Hebrews 4:12-16 'Two-Edged Sword'€¦ · Title: Hebrews 4:12-16 "Two-Edged Sword" Author: Linda...
Transcript of Hebrews 4:12-16 'Two-Edged Sword'€¦ · Title: Hebrews 4:12-16 "Two-Edged Sword" Author: Linda...
Hebrews 4:1-11
Hebrews 41Therefore, since a promise remains of
entering His rest, let us fear lest any of
you seem to have come short of it… 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter
that rest, lest anyone fall according to
the same example of disobedience.
Hebrews 412 For the word of God is living and
powerful, and sharper than any two-
edged sword, piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit, and of joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from
His sight, but all things are naked and
open to the eyes of Him to whom we
must give account. 14 Seeing then that
we have a great High Priest who has
passed through the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold fast our
confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who
cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in all points
tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy and find grace to help in time of
need. NKJV
Hebrews 4 12 For the word (logos) of God is
living (zon) and powerful (energes),
NKJV
Hebrews 4 12 …and sharper than any two-edged
sword,
NKJV
1Thessalonians 213 For this reason we also thank God
without ceasing, because when you
received the word of God which you
heard from us, you welcomed it not as
the word of men, but as it is in truth, the
word of God, which also effectively
works in you who believe. NKJV
“A sword with two edges has no blunt side: it
cuts both this way and that. The revelation of
God given us in Holy Scripture is edge all over.
It is alive in every part, and in every part keen
to cut the conscience, and wound the heart.
Depend upon it, there is not a superfluous
verse in the Bible, nor a chapter which is
useless.”
C.H. Spurgeon
Hebrews 4 12 …piercing even to the division of
soul (psuche ) and spirit (pneuma),
NKJV
1Thessalonians 523 Now may the God of peace Himself
sanctify you completely; and may your
whole spirit, soul, and body be
preserved blameless at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
NKJV
“While it has an edge like a sword, it has also a
point like a rapier, ‘Piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit.’ The difficulty with
some men’s hearts is to get at them. In fact,
there is no spiritually penetrating the heart of
any natural man except by this piercing
instrument, the Word of God. But the rapier of
revelation will go through anything.”
C.H. Spurgeon
Hebrews 4 12 …piercing even to the division of
soul (psuche ) and spirit (pneuma), and
of joints and marrow,
NKJV
Hebrews 4 12 …and is a discerner(kritikos) of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.
NKJV
You see, the Bible does not deal with acts
primarily. What the hand does is because of
what the heart thought. The heart had the
action of the hand in hand before the hand got
hold of it. Therefore the Word of God goes
down and deals with the heart. The Lord Jesus
said, “For out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications,
thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt.
15:19).
My, that’s a filthy list, but that is what is in your
heart and mine. “The heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked: who can know
it?” (Jer. 17:9). No man can, but God does. The
Word of God gets down and deals with the
nitty–gritty of our hearts. It gets down and
meets us right where the rubber meets the
road, right down where you and I live and move
and have our being. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles
(Hebrews 1-7) (electronic ed., Vol. 51, p. 86).
• God’s Word brings true health, fruitfulness and
success to what we do (Psalm 1:3).
• The Word of God has healing power and the
power to deliver from oppression (Psalm
107:20, Matthew 8:8, Matthew 8:16).
• God’s Word cleans us. If we take heed
according to God’s word, our way will be
cleansed (Psalm 119:9, John 15:3, Ephesians
5:26).
• The Word of God, hidden in our hearts, keeps
us from sin (Psalm 119:11).
• God’s Word is a counselor. When we delight in
God’s word, it becomes a rich source of counsel
and guidance for us (Psalm 119:24).
• God’s Word is a source of strength (Ps. 119:28).
• God’s Word imparts life. It is a continual source
of life (Psalm 119:93 and Matthew 4:4).
• God’s Word is a source of illumination and
guidance. When God’s word comes in, light
comes in. It makes the simple wise and
understanding (Psalm 119:105 and Psalm
119:130).
• God’s Word gives peace to those who love it.
They are secure, standing in a safe place
(Psalm 119:165).
• When the Word of God is heard and
understood, it bears fruit (Matthew 13:23).
• The Word of God has inherent power and
authority against demonic powers (Luke 4:36).
• Jesus Himself – His eternal person – is
described as the Word. When we are into the
word of God, we are into Jesus (John 1:1).
• Hearing God’s Word is essential to eternal life.
One cannot pass from death into life unless
they hear the Word of God (John 5:24, James
1:21, 1 Peter 1:23).
• Abiding – living in – God’s Word is evidence of
true discipleship (John 8:31).
• God’s Word is the means to sanctification (John
17:17).
• The Holy Spirit can work with great power as
the Word of God is preached (Acts 10:44).
• Hearing God’s Word builds faith (Romans
10:17).
• Holding fast to the Word of God gives
assurance of salvation (1 Corinthians 15:2).
• The faithful handling of the Word of God gives
the ministers of the word a clear conscience.
They know that they did all they could before
God (2 Corinthians 4:2 and Philippians 2:16).
• The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. It is
equipment for spiritual battle, especially in the
idea of an offensive weapon (Ephesians 6:17).
• The Word of God comes with the power of the
Holy Spirit, with “much assurance” (1
Thessalonians 1:5).
• The Word of God works effectively in those who
believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
• The Word of God sanctifies the very food we
eat! (1 Timothy 4:5).
• The Word of God is not dead; it is living and
active and sharper than any two edged sword.
The Word of God can probe us like a surgeon’s
expert scalpel, cutting away what needs to be
cut and keeping what needs to be kept
(Hebrews 4:12).
• The Word of God is the Christian’s source of
spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2 and 1 Corinthians
2:1-5).
Hebrews 4 13 And there is no creature hidden from
His sight, but all things are naked and
open to the eyes of Him to whom we
must give account.
NKJV
My friend, your life is an open book to Him.
People ask me, “Do you think we ought to
confess everything to Him?” Well, why not?
He already knows—you might just as well
tell Him all about it. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles
(Hebrews 1-7) (electronic ed., Vol. 51, p. 86). Nashville: Thomas
Nelson.
Hebrews 4 14 Seeing then that we have a great
High Priest who has passed through
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold fast our confession.
NKJV
Hebrews 4 15 For we do not have a High Priest who
cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in all points
tempted as we are, yet without sin.
NKJV
• 52% of Americans agree, either strongly
or somewhat, that while He lived on earth,
Jesus Christ was human and committed
sins like other people.
• 46% disagree, either strongly or
somewhat, that Jesus committed sins
while on earth, and
• 2 percent aren’t sure.
© Barna Group, 2015.
1Peter 118 knowing that you were not redeemed
with corruptible things, like silver or
gold, from your aimless conduct
received by tradition from your fathers,19 but with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot. NKJV
“Yet He endured triumphantly every
form of testing that man could endure,
without any weakening of His faith in
God or any relaxation of His obedience
to Him. Such endurance involves more,
not less, than ordinary human
suffering.”
F.F. Bruce
Because Jesus never yielded to sin, we
know that he faced more intense temptation.
Most of us say “yes” to sin before Satan has
thrown all his weapons of temptation at us.
Jesus said “no” as Satan hurled every arrow
in his quiver. He resisted until he broke the
power of Satan (Heb. 2:14). Lea, T. D. (1999). Hebrews, James (Vol. 10, p. 74). Nashville, TN:
Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Let me illustrate this for you: A boat standing in
water can only tolerate so much pressure. If the
pressure becomes too great, there will be a rip
in the hull of the boat and water will come in,
and thus the pressure is removed. That is the
way you and I are—we give in to the pressure,
we yield, and then the pressure is gone. Jesus
never did yield, and therefore there was a
building up of pressure that you and I never
experience.
In the same way, the cars of a freight train all
have a weight limit which they can carry. If that
limit is exceeded, you will have a swaybacked
car, one that is bowed down in the middle. It
gives in—it can only carry so heavy a load.
That is true of all of us. We can carry just so
much and not any more. May I say to you, the
weight of temptation Jesus Christ could carry
was infinite—He was tested without sin.
But He was tested, and for that reason He
knows how we feel. We have a High Priest who
understands us. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles
(Hebrews 1-7) (electronic ed., Vol. 51, p. 88). Nashville: Thomas
Nelson.
Hebrews 4 16 Let us therefore come
boldly (parrhesia) to the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help in time of need.
NKJV
In The Tomb
CHAPTER 4 PRINCIPLES
• Rest Is Promised - God provides his people
the rest of his presence.
• Rest Comes By Faith - Faith in God’s
promises through Jesus is necessary to
reach God’s rest.
• Rest Comes From Jesus – Jesus gives us
that Sabbath-rest and peace. Let us be
diligent to rest in Him.
• His Word Is Living And Powerful -
Listening to God’s message can help us
understand the barriers to God’s rest in our
lives.
• The Word Calls Us To Account –
Everything is naked and open to Him.
• The Word Gives Us Boldness - Jesus can
sympathize with our weaknesses and
failures. God offers his mercy and grace for
those who boldly seek it as we rest in Him.