S – He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever. 

 Heb 7:27–28.

O – Great distinction about the law providing forgiveness of sins and implemented through the fraility of human, sinful priests.  Jesus, as God’s appointed high priest was sinless and defeated sin  and death once and for eternity.

A – I need to come to God with full confidence that He will forgive my sins.  I must deal with my sins first.  As a minister, I must do this first and then work on helping others with their relationship with God.  I like the importance of dealing with my own stuff before helping others.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.”

 Heb 6:17–19 CSB

O – God swore an oath against himself because there is nothing greater to swear by than He.  His oath (hŏrkŏs – a fence; a limit,  (sacred) restraint — oath) took an unlimited God and He put limits on himself to do what he said.  Then, it says it is impossible to lie (psĕudŏmai – to utter an untruth or attempt to deceive by falsehood:— falsely, lie.)  God cannot utter a falsehood.  Putting that together, God will restrain himself to do what he said and when he says it, it is the truth.  As believers, this is our hope (ĕlpis,  expectation; or confidence:— faith, hope) 

We can be confident in God because He will do what He says because He cannot lie.

A – We need to know God’s Word and promises to walk in confidence in what God will do for us and know the character in which He will fulfill his promises.

R – Lord, help me to know you and your word better today.

.

S – Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

  Hebrews 5:8 CSB 

O – Jesus was obedient to God by taking the form of His Son, leaving heaven, becoming a human and going to the cross.  There is suffering in all of this journey. Compare Php 2:6–8, “equal with God, but … took upon Him the form of a servant, and became obedient unto death,” &c. He was obedient already before going to the cross by becoming a servant.  His obedience took him from God, to human, to servant and sacrifice.  

A – I want to grow in my obedience to God’s word and in His leading each day.  This will take on different forms and roles.  Give me the courage to remain obedient in each situation.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. 

Hebrews 4:15–16 CSB

O – Jesus knows what it means to be human.  He knows the temptations this world has to offer.  Jesus beat temptation and never sinned.  His obedience gives us access to God and his throne, where we find mercy and grace in our own lives.

A – Love these verses.  It is remarkable that God came to earth in the form of a man.  In doing so, he allowed himself to feel what a human feels – all of it.  The good and the bad.  Temptation is such a strong pull.  One person’s Achilles heel is not true for another…but all of us have something that we battle against.  Vs. 15 reminds us that Jesus “experimentally knew what power was needed to overcome temptations. He is capable of sympathizing, for He was at the same time tempted without sin, and yet truly tempted.”( Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible,) 

Also, love the concept of mercy and grace.  I can walk into one of my family’s homes with “boldness.”  I am not afraid to do that.  In doing so I receive Mercy—grace (ἔλεος—χάριν). Mercy for past sins; grace for future work, trial, and resistance to temptation (Word Studies in the New Testament,) Great breakdown – mercy for what I have done and grace for my journey forward.  That means I also extend that to others.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – “For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house. ⁴ Now every house is built by someone, but the one who built everything is God. ⁵ Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. ⁶ But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household if we hold on to our confidence and the hope in which we boast.”

Hebrews 3:3–6 CSB

O – Footnote: Moses was held in very high esteem in Jewish thought. The apocryphal book of Sirach says Moses was “a godly man, who found favor in the sight of all and was believed by God and people . . . He [God] made him equal in glory to the holy ones.”5 The author of Hebrews elevated Jesus as the ultimate mediator—even above Moses, who spoke to God “face to face” (Ex 33:11; see note there). This likely served as an invitation to the reader to not rely on Moses or Judaism but to seek Christ, to whom Moses pointed.

The early church was struggling with Jesus as Messiah and God’s son, while holding on to the traditional model of the OT.  

A – We do this today as well.  The Holy Spirit will guide us in the way we need to go today.  We can learn and use the wisdom of the past. Yet, we should use it as a foundation for the future instead of an anchor to not grow in God’s daily purpose and plan.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—¹⁵ and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.

Hebrews 2:14–15 CSB

O – Jesus came to earth as a man so that he could experience similar experiences as humans in their physical bodies and inner workings.  The devil had dominion over death and Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross destroyed Satan’s reign over death and its consequences to sin.  By offering the plan of salvation, we are free to accept that plan.  In doing so, the fear of death is removed because we are no longer bound to our sins.  Our relationship with God that started while on earth will continue after our physical death.

A – I am grateful for the cross and the love that God had for me.  

R – Lord, help me to walk in that gratitude and share your love with others today.

S – In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe^, through him. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.^{, 4} So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs

Hebrews 1:2–4 CSB

O – Love these verses because it clearly establishes Jesus as God’s Son.  It also describes the role he played in the creation of the world, his dominion over everything and that Jesus is in relationship with God.  He also describes Jesus as the reflection of God’s nature.  That means the more I learn about Jesus through God’s word, the more I learn of the nature of God.  It validates Jesus’ actions on the cross and His rightful place in heaven.

A – I want to pursue God’s nature today.  I recognize the brokenness of my human nature and choose to move toward His.  

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened.

Luke 24:21 CSB

O –  The Greek for hoping (trusting) and redeem (loosen, ransom, redeem).  Even with all of Jesus’ teaching, his followers were expecting and believing for some action for Israel.  Moses physically took Israel out of Egypt. A strong expectation would be a different relationship with Roman oppression.  Jesus’ crucifixion didn’t meet their expectations.  And three days later, they had no change and a missing body.

A – It is very challenging and difficult when God doesn’t meet your expectations.  How do you express that to a God you cannot “see, touch, or feel.”  You pray but it feels like you are speaking/listening in a vacuum.  You don’t see any tangible difference in things and situations around you.  This is a real part of the Christian journey.  

I have been through this numerous times.  I focus on the fact that God wants relationship.  Similar to all relationships, there are times when the other doesn’t meet our expectations.  I share everything I am feeling with God in prayer, no matter how it feels.  I “let him have it.”  He can handle it…with this caveat.  You need to be committed to listening.  As quiet as it seems when you start, there will come a time when you “hear” God just like when things are “good.”  There is no time frame for this.  It is a relationship, not a formula.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

Starting Hebrews tomorrow!

S – “When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous.”

Luke 23:47 CSB

O – The Roman officer glorifies (esteems glory and honor) to God.  And he fulfills a  prophecy in Isaiah 53:11 “After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will carry their iniquities.  It would be fascinating to watch this soldier do his job of leading his men through this atrocity and have some connection to God afterward.  The range of emotion and humility must have been astounding.

We have the same opportunity when we repent – for the first time or daily.  We are doing our own thing and then we recognize the bigness of God is greater.  Humbling.

A – I want to be quicker to repent.  Embrace my own humility and what God is showing me.  Then, turn to glorify God for the victory instead of walking in shame where I was defeated.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” ²³ So they began to argue among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it. ²⁴ Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest.

Luke 22:22–24 CSB

O – Two arguments broke out at the last supper.  It is mind-boggling to think that Jesus’ last meal with the men who walked with him for three years turned into a mess.  They had enough “stuff” on each other that they weren’t sure who would betray Jesus.  “Then” it transitions from the loss of their rabbi and Messiah to who will be the greatest.  What a crazy pivot.  Losing the most influential person in their lives (and history) turned into “who is at the top” in his kingdom?  Imagine how Jesus felt going to the garden to pray and knowing his time was at hand…what confidence did he have in his guys that they were ready for after the events to come?

A – Quick application thoughts:

• Be present in the moment today.
• Believe the best in others.
• Listen before speaking.
• Influence is stronger than title.
• Trust in the team.
• I can only control me.
• Do what God has purposed me to do.

R – Lord, help me to do these things today.