Synopsis and Homework Week 20

To say that the New Covenant is established on “better” promises is like saying Niagara Falls is better than my garden hose. I know that the author of Hebrews is not making such a comment causally. I know from chapter one that our author realizes the majesty and glory of the Son of God. I know from chapters two through seven our author feels the Superiority of Jesus.

Sometimes I need to remind myself just how much better the promises of the New Covenant really are. Sometimes my idea of better isn’t what the author of Hebrews understands as better.

OK, so this is better…You are standing before God and He makes the promise; I will be your God, and you will be my child…forever. I am going to do for you what you cannot do for yourself. I am going to override your tendency of drifting away. I am going to write on your mind and heart so that you will be found faithful to the very end. And here’s the best part…Even though I am God and I know everything about you, in My courtroom I will not remember anything about you that doesn’t reflect My Son.

If that doesn’t find you singing at the top of your lungs this Easter Sunday, you still don’t understand “better”.

HOMEWORK:

Read your favorite Gospel passage to your family and celebrate!

Have a wonderful Easter Sunday!

Teaching Outline Week 20

The Joy in Responsibility

(An In-Depth Study of Hebrews)

Commentary

Jesus’ Ministry

Hebrews 8:6-13 

Outline 

Jesus – Mediator of a Better Covenant (verses 6-9)

Jesus’ ministry is to usher in a New Covenant (vs 6)

The New Covenant is founded on better promises (vs 7)

Old Covenant was a shadow (not faultless)

New Covenant is perfect Reality (faultless)

Move to verse 13…

The Old Covenant is now obsolete.

Remember from last lesson; a major change happened as the shadow was replaced with reality. Transformed from a “Come and see” to a “Go and tell” relationship.

Many things really did change.

Back to verses 10-11…

New Covenant promises described: (Verses 10-11)

God will write on your heart

God WILL BE your God

How the promises are possible: (verse 12)

Mercy toward your iniquities

Remember your sins no more

LIFE APPLICATION:

God is completely for you, so who can be against you?

Synopsis and Homework Week 19

It’s only when we understand the burden of the law and everything associated with the Tabernacle and the sacrifices of the priesthood that we realize what Scripture is stating when it classifies those things as copies and shadows. To be sure God authored them all. God’s Law is perfect. The Tabernacle and the priesthood clearly pointed to Jesus for anyone who had eyes to see.

But the Law couldn’t save anyone. Working tirelessly sacrificing bulls and lambs and goats, in the end, couldn’t atone for sin. In order for sinful mankind to live in glory with their Holy God they would need a Priest of a higher order. They would need a once-for-all sacrifice that somehow satisfied the Law.

What God established with Moses and Israel on Mt. Sinai would need to fade, as shadows do, when a great Light comes on the scene. The heavy burden that the shadows imposed, causing the people to pretend they could keep their rigorous demands, must be replaced with better promises. The Law would need to be fulfilled; the Priesthood and sacrificial system brought to completion.

As the author of Hebrews states it, as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.  For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.” Jesus is the Light that took away the shadows. Jesus, our High Priest, fulfilled the requirements of the Law and became the sacrifice that atoned for sin for all who believe.

For the believer, law keeping is no longer a burden of duty but a life passion of love. Worship is no longer standing in the Temple court watching the High Priest working tirelessly but walking all over this world in a joy flowing from our Great High Priest.

HOMEWORK:

Read Galatians 5:1-6

Paul states that “for freedom Christ has set us free.” (Verse 1) So, Christ Jesus set us free for the sake of freedom. He set us free from slavery to sin. He set us free from the heavy yoke of the Law.

How does Paul warn anyone who is considering going back to the law of circumcision? (Verse 2)

 

If you are being justified by trying to keep the law what is your relationship to Christ? (Verse 4)

 

How does faith working through love manifest itself in our lives? (Verse 5-6)

 

Teaching Outline Week 19

The Joy in Responsibility

(An In-Depth Study of Hebrews)

Commentary

Light Ends the Shadow

Hebrews 7:26-8:7 

Outline 

New Covenant High Priest is Superior (verses 26-28)

This is the summary of the Order of Melchizedek

  1.       Jesus is sinless (Holy)
  2.       Worthy to be the Sacrifice
  3.       Perfect so that the Sacrifice is once-for-all
  4.       Appointed by an oath as a perfect Son
  5.       Forever (Eternal)

Old Covenant comes to an end; New Covenant is a perfect, permanent replacement

Jesus came to put an end to the shadows (verse 8:1-7)

Main Point:

Jesus our New Covenant High Priest who goes between us and God, and makes us right with God, and prays for us to God is not an ordinary, weak, sinful, dying, priest like in the Old Testament days. He is the Son of God—strong, sinless, with an indestructible life.

No More – earthly Tabernacle, sacrifices, Articles of Worship, Vestments, dietary laws, etc…

What Moses copied or shadowed from his Mt. Sinai experience we now experience without shadow.

Old Covenant – Come and see worship experience

New Covenant – Go and tell life of worship

LIFE APPLICATION:

We have complete freedom in Christ

We live mission driven lives taking the Gospel to all cultures

Synopsis and Homework Week 18

I remember growing up and attending church in the “Bible Belt” of America. We sang from a Hymnal while a little church lady banged out the tune on the well warn upright piano. The tunes were very familiar and my heart grew fond of them over the years. The lyrics on the other hand were not understood. I knew the words by heart, but they were not part of my heart. I would stand beside my mom and sing with a loud voice, “What a friend we have in Jesus”. I had no idea.

Jesus has captivated my heart for 37 years and counting. I love the Word of God. It’s now when I read the Words of our author (Hebrews 7:25) that I begin to understand the depth of the lyrics to that old classic. Jesus is able to save completely, because He always makes intercession for me. My right relationship with God the Father is because He knows my name. My right relationship with God was born and will live forever solely because of Jesus. As my Sympathetic High Priest, Jesus works continuously to keep me. What a friend I have in Jesus!

HOMEWORK:

Read Romans 8:31-39

How does Paul’s statement in verse 31 support the idea presented in Hebrews 7:25 that Jesus can save forever, or completely, or to the uttermost?

 

Why does Paul believe that there will never be found anyone who will be able to condemn us before God? (verse 34)

 

Make a list of all the things that Jesus’ intercessory ministry protects us from. (verses 35-39)

 

Does this description of the work of Christ on our behalf sound like a one time act or a daily conquering?

A Most Interesting Phenomenon

One of the most interesting phenomenon’s of posting blogs is the responses and reactions of fellow bloggers. In my estimation, all of my posts are directed toward “students”. I would define students as those who are interested in the blog site solely for its content. I am a teacher, passionate toward the Word of God. I know the following statement to be absolute… “The Bible will change the life of every impassioned reader for the good.”

However, the majority of bloggers that “follow” this blog have a very different philosophy toward life and happiness. As a matter of fact, I believe that the majority of bloggers that follow this blog have never read a single word of its content. I make this statement based on simple observation. I make it a practice to visit the blog site of everyone who follows my blog. One click and I come face to face with my fellow blogger.

Upon arrival the introduction almost always goes something like this… “Play Big! Live Free! It’s easier than you think to live the life you love. I’ve found the secret to leveraging the internet and living the life of my dreams.”

Upon further investigation I am overwhelmed with image after image of luxurious lifestyle. The “self-taken” photos reflect the same image…attractive young person, suntan, adorned with designer sunglasses, exotic and beautiful backdrop, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Yep, they’ve found the secret alright. Or have they?

I’ve been to some of those exotic places. They are beautiful, but I have found without exception, equal to the beauty in every location on earth is ugly. I have never been to any location on earth that ugly was not present. In the crowd that gathers to view a wonder of the world is pick-pockets. The sites, sounds and smells that surround those places are many times grotesque.

As for the money, (many boast of making over a $100,000 a month), money is ALWAYS hard work. Even if the money flows from an internet source and requires nothing more than people clicking, controlling, accounting and managing funds at that level takes a lot of time and money. Financial managers and investment vehicles are a constant source of headache and heartache.

In most cases, the only way to make the kind of money that these bloggers are reporting is to enslave a small multitude of subservient workers that pass a portion of their more meager revenues to their masters.

But, after 56 years on this earth, I have found a way to be free. I have found a way to live a life that surpasses my dreams. It has nothing to do with exotic travel, cars, homes, hotels, food, wine, airplanes, and revenue streams. All of these things in the end are hollow. All of these things break down relationships in the end. The worst thing anyone can do is to spend a lifetime climbing the mountain named desire only to find you’re alone at the top.

Teaching Outline Week 18

The Joy in Responsibility

(An In-Depth Study of Hebrews)

Commentary

Jesus, Intercessor

Hebrews 7:1-25 

Outline 

The Big Picture – The Priesthood (Verses 1-24)

The old Priesthood (in the order of Aaron) is inadequate.

Many temporary Priests

Came from a legal requirement

Under the Law – that cannot make anyone perfect

 

The new Priesthood (in the order of Melchizedek) is eternal.

One High Priest forever

Came from an indestructible life

Jesus, the guarantor of a better covenant

The Main Point (Verse 25)

Jesus is able to save forever…

…because he lives to make intercession for them (everyone who draws near to God through him)

The Priesthood answers the question: From what am I being saved?

Sin  <Priesthood> Holy

The main point answers the question: What does my salvation look like?

Salvation is not static.

I believed and I was saved… and … Jesus is saving me today and forever.

LIFE APPLICATION:

What do I need? To continue to draw near to God through Jesus.

My life needs everything in it that cause affections toward Jesus.

Synopsis and Homework Week 17

My Dad took me fishing in Canada when I turned thirteen. It was a great adventure. Me, my Dad, and six of my Dad’s buddies drove by car for sixteen hours (most of which I slept) to arrive at a train station in northern Ontario. We hopped a freight train for a three hour trek to the Canadian wilderness. The train stopped just long enough for us to throw off our gear at a crossing named North Star Lodge. We were met by a Canadian wilderness and fishing guide named Al. He had an ancient Dodge Power Wagon with a trailer attached to haul our gear. A thirty minute ride on some of the roughest roads I have ever seen found us parked in front of the famous North Star Lodge. It was a series of logs and plywood that looked as old as the forest in which it hid. It was surrounded by a series of lakes that boasted the best fishing in Canada.

Everyone was assigned a job for the week of fishing expeditions. My job was to carry the anchor. There were no roads to the lakes, some of which were over a mile from the lodge. Each morning before daybreak our entire crew would carry the gear, boats, motors, and yes the “anchor” to the lake for a long day of fishing.

I’ll never forget the first morning when Al our guide handed me the anchor and said, “listen kid, that’s the most import thing we take to the lake. Without it, we can’t do nothin’.” Once on the lake I quickly understood Al’s statement. The wind blew at a steady brisk pace all day long on the lakes. Without an anchor to hold you out in the best spots to fish, we would find ourselves floundering on the shore opposite the wind in seconds.

It was a great week! We caught hundreds of fish. All because I had an anchor!

This week’s text describes hope in the promises of God as an anchor of the soul. God desires that we are people of secure hope by means of strong encouragement. The image of our soul anchored to the Mercy Seat is profound. Yes we are commanded to hold fast. But we are, at the same time, given assurance that the anchor is secure at both ends.

HOMEWORK:

Read Philippians 3:12 – 4:1

Does Paul feel secure because he is perfect? (Verse 12)

What is the motivation to press on and take hold? (hit …because…) (Verse 12)

Where does Paul place the emphasis for his efforts, his past or his future? (Verses 13-14)

Paul gives both encouragement and warning. What are we encouraged to do? (Verse 17)

What happens to those who don’t take Paul’s encouragement? (Verses 18-19)

Where’s our hometown and what is the best part of being a citizen? (Verses 20-21)