“Do You Walk With Him or On Him?”
Hebrews Series (10:26-36)
Based upon Ron Philips book “Hebrews: Finding the Better Way”
June 10, 2014 Chester FBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A Tonight, we will discover the fourth of five warnings given in the book of Hebrews.
1 I believe that the warning given the text we’ll read tonight is not aimed at genuine, repentant, regenerated Christians, but rather to the unsaved.
Hebrews 10:26 (NASB) 26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
a v.26, the author was concerned about those who had received a “knowledge of the truth”, but had rejected Jesus as Savior.
b They had no assurance of faith, and no confession of hope.
Hebrews 10:22 (NIV) 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
aa v.22 (NIV), they lacked a “sincere heart and continued to sin.
bb Faith, Hope, & Love are the marks that characterize a believers life/worship.
cc Paul is seeing people who had retreated from faith and return to works; from hope to temporal sight, from love to the law.
c He was witnessing signs of an unregenerate, unchanged, and untransformed heart.
2 On the other hand, there were those in the book of Hebrews who had went through very difficult time . . . and kept their faith.
B Some were walking with Jesus, while others walked on Jesus.
1 We’ll look at these two different groups in this message.
2 Pray
I Those Who Walk on Him (10.26-31)
Hebrews 10:26-31 (NASB) 26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. 28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
A Hebrews 10:25 (NASB) 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
We learned that some folks had quit fellowshipping with the church.
1 They had deserted their faith, become moral apostates.
a They were not occasionally sinning and feeling sorry about it.
aa Their lives were a testimony that they had deserted Christ/Church.
bb They truth is not they had lost their salvation, but they had never truly been saved at all!
b They were like the seed that had fallen on stony ground/showed no growth.
2 They had seed (the Gospel) sown into their lives, but the seed failed to germinate because they had no spiritual roots. . . apostate.
B What does an apostate look like? What are the marks?
1 The apostates rejected the Word of God.
Hebrews 10:28 (NASB) 28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
a This verse describes deliberate, high-handed sin in the face of knowledge.
aa A person sins directly against truth when a decision is made to practice sin.
bb Under the Law, if a Law was knowingly broken there was a penalty attached to it . . . often the penalty was death.
b If a person has a sinful lifestyle, it is an obvious rejection of Calvary!
aa The phrase “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin” (v.26) means that by living in constant sin, the sinner has repudiated the power of the Cross.
bb The death of Jesus, when received by faith, breaks the power of sin.
cc If you have received by faith Jesus’ death on the Cross as your own, the chains of sin/power of sin no longer has a grip on person.
c To live in open rebellion to truth is an indicator that the truth has been rejected.
2 The apostates disdained the Son of God.
Hebrews 10:29 (NASB) 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
a To reject the gospel is to “[have] trampled the Son of God underfoot”.
aa What a powerful phrase to emphasize the awfulness of this treatment.
bb Jesus used the word “trample” to describe what was done to salt after it lost its usefulness (Matt. 5.13) & what swine would do if you cast pearls in front of them (Matt. 7.6).
Matthew 5:13 (NASB) 13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
Matthew 7:6 (NASB) 6 "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
b Paul is saying that those who reject the gift of God (salvation) are treating Jesus as though He is useless & without any value.
3 The apostates insulted the Spirit of God (10.29).
a Another word for insulted is “outraged”; The idea here is that God is given the worst kind of indecent insult.
b God in His grace convicts the sinner through the Holy Spirit, by rejecting the Holy Spirit’s conviction, they insult the living God by insulting His Holy Spirit.
4 The apostate face the judgement of God (vv. 27, 29-31)
Hebrews 10:27; 29-31 (NASB) 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
a The judgement for those who reject Christ will face certain, terrifying and burning vengeance.
aa The Lord will punish the sinner and discipline the believer.
bb But in this passage, the terrifying truth is that these lost people . . . were attending church services!
b It is possible for some to know the truth (head knowledge), but not personally know Christ.
aa They may understand how the blood covenant works but never into it.
bb By choosing sin and walking away from Christ, they fly in the face of heaven and face an eternity in hell.
c Last weekend, a man was bitten by a Cooper head while camping on the Current River (one of three people who have died since the 30's of a snake bite in Missouri).
aa Do you think his family then took the snake home & made it a pet? Play with the kids? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
bb It’s equally as unreasonable for those who are saved to make a pet out of sin.
cc It was sin that killed our Savior and continues to destroy the souls of men.
II Those Who Walk with Him (10.32-39).
Hebrews 10:32-39 (NASB) 32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. 37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. 38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. 39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
A Paul says if a person is truly saved, they will not “cast away” their confidence (v.35), and will not “draw back to perdition” (v.39), so what are the marks of those who truly walk with Jesus?
1 They are people of patience (vv.32-34).
Hebrews 10:32-34 (NASB) 32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
a One of the key marks of true salvation is they endure.
aa When these Hebrews first got saved they suffered greatly.
bb (v.32) “struggle” (NIV) or “fight” (KJV), “conflict” (NASB). . . from the greek “athlesis.” ATHLETE
b It’s a picture of someone willing to suffer as the price of victory.
aa Those who are athletes know the pain of practice and the pain of competition.
bb They make sacrifices to win.
c These early believers patiently endured public shame for their faith (personally and corporately.)
aa In WWII, nearly 6 million Jews were murdered.
bb Did you know that almost as many Christians also died protecting Jews. (They were willing to share in the shame as their Jewish brothers.)
cc These Christians endured loss of property and their response to this loss was joy!
dd When our property on this earth is stolen, broken, it should only make us thankful for our better possessions in glory.
2 They are people of promise (vv. 35-37).
Hebrews 10:35-37 (NASB) 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. 37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
a When the dust settles on all the trials of this life, we shall receive the promise of a better life.
b Our Lord is coming, “yet a little while” (v. 37).
aa It won’t be long until our days here on earth will end at the coming of Christ.
bb Until that day, we will hold on to our confidence and live by faith (v.38).
Hebrews 10:38 (NASB) 38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.
cc The faith we have in Christ that saved us from sin will preserve us through life’s toughest times.
B Walking with Jesus will take us to the mountaintop of joy and to the valley of service.
1 There will often, if not always, be a cross to bear, but one day we will wear the crown.
2 Don’t lose hope, keep the faith!
Conclusion:
A Do you walk with Jesus or trample Him under your feet of unbelief and rebellion?
B To depend on your own works is an insult to grace.
1 To live in open sin when you know Christ died for those sins is an affront to Calvary.
2 Don’t walk away from Christ, the loving appeal of the Father, and the pleadings of the Holy Spirit . . . trust Him with your life today.
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
