The New Covenant, Part 9

Hebrews 9.15 is where we're at this morning. Hebrews 9.15, hopefully we can be done with this today, so move on to verse 16 next week. That was my attempt at humor. One verse every three weeks. We'll get through Hebrews by the time 2050 rolls around. But anyway, Hebrews 9, verse number 15 reads, "'For this reason, he, Christ, is the mediator, "'the bridge builder of a new covenant, "'so that since a death has taken place "'for the redemption of the transgressions "'that were committed in the first covenant, "'that is the Mosaic covenant, "'those who have been called, "'that is the Old Testament saints, "'may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.'" What a great verse.

And we've spent the last two weeks here, this is week number three, but it opens up to us so much about what God does when he saves a soul.

You know, granted that when you study a verse, there is sometimes a lot of discussion around the verse, and that's a good thing. We wanna stimulate discussion, we wanna stimulate dialogue, we want people to talk about what it is they're learning. On the flip side of that, we realize that 2 Peter 3, 16 says that there are some things in scripture that are hard to understand. We understand that. We also know that Solomon said in Proverbs 2 that we are to search the scriptures as if we're searching and digging for silver, because there's a lot of things that we need to understand, and it takes time and it takes study.

And so we wanna spend time in the word of the Lord, study in scripture, so we understand the intricate details of all that God has for us that we might live according to his promises. At the same time, I know that people come to church and they ask the question, what about my situation? My situation is one that is difficult, it's hard. Maybe it's a family situation, maybe it's a financial situation. And you're wanting answers to the situations you're facing every single day. Others come and say, well, I have a condition.

It could be a physical condition. It could be a mental condition. It could be an emotional condition. But what about my condition? How does God deal with this condition or my situation? Well, the issue for you and for me is not our situation, nor is it our condition. It's always our perception. For once we see God for who he is, our situation and our condition will pale in comparison. But you must see God for who he is. Because once you see God for who he is, then you can understand who you are. Remember the prophet Habakkuk.

He was wondering in chapter one and worrying in chapter one about why God was going to do things the way he did them. Why would you send the wicked Chaldeans in to devastate your children Israel? So Habakkuk began to wonder and to worry. In chapter two, he began to watch all that God was going to say and all that God was going to do. So that when he came to chapter three, you see Habakkuk worshiping God. In fact, he says these words in the book of Habakkuk, the third chapter.

He says, I heard in my inward parts trembled. Do you know if you're here today, my prayer is that your inward parts would tremble. My prayer is that you would shake uncontrollably under the authority of God's word. Remember Isaiah 66 verse number two, the Lord says to this man will I look to him who is broken and of a contrite heart and who trembles at my word.

That's the man God looks to. And my prayer for you today is that you would tremble at the word of God. So Habakkuk sees the situation that his children or his people Israel are going to face, knows the condition of their sinful behavior, and yet still questions and asks God why and how are you going to do what you're going to do? But when he saw God and heard God, things changed. I heard in my inward parts trembled at the sound my lips quivered, decay into my bones and in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, for the people to arise who will invade us.

And though the fig tree should not blossom and there'd be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there'd be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exalt in the Lord. I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength and he has made my feet like Heinz feet and makes me walk on high places. Now, Habakkuk's situation didn't change. Habakkuk's condition didn't change. What changed?

Habakkuk's perception of the God who controls the situations and conditions changed. Because once you see God for who he is, everything else pales in comparison. So he says, listen, although things might be bad, my heart will exalt, it will rejoice in the Lord God who is my strength. Because he learned to shake uncontrollably and tremble at the words that God spoke. If we can learn that lesson, oh, there's so many things that will change our lives, not because the things around us change, but our perception of them changes because we see the God who controls everything about them.

My prayer for you today is that as you look at Hebrews 9.15 and begin to realize God's call upon your life, once you understand what God has done, that everything around you will fall into place.

And the writer of Hebrews tells us about God's calling upon his children Israel. So two weeks ago, we began asking the question, how do you know you've been called into the kingdom of God? When the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1, brethren, consider your calling.

When the Bible says in 2 Peter 1, we need to be sure of God's calling and God's choosing of us. Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure? Because you see what God has done is absolutely remarkable. So we began two weeks ago telling you that the call commences with God himself, right? It doesn't begin with us, it begins with God. Everything about God's call upon your life begins in eternity past. Ephesians 1, you were chosen before the foundation of the world. Romans 1 tells us that we are called of God, we are called to be saints of God.

We talked about it on Wednesday night, that verse in 2 Timothy 3, verse number 13, but we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation, through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this he called you through our gospel that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. He talks about the fact that they were chosen from eternity past, because the call commences with God. He tells them it's because they are the beloved, they are loved by God.

Remember 1 John 3, oh, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God. He takes us when we are children of Satan and he makes us children of the living God. He takes those of us who are unworthy, makes us worthy. Takes those of us who are unrighteous, makes us righteous. Takes those of us who are unlovely and makes us loved. Takes those of us who are sinners and makes us saints. That's what God does. But it was all done in eternity past and all simply because he loves us.

Nothing you did caused him to love you. He chose to love you. That's it. Because he loved you, he chose you, he called you. That's why we say that the call commences with the living God. It doesn't begin with us. Why? Because we're dead in our trespasses and sin. There's none of us who seeks after God. No, not one. Why? Because there's nothing good in man that would cause us to want to seek him. So if God doesn't do it, we can't seek him. But when he seeks us and calls us, we respond and therefore we understand that the call commences with God.

Number two is that it comes through the gospel. It only comes through the gospel. There's no other way the call comes, right? Faith cometh by hearing and hearing centered around the word concerning the Christ, Romans 10, 17. We know that that's what Paul said in 2 Timothy 3. I'll read the verse to you again. It says that it was for this he called you through our gospel, 2 Timothy 3, 14. It's the gospel that calls. That's why we preach the gospel. That's why we say the gospel is the power of God into salvation to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Why? Because we realize that the words of God are powerful words. They save a soul. I don't save a soul. You don't save a soul. God's word saves a soul. So that which commences with God comes only through the gospel and is conceived only by grace. Remember Ephesians, Galatians 1, verse number six, we're called, the Bible says, by his grace.

Galatians 1, verse number six, says these words. For I'm amazed that you are so quickly deserting him who called you by the grace of Christ. Verse 15, but when God who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through his grace, it's conceived in grace. It comes to the gospel and it commences with God. The last thing we're gonna tell you, it is that which compels me to be grateful. That's why 2 Timothy 3, 14 is so important, 13 and 14 is so important because Paul would give thanks to God for what he did in the lives of the Thessalonians.

And then over in 1 Timothy chapter one, he talks about giving thanks to God for calling him into his kingdom and saving his soul. There's something about giving thanks to God for saving us. And so it compels us to give thanks. Those are the first four aspects of learning about the call of God in your life.

But number five is important. How do you know you've been called? Because your call is clarified. It's clarified by good works. It's clarified by good works. Listen to what the Bible says in the book of Titus, the second chapter, verse number 11.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify himself of people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds. When the grace of God appeared, what happened? It made us zealous for good deeds.

That which was conceived by grace does something unique. The grace of God teaches us something, right? It teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live righteously and soberly in this present age. Our lives have all of a sudden been changed. How do I know I've been called to the kingdom of God? My life is different than it was before because now I'm a child of the king and I'm clothed with the garments of God and I live for the holiness of God. And my life then reflects the beauty and the holiness of God.

That's why the Bible says, over in 1 Thessalonians 2, verse number 11, Paul says these words, just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

In other words, we want you to walk worthy. We want you to have an equal walk, a walk that matches your calling. You've been called into his kingdom. You're called to be a believer. You're called to follow him. Well, we want your life to match that. So everything that you do and everything that you say matches who you are in Christ. Your practice matches your position. Listen to what Paul says in the book of Colossians, Colossians chapter one. He says these words, Colossians one, verse number nine, for this reason, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthen with all power, according to his glorious might for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

In other words, there's something uniquely and distinctly different about your life. It's clarified by how you live. How do you know you've been called into the kingdom of God? Your life manifested. Listen to this, Colossians chapter three. Colossians chapter three, verse number 12. So as those who have been chosen of God, have you been chosen? Have you been called? Holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each other whoever has a complaint against anyone just as the Lord forgave you so also should you beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Paul says, you've been chosen, you've been called, therefore put on these things, live this way. These are the adornment of the child of God. He lives a life of humility, a life of forbearance, a life of forgiveness, a life of gentleness. All that he does is wrapped up in the fact that he's been loved by God and loves others. What a beautiful portrait of the believer. That's why we say that if you've been called by God, it's clarified by good works. Listen to this in Revelation chapter 17. When the Lord returns, it says in verse number 14, these will wage war against the lamb and the lamb will overcome them because he is the Lord of lords and king of kings.

And those who are with him are the called and chosen and faithful. In other words, those who combat with the Lord are the ones who were called. Who are the ones who were called? The ones that were chosen and they are the ones who are faithful. They've been true. They've lived a life of faithfulness in obedience to their God. Remember what our Lord said in Luke 6, 46? Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and yet not do the things that I say? How can you call the Lord your Lord and live in disobedience to him?

You can't. He says, if you love me, you're gonna keep my commandments, right? So what clarifies the call to everybody else around you is that you walk worthy of your calling, that your practice matches your position, that the good works that you do are done out of a motive of love for God and love for one another. People see that. They understand that. That call that commences with God, that began with him and comes only through the gospel, conceived only by grace, compels me to give thanks to God for his salvation in my life.

But it also is clarified by good works. So others will see and know and understand that I truly believe in the God I say I serve. The Bible says over in Ephesians 4, something very similar, Ephesians 4, these words, verse number one, "'Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.'" In other words, you need to walk equal with your calling.

There needs to be a perfect match between your calling and your conduct. There's a perfect match between what God did in your life and how you live that life. And so he says, "'I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you've been called, with all humility and gentleness and patience, showing tolerance with one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.'" If you have been called by God, you do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit, the bond of peace within the body of Christ, because that's who you are.

How do you know you've been called? How do you know that you make sure God's choosing and calling of you? How do you consider your calling? You consider it by looking at the fact that everything began with God. It came only through the good news that God gives, because he's a God of great grace, and I can't help but give thanks to him for that. At the same time, my life matches that calling. But here's number six. And number six might seem a little strange to you, but really is very, very true. And it's this, that the call of God upon your life is confirmed by the gift of suffering.

It's confirmed by the gift of suffering. Remember we read to you last week, Philippians chapter one, verse number 29, it says, "'For to you, it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake.'" Do you know that God grants you the opportunity to suffer for his sake? You believe for his sake, you now then suffer for his sake. So now you begin to understand when Christ said, "'If any man came up to me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.'" Because the cross was a symbol of death and a willingness to die for what you believe in.

That's why we know what the Lord said in John chapter 15, when he said, "'If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this, the world hates you. I chose you out of the world. I called you out of the world. Because of my great love for you, I chose you in eternity past, wrote your name down in the Lamb's book of life. And when eternity intersects time, I call you out of the world.

And because I called you and chose you out of that system, the world will hate you because they hated me. And now you're a child of mine.'" We don't know a lot about that today as much in America. We soon will. It will come sooner than we think. But those two pastors that were arrested this past week in Canada because of their stand on the gospel, Pastor James Coates has already been to trial this past week and the trial picks up again in June. But he's on trial for his stand on the gospel. That's just in Canada, right up north of the border.

What's gonna take place here in America, we don't know. But that persecution is going to come. All those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But it's a gift that's been granted to us. Listen, not for your sake or mine, but for Christ's sake. And the call of God, not only is clarified by good works, but it's confirmed. It's confirmed in the gift of suffering. The opportunity to suffer for the sake of the gospel. We live in a day where freedom of speech is slowly eroding away. You can no longer speak and say the things you wanna say.

Asked a street preacher in the UK this past week who was arrested because he preached the theme of the book of Genesis on traditional marriage, man and a wife and against homosexuality. They dragged him out of the street and threw him in the prison because he preached against the popular topic of the day. Do you think that's not going to come here? Oh, it's going to come. It's just a matter of months and years before it gets here. Maybe weeks, who knows? But it's called hate speech. And hate speech will get you arrested if you speak against the LGBTQ movement, if you speak against the Black Lives Matter movement, if you speak against critical race theory, what's gonna happen?

You'll be thrown in jail. But those of you who had the opportunity to work in the marketplace, stand strong, speak truth. Don't speak that which is popular, speak that which is true. Let the chips fall where they fall and watch and see what God does because you have been called to suffer for his sake. Where's the man, where's the woman that will stand in their school, in front of their teacher, in front of their boss at work and not back down to what's happening in our society but say, because my faith in Jesus Christ, I will not bow to that.

I will stand only on the gospel. I will stand for only that which is true. I will not stand for that which is a lie. That's the kind of men and women we need in the church. That's the kind of men and women we need in society. Remember what Peter said in 1 Peter chapter four. 1 Peter chapter four, he said, "'Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you "'which comes upon you for your testing "'as though some strange thing were happening to you. "'But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, "'keep on rejoicing so that you also, "'at the revelation of his glory, "'you may rejoice with exaltation.

"'If you are reviled for the name of Christ, "'you are blessed because the spirit of glory "'and of God rest on you. "'Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer "'or a thief or evildoer or a troublesome meddler. "'But if anyone suffers as a Christian, "'he's not to be ashamed, "'but is to glorify God in this name. "'For it is time for judgment to begin "'with the household of God. "'And if it begins with us first, "'what will be the outcome of those "'who do not obey the gospel of God?

"'And if it is with difficulty "'that the righteous is saved, "'what will become of the godless man and the sinner? "'Therefore, those also who suffer "'according to the will of God "'shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator "'in doing what is right.'" In other words, when you suffer for righteousness sake, you're suffering according to the will of God. When you do that, all you have to do is entrust your soul to your faithful creator. That's it. Lord, you're in charge of my education. Lord, you're in charge of my schooling.

Lord, you're in charge of my workplace. Lord, I just entrust everything to you. My job is yours, my family is yours, my school is yours. Everything I have, Lord, is yours. But I'm gonna speak the truth. I'm gonna live the truth. I'm not going to speak lies. And you'll suffer for righteousness sake. As we go on in this culture today, it's gonna be more and more difficult to stand. But guess what? What? It's gonna purge out those who are truly believers versus those who are not. Believers in name only, but not in lifestyle.

Because they profess Christianity, but they don't possess the Christ. Those who possess the Christ, they wanna live for Christ. They wanna stand strong for Christ and never back down, no matter what anybody else might say. Listen to what Peter goes on to say in 1 Peter 5. He says these words. Be of sober spirit, verse eight, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, but resist him firmly in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

Other words, guess what? Everybody else is suffering too. It's okay. Satan wants to destroy your life. Know that going in. Resist him steadfast, firm in the faith. Then listen to what he says. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who, what? Called you. The God of all grace, remember your call is conceived by grace. It comes through the gospel. But the God who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you to him be dominion forever and ever, amen.

Know what God's gonna do? He's gonna make you strong. He's gonna make you immovable. He's gonna make you steadfast. He's gonna make you as solid as granite. You will not move because that's what God's grace does. For those who've been called by him and understand that that calling is confirmed by the gift of suffering. God grants you that gift. God wants you to live for him. God knows that when you do, if they were against him, they'll be against you. So Paul says, all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

You have to ask yourself this question. Am I living a godly life? Am I truly living a godly life in front of those I work with? Am I standing strong on the truth? Am I living for the glory of my God? Am I willing never to back down from what I know to be true? Because I love my God and I will stand only for him because I love him so. The call of God is confirmed by the gift of suffering. It's clarified by good works. It compels me to give thanks all the time, constantly. Why? Because he loved me enough to choose me, to call me to his glorious kingdom.

So he granted me the grace to believe, right? He granted me the gift of repentance to turn from my sin and follow him. He granted me the gift of faith to believe everything that he said because eternity passed. God chose me and called me to his glorious kingdom. What a great thing. Listen, when you begin to grasp that, when you understand that, there's nothing that can stand against you. You and God are a majority. Do you understand that? You and God are a majority. Everybody else is a minority, but you are a majority, you and your God.

He is a great overcomer. He's made us overcomers, overwhelming conquerors through him who loved us. Number seven, how do you know God's called and God's chosen you? Number seven is this, you're commissioned to go with the good news and preach the gospel. You're commissioned to go with the good news. The calling commissions you. You've been called into the kingdom. You wanna make sure that others hear the same call you heard. So you're commissioned to go and preach the gospel. I love what the Bible says over in 1 Peter 2, verse number nine, but you are chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of God's own possession so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

For you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Wow, you're a chosen generation, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, you're God's own possession. He called you out of darkness into his marvelous light that you might proclaim what? The excellencies of him who called you. You wanna proclaim all of his excellencies. How do you know you've been called by God? You gotta tell other people you've been called by God. You want other people to hear the call of God.

So you're gonna preach the gospel of God that they might respond to that truth. Remember way back in Acts chapter nine at the conversion of the apostle Paul, Acts chapter nine, Romans chapter nine. No, I'm sorry, man, Acts nine, my bad. The Bible says these words, but Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man Saul, how much harm he did to your saints in Jerusalem.

And here he is, he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who call on your name. Here's a guy, Lord, that you say you saved. And yet somehow this guy is a persecutor of your people, Israel, the people you call by your name. But the Lord said to him, go for he is a chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and sons of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for my namesake. He's a chosen instrument of mine. He's my possession. And I've chosen him to go before kings, to go before Gentiles and tell them what I have done that they might hear the gospel and tell him how much he must suffer for my namesake.

Wow, what a call. But Saul, have you been born again on the road to Damascus? Having seen the living resurrected Christ was called by God to go and preach the gospel to kings and Gentiles. He was commissioned to go because having been called, you can't stay. Having been called, you can't keep silent. How do you know you've been called? Consider your calling, brethren. You know you've been called because you cannot keep silent. You must speak the gospel, speak the truth so others will hear. And then number eight, know this, the call of God is completed in glory.

It'll be completed in glory. Remember what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians chapter, chapter one, verse number five, chapter five, verse number 23. I'm sorry. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he who called you and he will also bring it to pass. We were called to be blameless and be holy before him. And while we go through this life and there are times that we sin and we turn our backs against the Lord and he forgives us because he's a forgiving God, there's gonna be a day where he calls us into glory and everything about that call is finally completed.

That's why it says over in Romans chapter eight, those who may be predestined to become conformed to the image of his son so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren. So these whom he predestined, he also called and those whom he called, he also justified and these whom he justified, he also glorified. It's a promise of God. If I called you, it's because I predetermined you eternally in the past. And if I called you, I will sanctify you, I will justify you and I will glorify you. In other words, you're gonna be just like me.

You're gonna behold my face. You'll have a glorified body and your call will be completed in glory. I ask you this question. How do you know you've been called by the true and living God? Do you wanna speak forth the truth of the gospel? The others might hear the voice of the Lord and respond. Are you one who understands that your gift was a free gift of grace by God that once received manifests itself in how you live your life? So much so that when you live a life for the Lord, that's what Matthew 5 verses 1 to 12 was all about, those beatitudes that the Lord gives.

And once you live the beatitude kind of life, verses 11 and 12 talk about suffering persecution for righteousness sake because you live in a righteous life. It'll cost you. But yet you understand the gift of suffering and you wanna live for the Lord. You wanna honor his name. You can't wait to give thanks to him every day. Thank you, Lord, for my salvation. Thank you, Lord, for what you've done in my life. Thank you, Lord, for taking me from the pit of despair. Thank you for taking me from Satan's grasp, Satan's enslavement and making me a slave to the living God.

That compels us, that moves us to action. My prayer for you and for me is that we would come to a full assurance of God's call upon our life that we might truly glorify his precious name. Let's pray. Father, thank you for today. Thank you for the opportunity you give us to praise you, to glorify you, to honor you. Thank you for the exhortation of your word to live for you. Lord, our prayer is for everyone in the room to know for certain that they've been called into your glorious kingdom. They truly believe in who you are and what you've done.

That, Lord, from eternity past, because you loved them, you chose them. You predetermined their destiny. And, Father, those that you called, you promised to justify and sanctify and glorify. And, Lord, we want to live for you. We want to serve you. We want to honor you. In a day, Lord, where people so desperately need to hear the gospel, where people need to hear truth, not lies. And you are the truth. You're the God of truth. Our prayer, Father, is that, Lord, the word of the Lord would go forth from our mouths, because in our hearts, we have given our life to Christ.

And our prayer, Father, is that, Lord, you'd give us the strength and the boldness and the courage never to back down, but always to stand strong, no matter where we're at, no matter who we're talking to, no matter who we're with, that we might live for the glory of God. Having come here today, Lord, to see only Christ, it makes no difference what our situation or our condition. It's just how we see you and how you govern all those things and control all those things, that we would be used by you in them, because, Lord, you've called us into your glorious kingdom for a purpose.

And for that, we are grateful. In Jesus' name, amen.