As you spend some time today preparing your heart for worship, read Mark 5:1-20. Think about the structure of the story and what all is going on here.
Here’s the outline I’ll be using tomorrow as I preach on this passage:
• The Setting (v. 1)
We’re on the other side of the lake now
• The Man (v. 3-5)
Who was this demon-possessed man?
• The Reaction (v. 6-7)
What was his response to Jesus?
• The Confrontation (vv. 7-13)
Jesus did confront Him. How did this play out?
• The Result (vv. 14-17)
What happened as a result of the confrontation?
• The Final Command (vv. 18-20)
What was Jesus’ final command to the man?
If you want to take a few more minutes, read through the parallel passages in Matthew and Luke to compare the details of the story:
Matthew 8:28-34
Luke 8:26-39
Remember: the goal is to come to our Worship Gathering in the morning with your heart prepared to engage in the adoration of the Lord Jesus Christ and to hear from Him through the teaching and preaching of God’s Word.
This series of messages is based on the book “What Is a Healthy Church Member” by Thabiti Anyabwile. Thabiti is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Grand Cayman Islands.
For an audio copy of Rob teaching this information, check with the church library.
We will never “arrive.”
We will never be finished growing spiritually.
Over the next five weeks, we’ll be looking at 10 specific characteristics that we should all have in our own lives so that we have a healthy church.
• If we are to be a healthy church, we must be healthy individuals.
You don’t just decide - I’m going to be healthier - then it happens. You formulate a plan.
That’s sort of what we’re doing tonight and the next few weeks.
• The health of our church depends on each one of us looking at our own hearts, making sure our thinking is right - is biblical about everything - and being engaged in the purposes of the church.
As time goes by, we should all be getting more involved. Serving more. Knowing people better. Becoming more a part of the church.
When I was young, my Mom planted three small trees in the front yard and braided them together. It was cool. A couple years ago, I drove by that house to show my wife Amy where I grew up and that tree was still there, but it wasn’t three trees braided together anymore. It was one really cool looking tree. Those three trees had grown together so that they were really one tree. They were inseparable. We should all have this long-term mindset about our church. That I’m here for the long-haul and I’m going to be so engaged and so much a part of this body that as time goes on, I’m really inseparable from others. We’re deeply engaged and wrapped up in each others’ lives.
Remember - for us to be a healthy church - we have to have healthy church members.
And healthy church members are marked by some specific characteristics.
The first characteristic of a healthy church member is this:
• An Expositional Listener
Expositional Preaching
One of the most important things to look for in a church is a commitment to expositional preaching. It truly is the starting point of a healthy, faithful church.
If God’s Word is not shaping everything - our thinking, the way we interact with each other - and obviously our purposes - we might get some things right along the way, but the foundation will be wrong and eventually, we’ll stray.
• Expositional Preaching is preaching the point of the passage, not a “topical” approach.
An Expositional Listener:
Understands that the sermon is not a “practical how-to message” like “How to live a better life.”
• Expositional listening is listening for the meaning of a passage of Scripture and accepting that meaning as the main idea to be understood and integrated into our personal and corporate lives.
As expositional listeners, we must listen for the voice and message of God as revealed in His Word.
Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Benefits of Expositional Listening
1. It cultivates a hunger for God’s Word
When God’s Word is central, and we are listening for Him, our desire to hear His Word, read His Word, Study His Word, and Memorize His Word will grow in us.
2. It helps us to focus on God’s will and follow Him
It’s not about the Pastor’s agenda, it’s not about your agenda. It’s about God’s agenda. His agenda is found in His Word. So we listen to the proclamation of His Word.
(BTW: I listen to expositional sermons regularly too.)
3. It protects the Gospel and our lives from corruption
Galatians 1:6 — I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 – For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
There are false teachers everywhere (they can even be in a church) and we must train ourselves to think Biblically.
4. It encourages pastors
It’s so encouraging to a pastor to know people are actually listening and engaged in the sermon. And yes - if you’ve ever taught - stood up in front of a group of people.. you CAN tell who is engaged. And when someone asks a question after the service, or makes a comment (and not just “great sermon Pastor,” although that’s nice – but a question or comment about the content of the message), it’s very encouraging.
5. Cultivates Koinonia
1 Corinthians 1:10 – I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
When we all listen expositionally, it will cultivate greater unity and connection within the body.
How do we Grow in this area?
1. Meditate on the Sermon passage during your devotion time
I’m not the only one allowed to study the passage.
Read the passage in your devotion time. It will almost always be the next passage in the book I’m preaching through.
We’re going to start putting the text of the next sermon, along with the outline, on the website so that you can read and study it yourself.
You could even outline the passage yourself and bring that with you when you come.
You’ve seen “Prepare Your Heart for Worship” on the screens on Sunday morning. What better way to prepare your heart than to be reading the passage for several days ahead of time.
2. Commentaries and a good Study Bible
Not just for sermons - but for your study in general.
Our library has plenty. You can buy commentaries one at a time for your library or check them out of ours.
www.challies.com lists good commentaries in for many Books. He’s doing a series on commentaries.
3. Talk and pray with friends about the sermon after church
This coming Sunday - as soon as church is over, find someone & tell them what stood out to you during the service and ask them what stood out to them. Get into the habit of asking at least one person one question about the service.
• How did the Scripture challenge you today?
• What about God’s character stood out?
• How did you grow in your understanding of the Gospel?
4. Listen to and act on the sermon throughout the week
The sermon shouldn’t end when the service does.
James 1:22-25 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
If you’re a note-taker, look back at your notes during your devotional time during the week. Take the outline points and the reflection questions and refer back to them during the week. Maybe use them in your family devotions. If you’re in a discipling relationship, bring them up.
Check the AfterBlog for the summary of the sermon. You could even go back and listen to or watch the sermon again.
Think through how God’s living, active, and powerful word has changed you and how you should now live as a result of that change.
5. Develop the habit of addressing any questions about the text itself
If anything comes up - ask. Ask me. Ask Ed. Ask Rex. Ask one of our deacons. The person discipling you...
We should all develop the habit of determining what Scripture means.
Remember: every passage has one meaning – many applications. Search for the one meaning.
6. Cultivate Humility
When you are growing spiritually - which will happen if you’re truly focused on and digging into the Word, don’t let that knowledge “puff up.”
You’re not better than any other believer. Pride is everyone’s biggest problem. Cultivate Humility - which is the only solution.
Discussion Questions
1. How would you rate your ability to listen for the meaning of the Word during sermons? During private devotions?
2. What will you do this week to strengthen your listening ability?
The second characteristic of a healthy church member is this:
A Theologian
Watch this video:
(You might need to watch it a couple of times to get it all)
J.I Packer wrote “ignorance both of His ways and of the practice of communion with him – lies at the root of the church’s weakness today.”
According to Thabithi Anyabwile, too many Christians have neglected their first great calling - to know their God. Every Christian is meant to be a theologian in the best and most intimate sense of the word.
We won’t all become theologians to the same capacity due to many factors, but we must all strive to grow in our theological knowledge and depth.
• Theology is Knowing God Himself
If you’re interested in knowing God - you’ll be interested in knowing what God has said about Himself. And that is found in the Bible. To know God, we must start by knowing what God says about Himself in the Bible.
• We need to know both the themes and the Big Picture
We need to know the major themes of the Bible & what it teaches about them. We need to understand how everything fits together as a whole.
We come to the Bible knowing that it paints the beautiful, grand picture of an awesome God redeeming for Himself a people for His own glory.
How Theology helps my growth:
These come from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology
1. You’ll grow in reverence for God
When you see our faithful, loving, consistent God - you can’t not grow in reverence for Him.
2. Overcome wrong ideas
There will be things in the Bible that challenge you, confuse you, and upset you. There are many teachers out there who would take you down the wrong path. When you are committed to the big-picture of Scripture, it will help correct any wrong thinking that’s been planted in your head either by bad teaching or even the culture we all live in.
3. Inoculates against doctrinal controversies
When you know the whole Bible and the “big picture” of redemption - it will help you to process doctrinal controversies.
4. It’s necessary to fulfill the Great Commission
Matthew 28:19-20 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
How can we teach all things if we don’t at least understand all things.
You don’t have to have the entire Bible memorized, but you should understand the overall flow and the big picture.
5. It deepens our understanding of the Gospel.
We don’t just focus on one passage, one book, or even one Testament.
Understanding the Old Testament helps you in your understanding of the Gospel.
How to Grow as a Theologian
1. Read a good book on Theology
There are quite a few good ones in our library. There are several recommended books on the website and in the newsletter each month.
It’s also important what you don’t read. There are many books that will be harmful to your spiritual life.
2. Study Scripture Thematically
There’s “Biblical” theology - which looks at the big picture of the Bible.
And there’s “Systematic” theology, which looks at themes and topics.
Your main diet should be going through the Bible in verse by verse, but you also need to develop an understanding of themes - justification, sanctification, salvation, who is God? What is the Trinity, etc.
3. Link the Old and New Testaments (NT study)
When you study the New Testament ask these questions:
• How is this passage a fulfillment of something promised in the OT?
• How is this NT idea different from or similar to an OT teaching?
• How does this clarify, unveil, or amplify the OT?
4. Link the Old and New Testaments (OT study)
When you study the Old Testament ask these questions:
• Where does this fit in the “Big picture” timeline?
• How does this point to Jesus?
• How does this help me understand Christianity better?
• Where in the NT is this question answered? How does Jesus answer this?
5. Know your church’s doctrinal statement
THis is simple - again, you don’t have to have it memorized, but you should at least read through it so that you’re familiar with it. It really does matter what you believe about God. It impacts a great many things on a great many levels. It starts with our basic belief framework.
6. Seek doctrinal unity
Disagreements will come. The question isn’t will they come, but how will you participate in them?
Is it essential to the gospel? Then it’s worth fighting for.
We do want unity on all things, but we have to work together and have a relentless commitment to Christ and to the Word as the starting point.
We also have to have a relentless commitment to each other.
Philippians 2 is the mindset. Strive for unity.
There’s an old maxim :In essentials: unity
In non-essentials: liberty
In all things: love
It can’t be a cop-out, but it’s a good starting point. However, our goal is to determine what the Bible says about the topic, whatever it is.
Always remember:
• Sanctification is a group project.
We are to strive together for spiritual growth and unity.
Now - don’t panic. This is a lot to take in. This is not a homework assignment to be completed in a week. This is a lifelong process of growing in knowledge.
The point is that you ARE a theologian. Either a growing one or a bad one.
Discussion Questions
1. How familiar are you with theology?
Do you have an adequate grasp of the major theological themes of the Bible? (systematic)
Could you explain to someone how the entire Bible fits together as one book? (Biblical)
How well can you refute error? How easy is it to spot? (ex: Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer)
2. What specific plan can you put in place to grow as a theologian?
The Homework Assignment:
Think through the discussion questions and come up with a plan for growth in each of these two areas. Write it down.
Remember the three words: Discipline, effort, intentionality. All three will be necessary for growth.
The first one is this one (obviously). The second will be the "afterBlog" based on yesterday's sermon. It's coming later today.
Last night we watched "Evolution vs. God" - a new movie by Ray Comfort where he discusses evolution with professors and students at USC and UCLA. We had a great time of discussion afterward and I wanted to pass along some links to help you take all of that to the next step.
I think the main point of the film was conversations leading to sharing the Gospel. There are so many different resources you could look at regarding all of this, but here are a few that I think would be well worth your time:
This is the trailer for the movie. The movie is scheduled to be released in its entirety on YouTube for free this week. I'll let you know when it comes out. Also, we'll be ordering copies on DVD to make available for you to give to people.
Here's a book that I've just started reading (I'm through Chapter 3 this morning) and so far, it's an excellent book on engaging people in conversations that take us to the Gospel.
If you have a Kindle, iPad, or other Kindle Compatible reader, you can start reading this book in about a minute for only $1.99 right now (It's $12.27 in paperback with free two-day shipping if you have Amazon Prime). Click here to check it out.
A website with info about creation, the Creation Museum, and some good apologetics resources is Answers in Genesis. Our VBS curriculum came from AIG and they've got some great info on their website. Your time on their website will be well-spent.
For apologetic resources on a wide variety of topics, check out Stand to Reason.
Of course, all believers need to memorize Scripture so that they can confidently and faithfully share the Gospel from the Scriptures at any time. That's the foundation and starting point. If you know enough to be saved, you know enough to start sharing the Gospel, but you should alway be growing in your ability to share clearly, accurately, and Biblically.
For a guide to memorizing and sharing the Gospel, click here.
Remember - you are a lamp. Lamps are supposed to shine. That's what they do.
You are a sower. Sowers sow seed. The seed is the Gospel.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
According to Mark
The Parable of the Lamp
Mark 4:21-25
This parable picks up where the Parable of the Soils ends. The soil is the human heart. The seed is God’s Word - the Seed is the Gospel.
The Bible says it is obvious who is saved and who is not. And we were saved to serve God and do good works.
Malachi 3:18, Ephesians 2:10, Titus 2:14
• The Parable(v. 21)
Truth is objective. What is true - is true. It’s not whether or not it’s “true to me” or “true for you....”
Truth doesn’t depend on my acceptance of it to be true.
As disciples of Jesus Christ - the truth is essential to us. Disciples are learners.
And if we are learners, what are we learning?
• We’re learning the truth. The Word of God.
Truth is determined by God. The One who does not change. The only One where Truth is ultimately found.
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
We would not know truth if it weren’t for the Word of God, The Bible (John MacArthur).
• The greatest measure of your spiritual life is this: what is your relationship to God’s Word?
This parable is really an amplification and explanation of verse 20 – those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
• This is the beginning of the Great Commission (a sort of “Pre-Great Commission)
So Jesus asks a question - is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? Getting a lamp going wasn’t quite as easy as flipping a light switch, but without it, your home was dark. It was necessary. The lamp had a very specific purpose.
There’s a lot of work that goes into getting this light going.
Nobody is going to go to all that work and then hide it.
Putting it under the basket is counter productive. It is, in fact, the opposite of what you’re supposed to do.
• The purpose of the lamp is to give light to the room.
You are the lamp. I am the lamp. The lamp is every true disciple of Jesus Christ.
We have the light in us. The light of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth of the Gospel.
This is the light. The Word. The Truth. The Gospel.
The purpose of a lamp is to give light to the room. As believers we are to glorify God and proclaim His Truth to the whole world. To broadcast His truth. To shine His truth.
No one in their right mind is going to light a lamp and hide it. How ridiculous is that? And it’s not just “don’t hide it” - but “put it in the best spot” In fact, it wouldn’t even occur to you to hide it. That defeats the whole point.
• Because of Christ we’re not under God’s Wrath
We have been forgiven
We have been adopted
We have been made His children.
We have been chosen as disciples.
What we do is give light. Up on a lampstand for all to see. To give light to as much as possible.
It just doesn’t make sense, it’s not logical, it doesn’t calculate, it doesn’t compute:
...That a believer isn’t sharing the Gospel. Isn’t shining forth the light of the Gospel.
Matthew 5:14 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Our responsibility, our privilege, our joy is to shine as much light. To shine the Gospel. To sow seed. As far and wide as we possibly can.
• The Point(v. 22)
• The Gospel is not meant to be hidden.
Your responsibility is to shine the light and get the word out.
God will bring the growth.
We understand hide now - reveal later. My wife got me a birthday present recently (a coffee bean roaster and what a great gift it was - but that’s a story for another time) - she went to great lengths to conceal it from me until the right time. And she was excited to bring it out on my birthday.
The Gospel was at one time hidden. Now it is to be revealed and shared with as many people as possible.
• Hear and Obey(v. 23)
Jesus says “if anyone has ears to hear, let him hear” quite a few times. Over a dozen times.
He’s saying: “Are you listening. Are you paying attention? Did you hear what I just said to you? I want to make sure you weren’t distracted. I want to make sure you didn’t zone out for a minute and miss this.”
• If you hear and don’t obey - you didn’t really hear Steve Lawson says this: If you leave here and don’t step out into the dark world and let your light shine in every imaginable way, then you did not hear what Jesus just said
• What and How(v. 24)
“Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.
There are two issues here
1. What you listen to
You need to be careful what and who you listen to. Be careful who’s teaching you listen to.
Be careful what books/magazines/blogs/etc. you read. Be careful what music you listen to.
Are you placing yourself under the teaching of sound doctrine? Then there is more oil being poured into your lamp. Are you placing yourself under false teaching? (such as Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, TBN & other “prosperity gospel” teachers? Click here for a great post on False Teachers) If so, it’s taking oil out of your lamp.
It really does matter where you go to church and whose teaching you listen to.
2. How you listen
The degree to which you listen to and pursue the truth - opening your ears and heart – engaging in learning... to that same degree you will benefit from it.
• Are you really engaged?
Are you someone who doesn’t want to come... I’m here, but only because I was “dragged” here by ____.
Or The person who just can’t get enough... “I just have to get more. Can’t intake it fast enough.”
At the beginning of our worship services we put on the screen:
• “Prepare your heart for worship”
How are you preparing your heart for worship?
Let’s get real practical for a minute.
What are you doing to be prepared for our corporate worship gathering?
How are you preparing your heart?
Preparing for Sunday morning starts Saturday night. Are you constantly staying up late? Are you so exhausted that you can’t focus?
When you’re here, are you here. Is your Bible ready? Note sheet and pen?
Are you reading the passage that will be preached on Sunday?
“Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.
When you’re engaged, striving to grow spiritually, you will grow.
Three words that are very helpful in this area
• Discipline – we all need to be more disciplined. Show up early, etc.
• Effort – it’s not just going to happen. You’ll have to put forth effort
• Intentionality – discipline and effort must be done for a specific purpose.
Be intentional about what you’re doing. Aim for sanctification.
1 Peter 1:13-16 – Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
• The goal is sanctification.
I fully agree with John Piper when he says “Sanctification is a group project.” It’s something we do together.
Our church’s purpose statement is: Worshiping Jesus, Following Jesus, Sharing Jesus...TOGETHER!
• A Promise, a Warning(v. 25)
This is the underlying principle.
• You’re either moving forward or backward in the Christian life.
There is no standing still.
For the one who has (The one who has Christ.)
more will be given (If you are in Christ - you will go to heaven. More will be given.)
And that is a wonderful, glorious truth.
and from the one who has not(The one who is not in Christ, who has not repented)
even what he has will be taken away
This is the truth.
Acts 17:30-31 – The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness
The one who has - who has Christ. He or she will get heaven.
The one who has not - what you have now - what you have here on this earth will be taken away and you will be forever lost in hell eternally. There will be wrath and judgement and punishment.
The wonderful, glorious message of salvation has been given to us to shine forth for everyone to see.
It just doesn’t make any sense that we wouldn’t do this. That we’d hide it under a basket instead of telling everyone we possibly can.
Reflection & Application Questions:
• Are you sharing the Gospel?
If you know enough about the Gospel to be saved, you know enough to start sharing the Gospel. You do need to strive to know more, but you can start right now. If you don’t know enough about the Gospel to share with others, you probably don’t know enough to be saved.
Why aren’t you sharing the Gospel? It really doesn’t make sense.
• What are you hearing?
You’re filling your mind and heart with things every day. What are you filling it with? God’s Word? Gospel-saturated music? Solid, biblical teaching? Because when you’re listening to the right things, still more will be added to you. That’s exciting! (If you’re wondering about someone you listen to, ask)
• Do you have ears? Will you hear?
We have so much access to the truth. Most of us have more access to the truth than almost all of history and more than so many in the world today. We must be intentional to hear truth and respond. What is your response to God’s Word?
There really should be only two possible responses
1. Take it - be obedient - go out and shine the light. Share the Gospel.
2. Repent and turn to Christ- repent and believe in the Gospel.
or:
3. Continue in unbelief.
My hope and prayer is that your response would be one of the first two.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
According to Mark
The Unforgivable Sin
Mark 3:20-35 (28-30)
(To view the entire message on Fellowship's Vimeo page, click here.)
This section of Mark is described by many commentators as a “Markan Sandwich.” Mark sometimes sandwiches a specific teaching or truth inside another story or context. That’s what he’s done in this passage. Here, verses 20-21 form one side and verses 31-35 form the other. Verses 22-30 form the center of the sandwich and this week’s sermon focused on verses 28-30, the central truth of this passage.
Remember: One of the themes in Mark is what it looks like to be a disciple.
Discipleship depends on:
• Being with Jesus
and
• Doing His will
• A Serious Statement
28 “Truly, I say to you,
Here in Mark - this is the first time we see it.
• It always introduces something very important.
This is an AMEN! Truth.
Typically, this would come after a statement of importance, much like when a preacher says something you like and you say “AMEN!” in response. Here, Jesus turns it around and introduces what He’s about to say this way. This happens 75 times in the Gospel. 13 in Mark. It’s only found in the Gospels, it’s only seen on the lips of Jesus, and this is the first time we see this in the Gospel of Mark.
He’s going to tell them two things. And that’s the core of this passage. These two things.
The second thing, while it’s certainly the primary point of this passage, shouldn’t eclipse the first point.
The first point is simply that God forgives.
This is not universal salvation -
That God is willing to forgive us at all is truly amazing.
• What is Forgiveness?
all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter
The root word is “to send away” - it’s intensified here the way it’s used.
• Forgiveness is the complete cancellation of the punishment that you rightfully deserve from a holy God whom you have sinned against.
This is the heart of the gospel. Don’t miss this.
• There is no record in Scripture of anyone asking forgiveness and being denied it.
• The Unforgivable Sin
but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
• It is the Spirit’s task to convict men of sin and reveal to them the gospel. To reveal Christ
In the midst of this beautiful forgiveness - there is an exception.
There’s an irony here that it was those who were so focused on defining what sin is - and who debated what sins are forgivable and which are not - they themselves were the ones guilty of the unpardonable sin.
The scribes were rejecting God.
1.What the Unforgivable Sin Is Not
• It’s not just a “Time of Jesus” thing
If the forgiveness of Verse 28 broadly applies across time, then Verse 29 does too.
• It’s not generic unbelief.
In this day, there was much unbelief. This addresses some within the crowd who have had a full disclosure of gospel truths and rejected it in a specific way. This is a specific sin.
• It’s not committed by a true Believer
Hebrews 6:4-6 is about someone not truly saved. A true Believer will not lose His salvation and will not “fall away.”
• It’s not a specific “huge” sin
We see many “huge” sins in Scripture (murder, adultery, etc.) - and they’re forgiven.
• It’s not denying you know Him
Peter did this and he was forgiven
• It’s not casual or unknowing
Blasphemy by its definition isn’t casual. Blasphemy is intentional. You’ll know you’re doing it.
2. What the Unforgivable Sin is
• It’s intentional rejection
Hebrews 6:4-8 – Turn to this passage and read it.
This is just a quick overview (Thanks to Steve Lawson for this helpful overview)
1. Enlightened
The HS brings clear understanding. The details are clear. You understand what the Gospel is.
2. Tasted (the gift and the Word)
There’s a huge difference between tasting and swallowing.
3. Shared (in the Holy Spirit)
It’s not “in dwelt.” Just that you’ve come under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
God’s Word is living and active and powerful and convicting.
You’ve shared in this, but His Spirit hasn’t in dwelt you. You’re not a Christian.
4. Fallen Away
You heard it clearly. It was proclaimed faithfully.
Gospel Truth was shared with power and clarity.
Yet - it was not swallowed. It was not believed as described in Romans 10:9-10
5. Crucified Again?
Your conclusion - Jesus should have been crucified. They were right to do this.
In your heart - right now you would - “crucify Him” all over again
6. Land
A reference to the heart
7. Rain
God’s Word (see Isaiah 55:10-11)
8. Thorns and Thistles
Close to being cursed - a step away from hell. It will end up being burned
This is someone who has heard the Gospel.
They have been there. They know it’s true.
But they don’t want it.
It’s a serious thing to hear the truth of the Word of God.
Even more serious to hear it then reject it.
• It’s a Reversal of the Truth
It looks back to the charge in v. 22
They called the work of the Spirit of God a work of Satan This is a serious thing.
His Word isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s a serious thing. We should take it seriously.
This Unforgivable Sin is a serious thing. In fact - all sin is serious.
• It’s a pattern
It’s not a single act, a single statement, or a single thought.
Their hearts were being hardened.
Those who knew the Scriptures the best. Those who should have been the first to get it. They didn't get it at all. Those who should have been least likely to respond, came to Jesus for forgiveness.
The Scribes had hardening hearts
The Sinners sought forgiveness
You’ve may have heard this:
• The same sun that melts the snow hardens the clay...
J.C. Ryle calls it:
• The sin of deliberately rejecting God’s truth with the heart while that truth is clearly known in the head.
It’s putting yourself far above God. It’s blatant, ongoing, all encompassing idolatry of self.
