Hebrews 3: Christ's Exaltation Continued

Q: What does the Bible say about being holy in Christ?

The Bible teaches that believers are considered holy in Christ due to His righteousness, not their own actions. The concept of holiness in the believer's life is deeply rooted in the finished work of Christ. In Colossians 1:21-22, it states that we are reconciled to God and presented as holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in His sight because of the death of Christ. Our holiness is not dependent on our personal efforts or moral standing but is a result of being in Christ, who is our righteousness and sanctification. Thus, believers stand before God not as sinful, flawed individuals but as holy ones clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ. This positional holiness is essential for understanding our relationship with God and assures us of our standing before Him.

Q: How do we know that Christ's call is effectual?

Christ's call is effectual because it ensures that those who are called will come to Him and be saved. The biblical understanding of an effectual call is foundational to the doctrine of sovereign grace. An effectual call is one that accomplishes what it intends; it is a calling that brings the chosen individual to faith in Christ. As stated in Galatians 1:15, it is God who calls individuals by His grace, and this call is deliberate and personal. Romans 8 also highlights this, emphasizing that those whom God foreknew, He predestined, called, justified, and ultimately glorified. The consistent pattern throughout Scripture shows that when God calls someone, it is not a mere invitation but a sovereign command that will be fulfilled, demonstrating the power and effectiveness of His will in salvation.

Q: Why is it important for Christians to consider Christ?

Considering Christ is vital for Christians as it strengthens faith and helps maintain focus on our true hope and purpose. Hebrews 3:1 exhorts believers to consider Jesus Christ as the apostle and high priest of our profession. To consider Him means to meditate diligently on His character, His work, and His role in our salvation. This consideration is crucial because it shapes our understanding of who we are as His followers and reminds us of His faithfulness and the greatness of His sacrifice. As we reflect on Christ, we are encouraged and fortified in our faith, helping us navigate challenges and remain steadfast. Moreover, this continual focusing on Christ leads to a deeper relationship with Him and an increased ability to exhort and encourage one another within the church community, as we align our lives with the truths of the gospel.

Q: What does Hebrews say about perseverance in faith?

Hebrews emphasizes that true believers will persevere in faith as a sign of their genuine relationship with Christ. In Hebrews, particularly in chapter 3, the author recognizes the importance of perseverance in faith as an essential mark of true belief. While the faithfulness of believers is confirmed through their perseverance, this does not imply that perseverance is a condition for salvation. Instead, it serves as an evidence of the transformative work that God has accomplished in their hearts. As verse 6 indicates, believers are God's house if they hold fast to their confidence in Christ until the end. This assurance roots itself in the understanding that those who are truly chosen by God will remain steadfast in their faith, reflecting their true identity as ‘living stones’ in the house of God, rooted in Christ who ensures their salvation.

Now if you will open your Bibles
to the portion of Scripture which Brother Pennington read for us,
Hebrews 3. Sunday morning I spoke from Hebrews
1, and Sunday night Hebrews 2, and
tonight I want us to look at Hebrews chapter 3, which is a
continuation. of the Apostles' exhortation
on the glory of Christ. Chapter 3 is just a continuation
of chapter 1 and 2, the Apostles' exhortation on the glory and
excellence and superiority of our Redeemer. Back there in chapter
1, verse 4, do you remember verse 4, chapter 1 said, being made so much better than
the angels, so much more excellent, superior to the angels. Now in
chapter 3, verse 3, this man, this God-man, this man Christ
Jesus was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, and that's
the way it goes all the way through the book of Hebrews. made so
much better than the angels, worthy of more glory than Moses,
his priesthood more excellent than the Old Testament priesthood,
all the way through. All right, verse 1. Wherefore,
holy brethren, now he's addressing believers, and we're not holy
because of our birth, and we're certainly not holy because of
our behavior. And we're not holy because even
of our thoughts toward God. I told Mike, I said before we
came in here, I like the songs that speak of his love to me. I'm not too crazy about songs
that talk about my love to him. And I know it's fine. I know
Peter said, Lord, you know I love you. But I'm so ashamed of the
smallness of my love for him that I don't like to sing about
it. I'd rather sing about his love for me. The song, My Jesus,
I Loved Him. It's a good song. One of Brother
Barney's favorites. He used to sing it as a solo.
And I liked it. I sang a duet with him one time.
But I just kind of When I get to the verse that says, I love
thee in life, and I love thee in death, and I love thee as
long as you give me breath, I want to say you love me in life, you
love me in death, and you love me as long as I have breath. I love these songs we sang tonight.
His name, His name. And He'll love me to the end.
You just got through singing. And so when he calls us holy
brethren, believe me, He finds nothing even now in us that can
be called holy. Now, that's exactly right. Even
our righteousnesses are filthy rags. But we are holy. He calls us holy brethren. Then
how are we holy? Well, we're holy in Christ. We're
holy because of our standing in him. We're holy because we're
clothed in his righteousness. With his spotless garments on,
I'm as holy as God's Son. He chose us that we should be
holy. Go to Colossians 1 just a moment. And this is just true now. This
is just the way it is. In Colossians chapter 1, verse
21, listen. that were at one time alienated
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now, right now, already
hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to
present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. unto him was able to present
you faultless." So we are holy, unblameable, unreprovable, and
faultless in Christ. Do you see that? That's our holiness.
You prayed that a minute ago. He is our holiness. He is our
sanctification. He is our righteousness, and
we are holy in Christ. Now read on. Wherefore, holy
brethren, we are holy people, a peculiar people, partakers
partakers of the heavenly calling." What is this? You brethren who
are holy in Christ, and you sisters holy in Christ, you are partakers
of a heavenly calling. Now, the old timers used to talk
about two different calls. They talked about a general call. a general call which really is
extended to all men. There's a sense in which every
son of Adam is called by God. How, you say? By creation? If you'll hold it just a moment,
go to Romans chapter 1. I want you to listen to this.
Now this Romans chapter 1 is talking about the outright pagan,
hot-and-tot heathen. Romans chapter 1, talking about
the heathen, Gentile idol worshipers. And it says here in verse 19
of Colossians 1, verse 18 of Romans 1, Romans 1 verse 18,
the wrath of Almighty God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and all unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in
unrighteousness because That which may be known of God, do
you get that? That which may be known of God
is manifest in them. God has showed it to them, even
the pagan. For the invisible things of God
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead,
so they are without excuse. Men are without excuse. The heavens
declare the glory of God. The things which may be known
of God are shown to all men. The earth declares His handiwork. Men do not even walk in the light
that they do have. Not only are men called by creation
and nature, but they're called by conscience. You turn to the
next chapter of Romans, chapter 2. Chapter 2. Verse 14, now listen to this.
Chapter 2, verse 14. For when the Gentiles, which
have not the law, they don't have the priesthood, they don't
have the Levitical law, they don't have the sacrifices, they
don't have the moral law, Moses the Ten Commandments, when they
do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not
the law are law unto themselves. You go out, I don't care where
it is, to what tribe in what pagan country, they know what's
wrong to steal. Who taught them that? They know
what's wrong to kill. They know what's wrong to lie. Your children know that. That's
the reason when you catch them doing something wrong and look
at them, they bow their heads. They know what they've got. They've
got a conscience. Now read on. It shows these having
not the law are law unto themselves, verse 15, which show the work
of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or excusing
one another. I tell you, God has written his
law in the heart of every person that comes into this world. There's
a light that lighteth every person that comes into this world, so
they're without excuse. God calls by creation, God calls
by nature, God calls by providence. You know in the book of Amos
where it says, prepare to meet thy God? Well, it's a shame they
don't have room on all these signs along the highway to put
the whole chapter of Amos 4 on there instead of just that one
statement. There's a reason why. And it's prepare to meet God
in judgment. This is not an exhortation to
prepare to meet God by accepting Jesus. This is an exhortation
to people who have refused the providential dealings of God,
and he says, now you get ready to meet me in judgment. That's
what that verse says, prepare to meet thy God. I'm coming down
in judgment, so you get ready. In that whole chapter, at first
he said, I sent famine among you. I sent famine among you,
but you didn't repent. He said, I sent pestilence among
you, but you didn't repent. He said, I took you to war, and
you young men were killed with the sword, but you didn't repent.
What else did he say? Some other plague, I sent among
you, but you didn't repent. Therefore, you get ready to meet
God. Prepare to meet God. God calls
men by providence. Conscience, law written on the
heart, nature, providence, and even by preaching. even by preaching. And that's the call, the general
call. And men, especially our nation,
has heard so much, you know, so much. But what he's talking
about here in chapter 3, partakers of the heavenly calling, the
old timers called this an effectual call. Brother Mann, what does
it mean, effectual? Effectual simply means, in plain
everyday language, it gets the job done. Christ's atonement
is an effectual atonement. The covenant of grace is an effectual
covenant, and the call of the Holy Spirit is effectual. If
he sets out to call you to Christ, you'll come. This is what Paul
said in Galatians 1.15, God who separated me, it pleased God,
who separated me from my mother's womb to call me by his grace. This heavenly calling, it says
here, you are partakers of an effectual heavenly calling, a
deliberate, personal, particular heavenly calling. Abraham, get
the F. Noah, found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. Matthew, follow me. Zacchaeus,
come down. Go all the way through the scripture.
And everyone whom he calls, hears him. It's an effectual call. God was pleased to call me by
his grace. And also Romans 8, listen to
this. Whom he foreknew, he predestinated
to be conformed to the image of his Son. Whom he predestinated,
he called. Whom he called, he justified.
Whom he justified, he glorified. Turn to 1 Corinthians 1. Let
me have you look at this. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians
1, this is the effectual call. Why is he such a heavenly calling? It comes from heaven and takes
men to heaven. It has to do with heavenly gifts.
It has to do with heavenly blessings. It has to do with the Heavenly
Father. It's a deliberate, personal, particular, effectual call. Look at 1 Corinthians 1.26. Why? You see your calling, brethren,
do you? How that not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. Now wait
a minute. If this thing were by education, if this thing were
by human wisdom, If this thing of understanding the gospel was
by human gifts and talent and knowledge, then that would not
be so. Because the wise and the mighty
and the noble would grab hold of it before you would. They
grabbed hold of everything else before I did. I don't understand
these computers, but the smarter a man is, the more he can understand
about them. I don't understand television, but somebody awful
smart invented it, and somebody awful smart can work on it. So
if this thing of knowing God and understanding the gospel
is by human wisdom, then this is a bunch of baloney right here.
Because there's not many wise, and there's not many mighty,
and there's not many noble. But do you know who does understand
it? God hath chosen the foolish things
of this world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the
weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty,
and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised
hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not to bring to naught
the things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence.
But of God are you in Christ Jesus. It's a heavenly call.
It's a heavenly gift. It's effectual, and he calls
whom he will. Now, you look down at 1 Corinthians
2, verse 8. Verse 7, I speak the wisdom of
God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before
this world to our glory, which none of the princes, the kings,
the wise men, the leaders of this world knew. Had they known
it, they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory. Why didn't
they know it? They knew all the particulars
of battle, they knew all the particulars of ruling countries,
they knew all the historical facts. They were wise men. How
come they? It's a mystery. It's hidden in
Christ. And read on. But as it is written,
I have not seen nor heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man the things God has prepared for them that love him, but God
hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. Wherefore, holy brethren, holy
in Christ, partakers of the heavenly calling," now watch this third
thing, consider. Oh, it would be so well for you
to take, what's that word consider mean? Take a good look. Take
a good look. Take a good look at Jesus Christ. Consider the apostle. and high
priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. Take a good look, diligently,
attentively meditate upon this man. Take a good look at Christ Jesus.
Why is he called the apostle and high priest of our profession? He's the apostle and high priest
of that which we profess. that which we claim, that in
which we hope. He's the Apostle and High Priest
of all that we believe. He is the Apostle and High Priest
of all that God has for us. What is an Apostle? An Apostle,
this is an Apostle. An Apostle is a messenger, an
Apostle is one that is sent. Now, when you look at Malachi
chapter 3. The last book in the Old Testament,
Malachi 3, Jesus Christ is the messenger of the covenant. He
is the messenger. He is one that has sent. He said,
He that sent me. He that sent me. I've come to
do the will of him that sent me. As my Father sent me, so
send I you." Malachi 3.1, Behold, I will send my messenger, and
he shall prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek
shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant,
whom ye delight in. Behold, he shall come, saith
the Lord of hosts. But who shall abide the day of
his coming? He's the messenger. It'd do well
for us to consider him, wouldn't it? Since he's the messenger
of that covenant. He's the apostle, he's the one
that sent. And not only that, but he's the
high priest. The high priest. And turn to
Hebrews 5, and look at this high priest. Hebrews 5.1, listen to
this, for every high priest, is taken from among men, and
our Lord certainly came from among men. He was born a woman,
made of a woman. He is ordained for men in things
pertaining to God, that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for
sin. That's what he's our high priest.
He's sent of God He's taken from among men, he behooved him that
we may be like his brethren, bone of our bone, flesh of our
flesh, that he might sympathize and empathize with us in our
infirmities. And he's ordained in things pertaining
to God. And he has both gifts and sacrifices
to offer for sin. Verse 4 of Hebrews 5, and no
man takes this honor to himself, but he that's called of God. For I tell you, do well to consider
Him when involved. Holy brethren in Christ, partakers
of a heavenly call, from heaven to heaven, from the Heavenly
Father, sit down and take a good look at Jesus Christ, the messenger
of the covenant, our high priest of all that we claim. Who was
faithful? Oh, the faithfulness of Christ.
Great is thy faithfulness. He was faithful to him that appointed
him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. Moses was a
faithful servant, wasn't he? I don't know whether you want
to turn to this, but some of you will want to. Numbers 12.
This is where that scripture comes from. Numbers 12, verse
7. Moses was faithful to the trust
and responsibility God placed upon him. Do you know that Moses
had charge of the whole house of Israel? He had charge of the
whole house of Israel. Look at verse 7 of Numbers 12. My servant Moses is not so. Now, verse 6, he said, if there
is a prophet among you, This thing came up when Miriam and
Aaron bucked Moses. This is when that came up. Moses
had a black wire, and Miriam got all uptight about it, and
they were criticizing Moses, and God said in verse 6, Now
if there is a prophet among you, I'll make known myself to him.
I won't ignore him. I'll bless him. I'll make known
myself to him. in a dream or a vision. But my
servant Moses is not so. He's faithful in all my house. With him, I'll speak mouth to
mouth. I'll take care of the prophets. But now, my servant Moses, I'm
going to speak to him mouth to mouth. That's what Paul, if Paul's
an author, I kind of believe he wrote Hebrews. It's all right.
But in verse 2 of Hebrews 3, Moses was faithful, faithful. So Christ is faithful to accomplish
all the Father gave him to do. Moses is a type of our Lord Jesus. All right, verse 3. But, watch
this now, this man, Jesus Christ, is counted worthy of more glory
than Moses. And you know, the reason, in
writing to the Hebrews, the reason the author of this book says
things like this is because, don't you remember how those
people kept throwing up to Christ, we have Moses, we have Moses,
we have Abraham. He said before Abraham was, you
know, he said, how did you believe Moses, you didn't believe me,
Moses wrote of me. And the writer of Hebrews keeps
saying, in the event that anyone might put our Lord Jesus on an
equal plane with Moses as just another man or another prophet,
he is worthy of more glory than Moses. How much more? Well, he
tells you, as he who built the house has more honor than the
house. That's how much higher he is than Moses. Woo! I bet
that shook some Jews. How much more? How much more?
Here's a man who built a house, a fantastic, palatial, unusual house. And he gets more
honor than the house. The house didn't build itself,
he built it. He drew the plans and he built it with his skill and artistic work. He gets the
glory. You don't go pat the house and
say, you did a good job. You pat him. He did a good job. That's how much more honor our
Lord. Moses is a servant. Christ is the Lord. Moses is
a servant. Christ is the Son, the Heir. Moses is a creature. Christ is
the Creator. Moses is of no value except as
he serves Christ. No value. No value. And you and I have no standing
before God except in Christ. Look at verse 4. No, a house
doesn't build itself. Verse 4. Now watch what he's
talking about. This man is counted worthy of
more glory than Moses inasmuch as he who built the house has
more honor than the house. Now he's going to talk about
a house here. God's house. For every house is built by some
man. A house doesn't build itself.
Somebody purposes to build it, plans to build it, draws the
blueprints for it, and builds it. So, he that built all things. Now, we run into this all things
all the way through the Bible. He hath given all things into
the hands of Christ. In 1 Corinthians it says, all
things are yours in Christ. All things work together for
good to them that love God. So this all things here, this
all things that God has built is God's house, the house of
God, call it what you will, the kingdom of God, the church of
the Lord Jesus Christ, his body, his temple. That's what we're
talking about here. This is the house, the house
of God. The house of God is the church of God, is the kingdom
of God, is the body of Christ. And it didn't build itself. God
purposed it, God blueprinted it, God planned it, and God built
it. That's what he's talking about.
And this man, Jesus Christ, has more honor than Moses as he that
built the house over the house. And Moses is a part of the house.
A living stone in the house, put there by his Lord, a servant. A servant in the house. Read
on. And Moses, verily, was faithful
in all his house, in all the Lord's house. He was a servant.
He was a servant. in the house of the Lord, and
a faithful servant. Moses didn't plan the house.
Moses didn't build the house. Moses didn't contribute to the
building of the house. Moses was a servant in that house,
and his entire ministry, read it, was by testimony of those things which were to
be spoken or come to pass afterwards, spoken by our Lord. spoke to
our fathers with the prophets, spoken to us by our Lord. And
Moses was a testimony of what he had said. That's where Moses
served. Moses was the Lord's servant.
Moses didn't plan the house, build the house, contribute to
its building. He was a servant in that house,
and his entire ministry in that house was a testimony or a witness
to what God would do in building that church, that house. But
Christ, oh my, He's the Son over His own house. It's His own house. It's His own body. It's His own
church. His own church. Please, don't
ever let enter in here, and anybody that has trouble with this, just
move on out. I believe in a local church.
where men worship, where missionaries are sent, where pastors are trained. But don't you get the local church
confused with his church, his bride, his body, his people. Don't you do it. A man can be
a member of a local church and not be a part of that house of
God. This is the church of the firstborn whose names are written
in heaven. It's a church, too. It's called
a church. Somebody said, well, a church
isn't assembly. Sure it is. Well, when did that
universal church ever assemble? It's assembled all the time at
the feet of his Lord. It's been assembled since the book
of life was written before its Lord. It's assembled now before
its Lord, and someday it'll be assembled in body before its
Lord. But it's a symbol. It's his symbol. It's his house.
It's his church. It's his body. It's his bride.
And the only reason anybody has any conflict with that is self-pride
and arrogance and a desire to lord it over somebody's conscience.
That's exactly right. And to make it more difficult
for people to look to Christ by putting something else there
for them to look to. An organization. I don't want
it in here. And I'll shoot it down every
time I see it. It's a deadly, damnable error. And these elders around here
know it. Christ is the Son over His own
house, His church, His kingdom, His body. Whose house are we?
Who's the we? The 13th Street Baptist Church? Heaven forbid, God forbid. Whose house are we who are bought
with His blood? redeemed by his grace. We, every
believer, every believer, we're his house. How'd we get there? He put us in that house. We're
living stones. Put in that house, that temple
of our Lord, by the hands of our God. That's how we got there.
Living stones. Built up a royal, a glorious
house for our God. Look at the last line, verse
6. If we hold fast, the confidence and rejoicing of the whole firm
unto the end. Now brethren, this note of warning
is sounded two or three times in this chapter and through this
whole book, but now wait a minute, listen. This is called perseverance,
holding fast, continuing in the faith, continuing in the faith. But perseverance is not a condition
of salvation. And perseverance is not a condition
of sonship, no sir. I'm a son of God by his will
and his work and his grace. And I make no contribution to
that sonship or that salvation. It's complete in Christ. Now,
remember that. God is not saying here that his
sons will depart from him. He's not saying here that his
stones are going to fall out of that house that he's put in
there. What this is saying here is this, these words distinguish
between true signs and false signs. True signs do continue. They're not signs because they
continue, they continue because they're signs. See what I'm saying? And this passage, this if, whose
house we are if, whose house, whose temple we are if, We stay
in the temple. We're living stones in the temple
built up, a holy temple to our God. And we are stones, and one
mark of the stone is this, it'll never fall out. Never. See what I'm saying, Tom? That's
what he's saying here. He's saying this. These words
distinguish between true sons and false sons, between true
stones and counterfeit stones. Living stones, stay where God
put them. Men are busy trying to shuffle
stones in and they always fall out, you know. They may stay
there while they fall out. And that's one of the evidences
that they weren't put there by God. He said, every plant that
my Heavenly Father didn't plant, be rooted up. Somebody planted
it, but God didn't. Somebody put the membrane there,
but God didn't. Somebody called him a son of
God, but God didn't. And all the suns and all the
stones will stay right where God put them. And all the trees
will stay by the living water. That's right, that's what he's
saying there. Wherefore? And Brother Charlie pointed out something
very, very important when you're reading the Bible. The parenthesis. The parenthesis. What is a parenthesis? Mr. Webster says a parenthesis
is an additional word placed in a completed sentence as an
explanation or an added comment. In other words, here's a completed
sentence and a parenthesis. You can put it in there, you
can take it out, but you put it in there as an additional
explanation or comment. This is often, you find parenthesis
in the Bible a lot, you find it in Romans 5. Parenthesis,
and really and truly, the reason he did that is because it reads
better when you read it leaving the parenthesis out. So read
it, verse 7, and go to verse 12. Wherefore, now your parenthesis
starts, just leave it out. Wherefore? Take heed, brethren. lest there be found in you an
evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. You see,
he's been talking about that temple and the stones, true stones
stay. He's been talking about sons
of God, true sons remain. So he issues a warning, wherefore
you take heed that there be not found in you an unbelieving heart
in departing from the living God and prove that you're not
a son. And then the additional comment and the additional explanation,
he goes back and points to the people in the wilderness, Israel,
and says that bunch of renegades professed to be sons and they
weren't. They professed to know God and they didn't. They professed
to walk with Christ and they didn't. And he quotes David in
Psalm 95, verse 8 through 11, what's this? And he says in verse
7, as the Holy Ghost said through David, today if you'll hear his
voice, and this is David speaking back yonder, harden not your
hearts as in the provocation. What is the provocation? They
provoke God. P-R-O-V-O-K-E, provoke, provocation. This bunch of people provoke
God with their murmurings and their rebellions and their unbelief. They provoke God. Well, he said,
Don't be like them. They'll harden your heart and
provoke a holy God. That's what they did. Verse 9,
Your fathers tempted me in the wilderness. They proved me. They
saw my works forty years. Wherefore, I was grieved with
that generation. I said, They do always err in
their hearts. They've not known my ways, so
I sit in my wrath. They'll not enter into my rest.
That's an example. of hardening of the heart and
departing from the living God. And Paul said, Brethren, don't
do it. Don't do it. Don't you do it. Don't you do
it. I tell you, unbelief is the mother
sin. Unbelief questions God's word
and his promises. Unbelief shuts out the mercies
of Christ. He that believeth not The wrath
of God abideth on him. Unbelief hardens the heart. Unbelief
sets up other gods. Well, what can we do? All right,
let's see. Verse 13, what can we do? What can we do to avoid
indifference and hardness of heart and departing from the
living God? Verse 13, we can exhort one another daily. What
can we do? The heart is deceitful. Desperately
wicked, sin is deceitful. The enemy of souls goes about
to seek whom he may devour. Wherefore, exhort one another
daily while it's called today, lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin. What can we do? We can do what
we're doing right now. We can do what we're doing right
now. Exhort one another. That's what we're doing right
now. get together and worship the
Lord, and while time lasts and while grace is available, we
look into the Word of God. That's what we're doing. This
morning, I'm your pastor. God's given me this office, and
you support me in this office. This morning, I got down this
Word and read this and studied it and ran references and looked
things up. Prepared to come here, and you
came here after working all day today, and we met here together,
and we're going verse by verse through God's Word. We do this
Sunday morning, Sunday night, we'll do it next Sunday. That's
what we can do. We can worship and praise, we
can talk together and visit together and set our affections on things
above, not on things of this earth. We can warn one another
when we see signs of coldness and indifference and hardness
of heart. Exhort one another, shake each
other up. Talk about the things of God.
Talk about the Word of God. Talk about the Son of God. All
right, let's move on. Verse 14. He repeats verse 6,
we are, it is true, it is certain, made partakers of Christ if we
hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. It's not
the man that starts the race, it's the one that crosses the
finish line that's crowned. That's all. Tell you, all right, verse 15,
while he repeats Verse 7 and 8 here, while it's said today,
while time lasts, while it's today, today is the day of salvation,
now is the accepted time if you hear his voice. Harden not your
hearts when those people provoke God. Provocation, some when they
heard, did provoke. Did provoke. Now, verse 16, 17,
18 have three questions. Three questions that lead up
to verse 19. And these three verses, 16, 17,
18, explain why the Jews were shut out of the land. He tells us, don't be like them.
Believe, keep on believing. God help my unbelief. Lord, increase
my faith. Hold on to Christ. Lay hold on
eternal life. Don't depart. They did. They
did. And here's why. Here are the
three questions that explain why God shut them out. Verse
16. For some, when they had heard,
did provoke God, howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by
Moses. Now, here's one of the problems
I have with the King James. Maybe yours, a new translation,
asks this question. This is a question, and it may
ask you like it's supposed to be. Here it is, Steve. Who were
they that heard and provoked God? Was it not all that came
out of Egypt with Moses? That's what says it. Was it not
all that came out of Egypt? They all heard, and they all
provoked God, and they all perished. Yeah, but by the way, surely
God will make some allowance. Now, if you're counting on allowance,
you can forget it. Do you know that out of everybody
that came out of Egypt, I don't know how many, 2, 3, 4 million,
different people estimate different numbers. It wasn't 2 to 4 million. Everybody that was over 20 years
of age when they left Egypt, everybody that was over 20 years
of age when they left Egypt, everybody died in that wilderness
and did not enter Canaan. Except who? Joshua and Caleb. Am I telling the truth? Why? They all provoked God. And that's what he's asking.
He says, who were they that heard and provoked God? They heard,
they saw my miracles. Was it not all that came out
of Egypt with Moses' ark? The next verse. But with whom
was he grieved 40 years? With whom was God grieved 40
years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell
in the wilderness? How did they sin? They murmured.
They murmured against God. They rebelled against God. They
complained. That's what they did. It all
had to do with their attitude toward God. Verse 18. And to whom? And to whom did
God swear that they should not enter into his rest? To whom? everybody that didn't believe.
I tell you, I wish we could understand, I wish we could comprehend something
of the glory of faith and something of the tragedy of unbelief. the glory of faith, what it means
to believe. If a man, woman, boy or girl
can believe God, just in whatever simple fashion, with just a single
heart, with a single eye, and you do your best to get your
life straightened out, that's fine, you will, and your attitude
and all these things. But I tell you, God's judgment
upon you is because of unbelief. And God's mercy is upon you because
of faith. That's right. That's what I'm
talking about. I'm saying this issue is settled. This issue
is not settled on how long you lived, how good you were, and
how many good deeds you did or didn't do. This issue is settled
on what do you think of Jesus Christ? Consider Christ Jesus. Now, that's where it is. It's
what think ye of Christ. It's believe, believe, believe.
I believe. God help me, I believe. Help
my unbelief. Increase my faith. I prayed for
you, Peter. Satan had desired to sift you
as wheat, and boy, Satan put him through the mill. But he
said, I prayed one thing, that your faith fail not. Don't stop
believing, God. Don't stop believing. Verse 19, here's the end. So
you see, they could not enter in, because they made a golden
cast? They made to go and carry it
because they didn't believe. Because they murmured? Nope. They murmured because they
didn't believe. Why didn't they enter in the
rest? They didn't believe God. They didn't believe God. Well,
my friend Newton wrote a poem. I'm going to read it. He was
so clever. John Newtley. Some of you have
his works. There's some poems in the back
that are exceptional. This one's called, Be Gone, Unbelief. Be gone, unbelief. My Savior's near, and for my
relief He will surely always appear. So by faith let me trust,
and He'll perform with Christ in my vessel I can laugh at the
stars. Though dark be my way, since
he is my guide, it's mine to believe as he is to provide. Though cisterns be broken and
creatures all fail, the word that he's spoken will always
prevail. His love in times past forbids
me to think that He would leave me at last in trouble to sing. The heirs of salvation, I know
from His Word, through much tribulation must follow their Lord. Since
all that I meet shall work for my good, then my troubles are
sweet, and His Word is my food.

Hebrews 3: Christ's Exaltation Continued

What does the Bible say about being holy in Christ?

How do we know that Christ's call is effectual?

Why is it important for Christians to consider Christ?

What does Hebrews say about perseverance in faith?

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Hebrews 3: Christ's Exaltation Continued

What does the Bible say about being holy in Christ?

How do we know that Christ's call is effectual?

Why is it important for Christians to consider Christ?

What does Hebrews say about perseverance in faith?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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