Exhort One Another

Community is the water that makes faith grow

In order to get the full flavor of Hebrews 3:12-18 which is where we are in time

We have to read part of Psalm 95, because that’s what the writer quotes in verses 7-11

And then we have to remember the story Psalm 95 was based on.

Let’s remember the reason we started the Hebrews study on the heels of studying Exodus.

Hebrews refers back to the Exodus multiple, multiple times.

So it’s really important that we keep those stories fresh in our heads.

So go ahead and open your Bibles to Hebrews 3.

While you do, kids, we’re about to tell some of the stories that you’ve learned in Sunday School

And Wednesday kids and your moms and dads have read to you at bed time.

Listen closely and you’re going to see that the things that you are learning are very, very important things.

Slowly but surely you are going to see how all of the things of God fit together.

And I promise, every time you catch on to something, its going to be the best day ever.

Our God is a God of joy - He loves seeing His children happy when they see what He has done for them.

Your three words for today are, Hebrews, Jesus and Today

So before we read Psalm 95, let’s reminisce about the Exodus story.

We remember that Moses was raised in Egypt by an Egyptian princess.

He grew up and one day killed an Egyptian for beating up a Hebrew.

He was found out and he ran for his life into the land of Midian.

There he met his father-in-law and his wife, and he settled into the peaceful life of a sheep herder.

But God messed that up, right?

God met Moses at the burning bush.

Moses found out that God had a plan for his life that didn’t include camping out with sheep.

Moses when to Egypt with his brother Aaron.

He spoke to the leaders of the Hebrew people and told them what God was up to.

And then he went to Pharoah and told him that God said, “Let my people go.”

Now keep this in mind - there was 1 sign at first - remember Moses walking stick turned into a snake

And when Pharaoh's folks seemed to replicate the sign, Moses snake ate their snakes.

Hebrew leaders saw that.

Then there were 10 plagues.

All of the Hebrews saw that - AND - AND - they saw how they affected only the Egyptians.

God kept the Hebrews safe.

At the Passover, God moved the hearts of all of the Egyptians to give the Hebrews a lot of their wealth.

And the Hebrews saw God do that.

They left, Pharaoh changed his mind about their leaving so he and his army chased them to the Red Sea.

They saw the Lord part the Red Sea and make the bottom dry.

They crossed through the Red Sea - they saw the walls of water on each side of them.

They saw Pharaoh’s army pursue them.

And they saw the Red Sea crash down on their heads.

Pharaoh's army was destroyed and not a single Hebrew had raised a weapon.

They traveled through the desert and ran out of water.

When they found water, it was bitter and they couldn’t drink it.

Until the Lord told Moses what to do, and bitter water turned sweet.

They ran out of food.

Until the Lord provided them with this unknown food that they named “What is it?”

Remember, that’s what Manna means - “What is it?”

(Insert Mt. Sinai Video here) He brought them to this place.

It looks totally inhospitable and yet

They had all they could eat and all they could drink.

And Yahweh came to them here on this mountain.

He delivered the 10 commandments and the law

And all the plans for the Tabernacle of God.

They stayed there until it was built - and that’s where the book of Exodus ends.

In the book of Numbers, the journey continues.

Every day the Lord feeds them.

Every day they have plenty of water.

And it seems like everyday the people find something to complain about.

They wanted meat, Yahweh sent them quail.

Still they grumbled.

All the time eating manna and drinking miracle water.

(Insert Jordan River view here) In short order, they are standing here.

You are looking at the bank they would have been standing on.

We are looking from the promised land.

Now think for a moment, they’ve seen the Lord keep them alive every single day.

They’ve seen supernatural events that defy any kind of explanation other than God.

Now Yahweh tells them that the promised land is theirs

All you have to do is go take it - He’s paved the way.

They send 12 spies.

2 say let’s get after it.

10 say no.

Psalm 95 recaps Yahweh’s response.

Psalm 95:7–11 ESV

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.”

As the writer of the Hebrews is writing our text for today, that’s what the Holy Spirit had brought to his mind.

Hear now the Word of the Lord from Hebrews 3:12-19

Hebrews 3:12–19 ESV

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Would you pray with me?

Father God,

As we speak and listen,

Remind us of the great, unexplainable things you have done in our lives.

Lord, never let us be a people that you loath

But Father, may we ever be a people that makes you proud.

Thank you for giving us life.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What does the writer to the Hebrews have to say about this?

Take care

Hebrews 3:12 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.”

What is he asking them to do?

He is asking them to ask themselves, do you truly trust Jesus?

These verses are really a commentary on Psalm 95:7-11 that he’s just quoted.

What is he pointing out with those verses?

He’s telling us that the Israelites that ended up wandering in the desert had a form of godliness that wasn’t godliness.

They did everything Yahweh told them to do.

They collected just enough Manna for one day, two day’s worth on Friday so it would last through the Sabbath.

The sacrificed like they were supposed to

And the tabernacle that was built like it was supposed to be built.

They moved when Yahweh told them to move.

They stopped when Yahweh told them to stop.

They enjoyed the blessings of Yahweh each and every day.

But they never trusted him.

What was the evidence?

Going into the promised land was scary.

They knew they could not defeat the people of Jericho, “They looked like giants.”

They never once considered that the Lord who parted the Red Sea had already planned Jericho's defeat.

Their fear to act on God’s word proved they had no trust in Yahweh.

That’s not my assessment.

That’s Yahweh’s Numbers 14:11

Numbers 14:11 ESV

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

Maybe you remember what we said when we studied Hebrews 2:1 “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”

How do we keep ourselves from doubt?

We remember what the Lord has done for us that we know we didn’t do ourselves.

I don’t think I’m wrong in calling them signs.

The day I stood at IBM and had the chance to try for a dream job for a 25 year old single man

And in my spirit, I heard, this is your crossroads.

And prior to that, two friends had spoken words that sounded like the Lord using a bullhorn.

I’ll say to my dying day that was a sign from God.

I suspect if you think hard enough, you’ll have signs like that in your lives as well.

This is part of taking care - of paying close attention - of remembering what He has done in your life.

Because see, it’s entirely possible to follow all of the rules and do all of the right things for your whole, entire life

And never for a skinny minute trust Jesus to deliver you.

That’s why Jesus can say this:

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

They did all of the right things, they did all of the things they wanted to do,

But they never trusted Jesus.

They had a plan and they worked their plan

It just wasn’t the Lord’s plan.

Now, let’s say this about that - those of you with a hyper-active guilt gland like me

You hear this scripture and this message and you say, maybe that’s me.

I’ve had times that I knew the thing Jesus wanted me to do and I didn’t do it.

Maybe that’s me.

Maybe God despises me like He did the Israelites

Maybe He has given up on me too, and maybe that’s why life is so hard.

That’s not the way this works.

An unbelieving heart is going to think they are OK because they are doing all of the right things.

They are the focus of their thoughts.

They take pride in what THEY have done.

And you may be proud of some of thing things that you have done

But you are proud because the Lord chose you and used you to do those good things.

Let the Lord speak to you from Isaiah 66:2 “...But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

Those that are farthest cast down, are not farthest from God, but are nearest unto him. God is near to a contrite heart, and it is the proper seat where his Spirit dwelleth: Isai. 66:2.

Charles Spurgeon

So, brothers and sisters who have examined our hearts closely and crave with a starving man’s hunger to follow Jesus

How do we keep that alive in us and not slip into complacency?

The answer is absurdly simple

Join a group

Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Now, we’re going to get technical for a second, but we are smart folks and we can do this.

The word exhort is the Greek word “Parakaleite”, it comes from the word Parakalew and it means exhort or comfort.

In John 14:16 Jesus tells His disciples: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,”

That word helper is Parakletos - translated helper, comforter, counselor

And it is the noun form of Parakalew.

Here’s the point.

The Holy Spirit’s job, the Parakletos’ job - is to convict us of sin, point us towards Jesus and is the seal of our salvation.

Our job towards each other - “Parakaleite one another every day....”

Exhort by comforting and convicting each other as needed

We are working with the Holy Spirit on the same mission.

Convict each other of sin should we see a brother sin

Comfort by pointing each other every day towards Jesus

He says one another every day.

He has no room for lone rangers

Now for you super-introverts this is hard but not impossible.

You need to find a spot where someone can exhort you

And where - as hard as it might be for you to believe - somewhere where you can exhort someone else.

And he’s got a funny little turn of a phrase here, “as long as it is called “today”

Well when is it not called today?

Tomorrow - Tomorrow will be today in 24 hours.

Yesterday - Yesterday was today 24 hours ago.

It’s always today.

And it’s always a day to be in community.

Why is this so important?

Because it is easier to fall when you walk alone

Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Tom Schreiner says “Falling away from God can be prevented if believers encourage one another daily.

“Encouragement can stave off spiritual hardness incited by sin’s deception.”

And he’s really just riffing off of King Solomon

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 ESV

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

It is so easy when we are walking alone to be swayed by a shiny bauble

A pretty face, a persuasive voice.

But when there is someone beside you

Or waiting for you to get home

Or waiting for you in your group at church

They will come alongside you and help you see clearly.

And you can help them see clearly.

The purpose of this text is really two-fold.

For those who know they trust Jesus, this scripture is a lesson telling us how to make our lives a bit easier.

Stay close to your brothers and sisters,

Like minded people who are rooted in the Word of God

Who you can trust to tell you the truth because they love you and you love them.

So life becomes easier because you have help.

The writer’s point for us is simple.

He says, “I know you don’t want to be hardened.

“Here’s a real good way to keep following Jesus.”

Hang out with your brothers and sisters.

The second point is for those who have examined their hearts and they know they aren’t following Jesus.

God has a plan for your life too, but it starts at one single point.

Acts 2:38 ESV

...“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Every thing the Lord does in your life right now is for one single purpose

He wants you to see Jesus and be saved.

Nothing else matters until you do.

But the way, the answer for you might just be the same as for Christ followers.

Find yourself a group of Christians and listen to them

Really listen to them

They will steer you to Jesus.

We’re going to pray

And before we share communion, we’ll take just a moment to give us all a chance to think about where we stand with Jesus.

Let’s pray.

Communion

So you see there’s a little more commotion than normal.

John Albrycht is a deacon and it is his Sunday to serve.

But John does Kid’s Worship.

We had a bunch of choices, but one just made more sense.

Bring all of the kid’s worship kids up with John.

Let them sit at the front and watch what John does and says

And watch all of the people come forward.

One or two of these kids have made professions of faith so they will step up and take the elements.

As you come forward today, keep in mind that your coming forward is a testimony to these kids that you are a Jesus follower.

That He saved you from your sins and you’ll follow Him until they day He takes you home.

Making a statement of faith is a big deal - it will certainly be a big deal to these kids.

But to add even more to it

In our Fifth grade Wednesday Kids class, we are on question 43 of the New City Catechism.

The question is, “What are the ordinances?”

The answer of course is Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

I’ve invited two of our kids, Tatum Chipman and Jackson Avant to read one of our scriptures.

It’s Luke 22:14-20.

Tatum will read Luke’s words.

Jackson will read Jesus’ words.

As they read, think about the number of times you’ve taken communion

And who all you’ve take communion with over the years.

Think about what all of that means to you.

(Tatum and Jackson read)

Let us pray:

O MY LORD,

May I arrive where means of grace cease and I need no more to fast, pray, weep, watch, be tempted, attend preaching and sacrament; where nothing defiles,

where is no grief, sorrow, sin, death, separation, tears, pale face, languid body, aching joints, feeble infancy, decrepit age, peccant humours, pining sickness, griping fears, consuming cares; where is personal completeness;

where the more perfect the sight the more beautiful the object, the more perfect the appetite the sweeter the food, the more musical the ear the more pleasant the melody, the more complete the soul the more happy its joys,

where is full knowledge of thee.

Here I am an ant, and as I view a nest of ants so dost thou view me and my fellow-creatures;

But as an ant knows not me, my nature, my thoughts, so here I cannot know thee clearly, But there I shall be near thee,

dwell with thy family, stand in thy presence chamber, be an heir of thy kingdom, as the spouse of Christ, as a member of his body,

one with him who is one with thee, and exercise all my powers of body and soul in the enjoyment of thee.

As praise in the mouth of thy saints is comely, so teach me to exercise this divine gift, when I pray, read, hear, see, do,

in the presence of people and of my enemies, as I hope to praise thee eternally hereafter.

In Jesus’ name,

Because of His sacrifice and victory we pray,

Amen

If you are a born again Christ follower, baptized after your conversion

You are invited to participate with us.

Please exit your pew to the left and go to the station directly in front of you.

The gluten free wafers are located at the middle table.

If one of your children is sitting down front, you can pick them up and take them back to your pew with you.

When you take the wafer, you may eat it immediately or take it back to your pew if you want to meditate on it a moment.

When everyone is served, we’ll sing a song and be dismissed.

Please stand and let’s have Jesus’ meal together.