Reflexion Connexion

Podcast

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? Hebrews 7:11

Intro: Are you familiar with the name Dietrich Bonhoeffer?

He was a twentieth century martyr – imprisoned for opposing Hitler
– he gave a great deal of thought to what it means to be a Christian
• also, to what a true church, not compromised by the world would look like
• one conclusion he drew was that a Christian meditates on the Scriptures
◦ that got him asking questions like:
◦ “Why do I meditate?” “How do I meditate?”
Bonhoeffer, “What do I expect from meditation? In any case, we want to rise from meditation different from what we were when we sat down to it. We want to meet Christ in his Word. We go to the text curious to hear what he wants to let us know and to give us through his Word.”
– yes, it is possible to have this kind of vivid encounter with God
• the writer of Hebrews explains how this has been made possible
• and, once again, he invites us to draw near to God

In building his case for Christian faith and endurance,
– our writer’s argument will stress two key words
• another, which occurs three times (vv. 11, 13, & 15)
• better–occurs two times (vv. 19 & 22)
◦ two Greek words can be translated another
allos means “another of the same kind” (comparing apples to apples)
heteros means, “another of a different kind” (apples to oranges)
◦ the word used in this passage is heteros
Jesus is another kind of priest belonging to another kind of tribe

The writer points out the inadequacy of the Levitical priesthood

Dissecting one verse (Ps. 110:4), the writer examines closely each part of it
– you know what I mean when I refer to a “religious order”
• there are many monastic orders within the Roman Catholic Church
◦ for instance, the Benedictines, the Franciscans, the Carmelites, etc.
◦ in Israel, there was one religious order; namely, the tribe of Levi
• last week we were taken back in time to when Abraham met Melchizedek
◦ we learned that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham
◦ which means Melchizedek’s priestly order was greater than Israel’s
– in Psalm 110 God announced that the Messiah
is a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek
• so now the writer asks, why would that be necessary?
◦ why is another priest from a different order than Levi be needed?
• the answer: perfection wasn’t attainable through the Levitical priesthood
◦ we must take a closer look at this

The writer tells us that under the Levitical priesthood,
the people received law
– Moses entrusted the law to the Levites (De. 31:9, 24-26)
• the Levites instructed Israel in the law (Le. 10:10-11; De. 17:11; 33:10)
• and the Levites judged people according to the law (De. 17:10)
◦ it was in the law, that tribe of Levi was set aside for God (Nu. 3:5-9)
◦ so there is a strong connection between the tribe of Levi and the law
– there was something the Levitical priests could not do for people
• and the same was true for the law–something that it could not do
• but still, I think it’s important that we have a correct understanding of what this means

The beginning and end of the writer’s argument is marked by a word
– the perfection that was not attainable through the Levitical priesthood
– and then the law that “made nothing perfect“
• this might look to us like both the priesthood and the law were failures
◦ but that is not what the writer is saying
The law and priests were established for one purpose:
– to maintain God’s covenant relationship with Israel
• this was like a marriage covenant
◦ Mt. Sinai was the altar, and the law’s commandments were Israel’s vows

From early on, God stated his intention for choosing Israel. He told Moses, I will take you as my people, and I will be your God (Ex. 6:7). This will be reiterated many times in the Old Testament, and especially in the prophets. For now, we want to notice this especially in the prophecy of Jeremiah regarding the new covenant, and that God says that as a result of its formation, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer. 31:33).

• in time, the law and priests could not hold the covenant together
◦ that doesn’t mean they failed,
◦ because they were designed to hold the covenant together

The purpose of the law was not to make people righteous
– nor was it meant to empower them to be righteous,
• but it was to show them what righteousness is
• the priests were there to secure forgiveness when people sinned
◦ no one could keep all of God’s commandments
◦ so there had to be a means of forgiveness and atonement
Howard Marshall, “The author must have assumed that the old system did do something, since it was of divine ordination and God cannot have created an empty institution.”
– the weakness of the law and priest was revealed,
• only when asked to do something they were not designed to do
◦ they did not perfect the people, because they were not meant to do that
◦ the crux of the issue is revealed in Hebrews chapter 8
For if the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them [when he presents to them a new covenant] (vv. 7-8)
◦ the law and priests were effective in fulfilling their purpose
• when God presented the law to Israel, they promised to keep it
All that the LORD has spoken we will do (Ex. 19:8)
◦ many years later, Moses informed the people of Israel,
. . . the LORD heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the LORD said to me, “I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments (De. 5:28-29)
◦ if they could have lived up to their words, they would have never broken God’s covenant

What did the Levitical priests and law not do for the people?
1. Did not transform them – change their hearts
2. Did not empower them to be righteous
3. Did give them unrestricted access to God

With a change in priestly order, writer sees change in law
For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests Hebrews 7:12-14

The law established the priesthood, and it belonged to the tribe of Levi
– so a change in the priesthood involved something not covered by the law
William Barclay, “Under Jewish law a man could not under any circumstances become a priest unless he could produce an unbroken and certified pedigree going back to Aaron.”
– this actually became an issue for the Jewish migration home from exile
• it had to do with one particular clan that had served in Solomon’s temple
. . . they could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel . . . .
These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean (Ezra 2:59 and 62)
• here’s the problem (v. 13) – Jesus did not belong to the tribe of Levi
◦ he had no right or authority to serve as a priest in Israel’s sanctuary
For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests

The writer argues that this is not a disqualification, but a revelation
This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 7:15-17

What is “even more evident”?
– that neither is the Messiah of the order of Levi!
• Jesus did not meet the law’s requirement to be a priest
◦ he did not belong to order the order of Levi
• however, Jesus surpassed both the law and the priestly order
◦ because, as we have seen, the order of Melchizedek is superior to the Levitical order
– the order of Melchizedek was not established by the law
• legal requirement is more literally legal commandment
◦ Jesus did not need to be qualified through the law
◦ his qualification was based on something that predated the law
• nor did Jesus need to be qualified by his DNA
◦ in the the term bodily descent, “bodily” could better be translated “fleshly”
◦ it refers to that which is “merely human”
Luke T. Johnson, says fleshly “. . . means it lacks the power to communicate God’s own life. Only life can generate life”
• compare this with statement to what Jesus’ told Nicodemus,
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (Jn. 3:6)
• the contrast between Jesus qualification for priesthood and the Levites,
◦ is a contrast between law and life,
◦ and between a legal command and power

God has provided us something beyond the law
For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God Hebrews 7:18-19

Again, “the former commandment” was weak and useless,
– not because the law was flawed,
• but because it was given to people, who were flawed
◦ this was Paul’s horrific struggle in Romans chapter 7
So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good (Ro. 7:12)
• the problem is that the power that the law does exert, works against us
For by the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin (Ro. 3:20)
– now, in Jesus, we have a better hope
• and through it, and not the law or Israel’s priesthood, we draw near to God
• this is Hebrews’ most characteristic description of the Christian experience
◦ we are allowed to approach God, up close
◦ we have access to his presence that not even the high priest enjoyed
– it’s a better hope, because it depends on who Jesus is and what he has done
• and not on our ability to, on our own, keep all the commandments

Conclusion: We cannot leave this passage without the following verses
And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
You are a priest forever.”
This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant Hebrews 7:20-22

Notice that the for the first time, the writer quotes the full verse
– until now he has left of the opening line:
The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind
• not even the Levites had this going for them
• they were made priests legally
◦ Jesus was made a priest personally — God swore an oath to him
This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant
– you see, we had to include these verses
• they are nothing less than the total assurance we need
God has sworn an oath
He will not change his mind
And Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant
• the guarantor of our relationship with God

Now what?
Let’s draw near to God!
How do we live this?
By practice
We train ourselves to focus awareness on God himself
By doing this, we draw near to him in this present moment
We meet with Jesus like this every day,
so that we constantly renew this better hope,
and enjoy the rich intimacy of this better covenant

Podcast

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever Hebrews 7:1-3

Intro: If I were to write a paper on current societal pressures

I would title it, “Inadvertent Torture”
– no one intended to torture US citizens, it just happened
• first, we spend most of our days stuck in these boxes (our homes)
• then, two television and social media are dominated by two issues:
◦ a controversial pandemic and the eruption of racial tension
◦ our nation is sharply divided on both of these issues
(one step to the left, and your blasted and insulted by the far right, one step to the right and you are blasted and insulted by extreme left)
– as a result, there’s a surplus of anger surging through human interactions
• now, this isn’t torture for everyone
◦ some people enjoy stirring up conflict and chaos
• however, most of us dislike hostile confrontations
◦ (especially when that aggressive agitator wears a smile)

Strange things happen in troubled times
– a significant number of odd occurrences are reported in the wake of wars
• for instance, a lot of ghost stories circulated around the Civil War
• and not all the tales were macabre; some were miraculous
– I mention this, because it relates to our study this morning
• obviously, we need background information to understand the passage
• we’re told, an encounter took place when Abraham was
returning from the slaughter of the kings
◦ those were troubled times of conflict for Abraham
◦ and in that context, a strange thing happened

Melchizedek made a “surprise guest” appearance in scripture

The backstory: Abraham’s nephew, Lot, had taken up residence in the city of Sodom (yes, that Sodom). An army marched against Sodom and the other kingdoms in the Valley of Siddim, and defeated them. Lot and his family were taken captive and dragged away, destined to become slaves. When news reached Abraham of Lot’s fate, he marshaled his rather impressive household and chased after the invaders. When he came to their camp, he launched a nighttime attack, in which he rescued Lot and liberated all the others who had also been taken captive. As he journeyed home, a stranger suddenly showed up with provisions for Abraham. (Ge. 14:1-21)

• as Abraham journeyed home, this obscure figure just–shows up
◦ there’s no mention of Melchizedek prior to this event or after
• he was a priest, but of what religion? We have no idea
◦ the Genesis storyteller gives only the slightest bit of information about him
– what the writer of Hebrews finds important is:
• Melchizedek was a priest (the first priest to appear in scripture)
• Melchizedek blessed Abraham
• Abraham gave Melchizedek ten percent of everything (the spoils)
• the meaning of the name, Melchizedek
• the meaning of the place where he was king (Salem)
• the fact that Melchizedek is not in a genealogy

Before we look closer at these points, let’s look at what writer leaves out
– first, Melchizedek brought out bread and wine for Abraham
• given what the writer sees in Melchizedek this seems like an oversight
◦ given the centrality of the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper,
◦ and the body and blood of Jesus (especially here in Hebrews),
◦ and the way the writer makes use of typology, we would expect him to make something of this
◦ however, the writer is very selective in what he chooses to address here
– second, the actual words of Mel’s blessing
Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand! (Ge. 14:19-20)
• this has always struck me as super important
◦ Abraham did not know God well yet
(God later revealed himself to Abraham as El Shaddai, God Almighty (Ge. 17:1) and then as Provider (Ge. 22:14)
◦ Most High God was a new revelation for Abraham
◦ the God that called him on his journey was the highest of all gods
• this is where “Most High God” enters the biblical repertory of titles
◦ Abraham immediately embraced this new truth
◦ in the next moment he swore an oath, using this title
I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth!

Later in scripture, Melchizedek made another guest appearance

The only other time he is mentioned in the Old Testament
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4 and quoted in Heb. 5:6)
– this mention of Melchizedek is just as bizarre as the Genesis story
• it comes at an end of a short psalm
◦ the New Testament recognized that this psalm spoke of the Messiah
◦ Jesus himself quoted it in reference to the Messiah
• the psalm records God’s sworn oath to the Messiah
◦ he would be a priest who belonged to the order of Melchizedek

What does our writer see in these scant details?

He notices that Melchizedek was both a king and a priest
– in Israel, those were two separate offices; two different tribes
• Uzzah was a good king until tried to offer incense in the temple
◦ he was confronted by priests who told him he had no authority to do that
◦ instantly his body became leprous, and he ran from the temple (2 Chr. 26:16-21)
• but much later, a prophecy of Zechariah has this to say about the Messiah:
. . . the man whose name is the Branch . . . shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both (Zec. 6:12-13)
◦ Melchizedek seems to prefigure a dual role that the Messiah will fill

Next, the writer notes that Melchizedek means king of righteousness
– and also that he is king of Salem, or king of peace (shalom )
• it was not enough that he was king of either righteousness or peace, but of both
Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other (Ps. 85:10)
• righteous refers to right relationships
– what is the relationship between righteousness and peace?
• righteousness produces peace
And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever (Isa. 32:17)
Therefore, since we have been [made righteous] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Ro. 5:1)
◦ and later on in Hebrews,
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11)

Next the writer notes that Melchizedek appears without a father, mother, or genealogy
– this is unusual for Genesis – every important person has a genealogy
• in fact, the whole book is divided into sections by its genealogies
• Melchizedek also had no birth or death, no beginning of days nor end of life
◦ he continues a priest forever
◦ this inference is made from the quote from Ps 110
– some Bible teachers assume Melchizedek was not a historic figure, but a “christophany”
(an appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament)
• however, as Kenneth Shenk observes,
“The author, however, nowhere makes such and equation or hints at such a belief. The closest he comes is when he says that Melchizedek is ‘likened’ to the Son of God.”
◦ the writer is only saying that as far as story in Genesis is concerned, there’s no birth record for Melchizedek, his genealogy is not given and nothing is said regarding his parents
◦ in the story, he appears out of nowhere, then returns to oblivion
Jerome Neyrey, “This quality [of immortality], which properly belongs only to the Immortal One, extends also to Jesus. When Melchizedek was declared to be ‘without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life,’ he only ‘resembles the Son of God’ (7:3); the converse is not true.”
Luke Johnson, “But the one who truly ‘lives forever’ is Jesus, and he is the one whom Hebrews really has in mind when it says that ‘he is attested as being alive.’”

The writer sees Mel as a very important figure
See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him Hebrews 7:4-10

How great was Melchizedek? His interaction with Abraham shows us
– we’ll take the blessing first
• this was one of the services priest performs for people (Nu. 6:22-27)
◦ that Melchizedek gave this blessing reveals his superiority
• v. 7 looks like an overstatement (the inferior is blessed by the superior)
◦ but in the context of worship in Israel’s religion, it was true
◦ the greater person blessed the lesser
(greater is one of Hebrews’ key words, usually translated better)
– Abraham paid “tithes” to Melchizedek
(tithe is ten-percent of a family’s increase in income, whether crops, livestock, etc.)
• the writer sees tithing through the lens of the Mosaic law
the descendants of Levi . . . have a commandment in the law to take tithe
◦ to support all the services they performed in the sanctuary
• Melchizedek was not a descendant of Levi
◦ technically, could not receive the tithe that went to the Levites
◦ however, Abraham gave tithe to Melchizedek
• for the writer, this indicates the greatness of Melchizedek’s priestly order
◦ he was recognized as greater than Abraham
◦ and by extension, greater than Abraham’s descendants

A brief observation: the basis for paying tithe to priests and Levites:
– it came as a commandment in the law
• but Abraham wasn’t bound by the law (which came 400 years later)
• his tithe was spontaneous – it was gift, it was gratitude
– I believe this is what God wants from us
• not a mechanical monthly financial commitment
◦ certainly not a mercenary act, in which we give expecting to receive more back from God
• but the free offering of ourselves to God
◦ a giving inspired by love and expressed in joy
◦ a genuine act of devotion, in spirit and in truth
as Paul said, do not give reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7)

Conclusion: As I said, strange things happen in troubled times

Some wonderful things happen too
– Abraham had not yet arrived back at home
• he and not even the opportunity to rest
• but suddenly Melchizedek was standing there with bread and wine
– I don’t think that by ranting on social media
• we are going to resolve any of today’s volatile issues
◦ we’re not likely to argue anyone over to our political views
◦ we certainly are not going to find rest for our souls

What we need most is not to release tension by venting
but to find relief from conflict
And I think we can do that
by looking for the strange and wonderful thing
that emerge in these troubled times
We can look for Jesus, our great high priest
to come to us in the unprecedented madness,
bringing with him bread and wine,
a blessing,
and a revelation
It is in his love that we will discover righteousness
and in his smile that we find peace

Podcast

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by who to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:13-15

Intro: This week I was reading in the Book of Romans

In chapter 12, Paul listed ways to live in community with each other
– I was doing fine until I reached verse 12:
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer
• I am not by nature a joyful person – I lived many years under a cloud
◦ I hate to admit this, but for me hope doesn’t come easily either
◦ there have been a couple of hopes in this life that I’ve had to give up
• waking up to these issues and admitting them,
◦ reminds me that I can change
◦ and that is what God wants for me

The writer of Hebrews shifts his tone and begins a new thought
– but he builds on what has just said in verse 12
• follow the example of those who inherit the promises
• he’s already mentioned one promise – of rest (Heb. 4:1)
– what he explains is that WE LIVE ON A PROMISE
• his goal is to lead us to hope
• so, if like me, you tend to resist hope or your hope could use a boost,
◦ pay attention to what he has to tell us

How God is regarding His promises (13-15)

God made a promise to Abraham in their first encounter
– a promise to bless him – later he added more promises and specific details
• but time had elapsed between the first, second, and third promises
◦ and all that time, Abraham had not seen the promise fulfilled
• a fourth promise came, and then finally Isaac was born
(the first sign of fulfillment of the promise)
◦ but at that very moment, the promise was jeopardized
(when God told Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice)
◦ it was after this drama that God told Abraham,
By myself I have sworn, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you (Ge. 22:16-17)
– during all this, Abraham patiently waited
• the Greek word for patient means to endure through difficulty,
long-suffering
• that is how Abraham owned the promise – by hanging on to it

What is the significance of swearing an oath?
For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all disputes an oath is final for conformation Hebrews 6:16

To answer that question, we’ll return to an earlier episode in Abraham’s life
– in Gen. 15, Abraham was feeling the pressure of waiting patiently
O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess [the land]? (Ge. 15:8)
• God gave him some instructions for a special ritual, and
On that day the LORD made a covenant with [Abraham] (Ge. 15:18)
• a covenant was a guarantee – a partial installment
◦ but it was more; it was a binding relationship
◦ the covenant gave Abraham something to hang onto
• the covenant answered Abraham’s question, how he could know for sure
– when we were in chapter 4, I said the writer was keen on God’s oaths
• in that instance, his oath had a negative impact (Heb. 4:3)
• here the effect is positive

The writer says two things about oaths:
1. people swear by something greater than themselves – Something:
• more reliable and stable
• that will hold them accountable, “May God do so to me and more also . . .”
• that in the Scriptures is frequently supernatural
◦ parties in a covenant evoke a divine witness by whom they swear
◦ Ge. 31:49-53, Laban and Jacob (because they didn’t trust each other!)
• but since God had nothing greater to swear by, he swore by himself
2. an oath is final confirmation
• this gets to the heart of the oath – it resolves “disputes”

God’s oath to Abraham was for our sake
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us Hebrews 6:17-18

The writer switches from talking about Abraham to talking about us and from talking about others who inherited the promises (v. 12) to us being heirs of the promise
– he tells us what God desired to accomplish with the oath
• any mention of God’s desires, feelings, or passions,
◦ embarrassed some early Christian theologians
◦ influenced by Greek philosophy, they believed God was beyond all that
• but I love this personal way the Bible talks about God
◦ first, all they had to use was real human language
◦ second, they saw God as relatable, so their use of anthropomorphism and anthropopathism created a meaningful connection with God
– what God desires is to show you and I is,
the unchangeable character of his purpose
• God has never deviated from his plan, or given up on it
◦ he has always been determined to bring us to himself
◦ to live among us – and for us to live around him
• so to show us his determination, he guaranteed it with an oath

Now we have two unchangeable things:
– his promise and his oath
• God’s intention for us has not moved
• it’s not going anywhere – we need to know this!
Luke T. Johnson, “God does not need the oath, but humans do, especially in the face of circumstances that present evidence contrary to the promise.”
– notice how the author describes us and our situation
who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us
• he paints a picture of imminent danger
• it is natural for us to look for security
◦ both the body and the mind need a sense of safety
Stephen Porges, Professor and Director of the Trauma Research Center at U. of Indiana, “If our nervous system detects safety, then it’s no longer defensive. When it’s no longer defensive, then the circuits of the autonomic nervous system support health, growth, and restoration. . . . the most important thing to our nervous system is that we are safe.”
◦ what the writer says about refuge is a familiar expression in the Psalms
◦ for instance:
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble (Ps. 46:1)

The hope has been set before us – the writer’s has been laying it out
– it’s up to us to make it our own – to hold fast to it
• listen, even the slightest glimmer of hope can save a life
• a slender ray of hope can change a life
◦ and we have a sold hope
◦ something you can get a hold of and hang on to

At this point, we can take a step back to look at this hope
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek Hebrews 6:19-20

You’ve got to love this nautical analogy, anchor of the soul
– it’s the soul that experiences all the inner turmoil
• so God secures our souls with an anchor that is sure and steadfast
• it is hope that anchors us
– hope is a belief and an attitude we have regarding the future
• if the hope is already a reality, just waiting to happen,
◦ then it can open us to this present moment
◦ then it is possible to rejoice in hope and be patient in tribulation
• research shows that people with hope live healthier, longer lives
◦ hope is a critical source of energy – it keeps us going

Our hope enters into the inner place (the holiest place in the sanctuary)
– a closed-off room with restricted access
• but the writer isn’t talking about a physical place
◦ we’ll see that what he has in mind is where God actually is
◦ this is where our hope goes
◦ meeting God on his turf – maybe not even a “place,” but the actual experience of him (who is omnipresent)
• Jesus is already there

A few years ago I went scuba diving with some friends. The first night we anchored off of Catalina, dove there in the morning and then moved over to San Clemente island and dove there. When we arrived at our location, one of the experienced divers dove down to make sure the anchor was secured to a large enough rock to hold us in place. I imagine Jesus doing this, entering God’s space and securing the line that stretches back to us.

When I dive from a ship, I like being able to follow the anchor chain down to the sea floor or to the depth I want to explore. But it is even more helpful to me if I’m able to ascend the anchor line. First, it tells me that I’m at the right location and, secondly, it is an aid to help me make certain I am not ascending too fast. Again, I think of following the line that Jesus has anchored in God, so that by following it, we come to the place where our forerunner has already entered.

At this point, the writer is ready to return to Melchizedek
– and that provides his transition into the next chapter

Conclusion: Alright, take a slow, deep breath

I want you to hear this passage again
– but hear it as a more personal message from the lips of Jesus:

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way (Jn. 14:1-4)

This is our rock-solid hope,
without it, there would be no Christian hope—
no Christianity
This is where Jesus has anchored our souls;
in an eternity with him

Podcast

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. Hebrews 6:1-3

Intro: We left off last week with the writer complaining (or scolding)

He had much more to say about Jesus in his role of a priest,
– but it would be too difficult to explain it all to them
• they had become lazy listeners
◦ as a result, they were not ready to go further or deeper
• but the truth is, the writer must have believed they were ready,
◦ because after this chapter he continues with his previous subject
◦ the one that he said would be “hard to explain”
– experienced public speakers can see what the writer is doing
• he wants to make sure he has their attention
◦ so he shocks them
◦ and he does this with what William Barclay described as
“one of the most terrible passages in scripture.”
• it is certainly one of the scariest passages in Hebrews
(two other equally scary passages in chapters 10 and 12)
◦ but these same chapters contain some of loveliest statements in the Book of Hebrews

We could cover this section in a couple of weeks, taking it in two or three bites,
– but that would leave us with too much tension in between each talk
• after reading to verse 8, we need to hear the next four verses
– the writer has three things he wants to say
First, preschool is over, it’s time to move on
Second, if they give up on Jesus, there’s no “Plan B”
Third, he reassures them, they haven’t gone over the edge

Preschool is over

“Therefore let us . . .” the writer has shifted from you (5:11-12) to us
– he is with them and will join them in this journey
• he refers to the doctrine (or teaching) about Christ as elementary
◦ the Greek word he uses is arche: the first or the beginning
• what do we learn in elementary school?
◦ the basics: the alphabet, addition and subtraction, grammar
◦ a foundation is laid so further education can be built upon it
(same in athletics – you practice the basics until they are automatic)
– a biblical theme is the call to move on with God
– Abraham, of course (Gen. 12:1), but later, the whole nation of Israel
The LORD our God said to us . . .“You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey . . .” (De. 1:6-7)
• God did not liberate Israel so they could take up permanent residence at Mount Sinai
◦ for the writer, being stuck in one place is not an option
◦ progress is an essential and inherent characteristic of faith
• it possible these Christians did not know anything beyond the basics
◦ you cannot get anywhere if every day you have to start again at the same place

This was the curse placed on the Greek mythical character, Sisyphus. Two times he escaped death by tricking the gods. Therefore his punishment was that he would have to perform the same task every day forever. From morning to night, Sisyphus would roll a huge boulder up a mountain, but just as he neared the top, the boulder would roll all the way back down to the bottom. This curse is like the “vanity” (emptiness, futility) that the Teacher of Ecclesiastes witnessed regarding a life that is lived strictly under the sun. Like the wind, it swirls around and around without getting anywhere (Ecc. 1:4-8).

But look at what the writer is telling them to leave!
– his list is remarkable, in that it’s the bedrock of our Christian roots
◦ repentance from dead works
◦ faith toward God
◦ instructions about baptisms
◦ the laying on of hands
◦ the resurrection of the dead
◦ eternal judgment
• what he calls “elementary” are stock-in-trade of many preachers
◦ like those whose every message is on “justification by faith”
◦ or evangelists who never fail to mention eternal judgment
– there are four things we need to understand about this list:
1. the writer is not telling them to walk away from basics
◦ these are foundational, but you only need one foundation
◦ the purpose of a foundation is so something can be build on it
(he’s certainly not telling them to leave faith toward God behind!
He still has much to say about faith in this letter/sermon)
2. the most likely reasons for getting stuck here:
◦ being short-sighted regarding the goal
(Some believers have been taught that “getting saved” is God’s goal for their lives; that is, having your sins forgiven and your ticket to heaven. In those churches, believers are generally called to repentance every week. Also, they need to hear same message repeated every Sunday, because this theme gets worn out and loses its motivational force to keep them going.)
◦ or spending a lifetime dissecting, examining, analyzing the basics
◦ or especially arguing and debating with other Christians over the basics (Paul’s advice was to avoid such arguments)
3. there is more to the scripture than words on a page
◦ many Christians quote verses without knowing what they mean
◦ there’s a depth to the Scriptures that we reach through maturity and that takes us into maturity–and there is also a depth to mature faith
4. And this we will do if God permits
◦ that is, we can only move on if God sees that we’re ready for it
◦ then he will lead us on by his Spirit

If they give up on Jesus, there’s no Plan B
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned Hebrews 6:4-8

If we summarize the first long sentence here, what it tells us is,
– if believers fall away from God, it’s impossible to restore them to repentance
• this is why Barclay referred to this passage as “terrible”
• some Bible teachers argue that such people were never really Christians
◦ let’s consider that idea – these hypothetical deserters:
1. were enlightened – their minds had been opened to the truth of God
2. had tasted the heavenly gift – taste: to have a real experience of something
◦ according to the writer’s world view, reality was two-fold
◦ there was what F. Schaeffer called an “upper story” and a “lower story”
◦ these people have had an upper story experience
3. had shared in the Holy Spirit –
◦ they were in partnership with the Spirit
◦ and through the Spirit, partnership with the Christian community
4. had tasted the goodness of the word of God
◦ for the writer, Christian faith is lived-experience
◦ they had taken David’s challenge
Oh taste and see that the LORD is good! (Ps. 34:8)
◦ God had spoken a personal word to him through scripture
5. had tasted the powers of the age to come
◦ the New Testament reminds us that in Christ we experience something of the future joys of heaven now
– it is difficult for me to imagine how a person could enjoy all this,
• and then turn away from God
• this is something that gets to me every time I read the following
And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice [!] and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods (1 Ki. 11:9-10)

“Fallen away” can be misleading – this desertion is not accidental
– as if tripping over a rock or taking a wrong turn
• in rejecting Jesus, they are crucifying the Son of God
◦ and exposing him to open shame
◦ the shame of the cross, which he despised (Heb. 12:2)
– impossible to restore them again to repentance
• if people turn from Jesus, he has nothing more for them
◦ they can’t start over, as if for first time, with something else

In his teaching, Jesus presented people with two destinies
– the analogies of wise and foolish builders, and sheep and goats
• here the writer presents the analogy of the soil in two fields
◦ the overgrowth of thorns and thistles appears in the Old Testament
◦ they symbolize a curse, from Genesis 3 and through the prophets
• with this the writer ends his argument with a grim conclusion

Now you see why we can’t stop here
Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, and you still do. And we desire each on of your to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises Hebrews 9-12

The writer admits his words have been severe, Though we speak in this way
– this relieves the tension that’s been building up in the passage
• “beloved” – how he feels about them (Greek: agapetos)
◦ he has written to them as a true friend
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy (Pr. 27:6)
• we feel sure of better things–in other words, “You’re in!”
– the reason for this assurance is because, God is not unjust
• he does not overlook the fact that this field has produced useful crop
◦ your work and the love (agape) you have shown for his name
◦ their love for God was revealed in their service to others
– his concern for them, is that they persevere in this journey
• what he hopes to see in them:
◦ the same earnestness – eagerness, enthusiasm, diligence
◦ the full assurance of hope – we’ll see more hope later in this chapter
◦ they will not be sluggish – lazy, lethargic, apathetic
◦ they will be imitators of those . . . who inherit the promises
(in chapter 11 we’ll find an extensive list of such people)
• they would need not only faith,
◦ but patience – endurance; a major theme in the Book of Hebrews

Conclusion: There is a really important lesson here

Not only the obvious lesson about growing toward maturity
– but one that’s just important
• it has to do with how the Bible gets inside us
• if you find passage disturbs you, it’s because it was meant to do that
◦ that is so much more than information entering our brains,
◦ it is truth entering our viscera–our hearts and lungs and bones

Too many people today are giving Christianity a bad name
It is easy to discover what they are against–
they are more than happy to scream it into your face
It is much more difficult to see
that they are for Jesus;
for his compassionate concern for others,
for his patience, mercy and forgiveness,
for his gentle touch of healing

God wants children
through whom he can love the world
So he sends Jesus to us,
to win us over by his love,
to walk with us through everything
Then Jesus sends us
to carry on his work

Let’s grow up, for heaven’s sake!
Haven’t we been Christians long enough
to swim in the deep end of God’s pool?

Podcast

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing Hebrews 5:11

Intro: I’m going to begin with a personal reflection

You won’t see the connection at first, but it will make sense later
– Friday I was reading in the Book of Acts
• Paul was under house arrest in Rome
◦ but he was given freedom to entertain visitors
◦ when people came, Paul’s spent his time
trying to convince them about Jesus, and so he,
welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance (Acts 28:23 and 31)
– if you were going to have a conversation with Paul,
• you were going to hear about Jesus
◦ he never forgot their first encounter or what Jesus did for him
◦ for those who listened, his enthusiasm was contagious
• his drive to have a closer relationship with never diminished
I count everything loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ . . . that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his suffering . . . (Php. 3:8-10)

When I read the verses in Acts, they took me back to the Jesus Movement
– it really was about Jesus – hippie believers were “Jesus freaks”
• there were Jesus festivals, Jesus marches, Jesus concerts,
◦ a Jesus people newspaper
◦ Jesus even made the front cover of Time Magazine
• we talked about Jesus all the time
◦ everyone had a story about Jesus
◦ where they were when he found them, and how he saved them
– sadly, all that energy for Jesus gradually faded
• the movement went through a process of institutionalization:
◦ characterized by Paul Hiebert as a “stratification of hierarchy”
◦ and a “hardening of the categories” — “Religion, Inc.”
• for many years, even before the Jesus Movement,
◦ Calvary Chapel’s mission statement was printed on its weekly early
One paragraph in particular read, “We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only their over-emphasis of the doctrinal differences that have lead to the division of the Body of Christ.”
◦ within two years of my dad’s death, Calvary Chapel was divided into two denominations
(those who broke away from the “mothership” argued “doctrinal differences”)
– I don’t mean to generalize all Calvary Chapel churches or all of its pastors
• I’m thinking of those who claim to be carrying on my dad’s work,
• but have only adopted a method without understanding his vision

What changed?
There was a subtle shift from the person of Jesus to the word of God
– you may ask, “What’s wrong with that? Doesn’t the Bible refer to Jesus as “the Word”?
• that is true, and as we do not separate the Word from Jesus, nothing is wrong
◦ but when study of the Bible becomes an end in itself
◦ or the heart of our salvation, then we have become Pharisees
You, Jesus told them, do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life (Jn. 5:38-40)
• going to the Bible for Jesus is a first stage
◦ the next stage is going through the Bible to Jesus
◦ God did not give us the Bible just so we could know the Bible
– it took me awhile to wake up to what had happened
• we were emphasizing the importance of knowing the Bible
◦ but not stressing enough the importance of godly character
• we were producing students of scripture who could quote lots of it
◦ and did so to justify their anger, malice, rudeness belligerence, and
other attitudes and behavior that were not at all Christ-like
◦ while some of our ministers, who showed little integrity, were competing for influence and recognition

The writer of Hebrews had witnessed a similar decline

His readers were second and third generation Christians
– they were becoming weary – their faith was giving out
• and they were in danger of falling away
– so the writer scolds them with a stern warning (Heb. 5:11 – 6:12)
• vv. 11-14, first, they were behind in their education
• 6:1-3, second, it was time to move beyond an introductory level faith
• 6:4-8, third, he warned of the severe danger in falling away
• 6:9-12, fourth, he encouraged them that forging ahead was doable

Last week we saw that Jesus is our high priest

That he fulfilled the necessary qualifications and obligations
– but now the writer of Hebrews is stuck
• first, he tells them he has much to say about Jesus being
designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek
◦ this is surprising, because scripture has so little to say about Melchizedek
◦ he says it is hard to explain – the backstory of Melchizedek is not well known
• but that was not the only reason it was hard to explain
– the heart of the problem was they had become dull of hearing
• dull in 6:12 is “sluggish”–i.e., lethargic, even to the point of resistance
• have you ever started reading a book or article,
◦ and found it so technical or complex that you gave up?
◦ something like that was happening here with the readers

Evidence they were unprepared (or unwilling) to move on

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil Hebrews 5:12-14

Where they ought to be: by this time you ought to be teachers
– if we hear someone’s been playing guitar for thirty years,
• we expect that person to be able to play really well
• these believers should have known enough to be able to help others;
to . . . exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13)
◦ as Paul told the believers in Rome,
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers [and sisters], that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another (Ro. 15:14)

Where they were: you need someone to teach you
– basic principles – the literal Greek is, fundamentals of the beginning
• such fundamentals would have included learning the ABC’s
• of the oracles of God – “oracle” is the word of God delivered or spoken
Ken Shenk, “Hebrews has no explicitly stated theology of the Scriptures. . . . What Hebrews does have is a pervasive sense of God speaking and, thus, of God’s word, his [logos].”
Timothy Johnson, “. . . in Hebrews Scripture is always a matter of God’s speech . . . .”
– God makes this clear through his prophets
For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you” (Jer. 7:22-23)
• it is always about God speaking to us in the here and now
• whether it is through his written word or direct communication

The writer gives them an analogy that paints a clear picture
– we don’t feed infants solid food
• we introduce it in stages
◦ liquid, then soft, mushy food
◦ and later, chewable food when they they have teeth
• Paul used the same analogy
But I, brothers [and sisters], could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it (1 Cor. 3:1-2)
– unskilled suggests a lack of experience
• word of righteousness is an unusual way to refer to scripture
In the Scriptures, righteous is a relational term. It refers to the right way to respond to God and treat other people. Here in the United States, we have become a little confused about this. Instead of having to do with how we treat others, we have made it about ourselves, how we should be treated by God and others. Too often we hear believers say, “Well, what about my rights?” When the writer uses the term word of righteousness, he is referring to a specific function of the Scriptures; namely, its value in the formation of our sense of right and wrong when it comes to serving him and caring for others.
• God’s concern is not with how much scripture we memorize
◦ it’s about his word transforming us – changing us

How does the writer characterize a mature believer?
– someone who has undergone lots of intense training
• “power” does not refer to might or force, but capability
(specifically, “the mind’s ability to perceive”–our internal and external senses)
◦ it is possible to develop senses for discerning right and wrong
◦ it is not always right to be right (sometimes it’s right to be silent)
• immature judgment is black and white; what we teach children
◦ black and white judgment would have stoned the woman Jesus forgave (Jn. 8:1-11)
◦ mature indicates a more complex judgment that includes disciplined intuition
– let’s take a moment with the following words
Trained: we acquire new skills by exercising them, like tying our shoes,
teaching our bodies to balance on a bicycle or skateboard, or
learning to float and swim in water. The brain requires enough
experience with these activities to wire them into our brain so they
become as familiar to us as walking.
Constant: not haphazard, but self-disciplined constancy.
Practice: go over something repeatedly until we own it, like practicing
musical scales or the basics required for athletic performance.

Conclusion: Can you see what the writer is doing?

He is telling us there’s a prerequisite to fulfill before taking the next course
– he confronts us without condemning us (cf. the role of discipline in Heb. 12:7-11)
• what worries him can happen to:
◦ any Christian, church, or Bible college
◦ any pastor, movement, or denomination
• it can happen to me or to you
◦ the temptation comes to every believer
◦ to slack off – or get fixated on other things

This is the reason we were told earlier to “Consider Jesus”
Consider him, and keep on considering and contemplating him
The only way to develop a close friendship,
is by spending time together
Talk to Jesus–around the house,
while driving your car,
when you find yourself thinking anxious thougts

We cannot allow ourselves to lose our “first love”
It’s okay if the romance wears off,
but we dare not lose our passion
Romance is sitting on the beach staring at the waves
Passion is riding them

Podcast

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

Intro: Wednesday evening, our meditation was in Luke, chapter 9

Speculation was growing regarding Jesus
– he was a spiritual leader, but what kind of leader?
• 2,000 years later theologians and anthropologists are still asking
• where did Jesus fit in his culture’s conceptual framework
◦ a prophet, a Rabbi, a sage, a healer, a mystic?
– there is not one label that captures all that he is
• even for believers: he is our Lord, Savior, Messiah
◦ Hebrews has already referred to him as
God’s Son, the pioneer of our salvation, and an apostle
◦ each is an attempt to get to at an important truth
• the writer of Hebrew’s special interest is, Jesus our great high priest

What service did the high priests perform for Israel?
– above all, they provided access to God; they served as a go-between
• sacrificial worship opened up a lived-experience of God
• the priest maintained a channel of communication and interaction
◦ providing instruction, assistance, and purification from sins
– chapters 5-7 will explore the high priest’s role:
• what qualifications were required of priests?
◦ and what services did they provided?
• the writer want his readers to see Jesus in this light,
◦ and how he is superior in every respect to those who came before him
◦ one of the priests’ requirements is irrelevant to Jesus
◦ Jesus did not qualify for another prerequisite, technically
yet in that prerequisite, he surpassed them
– we’ll find insights that are intriguing, and found nowhere else in the New Testament
• but our main concern will be, What does this mean to us?

Three Qualifications and two obligations

The first two qualifications:
– chosen from among men (generic: humans)
• the priest had to be human in order to represent humans
• people had to be able to identify with him, and he with them
◦ a social worker can be educated in the psychology of poverty
◦ but have no personal understanding of what it is to live it
• high priest had to know human condition from the inside
◦ intercession is to pray for another as fervently as if for oneself
◦ in the case of the priest, he was interceding for himself as well as the people
– appointed to act on behalf of men and women in relation to God
• the high priest’s assignment: service the spiritual needs of others
◦ one of the ways Paul described his role is found in 1 Corinthians
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1)
• at the heart of the high priest’s ministry was the altar
◦ to offer gifts: thanksgiving offering, peace, daily offerings
◦ and sacrifices for sins – sins, guilt, impurities (Lev. 7:37)

Two obligations:
– first, to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward
• ignorant: note the “unintentional sins” in Leviticus chapter 4
◦ education was included in the priests’ job description (De. 3:10)
• wayward: misled, to wander off
◦ these words represent normal life situations
◦ the purpose of the law was to correct these conditions
• the sins for which Israel suffered most severely were different
◦ we’ve seen: disobedience, rebellion, unbelief
◦ these instances were not unintentional–they knew better
– second, to offer sacrifices for sins–his own as well as theirs
• the high priest not only resolved the sins of the people, he shared them
• this is one of the points where Jesus differed from the priests
Jesus is a high priest who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15)

A third qualification: no one takes this honor for himself
– when Israel was ripped into two nations,
• this was one of the great sins in the north
◦ Israel’s king invented a new cult for his subjects
After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among the people. Any who would, he ordained to be priests of the high places (1 Ki. 13:33)
• the writer of Hebrews reminds us that Aaron was called by God
◦ and later on, God chose the entire tribe of Levi to be his priests

Jesus meets these qualifications and obligations
So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek Hebrews 5:5-10

The writer begins with the last qualification mentioned
So also Christ did not exalt himself to made a high priest
– this takes us back to an earlier quotation; Psalm 2:7 (in Heb. 1:5)
• and he returns to a Psalm he has already quoted; Psalm 110:1 (in Heb. 1:13)
◦ this particular verse was well-known to the early disciples
◦ Jesus quoted it, and so did Peter in his first sermon (Acts 2:34-35)
• but the writer doesn’t quote that same verse from Psalm 110
◦ he quotes a verse no one else in New Testament ever mentions
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
– even in Psalm 110, this verse is a mystery
• it is a reference to an obscure event
◦ an event from Abraham’s life that happened in a flash
• we’re going to have to wait awhile,
◦ before the writer unloads all that is revealed in this verse

The obligation Jesus fulfilled was what he offered up
– this is the same word used for offerings on the altar (vv. 1 & 3)
• in the days of his flesh – for the writer this is important
◦ he sees a clear distinction between two realms of Jesus’ existence
◦ one material and temporal, the other is spiritual and eternal
his physical existence in the past and his spiritual existence now
• the only instance of Jesus praying with loud cries is from the cross
Jesus cried with a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk. 15:34)
◦ but would we refer to that as prayers and supplications?
– the point I’m trying to make, is this:
• the writer may be referring to Jesus in Gethsemane,
◦ but perhaps there is also something more
◦ that Jesus fulfilled a priestly service through his prayer for others
a service he continues to provide today
• regarding his Gethsemane prayer, the prayed to the One
who was able to save him from death, and he was heard
Timothy Johnson, Jesus prayed that he would not have to drink the cup of death, but he also prayed your will be done, not mine. “The passion account that follows in the Gospels makes clear that Jesus’ prayer for God’s will to be done was heard, rather than his prayer for the cup of suffering to be taken away from him.”
◦ what gave Jesus’ prayer its force, was his reverence

And speaking of reverence,
– the next three verses deserve our most reverent attention
• Although – because Jesus was God’s Son,
◦ you would think obedience came easy for him
◦ that it would just be handed to him or he’d come equipped with it
• but obedience was something he had to learn
◦ like everything else about being human
– through what he suffered
William Barclay, “The Greek phrase . . . is a linguistic jingle, emathen aph hon epathen. And this is a thought that keeps recurring in Greek thinkers. They are always connecting mathein, to learn, with pathein, to suffer.”
• learning is connected to experience and experience to suffering
• various forms of suffering: physical, mental, personal, relational, etc.
◦ and also when we have to overcome the resistance of our will to God’s will
Timothy Johnson, “. . . no human can step all at once into God’s will, for two reasons: the first is that God’s call is new every day; the second is that humans can dispose of their freedom only moment by moment.”

In what sense was Jesus made perfect?
– in John 5:36, the same word is used when Jesus referred to the works he was given to accomplish
• perfection is a completeness, a fullness
Howard Marshall, “‘Perfection’ . . . means ‘excellence’ in doing whatever a thing is supposed to do; it signifies fullness and completeness for whatever a person or thing is meant to be and do, often as a result of training and practice.” “Perfection is not realized in a moment . . . . it is both process and result.”
– the picture given to us of Jesus is deeply human
• this is what he went through to become
the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him

Finally, we leave this passage with reminder that Jesus was
designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek

Conclusion: Jesus could not be like us until he learned what we know

We know suffering, and we learned it through experience
– Jesus learned suffering in the same way
• his last utterance from the cross was a loud cry
• a cry of abandonment that reaches to the depths of human pain
– suffering does not make us human, we suffer because we are human
• a person who hasn’t suffered isn’t fully human
◦ that’s why people who don’t know the suffering of others
are frequently inhumane
Abbot John Chapman, “Perfection in this world is not a calm union with God, unless God so wishes. Our Lord suffered temptation and desolation to show us that they are not incompatible with perfection, but are perfection.”

I belong to an online group chat, where we discuss Christian prayer. Eight months ago, a young woman posted the following:
“I am a 14 year old living with the most painful chronic pain condition on earth. I’ve been Christian all my life but I’ve been doubting that God is a loving God lately. Why would God let me go through horrible pain every day? I would really appreciate it if someone reached out to me.”
I responded, reminding her of Job whose suffering also caused him to doubt God’s love for him, and that he was especially critical regarding God’s justice in allowing innocent people to suffer. His pain, sadness and frustration caused him to say some harsh things about God that, to his pious friends, sounded like blasphemy. I wrote to her,
“Sweetheart, that is what suffering does to us. The disappointment with God that you feel is normal. ‘It is not an imperfection to find it painful to submit to God’s will. Our Lord showed us that, by His Agony in the garden.’ (Abbot John Chapman). Don’t let your doubts and bitter feelings make you think something is wrong with you or your faith. In his worst hour of Suffering, Jesus also felt unloved and forsaken by God.
“You will have days, perhaps weeks or seasons when God seems remote or disinterested in you. But you will also have moments when he is so incredibly close, it will make you cry. In either state or feeling,
God IS ALWAYS CLOSE TO YOU.
‘The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).’ ”

With apologies for making this run so long, I want to share two more quotations that are relevant. The first comes from the hand of a theologian and the second comes from the heart of a poet.

Timothy Luke Johnson, “Faith, then, is a deeply responsive hearing of God’s voice as it comes to humans in the circumstances of their worldly existence. It is saying yes to a ‘call’ (3:1) that leads them beyond their present world into a larger one defined not by their desire but by God’s creative and commanding word. Such faith is ‘obedience’ because it is a hearing that overcomes the human reluctance to move into a larger and more frightening world, and the human preference to live within the comfort zone of the accustomed. It is important to note that for Christ as for other humans, such obedient faith cannot be accomplished once for all.”

Rainer Maria Rilke

God speaks to each of us as he makes us,
then walks with us silently out of the night.

These are the words we dimly hear.

You, sent out beyond your recall,
go to the limits of your longing.
Embody me.

Flare up like a flame
and make big shadows that I can move in.

Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going. No feeling is final.
Don’t let yourself lose me.

Nearby is the country they call life.
You will know it by its seriousness.

Give me your hand.

Podcast

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

Intro: This week it occurred to me, it might be good to stop here

To not go any further in Hebrews
– until our experience catches up with what we’ve learned
• for instance, we learned about an constant inner peace
◦ a Sabbath rest that doesn’t depend on our circumstances
◦ we can enter God’s rest in bad times as well as good times
• and our Sabbath rest is not limited to one day a week
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. (Ro. 14:5)
On our Facebook page where the video of my talk last week was posted, Bill Livingston commented, “When seven days are holy you’ve entered his rest.”
◦ God’s will is that we always find rest in him
– so the question is, have we enjoyed that Sabbath rest this past week?
• have we been going there with our anxious thoughts?
◦ with our troubled hearts? with our anger and disappointments?

Well, I decided we have to continue going through Hebrews,
– because the next thing the writer tells us, how we are to move forward
• and that is with two definite actions
• both are introduced with the words, “Let us”
◦ Let us hold fast and Let us draw near

At first it looks like writer has jumped to another topic

Namely, the word of God
– but he is reinforcing what he told us to do in verse 11
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest
• his entire message is a development of the word of God
◦ this is where he began in chapter 1, God spoke and he has spoken
• every point he’s made has been drawn from God’s word in scripture
◦ this chapter hinges on the good news, the message (v. 2)
◦ to enter the Sabbath rest requires faith in God’s word
– the word of God has a rich history, playing a central role from the start
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Gen. 1:3)
• the word of the LORD was more than a message; it was an agent of revelation
◦ a conduit by which God revealed himself to a person
(an encounter with the word of God was an encounter with God)
This emerges powerfully in each instance where prophets receive their call from God (e.g., Jer. 1:4-10), and especially in the case of Samuel. He was born into a time when the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision (1 Sam 3:1). When still a child, God called to Samuel, but he thought it was the old priest calling to him. That is because Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him (1 Sam. 3:7). Notice how the revelation of God himself comes with the revelation of his word. After Samuel’s first encounter with the LORD (Yahweh), things changed for Israel. And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD (1 Sam. 3:21)

Walther Eichrodt referred to the word of the LORD as “a cosmic power of God.” He said, “God’s intervention in history [was] attributed to the Word as an independently active force.”
◦ and that is exactly what it sounds like when we read:
in the Psalms,
He sent out his word
and healed them (Ps. 107:20)
in Isaiah,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and it shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Isa. 55:11)
and in Jeremiah,
Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jer. 23:29) In fact when Jeremiah decided he would no longer deliver the word of the LORD because it only brought him trouble, he found,
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot (Jer. 20:8-9)
• the Bible is not exactly the same as the word of God
◦ it contains the words of God, and word of God can move thru it
◦ but God’s powerful word is more immediate, more direct
• so, sadly, people can read the Bible yet not hear the word of God

Characteristics of the word of God that the writer lists include:
– it is living:
• the writer has shown that the word, even written long ago, still speaks today
• it derives its life from God who speaks it
◦ again we see a strong identification of God with his word
Luke T. Johnson, “In short, Hebrews applies the same quality of life that is normally associated with God’s being to God’s word.”
• it never expires, never dies
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Mt. 24:35)
– it is active: the word of God is a creative energy
• not only on earth, but in spiritual rebirth of believers
you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God (1 Pe. 1:23)
– it is sharper than a two-edged sword:
• not, “the word of God is a sharp, two-edged sword,”
• but sharper than – as the next characteristic indicates
– it is piercing: it can penetrate anything
• to the division of – making a distinction between
◦ soul and spirit – the scripture does not supply technical definitions for these terms
◦ in fact, sometimes they are used as synonyms

Sidebar: why would God’s word divide soul and spirit?
– between the psychological self and the spiritual self?
• we can mistake soul force for spiritual power
◦ mistake soul enthusiasm for spiritual inspiration
• and therefore assume we’ve encountered God,
◦ when we’ve only encountered our own emotions and feelings
– we cannot always discern this division on our own
• God’s word can reveal which one is at work now
• of joints and of marrow
The Greek word translated “joints,” was used of the mortar between stones set in a wall. If you visit Israel today, your guide will take you to the Western Wall outside the precincts of the temple. You will be shown stones that date back to the time of Herod. Still today, the guides will boast that the stones were carved so well and are so compact that it is impossible to insert a thin knife blade between any two stones. The word of God enters those spaces that no other blade can penetrate.
◦ marrow gives us a sense of the deepest, most hidden parts of a person
– discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart:
• nothing about us is more hidden from others than what’s in the heart
• intentions may be misleading, because it simply refers to another sort of thought
◦ for instance, notice how the Greek word is translated in 1 Peter
arm yourselves with the same way of thinking (1 Pe. 4:1)
◦ what a fine distinction this is between subtle differences
– and no creature is hidden from his sight
• is the writer still talking about the word of God or about God himself?
◦ we refer to a word as “it,” not “his” or “him”
◦ the dynamic word of the LORD was incarnated, that is to say,
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn. 1:14)
Walther Eichrodt again, “It holds good more than ever when, as a result of being equated with Jesus, the Word becomes an independent person, and thus enters on a mode of existence apparently at variance with traditional beliefs.”
• God’s word exposes everything
Luke T. Johnson, explains that the word translated exposed “has a range of meanings, all involving the neck . . . and all involving some sort of vulnerability.”
◦ the neck is one of most vulnerable parts of body (cf. Jos. 10:24)
◦ the point here is that we are transparent and vulnerable before God, as his word probes our lives

We need to know what we have going for us

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. Hebrews 4:14-15

“High priest” doesn’t mean much in our culture today
– for us to appreciate what Jesus is to us, we need the Scriptures
• in Leviticus we learned that a priest was a mediator
◦ his role was to make things right with God
◦ he helped remove sin and guilt,
and purify people and things from uncleanness
• this was especially the role of the high priest on the Day of Atonement
– our high priest is “great” – extraordinary
• he passed through heavens
When Israel came to Mount Sinai, God established “zones” of distance; each zone with a different degree of holiness. The people could come to the foot of the mountain, but not touch it. Aaron and the elders were allowed part way up the mountain, but only Moses was allowed to enter the cloud and God’s glory at the pinnacle of Mount Sinai. Once God’s sacred tent was set up, God’s glory moved from the top of Sinai to the holiest place in the sacred tent, where the same three zones were established. The people could enter the courtyard, the priests could enter the holy place, but only the high priest could enter the holiest place. This may be what the writer has in mind when he says that our high priest has passed through the heavens (an idea the writer will make explicit in 6:19-20 & 9:11-12, 24)
◦ Jesus entered most intimate space of God’s presence
not in a vision (like Paul, 2 Cor. 12:1-4), but the real deal

Let us – the next thing we can do, is hold fast our confession
– our confession (cf. 3:1) is what we already know and believe about Jesus
• and why do we want to hold fast to it?
For we do not have the kind of high priest that doesn’t care
(there were priests like that!)
– it is easy for us to think God doesn’t know what it’s like to suffer
• the same way the wealthy are cut off from the miseries of the poor
• but Jesus is not unable to sympathize; he knows the human experience
◦ sympathize does not mean “pity” – rather, he feels what we feel
◦ he is not unable, because he has no empathy, or is incompetent, or inexperienced
– our weaknesses – yes, it’s plural!
• in 2:17, Jesus was made like us in every respect
◦ the same words are used here, only applied to a specific situation
◦ temptation – yet without sin – Jesus did not “miss the mark”
• he has experience, and that is what enables him to identify with us
◦ not only empathize but he is also able to be helpful
He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness (Heb. 5:2)
I know a married couple who both lost their parents. They have also battled cancer together–twice. Whenever they are told that one of their friends has learned that a parent has been diagnosed with dementia or has a loved one who has been diagnosed with cancer, this couple immediately offers them resources that they found helpful in their ordeals. This is one of the great values of experience, and Jesus has all the experience we could ever need.

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
Let us – there is one other thing we can do
– draw near – typically, a throne was about power, majesty, authority
• this throne is all that, but it also about dispensing grace
◦ and, we don’t have to approach timidly – but with boldness
• in Acts 4:13 Peter and John displayed boldness before the Jerusalem counsel
◦ and later, when they rejoined their friends, they prayed for more boldness (Acts 4:29)
– at God’s throne we receive and we find
• we receive mercy – for the wrong we have done
• we find grace – for the good we have yet to do
– in time of need – or, “well-timed”

Conclusion: Do you see what the writer is doing for us?

He is providing us reassurance and encouragement
– he is telling us,
“You have not gone as deep as you can go. You have help to go deeper!”
Luke T. Johnson, “This short exhortation breathes an air of encouragement and confidence.”
• Spirit-guided reading of scripture is a great help to personal growth
◦ it will tell you the truth about yourself–the deep stuff

What gives us the greatest hope and reassurance
is Jesus, the Son of God
That it is possible to draw near to him,
and through him, draw near to God
Not only over our lifetime,
but every day,
and any time of day
or night

Podcast

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

Intro: Hebrews chapter 4 is like a mixed-green salad

It has four different types of lettuce:
Let us fear (v. 1)
Let us strive (v. 11)
Let us hold fast (v. 14)
Let us draw near (v. 16)
– this is one way to read this chapter
• the first Let us presents us with a problem
• the other three offer solutions
– also, notice the number of times “enter” pops up
• this is a key word in Hebrews – and related key phrase, draw near
• both suggest the idea of movement, of approach
◦ Hebrews reveals a potential experience of God
◦ we are urged to come close to God and step into that experience

“Let us fear”–the writer warns us of a legitimate concern

He began this train of thought with a quotation from Psalm 95
– what he found there was a promise that he says still stands
• sometimes retailers advertise, “We will still honor your coupons”
◦ in a similar way, God’s promise has not expired
◦ the promise is an invitation for us to enter God’s rest
• the danger is some believers will seem to have failed to reach it
◦ there are two ways that we could interpret this concern:
otherwise you will miss your opportunity, or
otherwise it will seem as though you missed your opportunity
◦ if it seems like the promise has not been fulfilled in our lives, we may give up the quest before we reach the destination
– why should we be concerned about this?
• because we are not the first to be presented with this opportunity
◦ the good news came to Israel in the wilderness
◦ but it didn’t do them any good (did not benefit them)
• now the message comes to us – will it benefit us?

The last part of verse 2 is not easy to translate, but this much is clear,
– something that needed to happen, did not happen
• the way I read this is the message did not unite with faith in them
◦ the promise was not integrated into their hearts and minds
William Barclay translates it this way, “But the word which they heard was no good to them, because it did not become woven into the very fibre of their being”
◦ this is a reminder that knowing is not the same as having or being
• how does the promise become integrated into lived experience?
by faith
– faith activates the promise–faith owns everything God says
• of course, hearing the message is necessary
How then will they call on him in who they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Ro. 10:14)
• but to own the message, to experience its fullness requires faith
So faith comes from hearing through the word of Christ (Ro. 10:17)

A description of the ideal Christian community

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,
“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’ “
although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said,
“They shall not enter my rest.” Hebrews 4:3-5

This is what the Christian life looks like when everything goes as it should
– if we follow the personal pronouns we find there are:
• those of us who with all believers need to be concerned (fear)
• you who seem to have failed
• us, to whom the good news came
• and we who have believed
◦ the we would include the writer and apostles,
◦ other Christian communities, and at least some of the readers
• they entered that rest, and were seeing the promise fulfilled
– why does he repeat the quotation here?
• the connection swings on the word “enter”
◦ the quotation is a negative example of what had become the positive experience of others
• everything that needed to be done had already been done
from the foundation of the world
◦ God’s rest was waiting for them–it was there, but they weren’t
◦ until now, God’s rest referred to the promised land
but now it refers to something more

This would be a good point to pause and take a deep breath
– many of us have a tendency to create unnecessary obstacles
“I’ll have a stronger faith once I’ve read through the Bible”
“I’ll be closer to God once I’ve overcome my worst temptations”
“I’ll spend more time in prayer when I’m not so busy”
• whatever work you feel has to be done for you to be close to God
◦ has already been done – from the foundation of the world
• what we need is faith — we need to trust God
◦ trust his love for us, and trust his grace
◦ trust that he meets us right here, right now, and accepts us
– here are two reminders from Paul:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ep. 2:8-10)
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Php. 1:6)

The writer now takes us to another quotation, Genesis 2:1-3
– God rested on seventh day, and he made it holy
• the writer then returns to the Psalm quotation
shall not enter my rest
◦ in the psalm passage, Israel’s rest was the promised land
◦ in Genesis, God’s rest was his repose after completing the six days of creation
• moving between these two passages,
◦ the writer has developed and deepened the meaning of rest
– God is inviting us to rest with him – and to rest in him
Timothy L. Johnson, “. . . the promise offered to God’s people now is no longer that of a material possession, but of a participation in the divine life.”

A conclusion we can draw from this

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. Hebrews 4:6-8

I’ll try to simplify this:
– the door to God’s rest remains open
• those who were first invited failed to enter that door
◦ they failed only because they disobeyed God
• since they failed, God decided on another day – “Today”
◦ that is the point made from the quotation in Psalm 95
– the writer attributes this psalm to David
• he points out that it was written so long after Moses and Joshua
◦ and that God spoke of another day later on
◦ hundreds of years later on!
• the point is, if the promised land was identified as God’s rest,
◦ then four centuries later he wouldn’t be saying, “Today”
◦ Israel could have experienced God’s rest in the land, but they didn’t

God’s rest is not found in any particular place
– not even in Jerusalem, or in the temple
Thus says the LORD:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?” (Isa. 66:1)
• it is not like going to a park or finding the perfect hammock
– so if 400 years after Israel entered the land, God says, “Today,”
• then his rest means something else and the offer is still open

Listen, if you and I hear God say “today,” then this word is spoken to us, and the moment we hear the word is precisely the time for us to respond. Today coincides with hearing and responding. If we do not immediately respond to God, in the present moment, we run the risk of our hearts growing hard
[God says] “In a favorable time I listened to you,
in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
. . . Behold, now is the favorable time; now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:1-2)

Another conclusion that we can draw from this

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. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. Hebrews 4:9-11

This is the second time we find the word “remains” – and it’s his whole point
– a “Sabbath rest” – not Saturday, as a day off work
• but a state in which our soul is at rest
For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength (Isa. 30:15)
• again, our rest is with God and in God
St. Augustine, toward the beginning of his Confessions, prayed these famous words, “You have formed us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.”
– so what do we do today? Let us strive to enter that rest

Conclusion: What is presented to us here is obviously not a familiar concept of rest

This rest is not what comes after chaos, conflict and confusion die down
– it is, instead, an inner peace that carries us through the chaos, conflict and confusion
And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith (1 Jn. 5:4)
• we overcome the world, not be conquering it,
◦ but by not letting it get to us
• God’s rest is an inner peace that we enjoy even while we work
◦ it is not like fall asleep,
◦ but more like being awake for the best moment of our life
– we do not rest in our accomplishments or even in our faith
• we rest in God himself
I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me (Ps. 131:2-3)

Do you realize that “today” is right now?
It is so difficult to keep our minds in the here and now
If we are haunted by our past or obsessed with the future,
we will never experience life in present moment
It takes the discipline of trust to fix our attention on today

I suggest that when you sit in prayer,
and you make yourself aware of God’s presence,
that you consider using the words of this Psalm 116
to enter his rest:
Return to your rest, O my soul; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
I will walk before the LORD
in the land of the living (Ps 116:7-8)