Be Faithful

Intro:

AG:

RS: The author quotes and says, As the Holy Spirit says” What a great reminder that God’s word is just that. HIS word.

was used in synagogue services and was well known in Judaism.

RS:

RS:

Hebrews 3:7–10 ESV

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’

After reminding the reader of the rebellion of the past, the author springs into his point challenging us to be faithful.

The same warning applies to us today. DO NOT harden your hearts. Don’t go astray. Don’t forsake God.

The author gives three warnings

1. Beware of Unbelief

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.

Heb 3:12-

Beware of a heart which leads you astray

literally “see to it” a command to pay attention to this.

evil-

A corrupt heart

A heart with a twisted perspective due to sin

As humans, a corrupt heart is our natural condition

we call evil good and good evil

we reject the values of God and substitute our own

It is so bad that in our world today we even deny reality.

A court in the UK just ruled that having a biblical (and scientific) worldview that God created male and female (2 genders based in biology) was just labeled incompatible with human dignity. As a result, a doctor has been fired.

How long before that happens here? How long before that comes to our workplace?

unbelieving

lacking in faith

no saving and sustaining faith

doubting heart

a heart which begins to question and wander

Ultimately, our author is warning us of allowing our corrupt and doubting heart to lead us to rebel against GOD

We would be living in sin

We would live in sin

We would start living by the world’s standards regardless of what God says.

The way it is written implies it was a very real threat.

This reminds me of the verses earlier where we were warned to not drift.

Exhort each other to not be hardened by sin

Don’t miss out because of unbelief

This has 2 aspects

a call to salvation to the lost

Urge them to repent and have faith

a call to persevere for the saints

Urge each other to remain faithful

Urge each other to stay strong

2. Be Afraid of Falling Short

Hebrews 4:1–10 ESV

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Heb 3:

The primary focus draws from

Psalm 95:11 ESV

Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.”

There is a rest promised (eternal life with God in heaven)

The rest is peace, confidence of salvation, reliance on His strength as well

It is accessed by faith

true and saving faith

Fight having a hardened heart

probably made hard by repeated rejection of the gospel

Rejection often leads to hostility to the gospel and those who would share it.

We are cautioned to fear seemingly falling short

care about your testimony

Care about your life

Does your walk match your talk?

Don’t merely hear and fall away

Truly Believe and enter the rest

3. Be diligent to enter

Hebrews 4:11–13 ESV

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Heb 4:11

Strive to enter

don’t fall through disobedience

Work diligently to live out your faith

Live in obedience to God

Don’t loose focus

Salvation comes by grace through faith and is accompanied by repentance

Turning from our sinful path to following

We must always make course corrections, not to be saved, but because we are saved.

Word of God is our greatest resource to help

it judges, discerns cuts true

This is why it has been hated by so many

They read it and are convicted.

They don’t want their corruption confronted so they try to ignore it and even destroy it.

We will give an account to God

Always remember that we will answer to God

Hebrews 9:27–28 ESV

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

We will all stand before Him.

Conclusion:

Conclusion:

Stand firm today