Chapter 1
Reminds me of John 1
Through the Son God created the world
He is the exact image of God
He has the same nature as God
The Son will inherit the world
The world is held together by the word of the Son.
The Son is God
The Son is King
The Son is just
The Son is eternal
Chapter 2
Jesus, the Son, became human
Jesus fulfilled every intention of God for humanity.
Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted.
In willing death and resurrection, he was glorified
Jesus leads his people to glory through his suffering.
Chapter 3
Moses gave the law, God's perfect intention for his chosen people.
Jesus fulfilled the law.
Do not turn from the law.
Do not turn from Jesus.
Chapter 4
It is through faith in Jesus, who fulfilled the law, that we receive salvation.
Jesus has become our High Priest.
Chapter 5
A priest must be human to identify with human frailty and faults.
Jesus is our High Priest, human and therefore able to empathize, but perfectly God and able to offer perfect prayers of intercession on our behalf.
His perfect priesthood offers perfect salvation.
Chapter 6
Faithful Christians grow in maturity.
Our faith is in Jesus, not our works.
Faithful believers don't quit.
Our salvation is in God's covenant, a covenant he will never break.
Jesus has become our permanent lifeline to a permanent covenant.
Our salvation is sure and unbreakable in Jesus.
Chapter 7
Melchizedek is the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace.
Jesus is the same kind of King and Priest as Melchizedek.
Like Melchizedek, Jesus is a High Priest with no beginning or end, a forever High Priest for all time.
Tithes paid to Levi are ultimately paid to the High Priest, because Abraham tithes to Melchizedek.
Jesus transcends the old law and priestly order entirely. He cane before it, and exists after it.
Jesus is a permanent priest, and never needs to be replaced. He will never die.
Therefore:
Jesus is a human priest
The perfect priest
A forever priest
And not only the priest, but also the sacrifice
Chapter 8
Jesus is the perfect priest.
The old law and customs of priests and sacrifices are no longer necessary.
The law is in our hearts
Our priest is in heaven
Chapter 9
In the old system, people could not approach God themselves. Only a priest could enter God's presence, and only at certain times and according to certain customs.
All of these rituals represented a truer reality in the heavenly realm. They were earthly copies of heavenly realities. With the copies, the ritual behaviour needed to be done again and again. Since Jesus is God in Heaven, he is able to make the final sacrifice once ad for all in the real holy place and the real altar of which the earthly altar is only a copy.
His sacrifice and priesthood is forever.
Chapter 10
Sacrifices offered again and again heightened our awareness of guilt.
Jesus' perfect sacrifice, offered once, takes care of sin permanently.
We can now approach God without any fear or shame.
Now that such a high price has been paid for our lives, we should offer ourselves quickly and all the time.
Don't stop serving God.
Chapter 11
Faith is our response that receives this true gift God is giving us.
Jesus did the work. We believe in him, even though we didn't see it. We obey him because we believe, and this shows us and others that we truly are trusting God's promises.
Faith is always seen in a God honouring action.
We can only please God when our actions are because of trusting him and his work, not ourself.
The Old Testament is filled with stories of faith in God in action.
Faith has eyes in a heavenly reality, instead of temporary circumstances.
Faith can cause us to act in the miraculous.
Faith can result in persecution and death.
Either way, faith lives in the miraculous eternal realm, and transcends the temporary realm where hardships exist.
As faith filled as all the Old Testament stories are, our promises are better in Jesus.
Chapter 12
The life that we've been redeemed for is one we should live for God entirely.
We have a heritage of faith. We have a goal of faith.
Jesus went through many hardships in faith, because his faith was joyfully hoping for something better.
Our life will also include hard times, very hard times. It is in faith in God's promises that we are able to endure.
God will use the hardships in our lives for our growth and maturity.
Receive and trust God's maturing process.
Walk in faith in unity with other believers. We weren't meant to do this alone.
Once you've heard this message, don't quit.
It is an offense to the sacrifice of Jesus to treat it with contempt by refusing to continue in faith. If you do, the sacrifice is no longer for you.
Chapter 13
Serve each other humbly and often.
Be generously hospitable.
Support victims of injustice.
Act in solidarity with the oppressed.
Walk in purity and integrity.
Don't collect things for yourself.
Live simply, trusting God.
Support your pastors and teachers. Treat them well. Hold them accountable to truth. Jesus doesn't change.
Call people on their teachings about Jesus and the Bible. This is serious. The truth about a life of faith can save the world. A counterfeit can kill.
Jesus didn't take the easy way, and neither do we. This life is meant to be lived as outwardly focused as Jesus' life was. We live to bless and serve the world, not ourselves.
We serve Jesus with our lives all the time, in school, work, and home. This is where the real ministry happens. Let us live lives of service for others at all times, everywhere. God delights in our worship as we serve our neighbours joyfully on Tuesday evening as much or more than when we faithfully raise our hands in worship on Sunday morning.
Respect and honour those who God has intentionally placed in your life for your growth in faith. Pastoral work I'd hard. Treat your pastors in such a way that you make it the joy that it should be.
Remember and pray for all Christians around the world.
All glory to Jesus.
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