Hebrews 9:15-28 A Mediator's Death That Redeems

we return to the book of Hebrews and continue in Chapter 9. Several weeks ago, we worked through the first 14 verses. In those sections, the writer gave us a quick tour of the Tabernacle and explained its message, saying, “By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper” (Heb. 9:8-9). Then, in verses 11-14, the writer explained that Jesus, the better High Priest, and sacrifice did what the Old Covenant elements could not do. He has permanently cleansed our sins and consciences so that we may enter God’s presence through Him. All this culminates in a conclusion stated in verse 15. “ Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant” (v. 15). There is so much packed into this conclusion statement that the rest of the chapter will explain and expand on this verse. Jesus has provided the promised inheritance that the Old Covenant works and sacrifices could only point toward. The blood of Jesus cleanses in a way that no other can. The argument of Hebrews 9:15-28 is difficult to follow. Therefore, I would encourage you to read Hebrews 9:11-28 multiple times before Sunday. To help you prepare, I have provided a more detailed outline to see the flow of the argument. Ultimately, the writer shows why Jesus’ death is necessary to inaugurate and consummate the New Covenant and how Jesus fulfilled everything necessary to have an eternal relationship with God.

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Hebrews 9:1-14 How Can We Enter The Holy Place?

By now, the continuous exposition of Hebrews may be wearing on you. The context and argument of Hebrews is a bit foreign to us as modern Western readers. This world of sacred tabernacles, altars, priests, and ceremonial rites is not part of our upbringing or customs. We are certainly not tempted to return to such practices as the first Hebrew readers were. So, what does this intricately detailed comparison and contrast of Jesus’ new covenant and the old covenant have to do with me? In our text (9:1-14), the author will tell us what the Holy Spirit teaches us through the old covenant Tabernacle. “By this (the limited access to God’s presence), the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section (the Tabernacle) is still standing” (Heb. 9:8). This has everything to do with us. The Tabernacle shows us that the way into God’s presence is closed because of His holiness and humanity’s sin. The Tabernacle kept God’s people at a distance so they would not die from His holy presence. The Tabernacle in Israel’s camp was a constant reminder that though God dwelled among them, they must keep out of that tent or die. However, this section also shows us that the Tabernacle and the Old Covenant system were never intended to be the final answer. The Old Covenant could never cleanse the conscience and allow complete access to God (v. 9-10). Then, Hebrews shows us the contrast of Jesus’ sacrifice and high priestly work that not only secures our eternal redemption but also cleanses the conscience so that now, in Christ, we enter into the full presence of God without fear. Today, you are not tempted to build a sacred tent and start sacrificing goats, but we are all tempted to forsake the way of Jesus and follow some other means to be accepted by God. Yet, just like the works of the Old Covenant, nothing other than Christ can cleanse us on the inside so that we may draw near to God.

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Hebrews 8:7-13 Better Promises of The New Covenant

As we spring into daylight savings time this Sunday, we will work our way through Hebrews 8:7-13. In the last few sections, we have spent significant time understanding and glorying in Jesus as our perfect High Priest, mediator, and intercessor. Now, the writer discusses the covenant our Priest mediates to us. We ended in verse 6 last week, which said Christ is superior to the old priests because the covenant He mediates is based on better promises. Hebrews 8:7- 13 contrasts the old and new covenants to explain those “better promises” that Jesus mediates. Most of Hebrews 8:7-13 is a direct quote from Jeremiah 31:33-34 as the prophet foretold God’s intention to establish a new and better covenant with His people. Hebrews 8 uses Jeremiah’s text to show that God Himself declared the old covenant insufficient because of the people’s sinful hearts, and He promised to remedy mankind’s “heart problem” with a new covenant. Rather than a covenant based on the efforts of God and humans, as the Mosaic covenant stipulated, God Himself would change the hearts of His people, dwell with them, and accomplish complete and perfect forgiveness. The “fault” in the old covenant (man’s sinful inability to keep the law) is overcome by the “better promises” of the new. Jesus satisfies the justice of the law and, as our High Priest and sacrifice, accomplishes what the law could not do. In Christ, God’s new covenant promises are poured out fully through Him, and the sinner’s heart is transformed as God Himself writes His law upon it by the Spirit. As the writer continues to make his case to the Hebrew Christians, it becomes increasingly clear that attempting to worship and serve God through the old covenant law is futile and foolish when better promises have been given.

I. The "fault" In The Old Covenant (v. 7-9)

II. The Better Promises Of The New Covenant (v. 10-12)

III. The Exclusive Nature Of The New Covenant (v. 13)

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Hebrews 8:1-6 We Have Such A High Priest

Hebrews 8:1-13 describes Jesus’ “more excellent” ministry as our perfect High Priest and the better covenant of which He is our mediator. This Sunday, we will examine the first six verses as the writer demonstrates that, though the Hebrew Christians no longer take part in the sacrifices and priests of the earthly temple, they still have a perfect priest, a true tabernacle, and an eternally sufficient sacrifice. As I studied the text and prayed this week in preparation, I found myself thinking, “How much more do we really need to know about Jesus as our High Priest?” Honestly, we have considered the writer’s arguments pretty deeply through chapters 5 & 7. Yet, the deeper I investigated Hebrews 8:1-6, the more convicted I became of that mindset. Jesus representing us as our High Priest and sacrifice is the gospel! I had forgotten the basic context of the book’s intent. The writer of Hebrews isn’t calling his readers to learn about Jesus’ High Priesthood. He is calling them to trust in it and stake their lives and eternity on it! The truths of Jesus’ priestly ministry in the true heavenly tabernacle are not just theological reflection to be studied, they are the heart and soul of our salvation. By intricately explaining Jesus’ superior intercession and sacrifice in the real holy of holies, the Book of Hebrews intends to spur our hearts to depend upon Jesus more, to repent of our sin more, and to worship Christ as the all-sufficient Lord of Glory. For the author, this is not a mere instructional lecture on Christ’s nature and ministry, he places Jesus’ priesthood before that we might turn more deeply to Him and hold fast to our confession without wavering. The Hebrew Christians have a Priest who reigns over all things (8:1), a true tabernacle which all the earthly temples point to (8:4-5), and an offering that saves to the uttermost presented by our perfect Priest (8:3). Though we may be coving ground we have trod before, we should not think of these truths as repetitive mundane doctrine to be learned. This is an exploration of our identity in Christ that should draw our hearts deeper into worship and dependence. Don’t just learn it – depend on it. This text doesn’t just show us that such a Priest exists. He says, "We have such a priest" (8:1).

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Hebrews 7:23-28 Able To Save To The Uttermost

For the next several chapters, Hebrews will continue to show us the purpose and result of Jesus as our perfect High Priest. Through the first 22 verses of chapter 7, the writer proved to the Hebrew Christians that Jesus’ priesthood is superior to the Levitical priests. Jesus’ priesthood is shown using the picture of Melchizedek, a mysterious priest-king from Genesis 14. Last week, we worked through Hebrews 7:1-22, which was a very complex argument proving Jesus is our perfect priest. If you haven’t listened to the sermon walking through this dense section, I encourage you to do so before Sunday because this week, we will finish chapter 7, examining the conclusion of the writer’s argument. Hebrews 7:23-28 will be much more straightforward. Because Jesus is the perfect priest who lives forever representing us eternally, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him (v. 25). Verse 25 is one of the most profound and beautiful truths in the Scripture. Jesus is able to save because He lives forever interceding for His people. Today, our priest is interceding for us by His perfect life and sacrifice. As the Hebrew Christians suffered persecution, they needed to know that their advocate still stands at the throne on their behalf. Their trial is not without purpose or hope. And because Jesus is our priest by God’s own sworn oath (v. 28) our mediator perfectly satisfies every aspect of our justification, our ongoing sanctification, and our future glorification. Jesus is superior and sufficient because only He is able to save to the uttermost.

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Hebrews 7:1-22 Jesus is A Better Priest

In Hebrews 5:1-10, the writer began teaching that Jesus is the true and perfect High Priest. He quoted Psalm 110:4, showing that God swore His Messiah would be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. However, before explaining what he meant, he stopped this line of teaching because the Hebrews were “dull of hearing” and needed to go on to maturity (5:11-6:20). Sunday, as we come to chapter 7, the author will pick up where he left off, teaching what it means that Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. Chapter 7 is very dense and often confusing in our context because we are not steeped in the culture of Judaism. If someone says, “Jesus is a perfect priest, greater than all the Levitical priests in the Old Covenant,” we would say, “We agree! Let’s move on to something else.” Yet, the author of Hebrews spends considerable time and energy proving that Jesus is better than the Levitical priests. He does this because these Hebrew Christians facing persecution and suffering were tempted by the arguments of their fellow Jews. They were tempted by questions like, “How can Jesus be a priest at all since God’s law commands all priests be Levites?” “Why did God give a law for the priesthood if He always planned on changing the priesthood?” Although we will only preach through verse 22 Sunday, the main point of chapter 7 is found in v. 25. “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Though the depth of argument may not be necessary to convince us Jesus is our perfect High Priest, it was for the Hebrews. Likewise, we also learn how the Scriptures had always foretold and pointed to the true priesthood of Jesus Christ. We need a priest to perfectly represent us eternally before the Father – and we have one! Jesus is the “guarantor of a better covenant” (v.22).

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Hebrews 6:13-20 An Anchor For The Soul

Though the last two sections of Hebrews have been challenging, the author doesn’t leave his readers without hope before returning to the exposition of Jesus’ High Priestly work. Sunday, we will examine Hebrews 6:13-20, the last part of the digression, before returning to his central teaching about Jesus. For the first five chapters, the author extolled the glories of Jesus and His superior nature. In chapter 5, he began teaching about Jesus as our perfect High Priest, but from 5:11-6:20, he stops to give a command (Go on to maturity), a warning of falling away, and an encouragement of hope. Hebrews 6:13-20 is the encouragement. Using Abraham as an example of one who held fast to his hope, the author shows that the Christian’s hope is not found in how well we hold fast but in the promise of God. The writer shows us that God not only gave us a promise but swore an oath that His promise will never fail. By these two unchangeable things (the promise and the oath), we have a hope that anchors our soul in the presence of God. God didn’t have to swear an oath because His Word is trustworthy. However, He swore by Himself because 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.” (v. 17). The reason He did so is so that “we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.” (v. 18). Sunday, we will examine the promise and oath to Abraham and the promise and oath we have in Christ.

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Hebrews 6:4-12 The Warning Of Apostasy

I hope you have read and re-read Hebrews 5:11-6:12 over the past week. If not, I would encourage you to do so before Sunday. This Sunday, we finish the second part (6:4-12), perhaps the most controversial, debated, and difficult text in Scripture. Throughout Christian history, there have been a myriad of interpretations and applications of this text. The language of this text is shocking and terrifying, making the reader sit up and notice. That reaction is exactly what the author of Hebrews intends. This is a warning – a real warning - for the professing Hebrew Christians tempted to turn back to Judaism. However, saying, “It is impossible…to renew them again to repentance” (v. 4-6) is incredibly severe. In preparing to present this passage, I don’t have the luxury of simply telling you what the text “can’t” mean. To be faithful to God’s word, I must tell you clearly and correctly (as best I am able by God’s grace) what the text does mean, and how it applies to us today. Therefore, as we dissect the text, we will probably answer many of the questions most ask concerning this passage, but we cannot divert from the author’s intent in the context. This passage is a warning for the professing Christians. This warning echoes the previous warnings in Hebrews. (3:6-7; 14). The content of this warning teaches the same truth with differing emphasis. I don’t know if we will answer every question you may have about this passage, but we will seek to be faithful to the author’s meaning, tone, and application. Again, I would suggest reading and re-reading 5:11-6:12 so that you will have a working knowledge of the passage as we dive into it on Sunday.

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Hebrews 5:11-6:3 Go On To Maturity

Sunday, we begin a very captivating and complex section in the book of Hebrews. For five chapters, the writer has exalted the glories of Jesus and repeatedly shown how He is better than all else. As Hebrews continues to call the readers to hold fast to Christ, chapter 5 began explaining the depths of Jesus as our perfect High Priest. As the author mentions Jesus as a priest in the order of Melchizedek, he stops this line of teaching and gives one of the strongest warnings in all of Scripture. Hebrews 5:11-6:12 is a single unit, but we will examine this section in two sermons. Here, the writer admonishes the Hebrew Christians for being “dull of hearing” and needing milk instead of solid food. Hebrews 5:11-6:3 will be our text Sunday, as we see the danger of spiritual immaturity and learn why and how we “go on to maturity” (Heb. 6:1). The following Sunday, we will examine what is perhaps the most debated text in the Bible, Heb. 6:4-12, which is a warning about apostasy. However, please read the whole section (5:11-6:12) for this Sunday. The writer does not separate these two concepts but shows that regressing into spiritual immaturity is the first step toward apostasy. I will readily confess that this has been the most challenging section of Scripture I have ever had to explain. There is no end to the different interpretations of the writer's words. Therefore, I hope to show you what the text means and how I came to my conclusions. You may be surprised Sunday as we challenge the common definitions of milk, solid food, spiritual maturity, and progress in the Christian life.

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Hebrews 5:1-10 Our Perfect High Priest

Sunday, we continue in Hebrews 5:1-10 as the writer shows Jesus not only qualifies as a High Priest but exceeds the qualifications of any other High Priest. Jesus is a superior High Priest to all who have come before. This may not seem like a profound revelation to us, but the implications for our Christian walk are immense. The writer gives three qualifications of any priest in verses 1-4. They must represent the people before God with offerings, identify with the people’s weaknesses, and be appointed by God to the task. Through verses 5-10, the writer takes these qualifications in reverse order, showing that Jesus has fulfilled them all more than any earthly priest could. This week as I studied this passage, verses 7-8 regarding how Jesus identifies with our weakness (yet without sin) deeply impacted me. Those verses say, “7 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 (reverent submission) 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. I look forward to working through this text with you as the Holy Spirit applies the word to our lives.

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Hebrews 4:14-16 Drawing Near The Throne Of Grace

Hebrews 4:14-16 begins a new section in the book of Hebrews. In fact, from this passage through chapter 10, the book's focus will be on Jesus as our perfect High Priest. That theme is introduced here, showing the readers why they must hold fast to their confession and how to do so. Those two truths will be the points of Sunday’s sermon. 1. Why we must hold fast, and 2. How we hold fast to our confession. Hebrews 3:7-4:13 was a sermon exegeting Psalm 95:7-11. That long passage’s point called the suffering Hebrew Christians not to turn from the Lord as the wilderness generation did. The refrain repeated in that section is, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.” Last week, we saw the end of that “mini-sermon” in 4:11-13. We were told that the word of God lays us all bare before the Lord, revealing our true intents and motivations, and everyone will give an account before God based on His word, not our feelings, circumstances, or sufferings. That is a frightening truth, but the writer continues by showing us why we hold fast to our confession – because we have a high priest, the Son of God, who has passed through the heavens. Jesus has done what the Old Testament priests could never do – brought His people unfettered continual access to the Holy God. However, anyone mired in the fires of suffering knows that “holding fast” is easier said than done. How could we possibly find the strength to hold on and follow Christ despite the trials. We have a High Priest who not only passed through the heavens for us but stands ready to help us in our time of need, sympathizing with our weakness. We hold fast by His grace and receive it as we continually draw near to the throne. Sunday, we will learn why we must continue following Christ when everything without and within tells us to turn back, and we will see how we accomplish this by drawing near to the throne of grace with boldness, “that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (v.16)

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Hebrews 4:12-13 God's Powerful Word

Hebrews 4:12-13 is the conclusion of the mini-sermon we have been studying. Hebrews 3:7-4:13 is a comprehensive sermon applying Psalm 95:7-11 to the Hebrew readers. Throughout this text, the author compares the suffering Hebrew Christians, tempted to turn back to Judaism, to Israel in the wilderness, who refused to enter the promised land. The repeated cry of this text is, "Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart." As the writer ends this “sermon,” he exhorts us to strive to enter God’s rest, 12“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. 13 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” (Heb. 4:12-13). The word of God is the standard by which judgment will be leveled. We often think that our circumstances, situations, and issues are too complex for the word of God to discern accurately, but that is not the case. The word is living and active, speaking to our precise situation and needs. The living God speaks to our immediate issues through His living word. The word exposes our hearts, showing our motivations and the intent of our hearts. The word of God lays our hearts bare before the God to whom we must give account. He knows our deepest motivations and the intent of our hearts. Regardless of how we may justify or explain away our disobedience, the word of God will be the standard by which we are judged. No claims of mitigating circumstances lessen our guilt before the one who knows the depths of our hearts and sees all. Therefore, we must strive to enter His rest according to the word of God. There is no other standard by which me must give account. The word of God is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. We may convince those around us and ourselves, but the word of God stands as the judge of all, exposing the intent of the heart before Him to whom we must give account. Our New Year resolution should be to submit ourselves to God’s word in repentance when our sin is exposed rather than stubborn disobedience. We have a high priest who has made sacrifice for our sin, yet we must not stand against the word of God. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.

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Hebrews 4:1-11 Entering God's Rest

CORRECTION: In the audio, Numbers 15:42-43 is referenced - it is actually Numbers 14:42-43

Salvation is Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s rest. Having received the covenant promise by grace through faith in Jesus, there is no more work to be done. However, walking in faith as we trust in Jesus through the wilderness of this fallen world is a battle. The world, the flesh, and the devil consistently pull at our hearts and minds to draw us away from following Christ. That was happening to the Hebrew Christians to which Hebrews was written. They were suffering persecution and hardship, and the temptation to go back to the worldly safety of Judaism was strong. Hebrews 3 began with a very concise command. In Jesus, we are holy brothers with a heavenly calling; therefore, “consider Jesus.” Last week, we discussed what it means to fix our hearts and minds upon Him. As the writer continues, Hebrews 3:7-19 will bring one of the hardest warnings in the book. The readers are warned through these verses to beware of a hardening heart. The pattern of a hardening heart is given in verses (7-11) as the writer quotes Psalm 95:7-11. The Israelites who came out of Egypt show this pattern in the wilderness. Then, the readers are warned to protect themselves from a hardening heart (12-15). Finally, the reader must not presume this warning doesn’t apply to us (16-19), as the author demonstrates the same people who came out of Egypt in praise, joy, and glory were the ones who rebelled and died in the wilderness. Verse 19 shows us the real problem – unbelief. Using the wilderness wanderings as an example, the author of Hebrews exhorts the Christians, saying, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (3:12). These Hebrew Christians were also traveling through the wilderness of persecution and suffering. When trial comes, will they do what the Exodus generation did and grumble, complain, and rebel? Would they wish to return to Egypt when they can’t find water, as that generation did? Or would they trust the God who has spoken in His Son? The seeds of unbelief can fester in any heart, which is why we are called 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” (3:13).

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Hebrews 3:7-19 Beware A Hardening Heart

Salvation is Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s rest. Having received the covenant promise by grace through faith in Jesus, there is no more work to be done. However, walking in faith as we trust in Jesus through the wilderness of this fallen world is a battle. The world, the flesh, and the devil consistently pull at our hearts and minds to draw us away from following Christ. That was happening to the Hebrew Christians to which Hebrews was written. They were suffering persecution and hardship, and the temptation to go back to the worldly safety of Judaism was strong. Hebrews 3 began with a very concise command. In Jesus, we are holy brothers with a heavenly calling; therefore, “consider Jesus.” Last week, we discussed what it means to fix our hearts and minds upon Him. As the writer continues, Hebrews 3:7-19 will bring one of the hardest warnings in the book. The readers are warned through these verses to beware of a hardening heart. The pattern of a hardening heart is given in verses (7-11) as the writer quotes Psalm 95:7-11. The Israelites who came out of Egypt show this pattern in the wilderness. Then, the readers are warned to protect themselves from a hardening heart (12-15). Finally, the reader must not presume this warning doesn’t apply to us (16-19), as the author demonstrates the same people who came out of Egypt in praise, joy, and glory were the ones who rebelled and died in the wilderness. Verse 19 shows us the real problem – unbelief. Using the wilderness wanderings as an example, the author of Hebrews exhorts the Christians, saying, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (3:12). These Hebrew Christians were also traveling through the wilderness of persecution and suffering. When trial comes, will they do what the Exodus generation did and grumble, complain, and rebel? Would they wish to return to Egypt when they can’t find water, as that generation did? Or would they trust the God who has spoken in His Son? The seeds of unbelief can fester in any heart, which is why we are called 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” (3:13).

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Hebrews 3:1-6 We Are His House

Jesus is better than Moses therefore, we are exhorted to "consider Jesus" so that we might hold fast to the confession or our hope.

Hebrews 2:10-18 Why The Son Had To Suffer As Man

Hebrews 2:5-9 But We See Jesus

Sunday, we continue in Hebrews 2 by examining verses 5-9. Though Hebrews 2:5-18 is a single unit, there is so much here that we will break it into two sermons. The overall point 5-18 demonstrates why it was fitting for the Son of God to become fully human and to suffer. The writer begins by showing God’s intent for mankind. He says it is not to angels that God has subjected the world to come. Then he quotes Psalm 8:4-5 to illustrate this. In Psalm 8, David wonders at the grandeur of God’s creation and marvels that God is mindful and cares for man. Even more incredible, God made mankind in his image (crowned with glory and honor) and gave humanity dominion over creation. Using this quote from Psalm 8, the writer of Hebrews anticipates an objection. Commenting on the Psalm, the writer says, "At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him" (Heb. 2:8). The Hebrew Christians were suffering for their faith. They were outcasts from their Jewish kinsmen and persecuted by fellow Jews and Rome. Dominion, glory, honor, and a crown seemed like the last thing they were experiencing. However, verse 9 is a pivot point in the chapter. Verse 8 says we don’t see everything subjected to him (man), but then verse 9 tells us what we do see. "9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." The ESV obscures the writers point a little bit. The text of v. 9 says "him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, We See Jesus crowned with glory and honor. Jesus is man as he ought to be. Jesus has been crowned with glory and honor. Jesus has been given perfect dominion as He sits at the Father’s right hand until all His enemies are put under His feet. Jesus has accomplished what Adam failed to do. That is glorious news for suffering believers being warned not to drift from Christ. There is a world to come, a new heaven and a new earth, and by grace through faith, we are united with Jesus, who reigns over all. We are co-heirs with Christ. Holding to Jesus, even in the face of suffering, is better than any peace, rest, or comfort in this world. We don’t yet see all the glory and splendor of God’s intention for our lives and this creation, but we see Jesus...

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Hebrews 2:1-4 The Danger of Drifting

I hope you have delighted in Hebrews’ exhalation of Jesus. Chapter 1 showed us that Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s nature. The Son is the final revelation of God in these last days, so the writer of Hebrews showed us how Jesus is better than the angels, God’s highest messengers. And because Jesus is superior to the angels, we must hold fast to the gospel declared by the Son. As we begin chapter 2, we come to the first of five warning passages in Hebrews. Hebrews 2:1-4 is a solemn and urgent call to avoid drifting away from Christ and the gospel as our anchor. If the message declared by angels (which we saw is the law of Moses, the Old Covenant of God) proved to be reliable, then how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? This first warning of Hebrews isn’t a caution against rebelliously turning from Christ, it warns us against being gradually pulled away from our hope and neglecting Christ. There is a remedy for this drifting. We are told to pay closer attention to what we have heard! We can’t take the gospel for granted and neglect the pursuit of Christ with our whole lives. We must pay attention - to center all we are on the truth of the gospel, not drifting away with the undercurrent of our flesh, the world, or lifeless religious practices. Sunday, we will examine this warning in Hebrews 2:1-4.

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Hebrews 1:5-14 Jesus Is Better Than The Angels

This Sunday’s text is going to be difficult. The writer of Hebrews quotes seven Old Testament passages to prove that Jesus is better than the angels. But the overarching question is why is this argument necessary? Any reader of the New Testament understands that Jesus is God the Son. Of course He is superior to the angels. And how does this argument help urge the Hebrew Christians not to return to Judaism and the Old Covenant law of Moses? Over the past week, I have reworded, reorganized, and restructured the sermon at least five times in order to make it easy to understand and not 50 minutes long. But this will be a complex presentation of why the writer of Hebrews presents this, and what all these Old Testament references show us in context. In a nutshell, the premise upon which the writer begins is that angels accompanied and ordained the giving of the law to Moses (See Acts 7:37 and Gal. 3:19). So by saying Jesus is superior to the angels, the writer is showing that the message given to us by the Son, is the consummation and fulfillment of all God’s previous revelation, whether through the prophets or angels. This is verified by the context in Hebrews 1 & 2. Hebrews 1:5-14 (our text for Sunday) is a dense list of seven Old Testament quotations proving Jesus is better than angels. Then the application of this argument comes to us in Hebrews 2:1-4 - He says THEREFORE (because Jesus is better than angels) we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, (gospel) lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

Please read Hebrews 1:5 - 2:4 a few times before Sunday. It is a very dense argument and easy to get lost in the details. Ultimately, the writer is still urging the Hebrew Christians not to return to Judaism and the Old Covenant, even though doing so would free them from the suffering they were experiencing. The point is Jesus is better than the law of Moses even though the law was ordained by angels.

I pray that I am able to lay this case out contextually and faithfully, and also simply enough to be easily understood. I ask that you would pray for that as well. - And you may also want to drink some extra coffee before service.

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Hebrews 1:1-3 God Has Spoken