STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND
HEBREWS 3:12-13
INTRODUCTION: A HOUSE THAT IS CONSTRUCTED ON UNSTABLE GROUND WILL FIND THAT ITS FOUNDATION WILL BE QUITE SHAKY. WHEN THE FIERCE WINDS BEAT UPON THIS HOUSE, RESTING ON UNSTABLE GROUND, THE HOUSE MAY CRUMBLE TO THE GROUND BECAUSE ITS SUPPORT SYSTEM HAD NO SUPPORT AT ALL. HAVING MADE THAT ILLUSTRATION, WHENEVER OUR FAITH FOUNDATION IS QUESTIONABLE, WE ARE STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND. WHENEVER WE DISTRUST GOD, EVEN FOR ONE MINUTE WE ARE STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND. WHEN SIN PARALIZES OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH, WE ARE STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND. WHEN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK IS HANDCUFFED BY THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, WE ARE STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND. YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, THERE ARE THOSE OF US IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD, WHO ARE NOT ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN THE WORD OF GOD; THEY COME TO CHURCH, SIN HAS DOMINION OVER THEM, THEY HAVE NOT PROFESSED A HOPE IN CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR, THEY ARE STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND. MATT. 7:26-27 TEACHES, “AND EVERY ONE THAT HEARETH THESE SAYINGS OF MINE, AND DOETH THEM NOT, SHALL BE LIKENED UNTO A FOOLISH MAN, WHICH BUILT HIS HOUSE UPON THE SAND: AND THE RAIN DESCENDED, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW, AND BEAT UPON THAT HOUSE; AND IT FELL: AND GREAT WAS THE FALL OF IT.” STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND.
I. TEXT
THE WRITER OF THIS EPISTLE GIVES A STERN WARNING TO THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST. HE CHARGES THAT THEY SHOULD BE ON GUARD AGAINST AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF AND DEPARTING FROM GOD. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL, CIRCUMSTANCES CAN CAUSE US TO DISTRUST AND WALK AWAY FROM GOD.
SOME OF THE 1ST CENTURY JEWS, UNDER THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH, CHANGED THEIR MIND ABOUT LIVING FOR THE LORD. THEY HAD A HEAD KNOWLEDGE BUT NOT A HEART KNOWLEDGE. ROMANS 10:2 TEACHES, “FOR I BEAR THEM RECORD THAT THEY HAVE A ZEAL OF GOD, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE.” THEY WERE UNSTABLE IN THEIR THINKING. AN UNSTABLE PERSON IS A DOUBLE MINDED PERSON, AND A DOUBLE MINDED PERSON IS A DANGEROUS PERSON, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW JUST WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH. JAMES 1:8 TEACHES, “A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS.”
SIN PRODUCES A COLD AND CALLOUSED HEART. SIN DEFILES THE CONSCIENCE, HARDENS THE HEART, RENDERS THE WORD UNPROFITABLE, UNFIT FOR DUTY AND MAKES MEN UNSTABLE, AND THEREFORE TO BE SHUNNED. SAINTS SHOULD TAKE HEED OF THEMSELVES, AND OF THEIR HEARTS, AND OF THE UNBELIEF OF THEM, THAT THEY DO NOT IN THE LEAST DEPART FROM CHRIST, BY LETTING GO THEIR HOLD OF HIM, OR BY A NON-EXERCISE OF FAITH UPON HIM; AND THIS SHOULD BE THE CARE AND CONCERN OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE CHURCH, AND AT ALL TIMES; UNBELIEF IS VERY DISHONOURABLE TO GOD AND CHRIST; CONTRADICTS THE WORD AND PROMISES OF GOD; IS UNCOMFORTABLE TO THE SAINTS; IT IS A SIN THAT VERY EASILY BESETS, AND IS VERY PROVOKING TO GOD, AND IS HIGHLY RESENTED BY HIM. THAT’S WHY THOSE WHO DISTRUST GOD OR DON’T KNOW GOD, ARE STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND.
II. CONDITIONS OF SIN ON THE HEART
A HARDENED HEART WILL CAUSE YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM GOD, FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND JOB. WHENEVER YOU WALK AWAY FROM GOD YOU RUN THE RISK OF BEING ARRESTED BY GOD. YOU DO YOURSELF A DISERVICE, AND GOD WILL SOMETIMES ALLOW YOU TO STEW IN THE JUICES OF YOUR OWN CONSEQUENCES. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD WILL SAY YOU MADE YOUR BED, NOW LIE IN IT. (SAMSON). AT OTHER TIMES GOD WILL HAVE TO GET YOUR ATTENTION BY OTHER MEANS, ILLNESS, FINANCIAL WOES, FAMILY PROBLEMS, LAYOFFS ON YOUR JOB. DEUT. 8:5 TEACHES, “THOU SHALT ALSO CONSIDER IN THINE HEART, THAT, AS A MAN CHASTENETH HIS SON, SO THE LORD THY GOD CHASTENETH THEE.” HEBREWS 12:6, TEACHES, “FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CHASTENETH, AND SCOURGETH EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVETH.”
THE HEART CAN BE CONSIDERED NUCLEUS OF OUR SOULS; AND WHEN SIN ENTERS THEREIN, IT HAS A HARD TIME BEING REMOVED. JEREMIAH 17:9 SAYS, “THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED: WHO CAN KNOW IT?” WHEN SIN ENTERS THE HEART: NO SINGING CAN SATISFY IT, NO PARTY CAN PACIFY IT, NO LEISURE CAN LIFT IT, NO WORDS CAN EASE IT!
III. CONCLUSION
NOT ONLY DOES THE WRITER WANT US TO BE ON GUARD, BUT HE ALSO INSTRUCTS US TO DO SOMETHING. WE MUST EXHORT EACH OTHER ON A DAILY BASIS. WE MUST CONSTANTLY LIFT EACH OTHER UP. EVERY NOW AND THEN, I GET FRUSTRATED, AGGRAVATED, AGITATED, AND IRRATATED. AND I NEED SOMEBODY TO SAY REV. IT’S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO GET UPSET ABOUT LIFES CONDITIONS AND THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN’T GO ON. WE MUST LIFT THEM. THERE ARE THOSE WITH THEIR BACKS AGAINST THE WALL AND WE MUST LIFT THEM UP, BY LIFTING UP THE NAME OF JESUS.
SO MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, IF YOU ARE STANDING ON SHAKY GROUND, I SUBMIT HOLDING ON TO GOD’S UNCHANGING HAND. YOU NEED TO STAND ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK. HE IS A SURE FOUNDATION. NOT ONLY THAT BUT HIS:
· PEACE IS PERFECT.
· MERCY IS GREAT.
· TOUCH IS REFRESHING.
· PRESENCE IS PRECIOUS.
· VICTORY IS COMPLETE.
· HE IS THE GIFT OF GIFTS.
· HE IS THE WONDER OF WONDERS.
· HE IS LORD OF LORDS.
· HE IS KING OF KINGS.
· HE IS ANCIENT OF DAYS.
· HE IS THE ARM OF THE LORD.
· HE IS THE BRANCH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
· HE IS THE BALM OF GILEAD.
· HE IS THE DAYSPRING FROM ON HIGH.
