Don’t Let Your Light Go Out

Introduction

You are probably aware of the unreasonable attraction between the male of our species and fire. Just something about that that we’re drawn to that fire. Now, the evolutionist among us would argue that that kind of maybe connects us back to our caveman days in which we invented fire and that fascination. But the wives in our audience would be the least inclined to believe that because they would argue that men haven’t evolved from that caveman mentality and status. But there is that fascination among many of us, and particularly again the men, with some the idea of fire, starting a fire, and we can’t leave the fire alone. We have to poke at it and prod at it and throw more into it to make it bigger and hotter.

And I want to talk a little bit about the idea of fire this morning. Several years ago, when we lived in Missouri and experienced winters, we one winter we had a devastating ice storm that destroyed so many of our trees, and in the destruction of those trees, our power lines. And so we were two weeks without power. And it was cold. And for a while, the only source of heat in our house was fire. Thankfully, we had a fireplace. Actually, it was a double-sided fireplace, and that was for a long time the only source of heat in our house. Partly because it just fell to me, but also partly because I was excited about it, I was in charge of the fire. I had to build that fire and maintain that fire and not let that fire go out, because in my mind, if that fire went out even for a second, we would all freeze to death.

And so I was on fire patrol, keeping the fire going. And I learned some things in those two weeks of how to keep a fire going, how not to let that fire go out. And you can probably see where I’m going with this concept, because I don’t want to talk about fire, not in some negative punitive sense, but the idea of us keeping our fire going. Hebrews chapter 10, and we’re going to spend some time this morning in the book of Hebrews. And so I encourage you to get your Bible, your digital device wherever you read the Word of God, and turn with me to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 10, the Hebrew writer says, it encourages them to recall the former days. The new King James says, recall the former days in which you were illuminated.

Illuminated. The other translations maybe use the idea once you were enlightened.

And so we’re going to talk about this idea of having received the light, the fire of our salvation. And really, if you’re familiar with the book of Hebrews, this entire book was written to encourage these first century Hebrew Christians to not let that fire go out. Another way of putting it is he was encouraging them not to fall away. Let’s look at a few of those encouragements, just kind of to reinforce that. Go to Hebrews chapter 2, where our Bible reading ended this morning. Therefore, he says, Hebrews 2 verse 1, therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we drift away. There’s going to be several expressions used in the book of Hebrews that speak to this idea of not letting the fire go out.

There he says, lest you drift away. Turn over to chapter 4, verse 1. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Again, if you’re familiar and you’ve studied the book of Hebrews before, you know the premise of this book. That these, particularly these Hebrew Christians, because of the persecution that they were facing and the potential increase in that persecution, so many of them were either being tempted to, or were already drifting away, falling short, falling away, or letting that light go out. And so the Hebrew writer writes this, I would argue it’s a sermon, really, that’s been transcribed, and writes and speaks to them and encourages them to not lose the battle, to not fall away, or as we’re saying it this morning, to not let that light go out.

We could go do two different directions with this sermon. If we wanted to take a negative bent to this sermon, we could go through the book of Hebrews and survey the warnings, the dire warnings that are there. If you do fall away, if you do let the light go out, this is what’s going to happen to you. This is going to be your status before God. And we could almost just kind of scare us into keeping the light going. And the Hebrew writer does that. But if we decide to take a more positive approach, which the Hebrew writer also does, we could talk about those things that God has provided them and us today to maintain that light, to not let that fire go out. And that’s the approach I want to take this morning, is to talk about just a few.

1. His Word

There are actually many that are listed in this epistle of Hebrews, but I want to look at just four of those, time permitting, of things that God has provided for us to keep that flame lit. And let’s look at those together this morning. The first one, and one that permeates the book of Hebrews, is the concept of his word. That’s how he begins. Go back to the beginning, Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1. In a book that is to encourage them not to fall away from their faith. Here’s how he begins that discussion. Hebrews 1, verse 1, God who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he is appointed heir of all things, through whom he is also made the world.

He has spoken to us through his Son. It’s no coincidence that in a book that was to encourage them not to fall away, that he begins in the very first verse talking about the word of God. It is that word that God has given us that would be the greatest weapon that we have in keeping this fire lit. Look also in chapter 2 again, verse 1. Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest we drift away. You get that point? If you’re not paying attention to the word, the things which we have heard, then you’re more likely to drift away. If you don’t want to drift away, he says, pay attention. Give earnest heed, pay close attention to the things that we have heard.

Chapter 4, you’ll be familiar with this verse, most likely. Chapter 4, verse 12, the Hebrew writer says, For the Word of God. The Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, peace piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and as a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. We cannot overemphasize the importance of us being people in the Word.

If we could accurately survey.

2. Passages of Hope

That it God has spoken to us, as he said there in Hebrews chapter 1, through his word. That is the fire. And the closer we are to that fire, the more likely we are to maintain our fire. Our zeal, our interest in the things of God. And so God has given us His Word, not as a homework assignment to be dreaded, not as some kind of requirement put upon us to burden us. He’s given us His Word as an aid, as a help that we might be drawn closer to Him, to the source of that fire, and of our encouragement. Secondly, the Hebrew writer, to these Hebrew Christians who were drifting away or being tempted to drift away throughout this book, throughout this sermon, he is going to sprinkle in passages of hope.

Just like we cannot overestimate the importance of the Word of God in maintaining our faith, we should not underestimate the importance of hope. Because sometimes, on our darkest days, our most difficult struggles, hope is the only thing that can get us through. I know I’ve shared many of my weaknesses with you, and this is one I’ve shared with you frequently. That I must admit I’m a coward. I’m not afraid of heights or of snakes or spiders. But there’s a little lady here in Orlando that I’m deathly afraid of. No, but it’s not Deedra. She is literally less than half my size. But I’m scared of her. Scared of her because of what her profession is. She’s a dental hygienist.

And I do not like the dentist. Worse than the dental hygienist is a couple years ago I had a root canal. That’s in my dental experience, that’s as bad as it gets. And so I went to the specialist and went to the get the root canal done. And I know you’re going to find this hard to believe, but I have a small mouth. And so the dentist and the assistant and the dental hygienist are constantly nagging and yelling at me, open your mouth, open your mouth. And I’m saying this as much as it gets. And so the last time I had a root canal, they went into the bathroom and got the little rubber door wedge that was keeping the door open, brought it and hammered that thing into my jaw and forced my mouth to open wider than it normally would.

And so not only do I have needles and appliances and drilling, I’ve got this rubber wedge that’s forcing my mouth painfully open. And I’m miserable. Miserable.

The only thing that kept me from ripping that out of my mouth, tearing up the chair and some of the appliances surrounding that chair, and getting out of there is knowing that this was just a temporary. That this wasn’t going to last. That they were going to take that rubber wedge out of my mouth, and the Novocaine was going to wear off, and the pain that I had been experiencing for weeks was going to be gone. In a word, there was hope that sustained me through that trial.

And sometimes that’s the only thing that will sustain us through our life is hope. Is the hope that this is just temporary, that there is a greater reward awaiting us. Look with me in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 2. Verses 14 and 15. Hebrews 2, verse 14, inasmuch then as the children, that’s us, as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself, that’s our high priest Jesus Christ, he himself likewise shared in the same, that is in flesh and blood, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. He doesn’t use the word hope, but the word hope resonates through those two verses, that because of what Jesus did, he released us from the fear of death.

That’s hope. Of recognizing that not only is death not something to be dreaded, but it’s something in some sense to be embraced. That we’ve been released from the fear of death because we’ve been released from what causes that fear of death. Look with me also, skip down to verse 17 in the same context. Therefore, because of what Christ has done for us, therefore, in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. We have hope through Christ Jesus. Look also in the book of Hebrews, chapter 10. And this time in verse 23. In encouraging them again, because of what Christ has done for them and us, and because of our relationship sustained with Christ, he tells them this.

Hebrews chapter 10, verse 23, let us hold the hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. Hold fast the confession of our hope. We might expect him to say the confession of our faith there, and that would fit. But he says, let’s hold fast the confession of our hope. It is that hope, that expectation that can go through the darkness and attach it to itself to something permanent, something fixed and something sure that gives us that hope. And I want you to notice the subtle way he expressed what our hope is in. He mentions the promises, but our hope isn’t in the promises. Our hope is not in the promise of salvation. Our hope’s not in the promise of eternal life.

3. Focus: Consider and Look to Jesus

Our hope is not in the promise of heaven. He says, for he who promised is faithful. Our hope is not in the promise, it’s in the promiseor. Our hope is in God who has promised. And that hope will cause us to endure. And so I encourage you to focus on that hope. To think about the hope and the one who gives us that hope. And that brings us to the next thing the Hebrew writer is going to say. God has given us to help us maintain our faith. And that is, he’s given us focus. We understand the importance of focus, of the idea of being focused on that which is important, to remember what it’s all about. And notice what he says. Let’s just look at two verses here.

In chapter 3, first of all, Hebrews chapter 3. Start there in verse 1, where he says, Therefore, Hebrews 3, verse 1, therefore, holy beloved, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who is faithful to him who appointed him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house. For this one, Jesus Christ, this one has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who built the house has more honor than the house. He said, in this pursuit of faithfulness, in an understated way, he says, consider Jesus Christ. Think about him. Don’t think about yourself. Don’t even think about what the task that you might have to undertake. But consider Jesus. Later, he’s going to use more pointed language.

Look over in chapter 12. After listing all of those faithful men and women in chapter 11, he begins chapter 12 this way. Therefore, we also, since we’re surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Verse 2, looking unto Jesus. Looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Jesus. And now he says, looking unto Jesus. That’s our focus. Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus as the example of one who has endured, but also look to Jesus as our goal, as to the finisher of our faith.

A focus. So many times in life, it’s not the temptation to some grand illicit sin that will draw us away from Christ. It’s not some tragic event that happens in our life that shakes our faith to the core. But many times we’re just like that sheep that Jesus told the story about in Luke 15. We just wander away. Or as he would warn in the book of Hebrews, we drift away. Because we lost focus. We were going through the Christian motions of doing the things that we thought we were supposed to do, but we lost sight of why we were doing them. And maybe more poignantly, we lost sight of the one for whom we’re doing them. And so in this letter encouraging them not to fall away, it’s not surprising that he said, focus.

4. God Has Helped Us With Discipline

Consider, look to Jesus. Lastly, still in Hebrews chapter 12, the Hebrew writer is going to say, God’s given us something else. He’s given us the positivity of his word. He’s given us a hope that we can endure. We no longer are burdened with the fear of death. We have a focus. We have someone to look to and to look after, and that is Jesus. But he says, God’s also helped us with some discipline. In Hebrews chapter 12, and speaking of the persecution that those in chapter 11 had faced and the persecution they were facing, he puts it this way. Hebrews 12, verse 4. He first says, You’ve not resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. In other words, that some have had it worse. Verse 5, and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons.

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him. For whom the Lord loves, he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as sons. For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you’re without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we’ve had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they endured for a few days, chastened, for they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but he for our profit, that we may become partakers of the holiness.

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. Nevertheless, afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Now that raises a few questions. What is this chastening? Is this God just sending things down to us to intentionally and directly chasten us? Or is He, and I think this is probably the case, is God just using the circumstances, sometimes the difficult circumstances of life as a means to providentially chasten us. And that brings to light a few thoughts. Number one is that chastening is not always punishment. He uses the illustration of a father chastening or disciplining his son. Discipline’s not always a punishment. Sometimes it is.

Number one is that they are a test that allows us to demonstrate the strength of our faith. We might liken it to a piano recital. The student has studied the piano for a while, and now we’re going to have a recital to show what that student’s learned. And sometimes this chastening, the difficulties that we have to face in life, allow me to demonstrate my faith. Not in some braggadocious, egotistical way, but just to show myself and my God that I have the faith to endure this. But then, secondly, this chastening, this discipline, and maybe this is more important than even allowing us to demonstrate the strength of our faith, it might reveal our weaknesses. It might reveal our weaknesses and show me not the strength of my faith, but to show me the areas of my faith that need improvement.

That were only going to be revealed through those difficulties.

Can expose weaknesses, deficiencies in my faith. And areas that need some improvement that needs some work.

Conclusion

So that I don’t let that light, which is really his light, go out. The Hebrew writer preached this sermon, wrote this letter, encouraging his brethren to not fall away.