TITLE: Diagnosis? A Hardening of the Heart

2. TITLE: Diagnosis? A Hardening of the Heart TEXT: Hebrews 3:7-19 THEME: The believer should trust and obey God.

4. Somebody suggested that they should meet at the Glowing Embers because they had never been there before. And they all agreed.

5. Examples of missing out on God’s blessing. • How many people miss out on a good and stable marriage because they ignore or reject Biblical guidelines for marriage?

6. Examples of missing out on God’s blessing. • How many people miss out on a good and stable marriage because they ignore or reject Biblical guidelines for marriage? • How many people live in fear and anxiety because they fail to trust God promises of hope and eternal life?

7. Examples of missing out on God’s blessing. • How many people miss out on a good and stable marriage because they ignore or reject Biblical guidelines for marriage? • How many people live in fear and anxiety because they fail to trust God promises of hope and eternal life? • How many people find life meaningless because they fail to believe in a God who gives us meaning?

9. What is necessary for you to enjoy the blessing that God desires for you?

10. I. Know what God offers you is greater than what you can achieve on your own. (7-11)

11. Hebrews 3:7-11 7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did.

12. Hebrews 3:7-11 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

13. I. Know what God offers you is greater than what you can achieve on your own. (7-11) A. Israel had the offer of promised land- a rest (Psalm 95:7-11)

14. I. Know what God offers you is greater than what you can achieve on your own. (7-11) A. Israel had the offer of promised land- a rest (Psalm 95:7-11) 1. They missed out because of rebellion.

15. Two phrases A translation from two Hebrew words which are place names • “the provocation (or trails)”: Massah • “the day of temptation (or testing)” : Meribah

16. Two phrases A translation from two Hebrew words which are place names • “the provocation (or trails)”: Massah • “the day of temptation (or testing)” : Meribah This is a reference to the story told in Exodus 17: 1-7 and Numbers 20: 1-13.

17. Deuteronomy 12: 9 “9 since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you.”

18. I. Know what God offers you is greater than what you can achieve on your own. (7-11) A. Israel had the offer of promised land- a rest (Psalm 95:7-11) 1. They missed out because of rebellion. 2. They missed out because of ingratitude.

19. I. Know what God offers you is greater than what you can achieve on your own. (7-11) A. Israel had the offer of promised land- a rest (Psalm 95:7-11) 1. They missed out because of rebellion. 2. They missed out because of ingratitude. B. The believer has a promise of a present and eternal rest.

20. When someone speaks ill of another Christian--- or of a church --- remind yourself of one thing: the one doing the criticizing is almost always the one with the bigger problem. When one is focused on the person and mission of Jesus we have no time for complaining

21. .

22. What is necessary for you to enjoy the blessing that God desires for you?

23. II. Trust and obey Him. (12-19)

24. Hebrews 3:12-19 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end

25. Hebrews 3:12-19 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt

26. Hebrews 3:12-19 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.”

27. II. Trust and obey Him. (12-19) A. Trust:

28. II. Trust and obey Him. (12-19) A. Trust: 1. That what says God is true

29. II. Trust and obey Him. (12-19) A. Trust: 1. That what says God is true 2. Stake our lives on His promises.

30. II. Trust and obey Him. (12-19) A. Trust: 1. That what says God is true 2. Stake our lives on His promises. B. Obey:

31. II. Trust and obey Him. (12-19) A. Trust: 1. That what says God is true 2. Stake our lives on His promises. B. Obey: 1. Like a doctor, teacher or athlete who obeys the expert.

32. Obey the Expert: • It is just as if a doctor were to say to us: "I can cure you if you obey my instructions implicitly."

33. Obey the Expert: • It is just as if a doctor were to say to us: "I can cure you if you obey my instructions implicitly." • It is just as if a teacher were to say: "I can make you a scholar if you follow my curriculum with absolute fidelity."

34. Obey the Expert: • It is just as if a doctor were to say to us: "I can cure you if you obey my instructions implicitly." • It is just as if a teacher were to say: "I can make you a scholar if you follow my curriculum with absolute fidelity." • It is just as if a trainer were to say to an athlete: "I can make you a champion if you do not deviate from the discipline that I lay down."

35. II. Trust and obey Him. (12-19) A. Trust: 1. That what says God is true 2. Stake our lives on His promises. B. Obey: 1. Like a doctor, teacher or athlete who obeys the expert. 2. In any area of life success depends on obeying the experts.

36. William Ernest Henley wrote, "Invictus," Key words: "I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul."

37. William Ernest Henley wrote, "Invictus," Key words: "I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul." • Used by Nelson Mandala.

38. William Ernest Henley wrote, "Invictus," Key words: "I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul." • Used by Nelson Mandala. • Film title for Clint Eastwood movie.

39. William Ernest Henley wrote, "Invictus," Key words: "I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul." • Used by Nelson Mandala. • Film title for Clint Eastwood movie. • Scribbled words of Timothy McVeigh before his execution.

41. What is necessary for you to enjoy the blessing that God desires for you?

42. III. Understand the limits to the offer. (13-15)

43. Hebrews 3:13-15 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end

44. Hebrews 3:13-15 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

45. III. Understand the limits to the offer. (13-15) A. The limit is duration of life.

46. III. Understand the limits to the offer. (13-15) A. The limit is duration of life. B. We never know when that limits ends.

47. III. Understand the limits to the offer. (13-15) A. The limit is duration of life. B. We never know when that limits ends. C. We must accept today because there may be no tomorrow.

49. APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: 1. Understand that God has promised you a blessing that far beyond anything you can achieve on your own.

50. APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: 1. Understand that God has promised you a blessing that far beyond anything you can achieve on your own. 2. That blessing is only available to those you trust and obey Him.