One Final Word

Turn with me one last time to the book of Hebrews Hebrews chapter 13 today We're going to finish what we began over seven years ago in the study of the book of Hebrews And today I want to give you one final word one final word from the book of Hebrews Our text is Hebrews 13 verses 22 down through verse number 25 it reads this way But I urge you brethren bear with this word of exhortation for I have written to you briefly Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released with whom if he comes soon I will see you greet all of your leaders and all the Saints those from Italy greet you grace be with you all There's a myriad of ways that I could take this passage of scripture and go with it I could talk to you about grace now grace is distributed to all what that means I could talk to you about Greeting your leaders and the Saints among you I could talk to you about Timothy and his release from prison and and the fact that he's coming to them soon all would be very valid points to to talk to you about But but I've decided just to give you one final word Dealing with the first part of verse number 22, which reads simply These this way I urge you brethren bear with this word of exhortation Pay close attention to this word of exhortation Listen carefully to this word of exhortation Bear up under the word of this exhortation This is how he concludes He wants them to realize that what they have just heard or just read about is so important that they need to pay very close attention to what they have just read It's unfortunate today that for the most part we don't do that So this is your one final word out of the book of Hebrews to pay very close attention to The truth of what God conveys through his word The Bible says that we need to be quick to the hearing of the word James 1 verse number 19 and yet We tend to be very slow And hearing what God has to say There are reasons for that.

I'll give them to you this morning But think of it this way Because it's a Jewish audience and To understand the book of Hebrews. You need to understand the Jewish nation the Jewish culture the Jewish history For if you understand the Old Testament, you can interpret Israel or interpret Hebrews fairly easily If you don't know the Old Testament, it makes it more difficult But you need to know the Jewish nation In this writer to Hebrews whoever it may be understands their history Understands what has taken place because Israel biggest problem Throughout the Old Testament was that they never listened to what God said they never paid attention To what God said they never listened carefully to what God said in fact over in the book of Matthew These words are spoken by our Lord Matthew chapter 23 in Matthew 23 He said these words verse 37 Jerusalem Jerusalem who kills the prophets and stones those who are Sent to her that's how Jerusalem is characterized They kill the prophets and Stone those who are sent to her.

Why would they want to do that? Because they didn't want to listen to what they had to say So it goes on to say how often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings And you were unwilling Behold your house is being left to you desolate For I say to you from now on you will not see me Until not unless But until big difference until you say Blessed as he who comes in the name of the Lord in other words They will say one day blessed as he who comes in the name of the Lord.

That's why it says until you say it and They will say Zechariah 12 13 and 14 16 times it says in that day what day in the day of the Kings return They will say blessed as he who comes in the name of the Lord But the problem with Israel's is is is that they would not listen pay very close attention To the prophets and those that were sent to her In fact that is illustrated quite readily in the book of 2nd Chronicles 2nd Chronicles chapter 36 verse number 11 Zedekiah was 21 years old when he began to reign as king and he reigned 11 years in Jerusalem He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God.

He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet who spoke for the Lord He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear allegiance by God, but he stiffened his neck Hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel Furthermore all the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations and They defiled the house of the Lord Which he had sanctified in Jerusalem the Lord the God of their fathers Sent word to them again and again by his messengers Because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they continually mocked the messengers of God Despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people until there was no remedy In other words God sent to them because of his compassion prophets and messengers But they did not listen They didn't want to hear what they had to say That's why when when Jesus came Jesus said so much about what it means To listen to hear In fact, he said he who has ears to hear Let him hear In Revelation 2 and 3 to the seven churches of Asia Minor He concludes with he who has ears to hear Let him hear what the what the Spirit says to the churches You need to listen He says over in in Luke 11 verse number 27 While Jesus was saying these things one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to him Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breast at which you nursed But he said on the contrary blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it The blessing comes when you hear God's Word And you do what it says In Luke chapter 10 You know the story of Mary and Martha Now as they were traveling along he entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house She had a sister called Mary who was seated at the Lord's feet listening to his word Then Martha was distracted with all her preparations and she came up to him and said Lord Do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?

Then tell her to help me But the Lord answered and said to her Martha Martha You are worried about and bothered about so many things But one thing is necessary For Mary has chosen the good part. We shall not be taken away from her Busyness always breeds Barrenness, did you know that? Busyness breeds Barrenness And Martha was upset that she was doing everything alone, but Mary had chosen the better part To sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his words As she might know what he says in Luke 9 verse number 35 of the Mount Transfiguration Remember took place God spoke from the crowd from it from a cloud and said to Peter James and John This is my beloved son listen to him in chapter 8 of Luke's gospel verse number 19 His mother and brothers came to him and they were unable to get to him because of the crowd And it was reported to him your mother and your brothers are standing outside Wishing to see you, but he answered said to them my mother and my brothers are those who?

hear the Word of God and keep it and then he gives a Unique illustration to his men verse 22 Now in one of those days Jesus and his disciples got into a boat and he said to them let us go over to the other side of the lake So they launched out But as they were sailing along he fell asleep and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake And they began to be swamped and to be in danger They came to Jesus and woke him up saying master master we are perishing He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves and they stopped and it became calm They said to them.

Where is your? faith What is faith? Faith is believing what God has already said what had God already said? Get into the boat Let's go to the other side of the lake He said that But as soon as they got in the middle of the lake and things got a little rough. They thought they were gonna die Why because they did not believe? In what God had already said They didn't listen To what the Lord said and that's why it says and they were fearful and amazed Saying to one another who then is this that he commands even the winds and the water and they obey him Christ had a huge emphasis in his ministry.

I'm listening to what he had to say because listening is The fine art of worship You will be a great worshiper if you are a great listener If you're a bad listener You can't worship Because you can't hear what the what the Word of God is saying as it speaks to you You need to listen intently So the writer of Hebrews at the very end says to this Jewish audience Listen, you need to pay very close attention to what I've just told you this exhortation Need to grapple with it. You need to understand it because he knows Jewish history Go back with me if you would to the book of Jeremiah book of Jeremiah We just read to you 2nd Chronicles 36, which is the last book of the Bible in in the in the Jewish Torah It's a it's the last book right?

It's it's it's the last book because the the Old Testament in Jewish theology ends with the destruction of the temple on the Temple Mount and They wailing before that Western wall that wailing wall that that waiting wall in anticipation to Messiah coming again Recognizing the magnitude of their sin But they were warned Jeremiah chapter 6 verse number 10 to whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear Behold their ears are closed and they cannot listen Behold the Word of the Lord has become a reproach to them They have no delight in it No delight Why is it someone would not have a delight in hearing the Word of God What would keep you from delighting and hearing what God has to say More on that at a moment Verse 16 thus says the Lord stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths Where the good way is and walk in it and you will find rest for your souls, but they said We will not walk in it And I said I watched men over you saying listen to the sound of the trumpet, but they said We will not listen Therefore here o nations and no o congregation what is among them?

Here on earth behold. I am bringing disaster on this people the fruit of their plans because they have not listened to my words and As for my law They have rejected it also So you move to Jeremiah chapter 13 and in Jeremiah chapter 13 It says in verse number 8 Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying thus says the Lord just so Will I destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem this wicked people who refuse to? listen to my words Who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them let them Be just like this waistband, which is totally worthless for as the waistband clings to the waist of a man So I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to me declares the Lord that they might be for me a people for renowned for praise and for glory, but They did not Listen Right if Hebrews knows this He knows that the Jewish audience knows this that they did not listen So he says make sure you listen to what you've just been told pay very close attention to this word of exhortation You don't want to be in the same boat as your forefathers were So in chapter 17 of Jeremiah the Lord says this Thus says the Lord Go and stand in the public gate.

This is a person that number 19 of chapter 17 through which the kings of Judah come in and go out as well as in all the gates of Jerusalem and Say to them listen to the word of the Lord the kings of Judah and all Judah and all in heaven to Jerusalem Who come in through these gates thus says the Lord take heed? For yourselves and do not carry any load on the Sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem You should not bring a load out of your houses or on the Sabbath day nor do any work But keep the Sabbath day holy as I commanded your forefathers Yet, they did not listen or incline their ears But stiffen their necks in order not to listen or take correction Then you turn to the book of Jeremiah the 25th chapter In chapter 25 It says in verse number 4 and the Lord has sent to you all his servants the prophets Again, and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear saying Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil way of your deeds and dwell on the land which the Lord has given to You and your forefathers forever and ever and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands and I will do you no harm Yet you have not listened to me declares the Lord in order that you might provoke me to anger With the work of your hands to your own heart You did not listen chapter 35 of Jeremiah Jeremiah chapter 35 verse number 12 then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying thus says the Lord of hosts the God of Israel go and say to the Men of Judah and in heavens of Jerusalem.

Will you not receive instruction by listening to my words declares the Lord the words of Jonadab the son of Rakab which he commanded his sons not to drink wine or observe So they do not drink wine to this day for they have obeyed their father's command But I have spoken to you again and again Yet you have not listened to me Also, I have sent to you all my servants the prophets sending them again and again saying turn now every man from the evil way And the men your deeds and do not go after other gods to worship them Then you will dwell in the land, which I have given to you and to your forefathers But you have not inclined your ear or listened to me Miss that God has sent messenger after messenger prophet after prophet Telling them what to do how to live where to go what to say and they refused to listen So when Christ comes He beckons all of Israel.

He was ears to hear Let him hear Are you listening? Mary's chosen the better part to listen to the words of Christ rather to be involved in all kinds of extracurricular activities Jerusalem Jerusalem you kill the prophets Stone those who were sent to you. Oh, I wanted to gather you together as A mother hen would gather her chicks, but you You were unwilling You did not listen So the Bible says and the book of 2nd Timothy chapter 4 these words Timothy's told to preach the word be ready in season out of season to reprove rebuke exhort with great patience and instruction For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine But wanting to have their ears tickled they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires And will turn away their ears from the truth And we'll turn aside in myths but you Timothy be sober in all things endure hardship do the work of an evangelist and fulfill your ministry Timothy there's coming a time.

Well where they won't listen They're gonna gather together for themselves preachers who will tickle their ears In other words, you know God's Word doesn't tickle people's ears. It boxes people's ears and you need to understand that and Yet in the end times Where we are at today This is how it happens So, why is it We don't listen Why is it when Solomon says guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near To listen The fine art of worship centers on listening more than anything else Hearing what God's Word says Listening to the voice of God through the pages of the scriptures the The inspired word Illuminates the incarnate word Always the inspired word Illuminates the incarnate word.

In other words, you're able to see Christ in his word Because you're able to with unveiled face As second Corinthians 318 says behold is in a mirror the glory of the Lord So that you're transformed from one level of glory to the next level of glory you're transformed into being Christlike why because the inspired word Illuminates the incarnate word that you might see him worship him and understand him So Solomon says guard your steps For when you go to the house of the Lord you go there to listen But why is it we have such a difficult time?

Listening Let me give you several reasons now I'll explain it to you and See if this is you today Okay number one we don't listen because of Distraction We are distracted By things that happen before we arrived You understand You get up.

You gotta get your kids ready You got the wrong socks on the wrong feet got the wrong shoes with the wrong kid You know, you're wrestling around trying to get everything together trying to get into the car Try to get them to church rush to church get them signed in for for their class rush in here sit down Take a deep breath and they call you and say you gotta come get your kid So you get up go get your kid, you know something happened in the classroom There are so many distractions that we face all the time But remember the Lord said to Martha That Mary has chosen the best part She's chosen to listen to the words not to be distracted by all the goings-on around you Maybe you're distracted today because of what you're gonna do after church Right so many times we're distracted because we have meals to prepare and in places to go Maybe you're distracted because of things that happen before church Maybe you're distracted because of things that are gonna happen this week and and they weigh heavily on your mind But so easily We can become distracted We sit in the back of the church and we're distracted by the people in the front of the church Right because they're scratching their head, you know, they're moving around you get distracted very easily happens, right?

You get distracted by the guys sitting next to you in the pew. I Don't know But so easily we become distracted that we don't pay very close attention to what's being said at all And the next thing, you know church is over we live leave and don't even know what was said But Destruction is a big deal For many people we can't shut our minds off from things at home. We can't shut our minds off from things at work we can't shut our minds off because we are so so taken by other things and So we are distracted It will always keep us from listening intently Satan loves to distract you To draw your attention away from the truth So anything he can do to do that he will do So you don't have to hear what God has for you on this day The distraction is a is a big deal that's one of the reasons we don't listen Another one is this deception We are deceived We are deceived in thinking that what's being said doesn't apply to me But it doesn't apply to my wife or doesn't play to my kids or doesn't apply to my friends It's very easy to be self-deceived The Pharisees were self-deceived.

They believed that what Jesus had to say didn't apply to them Because they were religious They were the religious elite How dare Christ come and try to instruct them on the things of religion They were very deceived It's easy to be in that category We come and we hear something we think well that doesn't apply to me Let me tell you something if it's if you're here It applies to you If we're talking about marriage and you're single it applies to you If we're talking about doctrine it applies to you If we're talking about in times it applies to you everything in the Word of God applies to you because it's all profitable for instruction for reproof for correction for Training and righteousness that we had the men of God thoroughly furnished thoroughly equipped right so it's all profitable But we deceive ourselves thinking well that topics not for me So I won't we hear about Daniel because that's not about prophecy that didn't apply to me I won't Do a study on Leviticus because that's all about Levitical law that doesn't apply to me Well, I don't want to say about the book of Revelation.

It's just too hard to understand and after all That doesn't apply to me it all applies to us These are God's words And so we are self-deceived Into thinking it doesn't mean anything to me And what the right of Hebrews said Hebrews chapter 3 verse number 12 Take care brethren that there not be in any one of you an evil unbelieving heart that falls away from the Living God and Be encouraged but encouraged one another day after day as long as it is still called today said none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin Don't let your heart be hardened because of the deceitfulness of sin Thinking that somehow this doesn't apply to you, but somehow this should apply to someone else And not me we can be so easily Distracted oh by the way the reason we're distracted is because there's something more important to us Than what God has to say You'll never admit that I'll never admit it, but that's the truth Your children when you speak to them And they don't follow through They were busy doing something else.

They were distracted. I didn't hear you. I was doing something else There was something more important to you than listening to your father or your mother speak Instead of your father or mother speaking being the most important thing to you When God speaks it's the most important thing But we're distracted why? Because there's something else in my mind, that's more important That's elevated over what God has to say that needs to be done that I need to schedule I need to get rid of Etc etc etc So distraction Deception Play a major part in that listening to the words of the Lord Right if Hebrews knows that And so number three is this Disobedience Disobedience is another thing that keeps me from listening to what the Word of the Lord says in other words.

I'm living in sin and Isaiah 59 speaks very clearly to this that is that We have separated ourselves from God not God separating himself from us It's our sin that separates us And when we live in disobedience to God We don't want to hear what God has to say We'll come and sit in the pew and put in time and and we'll you know make everybody think things are okay But in reality there's disobedience in the heart and the right of Hebrews would go on to say that in the same chapter of the third same chapter 3 in verse number 18 Into whom did he swear that they would not enter to rest but to those who were Disobedient Their deceitfulness led to their disobedience and they learned to disobey the Word of the Lord So important to hear what God God's Word says But but if we're living in sin We can't even begin to hear what God has to say because our sins have have separated us from from our God And because we don't confess that sin we don't deal with that sin It remains prominent their lives We don't hear what God has to say Distraction deception Disobedience all those things keep us from paying very close attention to this word of exhortation There's another one number four We call this one Disengagement In other words, I'm disengaged Second Timothy 4.

I'm sorry to verse number 4 says no good soldier Entangles himself in the affairs of this world So that he might please his commanding officer No good soldier does that? But so many times we we come and we are disengaged And we can become disengaged for for many reasons, but let me give you an illustration because you see You don't think I?

see your disengagement But I did I've been doing this for for 40 years a long time And believe me I can tell you whether or not someone's disengaged Say well, you know hydra glasses on how do you know? You'll be surprised Number years ago in a family in our church and I noticed that the father Was completely disengaged So I went to him And I said hey, I can't help but notice That you are completely out of touch on Sunday mornings He said no.

No, I'm not. I'm not a touch. I said no, I think you are Your body language speaks volumes It's written all over your face. You wear your heart on your sleeve Everybody sees it But as your pastor, I'm just concerned that you are completely and totally disengaged On Sunday mornings, he goes, how do you know I sit in the back? You'll be surprised what I know No, I'm in tune. I'm engaged with what's going on. I Say you sure? There's nothing happening in your life privately that I should know about No, nothing But you're good Yeah, I Said okay Six months passed Nothing really changed so I went to him again I hate to be like a like a like a bad habit coming back to you all the time, but You are you are so disengaged on Sunday morning.

I know I came to you about this a while back But you pay no attention It's written all over your face Your eyes are elsewhere your hearts not here What's wrong? What's happening? In your private life that's affecting you on Sundays to be completely disengaged He goes look nothing's happening. Everything's good. This is the way I am. You know, I always look down I'm always coming through my Bible. I'm always doing these things. I'm not disengaged. Just this is the way I am. I said, okay But I'll let you know that the appearance Is huge Three months later it was exposed.

They had a secret sin that destroyed his family And I went to him I Said I gave you opportunity. I warned you I Told you you were disengaged and you said you weren't I asked you if there's some secrets in your life You said no, there's not I said, are you sure you said? Yes So I came to you out of my love for you out of my concern for your family That you would be totally in rapture with the words of Christ but yet It was very obvious to me and to others That you just were completely disengaged on Sunday morning He goes, yeah, I know I should have I should have told you when he came to me I Said we could have spared your family We could have spared your family much heartache had you come to me but you didn't You see there are people even today even as we speak this morning Who are disengaged not so much now because I'm talking about it, but if I wasn't talking about they still be disengaged But you see that keeps us from listening He wasn't hearing the Word of the Lord Listen First Thessalonians 2 13 says that the Word of God Right effectually works in those who believe If you're a believer God's words at work in the only way it's not at work is because somehow I am disengaged or I Disobedient to God I'm living in sin or I am completely distracted by things around me But I don't want to hear what God has to say or I am deceived and thinking this is not for me This has got to be for you And therefore don't pay attention don't listen very carefully I Just kind of come to church.

I attend church. I show up at church, right? Disengaged for engaged people are Involved in the ministry of the church Engaged people serve in the church Engaged people give to the church engaged people want to be an encouragement to other people in the church. Those are engaged people right Disengaged people they don't want to get involved. They don't want to give they want don't a fellowship with you It's what comes sit put in time And putting time doesn't work Why because the fine art of worship stems from learning how to listen Appropriately listen carefully listen intently You can't do that if you're distracted Can't do it if you're just if you're deceived or disobedient or disengaged You know, there's also the devil Got to give devil the devil his credit Mark chapter 4 So well to sow some seeds, right?

And some of the seed fell on hard soil And Jesus says Satan comes and snatches that away There are times where the devil is actively involved it snatches the Word of God away so you do not believe So you got to give credit where credit is due that does happen And on top of that notice that sometimes Sometimes you don't listen because we're dead We're just dead not physically but spiritually We're dead Dead and a trespasser the sin in the natural man Never understands the things the Spirit of God first Corinthians chapter 2 why?

Because he can't discern that which is spiritual because he's a dead man And so it could be that You come to church and it doesn't mean anything to you because you're dead in the inside. You're dead spiritually And so when the Word of God is speaking, you're not listening because you can't hear because your ears had not been opened by the Lord and therefore We just did on the inside It could be this That you completely devalue the truth of God's Word The Proverbs 23 23 says by truth don't sell it why it's the most valuable thing there is That's why when the gospel is compared to a pearl in Matthew 13 or a lost treasure The man who goes after it sells all that he has in order to obtain it why because he values it so much Those who value the truth they listen intently Those who value God's Word can't wait to hear God's Word Those who value God's Word dive deep into God's Word they want to hear it They want to know it why because it's all about the Lord God of Israel They want to get to know it So the right of Hebrew says pay very close attention To the word of exhortation that I've given to you Don't be distracted Don't be disobedient Don't be deceived Don't be disengaged Don't the devil take it away Make sure you're not dead And don't devalue anything that's been said why?

Why because of what he's just given to us What is he given to us he's given to us the book of Hebrews That reveals the identity of the Messiah Reveals his identity if you just go back to chapter 1 God after he spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways in these last days He has spoken to us in his son whom he appointed heir of all things to whom also he made the world And he is the radiance of his glory the exact representation of his nature and upholds all things by the word of his power When he had made purification of sins He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high that that tells us that Hebrews Reveals his identity it radiates his glory and it records his ministry first three verses first four verses Reveals the identity of the Messiah he's the exact representation of his father It tells us that that he Everything about it radiates his glory.

He is a shining forth of his father And records his ministry he made purification for sins And sat down at the right hand of God the father Pay very close attention because what we have done He says is revealed to you the identity of Jesus Christ our Lord the Messiah of Israel we have he radiates his glory by Understanding that he is God in the flesh and he records his ministry At the same time it reflects it reflects his purity right because he is a a High priest who cannot be tempted like we are attempting upwards like we are yet without sin in other words There is no sin in him Because he cannot sin And so the writer of Hebrews reflects for us the purity of the Messiah He recounts the mercy of the Messiah Over and over again how merciful he is to save those who are lost He reinforces the supremacy and the sufficiency of the Messiah.

That's the whole theme of the book of Hebrews And so he reinforces that over and over again That he is supreme and sufficient above everything else because he is what everything else pointed to It also records man's destiny that's why he gives those five warnings about not being dull of hearing the danger of unbelief And making sure that you respond today and not tomorrow because there are warnings that if you do not Receive this word spoken to you. You're in danger Of being come of coming to a place where it's impossible to renew you to repentance He records man's destiny He would go on to reiterate man's responsibility, but primarily the book of Hebrews Remains the only story that matters It's a story of Jesus Christ our Lord Who is the all-sufficient supreme?

creator of the universe Who came and was the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy? Rose again this coming again one day What a marvelous study We've had a great opportunity to to pay close attention to To the things that the right of Hebrews has said all inspired by God And I wonder at the end What you have taken from the book of Hebrews Seven years Four months later This had to have made an impact Somewhere somehow in your life Unless you're dead That could possibly be Unless you devalue that which is spoken Unless you're disobedient by living in sin unless unless you're disengaged Or You're disinterested or You truly are distracted By everything else around you because something's more important to you than God in his Word But you would think after seven years and four months There would be one thing that would stick And alter Your lifestyle Solomon said these words In Proverbs chapter 1 verse number 33 he Who listens to me?

lives Secure And will be at ease from the dread of evil That's the Bible says He listens to me Will live Securely and will be at ease from the dread Of evil Let's pray father.

We thank you for today and the opportunity to be reminded once again that we need to come to listen To pay very close attention to the word of exhortation That surely Lord we would grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord We thank you father for the Word of God It is the priceless treasure That you have given to man to know you You have revealed yourself in all of your splendor and all of your glory through the pages of the scriptures And we thank you Lord that you have given us the opportunity To study them Our prayer father is that everyone who was here Would have learned not just one thing but many things throughout our study of the book of Hebrews simply because It truly reveals to us the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ our great God And for that we will always be thankful Until you come again as you most surely will in Jesus name.

Amen