Discipleship: A Partaker of Christ

Hebrews 3:12–14 NIV

12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

Hebrews 3:12 NIV

12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

Our walk with the Lord is an on going thing.

There was once a young husband who thought he had won his wife after they said I do. He stopped seeking after her and was just going to work, doing the chores, playing his video games, and going to bed every day. Before he knew it he was alone with about to lose his whole family.

I once knew a young man who was about 18-19 and on fire for the Lord. He was leading Bible studies, doing sidewalk ministry, and anytime the doors to the church where open he was there.

Shortly after starting college he grew busy and started spending less time with the Lord than he once had. He started leading his girlfriend down the same path and before they knew it they had drifted far away the Lord.

This drifting led to other bad choices causing even more of a drift, and leading to a deep depression. This young man went from feeling the Lord closer than anything else in life to feeling hollow, cold, and alone, even when around others.

Hebrews 3:13 NIV

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews (Exposition) -C. Spurgeon Notice very carefully that sin has a hardening power over the heart. How does that come about? Partly through our familiarity with sin. We may look at hateful sin till we love it. Familiarity with sin makes the conscience dull, and at length deadens sensibility.

Not a single one in here should grow cold to the Holy Spirit without at least one brother saying something to them before hand.

We are our brother’s keeper.

Hebrews: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition (1. Don’t Harden Your Hearts as They Did 3:7–19)

We encourage one another by setting an example of faithful obedience and by reminding one another of the faithfulness of God. If we see a brother or sister lagging in faith, our encouragement may take the form of warning.

The preacher is telling his hearers to do for each other what he is doing for all of them by sending them his sermon in the form of a letter!

Think of some ways that you have been warned in the past or wish you had been warned.

Hebrews (Exposition) Hearing the Hard Truth from a Doctor and a Preacher Preaching Themes: Health and Healing, Truth I have known persons to take offense because the word has been spoken from the pulpit too pointedly. This is to take offense where we ought to show gratitude. Will you give your ear to one who will please you to your ruin, and flatter you to your destruction? Surely you are not so foolish?

Do you choose that kind of doctor who never tells you the truth about your bodily health? Do you trust one who falsely assured you that there was nothing the matter with you when all the while a terrible disease was folding its cruel arms about you? He will send you just a little pill, and you will be all right. He would not have you think of that painful operation that a certain surgeon has suggested to you.

Believe me, I would think it a waste of time, no, a crime like that of murder, to prophesy smooth things to you. We must all learn to hear what we do not like. The question is not, “Is it pleasant?” but, “Is it true?”

Hebrews 3:14 MEV

14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence firmly to the end,

This means that we need to seek Christ with the same ferver and passion that we did when we first became saved.

That young married man from earlier had to learn how to seek his wife and now they are closer then when they first said I do. We need to do the same with Jesus.

Take Home QUESTION:

How Can I Seek Jesus in Every aspect of life?

And if you don’t know Him, if you are not a disciple of His then let today be the day.

Hebrews 3:7–8 MEV

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of temptation in the wilderness,

Do not let your heart be hard today before the Lord, if He is knocking on your hearts door, open the door and say yes Lord.

COMMUNION