When we were young in years or young in faith we were able to believe almost anything we were told. Our parents, our teachers and our pastors were unimpeachable sources of truth and integrity. If any one of them said something, it must be true. For example, in Sunday school we were fascinated by the story of Jonah in the belly of a whale. No one questioned the authenticity of that story, right? But when we grew older in years and more "sophisticated" in thoughts, we learned to stop believing things simply because an authority figure told us it was true. Our own intelligence, skepticism and curiosity forced us to go out and make inquiries for ourselves. While this process results in the gradual development of a healthy, well-informed, personalized faith, for too many others, the entire concept of "believing" can eventually erode completely. Let me explain how the erosion sets in. Doubts about a real ark filled with smelly animals lead to ... Doubts about a real dry land crossing at the Red Sea, which lead to ...Doubts about the walls of Jericho falling down at the sound of trumpets, which lead to ...Doubts about God's active involvement in the life of Israel, which lead to ...Doubts about God's new covenant in the person of Jesus Christ, which lead to ...Doubts about the place of Jesus in history, which lead to ...Doubts about the relevance of the Bible itself in the microchip-paced world of the 21st century. If you continue in that before you realize you become cynical and skeptic, and may eventually give up your faith.
Paul warned the Jewish believers in Hebrews 3:12-19 about the Danger of an unbelieving heart. He reminded them of the History of their forefathers to teach them a lesson. How does this apply to us who are challenged to hold on to our faith in this highly skeptic world?
I. THE UNBELIEVING HEART :( Vs 12)
Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, said the Great War time leader Sir, Winston Churchill. I wonder what must have inspired Churchill to say those famous words. Could it be that he must have read the passage from Hebrews 3rd chapter? In this passage we read the Apostle Paul pulling out a chapter from the History of Israel and warn his audience against the pitfalls of unbelief. In Vs 12, we read, “See to it (Take Care), brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” Why was Paul warning them to take care? In order to find that out we must visit a bit of the history of the Israelites.
The Israelites finally set off on a Journey, to the Promised Land under the leadership of Moses. Initially things seemed to be going well for them. There was timely food and water to drink. But as the journey progressed they faced severe hardships to an extent they wondered in unbelief whether it was God who had led them out of
II. THE DANGER OF UNBELIEF:
If there is one thing that displeases God more than anything else it is unbelief. Why? Because it places God in a vulnerable, weak position and makes him a liar. The children of
In simple words, unbelief is, “doubting God’s willingness or ability to alter or change the circumstances one is in. Let’s suppose I say to you that God can provide you a Job, you can turn around and say really? That is unbelief, doubting God’s power to provide. When we do that we doubt the very words of Jesus who said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mk 10: 27). God can do all things what man can not do.
Coming back to our passage Paul points out that God was angry with Israelites for forty years. What did make God so angry? In Numbers 14:11 we read the annoyance of God. “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? God was so annoyed with their continuous rebellion and unbelief so he declared, “as surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In the desert your bodies will fall…Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua Son of Nun.(Numbers 14:28-30) As declared by the Lord only Joshua, Caleb and the children of the first original group that left Egypt entered the promised land and the rest perished in the desert. Paul noted in our text, “They were not able to enter because of unbelief.” (Vs 19)
Unbelief cuts us off from our relationship with God. Paul uses this analogy of cutting and grafting of the branches of a tree to explain the danger of unbelief. We learn this, again from the way God dealt with Jews. In Romans 11: 19-23, we read, “You will say then, branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” Quite right, they (Israelites) were broken off for their unbelief but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches (Israelites) neither will He spare you.
What powerful warning is in this scripture? It reminds us of the sad history of God’s chosen people. Not only the first generation that left
We are no different if after knowing the Word of God and seeing miracles we too move in rebellion and unbelief. The same judgment that came upon Israelites can come upon us as well. You might be wondering, is there any hope for us and for those who refuses to believe Christ as the Messiah? The good news is yes there is hope provided we continue to live by faith in Jesus Christ and not to live in our unbelief.
How could we keep our hearts from unbelief? Is it possible for individual Christians to maintain their faith all by themselves during times of adversity? Paul gives us a simple but straightforward formula to overcoming unbelief. In Vs 13 we read, “But encourage one another daily as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sins deceitfulness.” I recently watched the movie Harvest of fire in which a FBI agent comes alongside an Amish widow to find the culprit who burned her farm.
This movie graphically depicted what a loving Christian community ought to be in times of adversity. If it was not for the caring and support of the Amish community this widow wouldn’t have made it in life. The key here is encouragement in its many forms. What is encouragement? What are the effects of encouragement?
III. ENCOURAGEMENT: THE ANTIDOTE FOR UNBELIEF.
Have you ever found yourself so discouraged that you just couldn’t believe in yourself anymore? And have you ever found the lift that got you out of the pit of despair and discouragement? That lift is often the encouragement of a friend or parent who encouraged and believed in you. I got that lift from two professors in the seminary who believed in me and encouraged me when I was struggling with Hebrew and Greek, otherwise I wouldn’t have completed my studies. Let’s admit from time to time we all need a lift, so we wait for some one to come along side to encourage us and lift us out, but Paul is reminding us not to sit and wait for others to come to you but for you to take the first step to find some one that you might encourage in the process you will get the needed encouragement.
What does encouragement mean? Is it simply saying praise God, Halleliuah, all will go well with you? Or is it more than just saying words? From the Hebrew word we get the meaning of strength and support. It is a word frequently used to describe battle scenes, where often the discouraged troops receive a surge of energy by the support of additional troops. In Greek it is Parakaleo from which we get the world Parakletos (a name for the Holy Spirit) it means to come alongside or to aid someone. In both OT and NT encouragement means more than cheering people with encouraging words but it often required action or practical involvement.
What does Paul mean by “encourage one another daily? It means to look out for the practical needs of our brothers and sisters who perhaps are discouraged because of a certain difficulty. How can we encourage one another practically? There are a number of ways we can encourage one another. We must stop talking negative of each other because that can only dishearten. When we are spreading gossip or part of a juicy gossip we are not encouraging one another instead we are tearing one another apart whereby spreading dissension and division among the brethren. We can speak well of each other, go up to some one and complement their dress or how well they are looking.
Find the Sunday school teachers and appreciate them for teaching your children the ways of God. Or walk up to the worship team and tell them how blessed you were during worship. Or appreciate those who serve in the Church. Tell the pastor how God touched you by his sermon. Find someone who might be struggling financially and try to meet some of their immediate needs. These are only a few of the many ways we can encourage one another.
If only we all follow Paul’s instruction of encouraging one another we can become a loving, sharing and loving community. But when we withhold encouragement from one another then as Paul warned we might be hardened by sins deceitfulness. In Hebrew 10:25 Paul exhorts the believers to “encourage one another and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.” In closing: God is not pleased when we move in unbelief. Only by faith we can please God. Unbelief separates us from God and eventually makes us loose our God given destiny. The sure way to over come unbelief as individuals and as a community is by way of encouraging one another on a daily basis. May the Lord help us to step out and be that encouragement for some one who might need encouragement today? Amen.
