No Chance

Time Can Run Out

We are back in the book of Hebrews after our Easter break.

So let’s do a quick refresher to get us back up to speed.

You remember our series sub-title is “For Those Who Doubt.”

Some of the people the Hebrews was written to were a discouraged group of folks.

It seemed the society around them was prospering and they weren’t.

The government was turning against Christians.

And they were looking for Jesus’ return, and it just wasn’t happening.

So some of them started to ask themselves, is all of this worth it?

I don’t know if they wondered if this Jesus stuff was real or if they were asking

“Is this for me?”

So the Pastor, that’s what we’re calling the writer of the book of Hebrews since no one really knows who wrote it

The Pastor wrote them a fairly technical letter exhorting or encouraging them not to linger in their doubt.

As we’ll see today, lingering in doubt is deadly.

Don’t misunderstand, every Christian I’ve ever met has had a dark moment of the soul

Where they doubt some things.

I’ve done it - I expect each of you have had your own doubts.

The Lord isn’t going to reject you for that - but we don’t need to linger in our doubts.

Lingering is a choice.

We can have doubts, but we have to take action to deal with those doubts and not live in them.

Lingering in our doubts will take us to a very, very bad place.

Our text for today is Hebrews 6:1-8.

While you turn there, I want to talk to the kids for just a second.

Boys and girls, I hope you’ve been in Sunday School because if you have, you’ve studied some of the stories from Exodus.

Things like the Red Sea getting parted, Israel crossing the Red Sea on dry land but Pharaoh’s army getting drowned.

And Moses getting the Ten Commandments and them eating Manna and water coming from a rock.

All of those are very neat, very historical stories.

But as you get older, and I suspect some of you will catch on today as we’re talking

You start to realize that there is more to these stories than just historical events.

They teach us lessons - and what those lessons teach, never changes.

God doesn’t work that way - He doesn’t say one thing this week then change His mind later.

He’s thinks and acts the same way every day that comes.

When God teaches us a lesson, that lesson never changes.

Today’s lesson is a hard one, it’s common sense meaning that it’s perfectly understandable

But it’s a hard lesson.

Listen closely and see if you can figure it out, ok?

Your worship guide has three words that you are listening for me to say that will help you pay attention.

Those words are Jesus, Hebrews and Know.

If you are all ready, hear now the Word of the Lord from Hebrews 6:1-8

Hebrews 6:1–8 ESV

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

This is the Word of the Lord, thanks be to God.

Let’s pray.

Holy Spirit

Help me to speak your message in a way that it cannot be misunderstood.

Convict us of sin and assure us of salvation.

We need you so very desperately.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Back in chapter 5, the Pastor says in verse 10 Hebrews 5:10 “being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”

And he immediately sees in his mind’s eye everyone’s eyes glazing over.

What is a Melchizedek and who really cares?

And it irks him a little bit.

He thinks, rightly so, if they have been Christians for any time at all, they should be ready to talk about this.

But they aren’t.

So the Pastor gets a bit testy.

He tells them they are like a baby, needing milk instead of solid food.

He calls them unskilled in the faith.

He calls them children - not like children of God

But immature kids.

Then in the first three verses of chapter six he says basically, “I’m not coddling you anymore.

“We aren’t going to talk about a person’s need to repent from working for your salvation and instead trusting in Jesus to save you.

“We aren’t going to talk about your need of baptism or how the Holy Spirit is in you

“We aren’t going to talk about the resurrection of the dead or dying and going to hell.”

“You know all of that already - it’s time to move on.

But then he says something rather curious - Hebrews 6:3 “And this we will do if God permits.”

The Pastor understands he’s walking a line here.

Our spiritual growth depends on input from both us and God.

In chapter 11, the Pastor will say, Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

The Lord honors our desire to know Him

In 1 Chronicles 28, King David is giving his kingdom over to his son Solomon.

Like every good dad, he gives his son the best advice he possibly can

And this is part of his advice - 1 Chronicles 28:9

1 Chronicles 28:9 ESV

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

There are two principles here.

The first one we believe in the modern church.

The second one we ignore and many don’t believe it.

What we do believe and accept is, “If you seek Him - Him being God, He will be found by you.”

That’s the principle underlying the Pastor’s statement Hebrews 6:3 “And this we will do if God permits.”

Growing in the Lord takes determination and effort from us just like everything else worthwhile in life.

There is absolutely no substitute for dedication and hard work.

One of the things that used to annoy my daughter - she was dynamite on the clarinet

And other kids would say, “It all comes so easy to you!”

And she would say, they have no clue that I’m up before them in the morning practicing.

And I’m up late practicing.

And I’m doing my classwork in the car so I can have more time to practice.

Those of you who play sports, know this truth.

If you want to be really, really good - you have to put in hours of hot, boring, painful practice.

It doesn’t just happen.

Even those born with superhuman skill still have to put in the sweat equity hours.

Now let me ask a simple diagnostic question here and if you are brave enough, raise your hand.

We’ve been doing the Big Bible Reading through the New Testament for the last 4 months.

We are now in the book of Acts.

Here is the question, Have you run across anything that made you lean back and go, “I hadn’t thought of that?”

Or, “I don’t remember reading that?”

Or better yet, “Wow!”

Has anyone had that experience?

Why do you think that is?

Is it simply because you are reading it again or is what David said to Solomon true, “If you seek Him, He will be found by you?”

The scripture is VERY CLEAR, “[The Lord] rewards those who seek Him.”

Brothers and sisters who are reading your Bible regularly - the Lord is rewarding you by causing you to see Him better than you ever have before.

You know what would be cool?

If at least one adult Sunday school class would take up the challenge to do the Bible Bible reading

Pick it up right where we are right now

And use that for your class discussion every Sunday.

No quarterly or book someone wrote.

Just the Bible and however many people in the room, praying and reading

Every week you simply get together and discuss the scripture.

Isn’t that dangerous?

Of course it is - but Jesus is dangerous.

One of the characters in the Chronicles of Narnia says this about Aslan who represents Jesus

“Safe? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good".

Safe?

No Jesus is not safe.

You may read something that He will use to change your life forever in a way you never intended in your whole life

And yet, here you are, different.

But there is a second side to this equation the Pastor gives in Hebrews 6:3 “And this we will do if God permits.”

What if God doesn’t permit?

What if God decides that you will never find Him.

That you will never grow.

That you are doomed to an eternity separated from Him.

And this is where you are going to argue with me and this is where you are going to be wrong.

You are going to quote all manner of scripture and every quote will mischaracterize the Lord.

He is not eternally patient.

He is not eternally tolerant.

Hebrews has the story of the Exodus underpinning much of it.

You’ve got to remember the story.

Moses goes to Egypt and says to Pharaoh, “Yahweh says, ‘Let my people go.’”

Pharaoh says no, so there is one sign and 10 plagues.

Everyone of the Israelites heard of the sign and the plagues.

They had the Passover.

Everyone of the Israelites ate the Passover and painted their doorposts with blood.

And every Israelite heard the cries of horror as families woke up to find their first born child and their first born animals dead.

All Israel saw the Red Sea parted and walked through on dry land.

Every Israelite saw the Red Sea crash over Pharaoh’s army’s head.

Every Israelite drank the water that had been bitter but was now sweet.

Every Israelite drank the water from the rock

Every Israelite went into the desert every day and collected manna

The miracle bread no one has every been able to duplicate but was the best thing they ever tasted.

Every Israelite heard the voice of God from Mt. Sinai

Every Israelite saw the tablets with the Ten Commandments.

Every Israelite saw the presence of God descend on the Tent of Meeting and saw Moses face glow after he met face to face with Yahweh.

Listen - listen - they all participated in the power and presence of God.

They all saw it.

They all benefited from it.

They all enjoyed being a part of it.

But when it came time to do something that required greater faith, what happened?

The spies went into the land

10 said we can’t do this - we can’t take this land THAT GOD HAS PROMISED TO US

After all we’ve seen, heard, tasted, felt, smelled - we can’t.

2 said we can.

Pop quiz - How many of the hundreds of thousands of Israelites 20 years and older that left Egypt entered the promised land?

2 - Joshua and Caleb.

Why?

Listen to God’s own words, Numbers 14:21-23

Numbers 14:21–23 ESV

But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it.

The Pastor, the writer of Hebrews says, Hebrews 6:3 “And this we will do if God permits.”

Because for some, the Lord will not permit.

There is an unpardonable sin

That’s the sin the Israelites in the wilderness committed.

That’s the sin the doubting Hebrews are in danger of committing - that’s why they are getting warned.

Look at verse 4 Hebrews 6:4 “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,”

They’ve been enlightened - that means they have seen God at work around them.

They have tasted the heavenly gift - they’ve tasted the manna of seeing live saved and made whole.

They have shared in the Holy Spirit - they’ve seen the Holy Spirit do amazing works - sometimes works that the doubters themselves were a part of.

Hebrews 6:5 “and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,”

They have tasted the goodness of the word of God - they’ve seen the power of living in the boundaries of God’s love

They’ve tasted the goodness of the powers of the age to come - they’ve heard how Jesus is going to come again as judge and re-creator.

Where the devil and his minions will forever inhabit hell

And the chosen of God will live forever with God in the new heaven and the new earth.

Hebrews 6:6 “and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”

And just like the Israelites saw all of the things of God and walked away

So they are in danger of doing the same thing

And at that point, it will be impossible to restore them again to repentance

Listen to this: Hebrews 6:6 “…since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”

“I saw everything He did, but really, I don’t care.

Here’s what it looks like in real life

For whatever reason, pick one, people have hundreds of them

For whatever reason, they were once on fire at church - the one you called on to do everything

And then one day not

They start backing out

Then they start missing Sundays

And then they start missing months.

People see them and ask about them

But they always have a reason

The preacher

The music

The people

Work

Sickness, both real and imaginary.

They were in the middle of everything.

In fact, some of the things they were in charge of were raging successes.

Now they are gone

Their name is on the church roll.

When they die someone says they were saved and baptized at First Baptist.

But Jesus will not welcome them home.

“It is impossible….to restore them.”

I can hear someone quoting, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

And my argument to that is, do you want to bet your eternal destiny that your interpretation of God’s word is better than the Pastor in Hebrews?

Or King David to Solomon, “but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

What about once saved always saved?

Let’s answer this like this, what is the mark of salvation?

John 17:3 ESV

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

The evidence of that truth in our lives is that we bear fruit and that we bear fruit until the end.

Remember Jesus said seven times to the seven churches in Revelation, “The one who conquers…” inherits the kingdom.

Once saved always saved is a doctrine that explains how God holds on to those who are truly His.

But if you are truly His, will you walk away and ignore Him?

How do you walk away from His bride, the church?

We go to many more places with much more drama than the church, why do people walk away from Jesus’ bride so easily?

Here is the good news

This is the Pastor’s warning.

You can doubt - but don’t linger in your doubt.

See the Lord.

Hunger for Him and try to find the answers to your doubts.

Don’t languish so long that Jesus quits mattering to you.

Life really should have a little tension in it that drives us to follow Jesus closely.

And, hear this loud and clear.

If this talk scares you, know that God is still wanting you to see Him.

If you have a relative or a friend - as I do - that seems like they might qualify here

But the Lord still keeps them on our hearts, keep praying for their repentance.

I just don’t think the Lord would impress something on our hearts that He has no intention of delivering.

Good Fathers don’t do that.

This scripture demands something of us.

It demands we examine ourselves and ask the hard questions

Am I committed to Christ?

Do I truly want to know Him?

And it demands action.

I will desire prayer

I will desire to read and hear God’s word - and when I don’t feel like it - I will make myself

Because I know it is good for me.

I will desire to attend church with other believers

I will desire God.

Let me invite you right now brothers and sisters to commit yourself afresh to knowing Jesus.

And if you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior

It’s as simple as telling Jesus that you are tired of living without Him

And you are ready to follow Him.

You tell Jesus that you know who you are and you aren’t worth saving

So you are going to throw yourself on His mercy and trust Him to save you.

If you will do that sincerely, Jesus will save you and make you new.

We’re going to pray and then sing.

I’ll be down front during the song and after the service if you want to talk.

We will help you get started following Jesus.

Let’s pray.