we get discouraged, and yet the most suffering any individual ever went through. He kept you and me on his mind map was, let me apply this to you husband stays faithful to his wife by focusing on her.

You understand that youlet's say here's a person our military young man as a young wife and a child. He has to go often to service and is gone for maybe 12 months, 60 months. Whatever the case might be, and as he goes there. You know how he keeps faithful and stays faithful to his wife and how their love stays real and strong. He focuses on her look at me you know where a man ends up being unfaithful to his wife is when he focuses on himself all. I have needs while I'm hurting while I'm lonely well. My wife does this it and I need somebody to really you know what look at me dear menu might not be a milligram in a minute tell you the way you stay faithful to your wife as you view keep her as your focus where you're tempted to to be unfaithful is when you keep you is your focus. This is better than you realize. Folks look at me know how you stay faithful to God, you keep him as your focus. You know how you say, unfaithful to God, you keep yourself in your pope. So I got a rope and I got all this happened to me and then this isn't fair, and all these things have been through. You're just asking for trouble. If Jesus had done that would've never been saved because he would never would've finished the cross but he kept us set before him. Dear friends, you're never going to run your race you're never going to finish were never going to be. We should be unless we keep Jesus as our focus the joy that was set before him what you notices.

Next thing he endured the cross, I find interesting. Here in Hebrews. The author mentions two obstacles for Jesus to go from being the author and finisher of our faith to being set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

There's two obstacles the first one is the cross and he says that you got a look under Jesus folks because he endured the cross. Now what got me really excited about this one was the fact that this word endured is the Greek word hoop amino sounds like an interesting word doesn't. Aren't you glad we use English and not Greek like door. I have to hoop amino. Another service at church so you totally lost me on that one did everything with this word hoop amino means or the word endured. We often look at that and say well I'm just gonna put up with it.

No, look at me folks you and I just well put up with it when we don't have a choice.

This word endured means to stay under to set oneself under and when I look that up and found that I was like wow. Just think about this at all makes sense you know any time Jesus could us stop the suffering on the cross, he could have called 10,000 angels. He could've called 100,000 angels. He could've called 100 million angels he could call anything he wanted he could to stop it at any time. Why because he was bigger than the cross, he was greater than the cross and he could stop at any time, but he chose to keep himself under the cross.

All the suffering that he went through. He was bigger than it, he can't listen he was stronger than all the guards that beat him. He could've done this and exploded their heads about a Hollywood movie I saw how they massacred Noah. Why haven't actually seen the movie yet.

I can imagine how to master something else out of the Bible got me he could. He could've absolutely stopped everything but he endured the cross, why because he had us as his focus. I've got to go through this to be able to save them and he chose to keep himself under the cross. It's as if I choose to let somebody weaker than me beat me up.

It's a word called humility. It's a work call submission it means is that the cross was the only way to appease the father and Jesus decided to go ahead and keep himself under the cross. It means to stay under 200 go to keep under like I didn't want you to get this. He chose this is the cross that the father had laid in his path and he chose to keep himself under it, although he could stop it at any time, dear friend. You and I will never finish our race unless we get to the point that whatever cross the father asked us to bear. We've got to keep ourselves under it. Look at me. I am blessed the pastor this church. I don't know there could probably be an easier church. The pastor I really probably don't know it's extremely hard for me sometimes, but I'm sure if I would some of the church or whatever and pastored I would crawl back to this one if you let me because I'm sure this is the easiest church in the world. Pastor's you're just the best people I've ever met and I know sometimes you see things and you probably since the we go to Burns.

Whatever just like you do. But you see me I don't get to see you upfront whatever the case might be, and also knows it will bless his heart.

I hope you pray for us and all the sink.

Look at me. I probably have it very easy.

As far as pastoring goes, but even the easiest church. The pastor is very difficult and it's very hard to look at me. There are times that I probably feel mental do this all work hard and I feel like menu ridicule. Whatever the case might be to look at me different. If there is any part of it that I consider that you know what I just like this is been hard on me. Do you know what I could stop anytime I wanted to I could get right up here and say folks, it's years you have good luggage. Another preacher hope will be everything you apparently wanted walk out that door, get my family.

If you're still with me. If I try to leave Carl or my wife Delacroix hope you make a good mom stay in here, but I have it easy, but I could even stop any so-called suffering and the brother Joma storks over the years. You just enter your ever in this position just don't know all the things you go through emotionally, mentally, physically, all the sink on the taste and I could stop at any time, but this is the cross that God is asked me to carry that make sense and although I could stop this anytime goes I want to go get me a little job go somewhere get the stress out of my life who I could do that anytime but then that means I would be taking myself out from under the cross that God is asked me to bear so you know how you and I finish our race. We determine if this is the cross God has put in my life I must endure it. I must keep myself under it. I must place myself under it, although it anytime we can walk away from church walk away from God's people. God knows many people have their sit at home today may be thinking their spiritual because are watching some some preacher on TV because they don't like church. Somebody was mean to them.

They didn't like something they got out of God's house and got away at this and a lot of people have, but if you are going to finish your race. You and I have to be willing to keep ourselves under the cross that he is asked us to buy Bob by the way, in his word, to take up his cross and follow him.

The Bible says that's how you finish a race. You gotta stay under that cross. We also say look, if you will.

This next thing it says the other second optical. This is this is great. Look at verse two. It said that he endured the cross, despising the shame, now isn't it interesting that of all the things that happened up across the crucifixion all the things the author here mentions the two main obstacles to Jesus was the cross and the shame of it. That means is that the shame of that the cross brought was probably a greater hardship on Jesus than the physical suffering. Here is a man that never knew sin. Here is a God that was wholly hanging on a cross naked in front of people and all of a sudden the shame of the cross was probably one of the greatest sufferings. He had to stop to listen to me.

I thought this was interesting.

Let me tell you about the shame that Jesus faced listen to Mount of you thought about this is I certainly had you know that at the cross. His friends gave way and shaming abandonment. You know it was it was a shame to Jesus that the fact that these people that said they were his friends and were so-called followers didn't even show up for the crucifixion they want even there they got them. I get in trouble. Wow, what's faithful followers yeah there were some there that really love them. But here's all these people he's dying for any shows up at the crucifixion and the majority of his followers didn't even show.

Second, his reputation gave way and shaming mockery.

All of a sudden now he's being ridiculed is that he is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords, and also they're just mocking it making fun of it matter how shameful that was to him. Thirdly, I find that his decency gave way and shaming that goodness here's a manner that had never known sin and on the patient. Dear friends, mow any of you probably the worst embarrassing fears that you and I could ever have is to be exposed naked in public and suffering like that. Here is the Savior of the world that was exposed in front of these people spitting and ridiculing, and you could only imagine the things that they said imagine the shame of that I think about this is comfort gave way and shaming torture beat him to a pulp. You think about this. That is dignity gave way and by the shame of this. All the beatings he was. He was literally his glottal sounds and and and and the agony that he had the grunting and the groaning and the screeching that he must have done in his body.

How shameful it was to have folks staring at you and listen to this shame was the very thing that made one of his inner circle of disciples denying him just the night hold Peter because he was ashamed of Jesus around the fire cars and small thank you for listening to you receive a blessing from our broadcast the Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Rd. in Kernersville, NC may also contact us by phone and 33699351924 Kerwin Baptist Church.com enjoy our services live molar medium on her website and church. Thank you for listening. Kerwin broadcast God bless you