HARDENING OF SPIRITUAL ARTERIES (ARTERIOSCLEROSIS)

SERIES: LIVING BY FAITH.

TEXT: HEBREWS 3:7- 19, 4:1- 11

One of the top killer diseases of our time is called “arteriosclerosis.” It is the hardening of the arteries. Today many Christians have developed arteriosclerosis-the hardening of spiritual arteries. The arteries that carry the Holy Spirit, life and the power of God in our lives are hardened causing spiritual death to many believers. Arteriosclerosis restricts the flow of blood which eventually causes the heart to stop.

Our hearts can become hardened towards God. Believers with hardened spiritual arteries become hardened towards God.

They miss the blessings of being born again. Paul gave us the second warning against drifting or neglecting our salvation-Heb. 2:1-4. Paul issues these warnings from Israel’s past failures and mistakes-Numbers 13:25-33.

Moses and Aaron sent 12 spies into Canaan, the two that are named are Joshua and Caleb.

As they ventured into the land flowing with milk and honey they saw the giants. 10 of the 12 spies saw the occupied land and were paralyzed in fear, “They said there is no way we will live in that place it is overran with giants.”

Caleb and Joshua said, “Yeah they are too big but we will surely overcome them”-Numb. 14:6-10.

• Israel refused to move forward to the land of the promise.
• God condemned to wonder in the wilderness for 40 years.
• Israel’s unbelief held them hostage in the wilderness for 40 years, while the promise was only 11 days away!!
• Church-what God has promised, revealed and assured should never be doubted-keep walking by faith!!
• Paul quotes Psalm 95, which was written 1,000 years after the Hebrew wonderings to show that this truth should be applied today.

Israel had hardened their hearts to YHWH and the word of God.

• When the nation had hardened their hearts, they paid the cost.
• They live in the barren, rugged terrain of the wilderness instead of enjoying the Promised Land.
• They were out of Egypt (saved) but they were not in the Promised Land (heaven).
• The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart.
• What did God say about these people?-Heb. 3:10.
• They had unbelieving hearts, falling away from the living God-Heb. 3:12.
• When a person has an unbelieving heart and an erring heart, the result is hard heart.
• A hardened heart is hostile to the work and word of God.
• The people did not care even to return to Egypt.
• Paul’s audience was doing the same thing, going back to the shackles of the law in the Old Testament-Heb. 3:7-19; Hebrews 4:1-11.
• Before the N.T, God was speaking and believers then and now must not harden their hearts against His word. Let us learn:-

THE CAUSES OF A HARDENED HEART-Heb. 3:7-13.

• Paul’s audience was already developing spiritual arteriosclerosis-Vs. 7.
• Do not harden your heart.

1. The first cause is due to “DELAY”-Vs. 7-9.

• Delay is a function of time and time is a function of destiny. When you are delayed, your destiny is delayed.
• Today means “right now.”
• Today, obey God, listen to His word, have faith is His word-Trust God now.
• The longer obedience is put off, the more dangerous it becomes-The harder the arteries.
• It was “Today” in the days of Moses. It was “Today” a thousand years later when David wrote Psalm 95.
• It was “Today” when Hebrew Christians were spoken to.
• It is “Today” for us now. We don’t know when today will end, but “Today” let us worship, pray and read the word.

2. The second cause is “RESTLESSNESS”-3:10-11.

• Israel always found something to gripe about, water, meat, bread, they never got satisfied.
• Moses called the place “Massah and Meribah”-Exodus 17:7 which means provocation and trial-Heb. 3:10.
• When you allow your heart and mind to stray into sin and disinterest you run the danger of hardening your heart.

3. The third cause is “UNBELIEF”-Vs. 12.

• God’s word has been spoken, to refuse to believe is to risk a hardened heart.
• When a person refuses to listen to God’s word, he will reach a point where to believe would be impossible leading to despair.
• A heart that does not believe God is an evil heart.

4. The fourth cause of hardened heart is sin-3:13-14.

• The more one sins, the more the heart becomes hard.
• The more a child of God sins, the heart becomes desensitized to sin until the heart becomes seared.
• Their sin was apostasy-Vs. 12 drifting away from the living God.
• Did God allow them to go back to Egypt? NO!!
• He disciplined them even with death.
• Sin always want to go back to bondage (Delay, restlessness, unbelief and sin).
• Hebrews 3:8 The main blessing that Israel missed in the wilderness was rest. They did not settle down-life in total dependence upon God.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF HARDENED HEART-Heb. 3:15-4:10.

• They failed to enter God’s rest.
• There are three examples of rest in this passage:-

1. Israel’s rest-Heb. 3:15-19.

• When God told Israel, go back to the land, slay the giants, enter into the promise I gave Abraham-have rest from bondage.
• When they refused they had nothing but restlessness, wandering in the wilderness 40 years.
• Because of unbelief-the root of all sin is unbelief. Unbelief is the sin unto death.

2. The father’s rest-Heb. 4:4.

• God finished His work of creation and rested on the seventh day.
• When sin came into the garden of Eden, God’s rest was interrupted.
• Jesus told the Pharisees in John 5:17, “My Father is working until now, and I myself am working.”
• The true Sabbath is Jesus Christ that is why Jesus Christ worked on the Sabbath.
• Jesus was/is forever more the real Sabbath.

3. Jesus rest-Heb. 4:8-10.

• Jesus Christ finished His work on the cross and entered into His rest.
• All who place their faith in Him are invited to share in that rest.
• God send Jesus so we could stop trying to earn our salvation through works (auto-salvation), to rest totally upon Him.
• Is your life unsettled? Are you at peace with God? Is your life an obedient life? Are you casting your burdens on Him?
• Our generation is very restless, Christ invites us to come-Matt. 11:28-30.
• We must come to Jesus, receive His gift of rest, take His yoke and learn from Him.
• Lost people will never know rest forever.

THE CURE FOR HARDENED HEART.

1. The cure is found throughout this passage.

• We should believe His word and mix it with our faith-Heb. 4:7.

2. Obedience to His word-Vs. 13.

• Encourage one another, comfort one another.
• We belong together-Vs. 11.
• When you see a brother/sister struggling, understand the struggle, encourage-don’t gossip.

CONCLUSION

• Jesus has delivered us from slavery of sin. He desires to lead us onto His rest, a place of total reliance on Him.
• Today, do not harden your heart.
• Give Him your burden, worry and anxiety. If He carried the world on His shoulders He will carry you.