1. The Perils of Unbelief
Hebrews 3:7-19

2. Why is it that we as people have so much trouble heeding warnings?
The Perils of Unbelief
Why is it that we as people have
so much trouble heeding warnings?

3. The Perils of Unbelief Sometimes, it may be because we misunderstand
Illustration of English Zoo

4. The Perils of Unbelief
Perhaps most often, the problem is not due to a misunderstanding, but ignoring the warning
Example
What do you do when you see the sign posted saying: “Do not touch, Wet Paint”?

5. The Perils of Unbelief
Perhaps most often, the problem is not due to a misunderstanding, but ignoring the warning
Example
What do you do when you see the sign posted saying: “Do not touch, Wet Paint”?
If you are like me, your may feel compelled to see if it is still wet

6. The Perils of Unbelief
Not paying attention to warnings can be a dangerous thing
Illustration of Mt. St. Helens

7. The Perils of Unbelief
Not paying attention to warnings can be a dangerous thing
Illustration of Mt. St. Helens
They had failed to heed warnings, and they died needlessly

8. The Perils of Unbelief
In this lesson, we are going to look at the second warning found in the letter to the Hebrews
The first warning was in Hebrews 2:1-4
Pointed out the danger of drifting from what we had heard

9. The Perils of Unbelief The second warning
Our danger today is not giving in to pressure to return to some previously held belief

10. The Perils of Unbelief
The second warning
Our danger today is not giving in to pressure to return to some previously held belief
Our temptation today is to live lives that are essentially no different than the non- Christians around us

11. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
First, we are given a warning to hear
“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice.’” (v7)
“Today” is emphatic

12. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
“Today” God is speaking through someone greater than Moses, and today God expects us to respond
The writer of Hebrews is reminding us that Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit – it is authoritative - and has a relevant message and demands a present hearing

13. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
The author knew that the human tendency to delay – to procrastinate especially with spiritual matters
So, he repeats “Today” three times v 7, 13, & 14
“Today” indicates urgency

14. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
“Today” does not refer to a 24 hour day, but rather it means “now”
The time to respond to God is always, NOW

15. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
The problem begins when we hear the Word of God, feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit and tell ourselves that we need to take action

16. The Perils of Unbelief But, we do nothing The Second Warning
The problem begins when we hear the Word of God, feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit and tell ourselves that we need to take action
But, we do nothing

17. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
We tend to procrastinate with the most important issues of life
The warning that runs throughout this section of the letter is that if we fail to follow through when challenged by the Word of God, we face the inevitable hardening that occurs when we hear and fail to respond
The heart gets harder every time we say “no” to Jesus or to any part of His truth or will

18. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
If we are tempted to put off our spiritual need – this text warns us of the danger of foolish choices and encourages us not to miss out on what God has for us – not to make light of each spiritual opportunity He sets before us
Illustration of D. L. Moody

19. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
The text then gives us an admonition – an example to pay attention to
Hebrews 3:8-11 quotes Psalm 95, contrasting the Hebrew people, Israel, with Moses’ faithfulness
Let’s look at the example

20. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
In the entire history of the earth, no migration of any people started so well, and with such great expectations as Israel’s exodus from Egypt
After being in slavery in Egypt for 430 years, God led them out with a mighty hand
Moses, God’s spokesman told Pharaoh: “Let my people go”

21. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
After a series of deadly plagues, culminating in the death of every first born child among the Egyptians, Pharaoh finally relents
As soon as Israel stepped into the wilderness to begin the journey to the Promised Land, God provided an pillar of a cloud to lead them by day, and a pillar of fire to lead by night
And, when Pharaoh changed his mind and pursued them, Israel watched in amazement as God opened the Red Sea and allowed them to cross over on dry land

22. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
Yet, no sooner had they celebrated the victory over the Lord’s mighty deliverance, than they began to complain
About the manna, so God gave them meat
About the water, so God gave them water
The peak of their unbelief provoked the Lord when they got to the edge of the promised land
Twelve spies were sent to the Promised Land, and returned with a report, 10 negative, only Joshua and Caleb were positive, urging the people to go up at once and take the land

23. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
When the Israelites refused to obey the Lord, He pronounced judgment on them
“Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 3:10-11)

24. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
Just as during the plagues the Egyptians got over their fear of God, the Israelites quickly got over their trust of God
Their unbelief cost them everything
As a result, they missed out on the blessings of God here and now and eternally

25. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
The generation of Israel that came out of Egypt doubted God, and because of their doubt they never entered the land of Canaan
Note this: When they left Sinai, an eleven day journey would have gotten the Israelites to the Promised Land
They wandered in the wilderness because they did not have faith to enter the Promised Land

26. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
Canaan does not represent heaven
It represents the place of spiritual blessing and victory
The Israelites believed God enough to come out of Egypt, but not enough to enter Canaan
They did not believe God enough to enter into the Land of Promise

27. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
The rebellious generation of Israel that died in the wilderness (and us?) is cited to the Hebrew believers in the New Testament days as a warning not to repeat their sin
They did not have the faith to trust God for the future
Hebrews is speaking to those who have had an exodus in their life, but have not entered into the blessings of the Christian life

28. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
They doubt God, and as a result they are having a wilderness experience
Without a personal acquaintance with the Word of God, being a church member is like wearing a yoke, being pressured to give money and having to do certain things
Everything is a duty instead of a drawing to the wonderful person of Christ

29. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
The author of Hebrews follows the example for us to heed by giving us instructions to implement (v 12-15)
First, personally, we are to guard our hearts – “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you and evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the Living God.” (3:12)
The warning is to guard our hearts because there is the danger in each of our lives of turning away from what we know to be the truth

30. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
What is an “evil, unbelieving heart”?
A heart that stands off from God
A heart that does not believe God
A heart that will not trust God
A heart that will not follow God

31. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
The second instruction the author of Hebrews gives us is a corporate responsibility – “exhort one another every day” (v 13)
The root meaning of the word “exhort” has to do with coming alongside to give help
Its meaning can be illustrated in picturing someone running alongside a long-distance runner and exhorting him to finish the course in the face of his fatigue and exhaustion

32. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
We need the encouragement of other believers because sin is deceitful
It looks good and promises much
But it enslaves and leaves broken
It devastates families, shatters lives, and ruins our testimony

33. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning And, it hardens a person
The more a person sins, the easier it is for them to continue to sin
We need others to warn us when we are in trouble

34. The Perils of Unbelief The Second Warning
Think about how different the story of the Israelites in the wilderness might have been?
What if they had shown a daily concern to promote among themselves an abiding faith in God instead of mutually inciting discontent by murmuring and unbelief?
As a church today, we have the option of encouraging each other in our walk with the Lord, or carrying tales and murmuring about injustices

35. The Perils of Unbelief One commentator said this:
“The problem today is that so many people when asked about faith point to their ‘exodus’ – when they began with Christ. They can wax eloquently about their experience. How dare anyone question that. They ‘went forward’ – they left Egypt – they were baptized and identified with God’s people – they visibly drank from the same rock (Christ) – they used the same redemptive vocabulary with the same pious inflections. But troubles came and they turned away. Their ‘exodus’ is a convenient memory. But to trust God now? That is a problem, for their faith is dead.”

36. If our hearts have become so hardened
The Perils of Unbelief
If our hearts have become so hardened
so that we expect nothing from God,
and attempt nothing for God,
then our belief is more in
our heads than in our hearts

37. What are we going to do today? Are we going to listen and act?
The Perils of Unbelief
What are we going to do today?
Are we going to listen and act?