Sunday, June 25, 2017

Paul's Epistles – Hebrews – Part 5: Warning Against Unbelief

Paul's Epistles – Hebrews – Part 5:
Warning Against Unbelief
Pastor Bruce A. Shields


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.

Last week we examined Paul’s writings on Jesus, the Son being Greater than Angels.

This week, Paul will give a warning for listeners to pay attention, and the fact that Jesus was made fully human.

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)

TODAY’S SERMON
“Warning Against Unbelief”

 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Hebrews 3:7-19
 So, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear his voice,

    do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness,
where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did.
10 That is why I was angry with that generation;  I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
    and they have not known my ways.’
11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ 

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. 15 As has just been said:
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

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. TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE
a. Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion
                                                                 i. The Israelites hardened their hearts against God in the wilderness

                                                              ii. Followers of Christ can do the same thing today

                                                           iii. To whom is God calling?
1. Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

2. God is calling all of the world in every generation

3. However, few are answering His call

                                                            iv. TODAY, if you hear His voice, answer!
b. That is why I {God speaking} was angry with that generation {two reasons}
                                                                 i. God was calling ALL but few answered; VS 10b “…their hearts are always going astray…”
1. Our hearts are where obedience and disobedience lives
2. Joshua and Caleb were the only 2 out of 2 million who did NOT provoke God

3. 2,000,000 called, 2 answered and did not provoke God
a. That’s one ten-thousandths of a percent {rounding up}
b. I can see why God was angry…

4. With the current population of the earth at 7.5 billion people, this equation if applied today would mean in the entire world, there are currently only 675,000 people following Christ.
a. Not even ¾ of a million people out of 7.5 billion!

5. Few answer God’s call.

                                                              ii. “…and they have not known my ways.”
1. They could have known, but had no desire to know

2. Such is the heart of so many in the world today!


c. So I declared on oath in my anger “They {Those who heard God’s voice and rebelled} shall never enter my rest”
                                                                 i. The rest referred to was the Land of Promise, Canaan, but undoubtedly this is symbolic of the “rest” and “promised land” to followers of Christ, which is Salvation.


II.      SEE TO IT BROTHERS AND SISTERS {The Holy Spirit’s resolution}
a. That none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the Living God
                                                                 i. First instruction for the resolution, check yourself


b. Encourage one another daily
                                                                 i. So that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness

                                                              ii. Second instruction of the resolution, encourage others
1. Because sin deceives us
2. Leads us astray
3. Makes us think there is another, easier, or better way

4. But Christ has already told us;
5. John 14:6 “I am the way…”, Not one of the ways, but THE WAY

6. And again, Matthew 7:13, “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and MANY enter through it.”


c. We have come to share in Christ if indeed we HOLD our original conviction firm to the very end
                                                                 i. As I just said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

                                                              ii. Last instruction of the resolution, hold your conviction firmly until the very end



III.   WHO WERE THEY WHO HEARD {GOD’S VOICE} AND REBELLED?
a. Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?
                                                                 i. With whom God was angry for 40 years
1. God’s wrath continued, because their unbelief continued

                                                              ii. Sometimes the unsavory situations in our lives continue, because our rebellion continues
1. We live our way, and are angry about the consequences

2. We disobey and make sinful choices, then cry because the results of our sins return to our lives

3. We turn our back on the Lord daily, and cry out, “Where are you God?”

4. We chose the wide gate, the broad path, then blame God when we meet destruction.


b. Who heard God’s voice and rebelled? Was it not those who sinned?
                                                                 i. Whose bodies perished in the wilderness
1. Approximately 2 million died in the wilderness


c. And to whom did God swear that they would never enter rest, it was those who disobeyed
                                                                 i. They lost everything because of unbelief

                                                              ii. And today’s church is doing the same

                                                           iii. Which is the very reason Paul wrote this epistle



CONCLUSION – so we see that they {who heard god’s voice and rebelled} were not able to enter rest because of their unbelief

If the modern believer has unbelief toward Christ and the Cross, the result will be the same as it was with Israel.

So TODAY, if you hear His voice…

Do not harden your heart, and rebel, check yourself and ensure you do not have unbelief in your heart against Christ and the Cross.

Encourage others DAILY so that they too can avoid the deception of sin, which brings about unbelief.

This is why we are called to congregate together, for His name, and we must hold firmly to our convictions in Christ Jesus until the very end.

There is but one way, Christ

There is but one path to belief, the narrow gate

Check your heart daily, encourage others daily, and hold firmly to your conviction until the very end!

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!
Want to hear the audio to this sermon?    CLICK HERE!





Sunday, June 18, 2017

Paul's Epistles – Hebrews – Part 4: Jesus is Greater than Moses

Paul's Epistles – Hebrews – Part 4:
Jesus is Greater than Moses
Pastor Bruce A. Shields


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.

Last week we examined Paul’s writings on Jesus, the Son being Greater than Angels.

This week, Paul will give a warning for listeners to pay attention, and the fact that Jesus was made fully human.

Last week we read as Paul warned us to pay attention

TODAY’S SERMON
“Jesus is Greater than Moses”

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Hebrews 3:1-6
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.“Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,”[a] bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

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. FIX YOUR THOUGHTS ON JESUS
a. Therefore holy brothers and sisters who share in the heavenly calling
                                                                 i. Speaking to all who have correctly answered the call

                                                              ii. In other words, all believers
1. God calls us to Him

2. 1 Timothy 2:1-4I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior,who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.


b. Fix your thoughts on Jesus
                                                                 i. He is our Apostle and High Priest

                                                              ii. He was faithful to God just as Moses

1. Like the Hebrews, we can sometimes have our eyes on things other than Christ.

2. Distractions, feelings, emotions, or perhaps when storms come, we look to the wrong things for our strength, comfort, peace.

3. We must fix our thoughts on Jesus

4. Consider Him
a. In the splendor of His glory – Isaiah 6:1-3
b. The wonder of His incarnation – John 1:1, 14
c. In the majesty of His works and teachings – John 7:46
d. In the greatness of His work – Hebrews 10:12
e. In the power of His return and reign – Luke 1:32-33


c. For Christ must be the focus
                                                                 i. Paul carefully, with guidance from the Holy Spirit, compares Christ Jesus and Moses, showing that they were both appointed by God as Apostles and High Priests

                                                              ii. However, Jesus is greater, and must be our focus, for there is salvation in no other

                                                           iii. Moses represented the Old Testament, which points to the Messiah

                                                            iv. Jesus is the Messiah, and the New Covenant is found ONLY in Him


II.      JESUS IS GOD, THEREFORE GREATER THAN MOSES
a. The difference between Christ Jesus and Moses

                                                                 i. Christ Jesus is worthy of more glory

                                                              ii. Because He who built the house has more honor than the house

                                                           iii. Paul revealing Moses is part of the house (God’s House/Church)

                                                            iv. However, Christ Jesus (The Lord) is maker of that house, therefore greater

1. We see this explained in some of Paul’s other letters where he shows believers as the Church (house) and Christ as “head” of the church


b. The Lord built the house
                                                                 i. And Moses was Apostle and High Priest of this house

                                                              ii. But Christ Jesus the Lord was creator of this house


c. Every house is built by some man, but He who built all is God
                                                                 i. Paul explaining why Christ must be the focus, not Moses

  
ILLUSTRATION:

In the early 90’s I worked in a van customizing shop. We had three shifts, and a few “supervisors”. One day the supervisor called a meeting, and stated we would be working “until all the vans on the line were finished”. It was Friday, and we had already been working 10 hour days all week. The attitude went down-hill fast.

However, a man spoke up saying, “No, we have worked all week, and we deserve to leave on time tonight. We can pick things back up tomorrow.” And we got to leave on time.

You see, the supervisor ran things, but when the son of the owner spoke, even the supervisor had to listen.

This is Paul’s point. Moses was a great man, serving God and His Will, however, the Son is now here and therefore greater.

This is why we must put Christ first.


III.   WE ARE HIS HOUSE
a. Moses was a faithful servant in all God’s house bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future.
                                                                 i. Moses was the great Law Giver as it relates to God

                                                              ii. This includes the Law, ceremonies, feasts, etc…which all pointed to Christ and the Cross, who was to come


b. But Christ is a faithful Son over God’s house
                                                                 i. Here is the clear distinction between the Old Testament House of God, and the New Testament House


c. And we are His house
                                                                 i. The Church
                                                              ii. The followers of Christ Jesus

d. If indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.
                                                                 i. The condition in this verse is “IF”

                                                              ii. This speaks to the fact that as long as we hold firmly to our confidence in Christ and the Cross, we are His house

CONCLUSION – are you putting christ jesus first?

Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

We must build our lives on the strong foundation, Christ Jesus

The Word states, “…everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Proverbs 24:3 “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.”

We must be wise and build upon the rock, by hearing the Word of God AND putting that Word into Practice.

James 1:22…be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

Many deceive themselves by hearing the word, but not living it.  They “know” what the Word says, but they do not live it…

They deceive themselves because they believe just because they have heard the Word they are built upon the rock.

These are the ones who claim to be believer’s, yet are destroyed in every storm simply because they do not live what they hear.

Let us put Christ first in all things, hearing His Word, living His Word, thus, being like Wise Men, we too will build the house of God by becoming part of the body of believer’s called the Church.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!

Want to hear the audio to this sermon?    CLICK HERE!