OceanSide church of Christ

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FOUR MOTIVATORS TO FAITHFULNESS

 

Learning from an OT Character

Hebrews 12:15c-17

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     The writer just finished a lengthy section about Old Testament examples who manifested faith in God.

 

B.      In this chapter, he reminds his readers of these Bible greats, but then points them to one even greater, Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

 

C.     The inspired penman also notes three other things that he hopes will encourage these Christians to remain faithful under great pressure to apostatize.

 

D.     Outline:

 

i.                    LOOKING UNTO JESUS (Heb. 12:1-4)

ii.                  LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURE (Heb. 12:5-13)

iii.                LEARNING FROM AN OT CHARACTER (Heb. 12:14-17)

iv.                 LAUDING THEIR PRESENT SITUATION (Heb. 12:18-29)

 

I.                   LOOKING UNTO JESUS (Heb. 12:1-4)

 

II.                LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURE (Heb. 12:5-13)

 

III.             LEARNING FROM AN OLD TESTAMENT CHARACTER (Heb. 12:14-17)

 

A.     Basics (Heb. 12:14-15b)

1.        Commands (Heb. 12:14-15a)

2.       Consequence (Heb. 12:15b)

 

B.      Bitterness (Heb. 12:15c)

 

…lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

 

1.        Action:  lest any root of bitterness springing up

a.       Bitterness

1)       Strong (4088):  acridity (especially poison)

2)      Thayer:  extreme wickedness, bitter root, bitter hatred

3)      Vine:  producing bitter fruit

b.      If we fail to react properly to the trials and persecutions that come upon us, we will react negatively. 

1)       One of the negative reactions is bitterness.

2)      It poisons the heart.

3)      The writer describes it as a root.  It is not a superficial growth that rises and quickly dies.  It takes deep hold in the heart of man.

c.       LESSON:  Bitterness in all of its spiritual forms is evil.

We can be bitter against God.

We can be bitter against one another.

We can be bitter because of our struggles.

2.       Agitation:  trouble you

a.       Trouble

1)       Strong (1776):  to crowd in, that is, (figuratively) to annoy

2)      Thayer:  to excite, disturbance, trouble, annoy

b.      Bitterness does not affect just the one who is bitter. 

1)       It spreads and produces agitation in others as well.  They, too, are poisoned.

2)      LESSON:  Bitterness is not content to remain to itself.  It must spread and try to impact the hearts and lives of others.

3.       Aftermath:  and thereby many be defiled

a.       Defiled

1)       Strong (3392):  sully or taint, contaminate

2)      Thayer:  to defile, pollute, sully, contaminate, soil

3)      Vine:  to stain, moral defilement

b.      Bitterness is a very effective tool of Satan.  The writer tells us that “many be defiled.” 

1)       The bad attitude catches on.

2)      The bad words begin to spread.

3)      The evil actions are practiced by many.

 

C.     Birthright (Heb. 12:16-17)  The writer now turns to an Old Testament example of a bitter man.  His name was Esau.

1.        The soil of bitterness (Heb. 12:16a).

 

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person…

 

a.       Spiritual people do not become bitter individuals.  In times of trial, they respond positively to persecution.

b.      People who are not spiritual have hearts that provide the perfect soil in which bitterness can take root.  The writer mentions two kinds of people in which bitterness can grow and thrive.

1)       Those who are fleshly (fornicator).

a)      Fornicator

-          Strong (5205):  to sell…a male prostitute…a debauchee (libertine)

-          Thayer:  a man who prostitutes his body to another’s lust for hire, a man who indulges in lawful sexual intercourse

-          Vine:  a man who indulges in fornication

b)     A heart that seeks to fulfill the lust of the flesh is not a heart that is well protected by the breastplate of righteousness.  In fact, it is fertile soil in which other sins can easily spring up.

2)      Those who are worldly (profane)

a)      Profane

1)       Strong (952):  heathenish, wicked

2)      Thayer:  unhallowed, common, ungodly

3)      Vine:  unhallowed, opposite to sacred, that which lacks all relationship and affinity to God

b)     The profane person is one who cares more for the present world than he does about spiritual things.  His attention is on the here and now instead of that which lies beyond.

c)      Again, this type of a heart is fertile soil for bitterness. 

d)     LESSON:  When a person grows bitter, he really needs to examine his heart.  His bitterness sprang out of heart that was either fleshly or worldly.  If he will replace his heart with good soil, the bitterness can be rooted up and never allowed to grow again.

2.       The sin of Esau (Heb. 12:16b-17)

a.       Sold his birthright (Heb. 12:16b)

 

…as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

 

1)       Esau was a profane person.  He was concerned about the immediate, not the future.  He was more concerned for the outer man instead of the spiritual man.

2)      For one “morsel of meat” he sold his birthright.

a)      Esau was the firstborn son of Isaac (Gen. 25:21-25, esp. v. 25).

 

And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment, and they called his name Esau.

 

b)     As the firstborn, his birthright would consist of a double portion of his father’s inheritance (Deut. 21:17).  It would also include conducting sacrifices and worship in the absence of his father.  He would be in line to receive the blessings of his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham.

c)      This birthright was sold due to physical hunger after coming in from the field (Gen. 25:29-34).

 

And Jacob sod pottage:  and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:  and Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint:  therefore was his name called Edom.  And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.  And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die:  and what profit shall this birthright do to me?  And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him:  and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.  Than Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way:  thus Esau despised his birthright.

 

d)     LESSON:  We are very hard on Esau.  We wonder how he could do such a thing.  Surely he could have made it just a little farther into the house to find some food.  However, aren’t we like him?  There are things that we will yield to that are fun, some sinful, and, we, too, give up our birthright.  One individual referred to this as “the inability to measure values.”

b.      Sought it with tears (Heb. 12:17)

 

For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected:  for he found no place of repentance, though he sought I carefully with tears.

 

1)       After Esau sold his birthright, he still had the blessing of his father coming to him. 

2)      But, Esau was denied his blessing as well.  A long story of deception was behind that incident (See Gen. 27:18-29).

3)      From this verse in Hebrews, it appears that this was in the plan of God.  The text says that “he was rejected.”  The reason for the rejection was because Esau “found no place of repentance.”

a)      He never seemed to regret having sold his birthright.

b)     He never ceased being a profane person.

c)      He never died to himself in order to become a spiritual individual.

4)     This judgment held true even though he sought the blessing with tears (Gen. 27:34).

 

And when Esau heard the word of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

 

a)      These were tears of anger and resentment, but they were not tears of deep regret for the life he had chosen that opposed God.

b)     It was a worldly sorrow, not a godly sorrow (II Cor. 7:10).

 

For godly sorrow workth repentance to salvation not be repented of:  but the sorrow of the world workth death.

 

5)      LESSONS

a)      God can use the evil actions of others in order to bring His will to pass in the life of another. 

b)     Repentance is not just regret.  It is true change.  It is a death to self.  It involves a turning away from sin and a turning that walks in the ways of the Lord.

c)      If there is no repentance, one must face the consequences of his sin (Luke 13:3, 5).