The last practical exhortation of the Letter to the Hebrews is to remember, obey, and submit to leadership. In this sermon, we will reflect upon why having this attitude toward leadership is important, but why this can also be controversial. ..

The Letter to the Hebrews ends by providing practical implications of all the glorious blessings that we have in Jesus Christ. Most recently, Hebrews has pointed our attention to the promised faith and discipline that we have in Christ. As we reflect upon all that Christ has done for us, what kind of an impact should this have in our everyday lives? Hebrews gives two examples…

Last week, we were humbled as we reflected upon how various individuals persevered in faith and yet never saw the fulfillment of God's promise (e.g., Abraham, Moses, etc.). All these individuals are waiting for the ultimate consummation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This brings us the theme of this sermon series: running the race together. As early as Abel, every person of God is still waiting, which should compel us to endure in this race. However, this kind of endurance is not natural, but is instead developed through discipline. Thus, the focus of this chapter is on the discipline that God promises all his children whom he loves in Christ…

All throughout Hebrews (and the rest of the Bible), faith is a very important part of our conformity to Jesus Christ. This kind of faith is not some vague belief in something generic; instead, it is a conviction that God's promises are true: he is who he says he is and he will do what he said he will do. Although this understanding of faith is simple, it can feel impossible to live out when we are overwhelmed by our circumstances and our sin…

At this point in the Letter to the Hebrews, we see a repeating pattern: (1) Hebrews first points us to Jesus Christ—who he is and what he has done for us; (2) based on Christ, Hebrews then exhorts us to seek after God, hold fast to our confession, and to meet/encourage one another; (3) however, if we do not respond to Christ appropriately, then there is a grave warning; (4) fortunately for the people of Hebrews, there are signs that they are responding appropriately; but (5) regardless of the potential of the people of Hebrews, their ultimate hope is in God's promise…

In this passage, we continue to reflect upon the priesthood of Jesus Christ. More specifically, we reflect upon how the blood of Christ is both effective and final. In order for us to understand this, we must remember God's holiness, God's grace, and the sinfulness of humanity…

Have you ever experienced a paradigm shift? It is unsettling to realize that your old way of acting, thinking, and living is off the mark and must be replaced with a new way. As mentioned previously in this sermon series, Hebrews shows that a paradigm shift is needed. This is why Hebrews repeatedly compares Jesus Christ with figures like angels, Moses, Melchizadek, and Abraham. Ultimately, the people's way of living must be transformed by the new covenant of Christ…

In this passage, Hebrews makes a few side points before continuing the idea of Jesus as a high priest of a new and better covenant. This week's sermon will focus on these side points. Essentially, this passage encourages us to reflect upon our maturation in Christ. We should assess our growth, but also have confidence that our growth is ultimately based on God's promise that is fulfilled in Christ…

As we have been reminded every week, the hope that Hebrews provides us is exclusively in Jesus Christ. This week, we reflect upon Jesus Christ as the great high priest. Although thinking about Jesus Christ as a high priest might make him sound more distant and less intimate, it's actually the opposite…

This week's passage presents a firm warning. All of us are susceptible to a hardened heart, which is deeply offensive to God. God not only considers a hardened heart as rebellion, but a hardened heart provokes God's wrath (3.7-11). So what exactly is a hardened heart and why is it so dishonoring to God?

As much as the gospel is "the good news," Scripture also presents it as a warning. The gospel should provoke urgency, but not for the reasons that we often think. We often think that it should compel us to go to church, read the Bible, pray, and do other Christian actions. When we realize that we fail to do these actions, it unfortunately leads to a sense of misguided guilt and shame…

What comes to mind when you think of your relationship with God? Do you dwell on former seasons where the relationship felt easier? Or perhaps you are discouraged at the present because you feel stuck? Or maybe you are worried about whether or not you can remain faithful as life seems to be getting more complicated?