Hebrews Lesson 1

Introduction

Well, I expected him to lead at least one more song, but uh wasn’t quite ready to get up. Good to see each of you this morning. I hope each of you have brought your New Testament that you’ll be opening to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 1. And I want to read several verses through Hebrews in our lesson today, so it would be very helpful for you to be able to follow along if you’ll have your Bible open to that book. In fact, I’d like to say that, Lord willing, I’m going to be preaching a series of lessons from this epistle of Hebrews, at least uh until maybe we hire uh find another evangelist who would come and work with us on a regular basis. I’m going to be speaking altogether really at the nine o’clock hour, and Greg will be speaking at the eleven o’clock hour.

And I’ve chosen to study through Hebrews, because I believe it’s a book that we even need today. It is an important study for us. In Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 through 3, the writer says, God, who at some or various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he appointed whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. The opening of Hebrews is unique in all the New Testament epistles.

For it does not begin in the normal way of most of the epistles, like Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ of the Church of God at Corinth, or Paul an Apostle to the saints that are at Colossae with the bishops and deacons, etc. This one starts right in the middle of the subject.

1. His Son Is So Great That We Ought to Listen

And his son is so great that we ought to listen. He’s the heir of all things. He is the one who has indeed expressed in the expressed image of the person of God. If you want to know the Father, come to know the Christ. In fact, he upholds all things by the word of his power. He is the one who purged us from our sins. And he’s now sitting at the right hand of God on high. Indeed, that kind of opening ought to stir our attention that it is a very important, important from God Himself that we listen to Jesus Christ. In fact, as we go on through the book in chapter 12 and verse 25, he says, see that you do not refuse to hear him who speaks.

2. In What Do You Place Your Trust?

So there’s a warning throughout the Hebrew letter, that we ought to listen to the Son of God, who he is, and the message that he has for us. At the time the letter was written, perhaps there were things that were troubling the Hebrews. It was written to Jews, basically. The thought is those who perhaps were still around Jerusalem at the time. There was the temptation for them to go back even into Judaism. Even maybe back to the law of Moses. And because in what do you put your trust? What is it that we ought to cling to and hold to? I’d say that in our world today, there’s that temptation for us to lose sight of that in which we really ought to have confidence. It is so tempting for us to begin to look at the material things, the temporal things.

I should say when we look at or hear the news, if you happen to look at the television in the morning, you’re usually hearing a report of some kind of crime overnight, some kind of violence. In fact, we we all recognize that the morals of our countrymen seem to be constantly going downward, not upward. Rarely, if ever, do we hear someone, at least in the news, say, I wonder what God thinks about this or that, or what God’s will is about this or that. But rather we simply see that around us there are morals, shall I say, immorals that are being accepted as standards today that we know God would not approve. But not only that, there’s on a national level or international level. We also hear of uh the ISIS and and the violence or massacres that are stirred by devotees from place to place.

We we wonder, well, well, what is going to happen? What’s the future? In what do we place our trust? The book of Hebrews, at least throughout, would say, be confident. There is something to cling to, to hold on to, that God is indeed shaking the things so that we may learn to live by faith and not by sight. God wants us to build our life on the permanence of the eternal and not on the instability of the temporal. On what do you place your trust? You’ve ought to say what on what do you build your hope for the future? Is it your job? Is it that the main concern in your life that you think about and work toward more than anything else? Is it maybe the home in which you live?

Having a place, maybe to be able to pay the mortgage or perhaps to finally get it paid for all together. Is that the thing foremost on your heart? Is it who’s going to win the election that’s coming up in November? Certainly the news is, and will you be just so greatly distraught if it’s not the one you think ought to be our next presence? On what do you place your trust? Is it about things or for things that are purely temporal, having to do with this world only? The Hebrew letter says, evaluate what you put your trust in. Take a look again. What’s most important really in your life? Do you think about God and about the word of God through Jesus Christ? You see, I would say as we examine the book and maybe an overview this morning, that you’d say Hebrews is a book of evaluation.

3. Three Words: Better, Perfect and Eternal

In a way it says, take a look at what you have as a Christian. There are three words that I want first of all to note that are often used in this book of Hebrews. There’s the word better, is found some fourteen times. There’s the word perfect, found some 13 times, or perfection, but perfect being the root. And then final, the word eternal. Those three words have a significance as you go through the letter. For example, this word better in chapter 1, then the very next verse where we stop from verse 4. He speaks of Christ as having become so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Chapter 7, for example, and in verse 19, he speaks of it that way. In chapter 8 and verse 6, in line with that, by now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as he is also mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. In other words, the Hebrew, as he’s reading this, could say, Well, look, compared to the law of Moses, is it worth going back to something that really maybe the majority of the world and their world in Jerusalem would be would be relying on as their guide? And yet the apostle or the writer here says, look, here’s something far better than what they have and what you used to have. Then there’s this word perfect. It is used several times, I said some 14 times in Hebrews.

Hebrews chapter 7 and in verse 11, where he says, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should be, should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron. In other words, is it is your standard for your guidance spiritually, the Levites or the law of Moses, the Levitical priesthood? Well, chapter 7, verse 19, he goes on to say that the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope through which we draw near to God. Evaluate. Don’t go back to the law of Moses, a law that could not draw us unto sinlessness. The law could not take away sin.

The blood of bulls and goats of animals was not able to provide that forgiveness of sin that we have through Jesus Christ. In fact, in Hebrews chapter 10 and in verse 14, he says, For by one offering, he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. By the offering of Jesus Christ, far better than the offering of bulls and of goats, the blood of Christ. So you see this evaluation. Compare what you have. Why go back to something that has really only had a temporal purpose in the plan of God Almighty? Look at who God speaks to us now through Jesus Christ. And in the same sense, we have to evaluate. What do we place as the most important? Who do we put our trust in?

Is it in Jesus Christ? That third word that I said was important is the word eternal. It is a word that is found several times in the Hebrew letter, in chapter 5 and in verse 9, particularly, where he speaks that Jesus Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Eternal salvation. Now we’re not talking about the temporal, but something that is far more important. Ongoing. Even after we die physically, there’s something that is most important that we need to put our trust in and our hope in. In chapter 9 and in verse 12, again, speaking of Christ and his sacrifice, he says it was not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with his own blood.

He shares with believers the promise of an eternal inheritance. In fact, that’s why we rely upon Christ. His throne is forever. He is a priest forever. And finally, in chapter 13 and verse 8, the scripture speaks of Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. In him, put your trust. Follow his word. But you may pause and say, well, why is this important anyway? Why look at these three different words and the evaluation of the comparison that the writer is making in this? I’d say to you that don’t they know these truths? Weren’t they already Christians? Why did they need to have the reminder that the writer gives them? And I could say for us today, is there anything new that we’ve just read that you didn’t already believe in?

That you didn’t already know? Why is it important, therefore, to go back through these truths or these facts that are found in the scripture?

4. We Continually Need Guidance

You know, when the rocket goes up through the atmosphere, the launch may be successful, but the work of Nasser, the job is not over. In fact, as the rocket ascends up into the sky, Nasser constantly monitors the rocket, constantly checks where its progress is, and continually gives it and receives, the rocket receives instructions from the ground. That rocket, in order to finally get to its appropriate destination, has to have some guidance. It continually needs the guidance. In a like way, we continually need guidance. Just because a person has heard the word, believed Jesus to be the Son of God, believe that he died for our sins, and arose from the grave on the third day, and now it’s the right hand of God, and so we obey the gospel and we’re baptized.

Is that the finish line? Far from it. Like that rocket that continually needs instruction and guidance, so we continually need to grow in the knowledge of the Word of God. We need to continue to find the access to what is our real hope for eternal life. In fact, when you look at the letter through Hebrews, there’s several times where you begin to say, well, what were these Christians like? That the Hebrew writer is speaking. If you have your Bible, look at chapter 5. And I’d say to you that it begins to help us understand that they were probably Christians alright. That’s not the press the question. But they were standing still.

You read this verse and ask yourself, could it be said of you? Hebrews 5 and verse 12. He said, For through for though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God. And you’ve come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Now ask yourself, does this fit you? Would you say that, well, really I have to constantly ask others, you know, how do you handle this?

What’s the what’s the answer to this question that may be asked of me? Could you take the scriptures and teach someone even the first principles? He said, Time has passed that you ought to be teachers, but instead you need someone else to constantly help you along even with the first principles. Why? Well, because you’re not skillful in the word. You’re not able to discern good from evil. In chapter six, continuing on really with the thought, he says, Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.

This we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, have tasted the heavenly gift, have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come if they fall away to renew them again to repentance. Since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put him to an open chain. I say, wait a minute. How could this be? Here’s someone who no doubt has obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ. Chapter 3 and verse 1, they were certainly believers. There were people who had even, the Hebrew writer speaks of them as having been persecuted. Several scriptures throughout Hebrews speaks about how they had contended for the faith. Even they had res they had resisted the persecutions that come on them.

They’d faithfully ministered to the needs of others who had suffered. Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 10. Why is it that he could say, wait a minute, if you fall away, who’s about to fall away? I asked you, could we look around, those of us who’ve been members of this congregation for any length of time and say, you know, there have been some people who’ve come through our doors. Yeah, they’ve been baptized. And they were on fire for the Lord for a period of time. But they’ve fallen away. Maybe not fully yet. They come often enough that they keep their name on the roll, so to speak. There’s still members here. But we wouldn’t say they’re on fire for the Lord. In fact, they probably don’t even bring a Bible.

If they do, they hardly open it or know how to find the scripture that we say, let’s turn to this book or let’s turn to that passage. What has happened in their life is that they’ve gone stale. They’ve allowed neglect of the word to constantly fill their heart and to grow in the word. And what happened? What has happened to many of them is that they instead of going forward, go backward. Because in Jesus Christ, there is no standing still. It just doesn’t work. You can’t say, okay, I’ve been baptized, and so now I’m ready. Well, I hope at the point of baptism you are ready. But what have you done since then? What does the word of God mean to you? Okay, we’re going to have Bible classes.

I’m probably speaking to the choir at this hour for this point. Because there’ll be many who’ll come in at the 11 o’clock hour who will even miss the Bible class period. But some who’ve come to the Bible class period who have not really opened and prepared for the lesson. It’s just like, well, I’m here now, teacher, see if you can get me really interested in this lesson today. That’s not the way to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Jesus Christ. And what can happen for us is that we begin to go backward. Evaluate what you have. Don’t let it become just oh hat, but recognize that with Jesus Christ, you’re provided words that last even unto eternity. Eternal redemption in Christ Jesus.

5. Warnings: From Drifting to Defying God

Someone says, you know, if you’re still green, you’re still growing. But if you think you’ve learned enough that you’re ripe, you know the next stage of being ripe? You begin to rot. And that’s really what happens to those who, in a spiritual way, have begun to neglect the word of God. In Hebrews, there are at least five different warnings about this kind of an attitude. Goes from drifting to doubting God’s word to being dull about God’s word, dull of hearing, where even some would despise the word and willfully sin, even after knowing the word. In fact, almost to the point of defying God. You see, how could that be? For example, if you have your Bibles, chapter 2, in verses 1 through 4, listen to the Hebrew writer.

Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For the word spoken through angels prove steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience receive the just reward. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Why? What is he meaning by this? Give the earnest heed to the things that were spoken. Don’t let it become just commonplace. Sort of, well, I’m going to pay my dues, I’m going to go to church on Sunday, and that’ll be it.

It’s not that at all. There’s more in Paul. Recognize what you have and feed upon God’s word. Spend time through the week. Read, meditate, pray about it, grow in the knowledge of God. In fact, look at chapter 3, where you might say, in the continuation of this kind of thought, the writer says in verse beginning in verse 12, beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. What do you mean? You mean you can depart from God? We often read this verse when we’re talking to our friends who believe in a doctrine of once saved, always saved. And clearly it’s a great passage that answered the doctrine. You can’t depart if you haven’t been there.

You know, they like to argue, well, people who’ve fallen away never were really saved. But if you read through Hebrews, you’d so you know that argument just doesn’t fit. This very scripture speaks about some who may depart. You’ve been there. You’ve been in the fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, but how is it then that you can depart? The next verse says, but exhort one another. How often? Once a week? Daily. While it is called a day, lest any of you be what? Hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. I emphasize some words in here. If it’s a very big word, those small and number of letters to it, that we can become hardened.

Christians, once faithful, can doubt the word, drifting away by neglect, and become hardened of heart. In fact, look at chapter 6 that we just read a moment ago, where he says in verses 11 and 12, we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. What do you mean? Become sluggish? When I ask you a while ago from chapter 5, would this fit you, that you ought to be a teacher, but you’re not, not capable. Instead, would you say, well, I become rather sluggish? You know what a sluggish that’s not very much. You don’t want to follow somebody who’s sluggish.

What are you doing? In fact, look at chapter 10. What can then finally result? In chapter 10, in verses 26 through 31, he warns, if we sin willfully. Willfully. In other words, we’ve heard the truth, but maybe we’ve allowed ourselves to neglect it, to become hardened of heart about it, sluggish toward it. We can’t really read it with understanding or explain it to somebody else because we don’t know enough about it to do that. It’s context or so forth. We haven’t really grown enough to be able to handle it. And so the time can come, even though we know this is true, we willfully turn away. I don’t believe this is talking about a single sin that, hey, uh, you know, I know that uh it was wrong to do this, but I lost my temper and said something I shouldn’t say.

It’s not that he’s speaking about. He’s talking about a broader context. There are times where through weakness we may stumble in sin. And like the Apostle Peter, you may say willfully at the time. He knew what he had promised the Lord, but he failed at the moment. But rather, what he’s really saying is, if you know this is the truth, and you turn away from it, you simply say, Well, I just don’t believe it anymore. And you know there are people who once name the name of Christ who can come to that state in their life by neglecting the word, by failing to grow in the word, standing still, they finally begin to go backward. And they sin willfully. But notice the rest of the verse.

If we sin willfully after we’ve received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. There’s no other. If you reject Christ, there’s no other way. But what? Verse 27, a certain fearful expectation of judgment, fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses, of how much worse punishment. Do you suppose will he be thought worthy? Who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, a common thing, insulted the spirit of grace. For we know him who said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. And again, the Lord will judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Indeed, to despise God’s word to the point we willfully turn away and sin. The result is really just simply a refusal to hear. There are those whose hearts have become so hardened that it is impossible to renew again to repentance that we read a while ago from chapter 6, because their heart has become so hardened. They defy the word of God. You may be sitting here and saying, Oh, that can never happen to me. And I certainly pray that it won’t. But don’t kick yourself. This warning through Hebrews is, yes, it can happen. If we neglect so great a salvation. If we just become sort of, well, I’m coasting along. Don’t be in that spirit or attitude. Fill your heart with the word. Spend time with it.

Conclusion

Meditate on it. Pray about it. What do you put your trust in? Is your hope in things that are simply earthly, material, and temporal? Or let’s go back to where we started. In Hebrews chapter 1, what is he saying? God, in the middle of his subject, speaks to us through his son. God is the one on whom we have trust for the future. God is the one who has promised to bless us with eternal redemption through Jesus Christ. God is the one. Don’t count that as a small thing or just common thing. In fact, while times pass various ways, times and in various ways spoken time past to the fathers through the prophets. He’s spoken to us today through his son. And who is his son?

Well, he’s the heir of all things. He’s the one by whom God made the worlds. He is the one who’s the brightness of God’s glory, the all things upheld by the word of his power, who purged our sins and who’s the right hand of God. That’s who God speaks to us. Treasure it as something of great value that you have the opportunity to know about the Lord. He is the heir. God made the world through him. John 1, verses 1 through 3. In the beginning was the word. The word was with God. The word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him. And without him was not anything made that was made. The brightness of God’s glory. You go out, perhaps maybe the clouds today are covering it, but you know on a common day the sun shine.

You can’t look up and see the sun itself. But you know the sun is shining. The rays of the sun reflect the sun itself. And so it is the Son of God reflects who the Father really is. Come to know the Lord, His character, His attitudes, and let the grace of God fill your heart. Count it as something that you’re extremely blessed with, to be able to know who God is and the brightness of his glory through Jesus Christ. Know that all things are upheld by the word of his power. The very one by whom God formed the worlds, continues to have it exist. Aren’t you glad the sun arose this morning? Aren’t you glad it’s daylight? And you expect the night to come and tomorrow morning again, if God allows, that through Jesus Christ things are upheld by the word of his power.

But not so much that this temporal life, our daily existence, while that’s important. The next characteristic is he purged our sins. By grace, undeserved on our part. He made possible that we can be forgiven and have that living hope, the anchor of our souls, in whom we put our trust, the Lord. Not in my job, not in my home, not in whoever’s elected president. I’m concerned about eternity. That’s the most important concern of all. And it is God who is in charge. And it’s His Son and His Word that is the most important thing for me to know. Keep His word foremost in your heart. Hebrews chapter 12 and 25, we’ll close. Where the scripture says, see that you do not refuse him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven.

See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. May the Lord bless us that we look, take a look at our own lives, and that we need indeed to change and put our hearts more firmly in the word of God and in Christ Himself. May we do so. Let us pray. Almighty God, our loving Father, when we consider the power of your word, the love that you have for all mankind, the gift of your only begotten Son, we marvel. We marvel that we are so blessed of him who created, by whom all things, good things exist, that you’ve given us things that we need and far beyond. We are truly a blessed people. Help us not to take for granted these blessings. Help us to be enthused as we come together, the privilege of worshiping you even this hour, this day.

Help us throughout the week that we constantly look to you for guidance, for assurance, and for help. Bless us in all that we do, that we may grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Keep us now as we go through the rest of this day in our Bible classes and then in our worship at the 11 o’clock hour. Bless us in all we do for you. May we glorify you. In the name of Christ we pray. And amen.