Sermon Tone Analysis

I. Reading of Scripture

II.

Introduction

A. Introduction to Theme

The epistle of James, which in the canon of Scripture follows after Hebrews, makes this controversial claim:

This claim has made many uneasy.

And it appears to contradict the Scriptures that elsewhere clearly teach that we are saved by grace through faith alone, not by works.

But James is not contradicting the Scriptures.

James is pressing in to what it means to have a genuine faith that saves.

A faith that people can see.

Like James, the writer of Hebrews is about to press into this uncomfortable tension of faith and works.

And like James, the writer of Hebrews will come to the same conclusion: “faith works.”

Faith takes on a new definition for the writer of Hebrews.

Faith is not intellectual agreement.

Faith is a belief that obeys.

Hebrews defines faith NOT as BELIEF, but as OBEDIENCE.

And this forms an exhortation that takes the tone of a warning for the people of God to watch out!

It is impossible to be a follower of God by belief only, if that belief does not move you to obey God.

B. Proposition

We must obey the living Word of the living God spoken by the Holy Spirit — today.

C. Introduction to Text

Jesus is the Son of God who was with God and active in Creation.

Who is better than angels.

And more recently in Hebrews, is shown to be better than Moses.

It was Moses’ faithfulness as a servant, not his failures, that was highlighted to show the surpassing faithfulness of Christ as God’s Son.

Just as Jesus was compared with Moses, now the writer of Hebrews moves to a different comparison —

a comparison between the decisions made by the people Moses led, and the decisions made by the people who follow Christ.

And if Jesus is better than Moses, the obedience required of us as followers of Jesus is to be viewed as a better (or more final) obedience to our leader, Jesus Christ!

III.

Exposition

The writer of Hebrews uses a text from Psalm 95.

Psalm 95 begins with a call to worship!

A call to sing to the Lord, to come into his presence, to worship and bow down.

But this Psalm that begins with a call to worship, ends with a warning.

The writer of Hebrews reproduces this warning in:

A. HEBREWS 3:7-11

1. Hebrews 3:7-11

And the writer introduces the Psalm with an attestation to the authority and inspiration of the Scriptures, with the phrase:

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says”

All Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Tim 3:16).

And it is not that “the Holy Spirit” said, but the Holy Spirit says.

In quoting from this Psalm of Scripture, the writer of Hebrews recognizes that the Holy Spirit is speaking NOW, through this Scripture too.

So the warning from Psalm 95 is brought from the past, into our present moment as the people of God.

(Lane, WBC, 85).

So we who gather for worship, also receive this same warning.

God speaks!

This is how Hebrews began with a claim that God has spoken in these last days through His Son, and His message has been heard!

And now, it is decision time.

“Do you hear his voice?”

If so, “What are you going to do about it?”

The Holy Spirit says: “do not harden your hearts.”

A hardened heart is a stubborn, unyielding heart (see LN, BDAG).

It is the kind of heart that was formed in God’s people, led by Moses, when they rebelled against Moses and God.

This is a reference to Number 14.

God’s people, Israel, were on the verge of entering into the land God promised them.

A land in which they would find rest from their enemies, and could rest in the enjoyment of God, his good gifts and fulfilled promises to them.

Men had been sent ahead to spy out the land before Israel went in to take that land.

All but two came back afraid, urging the people not to take what God had promised them.

Only two, Joshua and Caleb, had faith to overcome.

Numbers 14 tells how the people grumbled against Moses and wanted to choose another leader and turn back to Egypt.

They rebelled against Moses, and they rebelled against God.

B. HEBREWS 3:12-19

2. Hebrews 3:12-15

Let’s stay here for a moment.

The command is to take care.

The word used is the word for “see.”

So the warning is to “Watch out!”

To pay attention in order to avoid something.

And as with the other warnings in Hebrews, this warning is for “brothers.”

Sisters.

We who are in the faith.

So we must resist the urge to pass over this warning and think “I wish someone else is listening to this,” because this is for you and me!

What is to be avoided?

“an evil, unbelieving heart.”

That word “heart” is mentioned several times, because that is the real issue at hand.

Faithful obedience is what proceeds not out of the intellect, but out of the heart.

The result of an evil, unbelieving heart, is “to fall away from the living God.”

God’s word is not dealing in hypotheticals here.

God is alive.

God is living.

And as much as it is true that God is alive, it is also true that it is possible to fall away from Him.

The word “to fall away” is the word ἀποστῆναι .

This is apostasy.

It may be that perhaps (see Lane on the word “lest”, p.82) someone among us, as a people of faith, has such an evil unbelieving heart.

It may be, that perhaps that person is you!

So we are to be watchful for this with concern.

But the Scriptures tell us that there is something we can do to counteract this unbelief.

We are to exhort one another and we are to exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today.”

That word “exhort” is to urge strongly, to appeal, to encourage (see LN, BDAG).

When is a good day for encouragement?

Every day.

As churches are slowly beginning to gather together in person during this virus outbreak, it provides a good reminder and illustration that while the Lord’s Day is important and the church gathering together is essential, the work of the Church is never limited to only one day.

Exhortation is an every-day work that we all may perform one for another.

This is the kind of worship that Christ makes possible for us now.

No longer confined to a ritual or a temple, but Christ makes our bodies a temple of the Holy Spirit, and we may access the throne of grace through Him every day.

There is a purpose for gathering together, and we need not lose sight of this.

We don’t gather together as a church just to see each other, or sing together.

We gather together as the church to encourage one another — to exhort one another as we see “the day” drawing near (Hebrews 10:25).

Is exhortation taking place when the Church gathers together?

More so, is exhortation taking place “every day” ?