Faith in Future Grace: Liberating Love and Sacrifice

In this message, I explore the profound connection between faith in future grace and the liberation of love. The central theme is that true Christian love is born out of a deep trust in God's promises for the future, which empowers believers to live radically and sacrificially in the present. By examining various biblical texts, I illustrate how hope, faith, and confidence in God's future grace enable believers to endure suffering and persecution with joy, as seen in the lives of early Christians and biblical figures like Moses and Jesus.

The journey begins with a reflection on the early Christians who, despite facing severe persecution, chose to identify with those in prison, even at the cost of their own possessions and safety. Their joy in the face of suffering was rooted in the knowledge of a better and lasting possession in heaven. This perspective challenges the often materialistic and immediate gratification mindset prevalent among many believers today.

I also delve into the life of Moses, who chose to endure ill-treatment with God's people rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. His decision was driven by a vision of greater riches in reproach for the Messiah, highlighting the importance of valuing eternal rewards over temporary gains. Similarly, Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him, demonstrating that the pursuit of joy in God's promises is not only moral but essential for sustaining love and sacrifice.

The call to go "outside the camp" and bear reproach, as Jesus did, is a call to step out of comfort zones and engage with the world, even when it leads to rejection or suffering. This is exemplified in personal experiences of outreach and evangelism, where the response is often mixed but the call to love remains steadfast.

Ultimately, the message is a call to shift focus from the transient pleasures of this world to the eternal joy found in God's promises. By doing so, believers are liberated to love sacrificially, live counter-culturally, and pursue holiness with a heart set on the kingdom to come.

Key Takeaways

• 1. True Christian love is rooted in faith in future grace, which empowers believers to endure suffering and persecution with joy. This joy is not based on present circumstances but on the assurance of a better and lasting possession in heaven. [04:49]
• 2. The life of Moses exemplifies the choice to value eternal rewards over temporary pleasures. By looking to the reward, Moses embraced reproach for the Messiah as greater riches, teaching us to prioritize long-term spiritual investments over fleeting worldly gains. [08:55]
• 3. Jesus' endurance of the cross for the joy set before Him demonstrates that the pursuit of joy in God's promises is essential for sustaining love and sacrifice. This challenges the notion that seeking joy is sub-moral and affirms its role in motivating Christ-like love. [12:38]
• 4. The call to go "outside the camp" and bear reproach, as Jesus did, is a call to engage with the world despite rejection or suffering. This requires a shift from seeking comfort to embracing the mission of love and evangelism, even when it leads to personal sacrifice. [15:20]
• 5. The transient nature of this world should drive believers to seek the eternal city to come. By resting in the promises of God's kingdom, believers are liberated from materialism and empowered to live counter-culturally, pursuing holiness and sacrificial love. [18:24]
  ** [18:24]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:30] - Introduction to Future Grace
• [00:54] - Cost of Being a Christian
• [01:32] - Sympathy for Prisoners
• [02:46] - Joyful Acceptance of Loss
• [04:29] - Rejoicing in Persecution
• [05:11] - American Christians' Response
• [06:14] - Faith and Joy Sequence
• [07:02] - Moses' Choice
• [08:38] - Moses' Vision of Reward
• [09:28] - Breaking Free from Materialism
• [10:11] - Jesus' Endurance for Joy
• [11:26] - Sustained by Resurrection Joy
• [13:21] - Call to Suffer with Jesus
• [16:41] - Seeking the Eternal City

1. Hebrews 10:32-34
2. Hebrews 11:24-26
3. Hebrews 12:1-2

1. In Hebrews 10:32-34, what actions did the early Christians take that demonstrated their faith in future grace? How did they respond to persecution? [02:46]
2. According to Hebrews 11:24-26, what motivated Moses to choose ill-treatment with God's people over the pleasures of sin? What does this reveal about his values? [08:38]
3. Hebrews 12:1-2 describes Jesus' endurance of the cross. What was the "joy set before him" that enabled Him to endure such suffering? [11:26]
4. How does the sermon describe the response of American Christians to suffering and persecution compared to the early Christians? [05:11]

1. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between faith in future grace and the ability to love sacrificially? How does this faith impact a believer's response to suffering? [06:14]
2. How does the example of Moses in Hebrews 11:24-26 challenge modern believers to reassess their priorities and values? What does it mean to value eternal rewards over temporary pleasures? [08:55]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that Jesus' endurance of the cross serves as a model for believers today? How does the pursuit of joy in God's promises sustain love and sacrifice? [12:38]
4. The sermon calls believers to go "outside the camp" and bear reproach. What does this mean in practical terms for engaging with the world today? [15:20]

1. Reflect on a time when you faced a challenge or persecution for your faith. How did your belief in future grace influence your response? What might you do differently now? [04:49]
2. Consider the material possessions or comforts you hold dear. How might you begin to shift your focus from these transient pleasures to the eternal joy found in God's promises? [18:24]
3. Moses chose to endure ill-treatment for the sake of greater riches in reproach for the Messiah. What are some "fleeting pleasures" in your life that you might need to let go of to pursue long-term spiritual rewards? [08:55]
4. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. What "joy" or promise from God motivates you to endure hardships and continue in love and sacrifice? How can you keep this joy in focus during difficult times? [12:38]
5. The sermon encourages believers to step out of their comfort zones and engage with the world, even when it leads to rejection or suffering. What is one specific way you can go "outside the camp" this week to share God's love with others? [15:20]
6. How can you cultivate a mindset that prioritizes the eternal city to come over the transient nature of this world? What practical steps can you take to live counter-culturally and pursue holiness? [18:24]
7. Reflect on the sermon’s call to break free from materialism. What is one area of your life where you can practice generosity or simplicity to align more closely with the values of God's kingdom? [09:28]