The Other Option on that Day - Hebrews 10:26-39

The curtain of Jesus’ body was torn that we might enter in to the Most Holy Place in the true sanctuary of heaven before the throne of God.

He is the High Priest we need to permanently and sufficiently atone for our sin.

I had no sooner finished typing those words when my husband laid his hand on my shoulder to tell me a friend of ours passed away. A young wife and mother of six succumbed to leukemia. After a moment of reflection, I looked back at my screen and heard the words, “She has passed through the curtain.” My friend knew Jesus’ sacrifice covered her sin. She was a testament to His grace and the power of a relationship with Him up until the end.

The author of Hebrews began last week’s section with those two opening statements. We considered a possible response to Jesus’ sacrifice… to draw near to Him, to hold on to the confession of our hope, and to be concerned about one another. That's the life my friend lived.

Another response exists, as well. It’s, well, let’s just say that God didn’t sugar coat the message on this one. To begin, I encourage you to read Hebrews 10:26-39.

Click picture for a printable handout for this section

Deliberate Sin (10:26)

If a person hears the message of Jesus’ sacrifice, they may choose a different response than the one we considered in the last section. They may choose to reject it. The author of Hebrews classifies this response as a deliberate sin.

The Law classifies two other sins as deliberate sins – premeditated murder (Exodus 21:14) and rejection of the Word of God (Numbers 15:30). If we deliberately reject Jesus’ message of truth, then we likewise reject the Word of God as He is the Word made Flesh. Our rejection arrogantly declares that Jesus’ death wasn’t an atoning sacrifice but was only another premeditated murder; a murder for which the guilt lies upon us because it was for our sin that He died. If we hear and reject Jesus’ gospel message, then we are guilty of both of these deliberate sins and Scripture guarantees the outcome.

Guaranteed Outcome (10:27-31)

During the era of the Old Testament and the Law, if someone heard the message of the Law and disregarded it, then the punishment was death without mercy. The gospel message is superior to the Law. How much worse, then, is it to disregard the gospel message of Jesus?

If we disregard His message, we don’t only turn His sacrifice of love into a barbaric, premeditated murder. We also…

• Trample upon Him. Jesus will make a footstool of His enemies of sin and death but when we reject Him, we conceitedly try to make a footstool of Him. Pride didn’t work out too well for Satan and it won’t for us either.
• Regard Jesus’ blood as common, profane, or ordinary. Remembering the first century Jewish context of this book, our rejection of Jesus’ sacrifice arrogantly declares the blood of bulls and goats to be more precious than the blood of Jesus sprinkled before the throne of Holy God in the true sanctuary.
• Insult the spirit of grace. We insolently decide the Law was a superior message than the message of grace we have available to us through Jesus.

Yet, God guarantees the outcome for those who choose this option over the option to draw near to Him as we considered in the last section. The outcome for those who choose to reject Jesus’ sacrifice is vengeance and judgment at the hands of the Living God. Like I said, no sugar coating on this message.

When Times get Hard (10:32-34)

Difficult times will come as a follower of Christ. We all experience times of doubt as we wonder if the struggles are worth it. We all question if the foundation of our faith is secure. In His Word, God often asks us to remember how He worked in the past – to pause and reflect on where we have been in our journey – in order to find comfort and encouragement to continue.

He does so here; “Remember the earlier days when…” (Hebrews 10:32). Remember how your friends and family persecuted you because you accepted Jesus’ message. They rejected you because you accepted Him. Remember the time you were willing to go to prison rather than deny your faith. Not just you, but you saw your loved ones suffer in their prison cells, as well. Remember the time when the government took away all your stuff. Even then, you knew it was ok because your treasures are in heaven, not here on earth. Those were rough times and yet, Jesus sustained you through them. You were so confident in your faith that no persecution of this earth could stop you. You clung so tightly to the hope before you that the cares of this world drifted far beneath you. Remember those days now.

Why? (10:35-39)

No one ever promised this journey is going to be easy. Leukemia takes young moms away from their children. Governments confiscate the belongings of those who follow Jesus; they imprison those who preach His Name. Loved ones abandon, ridicule, and harass us for believing the truth of God’s Word. Any of these – and more – can happen to any of us. Even here in America.

We can’t give up now. We can’t throw away our confidence. We must endure. Jesus is coming and we want to be found faithful.

Don’t throw away the confidence and boldness we have because Jesus made a way through the curtain. Our confidence comes with a great reward – restored access to the Father. “Hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope” (Hebrews 3:6).

God created us for a purpose – His will for us to accomplish in our time on earth. Strong’s describes it as a “deliberate purpose” which I find interesting because we began this section by considering “deliberate sin.” We see our choice here once again; we either deliberately sin by rejecting Jesus and His message or we choose a deliberate purpose for which God created us. As we follow through in that purpose, we have to endure. The battle is long, the persecution intense. The journey isn’t easy. We won’t be able to make it until the end unless we develop the ability to endure through the struggle. Then, in the end, when the purpose is done, we’ll receive the promise.

Jesus is coming and we aren’t quitters! It’s been a long wait from our human perspective but each day brings us that much closer to His imminent arrival. Until that moment, our call is to endure and persevere by faith. God says of those who won’t step forward in faith, “If he draws back, I have no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). Those who draw back are destroyed but that’s not us. We are the ones called to move forward in faith – despite the struggle – and find the life which God intended for us.

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As the Day Draws Near - Hebrews 10:19-25

I taught through today’s section the first time about five years ago. It created a desire in me to study the entire book of Hebrews in-depth but I didn't know it would be years before the opportunity presented itself. In those intervening years, I would occasionally read through the book knowing that treasures hid within its words. This study has not only encouraged me but I’ve also connected with it on a deep level. I’ve been thrilled to have this new method of sharing it with you as we progress through the chapters.

Click picture for a printable handout for this section.

I encourage you to start this section by reading Hebrews 10:19-25.

Therefore

We don’t use the word “therefore” in common language very much anymore. In the Bible, though, it’s such an important word. Never skip over it! When we see it, we need to back up because we’ll never fully understand what we’re about to read if we don’t first understand the previous section on which it’s based.

The book of Hebrews uses “therefore” more than any other New Testament book. The entire argument which the author presents builds upon itself throughout its chapters. The one that begins today’s section may be the most important of them all. It begins a conclusion of how we – you and I even today – are called to live and what we can expect in these last days.

Because of These…

The author is about to call us to action in three different areas. Before he does, however, he’ll give us two reasons why we need to step up in these three areas. He has explained these two cause statements throughout the last several chapters so watch for the links to take you to articles where we discussed them. I won’t go into much detail here.

Since We have Boldness (10:19-20)
We aren’t bold on our own – we have boldness. God has given it to us. We have confidence to enter the most holy sanctuary before God’s throne knowing the blood of Jesus atones for our sin permanently.

God split the curtain in the Jewish temple at the time of Jesus’ death. That's the parable. The power of His blood sprinkled on the mercy seat in the true heavenly sanctuary opened a new curtain for us. Through this new curtain – His body – we may enter the heavenly sanctuary in full boldness and confidence. This is our hope. This is reality.

Since We have a Great High Priest (10:21)
Every day the priests offered sacrifices and burned incense in the temple. Every year on the Day of Atonement they sacrificed for their sins and those of the people. They entered the Most Holy Place with burning incense and blood to sprinkle on the mercy seat. But it was never enough.

Jesus is a different kind of high priest from the order of Melchizedek. With Jesus’ final sacrifice, it was enough. The price was paid, sin atoned for, and Jesus sat down at the right hand of God as His work was finished. A new covenant was established. No other priest in the history of the Jewish people could say the work of atonement was done; only Jesus finished the job.

Let’s Do These…

We should live a certain way because Jesus opened the way for us to enter in and because He atoned for our sin once and for all. Our lives should be different as the reality of our position before God transforms us.

Let Us Draw Near (10:22)
Do you realize the significance of all Jesus did to make it possible for you to enter God’s presence? He has sprinkled His blood on our heart to purify the wickedness of our seared consciences. He has given us pure and living water to wash away our filth. All He asks in response is we accept it by faith. Jesus’ sacrifice was absolute; our faith should be so as well. The greatest step of faith is the one that takes you away from the call of the world and toward the presence of Holy God.

Fake faith isn’t going to cut it. A cheap knock-off of the real thing won’t enter God’s holy presence. Those who enter with a true and sincere heart can stand boldly in His presence.

What does it mean to draw near to God? I see two possibilities – a here and now and a then and there.

Here and now we can enter God’s presence spiritually through prayer. We can come before Him in devotion and reverence as we would before no other. We can make requests to help us as we strive to serve and love Him. We can intercede on behalf of those who struggle and despair. Finally, we can praise Him and offer up thanksgiving for the abundance of blessings He pours into our lives.

Then and there we can literally and physically enter into God’s presence after our time on earth is done. Some day we will each cease to breathe on this planet and we’ll take our first full breath of eternal life. Perhaps then we will finally start to comprehend the gravity of Jesus’ sacrifice as we literally and truly enter into God’s presence through the curtain of Jesus’ body and stand where Jesus’ sprinkled His own blood on the true mercy seat.

Let Us Hold On (10:23)
We don’t want to lose hope; it’s a desperate place in which to exist. Yet we have to make a conscience decision to hold on to it. We have to restrain it so we don’t lose it. We have to “hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope” (Hebrews 3:6). We have to “hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start” (Hebrews 3:14). And here we read, we have to “hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23).

Culture will continue to decline – both in America and around the world. In all honesty, we can’t stop it. The decline will leave us discouraged, despondent, and worn out. At times it seems tempting to just lay down and stop the fight; to give up on hope. God calls us to something different, though. We do all that we can to hold on to our hope without wavering. The idea here is to not lay down or recline. Don’t lean back and don’t give up. Hold on to that hope with which you first confessed your sin and faith in Jesus because that is what you’ll need to stand tall until the end.

Let Us Be Concerned (10:24-25)
Sometimes it’s easier to just not care; to lay back and decide it all doesn’t matter. Let whatever happens happen because people get what they deserve. That’s not the attitude for which Christ died, however. What if He had said that of us instead of leaving the glory of heaven to come to earth and offer Himself as the final sufficient sacrifice? Since He didn’t choose that attitude, we shouldn’t either.

We need to be concerned about one another. We need to think about others; doing so should elicit a three part response in us. None of those responses allow us to leave people to their own devices and not care what happens to them.

Considering one another should provoke us to love and good works. The author of Hebrews threw in a little sarcasm here, I think. I can appreciate that. He wrote that when we think about others, it should provoke us. The word means “an incitement or irritation.” We can relate to that, can’t we? After all, we all know people who the thought of them is a source of irritation in our lives. Here’s the twist, though. That irritation should prompt us to love and good works. It doesn’t lead to griping, complaining, backstabbing, or ignoring. When we think of others and the thought irritates us – God calls us to respond with love and good works. After all, that’s what He did for us even though our sin was more than just a little irritating to Him.

Considering one another should bring us together in worship. My pastor makes the same comment almost every Sunday, “I can think of no other reason except worshipping God that would bring together such a diverse group of people this morning.” And that’s a good thing. When we think about others, we should want to come together with them in the common cause of worshipping our mutual Savior. Jesus died for them as much as He died for you. They love Jesus as much as you do. Come together and celebrate those things.

Unfortunately, this is a primary area of attack for Satan. He loves it when he can regularly pull us away – to the lake, sleeping in, preparing lunch, getting ready for an upcoming week. Any excuse will do as long as it keeps us out of the church building and away from worshipping with like-minded believers. He has another source of victory when he uses pettiness and dissension to make our togetherness a time of griping rather than a time of worship. We complain about the color of the carpet, the number of songs, the time of the service, and any other little tidbit that makes no eternal difference. Thinking about one another should be an irresistible pull to come together in worship.

Jesus is an example to us of someone who understood this. He said during the Last Supper with His disciples, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15). I don’t know if you’ve ever had a chance to celebrate a Messianic Passover but I guarantee it is a worship service. How much more would the Passover with the Messiah have been one? Jesus longed for it; He “fervently desired” it. In Hebrews, He asks us to feel the same way.

Considering one another should be a call to encourage. To encourage someone means to fill them with courage. Similarly, to discourage means to take away their courage. Your words and actions have the power to do either. You can either fill someone with the courage they need to face life’s battles, serve as God calls, and live a life honoring to Him. Or, your words and actions can take every bit of their courage to do those things and throw it in the trash. It’s up to you which way you choose.

As the day draws near

One day Jesus will return. Whereas He came as a baby in a humble manger the first time, the second time will be one of great power and authority as every eye will see Him and behold Him as King of all. That day is near. I don’t know when it will be; neither does anyone else. However, Jesus told us some things to watch for and those things are lining up in a way unparalleled in human history.

Life will be hard until that day. We may think it’s hard now but it’s going to get worse. That’s why these kind of passages are so important. Right here we have three simple reactions we should have to Jesus’ sacrifice. These reactions are the way God calls us to live as we see the day of His return approaching. He asks us, quite simply, to draw near to Him, not waver in the hope we possess, and consider one another in a way that leads to love and good works, worship, and encouragement.

I don’t think that’s too much to ask in a world gone crazy.

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Certainty of Hope, Part 2 - Hebrews 6:12-20

God calls us to be fully clothed in hope – a possibility only available when we know Him and His Word, allow them to transform our thoughts, and then live out that transformation. This is the plan God left for us. It’s the method He chose for salvation to go to all the world. He chose us to step up into a relationship with Him and then share it with those we know.

That’s where we left off in part one of this section on hope. Today, we’ll consider Hebrews 6:12-20; I encourage you to go ahead and read it. The author of Hebrews offers us an example of someone from the Bible who lived out his hope, the changes in his life because of it, and what it means for us today. Let’s jump in!

The Certainty of Hope, Part 2

Click picture for a printable handout for this section

Imitate Abraham (6:12-15)
Do you remember the story of my Royals’ fan friend from the last section? He attended the home opener covered completely in Royals’ attire; we compared his look to the idea of being completely clothed in hope. My husband is a pretty loyal Royals’ fan in his own right; however, he dresses a lot more conservatively at a game. If he decided he wants everyone to know about his love and dedication for the team, though, he could imitate our friend who goes fully decked out in royal blue and white. Our friend is an example of what it looks like to be a Royals’ fan.

The author of Hebrews gave us an example of hope as well. If we want to know what it looks like to live completely covered in hope, Abraham is the man for us to imitate. He's our example.

When we imitate him, we recognize the whole system hinges on faith. After all, before the Law was given and before Aaron was ordained as high priest, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness” (Romans 10:3, also Genesis 15:6). That’s why we read in Hebrews that Abraham was one “who inherit[ed] the promises through faith” (Hebrews 6:12).

That verse continues by saying Abraham was also one who inherited the promises of hope through perseverance. Permit me a brief summary of Abraham’s life so we might see how his ability to persevere played out. Hebrews 6:14 quotes Genesis 22:17-18, “I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies. And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed My command.” This may sound like a great offer but Abraham's life was a difficult journey before he reached this point of abundant blessing from God.

God called Abraham to separate from so much – his father, his home, his extended family, the desires of the world, the pride of self-sufficiency, and the misplaced hope he put in his son Ishmael. Even all of this wasn’t enough, though. In the hardest test of his life, God asked Abraham to separate from the son of promise, Isaac. God asked Abraham to sacrifice him on an altar.

We may be familiar with this story from Genesis 22. In that moment, God stopped Abraham from killing Isaac. Only then did God make the final oath to confirm the hope and promise. By faith, Abraham persevered through some of the hardest trials God has placed upon any man. His perseverance is our example to imitate.

Abraham’s faith and perseverance realized his hope (6:15-18)
The darkest hour of Abraham’s life led to the fullest realization of his hope. He never would have arrived at that place if he had not persevered by faith. Long before Paul ever wrote it, Abraham knew this to be true – “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Hope may be hard to see in that dark hour. As Abraham raised the blade above Isaac’s young body, faith and hope were all that remained for Abraham. He had nothing else to cling to.

But it was in that darkest moment that God provided salvation. It was in that moment that God Himself provided a ram. Only then was Abraham able to declare, “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain” (Genesis 22:14).

For Abraham, that moment became his hope because he knew he now had the son of promise. He had separated from his own plan for his life and trusted fully in God’s plan. Now, for the rest of his life, every time his eyes rested on Isaac, he knew God had provided an heir through whom the blessing would come. He had hope because he knew that through Isaac the promise would come.

For all of us, that moment foreshadows an even greater hope. Centuries later, on that same mountain, the Lord did provide in a great and powerful way. God sacrificed His only Son, Jesus – Abraham’s descendant through Isaac – to bring salvation and hope to the world.

Abraham’s example is our encouragement (6:18)
Those dark hours thrust into our lives just as they did into Abraham’s. Hope may be hard to find at those times. God only needed to speak once to make His promise true but He offered the promise to Abraham in increasing measure three times – He brought it to a point of spiritual perfection. God didn’t speak once and leave Abraham to figure out the rest on his own. He allowed Abraham to go through some stuff so that God could do the work in him that He needed to do. When that growth process was complete, God sealed those promises with an oath – a final confirmation of His call, promise, and faithfulness to accomplish all that He said. Again, Abraham knew long before Paul that “He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

God’s trio of promises followed by an oath of confirmation led to the full realization of Abraham’s hope. They do likewise for us, so that “we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18).

Seize the hope. Don’t admire it from afar or tiptoe around it. Don’t pick at it in tidbits. Seize it. Grab onto that thing and wrap it around yourself over and over until you have completely covered yourself in the hope that only God offers.

This hope is our anchor (6:19-20)
Do you see that little word “this?” This hope isn’t just any hope. This hope is the one for which Abraham separated himself from all he knew. This hope is the one promised by God and sealed with an oath in which He cannot lie. This hope is the one that brought life to Isaac and through him life to the whole world. This hope is the hope which can completely cover us. This is the hope we have.

This hope is the anchor for our soul. Our soul is the very part of us that is able to connect with God. It is the part that can be taken from eternal darkness and death into eternal light and life. Hope latches on to our soul and says, “You cannot be shaken. You won’t be moved. I will hold you safe and secure while life’s darkest hour tries to buffet and toss you like a stick on a violent sea.”

This hope takes us behind the curtain into the inner sanctuary of the Most Holy Place where Jesus has already gone. This hope takes us into the very presence of God.

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Jesus, Our Priest - Hebrews 4:14-5:10

We wrapped up the last section discussing the power of the Word of God. I keep thinking about that – the Word of God cutting into me with surgical precision to separate what lives from what is fully active. I don’t want to only move – I want to grow new spiritual life! I don’t want to only have an eternity – I want to experience that eternity in heaven with God! The Word of God has the power to make that transformation. Preachers, Bible study teachers, commentators, and authors can’t do that. Only the Word of God has the answer, comfort, and wisdom for every situation; only the Word can pierce into you and make new life grow.

That’s why I’m here writing; I hope that’s why you’re here reading. Even more, I hope that’s why you’re reading with your Bible open beside you or a Bible tab open on your screen. I hope you’re reading to know the God who “has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him” (2 Peter 1:3 NIV).

This section will cover a large portion of Scripture but contains only two key points. We’ve discussed the belief necessary to enter God’s rest and also the when and why of entering His rest. Today, we’ll discuss who made it possible as we study through Hebrews 4:14-5:10. I encourage you to read it now.

Click on picture for a downloadable handout for this section.

Therefore, let us hold fast to the confession (4:14)

We need to hold on to our confession of faith. We hold it before us in our hands, not tuck it away in a pocket for later. We hold on to it in such a way that shows we cherish it; that we’ll always be careful and faithful to keep it.

Why? Because Jesus is our priest who passed through the heavens (4:14)
The ancient Israelite people went through a lot as they left slavery in Egypt, wandered in the desert for forty years, and eventually entered the Promised Land. We’ve talked about the unbelief that held them back from the land blessed by God’s rest. A whole generation died in the desert because of the prevalence of their unbelief.

Eventually, though, the time came for them to enter the land. Moses had passed away; God called Joshua to lead the people into the new land. I encourage you to read Joshua 3:1-4:18, paying careful attention to the role of the priests as they journeyed into the land of promise.

The priests carried the Ark of the Covenant – a symbol of God’s presence on earth – as they crossed the Jordan River. When the priests stepped into the waters, the river stopped flowing and the land dried. They continued in further, walking on a dry river bed where water flowed only moments earlier. When they reached the middle of the river bed, they stopped. All of the people passed through. Once the last one was safely on the other shore, the priests continued walking with the symbol of God's presence on their shoulders. They did so “until everything was completed that the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people. … The people hurried across, and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of the Lord crossed in the sight of the people” (Joshua 4:10-11). In short, the priests passed through the waters of the Jordan so that the people could pass through and enter the Promised Land.

In section five, we compared the superiority of Jesus’ message of grace to Moses’ law along with the superiority of Jesus’ universal tabernacle to Moses’ earthly tabernacle. We remember that as we realize here that Jesus isn’t only a priest who passed through the Jordan River carrying the presence of God. In complete superiority, He is the priest who passed through the heavens as the very Son of God. He passed through so that we might pass through as well and enter the rest of eternity with Him.

Why? Because Jesus is our high priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses (4:15)
Sometimes we think life must have been easy for Jesus. After all, He’s God; surely He didn’t struggle with anything. However, Jesus “has been tested in every way as we are” (Hebrews 4:15). Even still, I think it’s easy for us to say, “Yeah, He might have been tested but He’s God. It was easy for Him to pass the test.” What if, though, the fact that He is God makes the test all that more painful because He sees the depth of the depravity, the extreme ugliness of the pride, and the eternal horror of separation with a clarity that you and I will never possess.

And yes, Jesus knew what it was to be tested. All the same tests that we face – He faced them as well.

• Satan tested Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). He was hungry after fasting for forty days and nights. In that moment of weakness, Satan came to Him to see if He was up to the test. Satan offered Him food to satisfy the hunger pains rumbling through His human stomach. Don’t we all long to be satisfied from hunger? Satan offered Jesus the display of heavenly affirmation of His deity. Don’t we all long for affirmation before the masses of people? Finally, Satan offered Jesus the glory of the kingdoms of the world. Don’t we all long for glory and power?
• The authorities tested Jesus. The religious leadership of Jesus’ day – the Pharisees and Sadducees – constantly schemed and connived as to how they might trap Jesus in a test. They tested Him to show off His supernatural abilities (Matthew 16:1). Don’t we all love to show off what we can do? They tested Him to reveal His vast knowledge (Matthew 19:3). Don’t we all love to show off what we know? They tested Him to proclaim His authority (Matthew 22:18, 35). Don’t we all want everyone to know when we’re in charge?
• The people tested Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:1-13). This reference again relates back to the ancient Israelites wandering in the desert; even they tested the Lord Jesus. 1 Corinthians 10:9 says, “Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes” referring to an incident described in more detail in Numbers 21:4-9. Take note of this – it’s not only the people alive with Jesus that tested Him. Those who came before did so; I’m thinking we probably do too. The ancient Israelites griped and complained despite all He had done, thereby putting Him to the test. I know I gripe and complain sometimes. Does my faithless, selfish whining test Jesus? Probably so, and yet it’s written, “Do not test the Lord your God” (Matthew 4:7).

Jesus was tested, as were all of the priests of God. Tests constantly fired at Him from Satan, religious authorities, and the people. In the midst of it all, He was “tested in every way as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He alone can make that final claim.

So, hold on tight to that faith you have in Him. Cherish it as He alone passed through the heavens to give it to you. He alone endured testing without sin. His willingness to do so created your privilege to do the same - to endure the testing of this life and to pass through the heavens into the presence of God. Yes, our testing ends in sin sometimes, but His sacrifice covers that as well. Hold on to your faith because with it, Jesus made great things possible.

Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness (4:16)

Jewish rabbis taught that God had two thrones – one of mercy and one of judgment. The people knew God required justice which naturally brought judgment upon the people. However, they also knew He was a God of mercy. To reconcile the two, they thought He must have two thrones. The author of Hebrews reconciles the concept of two thrones into a single truth. God only has one throne – the throne of grace. Yes, God’s justice requires judgment but He also extends mercy. In that moment when judgment meets mercy, we find His grace (Source).

Why? Because Jesus is our priest who served in the duties of a priest of Aaron’s order (5:1-5)
The Jewish priests descended from Aaron, of the tribe of Levi. As priests, they had certain duties to perform. Jesus fulfilled every one of those duties…

• He served God on behalf of the people (5:1). It is written of Jesus, “He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).
• He offered gifts and sacrifices for sins (5:1). It is written of Jesus, “For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; therefore it was necessary for this priest also to have something to offer… He entered the most holy place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 8:3, 9:12).
• He served with compassion (5:2-3). It is written of Jesus, “For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested” (Hebrews 2:18).
• He was descended from Aaron but called by God (5:4-5). Jesus didn’t descend from Aaron. He is of the tribe of Judah, not Levi. Yet, His ministry is superior to that of Aaron. He may not be a son of Aaron, but He is the true Son of God and God appointed Him to His ministry. "Messiah did not exalt Himself to become a high priest, but the One who said to Him, "You are My Son; today I have become Your Father" (Hebrews 5:5).

Why? Because Jesus is our priest who served in the duties of Melchizedek’s order (Hebrews 5:6-10)

Under Aaron’s lineage, the priesthood didn’t allow us to boldly approach the throne of grace. The people couldn’t walk into the holy of holies anytime they wanted. If Jesus’ priestly service was only of Aaron’s order, I’m not sure we still would be able to enter God’s presence. But Jesus was also a priest in the order of Melchizedek. With His sacrifice, the temple curtain separating the holy of holies from the world split in two. We may now – with boldness – approach the throne of grace.

I did a lot of studying about Melchizedek for this lesson. We know very little about him other than what we read in Genesis 14, Psalm 110, and Hebrews 5-7. We’ll discuss him a lot over the next few sections as we work our way through those Hebrews sections. Some of what I learned is extremely interesting, however. It’ll lead to some thought provoking questions over the next few sections.

For now, we’ll focus on three duties of a priest of Melchizedek’s order which I believe this passage presents to us. The passage begins and ends by declaring Jesus to be a priest of Melchizedek’s order. I believe the three qualifications listed between those bookend declarations reveal to us what that means...

• He offered prayers and appeals unto God and God heard him (5:7). Jesus often went off by Himself and prayed fervently to God the Father. Despite His oneness with the Father and the Spirit, prayer was a constant and integral part of His earthly life.
• He learned obedience through suffering (5:8). Jesus knew suffering of the highest level. Yes, the nails, whips, and thorns hurt. No one will deny that but many people endured a Roman crucifixion. Jesus’ ultimate pain came, I believe, when He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). I don’t think we can fully comprehend the suffering He endured as the weight of the sin of the world piled on His sinless human body, causing the Father with whom He had experienced all of eternity past to turn away His holy head.
• He became the source of eternal salvation (5:9). It doesn’t get any more clear than that. Jesus alone, the only source of salvation for all eternity.

Why do we care?

We care because God made a way for you to enter His rest. He longs to be with you in eternity so He appointed Jesus as our priest to make it possible. As such, He knows your tests and temptations. He gets what you’re going through because He’s been there as well. After enduring the test without sin, He passed through the heavens of His universal tabernacle to dwell in the presence of God. Because He did so, we will pass through them as well to be with Him forever.

But you have to believe. It all comes down to faith.

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Believe - Hebrews 3:7-19

We are about knee-deep into the book of Hebrews. We’ve gotten our feet wet and found the water refreshing. We’ve stepped into a stream of truth that washes away our doubts, fears, and regrets – in short, that washes away our sin.

Have you ever had a hard time believing someone – perhaps a spouse, parent, child, or close friend? Sometimes a loved one loses our trust through poor actions and decisions on their part. However, sometimes it’s hard to believe them even though they’ve never proven unfaithful or dishonest in the past. Sometimes believing is just hard.

Today’s passage from Hebrews reminds us though that God asks us to believe Him. He asks us to live a life reflecting our belief in His faithfulness, power, and grace. He asks us to experience the abundant life available for those who do believe Him. But He also reminds us that consequences await those who refuse to believe. Join with us as we consider Hebrews 3:7-19.

Click picture for a printable handout for this section.

Therefore
Once again, our passage begins with this simple word. Let’s review quickly to see the case the author is building…

• Because Jesus is our high priest who offers atonement for our sin as did Aaron… Section 4.
• Because Jesus is our apostle who delivers us from slavery as did Moses… Section 5.

Therefore, don’t harden your heart. Believe Him and enter His rest.

If the Israelites were responsible for their choice to believe or not, then so are we
Hebrews 3:7-11 quotes Psalm 95:7-11. In short, the Israelite people witnessed many miracles as they left Egypt and journeyed to the Promised Land. They experiences the plagues in Egypt, they walked on dry land between walls of water in the Red Sea, they ate bread miraculously and daily provided from heaven, they drank fresh water from rocks in a dry, desert land, and much more. Yet, when God called them to enter the land, they refused to believe He could help them conquer the Canaanites. God became angry and said, “How long will they not trust in Me despite all the signs I have performed among them? … None of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tested Me these 10 times and did not obey Me, will ever see the land I swore to give their fathers” (Numbers 14:11, 22).

Even Moses and Aaron weren’t exempt from the consequences of disbelief. They disobeyed God; specifically, they took credit for one of God’s miracles as they didn’t trust God to do it. God spoke to them in response, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them” (Numbers 20:12).

It boils down to this… It doesn’t matter who you are, you have to believe God to enter His rest.

Unbelief is evil as it calls God a liar (Hebrews 3:12).
I can think of people I know who choose not to believe God. You probably can to. They sit next to us at work, talk to us at our kids’ school activities, and live next to us in our neighborhoods. Generally speaking, we’d call them good people. They aren’t slicing heads off of Christians. They aren’t kidnapping young girls to sell them into sex trafficking. They aren’t murdering unborn children in their mother’s wombs. They’re honest, hard-working, compassionate people. And yet, by choosing not to believe God, they’re evil. It’s harsh but God’s Word makes it reality.

Their decision to not believe God is sin. Unbelief stares God in the face and says, “You’re wrong. You won’t do it. You won’t save me. You won’t love me. You won’t protect me. You won’t provide for me. You’re lying when You say You will.” Unbelief exalts itself over God – a catastrophic position every time. Consider the message from that perspective and perhaps it’s not so difficult to see the evil intent behind what appears as benign unbelief on the surface.

Combat unbelief with encouragement. Do it today (Hebrews 3:13).
Followers of Christ, can I pick on us a little? Can I call us out on something? We can be a little condemning and judgmental. The word “little” probably shouldn’t even be in that sentence. We can be a lot condemning and judgmental. It’s not pretty; in fact, it’s one of the reasons many turn away from a relationship with Jesus. It’s the reason they’ve believed the lie that God won’t do what He says He will do.

Friends, we don’t combat unbelief with judgment, condemnation, or manipulation. We overcome unbelief with encouragement. Encouragement keeps others from being “hardened by sin’s deception.” When you meet someone who is hurting due to a poor decision – any poor decision that is now causing pain in their life – offer words of encouragement rather than condemnation!

Consider the root word of encouragement with me – courage. Encouragement comes to a hurting person and fills them with courage. It gives them the courage to believe God does love them, will save them, will provide for and protect them. It gives them the courage to look the lie – the deception – squarely in the face and say, “I will not believe you. I will believe the truth of the Word of God which says God loves me, died to save me, and wants a relationship with me.”

Do it now. Today. Everyday. Let me call us out on another thing. We’re kind of fickle. Yesterday, we were encouraged and rose above the deception to believe the truth of God. Today, that sin might sneak right back into our life. Or it might sneak right back into the life of your loved one. We need encouragement every day to continue fighting the battle against Satan’s deceptive lies.

Hold on to the reality (Hebrews 3:14-15)
Reality is what’s true. In this case, reality is the understanding we had at the beginning of our walk with Jesus. If we are His followers, at one point we recognized our sin and accepted His forgiveness. That’s our reality – our truth – that we’re redeemed, saved, forgiven recipients of His grace.

Here’s the problem, though… The world – the entire range of options opposed to the work of Jesus – is going to try to pull that away from us. It can’t remove the salvation given us but it can remove the joy of a life lived believing God. It can make us doubt our reality. It can deceive us with the lie. It can make us harden our heart to the truth.

The author of Hebrews has reminded us of this repeatedly so far.

• Hebrews 2:1 – Pay attention to the message because we’re responsible for it.
• Hebrews 2:1 – Don’t forget God’s message; don’t let it slip from your mind.
• Hebrews 2:3 – Don’t neglect God’s message; don’t be careless with it.
• Hebrews 3:6 - Hold on to the courage or boldness required to speak our faith to others; hold on to our confidence of our hope of eternity with Him.

Belief leads you to God’s promised rest (Hebrews 3:16-19)
The Israelites experienced the plagues in Egypt, along with God’s supernatural protection. They saw the parting of the Red Sea. They ate the manna. They saw the clouds and heard the thunder when God met with Moses on Sinai. And yet, when faced with the situation of whether to believe God or not, they said, “No, God, you won’t do it.” They chose to believe the lie rather than God’s truth. They wandered in the wilderness for forty years until every one of the adults died without seeing the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Jews of the first-century experienced Jesus’ miracles. Thousands of them ate from a few loaves and fish. Many of them knew someone who had received healing at His hands. Hundreds of them witnessed His living body after knowing He had been crucified. And yet they also said, “No, God, you won’t do it.” They also chose to believe the lie rather than God’s truth. Forty years later God allowed the destruction of their temple, the end of their sacrifices, and their dispersion throughout the world. They didn’t remain in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Many of us know Him today. The miracles in our lives are greater than the parting of some water or the multiplication of some bread. We have experienced His grace that forgave the filth in our lives. We have seen the transformation that comes in a life submitted to Him. We have felt the presence of God Himself as His Spirit dwells within us. And yet we look at Him and say, “No, God, you won’t do it.” We believe the lie rather than God’s truth that He can do what He says He’ll do. Will we have forty years to repent and choose to believe? I don’t know. Perhaps that is why He says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Hebrews 3:15).

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Consider Jesus - Hebrews 3:1-6

Jesus is God. He became a man in order to restore dominion over the earth back to humanity and to restore the sinless relationship between God and man. In order to do this, He became our high priest. That’s a review from sections one, two, three, and four covering Hebrews 1-2.

 

This review is the foundation to our current passage, Hebrews 3:1-6.

 

The word “therefore” is repeated often throughout this entire book as the author builds his case as to Jesus’ identity and purpose. In fact, the author uses this simple word much more frequently than any other New Testament author. That’s why a repetitious building of our case as we progress through each section is so important. We can’t pick one section and build a whole case for or against Jesus’ Messianic position based on it; this book is written to build upon itself.

 

Our current section begins with “therefore” so the review at the beginning of this article is important. Because Jesus did all that He did, therefore, consider Him. Consider Jesus. To the readers of the book of Hebrews, you’ve considered Moses, our apostle sent to bring our people out of slavery. You’ve considered Aaron, our high priest who made atonement for our sins. Now… “consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1).

 



Click picture for a printable handout for this section.

 

Moses and Jesus – Let’s compare and contrast

 

The author of Hebrews isn’t going to ask you to forget all about Moses and blindly follow Jesus. He’s presenting a well-laid argument for Jesus’ superiority over Moses. But before we go there, let’s first see how they’re similar.

 

Jesus is similar to Moses

Other similarities may exist but we see three listed in this passage. “He [Jesus] was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was in all God’s household” (Hebrews 3:2).

 

Both men were faithful. It may seem obvious but it’s a powerful similarity. They are both part of the promises made through Abraham. “Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, then understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons. Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and told the good news ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you. So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith” (Galatians 3:6-9).

 

Both men were appointed by God. Hebrews 3:2 says God appointed Jesus to His task. Acts 7:44 says the same thing about Moses, “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.” God called Moses to the top of the mountain to give him clear instructions for how to make the tabernacle.

 

Both men served in the Tabernacle.

• Hebrews 3:2 says Moses was faithful “in all God’s household.” The word for household can refer to “the house of God, the tabernacle.” Considering God appointed Moses to the task of building the tabernacle (Acts 7:44) and considered him faithful (See also Numbers 12:7-8), I believe it’s a safe assumption that the use of the word “household” refers to the tabernacle.
• You may be thinking that Jesus never served in the Tabernacle. After all, Solomon had the temple built during his reign so they no longer needed the tabernacle. It was gone almost 1,000 years before Jesus birth. God appointed Jesus to a different tabernacle in which He also was faithful. Earlier we read Acts 7:44. A few verses later, after a brief summary of the history of the tabernacle and temple, we read, “However, the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says: Heaven is my throne, and earth My footstool. What sort of house will you build for Me? Says the Lord, or what is My resting place? Did not My hand make all these things?” (Acts 7:48-50). The italicized portion is a quote from the Old Testament in Isaiah 66:1-2 – an unfulfilled prophecy of our future judgment balanced with our hope and restoration. Jesus will be front and center then as He serves faithfully in His universal tabernacle. (See also Ephesians 1:20-23.)

 

One big difference

As with the similarities, other differences exist. For example, Jesus is sinless whereas Moses wasn’t. However, this section chooses to focus on only one key difference. “For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house” (Hebrews 3:3).

 

Both men were worthy of glory. Ok, I know. That’s actually a similarity but it fits better in this section because of where we’re going to go with it.

• Moses was worthy of glory. He met with God in open conversation. When he did so, his face would glow so brightly that he scared the people. From then on, he had to wear a veil over his face (Exodus 34:29-35). When Aaron and Miriam became angry with Moses’ position, God rebuked them. He honored Moses as His faithful servant whom He could speak to directly. He even said Moses could see “the form of the Lord” (Numbers 12, quote from verse 8). The priest Korah led over 250 men in rebellion against Moses’ leadership. God spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from this community so I may consume them instantly.” In the end, God brought judgment on over 14,000 people because they rebelled against Moses (Numbers 16). It’s safe to say, God considered Moses to be a man worthy of honor.
• Jesus was worthy of glory. God said so at Jesus’ baptism, “This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him!” (Matthew 3:13-17, quote from verse 17). He said so again at Jesus’ transfiguration, “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!” (Mark 9:2-13, quote from verse 7). Finally, at Jesus’ resurrection, through the prophecy of King David, “He was not left in Hades, and His flesh did not experience decay” (Acts 2:25-35, quote from verse 31).

 

But Jesus is worthy of more glory. Jesus is worthy of more glory because the “builder has more honor than the house” (Hebrews 3:3). In other words, Jesus is the word made flesh who spoke the universe into creation. The Creator is more worthy than the creation. Jesus is more worthy than Moses.

 

Jesus is more worthy because, as Creator, His tabernacle is all of creation whereas Moses’ tabernacle – although designed by God – was only a tent. His Gospel message is superior to Moses’ message of the Law (Acts 13:37-39, Romans 8:1-4).

 

Click on picture to view a larger version.

 

Finally, Jesus is worthy of more glory because He is the Son over the whole creation of God’s tabernacle whereas Moses was a servant in the earthly tabernacle (Hebrews 3:5-6). Jesus is the Son over it all; Moses is a Servant in a smaller version.

 

So why consider Jesus over Moses?

 

Both men were faithful, appointed by God, and served in their respective tabernacles. Both of them were worthy of glory and honor. But Jesus is more worthy. He is more worthy because He is the Creator, not the creation. He is more worthy because He brought a gospel message of grace for all people of creation rather than the Law’s message of death for those under it. He is more worthy of glory because He is the Son of God whom God put over all rather than a servant in an earthly tent. We consider Jesus because He is more worthy.

 

In the end, we consider Jesus because “we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope” (Hebrews 3:6). That’s not something that’s going to simply happen on its own, though. We have to hold on to it. The world is going to try to pull it away from us. In a previous section we discussed the importance of paying attention to God’s message. We can’t be careless with it or let it slip from our minds. We must pay attention and take it seriously. We see that same idea here. The world will try to pull away our abundant life made possible by walking with the Savior. We have to cling to it – holding on tight to keep it in our grasp.

 

We consider Jesus – we hold on to His message – with a confident, courageous speech that lets the world know what He has to offer. We hold on to His message as our only source of hope in a world that is quickly becoming a rough place for those who choose to follow Him. We consider Jesus – we hold on to His message – until the end when we behold Him face to face and our faith becomes sight.

 

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Time to Pay Attention - Hebrews 2:1-4

“We must, therefore, pay even more attention to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. For if the message spoken through the angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to His will” (Hebrews 2:1-4).

Therefore.

I’ve decided that “therefore” may be one of the most important words in the Bible, especially when it comes to spiritual growth as a Christian. We usually skim right past it while reading; instead, we should stop reading, circle it in our Bibles, and take a moment to consider what we’ve just read. You see, the word “therefore” is our call to action. “Therefore” says that because of what you’ve read, this is what you should do. Because of this… do this… So begins our current passage of Scripture.

Where have we been?

Our first section of Scripture was Hebrews 1:1-4. In it, we reviewed seven evidences from Old Testament stories that showed Jesus to be the provider of our salvation. The key point in that list – number four – also equated Jesus with God.

Our second section of Scripture was Hebrews 1:5-14. This section contains seven different Old Testament prophetic quotations. We looked at the original prophecies in their context to see that Jesus is King of all, while the fourth point also showed Him to be God. We also looked at this passage a little from the perspective of the quotes themselves as listed in Hebrews 1. From that angle, we saw that Jesus is superior to the angels; again, the fourth point stands out as unique in showing us that Jesus is God.

So in short, we see…

• Jesus is God and the provider of our salvation.
• Jesus is God and King of all.
• Jesus is God and superior to the angels.

 

Click picture for a printable handout for this section.

Therefore…

Because of these three things ↑, we need to do this →. We should “pay even more attention to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away” (Hebrews 2:1). Here’s our call to action. Here’s the change that should be evident in our lives because of who Jesus is.

We pay attention.
Do you remember your school days? We all knew those easily distracted students to whom the teacher always had to say, “Pay attention!” Maybe you were that student. The teacher wanted the unfocused student to pay attention because he or she knew how important the teaching would be to the student’s life. The teacher also knew the student would be responsible for knowing the information later.

The phrase “pay attention” has a certain level of responsibility attached to it. A student not in your class wouldn’t have to pay attention to the teacher because they weren’t responsible for the taught material. But if you were in the class, you were responsible to know it and you better pay attention.

The author of Hebrews sees you and me as participants in that class. We need to pay attention to the message because we’re going to be responsible for it.

We pay even more attention.
Then it goes a step further. We don’t only need to pay attention to this message, we need to pay even more attention to it than to… Well, I’m getting ahead of myself. We’ll look at the alternate message in a minute. But, for now, more is a comparison word used to compare two different items. Consider this example, sledding is fun but snow skiing is even more fun. This example compared two different winter sports to let you know which sport I think is more fun.

We don’t drift away.
Drift away is the Greek word pararreō; in other Greek writings, it’s often translated as “a thing escapes me” or “it slips from my mind.” I’m sure we can all identify with that! We know we knew a piece of information – the location of our cell phone, the name of an acquaintance, the time of the meeting – but we can’t recall it now. It has slipped from our mind.

Similar to the point earlier about our need to pay attention, this one also implies some level of interaction with and responsibility for the given information. Simply put, we can’t forget something we never knew in the first place.

Why might you be discouraged?
One of the reasons we’re studying Hebrews is to “exhort discouraged Christians to continue on strong with Jesus.” This is a good time to stop and think about that reason.

The admonitions to “pay attention” and to not “drift away” both imply a familiarity with the taught message. This isn’t an evangelistic text; this passage is for you and me as followers of Jesus. If you’re discouraged as His follower, maybe you need the reminder that Jesus is God, He provided our salvation, He is superior to the angels, and He is King of all. Maybe you need to sit up and pay attention to His message rather than the alternative. Maybe you need to keep it forefront in your thoughts rather than let it drift away.

What is that alternative message?

It’s the message of the angels.
Moment of honesty here – I didn’t know what that is at first. A little research into the whole of Scripture helped me out, though.

Let’s start by reading Deuteronomy 33:2-4. This passage is the introduction to Moses’ final words before His death. Earlier in his life, Moses spent time with God on Mount Sinai when he received the Law from God. This passage recalls that during that event, God came “with ten thousand holy ones.” He held His holy ones in His hand as His people assembled at His feet. (Deuteronomy 33:2-3; The Israelite people gathered around the base of the mountain as God gave the Law to Moses.) As was often the case in the Old Testament, the word of God – in this case, the Law – came to the people through His messengers, the angels.

A couple quick references from the New Testament further confirm our understanding of “the message of the angels” being a reference to the Law of Moses. Acts 7:53 says, “You received the Law under the direction of angels…” while Galatians 3:19 says, “the Law was put into effect through angels.”

I think it’s safe to say that if a first-century Jewish believer in Jesus as the Messiah read this passage in Hebrews, he or she would have immediately known the message of the angels was a reference to the Law. God gave the Law through the angels to Moses, who then taught it to the Israelite people. They also would have understood exactly what the author of Hebrews meant when he wrote that message “was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment” (Hebrews 2:2).

Two messages - the message of the angels and the message of Jesus. We need to pay attention to the second even more than to the first.

How much more important is Jesus’ message?
Jesus is God.

Jesus is the provider of our salvation.

Jesus is King of all.

Angels can’t make those claims. Well, one did and it won’t end so well for him. God created hell so he and his angelic followers would have a place to call home for eternity. That’s for another time, though.

Jesus is superior to the angels. How much more is His message superior to the message of the angels?

That’s why we can’t “escape if we neglect such a great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). Neglect means to be careless or to make light of it.

Moses didn’t escape when he was careless with the Word of God. Earlier we read Deuteronomy 33:1-4. Immediately prior to that, God told Moses to ascend Mount Nebo. The revered prophet and leader would see into the Promised Land but he wouldn’t lead the people in. He would never set foot on the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This seems pretty harsh to take Moses’ life right as the people are ready to enter the land. However, disobedience receives a just punishment and God will not have His people be flippant with His Word.

That’s exactly what Moses had done, too. He disobeyed God and treated His Word lightly. You can read more of the story in this article. If Moses received such a great consequence, do you think we will avoid all consequences if we’re careless or make light of the Word of God?

We can’t deny it.
Change can be hard. I think God knows that about us. He knew it would be hard for the first century believers – who were predominantly Jewish – to pay even more attention to Jesus’ message than they had the Law. He knew even for us 2,000 years later, we would keep returning to a works based system than a message of pure grace.

Focus can be hard. Even before terms like ADD dominated our culture, people have had a hard time staying focused on one thing. We quickly move on to the newer and better. He knew we would have to be reminded to pay attention, don’t let it slip from our minds, and don’t be careless with it.

Because He knew it would be hard to change and stay focused, He gave us some extra evidence to show us it’s worth it. He confirmed Jesus’ message in three different ways. First, Jesus spoke it. Those who heard His words told His message to others. They told others. All these years later, we’re still passing Jesus’ words along. Second, God confirmed this message with signs, wonders, and miracles. Just as He had done with Moses, He did again through Jesus. Third, the Spirit gives spiritual gifts to those who accept Jesus’ message. He works in us to transform us into His new creation – a creation we could never be on our own.

Call to Action

Jesus is the provider of our salvation, superior to the angels, and King of all.

Jesus is God.

We live in a world where messages fly at us from all directions every day. We have to weed through the mess and pay attention to God’s message given to us through His Son, Jesus. We have to keep it forefront in our minds as we allow it to impact each decision. We have to pay more attention to it than to a message that would deny the grace of God He has now given us. We can’t let it slip from our minds. And we sure can’t be careless with it or make light of it. Jesus left the glories of heaven and descended to the swamp of earth to speak that message to us. He died to make it possible. We can at least pay attention and take it seriously.

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