CHAPTER 3

VS 1
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and
High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

The word "Wherefore," here refers back to the last chapter; and perhaps to the
thought in verse 18.
Jesus is said to be "able to succour them that are tempted."
The word succour means to aid or help.

((Mrs. Brown came to the pastor for the umptenth time. She said, "I'm so afraid, pastor!"
He asked, "Of what are you afraid?" She said, "My husband said he's going to KILL
me if I keep coming to this church." Pastor answered, "Well, we know that the Lord
will protect you." She said, "Yes, the Lord has, so far." Pastor, "What do you mean by
'so far'?" She said, "Well, now, my husband says he's going to kill YOU!"
Pastor, "Now, Mrs. Brown, perhaps you should check out the church across town."))

The third chapter of Hebrews deals with faithfulness.
Real, born-gain, Christians are "partakers" of the "heavenly calling!"

Jesus was faithful, and faced persecution, slander and many other difficulties.
But, He was faithful unto death!

CONSIDER JESUS!
Jesus is ABLE to AID, and HELP when we face difficulties in life.

VS 2-3
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded
the house hath more honour than the house.

Moses was faithful to the "house" of GOD!
Jesus BUILT the "house" of GOD!
Jesus is MORE than a mere man; He is GOD INCARNATE!

VS 4
For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

God, by His WORD (Jesus), built ALL things!
Jesus was WITH God, and WAS God, when He built ALL things! (John 1:1-4)

5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things
which were to be spoken after;
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Notice that statement "whose house we ARE!"
Christians, truly saved people, are the HOUSE Jesus built and STILL is building!
And, friend, Jesus is IN the house!

If Jesus is IN you and me, shall we not "hold FAST the CONFIDENCE and the
REJOICING of the HOPE firm to the END"?!
This is the CONDITION of Christians! (Eph. 1:13-14)
The DOWN PAYMENT on our eternal existence is God's HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU!!

He will be WITH you forever!
He will NOT give up on you!
And, He will NOT let up on you!

He GIVES you the CONFIDENCE to CLING to Jesus FOREVER!

SO THEN.....

7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart;
and they have not known my ways.

Here is PROOF of God's "breathed into" WORD!
The Scripture in verse 7 says, "as the Holy Ghost SAITH."

Here is a quote from Ps. 95:8, which says, "Harden not your heart, as in the
provocation, and as the day of temptation in the wilderness."

The Psalmist was speaking about the time when Israel refused to enter the land
which God had promised them. (Num. 14:31-32)
Ten of the spies who were sent into the promised land brought back "an EVIL
report!"
They were afraid because of the giants they saw.
God had PROMISED them the ability to OVERTAKE the land!
But, their fear caused them to TURN BACK from God's direction!

God said in verse 10 that "they do alway ERR in their heart (making decisions)
and they have NOT KNOWN my WAYS!"
God's way FOR us, as Christians, is OBEDIENCE to His expressed WILL in the
BIBLE!

VS 11
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

God led the people to that point, having already shown many miracles only He
could perform.
So, God was GRIEVED when they TURNED BACK!

AND, God said they would NOT be able to HAVE the land!
So, for 40 years, God led them through the wilderness, until ALL of them DIED!
ALL those who were 20 years old and above, at the time they TURNED BACK!

THAT is the main purpose of this letter to the Hebrews who were converted
and living for Christ!
DON'T TURN BACK!!!

VSS 12-13
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing
from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.

TAKE HEED! Don't let your decision making exhibit UNfaith!
Instead, ENCOURAGE one another DAILY.
HELP others not be "hardened" in their faith!

And, notice how UNfaith comes - through "deceitfulness of SIN!"

((Two men were trying to measure a telephone pole. They kept trying to climb it,
but kept sliding down. Along came a big burly guy, and asked, "What are you two
doing?" They said, "We are trying to get the HEIGHT of the pole." The big guy,
stepped up to the pole and bear-hugged it. Then he just jerked it out of the ground!
And, he measured it -- and said, "Forty feet." Then he walked away. The two men
looked at each other and said, "Hmmm...we wanted the HEIGHT not the LENGTH!"))

Many people call themselves Christians today.
And, I'm afraid many are more interested in the HEIGHT of faith (heaven)
than they are in the LENGTH of faith - servitude!

Salvation is ETERNAL!
It is received by SURRENDER to Jesus as LORD. (John 1:12, Luke 9:23)

Once received, salvation will NOT be taken away! (Eph. 1:13)

HOWEVER, many profess salvation, but have UNfaith!
When it comes to doing the WORK for the duration of physical life,
many TURN BACK!

THAT is why God ordained this letter to the Hebrews!

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence
stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the
provocation.

There's a statement there - "IF"!
Let me just say this: If you have TRULY received Jesus as Lord, you have also
received FAITH! (Eph. 2:8-9)
And, if you have received faith, you may, at times, WAVER in it;
BUT, you can NEVER TURN BACK!!

Faith is that ability of God to HOLD and KEEP you! (1Pet 1:5)
Faith is also that ability of YOU to hold onto God!

So, if you find yourself WAVERING, WORK it!! (Philippians 2:12)

VSS 17-18
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose
carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

God was grieved with those who TURNED BACK from FAITH in God!
They COULD not enter the promised land, because they WOULD not!
And WHAT was the SIN that kept them from doing the work?

VS 19
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

The problem was, many of them did NOT BELIEVE God could and would give
them victory in the battle!
Their fear of defeat kept them from WORKING their faith in God!

C.S. Lewis wrote, "Christianity thinks of human individuals not as mere members
of a GROUP, or items in a LIST; but as ORGANS in a BODY - DIFFERENT
from one another and EACH contributing what no other can!"

Listen, a tree has many limbs, and all of them are DIFFERENT.
Yet EACH contributes to the growth and appearance of the tree.

UNbelief will NOT contribute to the growth and appearance of the body of Christ!
It will DETRACT from the meaningfulness and beauty!

Think not that a person who says they believe, and does not contribute to the growth
of themselves or the body of Christ, will enter the HOLY LAND!!

GENUINE FAITH ENDURES! (Ep. 2:8-10)
READ that Scripture, then READ it AGAIN!

See also Psalm 1:1-4!