Persevering in the Present Between Past and Future

Order of Service

• Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:32-39
• Sermon
• Prayer of Closing

---

Sermon Title: Persevering in the Present Between Past and Future

Scripture: Hebrews 10:32-39

I. Context: Where We Are in Hebrews 10

A. Verses 1–18: Christ's priestly ministry established

B. Verses 19–25: The "therefore" section — two possessions and three exhortations

1. Let us draw near with a true heart
2. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope
3. Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works

C. Verses 26–31: The final warning passage of Hebrews — a life of hardened sin brings dreadful judgment

D. Verses 32–39 function like Hebrews 6:9-12 — a word of confidence following a word of warning

1. Hebrews 6:9: "Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things"
2. Hebrews 10:39: "We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls"

II. The Present Life the Writer Calls Us To

A. A life of faith, hope, courage, confidence, and endurance — lived between past and future

B. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints (the P in TULIP) has two inseparable parts

1. Our persevering — living out faith and godliness day by day
2. God's preserving — he causes his people to persevere; without him we cannot

C. The Canons of Dort (Fifth Head of Doctrine) on perseverance

1. Believers daily struggle with sin and must mortify the flesh, pursue piety, and press toward perfection
2. Those converted could not persevere if left to their own strength — God faithfully confirms and powerfully preserves them to the end

D. 2 Peter 1:5-11 — Peter's parallel teaching

1. Verses 5–7: Supplement faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love
2. Verse 10: "Be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election; if you practice these qualities you will never fall"
3. The Lord is at work in us, but we still have real work to do

E. The Christian life is one of endurance

1. Hebrews 12:1: "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"
2. Luke 21:16-19: "By your endurance you will gain your lives"

III. Remember Past Endurance

A. Hebrews 10:32-34 — "Recall the former days": these believers had endured public reproach, affliction, partnership with the suffering, compassion for those in prison, and the plundering of their property

B. The key verb: "you endured" — the writer calls them to remember that endurance

C. The benefit of remembering past endurance

1. David's example in the Psalms: reflecting on God's faithfulness through all his trials builds confidence in who God has shown himself to be
2. Knowing the stories of godly saints further down the road provides wisdom and encouragement
3. Our own stories of God's faithfulness are meant to be shared with others

D. Sufferings believers may face today: scorn for faith, loss of promotion or relationships because of Christian convictions, or more overt persecution

IV. Be Rooted in Future Expectation

A. Hebrews 10:34-37 — the believers joyfully accepted loss "since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one"

B. The call: "Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward" — endure so that you may receive what is promised

C. "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay" — present suffering is not indefinite; Christ's return is certain

1. Revelation 22: Christ says "I am coming soon" three times — we need to hear it repeatedly
2. 1 Thessalonians 4: "We will always be with the Lord" — Christ himself is the ultimate prize of endurance

D. Christian faith is rooted in real history

1. The past is defined by Christ's victory at the cross and empty tomb
2. The future holds Christ's glorious return and eternal reign
3. The present, with all its trials, is where we are now — sustained by the power of that victorious Christ
4. Victory looks different for the Christian: smiling through tears at a graveside in hope of resurrection; showing love to an unpleasant neighbor; standing firm before a mocking culture

V. Conclusion and Bridge to Hebrews 11

A. Hebrews 10:39: "We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls" — confidence written to Christ's people

B. This sets up Hebrews 11 — the great hall of faith — and Hebrews 12:1-2: surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus

C. Christ's perfect endurance has been accounted to his people — God looks on his people and sees Christ's endurance in them