Hebrews 12 & 13

Scripture

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes of Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV).

Observation

The word "therefore" is pointing back to chapter 11 (the faithful servants of God), but I think it can also point us back to the message of the entire letter. The author of Hebrews has given reason after reason for us to be grateful to Jesus for the work he did on the cross, and to surrender our lives to him. Now he is telling his readers that we have a job to do. The job is to live in light of this knowledge, in light of this gift.

Application

God has "marked out" a race for us. In order to complete this race (or "task", as Paul puts it in 2 Timothy 4), we first have to fix our eyes on Jesus. He has run the race before us. He has been a faithful Son. Second, we have to recognize that sin, as well as other "weights" (ESV), serve to hinder our running. These need to be thrown off or else we will not finish well. We will be "weighed down" by the hinderances (anything that distracts us from our purpose of running) and tripped up by our sin. Finally, we need to remember the work of Jesus so that we will not grow weary and lose heart.

Prayer

Father, I thank you for this letter, which, though written almost 2000 years ago, applies in so many ways to my life today. I thank you for the reminders of what my Lord, Savior, and King did for me on the Cross. May I live my life in a way that brings honor and glory to you, and may I be faithful in accomplishing all that you would have me to do.

Hebrews 10 & 11

Scripture

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Hebrews 10:1

For by a single offering he (Jesus) has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:14.

Observation

As I read chapter 10, the word that jumped out to me was "perfect." It's mentioned twice in this chapter. In verse 1 we learn that the law could not make us perfect. In verse 14 we learn that Christ's sacrifice could do what the law could not do - make us perfect. So what does this mean? I did a little word study on it. The Greek word here is τελειόω, which can be translated as follows: "to make perfect, complete, accomplish, finish one's work." This word is also used in Hebrews 2:10, in referring to the fact that Jesus was made perfect by the Father through his suffering, as well as in Acts 20:24, where Paul speaks of finishing the work that God called him to.

Application

Some might be concerned that a word like this might cause us to think too highly of ourselves. However, I think we need to be more concerned about the opposite. We of course have not reached a state of perfection at this point. We still live in a fallen world, and we have the capacity to become slaves to sin rather than slaves to righteousness (Romans 6, Galatians 5). What we need to digest is the fact that Jesus has taken care of it all. I love the phrase that's used "once for all." Because of this "once for all" sacrifice, we are clean before God. When God looks upon us, He does so in light of His Son's perfect sacrifice for us. And what does He see? He sees a people who are holy, sanctified, clean, perfect.

On Sunday I spoke at Church Without Doors, a ministry to the homeless in downtown Memphis. I made the statement that what we think about God is critical, and what we think God thinks about us is also critical. In light of this passage, I'll say it this way: How we think God sees us is critical. And here's another phrase that I try to challenge myself with everyday: The image of God that we carry around in our heart and mind affects the way that we live.

Prayer

Father, help me to see myself the way You see me. I've done nothing to warrant the way You see me. It's all because of Jesus' work on the Cross. For that I am eternally grateful. But I know that You desire for me to accept that work, and one of the ways that I accept it is to see myself in light of that work. I ask for the grace to do this today, knowing that it will affect the way that I live today.

Hebrews 9

Scripture

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die, once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:25-28

Observation

This is a great chapter on understanding the old covenant (the way the Jews were forgiven by God and cleansed of sin). The writer of Hebrews is making the connection between the old covenant and the new covenant, brought in by the sacrifice of Christ. There are similarities, but there are also major differences. The primary similarity is that, according to the law, "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb 9:22). The primary difference is that Jesus, unlike the high priest during the days of the old covenant, only had to shed blood once. His sacrifice brought forgiveness and cleansing once for all.

Application

This is an amazing thing to ponder. No one could have predicted God's plan, but it is truly amazing. I marvel at the fact that God was giving a picture of sacrificial cleansing so long ago, which would one day be fulfilled with Jesus' death. A few months ago I preached a series on the Cross. One of my sermons was on the Day of Atonement. Hebrews 9 serves as a reminder of God's plan, but also connects the dots all the way to Christ.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for offering your life as the ultimate sacrifice for my sins. My only response is to offer my life up to you as an act of surrender and worship. May it be an acceptable response.

Hebrews 7 & 8

Scripture

...and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more Hebrews 8:10-12

Observation/Application

What a beautiful passage. It's taken from Jeremiah 31, another beautiful section of Scripture. This is the new covenant. The culmination of this covenant is that we shall all know the Lord. Two words here should be discussed. Who is "we." Jeremiah (and therefore the author of Hebrews) says that "we" includes all of us - from the least to the greatest. It's not reserved simply for those who have their acts together. It's available to all. Second, what does it mean to "know" the Lord. I think back to Genesis 3:8, where Adam and Even "heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." It's as if God took a walk with these two every day. There was intimacy. Sin caused that intimate relationship to be broken, but one day there will be a new covenant, and all that was broken will be restored. We will once again know God.

Prayer

Father, because of the work of Christ on the cross, I now live in the new covenant. What an amazing work that was. I thank you that the curse of sin is broken and that I can be free. More than that, because of that work it is possible for me to know You. Never let me take that for granted. Let it be my consuming passion to know You.

Hebrews 5 & 6

Scripture

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:7-10

Observation

The author of Hebrews wants his audience to grasp the humanity of Christ. For someone unsure of this, the passage can be very uncomfortable. The following words convey humanity: "loud cries and tears", "learned obedience through what he suffered." Jesus cried out to God to be saved. We see this in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew that God could save him, which is what he wanted. But more than that, he wanted to obey his father, even if it meant humiliation, separation from his Father, and a painful death.

Application

What does it mean when the author says that Jesus "learned obedience through what he suffered?" Every high priest had to understand what the people were going through before he could be any help to them. Jesus was the ultimate high priest, but that would not have been the case if he had not truly understood us, and the only way that he could truly understand us was to experience suffering. And experience suffering he did.

In the creation, the Lord made man like himself; but in the redemption he made himself like man. John Brys

Prayer

As the Son of God, and as the only one who never did anything wrong, you were the one person who did not deserve to suffer. I thank you for choosing to lay down your life for me, a pitiful sinner. I am truly thankful that you know me, understand me, and despite all that is in me, you love me.

Hebrews 3 & 4

Scripture

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.          Hebrews 4:14-16

Observation

Fully divine AND fully human!  Jesus faced every temptation that we will ever face, so He understands our condition.  This is His humanity.  Yet Jesus never sinned.  He was victorious (I think back to yesterday's passage that speaks of Jesus destroying the devil).  This is His divinity. It is because of both His humanity and divinity that we are able to, in confidence, approach God's throne, to receive mercy, grace and help in time of need.

Application

Not understanding what Jesus did for me often prevents me from both persevering (v.14) and asking for help (v.16).  I start to believe lies, lies that Satan feeds me.  On the flip side, I begin to understand what Jesus did for me when I read the Bible (Heb. 4:12-13).  

Prayer

Jesus, may the work that You accomplished in Your life, death and resurrection consume my life.  May it reach from my head to my heart, and may it transform my daily living.  I'm thankful that You understand what I go through as a human, yet I am also very thankful that You are God.  If You were only human, You might understand, but You couldn't really do much to help my pitiful predicament.  However, because You are God, You beckon me to the throne of grace, where I find the true rest, grace, mercy and help that I so need.   

Hebrews 1 & 2

This week I'm going to be reading Hebrews, and thought I would blog my journal entries instead of writing them.  I'll once again be using Cordeiro's SOAP method.

Scripture

...he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."   Hebrews 2:14-15

Observation

What a powerful statement!  Hebrews is filled with so many theologically-rich statements such as this one.  Christ's death did two things for us:  He destroyed the devil and He set us free.

Application

The first step to worship is understanding the pitiful circumstances that I was in (thanks to Dallas Willard for helping me think through this word "pitiful").  I was a slave.  Notice that the author of Hebrews emphasizes this by saying "lifelong" slave.  What's even more pitiful is that I didn't even realize that I was a slave (think back to the movie, The Matrix).  In suffering and dying on the Cross, Christ set me free.  I am no longer a slave.  Thanks be to God.  But not only did He set me free...He also destroyed the devil.  "Destroy" is a powerful word.  It's because of this work that I never have to be a slave again.  Once again, thanks be to God!

Prayer

King Jesus, thank you for dying for me.  Me, a pitiful slave and sinner.  This wasn't forced upon You.  After all, You are the King.  You created the world, and everything in that entire world is subject to You.  No, You willingly laid down Your life, suffering in the most brutal way, but more than that, You took on the sins of the world.  Your Father turned His back on You.  That is true love.  I thank You for that love.  You have won me.  May I be Your servant forever.