October 6, 2024 |
Hebrews 7:1-17 |
exposition
Why does this passage about a mysterious figure named, Melchizedek, and an ancient priesthood matter to us today? While we may not be struggling to reconcile temple worship with our faith in Christ, we face a similar challenge: Where do we turn to find true connection with God? In our world, people are looking everywhere for meaning, security, and spiritual fulfillment. Some turn to religious traditions, others to personal spirituality, and still others to worldly solutions like success, status, or wealth. Even as Christians, we may sometimes feel distant from God and question how we can approach Him and hear from Him.
This is why we need to hear about the greatness of Christ’s priesthood. It reminds us that our relationship with God doesn’t depend on our efforts, rituals, or qualifications. We have direct access to God through Jesus, our perfect High Priest. His priesthood is superior to anything the world or religion can offer. In Him, we find security, peace, and reconciliation with God.
September 29, 2024 |
|
We live in a world that often feels unstable, where uncertainty looms large, and the promises that people make to us often come up empty. Unkept political promises, unfulfilled contracts, broken wedding vows… who can we trust? It’s hard not to lose hope.
Yet, as followers of Christ, we are called to live with confident hope, a hope that is grounded in something far greater than the fleeting assurances of this world. Our hope is anchored in the promises of God, and this hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm and steadfast confidence that God will be faithful to fulfill His Word.
In Hebrews 6:9-20, the author encouraged believers not to lose heart, but to cling to a greater hope in the promises of God. We can have this greater hope in the promises of God.
September 22, 2024 |
Hebrews 5:11-6:8 |
Christian maturity, exposition, jesus, maturity
From the time of our birth, parents and doctors begin to measure our physical growth. Educators measure our intellectual growth. Banks and credit agencies measure our financial growth. They all have goals for where we should be in order to be considered healthy or to graduate or to qualify for a loan. But what about spiritual growth? Does God have a goal for our spiritual growth? Many in the church today seem to be unaware of this greater goal.
So the greater goal is not to just make converts, but to make Christ-followers, to make disciples of Jesus who grow up to maturity becoming like Him in every way. Because as Dallas Willard warned, “The way to get more people into heaven is to get heaven into more people. And if you don’t do that, then you wind up with a group of people that are testimonies against heaven.”
What’s your goal in life? Is your life a testimony for heaven or against heaven? Are you growing spiritually? Since becoming a Christian, are you growing more like Jesus? In the epistle of Hebrews, the Jewish background believers were warned not to fall away from the goal of growing to maturity in Jesus. We can heed the warning not to fall away from the goal of growing to maturity in Jesus.
November 19, 2023 |
Hebrews 5:1-10 |
exposition
Do you ever feel like Job? “If only there were someone who could bring me together with God!” Someone who not only understands you and your situation, but also is able to bring you near to God? That was the purpose of the Old Testament high priest. He represented the people before God. Yet, they had shortcomings. Their ministry was always only a foreshadowing of the ministry of Jesus Christ.
In Hebrews 5:1-10, the author helped the Hebrew background believers understand why Jesus is a greater high priest. We can understand why Jesus is the greater high priest.
November 12, 2023 |
Hebrews 4:14-16 |
exposition
We all want special treatment, special access, especially to something or someone we deem important or valuable to us. We want to go backstage. We want to be able to sit in the reserved seats. We want to sit courtside and actually meet the players and coaches and feel that we’re part of the team. We all have this deep need to know and be known. At its deepest level, I think this is a God-given desire for fellowship, with God and with others. God made us that way. And we’ll feel disconnected and spiritually empty until we find access to Him.
How are you feeling about your relationship with God today? Do you feel close to God or distant today? Do you feel you have VIP access to Him In Hebrews 4:14-16, the Jewish background believers were challenged to respond rightly to Jesus as the great high priest opening up a greater access to God’s throne of grace. We can respond rightly to Jesus as the great high priest who opens up greater access to God.
November 5, 2023 |
Hebrews 4:1-13 |
exposition
Are you weary and heavy with burdens today? Are you struggling with an aching kind of exhaustion that no amount of napping can cure? No vacation spot can alleviate? Let us consider two questions today: what is this rest that Jesus offers? And how do we enter into this
rest?
In the book of Hebrews chapter 4:1-13, the author encouraged Hebrew background believers to strive to enter God’s rest. We can strive to enter God’s rest.
October 29, 2023 |
Hebrews 3:7-19 |
exposition
Fighting and terrorism between Israel and Hamas. Riots in our streets. Shootings in Maine. Political fighting and disunity. Concerns about the economy and inflation. Growing anxiety and suicidal ideation among our young people. Where can we turn? Whose voice shall we heed for help? Whose calling? There are so many competing voices and most have already let us down. How do we keep from hardening our hearts to the calling of Jesus? We’ve heard it, but have we really truly responded to it? That’s what today’s message is about. The only voice, the only calling, that can truly help us is the calling of Jesus. How will you respond to Christ’s calling?
In the book of Hebrews chapter 3:7-19, the author warned the Hebrews not to harden their hearts against the greater calling of Jesus. We can heed the warning not to harden our hearts and rightly respond to the greater calling of Jesus.
October 22, 2023 |
Hebrews 3:1-6 |
exposition
We all have a tendency to give glory and honor to something or someone. It’s human nature. Seeing something or someone as glorious, we honor them with our admiration, our words, even our pocketbooks. But we tend to lower our eyes to the lesser reflections of glory rather than focusing on the truly glorious One, who is the source of all glory.
In the book of Hebrews chapter 3:1-6, the author told the Hebrew background believers to closely consider Jesus to see that He is worthy of more glory than all, even Moses. We can consider Jesus to see that His glory is greater than all.
October 15, 2023 |
Hebrews 2:5-18 |
exposition
This is not a “what to do” or “how to” sermon. This is a “Behold, see Jesus” sermon. Because if you truly see Him, as our King, our Founder, our Brother and our Great High Priest and Friend, then you’ll know where to go for help.
In the book of Hebrews chapter 2, the author continued to show why Jesus is greater than all by showing why His help is greater. We can understand that there is no greater help than that which we find in Jesus.
October 8, 2023 |
Hebrews 2:1-4 |
exposition
If you’re not a follower of Jesus today, perhaps you’ve been looking for salvation in other places because you just haven’t heard the message of salvation through Jesus. So you’re still searching for meaning, for purpose, for happiness. But you haven’t really heard what Jesus offers. Or perhaps you have heard, but you still have questions and doubts and you’ve delayed trusting in Him. Or maybe you are a believer in Jesus, you’ve received His great salvation, but you’ve drifted away from the joy and assurance you once had. There are many reasons that we believers might drift away from the gospel.
In the book of Hebrews chapter 2, believers were warned to carefully heed the message of God’s great salvation offered in Jesus, lest they drift away from it. We can carefully heed the message of God’s great salvation offered in Jesus.
