Christmas Break

Hello everyone...is anyone still out there? I wouldn't blame you if you have surfed away because the freakin' blog hasn't been updated for almost a month! Man time sure flys! We will be picking it up in the new year starting January 7. Our first order of business will be to re-visit chapter 3:1-6 in review and then launch into 3:7-19.

Hebrews 3:1-6 takes us through yet another comparison. Here we find Jesus being compared to Moses. Now for us living in the Lower Mainland we might not understand the impact of what the author is doing. So think of it this way - what he is doing is essentially taking Jesus and comparing him to anyone whom we find to have any historical, political, religious and social importance. For this church Moses was regarded as 'the man'. No one could measure up to what Moses had done, seen, spoke about or did. There is even the suggestion that Moses was so highly thought of that some people may have even been in danger of worshipping him. And here we have the author saying that this Jesus is more important than Moses himself. Here's a short list;

Moses - administered the covenant throughout the household of Israel. But was himself only a part of that household.

Jesus - rules over the household as one appointed by the builder - namely God.

Moses - was not the author of the covenant he administered.

Jesus - was and is the author of what is called the 'Mosaic Law' as well as the new covenant. (which was inaugurated at the last supper)

So, here we have Moses who was very important to the historical, political and religious traditions of the Israelites. And now someone more worthy, more important, one who was and is closer to God than Moses could ever have been; Jesus of Nazareth.

Moses was considered a faithful servant. Jesus is called the apostle and High Priest of our confession. Jesus was more faithful over the house of Israel like a son. Moses was good - but Jesus is better.

I wonder how this might look in our context? Who is the most important person, the most influential person, of your life? In an age where we look to others 'higher' than ourselves for inspiration, motivation, liberation...Hebrews is telling us Jesus is better.

I love Jesus. I love the Bible. I love opening up God's word and teaching through it's pages. Won't you join us? We'll be starting again on January 7 - 7:15pm to 8:30pm. We would love to have you join us.

And in case I don't get to it before the 25th, have a very blessed Christmas!

Chapter 3:1-6

Tomorrow we will be walking through a comparison between Moses and Jesus. Talk about two giants! One thing that sticks out (although I have to confess that the previous statement seems to be one that is understated by me all the time - lol) is the statement that "...Moses was faithful in all God's house...". Really? Moses was considered faithful? Isn't this the man that murdered an Egyptian? Didn't he argue with God on several occasions? I remember something about a rock and Moses getting so mad at the people that he struck the rock instead of speaking to it. But, as someone in our care group wisely said,'doesn't that also demonstrate the awesome love and grace of our God?' - absolutely. And that is what is so amazing about the Bible. In no way shape or form does it try to hind the human failings. We humans are on display in all our ugliness. And God still chooses to use the weak, the frail, the scared, the inadequate, the marginalized, to work within His plan. And as that person lives out their life for God and dependant upon Him, they are considered faithful. So as I read through this section again and again I pause when I read that Moses was faithful - because he knew God and more importantly, God knew Moses. Warts and all. What a wonderful gift of grace.

Have fun in chapter 3.

This Thursday...

Last week we moved through the remaining portion of chapter 2. We had some fantastic discussions surrounding the topic of Jesus and what it means for us in the post-modern world to know Him as our High Priest. If you are curious to study further there is some great material on this in Leviticus. Specifically around the 16 & 21-22chapters. As yo read through this think about Jesus fulfills this role for you.

This Thursday we will have to postpone as I will be unavailable to teach. So, your homework over the next week or so is to read Hebrews 3. Read it in two parts. First read 3:1-6 (this about Jesus and Moses) then read 3:7-19 (this is the second warning)And I'll look forward to walking through this with you next Thursday.

To recap...Thursday, November 19th - postponed
...Thursday, November 26th - resume with chapter 3:1-6

Feeling Better...Finding God

Hello everyone. Well this week was really great as we sat down, drank some coffee (Thanks B)and conversed our way through chapter 2:5-9. We spent most of our time discussing the idea surrounding verses 8b and 10-12.

2:8b - Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside of his control. At, present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

How can the whole world be in subjection to Jesus yet at the same time we see the "not yet"? It's hard, is it not, for us to see that even though the most difficult times in our lives - Jesus is in control and God is still on the throne. It boils down to the basic fundamental once again - "Do I really trust Jesus to take care of everything?" It might be easy to give up certain things - but there always seems to be that other part that we think we can control. Either the issue seems to big even for God to handle or the issue seems so minuscule that we really don't need to bother God with that one. But whenever we don't relinquish that issue to God we are essentially saying that we trust our own devices more than we trust God's.

2:10-12 - For it twas fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

We worked through the concept of being sanctified. We discovered that the act of sanctification has two sides. One belongs to God and the other belongs to Christians. Being set apart by God to accomplish his purposes. And our continual submission and lifelong pattern of spiritual growth.

Again, I am blown away by the testimonies of those within the group. Stories of how God is moving, how people have struggled and how they have experienced God.

We're going to continue working with 2:5-18 because there is just too much there for us to leave it behind.

This Thursday

Hey Everyone,

Hope you have had a great week, this Thursday we will be looking at Hebrews 2:5-18. This is a great portion of the letter. It's packed with assurances. I'm looking forward to what will happen.

If you can think of anyone who might want to join us, feel free to ask them! We are more than open to having new people join us.

See everyone on Thursday.

This Thursday

Hello everyone, this Thursday will have to turn into a night off for everyone as I have a lot of responsibilities to wrap up for work. I know seems lame but I can't escape - anyways you'll be fine. So, until next week read through chapter two and if you feel adventurous do the following;

1. Look up the references that the author uses. Hint - there are four of them.
2. Think about the implications that will happen in your life when you consider the importance of Jesus being your high priest.
3. Refer to the following and write down how they relate to perseverance.
a. 2 Thess. 1:4/3:5
b. James 1:3-4
c. Rev 2:2,19
d. Romans 5:3-5

I would love to read your comments if you are so inclined. Have a great week.

Pay Stricter Attention - Lest You Drift

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?
The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S. Heb 2:1-3

Two weeks on this particular passage and I must confess that it felt like we could have spent another two weeks in it! This small group is really a joy for me to be a part of. If you don't have a small group to belong to come to ours. If you just want to check us out or if you want to dig right in you are most welcome. But be warned - we talk alot about Jesus. We talk alot about the Bible and what Jesus says in it and how every part of it points to him. If you don't want to be challenged, if you don't want to confronted about the false sense of security that apathy is breeding in your life then you might not want to come. But if you are tired with your status-quo, if you feel like there is more to your life with Jesus than just going to church and pretending to be fine, then this is the place for you.

Ignore. It's interesting how Hebrews uses this word to describe the possibility of people's reaction to the gospel. Ignore. Merriam-Webster says that to ignore is to -
refuse to take notice of, to reject (a bill of indictment) as ungrounded

The usage also indicates that there would be some apathy mixed into the ignoring of the gospel. "Who cares about the gospel?, Who cares about Jesus and what he said, I want to live my own life my own way. The Bible isn't really a source of truth - its a collection of stories meant to inspire and it doesn't do that very well"

If you mix this type of apathy with the action of ignoring - the Bible says you are in real danger of slipping away.

One person said, "Some people care so little about salvation that it is neglected to the point of no return. Salvation is neglected to the point where there is no escape from justice."

Someone else said that we must never maximize the grace of God to the neglect of the holiness of God and God's desire for the holiness of His people.

Mk 1:14-15 - Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001, S.

How will we escape? The Bible says that if we do not pay close attention - we will not escape. After all the gospel message is a message about salvation - a rescue - an escape.

Our homework for next week is to read through Hebrews 2:5-18. Think about how the phase, "I will put my trust in him" will change your whole life.

Experiencing the Title

Well tonight was awesome. If you don't go to a small group you should think about coming to this one. Everyone is friendly and passionate about the Bible. Here's what we worked through;

Hebrews 1:5-14 - Jesus - Superior to the angels and demons

The main points that we worked through were;

Jesus is superior to the angels by virtue of His relationship with God the Father.

Jesus is superior to the angels in comparison to His ministry and position as the firstborn.

Remember, when we read about Jesus being the "firstborn" it refers to his position of authority and honor. Which is given by God the Father to the Son.

Jesus is superior because He is eternal.
This is spoken about in two themes;
1. The authority he has as described by the words; throne, sceptre, kingdom.
2. His eternal nature as it is described as having no beginning and no end. Hence, Jesus was not created.

We also discussed the quotation regarding the reality that there are some who are enemies of the light, the gospel and God. (John 3:19-21 / 1 Thessalonians 2:14-18 / Romans 1:30, 5:10 / Philippians 3:18 / James 4:4)

Our reading assignment for next week is Chapter 2:1-4. It happens to be what the whole of chapter one is driving towards and it also contains the first of five warnings in the book.

One other topic of discussion arose from our meeting together. It was very sobering but also served as a reminder that we need more reverence and awe, gratitude and love, obedience and submission to Jesus as our Lord. It all boiled down to this question;

What are we saved from?
Are we saved from ourselves or is there something more? Are we saved from a place? Are we saved from being sent there eternally? Who provided the way of our salvation? Who sent Him? Think about this...

God sent Jesus to die on the cross to save those who would believe from the judgement and wrath of God. God has saved us from himself to himself.

We experienced some reverence and awe tonight.

The Supremecy of God's Son

Well, we are well under way in our journey through Hebrews. For this week I would like us to slowly read through 1:1-4. What I mean by slowly reading through it is I would encourage you to read it at least twice a day. Preferably once in the morning and once in the evening. Think through it during your day. Ask yourself some questions about the four verses. You might ask;

How many characters from the Old Testament can I name that God used to speak to his people?

If I was to pick out three things that I can remember Jesus saying what are they? And what is God saying to us today through them?

Why would it be important to tell the church that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven?

Of course there may be other questions you might ask yourself. One point off interest for me is that the portion from verse two to three sounds familiar to the portion in Colossians regarding the pre-eminence (having paramount rank, dignity, or importance) found in 1:15-20. I wonder if we have given ourselves the time to think through the implication and importance of connecting the fact that Jesus holds everything together by the shear power of his command and its that same power that ensures that his sacrifice for our sins is perfect in pleasing God, complete and lacks nothing for anyone to add into and sustains the saint through everyday until they are in heaven.

What a marvelous joy and confidence Jesus gives to us.

For Thursday nighters - please read through the five verses several times a day.
For those following along I will post some Cole's notes on Friday regarding our introduction.

Have a great week.

Levitical Background

OK. So as I have been reading through the book of Hebrews I keep coming across references to Jesus being a better High Priest. He is even given the title of being a priest in the order of Melchizedek. I also find it interesting that Jesus is given the role of a priest even though his human ancestry is traced through the line of Judah and not of Levi. For those who are wondering, the line of Levi was chosen for the levitical priesthood and no one outside of this lineage could be a priest, let alone the high priest. I also find it interesting that this priest Melchizedek would share bread and wine with the patriarch Abram. (maybe another posting should come surrounding that issue)

So, I think we need to do some background reading into the Book of Leviticus. This will greatly enhance our understanding of the elaborate and extensive nature of the sacrificial system and the requirements made of the priests and the people. This should be contrasted to what Jesus has accomplished and still does on behalf of those who believe and are saved.

Below is a short list of chapters that you should familiarize yourself with. Of course we're not looking for you to dig deep here but the task is to help you come to grips with the complexity and the beauty of what Jesus has done. Of course any comments or questions are encouraged.

a. Chapter 1 – burnt offerings
b. Chapter 2 - grain offering
c. Chapter 3 – peace offering
d. Chapter 4 – sin offerings
e. Chapter 5 – outline of ceremony
h. Chapter 10 – Death of Nadab & Abihu
i. Chapter 16 – Day of Atonement
j. Chapter 20 – Sanctity of Children; Sanctity of Marriage; Sanctity of Holiness
k. Chapter 26 – Blessings & Curses

Remember, you're not reading for a deep understanding, you're reading to help yourself understand what lies behind the statements in Hebrews regarding Jesus and his role as our High Priest.

something to think about...

As I'm working through the first chapter (given that I have read through the book four times to get the feel of the flow and themes) I noticed something interesting. I already knew that the book of Hebrews (from now on it will be written as...BoH...) contained alot of OT references I decided to count how many I found in the first chapter.

I found seven different direct and distinct references made to OT scripture. So, I gathered them and collated them into a list. Here it is;

"I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you." (Psalm 2:7, ESV)

"He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth."
(Psalm 89:26-27, ESV)

"“Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him, all gods, for he avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries. He repays those who hate him and cleanses his people’s land.”" (Deuteronomy 32:43, ESV)

"he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire." (Psalm 104:4, ESV)
"The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah"
(Psalm 46:6-7, ESV)

"Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands." (Psalm 102:25, ESV)

" A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”" (Psalm 110:1, ESV)

Amazing that we can look at these verses and know that they were referring to Jesus. I love how scripture does this for us. It will be interesting to see what the rest of the letter holds in store.

Getting Started

Hello everyone, this is a new adventure for me. We (our care group) will begin a study of the book of Hebrews starting in September. My desire is to post the questions we will be working through as well as any thoughts/experiences that work out through our/my study time. You are more than welcome to interact with our postings or you can merely read and process. My hope is that we not only provide another avenue for people to receive some teaching resources but that they would also be challenged and motivated to read their Bibles along with us.

If you have any questions or comments please respond to the post or if you desire to remain mostly anonymous, you can email me.

Here's to an interesting twist in our usual form of study and delivery. But I hope that it suits you well and will help in your sanctification.


Homework assignment: Read through the entire book of Hebrews in one sitting.

To Him be the glory.