Author: Don Guthrie

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 5:11-14; 6:1-12 (day one)
“But beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you. . .though we are speaking in this way.”  (6:9)  He is the kind of Pastor I want to be.  The kind I need.  He is convinced, with the other church leaders, that his Hebrew/Christian friends could do better.  That God would make it possible for them to do so.  Not that he was naive to the challenges.  In 5:11 he points out how dull their hearts have become.  In 6:1 he outlines their duty to press forward into maturity.  In 6:4 he warns of the danger of being disqualified.  (We will talk more of this difficult paragraph this week)  However, despite the difficulties ahead, he is confident, convinced of better things!  “Now unto HIM who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy”  (Jude 24)  True Pastors see hope because they see HIM who is able.

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-10 (day seven)
It is one of the characteristics of the book of Hebrews.  “Let us” statements.  Words that encourage group obedience.  Notice today’s reading.  “LET US hold fast our confession.” (v 14)  “LET US draw near with confidence to the throne of grace.”  (v 16)  Last week’s lesson has several others.  “LET US fear . . .(lest) any one of us. . . come short. (4:1)  “LET US be diligent to enter that rest.”  (v 4:11)  We learn two important things from these statements.  1) The Christian faith requires action.  2) We are to act together with others, as members of a team, body or family.  Neither solitary obedience or inactive membership is the will of God.  Find a church!  Join it!  Imagine it as a context for group obedience!  Encourage others!  “LET US consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling, as is the habit of some.”  (10:24-25)  May the Lord be pleased as we gather this morning!

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-10 (day six)  “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears.”  (5:7)  Did Jesus have hard days?  Not just circumstantially hard, but spiritually hard?  The Scripture says, “Yes”, without any hesitation.  In the garden of Gethsemene, the Lord wept out his frustration and burden.  Hours on His knees.  It was hard!  Which gives us a different perspective on suffering.  “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you. . .as though some strange thing were happening to you.”  (1 Peter 4:12)  “I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.”  (Ephesians 3:13)  At one level, no believer is glad to suffer.  At the deepest level, we know that God allows these moments to accomplish His will in us and in the world.  Hard days do not mean that we are forsaken.  They means that we are human, and that Christ understands.

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-10 (day one)
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”  (v 4:14)   It would be hard to find a more universally respected figure in the ancient world than the Jewish High Priest.  White robes flowing.  Having gone through a process of purification.  He appeared in public every Passover to enter into the “Holy of Holies” and present the offering before God, symbolizing the promise of atonement.  There is One who deserves more respect.  Much more. When Jesus “disappeared” into heaven, as the High Priest disappeared by passing through the Temple veil, He did a similar and superior work.  He successfully represented the needs of sinful people before a Holy God.  Our study this week will make use of this powerful image.  Can you see (eyes of faith) the Lord still there before the throne of God  faithfully interceding for you?

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 3:7-19; 4:1-13 (day seven)
“Take care, brothers, that there not be in any one of you an EVIL, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.”  (3:12)  Is unbelief evil?  Most don’t think so.  Part of sin’s deceptiveness.  ( See v 13.)  Sin whispers that we are morally free to say “yes” or “no” to God without liability.  We are victims, not rebels.  To believe this lie, rather than God, is to side with evil.  It is an insult to God.  He DESERVES to be trusted.  It is evil in essence AND outcome. Hebrews 3 tells how the children of Israel failed to enter God’s rest because of unbelief.  Warning!  It is no small matter to stop trusting God. Even after years of faithful obedience, the results are devastating. Christ is the “Alpha and the Omega”.  People who are in Christ both “start and finish” this race.  It is evil to never trust God. . .even worse to start and then stop.

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 3:7-19; 4:1-13 (day six)
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in. . .the time of testing in the desert, when your fathers tested Me.  (3:8-9)  When we were in school, our teachers gave us tests.  Their purpose was not to cause stress or to make us fail.  They simply wanted us to learn and were willing to apply the threat of failure as a motivation.  Our Heavenly Teacher does the same.  To help us learn the lessons of life, He allows stress/challenge/danger in the hope that we will turn to Him and find Him sufficient for all things.  THE lesson!  Failure in this moment amounts to “hardening” of the heart.  An unwillingness to trust/obey, a stubborn self-sufficiency that just ” wants out” of the present pain.  These earn us a big “F”.  The danger is not that God puts us to the test.  The danger is that we, sometimes, return the favor.

RE Verse reading–Hebrews 3:7-19 (day one)
“Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion. . .I declared in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” (v 8, 11)  One of the great promises of the Scripture is rest found in God.  A sense of peace.  The ability to look with confidence on the present and the future.  An absence of anxiety.  When Jesus said, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest”(Matthew 11:28), He implied something more than just physical approach.  Only as our coming to Christ includes surrender does it bring the promised peace to the soul.  The Bible says that rebellion in every heart is a reality we all must face.  “We do not want this man to reign over us” say the characters in one of Jesus’ parables. (Luke 19:14)  Sad.  My anxiety will be proportionate to my need for control.  When I come to Christ,  and call Him Lord, rest comes!  It is a promise.

RE Verse reading–Hebrews 1:1-6, 14; 2:1-4 (day seven)
“When He brings again the Firstborn into the world, He says, ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’ ” (1:6)  Last week at FBC was “Easter in August”.  This week is “Christmas in September”.   Ancients firmly believed in angels.  They were convinced that God sent “messengers” to protect and serve believers.  The scripture tells these stories, describes these luminous, strong, pure beings.  One important way that angels serve us is to example worship of Christ.  Remember the Christmas story?  The skies over Bethlehem EXPLODE  with joyful, powerful praise at the birth of the Son of God?  How much more should we, the recipients of such salvation, enter into worship with whole hearts?  I have never SEEN an angel.  Not that I know of.  The more important question, have I HEARD what they are saying?  Followed their example?  “Glory to God in the highest!”  See you in a few hours. . .we will shout it together!

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 1:1-6, 14; 2:1-4 (day six)
“But in these last days He (God) has spoken to us in His Son. ..We (therefore) must pay more careful attention.”  (v. 1:2, 2:1)  Have you ever seen a small child (thinking that her Dad is not listening to her) take his face in her hands and hold it toward her?  In Hebrews 2, the Bible uses a similar picture.  The Greek word for pay attention means, literally, “to hold toward”.  In this case the responsibility is ours.  We are to “hold our face toward God”, not rushing away from a Quiet Time before we hear what the Spirit is saying.  Most spiritual weakness these days is a function of haste.  Insufficient time and attention is paid to God.  Do we wonder why His promises seem so far away?  At the transfiguration (Matthew 17), God the Father gives similar instruction.  “This is my beloved Son. . .  Listen to Him!”  Do you have His perspective/His wisdom?  Are you listening?

Re: Verse reading–Hebrews 1:1-6,14; 2:1-4 (day one–New Study!)
Did you ever see the old movie “The Fugitive”?  Harrison Ford shouts, “I didn’t kill my wife!”  Tommy Lee Jones says, “I don’t care!”  The writer of Hebrews imagines a similar conversation going on between men and God.  “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (v 2:3)  The word for neglect is ameleo.  Melo meant “to care, to be concerned.”  A/meleo meant “not to care”.  Most people don’t set out to deny God.  They usually have no conscious intent to offend His law or challenge His authority.  They just neglect the opportunities.  They just ignore the voice/call of God.  They keep their distance from God.  Dangerous mistake!  To whom much is given, much is required.  The GREAT salvation offered in Jesus Christ puts all of us under heavy responsibility and great danger.  How will we escape judgement if our answer to His amazing love is,  “I don’t care!”