GROUP FELLOWSHIP

AUTUMN 2001SEPT 25/27

STUDIES IN HEBREWS

WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE OUGHT WE TO BE?

(2) HEBREWS 3: 1-19, 4:1-2, 11-16A PEOPLE WHO KEEP ON BELIEVING

(Notice: we are omitting 4.3-10, to make the study a bit shorter and simpler!)

This week we are in for ‘A HEART EXAMINATION’!! (cf 4.12 ‘Heart comes six times in Heb 3-4!)

• ‘FAITHFUL’ HEARTS: (Hebrews 3.16)

Hebrews 3 and 4 centre around the crucial importance of continuing in our faith in Jesus and our faithfulness to Jesus. The chapters are peppered with references to ‘faith’ ( and ‘unbelief’) and ‘faithfulness’: (see 3.2; 3.5-6; 3.12,1,19; 4.2,3,14).

(The ‘faith-full’ person will always be the ‘faithful’ person!)

• Heb 3.1-6: (MOSES and ) JESUS were faithful to God.
• BUT Heb 3.7-11: GOD’S PEOPLE IN THE DESERT were (over 40 years) continually unbelieving, rebellious and unfaithful (Psalm 95.7-11)

We must be like Jesus: 3.1-2; - Not like them! (3.7-8)

QUESTION: What sort of things do we encounter that test our faith and our faithfulness? Which are hardest for you?

Is temptation to ‘lapse’ great today, do you feel?

• ‘HARDENED’ HEARTS: (Hebrews 3.7 – 4.2)

It was ‘in their hearts’ that God said his people were ‘always going astray’ (3.10). They ‘HARDENED’ their hearts!

‘Hardening’ is repeatedly mentioned, (3.8,13,15,4.7). We meet many people with hardened hearts today. We, too, can be tempted to become hard.

QUESTIONS: (Talk about ‘hardening our hearts’; and from the passage, discuss the following things:)`

• What is a hardened heart?? 3.7-8, 12-13. ‘Hard’ – towards whom?
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• What sort of behaviour does a hardened hear result in? 3.8,12
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• What extremely serious results can a ‘sinful, unbelieving, hard heart’ result in? (3.10-11; 3.18 – 4.1)
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• Whose responsibility is it to ensure our hearts don’t become hard? (3.12-14) How can we do it?
• "But encourage one another daily" (3.13): Is there a secret here that we are missing? What forms does "encouragement" take? Are you missing out on encouragement? On giving it? – or on receiving it?

(When did you last encourage your Group leaders??)

"HOLDING ON" HEARTS: (3.6,14, 4.14)

Notice the repeated encouragement to ‘hold on’ , ‘hold firm’.

• What things are we to (determinedly) hold on to?

HIDING (HYPOCRITICAL) HEARTS: (4.11-13)

• We are deeply challenged in these verses by the reminder that even if we can hide the state of our hearts from our fellow Christians, we can’t ever hide it from God. Scripture constantly asserts, as here, that ‘God reads the heart’.
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  (Read Psalm 139.1-6,23) NO HIDING PLACE!
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• HUMBLE, ‘HELP-SEEKING’ HEARTS: (4.14-16)

The right way for us in our waywardness and weakness is not to hide the state of our hearts and be hypocritical; but to be honest and real, and to humbly seek help. We not only have a God who sees, but He has provided a Saviour (‘ high-priest ‘ 4.14) who graciously forgives and saves (4.16) and helps!

QUESTIONS:

• ‘Approach the throne of grace’ (4.16): What do these words mean to you? How do we do it?
• ‘With confidence’: Do you always feel ‘confident’ before God in your times of need? If not, why not?
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• Why can we always approach confidently, even in our sin and need? 4.15 and 2.17-18 [2.14-18]
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• What is on offer when we come for help? (4.16)

• HEARTS ‘FIXED’ ON JESUS: (3.1 AND 4.14-14)

Notice: that this week’s passage begins and ends by focussing our attention on Jesus:

• 3.1 ‘Fix your thoughts on Jesus…. Apostle…. High Priest….faithful’.
• 4.14 (Jesus….) ‘able to sympathise …., tempted as we…., help….’

The best way to end tonight, after undergoing ‘heart-examination’, is to fix our eyes on Jesus. That is the best way to stay ‘FAITH-FULL’ and ‘FAITHFUL’!

QUESTION: WHAT HAS GOD SAID TO ME TODAY??

[POSTLOGUE:

 Hebrews’ is full of the exhortation ‘Let us…..’ These exhortations form a good summary of ‘Hebrew’ message to us: There are no less that 4 in today’s chapters:

 "Let us be careful…" etc 4.11

 " Let us make every effort…." 4.14

 "Let us hold firm to the faith…" 4.14

 "Let us approach the throne of grace to…." 4.16]