Sunday Night Bible Study Hebrews 3:7-19 February 6, 1994 Hebrews 3:7-19 Hebrews 3 Introduction The Point of Hebrews is: Jesus is better! He's better than the angels. [7]Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, #"\Today if you hear His voice\, [8]\Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me\, \As in the day of trial in the wilderness\, [9]\Where your fathers tried\ {Me} \by testing\ {Me}, \And saw My works for forty years\. [10]"\Therefore I was angry with this generation\, \And said, 'They always go astray in their heart\; \And they did not know My ways\'; [11]\As I swore in My wrath\, '\They shall not enter My rest.\' "# :7 the Holy Spirit says, The point of the quote: Psalm 95 (read the Psalm) The Psalmist is saying that God was frustrated with the people in the wilderness because they were always going astray in their hearts. Because they were always going astray and leaving God's ways, God said they would not enter into His rest. His "rest" being the promised land. Contrast what we are to do and not do We are not to harden our hearts We are not to test the Lord (give Him a hard time...) We ARE to worship! The writer of Hebrews is giving us a Bible Study as to why we should be careful not to fall away from Jesus. The writer has aleady made these points: HEB 2:1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away {from it.} HEB 3:6 but Christ {was faithful} as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. We could add to the writer's points an additional lesson of our own: Lesson: The opposite of falling away is WORSHIP! If you don't want to have a hard heart - worship If you don't want to be giving God a hard time - worship If you don't want to fall away - worship Do we really know how to worship? Is it just singing songs? Is it just gushy, shmushy songs? Is is just singing songs to God? Is is really adoring Him? [12]Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. [13]But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is {still} called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. :12 Take care This is a severe warning based upon the experience of the Israelites quoted in Psalm 95. :12 in any one of you Oh no, this could never happen to me! That's when we can get into trouble, when we get to thinking that we could never fall away from the Lord. It could happen to me. :12 an evil, unbelieving heart Evil means ... evil \Apistias\ is more than mere unbelief, here rather disbelief, refusal to believe, genitive case describing the evil heart marked by disbelief which is no mark of intelligence then or now. It's not just a possibility that we could have this kind of a heart, it's already a fact. If left to itself, without the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in your life, this is the state your heart will naturally go to: Jer 17:9 The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it? PRO 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it {flow} the springs of life. :12 in falling away from the living God What does it mean to "fall away" from the Lord? It might be talking about losing your salvation. It might mean losing the closeness of your relationship with God. This phrase "falling away" is synonymous with not entering God's rest. God's rest talks about the promised land that the people were to enter. The promised land for us can refer to the things that God desires for each of us, if we'll "enter into the land". A strange fact about your relationship with the Lord: It's kind of like pushing a ball up a hill. The moment you stop pushing it, it rolls back down hill. When we stop cultivating our relationship with the Lord, we tend to go downhill fast. Like a garden, you need to tend it, weed it, fertilize it, water it, make sure it's getting the right amount of sunlight, etc. You don't just plant a seed and walk away. It's not just coming forward at an altar call. It's like cultivating a friendship with a person. You've got to keep the contact up to keep the closeness up. :13 encourage one another Here's the remedy to the problem of falling away. We need to learn how to encourage each other better! 3870 parakaleo {par-ak-al-eh'-o} - this is the word used to describe the Holy Spirit! 2) to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc. 2a) to admonish, exhort 2b) to beg, entreat, beseech 2b1) to strive to appease by entreaty 2c) to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort 2c1) to receive consolation, be comforted 2d) to encourage, strengthen 2e) exhorting and comforting and encouraging 2f) to instruct, teach KJV translates this "exhort" Sometimes that gives us the idea of a stern lecture, which it can be at times. But it's more. See how the word is translated elsewhere: The various ways or "flavors" of encouragement: Mt 5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. I don't get the idea of a 'stern lecture' here, do you? Sometimes encouragement means comforting. Other scriptures carrying this idea of comfort: Lu 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime didst receive thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Lu 8:41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at the feet of Jesus, and besought him that he would come into his house: I get the idea here of pleading, even begging. Sometimes encouragement comes with a plea. Ac 2:38-41 Then Peter said to them, Repent ye, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this perverse generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [to them] about three thousand souls. It seems almost like a charge to the people. "You need to do this ..." Sometimes encouragement comes with a strong, forceful command. 2Co 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence [am] base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: There's the idea of encouraging, ordering them, but done in meekness and gentleness. The velvet glove. Examples of some encouragement (some specific words to use) We're going to see that these are messages to help you get closer to Jesus, messages we should be giving to each other. Ac 14:21-22 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and [to] Iconium, and to Antioch, 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Continue in the faith. The walk is going to be hard. Ro 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Present yourselves as a living sacrifice Don't conform to the world, but be transformed. Ro 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. This was in Mark's message a week ago. Stay away from people causing divisions 2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Passing on the comfort you have already received from God. Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation by which ye are called, Walk in a manner worthy of Jesus 1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men; Exhorting people to pray Tit 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convict [those who] contradict. And elder needs to be able to exhort with "sound doctrine", with the truths from the Scripture, not just your own ideas. :13 one another Note that the encouragement is to be done to "one another". In other words, you need to receive encouragement as well as to give it. Some of us are good at giving encouragement, but very poor at receiving it. Some of us are only receiving it, and we need to learn to give it as well. Also note: It isn't going to take place very well if you never let anyone get to know you. You might get some encouragement from listening to a sermon, but not anything like you could receive if you had someone "alongside" to help you. Some of us are a little scared to let anyone get too close to us, it makes us uncomfortable. But you're going to receive very little encouragement if nobody ever gets "alongside" you. You aren't going to hear the things that need to be responded to with encouragement until you get a little close to people. Vice - versa too. It's hard to get to know people, I think so. You have to work at it. Anybody going out for coffee afterwards? :13 day after day There's something here that speaks of continuity. It's not just when you go to a conference or retreat. It's not just when you come to church on Sundays or Wednesdays. We need regular encouragement. God didn't design you to be a Lone Ranger Christian. God didn't design you to be a "Marathon Man" either. :13 as long as it is still called "Today" Note: The writer comes up with this point because of the Psalm. The Psalm quote started with "Today" ... Does anyone have the time? Is it still "Today"? As long as the time is still "Today", then its appropriate to be encouraging one another. :13 hardened by the deceitfulness of sin deceitfulness: trickery, deceiving Sin has a way of tricking you. "You're always going to have some sin in your life" "What harm can this one little sin do?" Achan: Hiding the forbidden treasure: Israel's defeat to Ai. David: Just one little fling with Bathsheba: Leading to murder, then watching the same traits become worked out in his own sons' lives. Jehoshaphat: Making a politically correct move in joining with the northern kingdom by marriage. Then Ahab's daughter pollutes the southern kingdom, killing all the brothers, then all the sons, the idolatry, the judgment. We eat high cholesterol foods, what harm an a little donut do? Heart attack. What harm can a little tittillation at the movies do? Maybe it will improve my love-life? What harm can a soap opera do? Get rid of your old man! We need to keep fresh with encouragement. [14]For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end; [15]while it is said, #"\Today if you hear His voice\, \Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.\"# :14 if we hold fast ... firm until the end The writer said practically the same thing back in verse 6. You could look at this passage as if it's saying that if you don't hold fast, you could lose your salvation. Jonathan Edwards once said that the sure proof of election is that one holds out to the end. :15 while it is said ... The writer quotes the "Today" passage again because it's a continual thing we have to keep doing in holding on to Jesus. We never get past "today", so we need to keep holding on. As long as it's "today", we need to be holding on to Jesus, lest we fall away. [16]For who provoked {Him} when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt {led} by Moses? [17]And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? [18]And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? :18 to those who were disobedient Over and over again, the characteristic of the Israelites in the wilderness was one of disobedience. And God was not too happy with them. [19]And {so} we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. :19 because of unbelief It seems a little contradictory to first say it was because of disobedience, then to say it was because of unbelief. The unbelief was the real reason, the root issue. It finally came out when the spies were sent into the land. Numbers 13-14 The spies were sent out to the promised land. The bad report came back: There's giants in the land! The people didn't want to go in. That was the last straw! Nu 14:22-24 Because all those men who have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land into which he went; and his seed shall possess it. Nu 14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. The very root to all the disobedience came down to unbelief. They did not want to believe that God was able to finish what He started. They did not want to believe that God was big enough to deliver them from all their enemies. So they never made it into the promised land. If we really believed these verses, how many problems would we have? Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] from me, saith the LORD. 1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Jude 1:24-25 Now to him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God the only wise, our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Ro 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [can be] against us?