Message of the Month

                                                 9/1/09

Today I will be looking at the book of Hebrews. Hebrews was a book that was written to the Hebrew Christians, mainly in Israel but applied to Hebrew Christians all over the known world. The Jewish religious system would not let them go. It continually pressured them to return to Judaism. They were under constant attack and condemnation from their Jewish brethren. They had departed from the faith and were practicing heresy according to the Jewish faith.

These Hebrew Christians were growing weary in the constant battle against friends and family. They were slipping back into Judaism. It was becoming easier to let legalism creep into Christianity than to fight. This would make it easier to live in Israel and amongst their brethren. They knew that they could not find salvation under the Law, so they began to bring the Law into Christianity. The church was beginning to compromise with the world they knew.

With this in view the book of Hebrews was written to support these Christians and help them see the fallacy of the path that they were heading on. The actual author of Hebrews is not known. Some say Paul wrote Hebrews and some say James. Others don’t believe it was written by either. In any case the purpose is in full view. It was written to demonstrate that Christianity was the Way.

Let’s begin by looking at chapter one. God, who at different times and in different ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom He made the worlds. (Hebrews 1:1-2) Having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they have. (Hebrews 1:4) Here the author was showing that Christ was higher than the angels and the prophets. The Hebrews revered the prophets as the human messengers of God. They were above the priests in importance in Judaism. Even higher and more sacred were the angels. The archangels such as Gabriel and Michael were the highest level of messenger, but God also spoke through other angels. An example of that was when the angel spoke to Daniel. The author is pointing out here that Christ was greater than any prophet or angel. That meant that Christ was greater than Moses and Abraham. That was hard for the Jew to accept. Moses was the ultimate earthly authority to them. For this One (Christ) has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house (Hebrews 3:4)

The author goes on to demonstrate that not only was Christ higher than any prophet or angel, but He was also appointed the Great High Priest by none other than God Himself. So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are my Son, today I have begotten You.” As He says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:5-6) Who is Melchizedek? In Genesis 14 we find that Abraham’s nephew Lot was taken captive by three kings. Word came to Abraham. He gathered his men together and pursued the captors. Abraham was victorious and regained all that had been taken. On his way back he encountered a mysterious person. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “ Blessed be Abraham of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And Abraham gave him a tithe of all. (Genesis 14: 18-20) Why is this strange? First of all Salem comes from a Hebrew word meaning peace. This was the king of peace. He broke bread and wine, and Abraham paid him a tithe according to Hebrews 7:1-2. Then in ( Hebrews 7:4 the author says, “ Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.” This was the priestly order of Christ. Some believe this was a pre-incarnation manifestation of Christ. The author was stating that there was no higher priest than Christ. Having made his point, the author says let’s leave the elementary doctrines and go into more mature things. (Hebrews 6:1-2)

In chapter 10 verse 23 the author tells these Christians to hold fast to the confession of their hope without wavering. That is easy to say, but at times it becomes difficult to live. He then tells them how to strengthen their (our) faith. First we must look to others. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25) We need contact with other Christians to help our faith grow. They can encourage us, and we can uplift them. Our faith grows as we see what God is doing in others’ lives. The just shall live by faith. (Hebrews 10:38a) He says to look at others. They have had faith it in much more difficult situations. In chapter 12 the author shows what some of the patriarchs have done. It is called the hall of faith. In it Abel offered to God, Enoch pleased God, Abraham obeyed God, Jacob worshiped God, Moses came out from among them, Rahab believed God, and Gideon subdued kingdoms for God. Through faith we can also offer ourselves to God, obey God, worship God, believe God, subdue for God, come out from the world for God, and please God. We must set aside every weight and sin that besets us as we press on in our Christian walk.

After laying groundwork the author launched into chapter 12 to encourage the early Jewish Christians, and it is also for us today. His reference is to the athlete. We are running a race of endurance, and we should now lay aside every weight that besets us. This had meaning to the early Christians. At that time runners would measure their speed, and then add weight to themselves and run until their speed was back up to that level. They then would add more weight and so on until the race day. When the race began they would then lay aside the weight, their speed would increase dramatically, and the race became easier. The author is telling us that now is the time to lay aside the weights, or sins, that have been besetting us, and the race will become a lot easier for each of us.

Not only should we look to each other, but second, we must look to Jesus for strength to finish the race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus looked beyond the suffering to the glory that lay ahead. Jesus endured more than we could ever imagine. He endured suffering beyond human capacity. He endured shame and the load of all sin throughout the ages. Most devastating for Him was the rejection of the Father. Looking to Jesus increases our faith and endurance, which enables us to run the race. Looking to Jesus is another way of saying trust in Christ. Jesus was faithful to His purpose not because He looked forward to the cross but because of His love for us. He could have called legions of angels to take Him from that cross, but He didn’t. I believe He looked through the ages and saw you and me. He saw our suffering, our sin, and eventually our damnation. His love reached through the ages and paid the price to redeem us and provide a way out of our sin if we only choose it.

A tremendous encouragement is the assurance of that love. You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord. Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. (Hebrews 12:6-5) The fact that He chastens proves His love. A loving father sets limits, and when those limits are tested a loving father chastens his child. Jeremiah 31:3 tells us that God loves us with an everlasting love. It has no beginning and no end. The Pharisees only preached God’s wrath. So often we are only taught the “do nots” that are put upon Christians by man’s religion and forget the love that Christ sheds abroad for His sons. We should be drawn to Christ by His love not driven to Christ by God’s wrath. God doesn’t have a list of dos and don’ts. He says take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. The Holy Spirit will teach us what God wants.

For encouragement, first we should look to each other; second we should look to Christ; and third we should look to God’s grace. Strengthen the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather healed. Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. Hebrews (12:14-15) We so often lose sight of the grace of God. We become diligent in working for God to please Him. Usually it is out of a sense of conviction in our life. If we could only do more, then we would be free of the guilt resulting from our carnal side. We need to look again to God’s grace and realize that it is by grace that we are freed from sin. We lose sight of the simplistic basis of God’s grace. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It is our confession and God’s grace that makes a cleansing possible.

As we become more aware and grateful for God’s grace, we will want to share it by reaching out to others. We are told to pursue peace with all men. As our vertical relationship with God grows, it will also develop a horizontal relationship with our brethren. We are to strengthen those that are weary in the walk and try to make straight paths for them to walk on. In doing this we reach out to others and lose sight of our own circumstances that make us grow weary. As we see God revealed in what we do, we grow stronger and gain immense endurance as we run our race. It is our job to pursue peace with all men, not just those that we like but also our enemies. This goal reminds us that we serve a Lord that is the King of Peace and also the King of Righteousness. God’s grace never fails. Paul found this out when he sought the Lord for his thorn in the flesh. Paul was told by God that His grace was sufficient for him. God’s grace is sufficient for any trial we face if we will only grasp it. We fail to grasp God’s grace so often as we run our race. We never take advantage of it. We fail to lay our burdens at the foot of the cross, or when we do, we pick then up before we move on. The author urges us to depend on God’s grace by looking in three directions.

First we should look back. In verse 16 we see an example of poor choices. Esau was a person that lived for the moment. He was really a good old boy. He was congenial, loved his father, and was a good provider. He would have been a good neighbor. Esau rejected his inheritance just a we did for many years. Then the grace of God brought us into a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and we became His child. As we look back all of us can see the hand of God on our lives in so many ways. We need to share those with others to not only encourage them in their walk, but as we look back, we will also be encouraged in our walk.

Second we need to look up. But you have come to Mt. Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:20-24) We have a new covenant made possible by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Hebrews found that they could not fulfill the Law, but we can. We cannot fulfill it in ourselves but in Christ Jesus. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Matt. 5:17) Yes, we have a new covenant in Christ Jesus. It is a covenant of freedom and not bondage. We have left Sinai and have entered into the Promised Land. We have changed citizenship. Look up to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

Third we should look ahead. Christ endured the cross as He looked beyond it to the glory that was set before Him. We also should look beyond our present situation to what lies ahead. In verse 26 and 27 of Chapter 12 God said He was shaking things and would remove the things that could be shaken. Today God is again shaking things in our world. Institutions and governments are being shaken. Much is falling by the wayside. We, as Christians, have hope and a certainty of our future. We are in an unshakable kingdom. If your world and life are shaking, if your life seems to be tumbling, check your foundation. Is it truly built on the rock Christ Jesus, or is it built on something else like your job, or your stocks, or your possessions, or even your family? If so, you need to rebuild your foundation, and you will find stability in your life. Listen to God and obey Him. Keep running the race. It’s too early to give up. Run with endurance. Keep looking to others for spiritual support and associate with Christians. Keep looking forward through the situation. Most of all, keep looking up to God’s enabling grace. As Paul found, God’s grace is sufficient. Sufficient for the arrows of the enemy, for the doubts and fears, for the sins that so easily beset you. God’s grace is sufficient.