Sermon Based Group Homework
For the message on October 21, 2018
Passage: Hebrews 6:4-9
QUICK REVIEW
This Sunday, Mike continued our series in Hebrews by looking at the warning from the author to not fall away from following Jesus but to be fruitful in our lives.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
1. What stage of spiritual growth would you say you are currently at – Newer Believer – You feed me, Growing Believer – I’m learning to feed myself, or Mature Believer – I’m able to feed others?
2. Spiritual maturity has more to do with our actions than what we say. Who is someone in your life whose actions lead you to believe that they are spiritually mature?
LET’S GO DEEPER
1. In Hebrews 6:4-9, the author warns those who have experienced the blessings of God and understood the gospel, to not harden their hearts but to repent and come to faith in Christ while they still have the opportunity. What warnings do you find in the following passages? Who are the warnings for and what would happen if the warnings aren’t heeded?
Matthew 13:1-23 (ESV)
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” 10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. 18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Matthew 13:24-30 (ESV)
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
- Why do you think Jesus wants “church people” to know these words and teachings?
- Do these verses bring you comfort or discomfort? Why?
2. The writer of Hebrews believes that his readers are true believers even though they are struggling with doubts and thinking about going back to Judaism (see v.9). Even if we have an authentic faith in Jesus, we still struggle from time to time but God will not fail to keep His promise of bringing us home with Him for eternity. What assurance do the following verses offer for true believers?
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 8:30 (ESV)
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:8-9 (ESV)
8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 10:28-29 (ESV)
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
- Which of these verses give you the most confidence that you are secure in your identity as a child of God?
3. This weekend Mike encouraged believers to keep growing in their faith and to never press the “pause button” in their diligence in pursuing Jesus. A healthy Christian will bear spiritual fruit. The author of Hebrews mentions some of these beginning in v. 10. He notes love for others, good works, and perseverance as examples of the fruit these Hebrew believers had shown. Can you think of a spiritually mature person that you know? What evidence or spiritual fruit do you see in their life?
TAKE IT HOME
1. Looking back at this week’s teaching and study, is there one thing you’d especially like to remember this week?
2. Do you have any prayer requests for your group?
Prayer Requests:
