Paul's Epistles – Hebrews – Part 17:
A Call to Preserve Faith
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org
| www.TruthDigest.org | Online Audio Files
SERMON INTRODUCTION
The “official” writer of this epistle is unknown.
However, I obviously believe it is Paul since I have included it in the “Paul’s
Epistles” Sermon Series.
I believe there is enough evidence from early scholars
to agree this was more than likely Paul’s work.
We have already seen in Hebrews so far;
·
Jesus is greater than angels
·
And that we are to pay the most careful attention to
Jesus and His way so we do not stray
·
And how Jesus (New Covenant) is greater than Moses
(Old Covenant)
·
Paul’s warning about unbelief
·
A Sabbath Rest for the People of God
·
Jesus the Great High Priest
·
Jesus the Perfect High Priest
·
Therefore, It is Time to Grow Up
·
The Certainty of God’s Promise
·
Melchizedek the Priest
·
Jesus like Melchizedek
·
The High Priest of the New Covenant
·
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
·
The Blood of Christ
·
Christ’s sacrifice, Once for All
TODAY’S SERMON
“A Call to Preserve Faith”
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Hebrews 10:19-39
Therefore, brothers and
sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the
blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us
through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great
priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with
a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our
hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our
bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the
hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may
spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting
together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one
another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26 If we deliberately keep on
sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no
sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation
of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of
Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.29 How much more severely do you think someone
deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of
God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the
covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the
Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to
avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God.
32 Remember those earlier days after you had
received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of
suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to
insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those
who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and
joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you
yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your
confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
36 You need to persevere so that when you
have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,
“In just a little while,
he who is coming will come
and will not delay.”
he who is coming will come
and will not delay.”
38 And,
“But my righteous one will live by faith.
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”
39 But we do not belong to those
who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
The overall message of this
epistle to the church is;
“The Cure for Lacking Boldness or Courage in your Christian Faith and
Backsliding is a Right beginning for the Glory and Work of Christ”
I. THEREFORE (THE
BLOOD OF CHRIST, ONCE FOR ALL) WE HAVE CONFIDENCE TO ENTER THE MOST HOLY PLACE
a. By the Blood of Christ
i. The
perfect sacrifice
ii. removed sin, not just a covering
iii. Opens the curtain revealing God to us through Jesus Christ
b. Jesus our Great Priest over
the House of God
i. Cleansed
us of sin
ii. removed our guilt
iii. washed us in the Holy Spirit
c. Let us hold unwavering to
the Hope we profess
i. He
is faithful to all He promised, let us be faithful to Him
ii. Let us also consider how WE may SPUR one another toward LOVE & GOOD
DEEDS
1. It is believers responsibility to encourage, uplift, strengthen and
build others in the church
2. Towards LOVE (I Corinthians
13)
3. Towards GOOD DEEDS
a. Not acts that save, but deeds that reflect we ARE saved!
II.
HOWEVER, IF WE KNOW THE TRUTH AND CONTINUE TO SIN, THERE IS NO
SACRIFICE LEFT
a. If we deliberately keep
sinning there is no salvation for us
i. After receiving the
knowledge of Truth there is no sacrifice for sin left
ii. Only fearful
expectation of judgment and raging fire that will consume the enemies of God
iii. If you have received the knowledge of Truth (saved), and deliberately
sin, you “become” an enemy of God
iv. Would God judge someone who was “saved” so harshly?
b. Anyone who rejected The Law
of Moses died without mercy
i. VS 29-31 “ How much more severely do you think someone
deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of
God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the
covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the
Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge;
I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God.”
ii. Paul wants believers to understand, you CAN walk away from Christ, and
if you do wander, you are in danger of losing your eternal soul!
c. The Lord will judge His
people
i. Notice,
“His People”, not “All people”, or “Those who do not belong to Him”
ii. But people who profess Him, who have the knowledge of Truth, believer’s
who have wondered from Christ!
III.
REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST RECEIVED THE LIGHT
a. Great conflict, full of
suffering, publicly insulted, persecuted
i. The
narrow path is difficult
b. You suffered along with
those in prison
i. Not
just for you, but other believers as well!
c. So do not throw away your
confidence, it will be richly rewarded
i. When
we first believed, we endured all that came our way
ii. But people get tired, wore out, weakened
iii. We need to lean on each other, and the strength of the Lord which can
endure ALL THINGS
iv. If we surrender to trials, return to sin, we once again surrender our
rewards, become an enemy to God, lose our rights to the Kingdom, and are lost
to our sin.
CONCLUSION
– paul has the answer to this
VS 36-39
You need to persevere so
that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has
promised. 37 For,
“In just a little while,
he who is coming will come
and will not delay.”
he who is coming will come
and will not delay.”
38 And,
“my righteous one will live by faith.
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”
Who is the one who shrinks back? The one who willfully
sins after having the knowledge of Truth.
We call them “backsliders”, or those who “wander off the
narrow path”, or as Paul calls them in verse 29, the one “...who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as
an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and
who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
The one who shrinks back...
39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed,
but to those who have faith and are saved.
Galatians 6:1-10
Brothers
and sisters, if
someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should
restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be
tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will
fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If
anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive
themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then
they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves
to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should
share all good things with their instructor.
7 Do not
be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the
Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we
will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do
good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of
believers.
James 5:19-20
My brothers
and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should
bring that person back, 20 remember this:
Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from
death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Next week we will look at the end of Hebrews 11 and the Faith in Action.
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Salvation and Getting Saved?
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