Hebrews 5:11-14 – A Three-Group Message – Bible study

Hebrews 5:11-14 The Three-Group Message For the sake of tonights message, let us say the world is divided into three groups: 1. The Saved – Those who have chosen Jesus as their Savior. 2. The Lost – Those who have rejected Jesus as their Savior. 3. Those in the Middle – Those who have not decided yet. Of course we know that everyone who is in the middle is actually part of the 2nd group. They are lost, but for the sake of tonights messageand to help us understand the book of Hebrewslets say the world is divided into three groups. Now these groups are not just figments of my imagination. Most Bible preachers preach to all three of these groups. 1. To the saved, we encourage you to stay faithful, to finish the race, to complete your course. 2. To the lost, we announce that it is not too late. As long as there is life and breath there is hope. Repent and be saved. 3. To those in the middle, we warn that you cannot straddle the fence. You must decide for Christ, repent, and be saved. Not only do preachers preach to these three groups, but the author of Hebrews did as well. In fact, perhaps more than any other writer, this writer wrote to those in the middle. Why? Because Jews were slow to decide to trust Jesus as their Savior. Why? Several reasons: 1. Because the nation rejected Jesus, violently. You can see that by the cross. They also rejected violently Jews who trusted Jesus as their Savior. They stoned Stephen. They persecuted Paul. 2. Not only did the Jews run the risk of violence from their country men, they would be put out of the Temple. That was determined before Jesus was crucified. This was major to the Jews because their religion was not just a Sabbath Day event. It was woven into the very fabric of the lives, their culture, and their decision makingas it should be for every Christian. 3. It was against Roman law to be a Christian. Herod killed John the Baptist. Pilate killed Jesus. Herod killed the Apostle James. And ultimately, the emperor executed the Apostle Paul. With all of this, we might can understand why it often took Jews time to move out of the middle. But here we have a problem. The book of Hebrews is a three-group book, but today it is read mostly be two-group people. Most people today just look at the world as saved or lost. That is understandable, but this book is a three-group book. When two-group people read this three group book, they often think the author was saying things to Christians that he was actually saying to the group in the middle. For example, when the writer tells them that they are in danger of falling away, they conclude that Christians can fall away from salvation and be lost. Two Questions: 1. How do we know Christians cannot fall away from Christ and be lost? Because of what the remainder of the Bible says! 2. How do we know who the writer was talking about? Listen to what he says. To that end, lets look at a message this writer gives to each of the three groups: I. To the saved, youre not listening. Hebrews 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. A. To whom is the writer speaking? 1. Look at what he writes. 2. He was speaking to those who were being taught and should be teaching the Word of God. 3. That’s not the lost nor those in the middle. 4. That would be the saved. B. But the writer rebukes them – they are dull of hearing. 1. To be dull of hearing means the people are not listening anymore. 2. Sadly, not listening is a common affliction of most people. 3. The question that has been floating around Facebook is a good one. It goes something like, a. "Concerning ears on men, do they really work or are they just there for looks?" b. Ive asked Kathy to quit posting that question, but she keeps doing it. c. The answer is neither. Ears are on mens heads to keep our caps from falling down too far. 4. The writer of this book was wondering the same thing about the Jewish people to whom he was writing. C. How did he know they were not listening? 1. Because they werent growing. a. \#12\ By this time, they should have been teaching the Word of God; but instead, they needed to be re- taught. b. That sounds pretty blunt. It is, but it is also true. c. Christians arent supposed to be babes in Christ forever. d. Just as every infant and toddler are always pushing to learn and to do new things, so the babe in Christ should. e. If all a Christian wants to do is sit and listen to a sermonwhich would be a great improvement for many Christiansthen they arent growing and are dull of hearing. 2. How do babes in Christ grow? Hebrews 5:14 by reason of use have their senese exercised to discern both good and evil. a. They exercise their spiritual senses. b. What does that mean? (1) Start discerning between the good and the evil. (2) If you want to grow, trying using your newly-born spiritual nature to figure out what is good and bad, right and wrong, spiritual and carnal. (3) And when you figure it out, stay away from the evil and run toward the good. 3. The writer actually addressed this elsewhere. Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit. II. To those in the middle, you are in danger. Danger of what? A. Danger of drifting away. Heb 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation. 1. How do I know this was written to those in the middle? a. They are not lost in that they have rejected the Savior, but they have not accepted Jesus because in \#3\ the writer warns them about neglecting salvation. b. If you are saved, you did not neglect salvation. You accepted it. 2. What is drifting away? a. Drifting away is getting so caught up in the secular world that you lose interest in the spiritual. b. This doesnt just happen to the lost. It happens to the saved as well. 3. Why does it happen? a. Because you cannot keep carnal people with spiritual activities. b. I like carnal activities: cook outs, games, contests c. But unless you turn the church completely carnal, those in the middle will drift away sooner or later. d. There is a limited number of times an unsaved person will come to church before he drifts away! B. Danger of departing. Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 1. Again, to whom was the writer speaking? a. These have NOT departed from God but they had not believed on Him either. b. The writer said it was possible that they had a heart of UNBELIEF. c. A believer cannot have a heard that does not believe. d. He was talking to those who were in the middle. 2. These people dont just drift away. They cut and run. 3. You can call them, invite them, visit them, but they are done. 4. They may say that they are coming back, but they wontat least not until a tragedy comes. C. Danger of being disavowed. 1. Thats a fancy way of saying they dumped, ditched, or discarded. 2. By whom? By the Holy Ghost. 3. Again, to whom was the writer speaking? a. I believe he was speaking to those in the middle. b. It is for certain the Holy Spirit does not discard His own! 4. For those who stay in the middle for too long, it is possible the Holy Ghost will tire of you putting Him off just like He did in the days of Noah and might discard you. 5. Here, the writer showed what might happen to those who would not accept Jesus AFTER ALL the Holy Ghost did. 6. He started by listing four words we want to keep in mind, but then he listed five things that the Holy Ghost had done for those who were still in the Valley of Decision. Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened 7. Remember those first words, "it is impossible." We will come back for them in a minute. 8. What did the Holy Ghost do for those who were in the middle? a. He enlightened them. (1) "Enlightened" means to see the light or to understand something. (2) You can see the light (i.e. know who Jesus is and even be convicted) and stay lost! and have tasted of the heavenly gift b. He gave them a taste of the heavenly gift. (1) A taste is a sample. (2) This term is used here and in all of the thoughts of verse 5. (3) In BC (Before Corona), you could walk through some grocery stores on Friday evening and fill up on food sampleswithout ever buying anything! (4) You didnt own the sample. You were just testing it. (5) Just because these people had learned enough, been exposed enough, been convicted enough to be saved, does mean that they are saved. (6) They were just TASTING what God was offering to them. and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost c. He made them partakers with Himself. (1) Of all the phrases used, this one suggest salvation more than any of the others. (2) The word "partaker" means partnership. (3) You may not agree, but I believe everyone is in partnership with the Holy Ghost. (4) \#John 16:8\ His part in the partnership is to (a) Reprove, ours is to repent. (b) Illuminate, ours is to obey. (c) Draw us, our part is to accept Jesus. (5) So one can be partaker of the Holy Ghost and remain lost. (6) Still, this is a phrase which indicates the Holy Ghost has done a strong work on the unbeliever. 5 And have tasted the good word of God d. Again, He let them taste or sample the power of Gods Word. and the powers of the world to come, e. And He let them taste the power that will recreate a sinless world. 4. But if you experience all of these things and then walk away from God Heb 6:4 "It is impossible" 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. a. You will likely never be saved or even convicted again. b. I have seen people under such conviction of the Holy Ghost that they sat and wept, and then rejected Him. c. Afterward, they got cold to the things of God. (1) They might still attend the church, but they do not wept anymore. (2) Some of them would not come back to church or let me talk to them again. (3) Why? The Convictor left them. D. Understand that if you are in the middle, trying to straddle an imaginary fence, you run the risk of drifting away from God, departing from Him, or even being disavowed of Him. III. To the lost, you are out of options. Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. A. To the third group, the ones who have rejected Jesus, the writer has some solemn words: You are out of options. 1. This is not the saved. 2. And it is the ones who are still uncommitted. 3. These are the ones who have decided to reject Jesus. a. Maybe they decided to reject Jesus because they feared Rome. b. Maybe they decided to reject Jesus because they did not want to get cast out of the Temple. c. Maybe they decided to reject Jesus because they actually doubted who He was. d. Whatever their reason, they were out of options. B. \#26\ They are told there are no other sacrifices for sin. 1. Remember, the writer is writing to the Jews. 2. They are accustomed to having the Sin Offering, the Trespass Offering, their Yom Kippur Offering; but all of those offerings became obsolete the moment the Lamb of God died. 3. That means they are gone. They will not help you now. C. \#27\ All that remains is a fearful and fiery judgment. D. Friend, as long as you have life and breath, it is not too late. Turn to Jesus today. Hebrews is the Three Group Book. It has a message to you no matter where you are. My message is if you are lost, get saved. If you are saved, get and stay right.