Heart Trouble Series

Heart Trouble Hebrews Sermon Series Hebrews 3.7-4.11

March 9, 2014 Chester FBC * Chester, Illinois Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A One of the top 15 diseases in our day is called, “arteriosclerosis.”

1 It is a hardening of the arteries. (Restricts blood flow which eventually causes the heart to stop.)

a In recent years, I fear that Christians have developed a “hardening the spiritual arteries.”

aa Their hearts have become hardened towards God.

bb They miss the blessings of being a born again Christian.

b In our text, Paul gave his audience (& us) the second warning against drifting away from the Word of God. (Heb.2.1-4)

Hebrews 2:1-4 (NASB) 1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

2 Paul issues these warning from Israel’s past failures & mistakes.

a Numbers 13:25-33 (NASB) 25 When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, 26 they proceeded to come to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Thus they told him, and said, "We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 "Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 "Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan." 30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it." 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us." 32 So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. 33 "There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

aa Moses & Aaron had sent 12 spies into Canaan; the two we have named are Caleb & Joshua.

bb They had ventured into the Promised Land (Milk & Honey) & saw giants.

cc Ten of the spies saw the occupied land & were paralyzed in fear, “There’s no way we live in that place! It’s overran with Giants!”

dd Joshua & Caleb said, “Yeah, there too big to miss. We can take them!”

Numbers 14:6-10 (NASB) 6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, "The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 "If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 "Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them." 10 But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.

b Israel refused to move, proceed toward the Land so God condemned them to wonder in the wilderness for 40 years.

aa Anybody over 20 died in the Wilderness & would never see God’s promises fulfilled.

bb Israel’s doubt, lack of faith held them hostage in the Wilderness for 40 years when the Promise was only 11 days away.