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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
HEBREWS 12:14-29
LESSON #31
v MEMORY VERSE: HEB 12:29
v READ HEB 12:14-29 THE FIFTH WARNING
Ø THIS IS THE FINAL WARNING GIVEN IN THEBOOK OF HEBREWS.
§ A REVIEW OF THE FIRST FOUR WARNINGS:
· DON’T NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION(2:1-4)
· DON’T COME SHORT OF THE PROMISED REST(3:7-4:13)
· BE WARNED AGAINST THE DANGER OF SLOTH,STANDING STILL, AND FALLING AWAY (5:11-6:21)
· BE WARNED AGAINST SINNING WILFULLY, ANDDRAWING BACK TO PERDITION (10:26-39)
Ø WHAT IS THE FIFTH WARNING?
§ BE WARNED AGAINST FALLING SHORT OF THEGRACE OF GOD AND REFUSING HIM WHO SPEAKS (12:15-29)
· HE WHO SPEAKS GIVES US COMMANDS IN THISPASSAGE:
¨ FOLLOW (PURSUE, RUN AFTER) PEACE WITHALL MEN (14)
Ø SOMETIMES IT’S NOT EASY TO FOLLOW PEACEIN DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS. THE IDEA OF FOLLOWING PEACE MEANS:
§ EVEN IF I AM RIGHT, I WILL DOEVERYTHING I CAN TO MEND THE RELATIONSHIP.
§ EVEN IF I DIDN’T START THE PROBLEM, IWILL BE THE FIRST TO TRY TO END IT.
§ EVEN IF IT COSTS ME SOMETHING TO MENDTHE PROBLEM, I WILL GLADLY PAY IT.
¨ FOLLOW (PURSUE, RUN AFTER) HOLINESS(14)
Ø IT LITERALLY MEANS “HOLYMAKING” OR SANCTIFICATION. WE ARE SANCTIFIED BY THE WORD AND THE ACTION OF THE HOLYSPIRIT IN OUR LIVES.
§ A. TO FOLLOW HOLINESS, WE MUST EXPOSEOURSELVES TO THE WORD OF GOD, AND WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
§ B. TO FOLLOW HOLINESS, WE MUST PAYATTENTION TO 3 THINGS (15):
· MAKE SURE THAT NO BROTHER OR SISTER INCHRIST FALLS SHORT OF THE GRACE OF GOD (BACKSLIDES AWAY FROM GOD).
· MAKE SURE THAT NO ROOT OF BITTERNESSSPRINGS UP IN YOU OR BETWEEN YOU AND ANOTHER PERSON. WHAT IS A ROOT OF BITTERNESS?
¨ IT BEGINS WITH AN OFFENSE, EITHER REALOR IMAGINED. FROM THERE, HURT FEELINGS PLANT THEMSELVES INTO THE SOUL OF MAN. THE MORE YOUREFLECT ON THE OFFENSE AND THE INJUSTICE OF IT ALL, THE DEEPER THE ROOT GROWS.
· MAKE SURE THAT THE SPIRITUAL CONDITIONOF MANY OTHER PEOPLE IS NOT HINDERED BECAUSE YOU HOLD A GRUDGE AGAINST SOMEONE.
Ø THE BIBLICAL EXAMPLE OF ONE WHO DID NOTFOLLOW (PURSUE, RUN AFTER) HOLINESS — ESAU
§ READ GEN 25:27-34 SALE OF THE BIRTHRIGHT (MATERIAL INHERITANCE)
§ READ GEN 27:1-4,15-19,26-41 THE STOLENBLESSING (SPIRITUAL REWARD).
· THE TWO, THE BIRTHRIGHT AND THEBLESSING, ALWAYS WENT TOGETHER TO THE FIRSTBORN. IT MEANT THAT THE FIRSTBORN INHERITED ADOUBLE PORTION ON HIS FATHERS DEATH.
· EVEN THOUGH ESAU BEGGED HIS FATHER’SFORGIVENESS WITH TEARS, HIS FATHER DIDN’T GIVE HIM THE INHERITANCE OR THE BLESSING. WHY?
¨ THERE ARE SOME THINGS LOST INBACKSLIDING THAT CAN NEVER BE REGAINED. THERE IS NO WAY TO REPAIR BY REPENTANCE WHAT HADBEEN DONE. IN OTHER WORDS, SOMETIMES THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO SIN THAT MUST BE LIVED WITHTHE REST OF YOUR LIFE EVEN THOUGH GOD FORGIVES YOU.
¨ ESAU, HOWEVER, WAS A PROFANEMAN. IN OTHER WORDS HE WAS AGAINST GOD. THEREFORE, HIS REPENTANCE WAS NOT TRUE REPENTANCE.ESAU WAS LIKE A CHILD WHO SAID HE WAS SORRY WHEN HE GOT PUNISHED. HIS SORROW WAS NOT DUETO A REMORSEFUL ATTITUDE OVER HIS SIN, IT WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE GOT CAUGHT. ESAU WASSORRY THAT HE WOULD NOT GET THE DOUBLE INHERITANCE.
Ø THE BACKGROUND COMPARISON OF THISWARNING (18,22)
§ THE CONTRAST IS BETWEEN THE LAW AND THEGOSPEL.
· MT. SINAI AND THE LAW
¨ THE PLACE IN THE DESERT WHERE GOD GAVEMOSES THE LAW. MT. SINAI WAS A FEARFUL PLACE, WITH LOUD THUNDERING, LIGHTNING, AND FIRE.IF ANY ANIMAL OR PERSON TOUCHED THE MOUNTAIN, THEY WOULD DIE.
Ø THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK OF TRYING TO LIVEUP TO GOD’S STANDARDSOF LAW BY YOUR OWN GOOD WORKS PRODUCES SPIRITUAL DEATH.
· MT. ZION (JERUSALEM) AND THE GOSPEL
¨ THE GEOGRAPHICAL PLACE WHERE GOD GAVEMAN HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST.
¨ THE NEW JERUSALEM MADE BY GOD WHICHWILL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN. JESUS CHRIST WILL REIGN HERE FOR ETERNITY.
Ø DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM(22-24):
§ IT IS A HEAVENLY CITY.
§ THERE ARE INNUMERABLE ANGELS THERE.
§ THE NAMES OF BELIEVERS WHO ARE BORNAGAIN ARE ENROLLED THERE (FIRSTBORN).
§ GOD, WHO IS THE JUDGE, WILL BE THERE.
§ THE BELIEVER’S SPIRITS WHO HAVE DIEDARE THERE.
§ JESUS, THE MEDIATOR OF A NEW COVENANT,IS THERE.
§ THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST IS THERE FORALL ETERNITY.
· THE BETTER WAY OF COMING TO GOD THROUGHHIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, PRODUCES SPIRITUAL LIFE.
Ø WHAT IS THE SIN REFERRED TO IN THISPASSAGE? (25)
§ FALLING SHORT OF ACCEPTING JESUSCHRIST.
· THE PUNISHMENT UNDER THE NEW COVENANTIS GREATER THAN THE PUNISHMENT UNDER THE OLD COVENANT OF LAW.
¨ TRYING TO BE A “GOOD” PERSONBY LIVING UP TO GOD’S STANDARDS INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOR,WILL PRODUCE SPIRITUAL DEATH FOR ALL ETERNITY. SPIRITUAL DEATH IS A GREATER PUNISHMENTTHAN TOUCHING MT. SINAI AND SUFFERING PHYSICAL DEATH.
Ø THE SHAKING (26-28)
§ LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE, GOD WILL SENDTESTING UPON THE LIVES OF MEN TO DETERMINE WHERE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY. THAT TESTING ISREFERRED TO AS SHAKING.
· IN AN EARTHQUAKE, BUILDINGS WITH STRONGFOUNDATIONS ON ROCK WILL REMAIN STANDING. THOSE BUILT ON SAND WILL SINK (LIQUEFACTION).
¨ READ MAT 7:24-27
¨ EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD SYSTEM ANDEVERYTHING IN EACH INDIVIDUAL LIFE WILL BE TESTED (SHAKEN) TO SEE WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION.
¨ THE ONLY STABLE FOUNDATION IS JESUSCHRIST, THE ROCK.
Ø WHAT IS THE RESULT OF THE SHAKING?
§ EVERYTHING BUILT ON CHRIST WILL REMAINAS A PART OF THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST.
§ EVERYTHING NOT BUILT ON CHRISTWILL BE CONSUMED BY FIRE.
· READ 1CO 3:11-15
¨ “GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE”MEANS THAT GOD IS HOLY AND UNAPPROACHABLE BY SINFUL MAN. FOR THAT REASON, WE NEED JESUSCHRIST, OUR HIGH PRIEST, TO BE ABLE TO APPROACH A HOLY GOD.
¨ MANY PEOPLE PLAY GAMES WITH GOD. THEIRCHRISTIAN LIFE IS SUPERFICIAL. THEY ARE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT FOLLOWING GOD, THEY ONLY WANTTHE BLESSINGS. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE AND WILL END UP GETTING BURNED.
v HOMEWORK
v HEBREWS 13:1-25
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF HEB 12:14-29
§ EXAMINE YOUR HEART, IS THERE A ROOT OFBITTERNESS IN YOU?
§ EXAMINE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS.DO YOU HAVE A BROKEN RELATIONSHIPWITH SOMEONE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PROMPTING YOU TO MEND?
§ PRAY AND ASK GOD TO REVEAL A WAY TOMEND THE RELATIONSHIP.
§ WRITE THE STEPS YOU WILL TAKE TO MENDIT. IF YOU NEED HELP, ASK ME, AND I WILL GIVE YOU A LIST OF SUGGESTIONS FOR MENDING BROKENRELATIONSHIPS.
v PREPARATION FOR HEB 13:1-25
Ø READ HEB 13:1-9 CHRISTIAN ETHICS
§ MAKE A LIST OF THE THINGS “TODO” AND THE THINGS “NOT TO DO”.
Ø READ HEB 13:10-14
§ WHAT DO YOU THINK THE AUTHOR IS TALKINGABOUT IN THESE VERSES?
Ø READ HEB 13:15-19
§ WHAT IS THE BELIEVER’S SACRIFICE?
§ WHAT SHOULD WE OBEY?
Ø READ HEB 13:20-25 BENEDICTION
v WHAT ONE THING HAVE YOU LEARNED IN THEWHOLE BOOK OF HEBREWS THAT MOST RELATES TO YOUR PERSONAL LIFE?
v MEMORY VERSE: HEB 13:8
