Hebrews

1. Hebrews Persevere in Jesus LESSON XI

2. REVIEW • Let Us Persevere in Christ • Three main questions • Christ • Who is He? • Who is He not? • Us • What is our relation to Christ and God? • What should we do? • Persevere! • What does that look like?

3. REVIEW • God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:1-4 NKJ)

4. REVIEW • Let Us Persevere in Christ • Three main questions from vv. 1:1-4 • Jesus Christ is: • Prophetic (how God spoke to us) • Appointed heir & created through • God made flesh (If you have seen Me...) • Sustainer of everything • The One Who purged our sins • and sits at God’s right hand • He is better than the Angels. • We • are those who receive God’s word • hear from the Son • are those whose sins He purged

5. REVIEW • Let Us Persevere in Christ • And We must • give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. (2:1) • consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus (3:1) • hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. (3:6) • NOT harden our hearts (3:7) • take heed to ourselves and each other (3:11) • exhort each other daily (3:12) • fear lest any of [us] seem to have come short of [the promise]. (4:1b) • be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. (4:11) • hold fast our confession. (4:14) • come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (4:16)

6. called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek," 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:10-14 NKJ)

7. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. 9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 5:11-12 NKJ)

8. A Frank Rebuke called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek," 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. • Our author had just given us the basic information about the High Priesthood, and explained how Jesus Christ is a High Priest of a differnent order. • He then turns back to his readers. • It seems that they have not been practicing what was preached to them. • Milk or Solid Food • When Last the Author of Hebrews addressed the Readers...

9. Elementary Principles Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. • What do all these have in common? • They are all things that happen to you and/or originate from the outside: • Repent is the only exception. • We are called to repent (and need to be calling this world to repentance); we do repent—that is: turn around and go the other way. • Acts 11:18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life." • Perfection here means “completeness,” “maturity” and it reaches back to our example of this: • And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, (Hebrews 5:9 NKJ)

10. Of Thorns and Produce And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; 8 but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. • There are those who will fall away or Apostasize. • This is not the same as back-sliding, though they may look the same at first. • They will not be able to repent, let alone teach and evangelize. • For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. (Hebrews 12:17 NKJ)

11. Assured Immitators who Inherit the Promise 9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. • Having given a very stern warning, the Author now offers assurance. • What is the only way we are given to know a Christian? • "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:16 [c.f. 20]) • One more exhortation: • Be Immitators.

12. Homework Read Chapters 6 & 7 FOUR times. Check a couple different translations if you can