JOHN OWEN INTRODUCES HEBREWS

Working on Hebrews 1. This introduction by Owen is fabulous foundation to approaching every verse.

WE proceed now unto our principal intendment in all these discourses, which is, the consideration and discussion of those great principles, as of all religion in general, so of the Christian in particular, which the apostle supposeth as a foundation of his whole treaty [reasoning] with the Hebrews, and which are the basis that he stands upon in the management of his whole design.

For in all discourses that are parenetical, as this Epistle for the most part is, there are always some principles taken for granted, which give life and efficacy unto the exhortations in them, and where into they are resolved. For, as to persuade men unto particulars in faith, opinion, or practice, without a previous conviction of such general principles of truth as from which the persuasions used do naturally flow and arise, is a thing weak and inefficacious; so to be exercised in the demonstration of the principles themselves, when the especial end aimed at is to persuade, would bring confusion into all discourse.

Wherefore, although our apostle do assert and confirm those dogmata and articles of truth which he dealt with the Hebrews in a way of persuasion to embrace, yet he supposeth and takes for granted those more general first maxims, which are the foundation both of the doctrines and exhortations insisted on, as all skill in teaching doth require.

And these are those which now we aim to draw forth and consider, being these that follow:-

First, That there was a Messiah, or Savior of mankind from sin and punishment, promised upon, and from, the first entrance of sin into the world, in whom all acceptable worship of God was to be founded, and in whom all the religion of the sons of men was to center.

Secondly, That this Messiah, long before promised, was now actually exhibited in the world, and had finished the work committed unto him, when the apostle wrote this Epistle.

Thirdly, That Jesus of Nazareth was this Messiah, and that what he had done and suffered was the work and duty promised of old
concerning him.

There is not a line in the Epistle to the Hebrews that doth not virtually begin and end in these principles, — not an assertion, not a doctrine, not an exhortation, that is not built on this triple foundation.---- John Owen.

CLEAR THE CHURCH

Lord, clear the Church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her, and bring us back to apostolic methods!
C.H.S.

His Grace Supplies My Faith

It is His grace that supplies and sustains my faith, not my faith that supplies and sustains His grace. God supplies the grace and His grace supplies the faith.

SANK IN THE MUD

So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.

FORMS

(Arthur Pink, "An Exposition of the Gospel of John")

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you!" John 15:18-19 

"Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you!" 1 John 3:13 

The professing Church has boasted that it would convert the world. To accomplish this aim, it has sought to "popularize" religion. Innumerable devices have been employed to attract the ungodly--many of which even a sense of propriety should have suppressed! 

The result has been that the world has converted the professing Church! 
But notwithstanding this, it still remains true that the world hates the true followers of the Lamb. And nowhere is this more plainly evident, than in those who belong to what we may term the religious world!

If you resolve that by Divine grace you will live godly in Christ Jesus--then know you that persecution must be your portion. And that persecution will come upon you not from atheists and infidels--but from those bearing the name of Christians. It will issue from those who still keep up a form (or semblance) of godliness, but who are strangers to its living power. It will come to you from empty professors whose compromising ways are condemned by your refusal to conform thereto; whose worldliness and carnality is rebuked by your spirituality. 

Remember, it was the religious leaders who hounded the Savior to His death!

STEERED BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE

(Charles Spurgeon, "Esther Defeats her Enemies")

"In his heart a man plans his course--but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 
"Many are the plans in a man's heart--but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21 
"A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?" Proverbs 20:24 
Do not judge divine providence in little pieces--it is a grand mosaic, and must be seen as a whole. 

The Lord's wisdom is seen in arranging the smallest events so as to produce great results. We frequently hear people say of a pleasant or a great event, "What a providence! This is the finger of God!"--while they are silent as to anything which appears less important, or has an unpleasant savor.

But the place of the flower upon the hillside--is as fixed as the station of a king! And the dust which is raised by a cart-wheel--is as surely steered by divine providence as the planet in its orbit! 

There is as much providence in the creeping of an insect upon a rose leaf--as in the marching of an army to ravage a continent!

Everything, the most minute, as well as the most magnificent--is ordered by the Lord who has prepared His throne in the heavens, whose kingdom rules over all. 

Whatever the event may be, the attentive eye will as clearly see the Lord's providential hand. 

I am sure that God is in the world, yes, and is at my own fireside, and in my chamber--and manages my affairs, and orders all things for me, and for each one of His redeemed children. We need no miracles to convince us of His working,the wonders of His providence are as great marvels as miracles themselves.

"We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!" Romans 8:28

NO MIDDLE GROUND

God has no middle ground.  The Law of God has no middle ground.  Moses had no middle ground.  Holiness and Purity has no middle ground.  The supposed classification of: moral laws, judicial laws, civil laws, ceremonial laws had no middle ground.  Jesus did not live a life keeping only the middle ground, but rather to complete perfection.  The punishment of Christ on the cross was not the Father's middle ground in justice or wrath.  The command to not murder has no middle ground.  The command to not commit adultery or idolatry has no middle ground. 

 When you say, "We are not going to be legalists, nor antinomians, but follow the middle ground" then you have already lowered the bar and have already abandoned the Law of God.  You cannot appeal to the law for a rule's existence and then appeal to a middle ground for the law's enforcement.  This approach to the Christian life and church discipline will not work with Christians who murder, and it is not allowed for Christians who broke the Sabbath.  

In church discipline it should be made public that, "This member was removed for murdering, or this member was removed for immorality due to breaking the Sabbath."  However this seems unlikely to happen, which in my opinion is not above board.  So what is occurring is that men are binding the consciences of others with a subjective rule which is not based on the Law of God, but on personal preference

WITHOUT THE HEART

"Without the heart it is no worship. It is a stage play. It is an acting of a part without being that person, really. It is playing the hypocrite."

STEPEHEN CHARNOCK

EVANGELISM IS NOT ABOUT YOU

“The more evangelism is about you, the less you will evangelize." ~ Matt Chandler

FELLOWSHIP

The serious Christian, set down for the first time in a Christian community, is likely to bring with him a very definite idea of what Christian life together should be and to try to realize it. But God’s grace speedily shatters such dreams. Just as surely as God desires to lead us to a knowledge of genuine Christian fellowship, so surely must we be overwhelmed by a great disillusionment with others, with Christians in general, and, if we are fortunate, with ourselves. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

Suffering Saints

(Jerome Zanchius, 1516-1590)

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son!" Romans 8:28-29 

The sovereignty of God is a comfort for suffering saints, acting to remove anxiety. How sweet must the following considerations be to a distressed believer!

1. There most certainly exists an almighty, all-wise and infinitely gracious God (Hebrews 11:6).

2. His love for His elect people is immutable; He never repents of it nor withdraws it (Jeremiah 31:3).

3. Whatever comes to pass in time, is the result of His sovereign will from everlasting (1 Corinthians 8:6).

4. Consequently my afflictions are a part of His sovereign will, and are all ordered in number, weight, and measure (Psalm 22:24).

5. The very hairs of my head (every one) are counted by Him; nor can a single hair fall to the ground but in consequence of His wise determination (Luke 12:7).

6. Hence my afflictions and distresses are not the result of chance, accident, or a fortuitous combination of circumstances (Psalm 56:8).

7. They are the providential accomplishment of God's eternal purpose (Romans 8:28), and are designed to answer some wise and gracious ends (James 5:10-11).

8. Nor shall my affliction continue a moment longer than God sees fit (2 Corinthians 7:6-7).

9. He who brought the affliction to me--has promised to support me under it and to carry me through it (Psalm 34:15-17).

10. All shall, most assuredly, work together for His glory and my good.

11. Therefore, "Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?" (John 18:11).

However keenly afflictions might wound us on their first access--yet, under the impression of such animating views, we should quickly come to ourselves again, and the arrows of affliction, would, in great measure lose their sharpness. 

Christians need nothing but absolute resignation to God's wise and gracious Providence, to render them perfectly happy in every possible circumstance. And absolute resignation can only flow from an absolute belief of, and an absolute acquiescence in, God's absolute Providence, founded on His absolute predestination (1 Thessalonians 1:2-4).

CHRISTIAN LOVE

"Christian love... is compatible with the profoundest hatred of error, and the most zealous contending for the truth." -J Gresham Machen

THE VALUE OF WISDOM

The transcendent excellency divine wisdom

(James Smith, "Food for Hungry Souls")

"For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. 
 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 
 She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. 
 She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. 
 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly!" 
Proverbs 3:14-18 

See the transcendent excellency divine wisdom. 

Men desire health--but bodily health is only for a time. 
Divine wisdom gives perpetual health, both of body and soul. 

Men desire wealth--but riches are not forever.
Divine wisdom gives unsearchable riches--enduring riches! 

Men desire life--but human life is brief. 
Divine wisdom gives everlasting life, and life in perfection and interminable blessedness. 

Men desire honor--but earthly honor is fading. 
Divine wisdom confers the highest honors, associating us in the nearest relation with God, who is the source of all real honor. 

Men desire pleasure--but what does earthly pleasure amount to? 
Divine wisdom leads . . .
  to rivers of pleasure,
  to oceans of joy,
  to fountains of purest delight! 

Men desire fame--but fame among sinners, is but a puff of noisy breath. 
Divine wisdom makes us famous, if not on earth--in Heaven; if not in time--in eternity!

If therefore we would possess health and wealth; 
if we would live forever, and live forever in honor;
if we would enjoy endless pleasure, and shine among God's worthies
--then we must get wisdom! It is transcendently excellent, for all the world would not purchase it--though God freely gives it! Nor would the possession of the whole world make up for the loss of it--if we neglect and despise it. Nor would a world, or ten thousand worlds, make a man half so happy!

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom!" Proverbs 4:7 

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Today I thought of this...If an olympic runner asked me, "How is your fitness training going?"  and I replied, "Pretty slow and I can't understand why?"  The runner asks, "How often are you jogging?"  Then I reply, "Jogging? what do you mean?"  And the runner elaborates, "You know, like jogging a mile or two every other day."  Then I reply, "Oh yeah, I jogged a mile a year ago, so I have done that before, why should I have to do that again?"

In this way the thought hit me, "As Christians we have said, and have others said, 'Why read this chapter of the Bible again, I have read it before, like a year ago, everyone knows what Romans 8 says, right?"  But in almost every hobby you can name...basketball, weight-lifiting, running, baseball, football, soccer, golf, etc, people know that have shot free throws before, and ran a mile before, and practiced their curveball or fastball or batting; they hit 30 balls with their 7 iron on the practice green."

 So I encourage us to stay nourished with the Word of God.  Continue to read Philippians even if you have read it 7x over the years, continue to read Jeremiah and Exodus, and the Proverbs;  too many of us, namely me, are way out of shape spiritually.  Sanctification is all of grace, and not of some empty routine of daily devotionals, but even so, God uses means, and He uses His Word and prayer to feed us and strength us.  Don't rest in a head knowledge, press on until God burns it into you heart.

Picture on Prayer

Zoom in on the photo and read the text.  It is a great devotional on prayer. 

ALL NEW

All things have become new!

(Thomas Reade)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

Our perceptions will be new. A divine light will break in upon our minds. The darkness of error, which obscured the truth from our view, will be dissipated.

Our principles will be new. We shall act from pure, holy, unselfish motives. Faith working by love will be the grand moving principle. Self will no longer be the pivot on which we turn--but Jesus will be our all in all.

Our practice will be new. We shall live no longer according to the sinful customs of the world, or the powerful solicitations of the flesh--but according to the holy precepts of the everlasting Gospel. We shall delight in the law of God after the inward man. It will be our food and drink to do the will of our Father.

Our plans will be new. We shall dedicate ourselves, and all we have and are, to the service of that divine Savior who loved us, and gave Himself for us. We shall not be daily occupied in forming plans for worldly pleasure, or projecting schemes for the acquisition of worldly profit; but in devising means for carrying on the cause of truth, and for spreading the knowledge of a crucified Redeemer throughout the earth.

Our prospects will be new. The darkness being past, and the true light now shining--we shall see the distant radiance of the heavenly Zion, and behold, with the telescopic eye of faith, the land which is very far off.

Our privileges will be new.
God will be our reconciled Father.
Jesus will be our Savior and friend.
The Holy Spirit will be our sanctifier and comforter.
And Heaven will be our eternal home!

Our portion will be new. All those exceeding great and precious promises, will be ours. We shall be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ! We shall be the citizens of the New Jerusalem, and inherit that kingdom that is incorruptible and undefiled, prepared for all the new creatures in Christ Jesus, before the foundation of the world.

To sum up all this blessedness, we shall experience in this world a progression in holiness--and in the world to come, a perpetuity of bliss!

ARE WE TOO POOR

 Our closing hymn is posted below, with wonderful lyrics, that not only blessed me, but also convicted me.

Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That ever mortals knew,
That angels ever bore:
All are too poor to speak His worth,
Too poor to set my Savior forth.

The website gives all the original verses which are 12 in total, our hymnal only had 5 or 6.  And as I love all the verses, I was especially blessed by this first verse, but oddly despite misreading them.  Here is what I sang....

"are you too poor to speak His Worth, too poor to set my Savior forth"

And this convicted me greatly.  Now yes, we are too poor to declare God's worth to the fullest; but the meaning I was using was, "Has God not blessed you and strengthened you enough that you will not speak His worth?"  In Acts 3, the lame man had his legs restored, the strength restored, and he was leaping!   If Peter had given him an apple, he might have been sincerely thankful, but still not strong enough to leap;  If Peter had given him 3000 talents of silver then the man would have at least tried to leap, and yet not been strong enough to do so.  In salvation Jesus has bore the justice and wrath of God on our behalf, Jesus has redeemed us and cleansed us; we have been adopted, loved, set free, and been made clean, partakers in heavenly places.  In light of all that Christ has done for us and granted to us and secured for us, how would we respond to the hymn I misread..."are you too poor to speak His worth, too poor to set my Savior forth."  The Queen of Sheba could not keep her amazement to her self, but behold, One greater than Solomon is here.

In a very weak illustration, what if a billionaire gave you a billion dollars and then afterwards said, "Meet me in the parking lot by your local gas station (mine is one-third of a mile away)" and I reply, "I can't get there it is too far, too hard, and I do not have the resources to get there." ???    God has given us His Word, His Son, His Spirit, His grace, and we beheld His glory;  why aren't we serving Him and proclaiming Him and praising Him? Are you too poor?  Has He not equipped you to do so?  Is His equipping insufficient?   Oh, how joyfully we should be leaping as well, we had lame legs that could not leap, and if you have been saved by the grace of God, dare not remained seated like a poor beggar;  Leap, Serve, Obey, Praise God, Proclaim His Excellencies;  Is your tongue lame still, that it cannot extol Him?  Is your heart lame still, that it cannot love Him?  Is your mind lame still, that it cannot declare Him.

DYLAN SONG - SAVED

I was blinded by the devil
Born already ruined
Stone-cold dead
As I stepped out of the womb
By His grace I have been touched
By His word I have been healed
By His hand I have been delivered
By His spirit I Have been sealed.

I've been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
Saved
And I'm so glad
Yes, I'm so glad
I'm so glad
So glad
I want to thank you, Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You Lord.

WHEN HE RETURNS

"When He Returns"

The iron hand it ain't no match for the iron rod
The strongest wall will crumble and fall to a mighty God
For all those who have eyes and all those who have ears
It is only He who can reduce me to tears
Don't you cry and don't you die and don't you burn
Like a thief in the night, he'll replace wrong with right
When he returns.

Truth is an arrow and the gate is narrow that is passes through
He unreleased His power at an unknown hour that no one knew
How long can I listen to the lies of prejudice ?
How long can I stay drunk on fear out in the wilderness ?
Can I cast it aside, all this loyalty and this pride ?
Will I ever learn that there'll be no peace, that the war won't cease
Until He returns ?

Surrender your crown on this blood-stained ground, take off your mask
He sees your deeds, He knows your needs even before you ask
How long can you falsily and deny what is real ?
How long can you hate yourself for the weakness you conceal ?
Of every earthly plan that be known to man, He is unconcerned
He's got plans of his own to set up His throne
When He return.

THEY SHALL HAVE IT

(Richard Sibbes, 1577-1635)

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose!" Romans 8:28

Whatever is truly good for God's children--they shall have it, for all is theirs to further them to Heaven. Therefore . . .
  if poverty is good for them--they shall have it; 
  if disgrace is good for them--they shall have it;
  if crosses are good for them--they shall have them;
  if misery is good for them--they shall have it;
for God makes all things work together for the good of His redeemed people.

God takes a safe course with His children--that they may not be condemned with the world. 
He permits the world to condemn them--that they may not love the world.
The world hates them--that they may not love the world.
That they may be crucified to it--the world is to be crucified to them.
Because He will not allow them to perish with the world--He sends them afflictions in and by the world. Therefore they meet with suchcrosses and abuses and wrongs in the world.

God afflicts us outwardly--that we may be more humble inwardly. 
He humbles us and makes us poor--that we may be more poor in spirit. 
When God designs to humble us--we should labor through grace to abase ourselves and mortify pride.

God's providence is often mysterious--yet He is just and righteous in all that He does. Therefore when any difficult thing befalls us for which we can see no reason, yet we must reverence the Lord and adore His counsels and submit to Him who is infinitely more good and wise than we.

Glory follows afflictions--as the spring follows the winter. For the winter prepares the earth for the spring--so do sanctified afflictions prepare the soul for glory.