Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- A very searching passage
- Many examples of people that have triumphed (Chapter 11)
- Now a stark example of someone who failed
- Esau
- Utterly secular - had no regard for the spiritual
- Prepared to through all the blessings of God away for a morsel food
- He sought the blessing but no chance of obtaining it
- He had no room for repentance in his life
- This passage is extremely searching
- The passage in context
- Three antidotes to discouragement:
- Remember the Lord Jesus
- Remember the trial may be part of the loving discipline of God
- Take practical steps to walk in the way of the Lord
- Three exhortations (v14-15):
- Pursue peace with all people
- Within and without the church
- Pursue - not obtain peace
- Pursue holiness
- Pursue the Holiness of God
- Remember we have the Holy Spirit within us
- Make sure there is no root of bitterness
- We haven't come to a dark and threatening place like Sinai but to Jesus who is the mediator of the covenant (v18ff)
- We should see these exhortations in the light of God's grace
- Make sure you are living that life
- If you reject the word of God, the word that speaks from Heaven, there will be severe penalties
- The people rejected Moses word - how much greater the penalties
Three Exhortations
Pursue Peace with all People
- To do something active
- You may need to refrain from certain actions or situations to maintain peace
- With all people
- Work colleagues
- Neighbours
- Family
- Fellow Christians
- Rom 12:17-21
- When someone treats you badly do you turn the other cheek or want to get revenge?
- Think of how the Lord Jesus acted so many times when He was accused or people came against Him
- You may not be able to achieve peace with all people - but do your part
- We are not the judge of others - God is
- Show the love of Christ to the enemy
- Who can live such a life as this?
- By the grace of God, even in the most difficult of situations
- How joyful it is to hear the voice of those who pursue peace
- Things we should avoid:
- Avoid the strife of men and tongues
- Things we should do:
- We need to learn to give a soft answer, which turns away wrath
- Phil 4:2-3 - Come alongside people and help them
- The world finds it very difficult to be at peace
Pursue Holiness
- "Be Holy for I am Holy"
- "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect"
- We need to follow in Jesus footsteps
- Think of the fruit of the Spirit
- Rejoice in the Lord
- Patient, self-controlled, gentle
- A holy person knows the fruit of the Holy Spirit
- It is about knowing God and knowing Christ
- Example from Andy Bowler and the Christians in the car
- It is about having deep communion with God
- We need to say no to ungodliness and deny worldly lusts
- Holiness is not optional
- "Without which no one will see the Lord"
- Example of the young pole vaulting lady
- How seriously do you take the Christian walk?
Make sure there is no Root of Bitterness
- Looking carefully - take the oversight
- We are responsible in part for our brethren
- We should not say nothing if they are living a wayward life
- What is this "root of bitterness"
- A.W. Tozer - anything that would poison the believer
- Deut 29:18-19
- Going after false gods
- The person thinks they are fine and secure but there is apostasy there
- Something that is hidden
- It can lay dormant for some time before springing up
- Means bitterness of heart, anger, non-forgiveness
- Example from A.W. Tozer
- Nobody decides to be bitter
- Is there a tendancy to be bitter?
- How much of our criticism is constructive?
- Is there anyone that we cannot speak to anymore?
- We need to assess how we react
Three Warnings
No Holiness, No Heaven
- Example from John McArthur
- The whole context is about missing the Mark
- But what about grace?
- It is not by works we are saved
- It is not about reaching some level
- The truly saved person will be holy
- Eph 4:24
- We will feel even more our sin
- We are not like a pharisee
- We feel our sin keenly - we have a contrite spirit before God
- We have changed desires
- Example of pornography in the young man
- If there is no holiness, then people will not see the Lord
- Minimising opportunities for sin
(The Bitter root) causes Trouble
- Have you seen family feuds?
- Have you seen bitterness with communities?
- Racial predujice
- Splits in churches - people taking sides
- We are not to leave things fester in our own lives
- It is devastating to have an apostate in the Church
- It can cause great harm to others
- It can cause others in the faith to stumble
- Being used as a tool of the devil to sow doubts in peoples minds
Apostacy is Fatal (v16-17)
- Are the word fornicator and profane linked?
- Fornicator:
- To be sexually immoral
- Esau took pagan women
- Profane:
- Esau was profane
- He just lived for the flesh - to gratify the desires of the flesh
- He was utterly secular in his mind (unlike his father Issac who desired to give him the birth right)
- He cried much because he lost the blessing but he was not repentant - instead he wanted to kill his brother Jacob
- People that come to church but reject the message
- They start to trample on the blood of Christ
- They harden themselves
- God starts to harden their heart till they get to the point of no return
- The writer to the Hebrews is concerned for the readers - do not harden your heart like Esau
- The soul is eternal and immortal
- Do you value your soul?
- Are you going to heaven or to hell?
- What will it be of you?
Closing Comments