- Preacher: Steve Constable
- Sermon Series: Hebrews | Jesus Is Better
- Sermon Title: Today, If You Hear His Voice…
- Scripture: Hebrews 3:7 – 4:2
Sermon Discussion Questions
- Share an experience with the group of a lesson you learned which you swore to yourself that you would never do the same thing again.
READ Numbers 13:30-14:3
READ Hebrews 3:7-4:13
- [v.7] Reading this story from their ancient past, there are two things that may have surprised the people the writer is writing to. (Remember these are Christians from a Jewish background scattered from Jerusalem, persecuted and tempted to give up the faith]. The two things are these in verse 7: “today” and “the Holy Spirit.” What would have surprised them, do you think?
- [vv.8-11] The writer is suggesting to them that though the circumstances are different, the situation is similar and God has not changed. We tend unconsciously perhaps to place the stories of the Old Testament in a different light with a different set of rules that God and Israel were operating by. How are things different for us now under the gospel and how are things still the same?
- [vv. 12-15] Reading Numbers 14, what was it that caused the people to grumble and rebel against the LORD and Moses? Was it physical hardship, disappointment, nostalgia, fear or something else? [Hint: look at Numbers 13:30-33.] The writer plainly sees the same temptation before theses Jewish Christians to whom he is writing? Right now, do you see similar temptations before you? What might it take for you to rethink whether following Jesus is too difficult for you?
- [3:16-4:2)What was the rest that was promised to Israel coming out of Egypt? What is the rest that is promised to us in Christ? The writer speaks to these Hebrew Christians as if potentially turning their backs on Jesus and the gospel they also might not enter God’s rest, do you think that is true?
- The writer tells us later in the passage: “do not harden your hearts;” “strive to enter that rest;” “the Word of God is living and active.” Whenever we find a warning in the Bible, we find a concealed promise that the warning need not be finally true of us. What can you do to encourage yours and others’ faith and not let history repeat itself with you?
- Consider this prayer as you close, patterning some of your own prayers after it as you pray for one another.
“If I am to complain, let me complain to Jesus fastened on His cross. But in Your presence, my Savior, what I have to complain of? What are my sufferings compared with those you bore without complaining? I might perhaps convince my fellow man that I am unjustly afflicted, but in Your presence, Lord, I cannot, for my sins are known to You. You know my sufferings are far less than I deserve. And since all my afflictions proceed from You, to You I come; give me strength and hearten me to suffer without complaining; as once You did yourself.” Claude de la Combriere