Hearing God in Hebrews (Part 1)

CPAC sermon 28 September 2008

Hearing God in Hebrews (Part 1) Hebrews 1:1-12

SLIDE 1

One of my favourite story books when I was growing up was about the adventures of Noddy.

Noddy, the little wooden, boy doll who lived in Toyland,

which was a world with real live Teddy bears, Elves and Golliwogs.

Noddy got his name because his head was on a spring and when he got excited his head just couldn’t stop nodding!

SLIDE 2

Noddy loved driving his friends around Toyland in his little red and yellow taxi.

SLIDE 3

Noddy’s best mate was Big-Ears!

Big Ears was a very friendly, cheerful gnome who was a hundred years old and was very wise.

Now even though Noddy was very kind and honest, he always seemed to get himself into trouble.

So Big Ears would often spend his days in Toyland riding around on his bike, helping Noddy work out a way to solve his problems.

Whenever Noddy got muddled or got himself into trouble, Big-Ears would often be heard to say "You funny little Noddy!"

Why was Big Ears called Big Ears?

I guess it was because he had Big Ears but above all he was probably a very good listener as he simply listened to Noddy share his problems and frustrations.

We know how vital and important it is to communicate effectively and also to listen.

We only have to look at the political scene to understand that,

or consider the importance of communication in a friendship or marriage relationship.

When it comes to communicating with God, it’s not easy is it?

Speaking for myself, the communication feels one way, on many occasions.

That is, me trying to connect with God.

I feel like I’m doing all the talking.

Sometimes it’s like I’m talking to my hand!

So sometimes, I feel a bit like Noddy.

I’m trying to do my best but things don’t always go swimmingly well.

I try to be good and kind but it doesn’t make my life easier.

More often than not I struggle to hear God speak into my life, especially when I’m the one doing all the knocking on His door.

I get frustrated and demoralised….

I know what you’re thinking –

“Gosh, if Danny feels like that, what hope is there for me!”

Don’t worry, we’re in this together!

That’s the value and strength of the “church”.

We’re a family, a team.

We must live & play the game of life with each other, and for each other.

So what hope is there for us?

Well, there’s lots of hope, in fact, endless hope.

It’s found in Jesus Christ.

The letter to the Hebrews begins by asserting the greatest single fact of the Christian revelation in it’s opening sentence:

SLIDE 4

“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways…”
Hebrews 1:1

Alleluia! Thank goodness!

God has spoken to humankind though His Word and above all,

through His Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

In Jesus Christ, God has closed the greatest communication gap of all time that exists between Him and us. Let me read some more:

1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

The bible is a divinely inspired history book about God and His chosen people the Jews, and it goes on to explain how we non-Jews fit into God’s purposes and plans for His world

The central figure right through the bible, in both Old & New Testaments,

is the person of Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament can be described as the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament can be described as the Old Testament revealed.

Referred to as the Messiah in the OT, Jesus is then revealed in the NT.

In the fullness of that revelation, Jesus Himself said, “I have come, not to do away with the Law (OT beliefs) but to fulfil it”.

Many first century Jewish Christians, the Hebrews, were not unlike us.

They were struggling to understand this “God”.

They were being tempted to abandon their new-found faith because of their difficulty in understanding and recognising who Jesus Christ was.

So to encourage them, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews begins his letter by describing and exalting God’s Son, Jesus.

He highlights 8 very significant points about Jesus.

SLIDE 5

Jesus is God’s:
1 prophetic voice: Adonai Shammah – Ever-Present

2 Son: Adonai Rohi - Shepherd

3 appointed heir: Adonai Jireh - Provider
4 creative agent: Adonai Rapha - Healer

SLIDE 6

5 personified glory: Adonai Tsidkenu - Righteousness
6 perfect revelation: Adonai Shalom - Peace
7 cosmic sustainer: Adonai Nissi - Victor

8 unique sacrifice: Adonai M’Kaddesh – Sanctification

Highlighting who the person of Jesus Christ is also puts the spotlight on who God is.

So in order to better trust God, and hear God speak into our lives

It is vital that we begin to understand and know His nature and character.

God has many names which reveal His nature and character.

To know these things about God will help us better understand what He requires of us.

As an aside, some people use the name Jehovah, eg Jehovah Jireh – that is OK – God is not going to strike you with a thunder bolt if you use that term Jehovah, but it is not scripturally correct.

I prefer not to use it because of the association to the Jehovah Witnesses cult.

Even referring to God as “Yahweh” I suggest is better than using Jehovah, but as I say, if you are happy to use the term Jehovah Jireh, etc then that is fine.

God called Himself “I AM” to Moses. The Hebrews considered God’s Name so holy that they didn’t even say it aloud often. But they wrote it as YHWH (Yahweh). In addition, through the OT God is called “Adonai” meaning Lord. It was the Catholic Monk Raymundus Martini around 1270AD who came up with the name Jehovah. He took the vowels from the Latin version of Adonai and inserted them into the Latin writing of YHWH to create the new name Jehovah.

Because God is called Adonai through the OT, I have used that term as part of God’s names.

So let’s look at these names.

1 prophetic voice: Adonai Shammah – Ever-Present

God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

He knows the end from the beginning.

You will never be in a place where He’s not there with you.

He has spoken prophetically over your life even before you were born (He knew you in your Mother’s womb) - He is ever present with you – He holds your life in His hands.

2 Son: Adonai Rohi - Shepherd

God is our great Shepherd.

He sent us His Son to guide us, care for us, shepherd us, and show us the way…

3 appointed heir: Adonai Jireh – Provider

We trust God for provsion and guidance – our daily bread…

4 creative agent: Adonai Rapha – Healer.

He heals, restores, reconciles, makes whole again…

5 personified glory: Adonai Tsidkenu - Righteousness
God is Holy – no evil can exist in His presence. He is sovereign over all creation.

6 perfect revelation: Adonai Shalom - Peace
Shalom means The Lord is Our completeness

He is the source of everything we need, and our perfect peace

Christ is the Prince of Peace. He gives us a peace the world cannot give.

7 cosmic sustainer: Adonai Nissi – Victor

You will never hear the word “Oopps” in heaven!

Nothing can take God by surprise!

God is in charge! He has conquered all before Him.

We need not fear the enemy of our soul – no weapon formed against us can affect us. Be bold in Christ.

8 unique sacrifice: Adonai M’Kaddesh – Sanctification

We are saved (our broken relationship with God, through our sin, is now completely restored) through the act of Christ on the Cross, but our sanctification takes time, it is a process.

Sanctification is a process of becoming more and more like Christ, gradually maturing, growing, becoming, changing into His perfect likeness from one degree to another.

Derek Prince sums up sanctification like this:

“You were saved, you are saved, and you will be saved”.

Over the coming weeks I encourage you to meditate on and ponder the Names of God.

Now as far as hearing God speak to you is concerned, and God speaking into your life, understand that if you know the Lord then you have already heard His voice.

It was that inner leading, inner small voice of God, that brought you to Him in the first place.

You have heard God, as I have.

You and I just need to hone up on our hearing ability!

So please don’t think you have never heard God.

Here’s one key to hearing God.

Jesus always checked with His Father. See John 8:26-30.

How?

Through prayer and the Hebrew scriptures.

He was a fervent pray-er and He was a student of the Torah.

When we follow this example set by Jesus we too will be able to do what we see the Father doing and do what we hear Him saying to us.

To hear the Father’s voice is our basic right as followers of His Son.

This is not just theory.

Hearing from the Father should come out of your own adventure relationship and connectedness with Him.

It comes back to building our relationship with God, which is one of our key priorities at CPAC at the moment.

So don’t make, or think, that hearing from God is complicated.

Remember,

“ A person’s heart plans his/her way. But the Lord directs his/her steps”

(Prov 16:9)

This scripture means that God does not want to make it hard for us to hear Him.

Most importantly, He simply wants us to get our hearts right with Him, to stay humble before Him and to serve and obey Him.

Then, God promises to guide you, to direct your steps.

That’s what He promises in His Word to you and to me.

Amen.