Triumphant Living Through a Covenant Relationship with God

 

Summary

In the epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 16, we find a profound statement: "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city." This passage invites us to reflect on our relationship with God and how it shapes our lives in a world filled with trials and tribulations. The essence of the Christian life is not merely theoretical; it is a practical guide to living victoriously amidst life's challenges. The Bible is not just a book of doctrines but a manual for life, teaching us how to be more than conquerors.

The epistle to the Hebrews was written to a community facing severe persecution, and some were beginning to waver in their faith. The purpose of this letter is to encourage believers to live triumphantly despite adversities. The foundation of this triumphant life is our relationship with Jesus Christ, who is not ashamed to call us brethren. This relationship is the starting point, but it leads us to a deeper connection with God the Father. Jesus is the mediator, not the end. Our ultimate goal is to be in a relationship with God, who is not ashamed to be called our God.

The heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, lived in this world and faced its challenges, yet they triumphed. Their secret was not just their faith but their relationship with God. Faith is the channel that connects us to God, but it is God who empowers us to live victoriously. God enters into a covenant relationship with His people, binding Himself to them and identifying with them. This relationship means that God is intimately involved in our lives, providing guidance, protection, and assurance.

God's promises are not for everyone but for those who have submitted themselves to Him, who have turned their backs on the world and are seeking a better country. These are the people who declare plainly that they seek a heavenly country, and because of this, God is not ashamed to be called their God. This relationship with God gives us confidence, knowing that we are not left to ourselves, and that God will fulfill His promises and prepare a place for us in His eternal city.

Key Takeaways:

1. Relationship with God: The essence of a victorious Christian life is rooted in our relationship with God. This relationship is not just about faith but about God being intimately involved in our lives, guiding and protecting us. It is a covenant relationship where God binds Himself to us, providing assurance and strength. [12:32]

2. Faith as a Channel: Faith is not an end in itself but a channel that connects us to God. It is through faith that we enter into a relationship with God, who empowers us to live victoriously. The focus should be on God, who works through our faith, rather than on faith itself. [11:40]

3. God's Promises: God's promises are for those who have submitted themselves to Him and are seeking a better country. These promises provide comfort and assurance, knowing that God is preparing a place for us in His eternal city. [32:57]

4. Living as Strangers and Pilgrims: Christians are called to live as strangers and pilgrims in this world, turning their backs on worldly desires and seeking a heavenly country. This mindset sets us apart and aligns us with God's purposes. [46:22]

5. Confidence in God's Presence: Knowing that God is not ashamed to be called our God gives us confidence and peace. We are assured of His presence, guidance, and provision, enabling us to face life's challenges without fear. [38:23]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:07] - Introduction to Hebrews 11:16
- [01:22] - Living in a Troubled World
- [02:38] - Christian Distinction
- [03:43] - Relationship with Jesus Christ
- [05:41] - Moving Beyond Jesus to God the Father
- [07:15] - Heroes of Faith
- [09:15] - The Secret of Their Triumph
- [11:23] - Faith as a Channel to God
- [12:32] - God Not Ashamed to Be Called Our God
- [19:39] - Covenant Relationship with God
- [26:19] - God as Our Father
- [31:03] - Revelations and Promises
- [38:23] - Confidence in God's Presence
- [42:50] - Prepared City for God's People
- [46:22] - Living as Strangers and Pilgrims
- [49:38] - Closing Hymn and Benediction

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Hebrews 11:16: "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city."

Observation Questions:
1. What does Hebrews 11:16 reveal about God's relationship with those who seek Him? How does this verse connect to the heroes of faith mentioned earlier in the chapter? [12:32]
2. According to the sermon, what was the primary purpose of the epistle to the Hebrews, and how does it relate to the challenges faced by its original audience? [03:28]
3. How does the sermon describe the role of Jesus Christ in our relationship with God, and why is it important not to stop at Jesus but to move towards God the Father? [05:57]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of God not being ashamed to be called our God challenge or affirm your understanding of your relationship with Him? What does this imply about God's view of His people? [12:32]
2. The sermon emphasizes that faith is a channel to God rather than an end in itself. How does this perspective shift the focus from faith to God, and what implications does this have for living a victorious Christian life? [11:40]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that living as "strangers and pilgrims" in this world aligns us with God's purposes? How does this mindset affect our daily decisions and priorities? [46:22]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current relationship with God. Do you feel that God is not ashamed to be called your God? What steps can you take to deepen this relationship? [12:32]
2. The sermon mentions that God's promises are for those who have submitted themselves to Him. What areas of your life might you need to submit more fully to God to experience His promises? [19:39]
3. How can you actively live as a "stranger and pilgrim" in this world, turning your back on worldly desires? Identify one specific change you can make this week to align more closely with seeking a heavenly country. [46:22]
4. Consider a recent challenge or trial you faced. How did your faith serve as a channel to connect you with God's strength and guidance during that time? [11:40]
5. The sermon highlights the confidence and peace that come from knowing God is not ashamed to be called our God. How can you cultivate this confidence in your daily life, especially when facing uncertainties? [38:23]
6. Identify one promise of God that you find particularly comforting. How can you remind yourself of this promise in moments of doubt or fear? [32:57]
7. Think of a person in your life who may not yet know God. How can you demonstrate the love and assurance of God in your interactions with them this week? [38:23]

Devotional

Day 1: Intimate Covenant with God
Our relationship with God is not just a matter of faith; it is a profound covenant where God binds Himself to us, offering guidance, protection, and assurance. This relationship is the foundation of a victorious Christian life, as it involves God being intimately involved in our lives. It is through this covenant that we find strength and assurance, knowing that God is not ashamed to be called our God. This relationship is not passive but active, requiring us to engage with God daily, seeking His presence and guidance. [12:32]

Hebrews 8:10 (ESV): "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively engage with God today to deepen your covenant relationship with Him?


Day 2: Faith as a Conduit to Divine Empowerment
Faith is not an end in itself but a channel that connects us to God, who empowers us to live victoriously. It is through faith that we enter into a relationship with God, allowing Him to work through us. The focus should be on God, who works through our faith, rather than on faith itself. This perspective shifts our reliance from our own abilities to God's power, enabling us to face life's challenges with confidence and strength. [11:40]

James 2:22 (ESV): "You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works."

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from your own abilities to God's power in a specific area of your life today?


Day 3: Assurance in God's Promises
God's promises are for those who have submitted themselves to Him and are seeking a better country. These promises provide comfort and assurance, knowing that God is preparing a place for us in His eternal city. This assurance allows us to live with confidence, knowing that we are not left to ourselves and that God will fulfill His promises. It is a call to live with an eternal perspective, focusing on the heavenly country that God has prepared for us. [32:57]

2 Peter 1:4 (ESV): "By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."

Reflection: What is one promise of God that you can hold onto today, and how does it change your perspective on your current situation?


Day 4: Living as Heavenly Citizens
Christians are called to live as strangers and pilgrims in this world, turning their backs on worldly desires and seeking a heavenly country. This mindset sets us apart and aligns us with God's purposes, allowing us to live with an eternal perspective. It is a call to live differently, focusing on the things of God rather than the things of the world. This perspective helps us to navigate life's challenges with a sense of purpose and direction, knowing that our ultimate home is with God. [46:22]

Philippians 3:20 (ESV): "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Reflection: What is one worldly desire you can turn away from today to focus more on your heavenly citizenship?


Day 5: Confidence in God's Presence
Knowing that God is not ashamed to be called our God gives us confidence and peace. We are assured of His presence, guidance, and provision, enabling us to face life's challenges without fear. This confidence is rooted in our relationship with God, who is intimately involved in our lives. It is a call to live with boldness and assurance, knowing that God is with us every step of the way. [38:23]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: How can you remind yourself of God's presence and guidance in a challenging situation you are facing today?

Quotes



The Bible is a book of life and the whole object of the Christian message is to teach people how to live and especially how to meet life with all its attendant circumstances and to do so in such a manner as makes us more than conquerors. [00:01:51]

The whole argument of this book is that people who are Christian should be in an entirely different position from those who are not Christian. So we ask ourselves the question, are we reacting to the present scene in a manner which marks us out at once as being those who are Christian, the people of God? [00:02:28]

The Christian message clearly is primarily about the Lord Jesus Christ and our relationship to him. And the first thing that is necessary is that we become Christian. The Bible has no comfort whatsoever to offer to people who are not Christian, none at all. It has nothing but threats for everybody else and alarm. [00:04:08]

Faith is nothing but an instrument. Faith is only a channel. In a sense, faith does nothing except this, that it links us to the one who does everything. Faith, I say, must never be regarded in and of itself as an end. No, no, the important thing about faith is this, that it is faith in God. [00:11:17]

The great thing about these men really was not their faith; it was their relationship to God. And that is the thing of which we are reminded in this wonderful phrase that I'm holding before you this morning: "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God." That's their secret. [00:12:05]

God enters into what we may call a covenant relationship with these people, or if you prefer it, God binds himself to these people. He doesn't bind himself to everybody. God doesn't bind himself to the godless this morning. He doesn't enter into a covenant relationship with them. [00:22:00]

God identifies himself with these people. He puts himself amongst them. "I will dwell among them and live in them." He gives them his name. The almighty, everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the Earth, puts himself and binds himself into his great and glorious name with these people. [00:22:49]

This means that God gives revelations and intimations of himself to these people which he doesn't to anybody else. He dwells in us, walks in us. That means he manifests himself to us. You see, it's one thing to believe in God and to believe things about God, yes, but if this is true of you, well, God has come into this peculiar personal relationship with you. [00:31:00]

God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, having always all sufficiency in all things, may abound in every good work. Now that's 2 Corinthians 9:8. The Bible's full of these exceeding great and precious promises. I'm only picking out one or two at random, but what a promise! [00:32:57]

They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, and you and I have got to do that. You can't be a Christian and a worldling at the same time. You're a separated man. You're leaving that; you're going in for this. They confessed it; they were not ashamed of that. [00:46:22]

This is the way, the only way to face the present, to face whatever future may come without any fear at all, knowing that God is not ashamed of you and is not ashamed to be called your God and will give proof of it by fulfilling his exceeding great and precious promises in your daily life. [00:48:46]

May God give us all an abundant assurance. You give the proof, declare plainly where you are, and God will declare plainly his relationship to you. Show that you are not ashamed of God, and God will declare that he is not ashamed of you. [00:49:38]

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Transcript
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