The Leaders Qualified by God
1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9

          Purpose: Jesus, the head of the Church, has given overseer/elder/pastors to his church to care for their souls as undershepherds. As such, he has called and qualified these men to serve the church he created.

                   1. Aspiration and Ability (1 Tim. 3:1, 2)
                          A man who Aspires
                          A man able to teach

                  2. Character and Maturity (1 Tim. 3:2-4, 6; Titus 1:6-9a)
                         Possess exemplary Integrity and maturity, not perfection.  
                          Above reproach*                 Husband of One Wife*                 Temperate                                       
                           Prudent                                  Not accused of dissipation          Sensible
                           Respectable                          Hospitable                                     Able to teach                                                        
                           Not addicted to wine*         Not pugnacious*                           Not Self-willed
                           Not Quick tempered            Gentle                                            Peaceful
                           Not accused of rebellion     Free from love of money             Not fond of sordid gain                     
                           Manages Household well    Children who believe                   Not a new convert     
                           Loving what is Good            Just                                                  Devout                         
                           Holding fast to the faithful Word (Gospel)     Good Reputation outside of the Church 
                            

                3. Reputation and Responsibility (1 Tim. 3:5,7; Titus 1:5,9b, Acts 6:4)
                       In a specific locale
                       Guarding the local church

The Church Created by God

Purpose: to rediscover the true church created by God

1. Jesus Builds His Church

The Foundation is The Great Confession of Jesus Christ

Matthew 16:15-19 – “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

2. Jesus Purchases His Church from Among All Nations

The Message is The Gospel of Christ

Matthew 26-28, esp. 26:31-32 – The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ

            Luke 24:44-47 – The resurrection: All of Scripture, All in Jesus Christ, for All Nations

            Acts 20:28 – overseers, shepherding the flock, created by the Trinity

3. Jesus Gathers His Church

The Covenant Sign is Baptism Into the Body of Christ

Matthew 22:35-39 The Great Commandments

Matthew 28:18-20 The Great Commission

Acts 2:29-47

           Gospel Preached, People Repent & believe then baptized, & discipled in the body

1. 39 “as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself”

            Rom 6:3-4 – baptized, buried, and raised with Jesus Christ!

            1 Corinthians 12:13 - “baptized into one body”

            Galatians 3:27 - “baptized into Christ”

            1 Corinthians 11:20-26 – the Lord’s Supper, the New Covenant in His blood

            Ephesians 2:19-22 – God’s holy temple in Christ, built on the apostles & prophets: Bible

4. Jesus is Head of His Church

Jesus Christ, not any man, is Head of the Church Created by God

Ephesians 1:22-23; 3:10, 21; 5:23, 27 – Jesus is Head of the church, His body

Colossians 1:18 – Jesus is Head of the body, the church

            2 Cor 2:14-17 - Jesus leads believers in triumph

            Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Cor 5:17-21 – believers are new creatures, ambassadors for God

            Acts 14:23, 20:28 – elders (pl) appointed in every church (sg) to shepherd the flock
                                             bought with His blood

            1 Timothy 3:15 – the church is the Pillar and Support of the truth

            Hebrews 12:22-24 – the New Covenant church enrolled in heaven

5. Jesus is the Bridegroom of the Bride, His Church

            The Eternal Destiny of God’s People is to be With Christ

John 3:29 – Jesus is the bridegroom

            Ephesians 1:4 – chosen in Jesus before the foundation of the world, holy and blameless

            Ephesians 5:27 – present to Himself the church in all her glory, holy and blameless

            Colossians 1:22 – reconciled, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless

            Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9; 22:17 – the marriage of the Lamb and His bride

God-Empowered Change
Ephesians 4:20-24

Purpose: "As Christians, we resolve to be more like Christ every day, laying aside the old self and putting on the new, which is created in God's likeness!"

1. Learn Jesus, The Source of Truth (Eph. 4:20-21)

2. Lay Aside the Old Self (Eph. 4:22)

3. Put On the New Self (Eph. 4:23-24)

The King of Christmas

Purpose: to hear the greatest story, of the greatest King, ever told 

1. When God was King of His People  
       Leviticus 20:26
       Numbers 9:15-18
       Numbers 35:34
       Deut. 1:32
       Deuteronomy 17:14-20
       Judges 8:23

2. When God’s People Rejected Him as King    
       1 Samuel 8:1-22, esp. v. 7

3. When God Proclaimed His Return
        2 Samuel 7:1-17
        Psalm 29:10; 47
        Isaiah 43:15
       Jeremiah 23:5
       Lam. 5:19-22
      *Ezekiel 20:33
       Ezekiel 37:20-28
       Daniel 2:44; 7:13-14, 27
       Zechariah 14:9
       Micah 5:2, quoted in Matthew 2:6

4. The King of Christmas  
       Matthew 2:2; 21:1-9
       John 12:13; 12:15; 18:33-38
       1 Peter 2:9-10
       Titus 2:11-15
       1Timothy 6:14-16
       Revelation 15:3; 17:14; 19:21

Authentic Christianity 101

Hebrews 13:20-25

Purpose: to glorify Christ in worship, discipleship, and mission

1. God Raised Up the Great Shepherd Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:20)
      “God of peace”
      “Brought up from the dead”
      “The Great Shepherd of the sheep… Jesus our Lord” (Heb 9-10; John 10:11; 1 Pet 2:25)
      “Through the blood of the eternal covenant”  (Heb 7:25; 9:12, 15; Heb 8 and Jer 31)
      The gospel of eternal salvation!  (Heb 5:9; Luke 24:44-47; 1 Cor 15:1-8; Rom 10:9-14)
      Worship only Jesus! (Heb 1:5-14)

2. God Equips His People to do His Will (Heb. 13:21)
      Faith (Heb 11)
      Hope (Heb 12)
      Love (Heb 13)
      “Equip you for every good thing to do His will”  (Heb 13:21)
      This is authentic Discipleship!
      To Jesus be the glory forever and ever! (Eph 3:20-21)

3. God Calls His People to His Word (Heb. 13:22-25)
      A Brief Encouragement!
      The Supremacy of Jesus Christ over all! (Heb Chs 1-10)
      Five Warnings designed to preserve the soul (Heb 10:39)
         - Jesus is Superior to Angels, listen to His message of salvation (Heb 2:1-4)
        - Jesus is Superior to Moses, take heed (Heb 3:1 – 4:13)
        - Don’t Go Backward; leave OT shadows and go to NT realities (Heb 6:1-8)
        - The Danger of Despising God (Heb 10:26-31)
        - Do Not Refuse God (Heb 12:25-29)
      The Living Word: Jesus is God’s message to the world (see Heb 1:1-4)
      The Written Word (see Heb 4:12)
      Jesus is better! Live the Mission of Jesus!

 God’s man or woman, knows God’s will, from God’s Word!

Living the Authentic Christian Life – Together
Hebrews 13:15-19

Purpose: Because Jesus is “better,” we are called to live the authentic Christian life together as His Church, as a testimony to the world.

1. Authentic Sacrifices (Heb. 13:15-16)
   Praise and Thanksgiving, not Lambs and Goats.

2. Authentic Submission (Heb. 13:17)
   As to the Lord

3. Authentic Supplication (Heb. 13:18-19)
   To the honor of Christ

Living the Authentic Christian Life

Hebrews 13:1-14

Purpose: Because Jesus is “better,” we are called to live the authentic Christian life …

1. In the Principle of Love (13:1-4)
   Despite trials, we continue Christian community and brotherly love

2. In the Provision of God (13:5-6)
   Despite our own need, we continue to support those who minister the gospel

3. In the Permanence of Jesus Christ (13:7-9)
   Despite unstable situations, we trust in the unchanging faithfulness of Jesus Christ

4. In Partnership with Jesus Outside the Camp (13:10-14)
   Despising the shame, we count it a privilege to be suffer with Christ

Living the authentic Christian life is about enduring faith in Jesus, hope in Him who entered the eternal city , and love of one another despite all temporal difficulties!

Sinners In The Hands Of A Holy God
(Hebrews 12:18-29)

Purpose: We have confidence that the blood of Christ perfects those who endure, so that when we come face-to-face with the Holy God, we will experience eternal, unshakeable joy.

• The Weight of the Holy God (Heb. 12:18-21)
  Sinai – the Old Covenant mountain of God (Exodus 19:10-14)

• The Welcome of the Holy God (Heb. 12:22-24)
  Zion – the New Covenant city of God (Revelation 21:2-4)

• The Warning of the Holy God (Heb. 12:25)
  The Curses of Deuteronomy 28:15-68

• The Word of the Holy God (Heb. 26-27)
  The coming Judgment

• The Worship of the Holy God (Heb. 12:28-29)
  The eternal, unshakeable joy of the redeemed

Run the Race of Faith, to Win!

Hebrews 12:1-17

Purpose: Running the life-long race of faith in Jesus Christ!

1. Running Your Race of Faith (Hebrews 12:1-4)

The descriptions of Jesus in this passage:

• Jesus, the Author & Perfecter of faith (the Who)
• For the joy set before Him (the Why)
• Endured the cross (the What)
• Despising the shame (the How)
• Sat down at the right hand of the throne of God! (the Outcome)
• Jesus is Alive from the dead!

What, then, do we do in response to what Jesus does?

• We (the Who)
• Lay aside every encumbrance & sin (the Preparation)
• Run the race! (the What)
• With endurance (the How)
• The race is “set before us” (Jesus calls us!)
• Fixing our eyes on Jesus (the How)
• Do not grow weary! (the How)
• Do not lose heart! (the Perseverance)

Because God is faithful, and there’s a reward at the end, run the race
of faith to win!

2. Your Father Loves You! (Hebrew 12:5-11)

Revere God Who Knows Everything You are Going Through

3. Persevere Together! (Hebrews 12:12-17)

            Notice especially the actions (verbs) called for:

• “Strengthen” and “make straight” - in a word, persevere (vv. 12-13)
• “Pursue” peace and sanctification (v. 14)
• “See to it” no one comes short of the grace God (v. 15)
• “there be no” immoral or godless person (v. 16)

When you realize what you could have had, and missed it, it’s too late! 

Jesus is Better than anything else in this life. Follow Jesus at all costs!

Faith In The Meantime Is True Faith
Hebrews 11

Purpose: True faith is counted as righteousness by and rewarded by God.

1. True Faith Believes God’s True Word (Heb. 11:1-8)
   Psalm 19:1
   Romans 1:18-20

2. True Faith Seeks God’s True Promise (Heb. 11:13-16)
   A Better Heavenly Country
   Not the Copy

3. True Faith Endures To God’s Glory (Heb. 11:9-12, 17-38)
   Abraham
   Isaac
   Joseph
   Moses’ Parents
   Moses
   Israel
   Rahab
   Heroes
   Women
   Others

4. True Faith Receives God’s Better Reward (Heb. 11:39-40)

Faith In The Meantime

Hebrews 10:26-39

Purpose: “But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul” (Heb 10:39)

1. The Five Warnings Against Apostacy in Hebrews

• Since Jesus is Superior to Angels, listen to His message of salvation (Heb 2:1-4)
• Since Jesus is Superior to Moses, then we better take heed (Heb 3:1 – 4:13)
• Don’t Go Backward; leave OT shadows and go to NT realities (Heb 6:1-8)
• The Danger of Despising God (Heb 10:26-31)
• Do Not Refuse God (Heb 12:25-29)

2. The Sin of Apostasy (Heb 10:26-31)

          What is the “sin” being referred to here? (See Numbers 15:30-31!)

          It is the willful denial of the once-for-all salvation found only in Christ!

          This is “shrinking back to destruction” (Heb 10:39)

3. Don’t Shrink Back, Have Faith! Endure! Persevere! (Heb 10:32-39)

Their previous sufferings (vv. 32-34a)

The Character of the True Christian (vv. 34b-39)

• The True Christian has a better and lasting possession in Christ (v. 34b)
• The True Christian does not lose confidence (v. 35)
• The True Christian endures (v. 36)
• The True Christian lives by faith (v. 37, trusting in God for the future)
• The True Christian does not shrink back (v. 38)
• The True Christian perseveres (v. 39)

The true Christian never rejects God, never rejects Jesus Christ as their salvation.

New Covenant Living
Hebrews 10:19-25

Purpose: Jesus has brought us a new way of living. With full access to the Father, we are called and able to confidently live as the people of God from a pure and cleansed conscience.

1. The Why of the New Way (Heb. 10:19-21)

2. The What of the New Way (Heb. 10:22-25a)

3. The How of the New Way (Heb. 10:25b)

The All-Sufficiency of Jesus Christ!

Hebrews 10:1-18

Purpose: This is all about worship!! “Can I be in the presence of God with my sin?” “What takes my sin away?” “How do I worship God in the first place?” “Is worship more than singing songs?” “Can I worship God without knowing Jesus Christ?” “Can I be holy & acceptable to God?”

1. Old Covenant Worship Weakness (Heb 10:1-4)
2. 1 What could the Law “never” do?

Never make perfect those who draw near (compare to 9:9 and 14)

1. 2 If the OC worship and sacrifice for sin worked, what would be done?

The sacrifices would cease

1. 3 The sacrifices are a “reminder of sins”
2. 4 It is “impossible” for the blood of the OC sacrifices “to take away sins”

2. New Covenant Worship Strength (Heb 10:5-10)
3. 5-9 Using Psalm 40:6-8, the author is showing that . . .

                        What did Jesus come to “do”?

The will of God, taking away the first OC to establish the second NC

1. 10 By the offering (worship language) of Jesus Christ,

we have been (past/present/future) sanctified (i.e., made holy)

3. The All-Sufficiency of Christ’s Sacrifice (Heb 10:11-14)

            How is Christ’s work described here as …

1. Having offered one sacrifice, Himself, for sins for all time
2. Sat down at the right hand of God
3. Waiting until His enemies are made a footstool
4. By one offering, Himself, He perfected for all time
5. Those who are sanctified, made holy, set apart and able to worship!

Jesus is the Priest who offers, the offering itself which appeases the wrath of God upon our sin, and the King who Rules over His saved, perfected, purified once-for-all holy people! (Heb 7:27; 9:13-14, 23-26)

4. The New Covenant in the Believer’s Life! (Heb 10:15-18)
5. 15 Who is testifying? The Holy Spirit

To whom? To us! (quoting Jer. 31:33-34; see also Heb. 8:10, 12)

1. 18 If you have been forgiven and made holy, does there then need to be

another offering for your sins? No!

Conclusion:

See Matthew 5:17-18; Romans 10:4

OT -> NT                      OC -> NC                   Shadow -> Reality                Copy -> Heaven

Outward Acts -> Pure Conscience                        Law -> Grace                        Repeated -> Once for All

We fail -> Jesus Never Fails