For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

Hebrews 5

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. Hebrews 5:1-4

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 5:1-10, as I lean on my commentary and explore what the commentary describes as the first division "The Typical High Priest," which looks at Hebrews 5:1-4. The commentary starts by outlining how chapter 5 continues the theme from previous chapters in Hebrews where Christ is defined as better than angels, Moses, Joshua; here in chapter 5, Jesus is described as a better High Priest. The first few verses - 1 through 4 - offer a setup to this ultimate claim by exploring the nature of the high priest in the Old Testament.  First, it states that although the high priest is "chosen from among men," ultimately it is God who calls and appoints the high priest: "[t]he purpose of God appointing high priests was so that the high priest could act “for the people”; it was thus necessary for the high priest to be chosen from among the people. He represented the people as he ministered in the most holy place before God." Second, it unpacks a key attribute of the high priest is to sympathize and identify with the people, who are described as ignorant and wayward, and who go astray.  Astray is defined as "not to apply [God's] knowledge": "[t]he word astray does not necessarily mean acting in outright rebellion against God. It can refer simply to being wayward in our thoughts or habits and allowing ourselves to wander from the things of God. The high priest identifies with the ignorance and waywardness of his people because he too is a finite human beset with weaknesses." Third, the high priest is described as, in light of his ability to sympathize with the people, having his own sin that requires atonement. Finally, the high priest is defined as being humble - serving out of a desire to exalt God vs himself.  We are referred to Exodus 28:1, where we see God's call to Aaron and his sons to serve in priestly duties.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who is a better High Priest than any person ever was or could be - You are my Lord and Savior!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You serve as my Great High Priest.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And being made perfect, [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.

Hebrews 5

And being made perfect, [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Hebrews 5:9

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 5:1-10, and my initial unaided observations of this text. Here, the author of Hebrews compares the role the high priest during the Old Testament, using Aaron as an example, and during the New Testament, where upon His death and resurrection, Jesus was "appointed" (v5) as Great High Priest. The comparison first looks at how both the Old Testament high priests and Jesus possessed (of course Jesus still does) the ability to sympathize with those who were weak because of their own humanity (v2). This weakness inevitably leads to sin, except of course for Jesus, and this sin requires sacrifice to atone for sin (v3). The text then refers to the high priest's act of offering sacrifice for sin for not just himself, but also for others, as an honor (v3-4).  The text indicates that "no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God" (v4). Jesus assumed the role of Great High Priest not to "exalt himself" (v5), to fulfill prophecy referred to in v5-6, 10 where Psalm 2:7 and 110:4 are both quoted. Christ's humanity is further explored in v7 where Jesus prayed to God to save him from death on the cross, and the text shares how God heard these prayers "because of [Jesus' reverence]."  V8-9 then describe Christ as obedient, the perfect sacrifice, and as "the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - taking my sin and all of humanity's sin upon Yourself, sacrificing Your life for all of us...even though You lived a perfect, spotless live.  Thank You Jesus for this gift of grace - amazing indeed and I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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

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 4:16

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. I maintain my focus Hebrews 4:14-16, as I move on to what the commentary describes as the third division "Boldly Approaching the Throne of Grace," which looks at Hebrews 4:16. The commentary focuses on how this verse builds primarily on the previous verse - v15 where we read how Believers have a Great High Priest - Jesus - who is able to sympathize "with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."  These two attributes of God describe how Jesus is both fully God and fully man (human) - Jesus is both sinless, perfect and holy as God, and at the same as the incarnate Son, He experienced every (text says "in every respect" temptation humanity experiences.  Unfortunately, all of us continue to experience sin and weakness (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8).  The Good News of Jesus of Christ is that we DO have a great High Priest who allows us anytime to approach Him in our time of need.  The commentary refers us to 1 John 1:9, where states this as a promise that God will always be there for us: "[i]f we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Approach God boldly and with confidence!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who I can approach boldly and with confidence knowing You will be there and will help me in my time of need!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such grace and help.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

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.

Hebrews 4

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. Hebrews 4:15

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. I maintain my focus Hebrews 4:14-16, as I move on to what the commentary describes as the second division "Remembering Our Sinless High Priest," which looks at Hebrews 4:15. The commentary first explores the nature of temptation, and ultimately shares that scripture is calling us to fight and resist temptation that turns into sin - lustful thoughts, impatience, frustration, selfishness, greed, etc. We need to avoid "crossing that line" that "give[s] permission to [our] temptation to manifest itself into full blown sin."  Jesus is described as never crossing that line: "He was tempted in every respect that we have been tempted, but never once did he permit that temptation to become sin in his heart, in his thoughts, or in his actions. Thus, temptation that resists or rejects sin falls short of sin, while temptation that gives over to sin is sin."  The commentary wraps for this text by comparing Old Testament priests to Jesus and the role He plays as the Great High Priest: "Old Testament priests could only offer sacrifices that would delay God’s judgment against sin. Their sacrifices could only buy time. Jesus’s sacrifice, however, accomplished complete atonement for sin once and for all. This was only possible because he was without sin, totally unlike every other high priest and totally unlike every other human being." A Great High Priest indeed!

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My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are SO, SO good!  Your mercies are new every morning, and Your provide for all of my needs!  Thank You Jesus!  You also are a Great High Priest and My Lord and Savior - thank You Jesus - amazing grace!  Of course I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Hebrews 4

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Hebrews 4:14

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. I maintain my focus Hebrews 4:14-16, as I move on to what the commentary describes as the first division "Holding Fast to Our Confession," which looks at Hebrews 4:14. The commentary starts by highlighting how the text describes Jesus as as a Great High Priest: "[a]s the great high priest, Jesus redefined the office because, even though he was tempted in every way as we are, he never sinned and he has passed through the heavens into the very throne room of God to be our mediator."  It then moves to highlight how our confession involves a confession of the historical Jesus, and one of faith to the gospel as written in God's Word. Our confession of the historical work of Jesus is shared as "not distant from our own experiences. Even though he has passed through the heavens as our great high priest, Jesus identifies with human beings in his own humanity."  The commentary's description of our confession of the gospel - using Romans 10:9 as an example, is that it is "not a sacred mantra or a kind of secret linguistic key. It is the very identity of the Christ we follow and the very heart of the confession we make. Christians believe and confess Jesus Christ as the resurrected Lord."  The commentary wraps by urging believers not to "abandon this confession [as Israel did in the wilderness], particularly in the face of temptation and trial." Hold fast!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You saved me - and I know this is not something written about in a book - but a divine and supernatural act of salvation that gives me life to the full now and for eternity in Heaven!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a blessing, nor any of the blessings You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast 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

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast 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

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 4:14-16, and my initial unaided observations of this text. Given how the text starts with "since then," it seems that this text is building upon not just the previous chapter but all of Hebrews up to this point.  In chapters 1-3, and even in chapter 4, Jesus is described as better than angels, Moses, Joshua, and the author of Hebrews explains why Jesus is better. We are now exhorted to "hold fast our confession." What is interesting here is that God knows all of our sin, so the confession is not for God's sake but for our own as we need to understand the depth of our sin, and scripture reading and study enables this to happen (per v12-13).  Once we begin (this is a journey) to understand the depth and breadth of our sin, we can begin (also a journey) to understand the depth and breadth of God's grace and love for us.  The text today should be taken as an incredible encouragement because of how Jesus is described as not just our Lord and Savior, but also as the incarnate Son who experienced all (note the words "who in every respect") of how humanity is tempted, giving Him the ability to sympathize with us, while at the same time, He is able to dispense grace and mercy.  We CAN and SHOULD approach Him with confidence to seek and receive grace and mercy, including for our own salvation.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who knows everything about me, yet still loves me and is full of grace and mercy for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and mercy.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:11-13

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 4:1-13, as I move on to what the commentary describes as the third division "Entering with the Word," which looks at Hebrews 4:11-13.  Here, the commentary calls out how the text in v11 reinforces the exhortation to "strive to enter [God's] rest."  Key to this effort is how we encourage one another daily (see Hebrews 3:12); the commentary shares how corporate worship enables this encouragement: "[t]his is one of the things we do every Sunday in corporate worship when we sit under the preaching of the Word of God. This is what we do when we sing together. This is what we do when we pray together. This is what we do when we fellowship together. We gather in corporate worship to encourage one another to be fully satisfied in Christ and in him alone, lest we fail to enter his rest."  The commentary then pivots to how the text in v12-13 highlights the Word of God and the key role it plays to helps us avoid "falling away." It shares that "[s]ince God is the author of Scripture, it is not a dead book. As God lives, Scripture lives....Thus, Scripture, because it is God’s Word, is alive and life giving. The Bible is not a bunch of dead, lifeless words. It is the living Word of God.  It accomplishes everything God wills. As the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah, 'so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do' (Isaiah 55:11)....The description of the Bible as a sword that can pierce and divide the soul demonstrates the invasive quality of the Word....it is Scripture that reads us. Scripture untangles the human heart and unearths sin like no other book can. No other book can discern the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. Only God’s Word can do that....In conjunction with the Holy Spirit, the Word of God cuts through the sin and darkness of the human heart to restore spiritual health and vitality for Christ. Without the Word, we are as good as dead. God’s Word, however, eradicates the disease of the human heart and breathes life where there is death....Without the Word, we are as good as dead. God’s Word, however, eradicates the disease of the human heart and breathes life where there is death....Scripture strips us bare before our own eyes and before the eyes of God because it exposes God’s ineffable character. As Calvin famously stated, “It is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked on God’s face, and then descends from contemplating him to scrutinize himself” (Institutes, I.I.2). God gives us the gift of Scripture so that we will not follow the example of Israel’s disobedience." Worship and commune with your brothers and sisters in Christ, and read/study God's Word! 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who provides the church, my brothers and sisters in Christ, and Your Word, so that I am armed to not fall away...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Hebrews 4

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Hebrews 4:9-10

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 4:1-13, as I move on to what the commentary describes as the second division "Entering by Urgency," which looks at Hebrews 4:3-10. The commentary describes how the text, since Hebrews 3:7, maintains an emphasis on how believers can only enter "God's rest" through believe and faith in Jesus Christ.  It states that this repetition is important because "[t]his is a message stubborn sinners need to hear over and over again."  The commentary then highlights how the text uses the word "today" (2x in v7) to urge those hearing the gospel message to not delay in placing their faith in Christ: "God has appointed today for us so that we might respond to his call in faith and not harden our hearts. We cannot presume upon tomorrow. Today may be the only day we have left. But as long as you have today, you have an invitation to faith." The commentary wraps for this division by stating: "[l]ike John 3:16, Hebrews 4:10 powerfully captures the message of the gospel in a single verse. The gospel is not morality. The gospel is not external religion. Nor is it a seven-step program for obtaining a better life. The gospel is the message of Christ’s accomplishments on our behalf so that we might “rest” from our works by trusting in his work. When we trust in Christ’s work, we rest from trusting our own."  Believe in Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of all humanity, so that You can enter God's rest! 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me rest from a works-based salvation and rest for eternity!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

Hebrews 4

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. Hebrews 4:1-2

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 4:1-13, as I build on my post yesterday, and lean on commentary for this text.  I start with the commentary's overview of this text "Let Us Enter His Rest," and then move to what the commentary describes as the first division "Entering by Faith," which looks at Hebrews 4:1-2.  The commentary for this text starts by exploring what is meant by God's rest and it shares: "The [promised] land was indicative of God’s promise to Abraham and signified God’s plan to restore creation after the fall corrupted it....It meant enjoying and entering God’s plan of salvation and inhabiting the very place where God set his dwelling....While [the Israelites] may have physically entered the territory of Canaan, they never truly entered into the spiritual rest that the territory typified." The author of Hebrews uses this text to remind the audience of how their ancestors failed to enter God's rest when the entered the promised land, and also to warn them that now that the Good News of Jesus has been preached, they should not fail to believe and trust once again.  The first key point raised by the commentary indicates that "simply hearing the message of the gospel is insufficient for salvation." We are referred to Matthew 13:10-15 (which in turn refers to Isaiah 6). The second key point is that "the only appropriate response to the gospel is faith. Israel heard the promises and warnings of God but did not respond with faith. As a result, they perished in the wilderness." The third key point is that intellectual understanding of the Good News is not enough - you must believe and have faith.  The final key point raised by the commentary for the text this morning is that "the message of salvation was not different for those in the Old Testament....This text, however, demonstrates that the same “good news” preached in the new covenant was also preached in the old covenant. Of course, now that Christ has come and fully revealed the Father (John 14:8-9), new covenant believers have a fuller picture and a greater understanding of how God has acted to save. Nevertheless, old covenant saints were saved by faith in the promises of God just as we are today. Paul makes this clear in Romans 4:1-25 when he argues that Abraham was justified by faith." Pray to God to "spiritually hear His Word, have faith - believe, and lean on all of scripture both the Old and New Testament as the inerrant Word of God.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You for giving me Your Word and for my salvation!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12-13

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 4:1-13, and my initial unaided observations of this text.  Once again, just as it did in Hebrews 3, the text in Hebrews 4 starts with "therefore," connecting this chapter with the previous, and in Hebrews 4 the text starts with a warning to fear God and fear falling away so that we can "enter His rest." The text describes how the first generation Israelites did not enter His rest by saying in v2: "[f]or good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened."  The implication is that we should be, as Hebrews 3 emphasizes, and per my post yesterday, in fellowship and community with other believers - let us exhort and encourage one another daily. God's rest is defined in Hebrews 4 in v9-10 as the rest God had on the seventh day of creation, after laying the foundation of the earth: "[s] then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."  The implication here is that believers can rest from a focus on faith based on works and instead receive rest through faith alone in Jesus Christ.  The word "today" is mentioned twice, implying urgency for us to follow the warnings of the author to not fall away.  The text wraps by sharing why believers should fear God - it is because He is all knowing - and all of us will have to account for our lives upon final judgement, either upon death or when Jesus returns a second (final) time.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God - You give me rest and peace of mind like no other - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a blessing, nor of any the blessings You pour out for me, including my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 3

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. For this morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 3:7-19, moving to what the commentary describes as the second division "Exhorted to Endure," which looks at Hebrews 3:12-19.  The primary takeaway for this division, as the division title indicates, is for believers to encourage and admonish one another as a means to both keep and grow in faith - this is key for believers to avoid falling away from faith (as many of the first generation Jews did when they wandered through the wilderness in search of the Promised Land).  The commentary shares that "[i]mmersing oneself in the community of saints, in the care and watchfulness of the local church, in the preaching of God’s Word, and in the exhortation of fellow believers remedies an evil, unbelieving heart. These things protect us from falling away."  We are referred to Colossians 3:16, where Paul offers the same remedy to "combat evil and unbelieving hearts".  Fellow believers - encourage one another!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a good, good God who provides my church, and my brothers and sisters in Christ who are able to exhort, admonish, and encourage me - helping me keep and sharpen my faith.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”

Hebrews 3

Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” Hebrews 3:10-11

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 3:7-19, as I build on my post yesterday, and lean on commentary for this text.  I start with the commentary's overview of this text "Exhort and Encourage for the Sake of Faith," and then move to what the commentary describes as the first division "Learning from a Bad Example," which looks at Hebrews 3:7-11. The commentary highlights the text's first few words that follow "therefore", which sadly I overlooked in my initial reading yesterday.  These words are "as the Holy Spirit says," and the commentary indicates: "[the author of Hebrews] prefaces a quotation of the Psalms with the words, “as the Holy Spirit says.” In doing so, the author dramatically affirms the divine inspiration of Scripture."  The commentary then outlines how the use of these words accomplish two tasks: "[f]irst, it teaches us that God is the author of Scripture. It teaches us, “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21)....When we hear Scripture, read Scripture, study Scripture, or encounter Scripture in any way, we can be confident God is speaking to us.  Second, it affirms the living character of Scripture. The author does not use the past tense. He does not say, “The Holy Spirit said.” He uses the present tense. Every time we open the Bible, the Holy Spirit speaks. Even though the biblical authors recorded these words long ago, they are still living words.  The author of Hebrews explicitly argues this in the next chapter: “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12)."  The commentary then shares how the text uses the word "today" in v7 and how this emphasizes the urgency of believing today, not to put off any decision of faith.  It then moves to share why the author used the story of how the Israelites wandered through the wilderness and lost faith - we are exhorted to remain faithful.  "[The author] wants [readers] to make it to the true land of rest." Of course this true land of rest is through faith in Jesus Christ. The commentary defines rest as "safety, security, and salvation."  The commentary wraps its examination of Hebrews 3:7-11 by indicating the serious and sobering nature of either not believing or losing faith as the Israelites did in the wilderness: "[j]ust as he did with Israel, God will shut out from his rest those who rebel, walk in unfaithfulness, and presume on the grace of God. Like faithless Israel, those who presume on the grace of God will die on the wrong side of the Jordan. We must hold firmly today lest we wake up outside God’s eternal rest." Hold firm in your faith!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God - thank You for how You help me remain firm in my faith - by providing Your Word, the Holy Spirit, my church, brothers and sisters in Christ, etc.  Thank You Jesus for these blessings.  I am not deserving of such blessings. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So we see that they were unable to enter [His rest] because of unbelief.

Hebrews 3

So we see that they were unable to enter [His rest] because of unbelief. Hebrews 3:19

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 3:7-19, and my initial unaided observations of this text. Starting tomorrow and through the day after that, I will lean on my commentary and how it describes and unpacks this text.  The text starts with "therefore" - which of course forces us to examine how this text connects with the previous text in Hebrews 3:1-6 where the primary themes (see yesterday's post and posts just prior to yesterday) are how Jesus is greater than Moses, and how Jesus is faithful.  In light of how Jesus is faithful, believers are encouraged to avoid turning away (apostasy) or losing faith/trust in Jesus in the same way that many of the Jews did in the wilderness as Moses led them through the wilderness after escaping bondage in Egypt.  Inviting sin and evil into our lives allows for such turning away and v13 speaks of these influences. Lack of faith itself is indeed a sin. V12-13 exhort believers to encourage each other, and to help other believers stay strong in their faith.  The text twice (Hebrews 7:11, 15) refers to Psalm 95:7-11 in the warning the author of Hebrews uses to "if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."  The text ends by describing the consequences of falling away or losing faith - no rest! As an antidote to such falling away or losing faith, as it says in v14, let us "hold our original confidence [in Him] firm to the end."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You ARE faithful and I need Your provision and my brothers and sisters in Christ to help me hold firm to You until the end.  I know things get very hard but You will never leave or forsake me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such faithfulness.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Hebrews 3

Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Hebrews 3:5-6

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 3:5-6, and how my commentary describes this text - with the heading "The Hope of God's House" - as the second of two divisions in Hebrews 3:1-6. The commentary starts by describing how Moses, although he is referred to as a servant, should be translated from the original Greek text therapo, which is used for those in "a position of nobility under the authority of the one who appointed him....[V]erse 5 highlights Moses’s place of rank and honor."  It then moves to look at how Moses pointed to Christ: "Moses faithfully discharged his service in the household of God by pointing to one greater than himself, Jesus Christ. Christ fulfilled all that Moses said in ways beyond Moses’s own understanding. Christ then is superior to Moses, just as Moses himself would affirm."  Next, as Jesus is compared to Moses, the commentary shares that "Moses was a servant. He was a faithful servant, but still just a servant. Jesus, however, is the Son. Jesus is not just a servant in the household; he is the One who inherits the house and functions as its Lord."  Finally, the commentary for this division examines v6 and how and it may trouble some "because it seems to suggest that our salvation is conditional."  This commentary addresses this by saying that our salvation is not conditional on works - Jesus did away with this: "[o]ur works neither save us nor keep us saved. Only Christ can save us. We must hold on to our “confidence” and retain our “boast” in the gospel and in the Lord." Persevere!

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My Prayer: Jesus, You are a great God...You sent Your Son and gave me my salvation, the Holy Spirit, Your Word, my family, my church, etc....all as a means to persevere in my faith!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to Your Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Hebrews 3

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Hebrews 3:4

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 3:1-4, and how my commentary describes this text - with the heading "An Apostle and High Priest Better Than Moses" - as the first of two divisions in Hebrews 3:1-6.  Building on my observations from yesterday's post, where I describe how v1-6 contrasts Moses with Jesus, the commentary for v1-4 starts by pointing out the use of "Therefore" in v1 that connects this chapter to the previous chapter (chapter 2), and how this connector is an exhortation from the author of Hebrews to "consider Jesus": "[t]hus, because Jesus is the merciful and faithful high priest who has tasted death for everyone and is the source of our salvation, Jesus merits our full consideration." The exhortation to consider Jesus is more fully explored by first defining consider as "communicat[ing] the idea of meditation," and then by sharing how everyone has a worldview, and this worldview shapes our thoughts and actions.  Believers of course have a worldview also, but the commentary indicates that "[t]he author of Hebrews reminds us that the ultimate axiom for the intellectual thought life of the believer is Jesus Christ. He is not simply the author and finisher of our faith; he is the author and finisher of our thoughts as well. Considering Jesus should animate the intellectual patterns of all believers and recalibrate their biblical worldview." The commentary then wraps its examination of v1-4 by focusing on how and why the text compares Moses to Jesus: "[if Moses is worthy of glory as a servant, how much more worthy is Christ—the One who built the house?...Every house needs an architect. Christ functioned as the architect of God’s house—that is, God’s people. Thus, Christ is greater than Moses simply because he created Moses."  Worship the Creator, not man, nor creation!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God, who is the author of creation and in all things - holding all things together, including my life.  Thank You Jesus for how You provide, give life, and for how You save!  I am not deserving of my salvation, nor any of the blessings You provide.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Hebrews 3

Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Hebrews 3:6

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is initial observations of Hebrews 3:1-6. My bible refers to these verses with the heading "Jesus Greater Than Moses", as these verses contrast Moses to Jesus.  As a starting point, I went to Deuteronomy 34 where, upon Moses' death, scripture offers the following as an epitaph: 

And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. Deuteronomy 34:10-12

Hebrews' likely audience was Jewish believers, and this commentary indicates that this audience was "intimately familiar with the Old Testament, particularly The Pentateuch" (first five books of the Bible, including Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) - where Moses of course plays a key role. So, while today's believers may wonder why they need to compare Moses to Jesus, an understanding of this book's original audience provides important context.  

For this morning, I zero in on v6 (and how v1-5 build up to this verse) where scripture indicates how Christ is faithful over God's house, which this verse defines as the church, if we remain confident and hopeful in Him.  Let us strive to maintain our confidence and hope in Him!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who is full of grace for me, and You are faithful - I know You will never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus for Your faithfulness.  I am not deserving of such faithfulness.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2

For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:16-18

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is a look specifically at Hebrews 2:16-18, the third of three divisions from Hebrews 2:10-18, and this division is entitled "Priesthood and Propitiation" by the commentary. The commentary starts by looking at a fundamental question - could God's justice for humanity's sin and believers salvation be secured without Jesus' incarnation and death on the cross?  The commentary points out how the language of the text is clear: "[t]his text indicates that the answer to that question is no. God only acts in the way that corresponds with his character and most displays his glory. Thus, in order to both satisfy his justice and display his mercy, God put Christ forward as a propitiatory sacrifice." The commentary then explores how Christ's incarnation also made Him a Great High Priest who perfectly intercedes for believers to God the Father on our behalf. It outlines theological terms expiation and propitiation, describing expiation as "washing away of sin" and propitiation as "satisfaction of God’s justice", and further elaborates on propitiation (referring to Romans 3:21-26) by saying: "[p]ropitiation enables God to be both just and justifier. Without the satisfaction of God’s righteousness in the punishment of sin, he could not justly declare sinners righteous. Thus, propitiation stands at the very heart of the gospel. The logic of propitiation makes the good news good. Without propitiation, there is no gospel." 

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My Prayer: Thank you Jesus for both washing away my sins and for taking my place on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for not just my sin but the sin of all of humanity.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, 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. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

Hebrews 2

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, 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. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Hebrews 2:14-16

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is a look specifically at Hebrews 2:14-16, the second of three divisions from Hebrews 2:10-18, and this division is entitled "The Incursion by the Incarnate Son" by the commentary.  The commentary first shares how these verses "show us how Christ brings sinners into a position of sonship with the Creator." It then highlights how in v14 Christ "partook of the same things": "Though he was the Creator of all, he became hungry. He grew tired. He ate, drank, slept, ached, and “shared in these” things that all humanity knows and experiences. This is the first and one of the most fundamental truths of the gospel story. God became a man. He became like us."  Yet incarnation alone is described as being insufficient to "secure our redemption" as Christ came to defeat both death (which He did through the resurrection) and the devil.  We are encouraged to see how Satan is real and referred to text such as 1 Peter 5:8, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, 11:14, John 10:10, Matthew 4:1-11, and 1 Corinthians 7:5.  The commentary shares that while Satan is not ultimately defeated and destroyed until end times, "Christ’s penal and substitutionary atonement completely exhausts Satan’s powers of accusation. Thus, while the devil may continue to prowl about, he prowls with a limp. He has been stripped of his most destructive weapons. His accusations against God’s people do not stick." Be encouraged how Jesus gives us victory over the sting of death and sin!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God - thank You for freeing me from the slavery of death and sin!  The greatest gift of all time!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.

Hebrews 2

 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. Hebrews 2:10-11

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is an overview of the commentary for Hebrews 2:10-18, and a look at specifically at Hebrews 2:10-13, the first of three divisions from Hebrews 2:10-18 as outlined by the commentary. The overview indicates how Hebrews 2:10-18 "further explains what it means (from v9 - see post from a couple of days ago) for Christ to “taste death for everyone...” [and it addresses key questions such as]: Exactly how does Christ accomplish this feat? What are the results? How do God’s people benefit?"  In looking specifically at Hebrews 2:10-13, the commentary then stresses the following key points:

• Christ came into the world to adopt us as sons and daughters to glory.  "These words provide a gospel summary that focuses on the relational and familial aspects of the gospel. The gospel transforms believers into children of God and siblings of the Lord Jesus. Our purpose is to bring the glory of God into greater visibility—to be the public display of the glory of God both now and for all eternity. Thus, we become “sons and daughters to glory” in order to magnify the glory of God for all to see." We exist to glorify God!
  
•  The fittingness of God the Father's plan to send His Son to "redeem humanity through a perfect and suffering Savior. The justice of God demanded a substitutionary atonement for the forgiveness of sins....Because of Christ’s perfect obedience to the Father, Jesus has become the “source” of salvation.
• The Old Testament citations in this text (Psalm 22:22 and Isaiah 8:17-18) referring to "brothers and sisters" are "rooted in the reality because believers are Christ’s “brothers and sisters,” we are also “children” of God." The commentary also argues that believers should see how "[t]he Law and the Prophets bear witness to Christ. He is their telos....[and] that the message of the Old Testament is fundamentally messianic. The Old Testament must be read in light of its fulfillment in Christ."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God, who died for me as a perfect, substitutionary atonement for my sins - thank You Jesus for bearing my punishment that I deserved.  I am not deserving of the grace You poured out for me and continue to pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is on initial observations of Hebrews 2:10-18. This text builds on previous text (see post yesterday) in Hebrews where it establishes that the Last Adam accomplished what the first Adam did not. It describes how "it is fitting" (v10) that God came into the world as flesh and blood, partaking of the same things all of humanity experiences, including temptation, pain, suffering, and ultimately death - for a purpose: redemption and salvation of humanity.

[T]hrough 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. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:14-17.

It is not just fitting but amazing - amazing grace!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great, amazing God and I am grateful for the amazing grace You have already poured out for me and for the mercies that are new every morning...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and mercy.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.