First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: Hebrews 2:1-4

Today’s passage: Hebrews 2:1-4

Helpful thoughts:

  • The “We” of this passage is the Hebrew people.  Remember, they had believed in God and a coming Messiah, now they were to believe in the Messiah who had come, Jesus Christ.
    • For a Hebrew person, to reject the promised Messiah is to reject their true faith.  In other words, in order to continue in the faith they had to make this transition to the New Covenant.
  • We are to think of verse 1 like we were a boat in the harbor.
    • Paying close attention to the Word of God keeps us tied up safely to the dock.
    • Apathy toward the truth of God’s Word allows us to drift off and be moved about by the waves of the world around us.
      • There is personal application in this, but there is also corporate application.
      • The passage is originally written to the Hebrew people, but various denominations have suffered spiritual drift after years of abandoning the authority and infallibility of God’s Word.
  • In verses 2 and 3 make this assertion: To reject Christ as Lord and Savior in this age is the same as Israel’s rejection of God in years past.

Questions to consider:

  1. If rejecting Jesus is rejecting God, then what are the Jewish people today still continuing to do?  If someone practices orthodox Judaism today, are they following God?  What must they believe to be saved?
  2. To what evidences does the writer point which confirm Jesus’ Lordship?  How did/does the Holy Spirit prove that Jesus is truly the Messiah?
  3. How does spiritual “drift” happen?  What would repentance look like?  Beyond mere knowledge, what does paying close attention to the Word entail?  What should it result in?

Devotional: Hebrews 1:4-14

Today’s passage: Hebrews 1:4-14

Helpful thoughts:

  • Though many Jews have believed the angels to be of a higher status than the Messiah, this passage teaches us that Jesus is superior.
  • The angels worship Christ and even when He had taken on flesh to live in this world, they ministered to Him (Matthew 4:11).  They also are given to minister to us! (Verse 14)
  • Every verse from 5-13 contains a quotation from the Old Testament.  Another reminder to us that the Hebrew people were the original audience.

Questions to consider:

  1. What differences can you identify between Christ and the angels in this passage?  In what ways is He shown to be superior to the angels?
  2. What does this passage teach us specifically about Christ?  What does this passage teach us specifically about the angels?
  3. Why does it matter that Jesus be held in higher esteem than the angels?  If Jesus was lesser, what would the implications be?  If we believe Jesus to be less than what the Bible claims, what happens to the Gospel message?

Devotional: Hebrews 1:1-3

Today’s passage: Hebrews 1:1-3

Helpful thoughts:

  • This New Testament epistle is a letter written to the Hebrew people who needed to be encouraged in their assurance that Jesus, and the New Covenant He brought, is better than what they had before.
    • It will be important as we move forward and read some passages of warning to remember who the original target audience was for this letter.  These were people who had believed in God, were looking forward to the coming Messiah, and now must believe that Jesus Christ is that promised Messiah!  They could not remain followers of God without becoming followers of Jesus.
  • These first three verses speak of two forms of Special Revelation:
    • First, that of God’s Word, which had come in the Old Testament through the prophets.
    • Second, that of Jesus Christ, Himself.  (John 1:18, Colossians 1:15)

Questions to consider:

  1. Right out of the gate, what do these verses tell us that Jesus has done (There’s a list)?  What is the author trying to say right at the beginning of this argument for who Jesus is?
  2. How does this passage communicate the importance of God speaking to His people?  How important is God’s communication to us and why?  Why should the preciousness of God’s revelation of Himself to us drive us continually back into His word?
  3. Where is Christ right at this moment?  What does Romans 8:34 tell us He is doing there?  This letter will explain how Jesus is our better priest, how do these verses already begin to make that argument?

Devotional: Zechariah 14

Today’s passage: Zechariah 14

Helpful thoughts:

  • This final chapter of Zechariah contains details of the second coming of Christ.
  • The events that will occur during this time are such that there will be no debate or doubt as to whether Christ has come.  There have been and there could very well be more who come and claim to be Christ (Matthew 24:3-8).  But none of them will be able to accomplish all this.
  • The phrase, “Holy to the Lord” (Verse 20) had been inscribed on the turban of the High Priest.  The phrase signified that he had been set apart for service to the Lord.  When Christ returns, everything will be considered “Holy to the Lord.”

Questions to consider:

  1. What can we learn about the sovereignty of God in today’s reading?  What does the first line of verse 2 teach us?
  2. What aspects of Christ’s return and the way things will be during his millennial reign caught your attention the most?  What do you look forward to seeing the most (We will be there!)?
  3. Why will it make sense for the whole world to celebrate the Feast of Booths (Or “Tabernacles”) in that day?  To whom do all these feasts eventually point?  How will celebrating God’s rescue of Israel out of slavery in Egypt teach the world about God’s sovereignty in bringing about our redemption through Christ?

Devotional: Zechariah 13

Today’s passage: Zechariah 13

Helpful thoughts:

  • There are two units in today’s chapter:
    • Verses 1-6 – Israel is cleansed by the fountain of Christ’s blood and the people will live in righteousness.
      • Public idolatry will cease.
      • False prophets will have no success deceiving people.
        • They will have to hide their idolatry and wicked practices from the rest of society (Verses 3-6).
    • Verses 7-9 – The Good Shepherd is struck for our sins and a remnant will be saved out of Israel.

Questions to consider:

  1. What does this passage teach us about the basis of everyone’s salvation, whether they are saved now or at the second coming of Christ?  On what grounds must a person be saved?
  2. What did we learn about the obedience of God’s people during the millennial kingdom?  If people are not truly loyal to Christ, what will they have to do?  Will they succeed in hiding their rebellion forever (Revelation 20:7-10)?
  3. How do these prophecies help us to think about obedience?  Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins, and now how are we to live before our holy and sovereign God? (Romans 6:1-4)

Devotional: Zechariah 12

Today’s passage: Zechariah 12

Helpful thoughts:

  • Even when every nation on the face of the earth opposes God and His people, they still lose.  Our God will never know defeat.
  • God will pour out His grace on the people of Judah, therefore they will look to Jesus (The one “whom they have pierced”) and repent with weeping.
    • The Holy Spirit will do a great work to bring those people to repentance and salvation in Christ when He returns.  In that day, Israel will be saved (Romans 11:25-27).
  • The final verses declaring the repentance of the people is careful to explain that this repentance will not be a formality spoken by the heads of households, but an individual repentance.  Every individual soul will be brought to conviction, repentance and faith in Christ Jesus as Lord.

Questions to consider:

  1. Why should we listen when the Lord declares truth in His Word?  What are His “credentials” listed in verse 1?
  2. How do those credentials give assurance and legitimacy to His promises in this chapter?  Who alone could accomplish what God is promising here?
  3. What is necessary for Israel to repent?  What is poured out before their hearts are broken in repentance? (Ephesians 2:8-9, Ezekiel 36:26)

Devotional: Zechariah 11

Today’s passage: Zechariah 11

Helpful thoughts:

  • This chapter prophesies the Jews’ rejection of Messiah and God’s leaving them to their own destruction, even allowing an evil shepherd to come and treat them harshly (Antichrist).  The initial judgment expressed appears to be their defeat to the Romans in A.D. 70.
  • The covenant which was broken was that of Deuteronomy 28:1-14.  This was a conditional covenant.  Israel did not obey and God discontinued His protection and blessing.
  • In verse 12, the shepherd asks what he is worth.  The response of the Jews was 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16, Matthew 27:3-10).

Questions to consider:

  1. Shepherds used a rod to ward off predators and protect their sheep.  They used their staff to guide and direct the sheep and keep them together.  How might these uses help us to better understand the illustrations of the two staffs being broken in two?  Why would the rod and staff bring us comfort in light of these typical uses (Psalm 23)?
  2. When God’s chosen nation (Israel) rejected the Lord, what happened to her unity (Verse 14)?  What should we then expect will be that which keeps us united as a church?
  3. What will become of the worthless shepherd?  Will he succeed in his evil work?  Even in this sad prophecy about the future of Israel, what hope remains in the end?

Devotional: Zechariah 10

Today’s passage: Zechariah 10

Helpful thoughts:

  • Because Israel knew what God had promised (Both in the present and in the distant future), they were to know whom to pray to for the rain.
    • It doesn’t make sense to trust in God for our eternity and then pray to idols for temporary sustenance.
  • The methods of false religion are these (From verse 2): Uttering nonsense (Delusions), lies, false dreams, and empty consolation (Vain comforts).
  • God is not a provider who gives us all the things we think we need to achieve security, He is our security (Verse 4).  In Him we have everything we need, including Christ our Cornerstone.

Questions to consider:

  1. How can we grow in being discerning so that when we hear false information and are encouraged to value the temporary more then the eternal, we are able to see the threat and stand firm in our faith?
  2. Is it wrong to pray for rain, or for a job, or a raise in pay?  Why or why not?  What makes the difference in the request?  (James 4:3)
  3. What would make those idols seem worth “trying out” to get what we want?  What are some values and/or some modern day idols that people run to in order to “manifest” their desires?  How does the truth set us free from these traps?

Devotional: Zechariah 9

Today’s passage: Zechariah 9

Helpful thoughts:

  • These first eight verses are believed to speak of Alexander the Great’s conquest through the regions surrounding Israel.  Alexander never fought against Jerusalem (Verse 8a).  And Christ the King will ensure no one ever defeats her again once He begins His reign (Verse 8b).
  • Chapters 9-14 give prophecy concerning the first and second advents of Christ.
    • The triumphal entry is depicted in verse 9 (Matthew 21:5).
  • The Jewish people were told in advance that their Messiah would be from the line of David, just, bringing salvation, and humble (Verse 9).
  • In Christ’s second coming, He will bring the final victory (Verse 15, Revelation 19:11-21)

Questions to consider:

  1. Why will God save His people (Verse 11)?  Is it because of their ability to obey?  Whose word/promise and whose blood makes our salvation sure?
  2. What is the stronghold to which God had called His people to return?  Where/Who was and is their safety?
  3. If we look to other things or people in this world for safety, what will we find?  Who is our place of refuge and peace? (Psalm 46:1)