Devotionary

Today’s episode finds us in Hebrews chapter 7, verses 23-28. I’ve entitled this episode “Once, For All” and in it, we will take a look at radical difference between the never-ending, incomplete nature of the sacrificial system and that of Jesus’ never-to-be-repeated, fully sufficient sacrifice of His own sinless life. And Jesus, unlike the priests who administered the sacrifices in the Temple, required no cleansing from His own sins before His sacrifice could be made. He was sinless and, therefore, the perfect priest to offer the perfect sacrifice.      

Today, we’ll be in Hebrews chapter 7, verses 11-22. The title for this episode is “A Better Hope” because the author of Hebrews is going to present Jesus as just that: A better hope. Jesus, as the new and improved high priest, provided a way for sinful men to be made right with and draw near to God. Jesus provided a better way, a better sacrifice, and a better guarantee of a having a right relationship with God that will last for eternity.      

Today, we’re covering Hebrews chapter 7, verses 1-10. In this passage, the author brings back the Old Testament character, Melchizedek. And once again, he will compare Jesus to this ancient priest-king, but clearly presenting Jesus as superior in nature and importance. The issue here is one of blessing, how Melchizedek blessed Abraham, even though Abraham had done nothing to deserve his blessing. In the same way, believers have been blessed by Jesus, our great high priest, and received the righteousness of God and peace with God – all according to God’s grace and mercy, not our merit.   

In today’s episode, called “An Anchor For the Soul,” we’ll be in Hebrews chapter 6, verses 13-20. In these verses, the author of Hebrews will talk about holding fast to the hope set before us. He wants to encourage us to endure by keeping our hope firmly placed in the One who endured the shame of the cross on our behalf. He has promised to return some day. And because God does not lie, we can have hope, like an anchor for our soul in the storms of life.       

The title for this episode is “Hope Until the End.” In it, we will be looking at the very real danger of apostasy or the believer’s falling away from the faith. Apostasy is the direct result of complacency – a spiritual apathy and insensitivity to the remarkable gift we have been given in Christ. Our faith is to be vibrant and growing, not stagnant or satisfied with the status quo. Our hope in Christ is to increase daily, resulting in our ongoing spiritual maturity. That’s why the author of Hebrews encourages us to hope until the end.         

In today’s episode we will cover the central issue the author of Hebrews seems to be addressing: The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Message of Righteousness. In a sense, he wanted his readers to know that salvation without sanctification, or spiritual growth, was illogical. Babies are meant to grow. Children are intended to mature. So are believers. But there is always the temptation to settle for the status quo and to become comfortable with where you are, all the while missing out on what God has called you to become.        

In Hebrews chapter four, verses 1-10, the author discusses Jesus’ appointment by God as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. This reference to a somewhat obscure character from the book of Genesis has far-reaching significance. Jesus was not from the priestly line of Aaron, yet He was designated a high priest by God Himself. And because He was sinless, He was able to offer the perfect sacrifice – Himself – becoming the source of eternal salvation.      

Today’s episode covers Hebrews chapter four, verses 14-16 and is called “Help In Time Of Need.” The author will present Jesus as our great high priest, a righteous representative who understands us because He was one of us. He was fully God, but fully human, and knew what it meant to be tempted. Yet, without sinning. And now, He makes it possible for us to find mercy and grace, straight from the throne room of God, when we encounter times of need.       

Today’s episode is called “No Rest For the Weary.” There is a sense in which the original readers of this letter were struggling with finding rest in the finished work of Christ and were being tempted to turn back to the rules and rituals of Judaism. They were being influenced to believe that faith in Christ alone was not going to be enough. There was more they needed to do. But they were being deceived and that deception was resulting in disbelief in the promises of God.     

Today, in Hebrews chapter three, verses 7-19, we’ll be taking a look at the ever-present danger of disbelief.  The author of Hebrews is not addressing a lack of belief in Jesus as Savior, but a temptation on the part of Christians to doubt God and turn from trusting in Him. Belief is not just necessary for salvation, but is an instrumental and non-negotiable part of our life journey. According to the author of Hebrews, even a believer can suffer from an unbelieving heart.    

The title for this episode is, “Consider Jesus” because the author of Hebrews is challenging us to do just that, to take a long, hard look at Jesus as the founder and perfecter of our faith. Moses may have delivered the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt, but Jesus provided deliverance from sin and death. The sacrificial system could provide temporary remission of sin, but only Jesus could provide a permanent solution to the presence and power of sin. And that is truly something worthy of our consideration.   

Solidarity, suffering and salvation. According to the author of Hebrews, we have these three things in common with Christ. We are one with Him because of His death on the cross, and as a result, we share in His sufferings. But we also share in His salvation, having been freed from slavery to sin because of His payment of our debt with His own life.  

Today's episode deals not only with Jesus’ subjection and suffering on the cross for our sake, but also His future return when everything and everyone will be in subjection to Him. Jesus took on human flesh and subjected himself to a sinner’s death on the cross. But His death was so that we might have life – eternal life – and His resurrection assures us that one day He is coming back to finish what He started and establish His kingdom on earth. 

This episode deals with the very real danger every follower of Christ faces – that of drifting away from the truth and hope of the gospel. Each and every day we find ourselves facing circumstances that tempt us to doubt the veracity of God’s Word and lose hope in the promises found in His Word. The danger we face is not the loss of our salvation, but the ability to enjoy the more abundant life that Jesus promised us.

The author of Hebrews continues his comparison between Jesus, the Son of God, and angels, the messengers and servants of God. Jesus is uncreated. He is a member of the Trinity, the Gohead. His humanity, as evidences by His incarnation, in no way diminished His deity. He remains the Son of God and sits at the right hand of God the Father, where He intercedes on our behalf until the God-appointed day of His second coming.

In these three short verses, the author of Hebrews provides us with seven facts concerning Jesus and endeavors to show just how incomparable He truly is. Jesus is not only sufficient, He’s superior in every way. There’s nothing that compares with Him. There is no one who can equal Him in holiness, honor, importance, and power. He is the incomparable, inimitable God.

In the opening verses of chapter one, the author is going to introduce us to a very special character, who he will leave unnamed until verse nine. But I think you’ll recognize Him without any problem

The entire story of Esther takes place in a distant land ruled over by a pagan king. The people of Israel find themselves living in a foreign country, far from the homeland, but not far from their God. While they had seemingly forgotten Him, He would prove Himself faithful and loving, gracious and kind.

After their miraculous deliverance from the threat of possible extinction, the Jews were in a celebratory mood. They instituted a yearly festival to commemorate their victory over their enemies, complete with gift giving and eating. But much like our annual celebration of Christmas, there was something missing in all the joy and festivities: Any mention of God.

Whether reading the story about a young Jewish girl who lived many centuries ago or simply looking at the daily affairs of our own life, it is sometimes easy for us to miss God in all that is going on. We can even assume He is not there. But God never goes anywhere. He never leaves or abandons His people. And while things in Susa appeared to indicate just the opposite, Esther, Mordecai and the rest of the Jews discovered that their God wasn’t missing at all