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hebrews: Walking With the Superior Savior

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Jewish Christians in the early church were facing persecution. Hebrews was written to encourage them to “run with endurance” (Heb. 12:1). How? By looking “to Jesus” (Heb. 12:2). The words of Hebrews helped them to do that by reminding them of the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant and the superiority of their relationship with God through Jesus over their relationship with God through the Law.

Like these first-century Christians, believers today need to “look to Jesus” to successfully run the race of life. You can do that by engaging God through His Word.

And we can help! Powered by 4 is a Web-based Bible engagement plan developed by Back to the Bible to help you read the Bible consistently and effectively—and thousands of you already are finding it really works! Our facilitator is Tami Weissert, my co-host on Back to the Bible. I encourage you to visit our Web site to learn more about Powered by 4. Through instructional videos and blogs, Tami will explain the P4 concept and encourage you with daily e-mails. Sign up at backtothebible.org. This service is free to help you more effectively engage God through His Word.

The more of God’s Word you read, the more convinced you’ll be of the superiority of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray this month’s Meet with God will be a blessing to you, and that you’ll continue to look to Jesus, our superior Savior.

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In the very first verses of Hebrews we are reminded that God had been talking to His creation for a long time, even before “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). This lesson’s key verse tells us that in Old Testament days God spoke through the prophets. Prophets were messengers, called of God to serve Him by communicating what God revealed to them. Micah spoke words revealed by God; Jeremiah spoke words revealed by God; Isaiah spoke words revealed by God. But when Jesus came, God spoke to us “by his Son.” And God’s Son is superior to the prophets. He stands apart because He has a relationship to God that no prophet ever had—the relationship as the Son of God. While prophets in the Old Testament were merely servants of God, Jesus is God’s Son.

This week, consider the ways you acknowledge the superiority of Jesus in your life.

ReAdit Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world (Heb. 1:1–2, esv).

Hebrews 1:1–14 Jesus Himself claimed to have this unique relationship with God. He said, “If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (John 8:19) and, I “speak just as the Father taught me” (John 8:28). So, the words Jesus spoke were not words revealed to Him by God like the prophets—He actually spoke the words of God the Father. That’s a sharp distinction, a mark of superiority. There was no revelation necessary because when the Son of God spoke, He spoke as God. His position is not only different —it is superior.

While we’re thinking about the superior position of Jesus, we have to add His role as God’s chief executive officer—“through whom [Jesus, God the Son] also he [God the Father] created the world” (Heb. 1:2). Jesus could heal humans, give orders to nature (quiet a storm) and overrule laws of nature (multiply bread and fish) because He had the authority. He established the structure.

Jesus’ relationship to the Father is superior; His work is superior; and the offer He makes to us is superior. He offers us a relationship with Him and with His Father that no one else could offer—an intimate, eternal relationship with God. Now, that describes a superior Savior!

Jpthe Superiority of Jesus

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Applyit Examine your relationship with Jesus. What has He been

communicating to you recently? What are you missing out on when you don’t communicate with Him regularly through His Word?

expReSSitOur mental image and our thoughts about Jesus can always

be improved. Until we see Him face to face, we will always be looking through a “mirror dimly” (1 Cor. 13:12). Pray that as a result of your study of Hebrews, you will experience in a new way the superiority and majesty of Jesus Christ.

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According to ›this chapter, who is Jesus?

Other than the ›prophets, to which other type of messengers is Jesus, the Son of God, superior?

What perspective does Hebrews ›1:10–12 bring to those who elevate our responsibility to preserve the world over our responsibility to elevate God’s Son?

AS you ReAd HebRewS 1:1–14, ReFlect on tHe Following queStionS:

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How is God ›the Father distinguished from God the Son in these verses?

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RemembeRit1. God spoke to the Hebrew fathers through whom?

2. Where did Jesus sit after purifying our sins?

3. Who are described as “winds” and “a flame of fire”?

4. Who has, “loved righteousness” according to Hebrews 1:9?

5. Who will become a footstool for Jesus’ feet?

Answers: 1. prophets (Heb. 1:1); 2. the right hand of god (Heb. 1:3); 3. the angels (Heb. 1:7); 4. Jesus/the Son (Heb. 1:9); 5. His enemies (Heb. 1:13)

Hebrews 3 presents a challenge: “Consider Jesus” (Heb. 3:1). In other words, isn’t it time we fastened our minds on someone worthy? We honor the opinions of people whose only claim to authority is that they have appeared in movies or read the news on a teleprompter. The invitation in Hebrews is to consider Jesus seriously, perhaps for the first time. And when we think about Jesus, we must always think of Him in terms of His superiority to everyone else.

No one else is the Son of God; no one else died to pay the penalty for our sins; no one else offers us eternal life. Only Jesus. He, on the night before His Crucifixion, took the cup and said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28). Jesus was telling His disciples, though they didn’t realize it until later, that His blood fulfilled the original covenant God established with Israel. The lesson about God’s willingness to forgive—acted out in the sacrifice of millions of spotless lambs throughout Israel’s history—was about to be realized

This week,“consider

Jesus” and the blessings,

hope and guarantee His sacrifice gives

you.

ReAdit This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant (Heb. 7:22, esv).

Hebrews 3:1–6; 7:1–28

Seekit go deepeR into youR Study oF tHiS week’S leSSon.

Jesus’ Miracles: Luke 17:11–19Mark 6:45–52Luke 8:22–25Matthew 15:32–39

Jesus’ Faithfulness

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in the death of Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God. Hebrews 7 shows us at least three ways in which the New Covenant, made possible by Jesus’ blood, was an improvement on the Old.

First, the New Covenant brings increased blessings. Through Moses, God gave us the blessing of a moral map for living: the Ten Commandments. Because mankind wasn’t able to keep the commandments, God gave us, through His own Son, the blessing of a rescue (salvation by grace).

Second, the New Covenant brings better hope (vv. 11–19). In the Bible the word “hope” is most often a noun; it’s something we have, not something we do. It means “confident expectation.” The Old Covenant set up the expectation of One who would save us from our sins, but in Jesus we actually know the One who fulfilled that hope.

Third, the New Covenant comes with an eternal guarantee (vv. 20–28). The role of the priest under the Old Covenant was limited to the lifespan of the priest, but the New Covenant is administered by Jesus, the Priest who is Life. As the risen Son of God, Jesus is not only our perfect High Priest, He is also our eternal High Priest. No wonder Jesus is called the “guarantor of a better covenant” (v. 22). He is superior to all that went before Him.

What makes ›Jesus superior to everyone else?

How did the blood ›of Jesus complete the original covenant God made with Israel?

What is God’s ›answer to our sinfulness?

conSideRit How does knowing ›Christ is your eternal High Priest affect your life?

Applyit Go through the devotional above and list all the ways that

Jesus provides a better covenant; then write out the verses that support this truth. Each day this week take one of these truths and meditate on what it means to you. In your prayer time, give thanks to the Father for providing a better covenant through our High Priest and His Son, Jesus.

expReSSitIdentify someone among your family or friends who needs to

“Consider Jesus.” Take him or her to God in prayer asking the Lord to give your loved one a desire to have the blessings and hope that only Jesus can bring into life. Look for an opportunity to share that hope with them.

AS you ReAd HebRewS 3:1–6 And 7:1–28 ReFlect on tHe Following queStionS:

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Most of the physical landmarks that we deal with are part of a long-standing but not eternal creation. But the truth of God’s Word stands for time and eternity. The directions God provides (even the painful ones) give us a dependable route and effective rules for living. If we’ve got God’s eternal landmarks in mind, we’ll adopt a pilgrim mindset, never thinking of this world as our permanent home. We will make it a habit to check God’s landmark presence every day for correction and encouragement. And we will live by those instructions we find chiseled in the landmark of God’s Word.

Proverbs is filled with short landmark statements that provide us with food for thought and reflection each day. Choose one of the proverbs from today’s reading, and express it in a prayer. Ask God to keep bringing His words of direction to mind throughout the days of your journey ahead.

Apply it

expReSS it

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Answers: 1. god (Heb. 3:4); 2. Salem (Heb. 7:1); 3. peace (Heb. 7:2); 4. Judah (Heb. 7:14); 5. the law (Heb. 7:19)

RemembeRit1. Who has built all things?

2. Melchizedek was the king of what city?

3. What does the word “Salem” mean?

4. From what Hebrew tribe did Jesus come?

5. What is described as having made nothing perfect?

Seekit go deepeR into youR Study oF tHiS week’S leSSon.

The Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:1–17Deuteronomy 5:1–21

Hope: Psalm 146:1–10Lamentations 3:22–27

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In Hebrews 10:1–18, the focus turns to Jesus’ sacrifice. There has never been another sacrifice like it: God submitted His Son to die on behalf of those

He loves. And because the sacrifice was perfect, it was also final. The Old Covenant begged for something better than the

system of animal sacrifices because both priest and people realized as they offered up one animal that their sins would require them to offer yet another. The repetition was a strong picture of captivity to sin. But under the New Covenant, forgiveness is offered based on a sacrifice made once and for all. “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (v. 10, italics added).

Verse 19 begins with the word “therefore”—an indication that we’re about to be told how the preceding truths need to be lived out. Note the “since” phrase that follows. Since we have

ReAdit Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb. 10:22, esv).

This week, “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24, esv).

Hebrews 10:1–39 “confidence” (v. 19) and “a great high priest” (v. 21), we ought to take action. Our cause for confidence and our leader are one and the same—Jesus.

The first application resulting from this confidence is “let us draw near” (v. 22). God’s willingness to forgive us opens the door for intimacy with Him. We aren’t forced to draw near in order to make sacrifices nor do we carry a burden of guilt because of our sins—Christ’s sacrifice took care of that—but we come to God in worship and delight.

The second application stemming from our confidence in Christ is “let us hold fast the confession of our hope” (Heb. 10:23). “Holding fast” means “staying on track and living out our assurance in Christ.” Jesus died once for us so that we could be free to live every day for God. He came to give us the abundant life now and forever. (See John 10:10.)

The third application is “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). This challenge may require a great deal of thought from us. Only by drawing near to God and letting Him direct our plans and our paths will we be used by God in the lives of others. This is living by faith! So, spend some time today thinking about how you can show your love through the good things you do for your family and friends.

g yliving by Faith

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What did the old ›sacrificial system accomplish?

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Applyit Think for a moment about the action steps mentioned in the

lesson. 1) How often do you “draw near” to God with no agenda but to worship and delight in Him? 2) Are you “holding fast” and living out your assurance in Christ? If not, seek God in prayer today; ask His forgiveness and allow Him to get you back on track. 3) Are you successfully stirring those around you to “love and good works”? Are you being stirred up yourself? (See Express It.)

expReSSitAsk God to reveal ways in which you might encourage others

to love and perform good deeds. Have confidence in His plan for good in their lives.

According to verse 23, ›what is our primary motivation for remaining faithful?

How might you stir ›up a fellow believer to love and perform good deeds?

How do verses ›26–39 encourage you in your own spiritual life?

AS you ReAd HebRewS 10:1–39, ReFlect on tHe Following queStionS:

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Answers: 1. Shadow (Heb. 10:1); 2. take away sins (Heb. 10:4); 3. Hope (Heb. 10:23); 4. A fearful thing (Heb. 10:31); 5. Reward (Heb. 10:35)

RemembeRit1. The law was only a what, of the good things to come?

2. The blood of bulls and goats could never do what?

3. We should hold fast our confession of what without wavering?

4. To fall into the hands of the living God is what?

5. We should not cast away our confidence because it brings great what? In Hebrews 12 we’re presented with a danger

to our faith. It isn’t persecution or death. The greater risk comes from becoming “weary or fainthearted” (v. 3). Often we don’t fail to run the race because it gets too hard; we give up because we think it’s too long. In a world that craves instant gratification, the disciplines of discipleship don’t sound like a quick enough process. Like fast food, we want fast faith, fast discipleship, fast maturity and fast rewards. But how often do we stop to realize that the short-lived satisfaction that comes from fast food might be the same result that would come from spiritual shortcuts? Faith, discipleship and maturity all take time to grow. Expecting them to develop quickly results in people who become “weary or fainthearted” (v. 3).

ReAdit Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2).

This week, consider

how your life demonstrates the fact that it’s not about you; it’s about

Him.

Hebrews 12:1–29

the ultimate mediator

Seekit go deepeR into youR Study oF tHiS week’S leSSon.

Forgiveness: Psalm 32:1–11Ephesians 1:3–11

Confidence in Christ:John 10:27–29Philippians 1:3–8

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The phrase “looking to Jesus” in our key verse means following Him. When Jesus asked His disciples to follow Him, He didn’t put a time limit on His request. Following Him is a no-turning-back proposition. For the growing disciple, it’s not as important to track how long we’ve been following Jesus as it is to make sure we are following Him now, today.

The pattern Jesus set was endurance. Note how this word “endurance” shows up in verses 1, 2, 3, and 7. Twice it’s used to describe Jesus and twice to describe how we are expected to follow Him. The fact that we will have to endure is itself a mark of God’s fatherly care for us. He wants to “grow us up” into His children, so He uses discipline along the way. As always, the challenges in the Christian life come back, not to our ability or strength but to Christ’s. It’s not, in the end, about us; it’s about Him. He is the Way as well as the One who leads us on the way.

By the time we get to verse 18, we are back to remembering the scope of God’s character and unshakable kingdom into which we have been called as citizens (See Heb. 12:28). All the glimpses of God’s majesty and awesome power that we get in the Old Testament point to Jesus, the “mediator of a new covenant” (Heb. 12:24). Through Christ we are citizens of a kingdom that cannot be shaken with a ruler who is King of kings. (See Rev. 11:15; 19:16.) No wonder the chapter ends with worship.

How do you handle ›spiritual weariness or faintheartedness?

What does it mean ›in your life that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God?

Describe what it ›means to you that you are a member of Christ’s unshakable kingdom?

conSideRit In what ways does this ›chapter drive you to a deeper desire to know and worship God?

Applyit We discover in this chapter that challenges in a Christian’s

life can seem long and drawn out. We can respond with bitterness toward God’s discipline and training or we can react with acceptance and grow.

Take some time in prayer to examine how you’ve been doing lately. Ask God’s Spirit to reveal areas in which you may be developing spiritual weariness or faintheartedness. Reaffirm your citizenship in Christ’s kingdom!

expReSSitIdentify a challenging situation in your life. Read verses 1,2,3

and 7 and write down reasons to keep “looking to Jesus” and any other encouragement you find there.

AS you ReAd HebRewS 12:1–29, ReFlect on tHe Following queStionS:

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Answers: 1. Sin (Heb. 12:1); 2. illegitimate children (Heb. 12:8); 3. the fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11); 4. esau (Heb. 12:16); 5. A new covenant (Heb. 12:24)

RemembeRit1. What is it that “clings so closely”?

2. If we did not receive God’s discipline, we would be count-ed as what?

3. In the long run, God’s discipline produces what?

4. Who sold his birthright for a single meal?

5. Jesus is described as the mediator of what?

Seekit go deepeR into youR Study oF tHiS week’S leSSon.

Discipleship: John 13:34–352 Timothy 2:15–18

Kingdom of God: Matthew 6:31–34Romans 14:17–19

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The Book of Hebrews is a call to consider who Jesus is. In the 13 lessons of Hebrews: Our Superior Savior, we’ll look at the unique person of Christ and find out exactly what makes Him superior, and we’ll learn what that means for us. The clear message of Hebrews is that if you haven’t met Jesus, your eternal destiny hangs in the balance. So, let’s meet Him here and get to know our superior Savior.

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