“DO YOU NEED A TRANSPLANT?” Hebrews 4:12-13

Aug. 27, 2017

First Baptist Church, Earlville, NY

J B Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S SPECIAL: “A Pain Funny”

Q: Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocaine during a root canal?

A: His goal: transcend dental medication.

INTRODUCTION

When we first heard the word “leukemia” as what was going on in my Thuvia, my thoughts raced back to my 9th grade biology teacher. She and her family also heard that word. But in 1967, the word generally meant “fatal” – and for her, within two months it was. But Thuvia’s surgeon introduced us to phrases that he has simplified, like “bone marrow transplant”, “donor”, “identity”, and “one year ownership” – all of which now apply to Thuvia.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Bible, too, talks about a transplant that is available for all people in general. But in particular, this transplant is directed to those of us who profess to love the Lord Jesus as Savior.
The author of Hebrews introduces that transplant in chapter 4:12.

Let’s look at that verse today. PRAYER

1. The quality of the donor

* All we know about [my wife] Thuvia’s [bone marrow] donor is that he is 40 years old, a male, and lives in Brazil.

* The donor in our text is “living”. That has several wonderful pictures. It is alive. Literally, it is resurrected – in other words, it is designed to changed our hearts and minds into conformity with the heart and mind of our resurrected Savior.

* It is “active”. I’ve heard many a preacher or evangelist talk about our going home and uncovering the dust which is piling up on our donor – because the donor simply sits on a shelf. Perhaps it is placed there to impress people that the donor is part of your spiritual heritage. Why you might even have family weddings and deaths recorded in it, going all the way back to the Mayflower! But “active” has the idea of being “powerful!” It is designed to do things! To move mountains! To carve up beautiful pictures of lives. And active means it is not only powerful; it is “effective”! What it says it will do, it will do. We can go up to someone and quote John 3:16 and fully trust that the “whosoever believes”, really wholeheartedly trusts the donor of the Author, and the Author of the donor, that one will have everlasting life. That’s pretty effective. That almost makes one want to try it on someone!

* It is “sharper”. It is not only sharp, it is better than sharp. The picture in the verse is of a “two-edged” or double-sided sword. That is one which can cut on both sides. Look at Revelation 1:16. The Apostle John is describing Jesus. And look at Revelation 19:15 – the “sharp sword” which comes out of the Savior’s mouth is, indeed, the Word of God. With just that Word voiced by the Savior, the Battle of Armageddon – the war to end all wars – is over. It is sharper. But that also has the idea of a surgeon’s scalpel – it is perfectly precise. It can do what it is designed to do. A surgeon can do amazing things with a scalpel. And so can this donor.

These are some qualities! Living! Active! Sharper! I sure wis I would have at my availability a donor like that!

2. The action of the donor

The action of the donor is described in one very penetrating word – the word “penetrates”! Listen to other good versions’ understanding of this very vivid term: The NLT & The Message say it “cuts through everything”! And the Expanded Bible says it “cuts all the way into us”. Can our donor do that? Really?

So what does it “penetrate”, “cut through,” or “cut all the way”?

A. The soul and spirit. Many theologians are divided as to how to specifically divide separately these terms. But the Amplified Version explains it so well. These two terms in this passage describe the ENTIRE person. All of me is penetrated by my donor! Can it do THAT?

B. The joints. No, that is not some wacky weed that your mother doesn’t know you are using! The joints are the things that literally join our whole body together. The donor can penetrate that!

C. And the “marrow”. Here is where my attention perked up! Because Thuvia is scheduled on September 12 to have a “bone marrow transplant.” What is the “marrow”? Once again, the Amplified Version says the marrow is the “deepest parts of our nature. But don’t just take the Amplified’s good word for it. Look at Job 21:24. Job is trying to share with his useless comforters that the God that they supposedly worship knows everything about him. And he illustrates it by showing that God knows all the innards about us!
There is a grave danger in saying that there are many religions but they all worship the same god. This passage in Job would disagree royally. Because our God is personal, intimate, and knows all about me!

For my wife and her transplant, her identity will become permanently changed! Her DNA will show that she has 4 parents! She might even have a new blood type. Her donor’s marrow can do just that.

The donor of the text can reach down to the deepest part of my nature – and draw even that back to the image of Who it is supposed to look like – even the Lord Jesus.

D. And the attitudes of the heart! Momma often – not TOO often – said, “son, you need an attitude adjustment!”. And our donor can do that, too!

That’s quite a donor we have! It is living, active, sharp, and penetrating.

CONCLUSION

Look at verse 13. Nothing is hidden, everything is uncovered before our great God.

And the Word of God – our wonderful donor so majestically described here in Hebrews – can change every part of us to conform to the image of its Author, even our Savior the Lord Jesus.

So… do you need a transplant? Is the Word of God living and active in your life? Are you willing to allow it to skillfully penetrate every part of your life, exposing the diseased parts and changing them into brand new reflections of the Savior?