"Heaven, We Have a Problem"

"Houston, we have a problem.” Next to Neil Armstrong's “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” these five words are probably the most recognized words coming out of the Apollo space program. On April 13, 1970, two days into their lunar mission, an oxygen tank exploded in the Service Module. Alarms went off and those famous words were radioed into Mission Control, “Houston, we have a problem.”

Hebrews 5:11-6:12 is one of the most hotly debated and for many Christians one of the most troubling passages in the New Testament. This is because it touches on issues such as eternal security, the unpardonable sin, election and God’s sovereignty. While it is important to address these issues as we study this passage together, I do believe that they can be distractions that keep us from hearing the main point of the passage. The author of Hebrews wants his readers to understand three things:

They Have a Problem

They Have a Dangerous Problem

They Have a Problem That Can Be Overcome

Their situation is very much like that of the crew of Apollo 13 and just like that crew could rely on the provision of Mission Control, so too the church can rely on the provision of Heaven. Thus, I have entitled my sermon: “Heaven, We Have a Problem.”

We Have a Problem (5:11-6:3)

The first point is found in Hebrews 5:11-6:3

Hebrews 5:11–6:3 ESV

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 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.

Just as the warning lights signaled that something was wrong on Apollo 13, the author of Hebrews see warning signs in the church he is writing to. He describes them as a being “dull to hear” or more literally “sluggish to hear.” I point out the literal translation, because this same Greek word is found in Heb 6:12. There he expresses confidence that his hearers will not remain “sluggish,” but rather will imitate the faithfulness and perseverance of those saints who have gone before. This confidence is an important interpretive clue. This passage is not a discourse on eternal security or the unpardonable sin, but an exhortation to motivate Christians towards better things! There is a stern warning because to move forward we need to recognize that we have a problem.

Their problem is that they were not using the provision that God had given them. In Heb 6:1-3, the author reminds them that they had received adequate instruction in the basic doctrines of the faith. He tells them that by “this time you ought to be teachers,” but now they have become so neglectful of God provision they were like children having to go back to their mother’s milk!

There is more going on here that most modern readers understand. The unproductive field comparison of Hebrews 6:7-8, was a very familiar one to the original hearers. It was both used in the Roman/Greek culture and in the Jewish culture. Let me read those verses again to refresh your memory.

Hebrews 6:7–8 ESV

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.

The farmer/field relationship was often used in the Old Testament and in Greek culture to teach of the proper relationship between the benefactor and beneficiary. For example, prophet Isaiah speaks of God as Israel’s Benefactor being the farmer and Israel as God’s beneficiary being the field.

Isaiah 5:1–7 ESV

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

The point of this analogy is this: God as Benefactor has been abundant in His provision to Israel and has every reason to expect a harvest of righteousness. Israel for her part has been neglectful and ungrateful of God’s provision and has produced the fruit of unrighteousness!

I could also quote from Roman and Greek authors who use the farmer/field analogy to teach about the proper relationship between human benefactors and their beneficiaries, but I think you get the point. A lazy neglect of a benefactor’s gracious provision points to a problem more serous than mere laziness, it points to a heart hardened by ingratitude and infidelity.

This is why the alarms were going off when the author saw a lack of progress and maturity in the lives of those he was writing to.

He now wants them to appreciate how dangerous a problem this is.

Hebrews 6:4–8 ESV

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.

We Have a Dangerous Problem (6:4-8)

The problem the astronauts on Apollo 13 faced were life threatening. They had to abandon the Command Module for the Lunar Lander to survive, only reentering the Command Module at the last moment so they could reenter the atmosphere for the splash down. The author of Hebrews uses the strongest language possible to show his readers how dangerous a problem they have.

Verses 4-5, are a good example of how our debates over eternal security can side track us from the point the author of Hebrews is trying to make. In terms of the benefactor/beneficiary relationship what makes it “impossible…to restore (those who have fallen away) again to repentance” is ingratitude for the overflowing abundance of the provision God has provided. This list of five provisions, starting with “enlightenment” all are echoed in God’s dealing with Israel in the Old Testament, especially in the Exodus. For example: Enlightenment points to the glory cloud that led Israel and tasting the heavenly gift of the manna. It also points to other Old Testament texts, for example, from Psalm 34 we read:

Psalm 34:8 ESV

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

This abundant provision from God has been enjoyed by all those who join themselves to the visible church, whether it was in the Old Covenant or the New Covenant. To enjoy this provision is not evidence that a person is regenerate or not. Rather, they are evidence of the greatness of the ingratitude and betrayal of the person who “falls away” has. To make sure his readers understand how serious this betrayal is, the author of Hebrews writes this:

Hebrews 6:6 ESV

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.

To abandon Christ for the world says something about what you think of Christ and His provision. It says you prefer the world and its provision more than Christ and His provision. It is to agree with the world that Jesus is an object of contempt and it is the same as joining those who crucified Christ!

This is a very dangerous place for a person’s heart and mind to be in. I think you can see why the author of Hebrews say it is “impossible” of such a person to come to repentance again. The author is not saying it is “impossible” for God to bring such a person to repentance, but he is saying that barring an extra ordinary act of God’s grace, it is indeed impossible for an apostate to come to repentance.

Having given this stark warning, the author now wants to encourage his readers. He tell them he sees evidence that the problem has not yet reached this critical stage and he is confident the problem can be overcome. Let’s read on:

Hebrews 6:9–12 ESV

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

We Have a Problem That Can Be Overcome (6:9-12)

What the author of Hebrews is saying is this: Yes, I see signs of concern, but I also see signs for confidence you will successfully address all these problems and continue to mature until all of you inherit the promise of eternal life!

I hope you find this encouraging. Just like the three astronauts of Apollo 13 we may find ourselves in a life threatening situational. Just like those three astronauts on Apollo 13 could call on Mission Control to provide them with the resources to get them home safely, we too, can call upon God for the resources to get us safely to our true eternal home. Paul expresses the same confidence when he writes to the church of Philippi:

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Our passage today is not meant to paralyze you in fear, but to spur you on to action.

“Heaven, we have a problem!” Our problems are real and they are dangerous, but never forget, our Mission Control is not in Houston, but in Heaven! By God grace, Jesus will safely led all His elect safely home.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank you that through your Son Jesus Christ you have graciously provided you people with all the resources they need to safely traverse the dangers of this world in order that we might safely arrive at our eternal home. Forgive us of our sluggish and ungrateful hearts that all too often squander the gracious provision you have given us. Teach us to look to that “great cloud of witnesses” that we might be “stir up one another on to love and good deeds.” Amen.