September 15, 2019 – Hebrews 3

Lesson Date: September 15, 2019 – Back to Church Sunday

Focal Scripture Passage: Hebrews 3:1-19

AIM: To lead students to discover and describe the serious consequences that befell the ancient Israelites when they refused to obey God, and to encourage adults to believe God so they do not grieve Him.

Before class: Read the notes on Hebrews 3 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book. Write the following question on the marker board or chalkboard: “Do you learn from the mistakes of others or make the same mistakes?” Locate and bring to class some things that represent safety precautions, such as a safety-sealed medicine bottle, a hair dryer with a warning label on its cord, or a football helmet.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Read the question written on the board aloud. Ask: “How would you answer that question?” (allow time for a few responses).

Ask: “Have you ever thought about the fact that most of our safety regulations came into existence because of the mistakes of the past?” Ask the students if they can name any examples, then show the items you have brought to class. Explain the following:

• Safety sealed medicine bottles were the result of someone tampering with medicine in unsealed bottles.
• Every hair dryer sold in America carries a label warning of electric shock because someone in the past was electrocuted.
• Safety equipment for athletes came about because in the past players sustained serious injuries.
• We have seat belts and air bags in our cars because people in the past died in car crashes.
• Security measures at airports are the result of terrorists and hijackers killing many people.

Tell the students that as a society we usually learn from the mistakes of the past and issue safety warnings and implement safety precautions. Sadly, however, we as individuals often do not learn from the mistakes of others. Tell the class today’s lesson describes the serious mistakes the ancient Israelites made and the consequences they suffered. Hopefully, we will be wise enough to learn from their mistakes in the past so we can avoid similar serious consequences in our lives.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the students that we are studying the New Testament book of Hebrews.
   • Direct their attention to the cover of a Sunday School Member Quarterly and remind them that the book of Hebrews is about the supremacy or superiority of Jesus Christ.
   • Ask: “What did chapter 1 say Jesus is superior to?” (prophets, angels, and creation).
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson from chapter 2 about?” (Christ is superior in humility: He humbled Himself more than anyone else ever has).
   • Ask: “Why did Jesus humble Himself?” (to die on the cross so we could be saved).
   • Ask if any volunteer would be willing to recite last week’s memory verse (Heb. 2:9).
2. Christ is Superior to Moses.
   • Tell the class the opening of this chapter reveals another fact about Christ’s superiority.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Hebrews 3:1.
   • Tell the students if they are saved then they are “holy brethren” and “partakers of the heavenly calling.” If they are saved they also have an “Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.”
   • These are wonderful truths that cannot be said of those who are not saved. This verse, then, is speaking directly to saved people.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Hebrews 3:2-4.
   • Ask: “What does verse 2 say about Jesus?” (He was faithful to the one who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful).
   • Ask: “According to verse 3, who is worthy of more glory – Moses or Jesus?” (Jesus).
   • Ask: “What illustration did the writer give in verse 3 to prove this?” (the builder of a house is worthy of more honor than the house he built).
   • Ask: “What does verse 4 say about Christ?” (He created everything).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Hebrews 3:5-6.
   • Ask: “In what ways do these verses say Jesus is superior to Moses?” (Moses was a faithful servant but Christ is the ruling Son).
   • Ask: “Who is Christ’s ‘house’?” (we are, if we belong to Him).
   • Erase the board and write on it the first of three divisions of the lesson: “Jesus Christ is Superior to Moses.”
   • Summarize: Moses was revered as the greatest leader, teacher, and prophet in Israel’s history, but Jesus Christ is far superior to Moses.
3. Don’t Follow the Example of the Israelites.
   • Tell the class the second division of today’s lesson is in verses 7-11.
   • Remind them that the book of Hebrews contains many quotations from the Old Testament. Verses 7-11 are quoted directly from Psalm 95:7-11.
   • Write the following on the board: “Warning: Don’t Follow The Example of the Israelites.”
   • Read Hebrews 3:7-11.
   • Tell the students that government agencies often issue safety warnings.
   • Ask: “According to verse 7, who is issuing this warning?” (the Holy Spirit of God).
   • Ask: “When are we to hear and obey this warning?” (today, now – it is urgent).
   • Ask: “According to verse 8, what are we warned not to do?” (harden our hearts).
   • Ask: “What does it mean to harden our hearts?” (to be stubborn, to refuse to hear God’s warnings, to refuse to change our ways so we can obey God).
   • Ask: “Can you think of any times when the Israelites hardened their hearts toward God and His servant, Moses?” (two examples are when they demanded water and attacked Moses in 17 and when they listened to the negative report of the ten spies in Num. 14 and refused to enter the Promised Land).
   • Tell the class verse 10 says the Israelites continued their hard-hearted and rebellious ways throughout their forty years in the wilderness.
   • Ask: “According to verse 10, how did God feel about this?” (He was grieved because they continually erred in their hearts and did not know His ways).
   • Ask: “What did their hard-hearted rebellion cause God to do?” (swear that they would not enter into His rest in the Promised Land).
   • Ask: “Did God keep that promise? If so, how?” (yes, that entire generation except for Joshua and Caleb died in the wilderness without entering the Promised Land).
   • Summarize: The ancient Israelites were hard hearted and refused to obey God or His servant, Moses. The consequence of their rebellion was death in the wilderness. We are warned not to follow their foolish example.
4. Don’t Grieve God.
   • Tell the class the last division of today’s lesson is found in verses 12-19. Portions of Psalm 95:7-11 are quoted again in those verses.
   • Write “Instructions For not Grieving God” on the board.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Hebrews 3:12-19 one verse at a time.
   • After each verse is read, ask: “What instruction do you find in that verse?”
   • Below is a list of the instructions they should discover:
     • Take heed (watch carefully and consider closely) that you do not have an evil heart of unbelief – v. 12. NOTE: We think of evil as wicked, hateful, or hurtful behavior, but the Bible clearly says it is evil to not believe God.
     • Exhort one another daily, to try to prevent fellow believers from becoming hardened through sin – v. 13.
     • Those who belong to Christ should persevere to the end – v. 14.
     • Don’t harden your heart toward God – v. 15. Ask: “How do we keep our hearts soft toward God?” (obey Him, confess our sin, spend quality time in prayer and Bible reading, faithfully attend church, fellowship with other believers who can encourage us to live for the Lord, etc.).
     • Don’t provoke God through unbelief – v. 16.
     • Don’t grieve God through sin – v. 17 (see also Eph. 4:30). NOTE: Grief cripples people and prevents them from carrying out their normal activities. When we grieve God by our actions we prevent Him from working in our lives as He could if we were obedient to Him.
     • Believe God – v. 18-19. NOTE: These verses make it very clear that unbelief cuts us off from the blessings of God. The ancient Israelites never stopped being God’s people, but they lost the blessings He wanted to give them. Why? Simply because they refused to believe God.
   • Summarize: The ancient Israelites grieved God through their unbelief, causing God to withhold the blessings He had prepared for them. The Bible warns us not to grieve God, but instead to believe Him.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Briefly review the lesson by reading the three section headings written on the board.

Remind the students of the joy and excitement the ancient Israelites must have felt when they were miraculously freed from bondage in Egypt. Remind them of God’s miraculous protection as He opened the Red Sea before them and then closed it back again over the pursuing Egyptians. Remind them of God’s provision of water in the desert and manna in the wilderness. Tell the class God blessed the ancient Israelites in many ways and had prepared for them a land flowing with milk and honey. In spite of all these blessings, the Israelites stubbornly rebelled against the Lord’s chosen leader (Moses) and refused to believe God.

Ask: “What were some of the consequences the Israelites faced because they did not believe God?” (they were not allowed to experience God’s rest and blessings in the Promised Land; they grieved God, hindering their fellowship with him; they spent forty years in the wilderness; they ultimately died in the wilderness).

Remind the class that we opened the lesson talking about safety precautions and regulations that were imposed because of the bad results of past mistakes. The Israelites’ past mistakes brought very bad results. Ask: “Do you want to repeat the mistakes and failures of the ancient Israelites, or learn from them?” (they should want to learn from them). Tell the students that following the seven instructions we discovered in verses 12-19 (our list of “safety regulations”) will keep us from repeating the costly mistakes made by the Israelites.

Erase the board and write the following: “Believe or Grieve.” Tell the students that is the choice before us. Believing God brings blessings, but grieving God cuts off those blessings.

Ask: “Do you want to grieve God, or believe and follow Him?” Encourage the students to believe God so they do not grieve Him. Lead a closing prayer of commitment.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Hebrews 3:12. Tell them when they detect any unbelief or hardness in their life they should confess it and turn away from it immediately. Tell the students to look for opportunities to warn others about the dangers of unbelief.