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Teaching Outline Week 9
The Joy in Responsibility
(An In-Depth Study of Hebrews)
Commentary
Fear Unbelief and Live Fearless
Hebrews 4:1-11
Outline
(Verse 3:19)
We ended last week with the idea that unbelief is the great enemy of the Christian
(Verse 3:12, 13)
God has a design for the Christian life to destroy unbelief – Vigilance and Exhortation
Chapter 4:1-2 The promise of rest is still open…
Therefore, fear unbelief (only thing that can keep you from entering God’s rest)
For, everyone heard the Gospel, but only those with faith received the benefit.
Example : Joshua and Caleb
They heard the Gospel : Exodus 34:6-7
They believed God: Numbers 14:8-9
This example and the author of Hebrews presents; It is not Biblical to think that the Gospel life is a single act of faith with all else being idle and automatic.
God is restful but not idle.
Vs 4 – Creation
Creation is complete, on the seventh day God rested… (Genesis 2:2)
But God is at work in creation (John 5:17)
Basic Science – Matter cannot be created or destroyed,
But it is ever changing and moving.
Rest happens in the heart
Vs 7-8 – Not feet crossing a boundary, but a heart in harmony with God.
Paradox of the Christian Life
Vs 11 – Strive to Rest
Resting in God’s promises because we have faith, we believe; but living out our salvation in fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)
LIFE APPLICATION:
Receive great joy in the promises and live fearless of death/world by fearing unbelief and longing for God’s design for perseverance.
Synopsis and Homework Week 8
One doesn’t hear the word exhort much any more. Simply put, when the Bible requires us to “exhort one another” we are to talk to each other. (Hebrews 3:13) Not just trivial conversation, but life changing, life molding, conversation. Such conversation can only happen when we exhort one another with the Word of God.
Patriarch Project places a heavy emphasis on mentoring through Bible study. When the author of Hebrews tells us to exhort one another every day the picture that it paints is Christians hungry for the truth gathering often with mentors and peers growing in Christ.
The result is living a life of solid Christ-like decisions and holding firm our hope to the very end. God has a design for living out the Christian life. Part of that design is life together, in the Word, growing and holding fast.
Homework:
King Solomon was wiser and more impactful in the world in which he reigned than any other king in history. Most of us are familiar with the account of God asking Solomon what he desired. Solomon responded that he desired to lead the nation with wisdom. God gave him wisdom unparalleled by any before or since. Wisdom enabled his life to overflow with accomplishments. God was so pleased with Solomon’s response that He gave Solomon much more. (Read 2 Chronicles 1:7-13)
Now, how did Solomon come to ask so wisely for wisdom? Did he just happen to ask God for the right thing at the right time? The answer is clear: Solomon had a father, King David, who years before spent time with his son in exhortation. That’s right, Solomon had a mentor. It was his father who told him what to seek. It was his father who passed on the wisdom of the Word of God to his son. If King David had not prepared the way for his son, Solomon would not have known what to ask for and how to build all those wonderful projects. (Read 1 Chronicles 22:11-16)
List all the ways Solomon stood on the shoulders of his father…
The Joy in Responsibility Week 8 (Audio and Video)
Teaching Outline Week 8
The Joy in Responsibility
(An In-Depth Study of Hebrews)
Commentary
Community Project
Hebrews 3:7-19
Outline
Verse 6… We are His household IF, We hold fast in Hope. Therefore, (picking up in verse 7) Don’t be like those who didn’t enter the Promise land. The point of verse 14 is: If you are born again, you WILL endure faithful to the end. Same as John states in 1 John 2:19; They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. Same as Paul states in Philippians 1:6; 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. However, (Verse 12) Persevering involves vigilance We must be “taking care” in our daily lives That “taking care” happens in community and is God’s design (Verse 13) God uses means by which we endure and verse 13 states that YOU are the means of another’s perseverance. How the Cross and Eternal Security come together: Luke 22:20 ---------- Jeremiah 32:40 LIFE APPLICATION: To run from community is to run from God’s design to keep you. Assurance of salvation is directly linked to necessity of community. The most awesome life is to live in this beautiful design.
Synopsis and Homework Week 7
The author of the book of Hebrews attests to the Scriptures being the very Word of God when chapter 3 verse 7 opens our study with the words… “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says”. The proceeding verses are a direct quote from Psalm 95. By implication then, God wrote the Psalms (and the rest of Scripture). Don’t overlook this amazing truth.
The Bible, though penned by human hands, is not man’s words about God. It is God’s word about Himself. To open the Bible and read is to step into the presence of God. That is why Romans 10:17 says;
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Psalm 95 and 96 were utilized as a call to worship in the days of the Temple in Jerusalem. Both paint glorious pictures of our God and both make very serious warnings about those with hearts that fall away from God’s Glory.
The author of Hebrews has our best interest at heart with the very serious warnings that we encountered in chapter 2 verse 1 and now in chapter 3 verses 7 through 19. The book of Hebrews paints a majestic picture of Jesus and announces stern warnings to all who do not treasure Him.
So, Hebrews is teaching us that true faith, saving faith, is enduring faith. So far we have seen that God uses (but not limited too) two “means” by which our faith WILL endure to the end. The first being a heavenly host of angels as life long helpers (chapter 1 verse 14). The second is His Word (the Bible) as stated in chapter 2 verse 1 and chapter 3 verses 7-8, 15 as warnings.
It is clear the author of Hebrews does not think a born again believer can lose their salvation. In fact, verse 6b and verse 14 teach just the opposite. However, they both teach eternal security not by looking to the past, but look to the future as proof one is truly part of the house of God.
This is the way all believers must live! In community, in the Word, growing in faith each day. This life is a war. The enemy, the devil, would have us drift blissfully into hell. Instead, we swim with all our might upstream, fighting against the schemes and darkness of this world. The reason we fight to persevere is not because we may be lost, but to prove we are not.
HOMEWORK:
Read Hebrews 3:7-19 again. Now focus on verse 12 and answer the following question:
Is verse 12 a “throw away” verse for the Christian? If not, why not?
The Joy in Responsibility Week 7 (Audio and Video)
Teaching Outline Week 7
The Joy in Responsibility
(An In-Depth Study of Hebrews)
Commentary
Don’t Be Like Those Guys
Hebrews 3:7-19
Outline
Reminder from verses 1-6: Jesus is greater than Moses Jesus made Moses Jesus is God Jesus is the Son and Heir Verse 6… We are His household IF, We hold fast in Hope. Therefore, (picking up in verse 7) Don’t be like those who didn’t enter the Promise land. Psalm 95:8-11 (Used as a call to worship in the days of worship at the Temple) Verse 7 – 11: These people: a. Heard the voice of God b. Was motivated to follow c. Saw God’s mighty works d. Had unbelieving hearts e. Didn’t make it in the end LIFE APPLICATION: Living daily in Christ is all important. Without the Bible we drift away from God. Do not treat the Grace of God with contempt. Do not try to fix your behavior, just fall in love with Jesus!
The Normal Christian Life
Watchman Nee is one of my favorite authors. His book, The Normal Christian Life, summarizes in Biblical detail what is “normal” for a Christian. I had only one problem when I finished reading…my normal day didn’t match the normal Christian life I had just read about. My normal day was a lot more me and fell far short of Galatians 2:20;
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I remember thinking after the first few pages, “I need to fix my normal day!” However, by the end of the book Nee lovingly and firmly brought to light what needed fixing. It wasn’t my outward actions, it was my heart. The truth is, Jesus isn’t only the Savoir that died for me; He’s not only the Savior that rose for my justification; He is the Savior that dwells within me. He is a present Help. He is constant Friend. We abide together! Today, and every day I spend on this planet is a day I need to be dead to self and alive in Christ!
And so, we pick up tomorrow, Wednesday January 8th: 11:45am and 6:00pm, in the Word and pray our hearts melt in its truth and mold our normal Christian life.
New Year’s Resolutions
I heard a statistic regarding the average American and new years resolutions…only 8% of us keep any one of the resolutions on our list. In other words, if you have 10 resolutions there is only an 8% chance you will keep even 1 of the 10. If you have ever wondered why depression is so wide spread in our culture, look no further than your list of abandoned resolutions.
The problem with New Year’s resolutions is they call for “external change” and give no regard to the power by which external change takes place. May I suggest that unless your heart change, external change is not sustainable.
I know of no other agent of change for the heart and soul of a person than the Word of God. That said, I offer the only list of resolutions necessary:
- May I love and adore the Word of God and the portrait of Jesus Christ it paints.
- May my adoration of Jesus be manifest to the world around me.
Please join us as we continue our study of the book of Hebrews this Wednesday; 11:45am and 6:00pm.
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