In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the danger of hardening one's heart towards God. He compares the hardening of the heart to a second death, from which there is no rising. The preacher urges the audience to fear and warns against being deceived by sin. He references Hebrews 3:7-8 and highlights the importance of holding onto faith and not hardening one's heart, as the Israelites did in the wilderness. The preacher also emphasizes the need to trust in God and not rely on oneself.

If anyone really wants to do God's will, you have to learn to walk by faith. There's a wonderful scripture concerning this truth. We are made partakers of Christ. Think, think for a moment. We are made partakers of Christ. That doesn't mean that we get his blessings, but it means we become united to him. We're one with him. Oh God, how far we have drifted from the hope of the gospel, unless that hope has gripped us so that we cannot live without it anymore. We are made partakers of Christ. You know where that scripture is, don't you? Let's see you scribes and Pharisees how much you know about it. Where is it? Well, there are several scriptures, but the one I'm thinking of is tremendously marvelous. It begins like this. Wherefore, holy brethren, but of course, one colored sister was very much peeved at the preacher, the colored preacher, because he always talked to the brethren. Brethren, she said, why do you always talk to the brethren and not to the sistering? He says, my sister, don't you know the brethren embrace the sistering? Sure they do. It means that the sisters are brothers. When the Bible talks about holy brethren, can I address you like that this morning? Can I shake your hand and say, holy brethren, oh Lord and my God, we are glory to God. And that's what the Bible calls us. In the preceding chapter, he says that Jesus Christ took on him the form of the sons of Abraham, that in all things he might be made like unto his brethren, that he might lead many brethren unto glory. Oh, what a condescension of Jesus Christ to come down out of heaven and take upon himself the form of man, that he might make you his brother and that he might lead you into that glory that was his before the foundation of the world. We'll never understand that until we get to heaven. Praise the Lord. It will be a wonderful education, but you know, God wants us to know something about it here. And so he goes on to say, wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling. Do you know that our meetings ought to be more important than all the sessions of university and of Congress in Washington? It should be. We ought to come together with Jesus Christ to learn from him. I sometimes tremble when I think of it, when I think of how slow I have been to comprehend and to understand. And that is not God's fault at all. He has sent to us a wonderful teacher and this teacher wants to guide us into all truth. And you know what the truth is? It's the truth that none of the princes of this world knew. With all their university education, with all their civilization, with all their instruments, with all their theology and all their knowledge of science, they have not been able to understand even the ABC of it. But unto us, God has revealed them by his spirit. Oh, how we are dependent on the spirit of God to teach us and to guide us into all truth. God would make known unto his saints what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you. And God's here this morning. He wants you to know something. And the only way he can make us know is by filling us with the Holy Ghost. Only that spirit of God can make me understand these things. And so he says, wherefore, holy brethren, that's where God put you, sistering, partakers of the heavenly calling. Oh, what a heavenly calling. You know, in a hundred years, we won't be here anymore. Did you know that? But maybe we will. I hope we will. I hope that Jesus Christ is coming to change our vile body and make us to be kings upon this earth. Praise the Lord. We had a Baptist preacher. He was an interesting chap. He was fixed up like the Amish people. He had a beard, but no mustache. A white beard. And he looked like a preacher. And he was indoctrinating Aunt Rose one time about the coming of the Lord. And he says, you know, when the Lord comes, everybody's going to get his reward. He said to Aunt Rose, maybe you'll be the mayor of a little town. You know, you ain't good for very much anyway. Somebody else will be the mayor over 10 towns. That was his interpretation. Oh, how stupid. And then he pitted my sister because she didn't have a husband. And he said, you go to the Moody Bible Institute. You'll get one there because he said, I had four daughters and four of them got husbands in the Moody Bible Institute. And that's what half the people go to Bible Institute for, you know. Beloved, we're bad off. We really are a bad lot. Unless we bow before our great King. And we accept his call to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles. My, it ought to make us passionately interested. Partakers of the heavenly calling. Now I'm going to read it to you because I'm not sure that I can quote it just the way it is written. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him as Moses was faithful in all his house. Now you know why. Oh, you haven't found it yet. This is Hebrews three. Hebrews is in the New Testament. And the third chapter, Hebraic three, number one. Now, why does he liken Jesus to Moses? Because Moses had a ministry and a charge from God to lead his people out of Egypt into the promised land. But Jesus Christ has a charge from God to lead you and me out of the flesh into his glory. Beloved, we're started on a wonderful trip. Hallelujah, I made three trips around the world now, but this is a more wonderful trip. And we're going pretty fast, thank God. We're in a wonderful vehicle, not a jet airliner, but the Holy Ghost. And Jesus Christ is the pilot. Glory to God. And so he says, for this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses in as much as he who has built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by some man, but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after, but Christ as a son over his own house. Did you know that Jesus Christ is building a house and that we are his house? Oh, Lord Jesus, hallelujah. This house is built of living stones. It's a living house. Not like the houses on this earth, but this is a living house. Glory, glory, glory. And we are his house. That ought to interest us this morning. And it ought to interest me to know where I belong in this house. Where does Jesus Christ put me? And what is he fitting me for? He's got me in his masterful hand and he's shaping me as a living stone to be fitted into his house. That's his job. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. That's the verse I wanted. First we trust. And it tells us here how important it is that we trust. Oh, this morning we're discussing this glorious gospel, this wonderful call of God. And the first thing that God wants is that we believe him. Praise God. You might say, well, me, many times I've said that to God. My God, I'm just a little piece of dust in the great universe. And to think that you should think of me. My God, to think that you should love me. Why, that's more than I can grasp. I can't grasp it, but God wants me to believe it. And I know it today. And he wants me to have this confidence. If I don't, I'm liable to jump out of his jet airliner. I'm liable not to trust him. You know, there was a Scotchman who wanted a ride in an airplane. In the early days when they had these barnstorming planes and they sold a ride for $5. But he was a Scotchman and he was too stingy. He wanted to fly with his wife and he bargained with the pilot. He said, I can't pay $10, $5 for each of us. I'll give you five for the two of us. And finally the pilot said, all right, if you'll promise me not to open your mouth all through the flight. Said, all right, I won't open my mouth. So the pilot strapped them in, took them up into the sky, looped the loop several times and then came down with them. And here, only the Scotchman was left. The wife wasn't there. And the Scotchman paid the $5 and the pilot said, well, you kept your promise. You didn't shout. He said, I was tempted when the old lady fell out. He was tempted to shout, but he didn't. He wanted to save his five bucks. And you know, you're liable to jump out on the way unless you have great confidence, a great desire to make the grade. Oh my Lord and my God, if you hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. You know, the Bible says, hope make us not ashamed. Oh, this hope of the gospel, which is my inheritance, hallelujah. As soon as I give myself to the Lord Jesus Christ, I know that all the responsibility is his. He is the pilot. He has begun a good work in me and he won't give it up until he's finished it. Not only that, but he is able, abundantly able, hallelujah. And everything depends on my having faith in him, having confidence in my Lord Jesus Christ. And we can search our hearts this morning and see how it is with my confidence. The trouble is we like to have confidence in ourselves. That's been my fault years ago. I looked at myself and I said, hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute, you don't fulfill here or there or elsewhere. You'll never fulfill that way. You must have confidence in Jesus Christ that he who has begun a good work, he knew what kind of material he picked up when he picked you up. And the Bible says he has purposely picked up poor material. Glory to God that he might bring to naught things that are, that he might show unto the angels the exceeding riches of his wisdom toward us. Oh, I have all confidence and all reason to have great confidence, great confidence, great confidence. Beloved, it's trust and obey. That's the program of God. And I must begin by trusting in the Lord, Psalm 92. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, to sing his praises in the morning, to praise him for his grace in the morning and for his faithfulness at night. Oh, God starts out everyone with abundance of grace. Did you know that? Did you know that Jesus Christ is the beginning? Nobody starts any other place but with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, hallelujah, who has taken over. And he says, now, let not your heart be troubled. Believe also in me. I ought to begin in the morning every morning by saying, Jesus Christ, I know you're going to do exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or think today. I'm going to have that confidence. I'm going to expect nothing from myself, but I am going to expect everything from you. I'm going to expect you to open my mouth when I need to open it and to keep it shut when I need to keep my mouth shut. I'm going to expect you to take hold of my mouth and of my mind and of my, to keep my body well. I'm going to expect you, my God, to keep away the germs and the devils and all that might tempt me. Why, that's the promise of God, hallelujah. But listen, it's more than that. More than a promise, it's a provision that God makes. My God shall supply every need of yours. How? According to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. You remember the story of Confucius. He was a very good man. He was, well, we have two missionaries from China. They know more about Confucius than I do. But he was a good Chinaman. The Chinese honor him. And when anybody asked him for something, he always gave it. And one day a man asked him to loan his horse. He had to take a trip. And Confucius had a nice horse. So sure, he said, take him. So he climbed on the horse and he started on his trip, but he didn't get very far. China is full of beggars. And when a beggar came along and wanted something from this horseman, the horse stopped. Wouldn't move until he had given him something. And so then he went on. And when he came to the second beggar, the same thing happened. Every beggar that came along had to get something. And finally, this man had no more money. So he had to pretend to give something to the beggar or the horse would not have moved. And when he brought back his horse to Confucius, he says, thanks for your horse, but next time you lend me your horse, you'll have to give me your pocketbook too. Now that's what Jesus does. He gives you not only a horse to ride on, but he gives you his pocketbook too. He gives you all that is needed for life and godliness. And that's how he starts you out. And if you don't trust him and don't start out with this confidence, you won't get very far. You'll jump out of the airplane. Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost says, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me and saw my works 40 years. We've seen his works 40 years. And wherein did they fail? They failed to trust God when things were going hard. When they didn't have anything to drink, they found fault with God. And they didn't remember that God had cleft the rock before. Praise God. And even Moses, when they wanted to stone Moses because they said, we're sick and tired of this man. We want something else. We remember the garlics and the leeks and the onions. You know, the Jews still like onions and garlic and leeks and that stuff. And they were hungry for it. And they wanted to stone Moses. And Moses cried to God. He said, what did I do to this people? And then God said, all right, I'll give them enough meat to eat, not for one day or two, but until it comes out of their noses. I'll feed them every day for a whole month. And I can see Moses doubling up with laughter. He said, God, do you know what you're saying? Now, Lord, honest to goodness, do you know what you're saying? Why, the infantry alone number 600,000 men. And that's not including the artillery and the air force and all the babies. And the store brings about 5,000 babies every day. And you're going to give them meat to eat for a whole month. That's where they failed God. Not because they were not able to produce the meat, but because they didn't believe God when they couldn't see or feel or hear anything. That's where you and I fail God when we don't believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And we don't believe that he is all and in all. Oh my God, how interesting my days are. My days are filled with needs. And Jesus Christ supplies every need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Glory to God. He does so much better than I could even think of. And now it says, listen, they failed God because when they were tested and tried, they refused to believe God. And don't we do the same thing? Don't we? Haven't you ever had the experience of needing a healing, for instance, and you don't seem to get an answer to your prayer right away and then God reminds you of how some 10 years ago you got a healing or 15 years ago you got a healing. And then God says, don't you think I can do it today? And because God lets you be tested, why it's necessary that we be tested. The apostle Peter says, if need be, ye are in heaviness through many full temptations. What for? That the trial of your faith may be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, not to your honor, but to his honor. Beloved, we got many lessons to learn and yet there's only one lesson to learn and that lesson is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. And so I was grieved with that generation. Now Lord, we've been on the way 40 years. Are you grieved with us? I know that God pursued a certain plan with this work in these 40 years and we're right up against it now. And now the question is, are we ready to enter in? It's going to present trials and testings to us. And many have failed along the way. They've run away. They've found it too difficult. They've told me so. They said, I know this way is right, but it's too hard for me to travel. All right, take a lesser road. I was grieved with that generation. Oh, how God will be grieved with you and with me if we don't trust him to the end, if we don't hold fast our confidence and he says, they do all they err in their heart and they have not known my ways. So I swear in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest. It's a dreadful thing when God swears and he says, all right, have it your way. Oh my Lord and my God, let me learn my lesson to trust and then to obey you. And when God brought them up to the promised land and the 10 spies came back with a discouraging report, Moses said, and this thing, you did not believe the Lord your God. Right when they were up to the promised land, they could have gone right in and right there, they failed. Beloved, we need to hold fast the beginning of our confidence unto the end. And what is that beginning? Why, we've been called to be partakers of Christ. Not just to be a little holy, you know. Not just to be a little better than the Baptists or Methodists or backslidden Pentecostal folks. We're called to be like Jesus and we'll have many tests and many trials but that's how we learn his ways. That's where we learn to know Jesus Christ. Take heed, brethren, as there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Do you know anybody that's in danger of departing from the living God? We have to help him. And here's how to help him. Exhort one another daily while it is called today. That's why we have these meetings this morning. Oh, Lord God, let any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Dear Father, dear Father, we're in a great fight and how many allow their hearts to be hardened. You know, the medical science is afraid of this sclerosis, this hardening of the muscles. We've seen people that died slowly. They start at the toes and death creeps up on them and everything becomes stone. Their body becomes stone. There's no hope for that. There's no medical cure for that. But what will you say of the hardening of the heart? There's no hope for that. That's the second death from which there is no rising of. And we ought to be afraid. Take heed, brethren. In the fourth chapter it says, let us fear therefore, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. And now comes my text. Now, excuse me for making such a long introduction to it. But we need it. For we, that's you and me. Glory to God. We are made partakers of Christ. Beloved, that ought to be real to us this morning. If, now here's an if. We hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. While it is said today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation. Now, I would like to add another interesting word here. If you can take it, if you can still stay awake a few minutes longer. Today, if you will hear his voice. Well, now if God thundered at us from the top of the Empire State Building, if the whole Empire State Building were on fire like Mount Sinai was, and we'd stand there downtown and we'd hear the voice of God from the top of the Empire State Building, calling us that we are made partakers of Christ and we better wake up and better take heed. We might take heed. And instead of that, he puts it in the Bible. You gotta get it out of the Bible. It's as truly the word of God and it's as truly the call of God as any word of God has ever been. And that makes the Bible so exceedingly precious and valuable for some when they had heard did provoke. But not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. There was Joshua and there was Phinehas and there were a number of others that took it. But with whom was he grieved for the years? Was it not with them that had sin whose carcasses fell in the wilderness and to whom swear he that they should not enter into rest but to them that believed not. So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief. And it was sin that created that unbelief. And it was unbelief that created the sin. And so let us learn our lesson to trust, to trust, to trust and obey. Or like a little grace paraphrases that, trust and obey or you'll rust and decay.