51 DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! • WHAT DOES THE WORD “NEGLECT” MEAN? • A FAILURE TO CARE • A FAILURE TO LOOK AFTER • A FAILURE TO PROVIDE • LEAVING SOMETHING ALONE FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
52 DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! • WHAT SOME CAUSES OF CHRISTIAN NEGLECT? • APATHY • INDIFFERENCE • IS APATHY DANGEROUS (YES) • IT CAN LEAD TO SPIRITUAL DEATH! FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
53 DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! • LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CHURCH AT SARDIS IN REVELATION 3:1-3 • A CHURCH SATURATED IN • THE SPIRIT OF APATHY • JESUS SAYS TO “WAKE-UP” • OUTWARDLY THEY LOOKED THE PART! • THEY HAD A REPUTATION FOR GREATNESS BUT DIDN’T CARE FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4 (AUTOPSY OF A DEAD CHURCH)
54 DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! • THIS WAS THE DANGER AND SITUATION THE HEBREW CHRISTIANS WERE IN • A SPIRITUAL SITUATION AS DANGEROUS AS THAT OF A SHIP CUT LOOSE AND DRIFTING BEYOND SAFE HARBOR. • THEY WERE FAILING TO KEEP A TIGHT HOLD ON THE TRUTH AND, THROUGH CARELESSNESS AND NEGLECT, WERE LOSING SIGHT OF THE VITALITY OF SALVATION FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
55 DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! • SPIRITUAL LAZINESS • INDIFFERENCE TOWARD THE WORD OF GOD • HALF-HEARTEDNESS IN PERSONAL RESPONSIVENESS TO CHRIST LEAVES A CHRISTIAN BELIEVER ANCHORLESS • IN DEEP WATER—OVER HIS HEAD—AND HEADED FOR SHIPWRECK. FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
56 DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! • A CHRISTIAN MAN OR WOMAN IN WHO STARTS TO DRIFT • MAY BE DOING THE CHRISTIAN THINGS, TALKING THE CHRISTIAN TALK • PAYING LITTLE VISITS TO GOD NOW AND THEN (WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT). • BUT THEY ARE DRIFTING FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
57 DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! • ALMOST UNDETECTABLY AT FIRST • BUT MOST CERTAINLY AWAY FROM GOD. • INTENSE TIMES OF AFFLICTION AND PRESSURES , LIKE THE LATE FIRST CENTURY AND OURS, DEMAND INTENSIVE, CONCENTRATED ATTENTION TO YOUR FAITH AND YOUR SPIRITUAL PROGRESS FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
58 ESCAPE? WHERE TO? WHO TO? • IN CONVERSATIONS NEAR THE SEA OF GALILEE, JESUS MADE REVOLUTIONARY CLAIMS CONCERNING WHO HE IS (JOHN 6:25-65), • THIS WAS A CONVERSATION DESIGNED TO SEPARATE UNCOMMITTED HANGERS-ON FROM HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS. FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
59 ESCAPE? WHERE TO? WHO TO? • UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE NEW INFORMATION, MANY OF HIS GALILEAN DISCIPLES DRIFTED AWAY, DISILLUSIONED. AS THE CROWDS DWINDLED • AN EXCHANGE TOOK PLACE BETWEEN JESUS AND THE TWELVE MEN HE HAD CHOSEN AS HIS APOSTLE-AMBASSADORS. • “DO YOU ALSO WANT TO GO AWAY?” JESUS ASKED (JOHN 6:67 NKJV) FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
60 ESCAPE? WHERE TO? WHO TO? • SIMON PETER ANSWERED FOR THE OTHERS, “LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?” YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. • THEY KNEW AND HAD COME TO BELIEVE AND KNOW THAT JESUS WAS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD” (JOHN 6:68-69 NKJV). • ESCAPE FROM JESUS IS A FLIGHT TO NOWHERE. JESUS SAID: “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME” (JOHN 14:6 NKJV). FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
61 ESCAPE? WHERE TO? WHO TO? • THE TWELVE DID NOT UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING JESUS WAS TEACHING. • THEY STILL STRUGGLED WITH MANY OF HIS IDEAS. BUT THEY HAD BEEN CAPTURED BY HIM AND HIS MESSAGE. • THIS IS WHAT THE HEBREW WRITER WAS INSISTING IN CHAPTERS 2:3— ONCE CAPTURED BY CHRIST, ONCE HAVING TASTED HIS SALVATION, THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM HIM WITHOUT GRAVE CONSEQUENCES. FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
62 ESCAPE FROM JESUS IS A FLIGHT TO NOWHERE? • JESUS SAID: “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME” (JOHN 14:6 NKJV). • THE EARLY CHRISTIANS SAID OF JESUS: “NOR IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED” (ACTS 4:12 NKJV). FIRST WARNING: DANGER OF NEGLECT, 2:1-4
63 “WHATS THIS WORLD COMING TO?” • WE ARE REMINDED IN HEBREWS 1, THE HIGHER POWER IN THE GODHONORING FUTURE WORD (GOD/CHRIST) • IN HEBREWS 1 AND 2, WE SEE GOD’S SON HOLD HIS SUPREME POSITION NOW AND WHAT’S TO COME • THE HEBREW WRITER IS ALSO CONFIRMING THAT ANGELS ALTHOUGH IMPORTANT WILL NOT BE THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY IN THE WORLD TO COME (ETERNAL LIFE) THE WORLD TO COME, HEBREWS 2:5-8
64 “WHATS THIS WORLD COMING TO?” • THE WRITER ALSO POINTS OUT IN THIS TEXT THAT HUMAN BEINGS HAVE A PLACE IN THE WORLD TO COME! • IN GOD’S MASTER PLAN, HE HAS DESIGNED HUMAN BEINGS FOR SPLENDOR, HONOR, AND AUTHORITY! • GOD HAS DESIGNED US FOR A PURPOSE. HUMAN BEINGS WERE CREATED TO OCCUPY A PLACE JUST A NOTCH BELOW THE ALMIGHTY (PSALM 8:1-5) THE WORLD TO COME, HEBREWS 2:5-8
65 MOSES WAS GREAT JESUS IS GREATER! • MOSES DID A GREAT WORK FOR GOD • THE LIBERATOR FOR GOD AND THE PEOPLE • THE LAW GIVER FOR GOD TO HIS PEOPLE GREATER IN WORK HEBREWS 3:1-4
66 MOSES WAS GREAT JESUS IS GREATER! • MOSES GAVE 40-YEAR SERVICE TO THE LORD • IT WAS NOT ALWAYS EASY! • GOD’S PEOPLE WERE DIFFICULT AND QUITE REBELLIOUS • THROUGH ALL THIS MOSES WAS STILL FAITHFUL GREATER IN WORK HEBREWS 3:1-4
67 MOSES WAS GREAT JESUS IS GREATER! • MOSES WAS FAITHFUL IN ALL HIS WORK AND MINISTRY (HOUSE) • JESUS ALSO WAS FAITHFUL IN HIS HOUSE, BUT IS NOT ONLY FAITHFUL BUT OVER HIS OWN HOUSE (CHURCH) • JESUS HOUSE IS BOTH HEAVENLY AND NOT MADE WITH HANDS • JESUS HOUSE IS INFINITELY GREATER SUPERIOR IN PERSON HEBREWS 3:5-6
68 THE WARNING OF A HARDENED HEART • WE HAVE TO GUARD OUR HEARTS FROM SPIRITUAL STUBBORNNESS • PHAROAH’S DOWNFALL WAS DRIVEN BY THIS HEART • GOD CAN REMAKE PEOPLE'S MIND TO BELIEVE A LIE WHEN THE HEART IS HARDENED • A HARDENED HEART CAN LEAD TO REPROBATED MIND MARK 6:52, PROVERBS 28:14, EZEKIEL 36:26 EXODUS 7:3-4, 8:19, 10:27, 14:4
69 THE WARNING OF UNBELIEF • UNBELIEF PLAGUED THE PEOPLE OF GOD (ISRAEL) • UNBELIEF CAN HOLD BACK OUR FAITH (MUSTARD SEE) • UNBELIEF IS COUNTER TO THE REQUIREMENT OF BAPTISM • GOD WANTS CHRISTIANS TO BREAK FELLOWSHIP WITH UNBELIEVERS JOHN 3:18-19, 12:48, MARK 16:16, MATT 7:21 MATT 7:20, 2 COR. 6:14-20, JAMES 1:6
70 HALTING THROUGH EXHORTATION • WHAT DOES EXHORTING MEAN AND WHY IS IT NECESSARY? • CHRISTIAN EXHORTATION HELPS TO HALT SPIRITUAL HEART ISSUES • EXHORTATION BROUGHT GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE EARLY CHURCH • EXHORTATION REMINDS SAINTS TO KEEP MOVING AND PRESS ON ACTS 14:18-21, ACTS 18:20-27, HEBREWS 10:25, 1 PET 5:12
71 THE WARNING OF UNBELIEF ISRAEL • ISRAEL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF UNBELIEF IN THE OT • DIDN’T BELIEVE IN THE PROMISE OF GOD • DIDN’T TRUST IN GOD’S PROMISE • HEBREW WRITER GIVES US A STARK WARNING THROUGH THE EXAMPLE OF ISRAEL • WRITER MAKES THE APPLICATION PERSONAL IN BOTH CHAPTERS 3 AND 4 EXODUS 16:3, 17:1-7, NUMBERS 20:3-13
72 BREAKING DOWN GODS REST • HEBREWS BRINGS FORTH TWO TYPES OF REST IN CHAPTERS 3 AND 4 • WE HAVE THE REST OF THE PROMISED LAND • THE SECOND IS THE REST OF SALVATION • JUST LIKE FOR ISRAEL GOD WANTS THE CHURCH TODAY TO ENTER IN THE REST HE HAS FOR US HEBREWS 3:7 – HEBREWS 4:11
73 BREAKING DOWN GODS REST • CHRISTIANS HAVE A REST TODAY • THE REST OF SALVATION IS A PROMISED GOD GAVE US THROUGH CHRIST • NO MATTER WHAT CHRIST IS OUR ULTIMATE REST • GOD WANTS CHRISTIANS TO TRUST IN HIS PROMISE OF SALVATION IN CHRIST HEBREWS 3:7 – HEBREWS 4:11, MATTHEW 11:28-30
74 The Power of GODS WORD FIVE ATTRIBUTES ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN HEBREWS 4:12 CONCERNING GOD’S WORD 1. THE WORD IS QUICK 2. POWERFUL 3. SHARP 4. TRANSCENDS THE SOUL, SPIRIT AND BODY 5. THE ABILITY IMPACT THE SPIRITUAL HEART HEBREWS 4:12
75 The GREAT HIGH PRIEST • THREE PRIESTHOODS RECORDED IN THE BIBLE • MELCHIZEDEKIAN PRIESTHOOD (GEN.14) • LEVICTICAL PRIESTHOOD (EXODUS 28:1-13) • CHRISTIAN PRIESTHOOD (1 PET 2:7-9) GEN 14, EXODUS 28:1-13, 1 PET 2:7-9
76 The GREAT HIGH PRIEST WE HAVE A HIGH PRIEST IN THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK • MELCHIZEDEK WAS A HIGH PRIEST • INTRODUCED IN GENESIS 14 • KING OF SALEM / JERUSALEM • NAME MEANS “KING OF RIGHTHEOUSNESS” • ENCOURTERED ABRAHAM WHILE HE WAS RETURNIG FROM WAR GEN 14, HEBREWS CHAP 4 AND 5
77 The GREAT HIGH PRIEST WE HAVE A HIGH PRIEST IN THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK • MELCHIZEDEK WAS THE FIRST HIGH PRIEST • LIKE MELCHIZEDEK JESUS IS ALSO OUR HIGH PRIEST BUT “GREATER” • JESUS BEING OUR HIGH PRIEST ALLOWS SAINTS TO BE PART OF THE NEW TESTAMENT PRIESTHOOD GEN 14, HEBREWS CHAP 4 AND 5
78 WHERE IS YOUR MEAT? THE HEBREW WRITER PRSESNT A CHALLENGE TO THE BELIEVERS • CHALLENGES THEIR STATUS • MAKES A PROVOCATIVE INDICTMENT • POINTS TO THEIR ERROR AND THE CAUSALITY HEBREWS 5:11-12
79 WHERE IS YOUR MEAT? THE SEVEN MARKS OF MATURITY 1. LOVE 2. SUFFERING 3. JOY 4. BIBLE KNOWLEDGE 5. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 6. CONQUERING COMMITMENT 7. FABULOUS FAITH HEBREWS 5:11-12
80 “MILK” vs “MEAT” • BOTH WORDS ARE METAPHORS TO ILLUSTRATE SPIRITUAL GROWTH • MILK – BASIC TEACHINGS • MILK – SIMPLE CONCEPTS • MILK – REPRESENTS THINGS THAT ARE EASY TO UNDERSTAND HEBREWS 5:11-12
81 “MILK” vs “MEAT” • BOTH WORDS ARE METAPHORS TO ILLUSTRATE SPIRITUAL GROWTH • MEAT – OR ALSO CALLED SOLID FOODS • MEAT – DEEPER TEACHINGS • MEAT – COMPLEX CONCEPTS • MEAT – REQUIRES MORE EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND HEBREWS 5:11-12
82 I AM CHASTISING YOU • HAVE A GROWTH PROBLEM • STUCK ON THE SIMPLE • UNSKILLED • SHOULD BE TEACHING • NEEDED RETEACHING • SHOULD BE FURTHER ALONG HEBREWS 5:11-12
83 MATURITY IS MORE THAN GAINING KNOWLEDGE • MATURITY IS MORE THAN GAINING KNOWLEDGE OR LEARNING THEOLOGY • MATURITY IS A LIFELONG PROCESS • MATURITY IS ABOUT GOING DEEPER • DEEPER IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD • DEEPENING IN FAITH • EXPERIENCING HIS LOVE AND GRACE • USING YOUR GIFTS TO SERVE OTHERS • MATURITY REQUIRES DISCIPLINE • MATURITY REQUIRES HUMILITY • MATURITY REQUIRES PERSERANCE • MATURITY IS CONSTANTLY SEEKING GOD’S GUIDANCE, REPENTING OF SIN, AND STRIVING TO LIVE OUT THE VALUES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD HEBREWS 5:11-12
84 USE IT OR LOSE IT! 1. THE BELIEVERS WERE NOT APPLYING THEMSELVES 2. THERE WERE MISSING OUT ON THE BLESSINGS OF GROWTH 3. TRUTH IS TO BE USED OR WE WILL NEVER GROW
85 DISCERNING GOOD AND EVIL 1. A MATURE BELIEVER CAN EXERCISE THE ABILITY TO DISCERN FROM GOOD AND EVIL 2. WE ARE FACE WITH CHOICES EVERYDAY TO CHOOSE EITHER GOOD OR EVIL 3. RELYING ON GOD’S WORD WILL HELP US MAKE THE CHOICE 4. KALOS VS AGATHOS GOOD 5. KAKOS VS PONERO EVIL
86 YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN! 1. THE WRITER UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WERE CHRISTIANS LETS THEM KNOW YOU DON’T NEED TO BE SAVED AGAIN 2. BUILD ON THE FOUNDATION 3. MOVE TOWARD PERFECTION 4. IF YOU WERE IN THE RIGHT SPIRITUAL MIND, THEY WOULD NEVER CONSIDER GOING BACK TO JUDAISM
87 EXPAND ON THE FOUNDAITON 1. WE HAVE TO EXPAND ON WHAT CHRIST HAS GIVEN – 1 COR.3:1-11 2. THE FOUNDATION WAS ONLY NEEDED TO BE BUILT ONE TIME – 1 COR.3:11 3. WE ARE CALLED TO GROW - COLOSSIANS 2:6-7, 2 PETER 1:5-8, 2 PETER 3:18 4. WE ARE CALLED TO GROW TO OUR FULL POTENTIAL – EPH 4:15
88 THE POINT OF NO RETURN 1. PAUL TALKED ABOUT THE REPROBATED MIND– ROMANS 1:28 2. PAUL TALKED ABOUT SOME EXAMPLES OF MEN WHO WERE FAR GONE- 2 TIMOTHY 3:8 3. THEY DRIFT SO FAR THAT GOD ALLOWS THEM TO BELIEVE THEY DELUSION - 2 THESSALONIANS 2:11
89 MAN ASPIRES TO PROMISE 1. HUMANITY ASPIRES TO KEEP PROMISES 2. MANY IN SOCIETY DO KEEP PROMISES 3. THE VERSE EXPLAINS PEOPLE GO ALL OUT IN AN OATH TO KEEP THEIR WORD. 4. BUT IMAGINE THE PROMISE KEEPING ABILITY OF GOD 5. TALK THE HANDSHAKE OATH 6. YOUR WORD WAS YOUR BOND (TALK)
90 THE UNCHANGING GOD 1. GOD IS THE SAME TODAY, YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW 2. WE SERVE A CONSISTENT DEITY 3. HE IS TIMELESS IN HIS WAYS 4. THE HEBREW WRITER SAYS HE SWEARS BY HIS IMMUTABILITY 5. LET'S TALK THE TWO (PROMISE, OATH)
91 PROMISES PRODUCE CONFIDENCE 1. GOD IS A PROMISE KEEPER 2. OVER 5000 PROMISES IN THE WORD OF GOD 3. GOD’S PROMISES SHOULD BRING CONFIDENCE TO OUR LIVES 4. SHOULD EMBOLDEN US TO DO MORE 5. BRING CONFIDENCE TO OUR FAITH
92 THE SOUL ANCHOR 1. LET'S TALK 6:18-20 2. LIKE THE ANCHORS THAT HOLD SHIPS TO THE SEABED WE HAVE AN ANCHOR THAT HOLDS THE SOUL STILL 3. HEAVENLY, SUPERNATURAL AND DIVINE ANCHOR 4. INVISIBLE BUT POWERFUL 5. INDESTRUCTIBLE AND IMPERVIOUS TO THE EXTERNALS (LIFE, THE ENEMY, ETC..)
93 WHO WAS MELCHIZEDEK? 1. KING OF SALEM (JERUSALEM) 2. KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS 3. WITHOUT FATHER OR MOTHER 4. BLESSED ABRAHAM AFTER HIS DEFEAT IN GENESIS 14:18-20 5. PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD 6. RECEIVE A TENTH OF THE ALL THE ITEMS ABRAHAM GATHERED WHICH SHOWED HE RECOGNIZED HIM BEING A HIGH PRIEST AND SPIRITUALLY HIGHER THAN ABRAHAM.
94 MELCHIZEDEK AS CHRIST 1. MELCHIZEDEK IS PRESENTED AS A TYPE OF CHRIST. 2. THIS THEME IS REPEATED IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS, 3. SOME PROPOSE THAT MELCHIZEDEK WAS ACTUALLY A PRE-INCARNATE APPEARANCE OF JESUS CHRIST 4. HEBREWS 7:3 SAYS THAT MELCHIZEDEK WAS “WITHOUT FATHER OR MOTHER, WITHOUT GENEALOGY, WITHOUT BEGINNING OF DAYS OR END OF LIFE, RESEMBLING THE SON OF GOD, HE REMAINS A PRIEST FOREVER.”
95 THEOPANHY AND CHRISTOPHANY 1. A THEOPHANY IS A MANIFESTATION OF GOD IN THE BIBLE THAT IS TANGIBLE TO THE HUMAN SENSES. 2. IN ITS MOST RESTRICTIVE SENSE, IT IS A VISIBLE APPEARANCE OF GOD 3. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PERIOD, OFTEN, BUT NOT ALWAYS, IN HUMAN FORM. 4. A CHRISTOPHANY IS AN APPEARANCE OR NON-PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST. TRADITIONALLY THE TERM REFERS TO VISIONS OF CHRIST AFTER HIS ASCENSION
96 WHAT’S IN A NAME 1. (MELECH” “KING”, (TZDEK) “RIGHTEOUNESS” 2. NAMES OVERFLOW WITH SIGNIFICANCE 3. NAMES EXUDE CHARACTER AND ABILITY 4. LET’S READ PSALM 45:6, ISAIAH 32:1, ISAIAH 9:6-7, JEREMIAH 23:5-6, 33:14-16, MICAH 5:2, EZEKIEL 34:23-25
97 MEL PRIESTHOOD UNITES BOTH PRIEST AND KING 1. IN THE OT PRIEST AND KING WERE SEPERATE 2. PRIEST WERE ONLY TAKEN FROM THE TRIBE OF LEVITE 3. LET’S READ PSALM 110:4 4. LET’S READ 2 SAMUEL 7:12-16 5. IT MAKES SENSE THAT CHRIST WOULD COME AFTER THE ORDER OF MEL
98 5 REASONS WHY JESUS PRIESTHOOD IS SUPERIOR 1. THE ANNULING PRIESTHOOD (V.15-17) 2. THE PRIESTHOOD OF A SURETY(V.20-22) 3. UNCHANGABLE PRIESTHOOD THAT CONQUERED DEATH (V.23-24) 4. A PRIESTHOOD WITH THE POWER TO SAVE (V.25-26) 5. A SIN LESS PRIESTHOOD (V.27- 28)