impossible - it is the word for power, ability

point is that it just can't be done.......

bring back to repentance -is interpreted and not part of the original Greek

Enlightened - to turn the light on, shed light on my sin, my need for God



Tasted the heavenly gift

- literally to taste, enjoy, eat, Acts 10:10; 20:11

- figuaratively - come to feel, to learn in one's own experiece



Shared in the Holy Spirit -

farmer sharing in the harvest 1 Cor 9:10

share or eat together on loaf of bread 1 Cor 10:17

Luke 5:7 when the boats were so full of fish they signaled their partners, fellow fishermen to come and help them

Tasted of the goodness of the Word of God

take in, internalize, digest......

same word as above

note the good word of God - lifegiving, wholesome, positive nature of the Scriptures

the powers of the age to come - the glimpses of God's power in healing for example,

If they fall away.......

to fall beside, to be led astray, to be mistaken

a disruption in man's relationship with God due to some fault of man......

equal to the word sin


To be brought back.....again

to renew - like you would renew an expired subscription and once the fee is paid, everything i s returned to normal.......not so here


even though you think you will.....ahh, nothing is going to happen, I will have another chance....



to repentance

- standard for repentance

- another definition I heard recently

- to agree with God's version of reality



because you can't crucify Jesus again for yourself

on your own terms, when its convenient

because you can't disgrace him publicly again for yourself

to hang him in public as a common criminal , a reference to the shame that occurs when a criminal is captured, tried, condemned and hung till dead in the city square

word used to describe Joseph when he decided to divorce Mary quietly rather than expose her to public disgrace......

useful - well placed, fits perfectly, like it was designed for that exact spot.....adds value, actually helps instead of hurts or hinders.....


(Illus. Lady has been doing our taxes for 30 years - specializes in pastors unique issues....relief in knowing these are cared for properly is of great value to us)

In the context the good time that is enjoyed at the supper table because of a good harvest - a crisp macintosh apple right off the tree, corn that was picked twenty minutes ago, steamed and on the tble....)

A field that is cared for, fertilized, weeded, cleared of destructive insects......

(Illus. The coffee can of kerosene in the potato patch.....get so we could fine those guys hiding in all sorts of spaces......but you learned to look in the y's of the plant, just under the surface of the dirt, and when you turned the leaves up.....under
the leaves.......)

bears the fruit of regular maintenance and attention

So. turn the leaves over........

This field cant be trusted to produce anything of value

It will soon be burned, cleared, and hopefully to be used next season


This field has been neglected and left to go wild, get over run with weeds, thorns, thistles, burdocks, milkweed, wild carrots........

We were persuaded about you in the past and our optimism about your spiritual strength continues

God is not unjust - idea that the Hebrew Christians were wavering because they were discouraged, wondering if God had decided to walk away from them......

Oblivious to the injustice that was around them.....

So Hebrews is addressing their concern.....

God is aware of what you face........

helping others

motivated in the name of Jesus is the literal KJV gets it.....

labor of love for Him

perseverance -

deaconized to the saints, fellow believers and are continuing to do so

seen in their zeal, enthusiasm for serving in the name of Jesus


secure hope -

full assurance, great richness, superabundance of certainty

hope - inner confidence, certainty, confirmed conviction.... that God is and does and will

until the end.......the completion of God's plan

(Illus. That is how we can get through death - something we have had some practice at lately haven't we..........
because we know its not the final part of the plan - that is yet to come.........)

productivity - opposite of sluggish, slow, obtuse - the opposite of slow.......and deliberately stalling ....sometimes described as moving with a purpose.......

(Illus. Site record...ARF - for nuclear weapons stores in Germany in the early 80's.....and of course there were lots of groups that would have loved to get their hands on thismove with a purpose people - some people's lives depend on it...got there and we got there so fast they hadn't even opened the gate and shown up for work yet.......)


following good examples

get close enough to imitate

(Illus. 3DM illustration..........)

Let's turn our attention to the fruit.......