Hebrews 3:12-15
Men often live as if they’ll live forever (Prov 27:1).
But life is short when compared to eternity (Job 7:7, Ps 102:3, 1Pet 1:24).
Some of us have forgotten about our grand or great grandparents who died some
years ago. We need to use the most of the opportunities we have now without
delay because life is like vapor.
A-
How do I know now
is the right time?
We Know
not what tomorrow holds, life is like a vapor and passes away (Jam.4:13,14).So
James here is not attacking the rich people. But he is attacking the rich who
are ignoring their responsibility to serve God. If you understand that the
world will soon be gone, you will focus on the things beyond life. What is
therefore your life?
Now
is the time and day of salvation (2Cor.6:2). Paul is making it clear that the
day of salvation is now. That is every day, is a day of salvation to the
Christians. Because in one day you can you’re your back on the free gift of
God’s grace and lose your soul. The time is acceptable (Isaiah 49:8), and the
time which God accepts is the time of the cross and resurrection of Jesus
Christ. You must therefore partner with others and God to preach the gospel to
all the world (Mtt 28:19,20; MK 16:15). This is the right time God wants you to
go to work in His vine yard. The harvest is now! And you have to go for the
harvest without delay.
Today
if you hear God’s voice harden not your hearts (Heb3:15). Let’s read Heb
3:12. The Israelites followed God when He took them out of Egypt but when they
needed to trust God while in the desert, their faith wavered. The same thing
happened to the Jewish Christians to whom the Hebrew writer was addressing.
What is your own desert? When God is providing all your needs, protection and
health; yes you follow Him. When the desert of hardship, poverty and family
struggles come you lose your faith. Many of us today are like that. In
difficult times they forget about God. That is their desert, but God wants you
to trust Him in your desert. That is why He allows those bad times to come over
His children. Trust in the Lord always! Verse 12 of our text makes us know that
rebellion from God is unbelief; “An evil heart of unbelief”. In unbelief man is departing from the living
God. Hence man is going away from truth hence lost.
Verse 13 says Christians have
the responsibility toward one another to encourage faithfulness to the Lord. It
says TODAY. NOT TOMORROW. Verses 14 and 15 says we are partakers of Christ if
we remain faithful to what we have heard and obeyed; that is, the gospel of
Jesus Christ. We can read Verses 16 -19 and we’ll get the result of unbelief.
Today is the right time to
hear God’s word, to obey and remain continuously faithful. TODAY AND NOW! Seek
the Lord while He may be found (Isa.55:6). Call on God now because He is
near. He is present to accept those who truly repent. It is now that you need
to repent not that God will leave us, but that we may lose our opportunity to
repent. Your opportunity can be stolen by death, or harden by your sin not to
feel any regret and need for repentance.
Hello Brethren! God’s Spirit will not always strive (struggle) with us (Gen.6:3).
So there is a deadline that will end God’s struggle with those who corrupt the
world or rebel against God. So now is your time to repent.
B-
Shouldn’t I wait
until it feels right?
Some people today say “I want
to enjoy my life now and I will repent when I feel it is right”. “I want to
work my money now and I will serve God when I become wealthy”. The Bible says
in Rom 1:7 that you should walk by faith
not by feelings, not by works. If you have faith in God it should be seen
in your obedience and obedience is to know Him. “And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1Jn.2:3).
Do you know Christ? If yes, do you keep His commandments? If not then you are a
liar and the truth is not in you. Yes Christ is not in those who do not keep
His commandments. They are disobedient. It is not about how you feel, it is
whether you obey Jesus and love Him.
Obedience shows love for Jesus.
“If ye love me, ye will keep my
commandments.” (Jn.14:15). When you obey God’s commandments, your peace
will be as a river (Isa.48:18) . Why are you troubled? Why are things not
working for you? It’s because you think God’s business is about feelings. NO!
It is all about obedience to His commands. There is no time to waste. Start now
or it maybe too late for you.
C-
Why is it so
important to commit yourself to God?
God’s Spirit will not always
strive (struggle) with us (Gen.6:3). So we do not have time to waste.
He that believes and is
baptized shall be saved but the unbeliever is cursed (condemned) (Mk.16:16) .
You are condemned or cursed if you do not believe in Jesus Christ.
Some people think they can be
Christians and still enjoy worldly things. No! Worldliness chokes out the gospel and so you cannot be fruitful (Mat.13:22,
parable of the sower). You cannot drink
the cup of the Lord and the devil’s cup (1Cor.10:21). You cannot serve two masters (Lk.16:13). Our God is a jealous God. Moreover
you cannot take your possessions to the dwelling place of God but you can take
the results of your giving. Lovers of money, serve money rather than God. It is
not sin to be rich. But riches are wrong when they lead one into sin. Eg. When
you want it for selfish use.
The urgency is there and we
must preach the gospel without delay and obey His word now. Not tomorrow and
repent from our sinful life or it may be too late. For God’s Spirit will not
always struggle with us. When that deadline is passed, comes judgment. And no
one can stand the hand of God. Now is the time to believe in Jesus Christ and to
obey His commands.
You just have to come back to Jesus and you
will live (Ez.33:19). Come and you will not be cast out (Jn.6:37). Whoever
calls on the name of Jesus will be saved (Rom.10:13).
The world does not offer any
life for you but death. If you want to gain your life, repent and come to Jesus
and be baptized. Believe not and be condemned.