Hebrews 6:9-6:20
Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro John 2:10
Intro John 2:10
Have you ever taken an oath?
Have you ever worried about falling away? Have you ever doubted your salvation?
How do we serve other believers in our church?
Last week we reviewed Hebrews 5:11-68.
Some in the congregation were getting lazy about their salvation. The author wants to tell them deep things about Christ, but they are forgetting or unwilling to learn the basics of the faith.
Then, he uses the imagery of the Exodus generation who died in the wilderness after seeing God’s salvation as a warning to his audience: do not hold Jesus up to contempt by falling away—you are a witness to Jesus one way or another.
Good soil drinks the rain and gives produce. “Worthless” soil produces thorns and thistles, is cursed, and will be burned.
Hold fast to your confession, and learn obedience.
Now, after harsh words about shaming and crucifying the Son of God for those who leave the faith, he gives a few words about assurance of the salvation that believers do have.
Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation. For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them. Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.
Key points:
You are loved
He has confidence in their salvation
God will remember your work
In his name you serve the saints, and continue
Keep serving and have full assurance
Don’t be lazy
Imitate those who have faith in the promises and persevere
The author will give us a lot of examples of faith in chapter 11.
Applications:
If you are serving the saints, have confidence of your salvation
If you are spiritually lazy, stop
A theme of Hebrews is encouragement for the community. How can you encourage someone in our faith family this week?
How do we untangle this and get back to talking about the priest-king, Melchizedek.?
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself: I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you. And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
The oath of God to Abraham shows up in Zechariah's song after the birth of John the Baptist. That oath gave “us” the privilege of serving him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, in his presence all our days.
Luke 1:73-74
Oaths are used in courtrooms.
God swore an oath that the wilderness generation would not see his rest (Ps. 95:7-11). God took an oath to David’s Lord, that he is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4).
By bringing up the oath that God made to Abraham, which grants the world salvation, he brings the topic back around to the comparison of Jesus and Melchizedek.
We can be tempted to make Jesus less than he is.
In what ways do people talk about Jesus in a why that is less than who he is?
Are you personally tempted to think about Jesus in ways that are less than who he is? The author of Hebrews begins here.