We close our overview of Hebrews by asking the question, “What do we do?”  Some might ask, What do we do about what?  The message of Hebrews is a strong call to encourage us, “No turning back.”  These Jewish Christians were under pressure to retrun to Judaism.  Many of us face pressure to return to an old way of life.  Hebrews was placed by the Holy Spirit in the canon of scripture to tell us, “Don’t turn back!”

                    Why shouldn’t we turn back?  The writer of the book of Hebrews reminds us that “Jesus is better.”  He is better than what they found in Judaism and he is better than what we find in our old way of life.  Jesus is better.

                    So the writer of Hebrews tries to encourage a ministry mindset.  He wants us to look at the struggles and difficulties we face through God’s eyes.  He tells us to persevere under pressure, to keep loving one another and to look up at Jesus.  The song writer expressed it so well when he wrote, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in his wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim.  In the light of his glory and grace.”

                    As I read through Hebrews, I asked myself the question, what spiritual disciplines, what practices, should accompany this mindset.  Is there anything that we can do that will strengthen ourselves and help encourage others.  I found the writer to Hebrews gave several things we should do that I want to pass on to you.

                    The first, and the one I found most prominent in the book of Hebrews, is to become Bible-centered. 

                    In our world of multiculturalism and pluralism, we find that we often become self-centered.  We are told that there is no absolute truth and that we can do what we think is best to do.  Running directly counter to that is the claim of the Bible to be the Word of God.  The Bible does not claim to be one word of God nor does it contain the word of God.  We don’t need to hunt for the hidden meanings of the text to find what God is trying to say.  The Bible is the word of God.

                    If we are not going to fall back, we must become Bible-centered.  Let me show you this from the book of Hebrews.

                    1 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. (Heb 2:1).

                    This verse sums it up very well.  The word “careful” is a  superlative.  A superlative is a “super” word.  For example,  something might be good.  That is a lative.  But a superlative is that something is best.  Or we say, “That man is tall.”  Or, “That man is really tall.”  That is a super superlative.

                    The writer is telling us that we must pay more careful attention.  This phrase tells us that ordinary attention is not enough.  We must really listen to what we hear, so that we do not drift away.

                    7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, (Heb. 3:7-8).

                    If we don’t listen carefully, we become indifferent, our hearts grow cold to the message.

                    I have seen this happen.  Some people who attend this church are excited.  They drink in the word.  They rave about the messages, the Bible studies, the new things they are learning. 

                    Six months or a year later, the same teachers, the same messages have much less effect.  This is normal.  but part of what is happening is a gradual hardening of the heart.

                    We tell a new Christian to talk about Christ and they will take it as from God.  We tell an old Christian to talk about Christ and they often tune it out. 

                    11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no-one will fall by following their example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb. 4:11-13).

                    Notice that the Bible and listening are tied together.  When we come to the scripture and understand what it says, it hits us inside.  Every Christian has felt this.  The Bible exposes our inner thoughts and motives. 

                    I have people who have told me that I have hit them hard with a certain message.  I want to let you know that I cannot take credit for that.  You have heard and have understood the word.  The word of God went deep in the power of the Holy Spirit.  That is what hit.  The person sitting beside you might have yawned right at the moment you came under intense conviction.  It’s not the messenger, it is the message that hits us.

                    12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14).

                    What keeps us sharp is obedience.  People who listen and do not respond don’t fully understand the seriousness nor the message.  But those who act “train themselves to distinguish good from evil.”  Spending time in the word is important, spending time obeying the word is just as important.

                    Some people take notes during the messages or in sunday school.  They might try to find on action step they can take as a result of the message.  These people are growing spiritually.

                    Others never crack the Bible for themselves.  They never interact with the word of God.  These are the ones in most danger of falling back.  A false teacher can lead them astray with a fine argument.

                    Keep close to the word and the word will keep you close to God.

                    A second thing we should do is pray.  The writer of Hebrews constantly tells us of the tremendous privilege and opportunity for prayer. Let’s look at some verses.

                    15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Heb 4:15-16).

                    Approaching Jesus Christ is like approaching an Old Testament priest.  One would come to the priest, confess sin, and allow the priest to offer the sacrifice. 

                    One can imagine that some of the priests were not sympathetic.  For them, the sacrifice system was impersonal and a job to do.  For others, when they saw someone coming, they may have been judgmental and critical.  What are they doing here again? 

                    But in Jesus we have one who truly understands our weaknesses.  He has lived our lives and is aware of how fatigue, hunger, pressure from others, stress, persecution, misunderstanding, betrayal, physical pain, loss of friends, death and all the other weaknesses we face.

                    So what happens when we pray?  We can approach the throne of grace with confidence.  We do not need to be shy! 

                    But what kind of confidence can we have?  Can we stroll into the presence of God, put our feet up on the table and joke around with God?  This passage is not saying that.  Does it mean that we can walk in and demand what we want and be confident that our heavenly Father will be a bottomless pit?  That is not what the writer of Hebrews is telling us.

                    What the writer of Hebrews is telling us that when we are broken, when we have sinned, when we wonder if God will listen, we can come with confidence into the presence of God and get mercy.  We think that if we come to God that he will strike us with a lightning bolt.  But instead we find mercy.

                    It may be that someone in this congregation has sinned.  You are ashamed of what you have said or done.  You hesitate to pray. 

                    But pray you must!  Jesus knows your weaknesses.  You must come with the confidence that he accepts you with mercy.

                    And you may also be confident that he will help you in your time of need.  You know you need help.  Jesus knows you need help.  You can approach him with the confidence that he will help you.  You have a need.  He will help.

                    If we don’t pray, if we don’t have this confidence, we will fall back.  Not only is the word important, but geting mercy and help are essential to keep going.

                    We find this theme of prayer again in Hebrews 110:19-22 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb 10:19-22).

                    Here the point is that we can approach God in faith because our sins are forgiven.  Our hearts are sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies are washed with pure water.  Not only our heart, but our hands, feet, eyes, ears start to become more pure.  But we need to draw near to God. 

                    The third thing that the writer of Hebrews tells his people is to keep connected with Christians.

                    The verse we here the most about this is found in Hebrrews 10:24-25 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb 10:24,25).

                    I view one of my purposes as a pastor is to spur us as a congregation on to love and good deeds.  God has used this congregation to help a lot of people spiritually and physically.  I have been spurred on by you.  You have taught me and I am still learning.  When do we stop?  When we go to heaven.  God has given us the gift that keeps on giving.  We are to do the same.

                    But in order for this to happen we have to meet together.  We need to meet together to encourage one another.  We need this.  We need one another. 

                    The writer of Hebrews gives us this same idea in a second passage. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Heb. 3:13).

                    Every day that we miss fellowship, our heart slips a little in love and good deeds.  Every day that we miss encouragement, we slip in keeping our eyes on Jesus.  Every day that we miss encouraging one another, we are deceived by sin.  We don’t know it’s happening, its the nature of deceit.  But it is.

                    And then we get to the place where we are in danger of falling back.  God doesn’t want us to fall back, the writer of Hebrews doesn’t want you to fall back, I don’t want you to fall back and you, if you have not fallen too far, do not want to fall back.

                    That is why immersion in the Bible, prayer and true fellowship are essential to your life.

                    If you have slipped in these areas, you need to pick them back up.  Are you attending church less, small group less, listening to Christian radio less, missing prayer meeting avoiding Christian fellowship?  Today God is warning you to be aware of what is happening.

                    If you are new to the faith, these three practices need to become part of your life.  You need to start reading the Bible, listening to godly people break the word of God.  I would encourage you to attend sunday school and to get involved in a small group.  I would encourage you to start praying every day. 

                    So we close our introduction to Hebrews.   Don’t turn back, go forward for God.