Today’s passage: Hebrews 10:32-39

Helpful thoughts:

• The original recipients of this letter had already shown evidence of faith in enduring persecution after their conversion.
• There will be difficulties and hardships in this life.  Christ is coming, and then our time here will have seemed so short.  Live with eternity in mind!
• “We (Meaning, true Christians) are not of those who shrink back.”  The writer of Hebrews encourages perseverance in the faith and also acknowledges the truth of all those who are in Christ.  Christians persevere.

Questions to consider:

1. This passage from Habakkuk 2 is also quoted in Romans 1:16-17.  What does, “the righteous shall live by faith” mean?  How does faith serve as the means to living righteously? (Think conversion, then sanctification, and perseverance)
2. Why is it hard for Christians in the west to understand the meaning of enduring suffering as a believer?  Persecution served as a testing ground for these believers in this passage.  What are some potential testing grounds for Christians in our society?  Where is the fruit of our faith displayed?
3. If a Christian is not one who “shrinks back,” then what does it mean to shrink back and who does that?  How is the perception of the “church” different from God’s perspective than from ours?  Is everyone who goes to church somewhere actually part of the Church?  What is the difference?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 10:26-31

Helpful thoughts:

• Remember the original audience, the Hebrew people.  If someone continues in sin (Including rejecting Christ in favor of preferring the Old Testament sacrificial system) deliberately, there no longer remains a sacrifice.
  • If a Hebrew person wanted to reject Christ and go sacrifice a lamb, that sacrifice would not only be ineffective, it would also be an additional act of rebellion, because the only acceptable sacrifice to God now comes through the blood of Christ.
• Knowing that the previous passage exhorts believer to hold fast to their faith in the faithful God, this passage is to be read as an encouragement for true believers!  True believers were going to believe in Christ!
• If a Jew (Or now today, even a professing Gentile believer) rejects God the Son after having participated in the set-apart people of God, he or she will have outraged the Spirit and deserves the vengeance of God.  This is heinous sin against God.
  • Apostates (Those who profess faith and later reject Christ) give evidence they were never truly saved by their fruit.
  • Real Christians change and persevere (Romans 8:28-30).

Questions to consider:

1. What does it mean to “go on sinning deliberately?”  Repentance is a change of mind which results in a change in actions.  What does a person who goes on sinning deliberately refuse to do?
2. What would be the specific repentance required first and foremost for a Hebrew person in the first century AD?  What did they need to believe about the Christ?  How might this passage be applied more often today (Perhaps for a Gentile who grew up in a Christian home, in the church)?
3. What more do we learn about God in this passage today?  Our God is certainly loving…and what other attribute is communicated in these verses?  What would be our right response to this knowledge?  How does it sharpen our understanding of His love as well?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 10:19-25

Helpful thoughts:

• When Christ’s flesh (His body) was torn, we were cleansed and granted access to God.  This was pictured when the curtain at the was was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51).  We can have a relationship with God and come to Him in prayer without fear.
• We can hold our faith with certainty because our salvation is rooted in God’s faithfulness, not our own.  We can only hold onto our faith when we remember that it is God who has rescued and is holding onto us.
• Christianity is not a religion for individual consumers.  We are to be gathered together.  And we gather together to build into each other in love.  If you missed church and you feel like you really didn’t “miss” anything…you’re missing the point.

Questions to consider:

1. On what basis does a Christian have the privilege to pray and be heard?  If we think God hears us better when we are being “good,” what gospel truths have we forgotten?
2. Why is it right to believe that our salvation is eternally secure?  Whose faithfulness is being put to the test?  Why can you be utterly confident in your future?
3. What are some ways you could make our church gatherings more fruitful, both for others and for yourself?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 10:11-18

Helpful thoughts:

• Verse 14 encapsulates the phrase that we use sometimes to describe our sanctification, “Already and not yet.”
  • We are already declared perfect in Christ.
  • We are progressively growing in this life to be more like Him.
    • Both of these truths are purchased and secured through the one-time sacrifice of Jesus.
• The promise of the New Covenant found in Jeremiah 31 is quoted again in verses 16 and 17.
• God promised to make Christ’s enemies His “footstool” in Psalm 110:1.
  • The idea of making His enemies His footstool means that God will bring all things under the authority of Christ the King.  Christ will reign as King of kings.  Every knee will bow.
• God requires no further sacrifices because Christ paid our debt in full!

Questions to consider:

1. Why don’t we sacrifice spotless lambs anymore?
2. Again in this passage, we are presented with two significant aspects of who Christ is:  His loving sacrifice and His majestic authority.  Why do we have every reason to praise, love, and obey our Savior and King?
3. Some might argue that believing in our perfect standing in Christ would hurt our motivation to grow in righteousness in this life.  Why isn’t that true?  How does our perfect standing in Christ both motivate and guarantee our movement toward righteous living (1 John 3:2)?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 10:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• The writer of Hebrews continues to show the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old.  But more than that, we read today that the New Covenant replaces the Old.
  • “He does away with the first in order to establish the second.” (Verse 9)
• The annual sacrifices were to produce a continual awareness of sin.  The annual sacrifices were designed to teach Israel that those methods were not fixing the root problem.  A better sacrifice was needed to bring about true change.
• The words of Psalm 40:6-8 are quoted.  God is not satisfied with animal sacrifices alone, He is worthy of change of heart and actions.  Christ would come and do God’s will to bring this about in His people.
  • This means Christ’s death paid for our sins, and it also guarantees our final sanctification.

Questions to consider:

1. With all of this tied together, what was God’s will in Christ’s suffering?  What all did it (And what all will it) accomplish?
2. How does this passage better help us to understand whether we are responsible to keep the Old Testament Law?  Is the Old Covenant still in effect?  Is God worthy of our pursuit of righteousness?  Which concepts and commands from the Law make sense to continue to keep today and which ones were clearly for that time and that nation? (For example: You are now allowed to eat bacon (Pork), but you should still love God and love your neighbor…why?)
3. How does God’s interest in the change in our hearts help us to think rightly about His “plans” for our lives?  We often think about events and physical results, what does God see and desire first?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:23-28

Helpful thoughts:

• The copies of the heavenly things were purified by “copies”.  The real purification needed to take place with a better sacrifice.
  • Jesus is the superior High Priest.
  • Jesus brings the superior Covenant.
  • Jesus is the superior sacrifice.
• Jesus does NOT make sacrifices repeatedly.  His blood is NOT continually poured out.  His one-time sacrifice was a once-and-for-all sacrifice!  When His blood was shed, the offering for atonement was given, it was finished forever.
• All who have been called will be fully and finally saved at Christ’s return.  We have reason for eternal hope!  Christ is coming!

Questions to consider:

1. Are there any second chances after death?  What does God’s Word say in verse 27?  When is the time to repent and put your faith in Jesus?
2. If a person is hoping in his/her own efforts to make it in the end, what are they missing?  On what basis should anyone look forward to Christ’s return?  What did Christ have to do for us to make us fit for the glorious presence of God in that day?
3. What does it mean to “eagerly wait” for Christ?  What are you looking forward to experiencing in that day?  How does THAT day change how you live THIS day?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:15-22

Helpful thoughts:

• There is a promised eternal inheritance to be given to all who are called (Verse 15).  See Acts 13:48.
• The New Covenant officially was inaugurated at the moment of Christ’s death (Verse 16-17).
• With the shedding of Christ’s blood, there is forgiveness of our sin!

Questions to consider:

1. Does our effort to live a better life “clean us up” before God?  What did Christ offer up for our cleansing?
2. How does the example given of the sprinkling of blood in the Old Testament set the stage for what Christ would later do for us?
3. What is the nature of the inheritance the called (Those who believe) will receive?  Is it an inheritance that can be spent? Lost? Misplaced?  How long will it last?  How can it best be enjoyed?

Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:11-14

Helpful thoughts:

• Jesus Christ is both our High Priest and our sacrificial lamb!
• The blood of bulls and goats purified the flesh for a time…the blood of Jesus purified our inner-man for all time!
• Works that are done for self are dead.  Works that are done in gratitude and thanksgiving from a purified conscience serve the living God.
  • Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Questions to consider:

1. How was the New Covenant shown to be superior to the Old in today’s passage?  What has God accomplished for His people through Christ?
2. What reasons are we given in these verses to glorify Jesus Christ?  Why is it only right to praise Him and serve Him with our lives?
3. What is the basis of our salvation?  Why won’t our sins be counted against us? (Verse 12)

Today’s passage: Hebrews 9:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• Today’s passage describes aspects of worship under the Old Covenant.
  • The “Most Holy Place” is also called the “Holy of Holies.”
• The “Holy” and “Most Holy” rooms in the tabernacle/temple and the restrictions for who could enter and what needed to be done for atonement all pointed forward to God’s plan for our redemption through Christ.
  • Without atonement there is separation between God and man.
  • Not just anyone could enter into the Most Holy Place to bring that blood atonement.
• Keeping all the commands and rituals in the temple could point people to the truth, but simply carrying out all the details was not sufficient in itself to change people’s hearts.
  • The Law revealed hearts, it didn’t change them.
  • The New Covenant brings change in the inner man, “perfecting the conscience.” (See 8:10-12)

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways did the sacrifices and temple worship point forward to Jesus’ sacrifice and priestly service on our behalf?  How does understanding the promises made and portrayed in the Old Testament give us a proper understanding of the promises kept in the New Testament?
2. What should we learn from the truth that simply obeying the commands (Keeping all the religious rules) was not enough to save?  From where does salvation come?
3. How does this understanding transform our motive for good works?  Being free from the self-interest of earning myself a spot in Heaven, why now do I do what is right?