Chapter 5:11-6:19

5:11 - Slow to Hear?5:11 - Slow to Hear?• Not taking it seriously.

• Sower Lk. 8:14• Big Talkers Mt. 7:19-21• Calloused hearts

Mt. 13:11-15• Loosing talents

Mt. 25:14-30

5:12 Perpetual Students – a 5:12 Perpetual Students – a Need for Graduation.Need for Graduation.

• A Sense of oughtness – “by this time…”

• Fear – of criticism (Jam. 3:1);

• Messing up (Mt. 25:24-30); • Great expectations (Lk.

13:7, 9) • Rejection (2 Tim. 2:2; Heb.

12:25) • Commit – (Psa. 119:11)

Advanced vs Elementary Advanced vs Elementary TrainingTraining 5:13, 145:13, 14

• Some believers, like infants, will speak of going to church "to get fed" or looking for a church "that will feed them," while giving little thought to feeding others, thus they remain in a diaper stage sometimes for decades.

Heb 6:1, 2Heb 6:1, 2 Leave  Leave Elementary Elementary TeachingsTeachings

• It's called "Elementary School" for a reason. He pairs them up in series of “two’s”

Elementary Teachings - 1Elementary Teachings - 1• Repentance from

dead works AND Faith toward God

1. To the Jew - being zealously cautious about tithing or washing of hands

2. Mysticism and temple rituals

Elementary Teachings - 2Elementary Teachings - 2 BaptismsBaptisms

• Seven Baptisms are noted in New Testament:(1) The baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11); (2) the baptism of fire (Matthew 3:11); (3) the baptism of John (Matthew 3:16); (4) the baptism unto Moses (1 Corinthians 10:2); (5) the baptism of suffering (Luke 15:30); (6) the baptism for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29); and (7) the baptism of the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

• Only three times is the Greek word for baptisms used in scripture and in the other two cases, it has reference to ceremonial cleansings (Mk. 7:4; Heb. 6:2; 9:10).

Elementary Teachings - 2Elementary Teachings - 2 Laying on of HandsLaying on of Hands

• Was common as a sign of blessing (Matthew 19:13), of healing (Mark 7:32), in the choice of the Seven (Acts 6:6), in the bestowal of the miraculous power (Acts 8:17; Acts 19:6; Rom. 1:11), in separation for a special task (Acts 13:3) and in ordination (1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Timothy 1:6). Prayer often accompanied this laying on of the hands.

Putting these two together “baptisms and laying on of hands” makes more sense if the baptism and the touching had become a mystical rite for entrance into the church (being voted upon?).

Elementary Teachings – 3 Elementary Teachings – 3 Resurrection and Eternal JudgmentResurrection and Eternal Judgment

Because Jesus has all authority we will rise (Jn. 5:28, 29).The resurrected body will be different in kind (1 Cor.

15:42-44).All will be resurrected within the same hour. Those who

have died and are resting in paradise (Lk. 16:19ff; Lk. 23:43) will rise first, then those who are alive and remain will be caught up to be with them (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Heb. 9:27).

At that resurrection the church will be handed over to God (1 Cor. 15:24).

6:4-6a Event Horizon – The Entrapment of False Doctrine

• They were once enlightened (10:26); once manifested supernatural gifts; once participated in the revelatory process. The contention is not if they were saved for that is a given.

Love of money/world (1 Tim. 6:10; 2 Tim. 4:10); arrogance of talent (Phil. 1:15-17); favoring past religion (Gal. 5:4; book of Hebrews); blending religions of men with wholesome doctrine (1 Tim. 4:7; Rev. 2:20); unrepentant attitude/personal sin (2 Cor. 7:10); spousal persuasion (Solomon); accepting books of men over biblical precedence (Gal. 1:7-9).

V. 6 b V. 6 b Crucifying and Crucifying and ShamingShaming

• Two things happen when one turns their back on the doctrines found under the New Covenant: (1) Make the crucifixion personal – denying Christ’s doctrines is no worse than what the Jew’s forefathers did to Jesus. (2) Belittle the savior of the world to the church – his doctrines doesn’t matter.

6:7, 8 Consequences, Consequences

• Combining the parable of the soils with the parable of the barren fig tree the author makes his point about the destiny of those who pervert the gospel (see Lk. 8:4ff; 13:7, 8). False doctrine just doesn’t affect the eternal position of the teacher it affects the whole church.

Vs. 9-12 The Correct Way to Rebuke

• V. 9 God puts his Confidence in our activity. He uses earthen vessels as a medium of spreading the knowledge of him to all living souls (2 Cor. 4:7; Matthew 28:19-20). Let the church dream big.

• V. 10, 11 God Commemorates our activity. Great men and women have been immortalized in the Bible because of good works they did in his name – Moses, Joshua, David, Jael, Mary, Pricilla and others (Heb. 11).

• V. 12 God is Critical about our inactivity. Define the works of the church here, Sluggish or lazy? Recall those trail blazers, or pioneers who began the work and rekindle that which is smoking (Rev. 2 & 3).

6:13-19 The News Keeps Getting Better

• There is no need to abandon your faith because God keeps promises! A few passing promises indicate that he is always faithful as: He promised seed time and harvest after the flood; Abram a child; deliverance from Egypt and to cast out the Canaanites (etc..).

• The point being made is that patience has its ultimate reward in Christ.

6:17, 18 God’s Word is Sure6:17, 18 God’s Word is Sure

• God’s promises and God’s oath makes things he declares to come to pass.

• V. 19 Jesus has gone further than any high priest ever went…. He knows what is behind the veil; not the ark but the person that it represents. Jesus is in the presence of God making intercession for the saints (Heb. 7:25).

““Fleeing for Refuge”Fleeing for Refuge”

• God is our ROCK. • Too many fail in

religion because they are running to a church rather than running to Christ.

““Fleeing for Refuge”Fleeing for Refuge”Anchoring in the harbor

“Steady as she goes.”