Book Review – Hebrews • 06.18.23
Nick Lees   -   June 18, 2023

Book Review – Hebrews
Jesus is Better

Reflecting on the letter to the Hebrews

  1. Jesus is better
  2. Faith is the right response
  3. God is working out his grand redemption plan
  4. Perseverance is necessary and possible

Manuscript:

Good morning church family!

This is the last sermon in Hebrews! What a journey it has been… Today we’ll close out the series with the final few verses of the book as well as a recap of the main things we’ve heard/learned from the book. Then we’ll have a couple of one-off sermons that I’m excited for:

  • 6/25 – Jordan is preaching on “God’s Presence in the Church”
  • 7/2 – I’ll be preaching an overview of the entire New Testament as we trace God’s grand plan of redemption through the Bible. We did this for the Old Testament at the beginning of the year, so it will be fitting to complete the set by covering the New Testament now.

Then, on July 9th, we’ll jump into our new sermon series in 1 Peter – Elect Exiles: Living as Outsiders. That’s going to be a sweet Sunday as we celebrate baptisms and get ready for the start of High Five camp that week!

Dismiss 4th + 5th graders

Ushers + Bibles (Hebrews; page ?)

What have you learned from your study of Hebrews this year? (Give time for responses)

How has God grown you in holiness? (Give time for responses)

I hope Hebrews has reignited or further inflamed the zeal of your faith. That you have a greater passion for the Lord and living for him than you had 5 months ago. That you’ve identified hindrances to your race of faith and laid them aside through confession and repentance. That you’ve taken steps of commitment into the community of the church and recognize the incredible value of running the race with other dear saints. That your awe of God the Father and his Son, Jesus, has grown in increasing measure week after week as the Spirit applied his word to your heart. That you are amazed at who Jesus is and what He has done for you! That we are all humbled before a God who has had an eternal grand redemption plan that he continues to work out in every era of human history. That we would be incredibly hopeful in the face of whatever life brings our way, as we look to the settled certainty of Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, and being with God!

This is some of the incredible fruit that could be yours/ours if we were to take the teaching of God’s Word in Hebrews seriously and allow it to transform our lives. I want this for you. I want this for me. I want this for our church. That we would put off spiritual apathy and put on zeal for the Lord! I cannot emphasize too much just how important it is to value God’s Word as a primary tool for growth in holiness and cultivating a faith that endures to the end. The Christian life and church community we have just described is God’s will for us! This is who he calls his people to be! We must flee temptation, sin, and spiritual apathy as we run with endurance after the Lord.

Today as we wrap up this series in Hebrews, we are going to try something we’ve not done before… a recap of the entire book/series. This is an opportunity to reflect, to remember, and to rejoice in all that God has told us and is doing in us. This sermon will be different than a normal one for us, in that we will not be taking one specific passage to study in detail. Instead, we will survey the entire book as we draw upon some of the main takeaways of Hebrews. Let’s kick off our review with the start of this letter:

Hebrews 1:1–4 (ESV)

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 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. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

This intro really sets the tone for the entire sermonic letter. God has spoken to us by his Son and his Son is the greatest revelation of all time. His Son is far greater than the prophets, than the angels, than all previous means of revelation given by God. And he is greater/better because the Son is God, the one who made us, the one who sustains us, the one who purifies us through his own blood shed on the Cross. He is greater/better because he has finished the redemptive work. His sacrifice was sufficient to rescue us from our sin, which we know because he has SAT DOWN at the right hand of God the Father, in the position of power/authority.

All of this is communicated in the first four verses of this letter, and yet, as we know, it is unpacked in incredible depth for the next 13 chapters. That’s how the letter begins, now let us now consider how it ends:

Hebrews 13:20–25 (ESV)

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

22 I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. 25 Grace be with all of you.

You can tell he is a pastor because he says his teaching was brief! That’s how I would describe every single one of my sermons. Brief! Too short! Remember, that when they read this sermonic letter, they would have done so in one sitting!

The author ends his sermon by pointing back to God’s finished work through his son, Jesus Christ. He prays over his audience, that they would be equipped with everything good to do God’s will and that God would work in them the things that are pleasing to him. He is praying for their holiness! Their ongoing sanctification! (Growth in godliness) His expectation is that the preaching of God’s Word about the finished work of Christ would bear good fruit in their lives! That the incredible reminders of truth contained in this letter would stir them up to a life of love and good works. That they would be encouraged to press on to the end, enduring in the faith until the day of Christ’s return. Will you allow it to bear the same fruit in you? Let’s pray and ask God to produce such fruit in us!

Pray

As I prepared for this sermon, I reviewed the entire book again and I found there were four main ideas that stood out for our consideration this morning. The first will be no surprise to any of you as it is the title of our sermon and series…

  1. Jesus is better

You’ve already been reminded of the superiority of Jesus’ revelation. He is unequivocally better than the prophets and angels who were sent before him. As God the Son, he condescended to take on flesh and dwell among us. The Creator entering his creation! And he did so to make the WAY of salvation possible for us. This is a unique event in human history and completely shocking – the God who is outside of time, space, and matter willingly entered it to save his people from their sin and their enemies.

Hebrews 2:14–18 (ESV)

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus is better because he did what was necessary to conquer the devil and death by his own death on the Cross! Through faith in Jesus, you can be freed from the fear of death and the lifelong slavery it subjects you to. NO ONE else has done that for you or could have done that for you! Without Jesus, we are dead in our sin and destined to die apart from God! With Jesus we are forgiven and promised eternal life with God!

Not only that, but because Jesus took on humanity and yet remained sinless, he is now our perfect high priest in the service of God! Jesus is the better high priest – this theme was reiterated throughout the message of Hebrews. This means that Jesus can perfectly represent us before God and satisfy God’s wrath towards our sin AND he is able to help us in our time of need. Who else could do that for you? NO ONE.

Consider how Jesus suffered in his life on earth for your sake:

Hebrews 5:7–9 (ESV)

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

Jesus is better because he is the perfect, sacrificial lamb of God. He perfectly obeyed his Father through incredible sufferings in his flesh. He endured the wrath of God for our sake, so that we could receive eternal salvation through faith in him. This was not a sanitized, easy path for Jesus to walk. No, it involved incredible pain and suffering at the hands of men/women and it required his own blood to be shed for the purification of our souls…

Hebrews 9:11–14 (ESV)

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Jesus is the better sacrifice who secures an eternal redemption for those who believe in him. He shed his own sinless blood for us. Unlike the animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant, Jesus’ perfect blood was able to purify both body and soul. Through faith in Jesus, we are no longer condemned in sin, but made new in righteousness! This is the incredible hope of the New Covenant that God brought to fruition in Jesus Christ.

And if it hasn’t been made clear from what we’ve reflected on already, let’s make it clear in this next reflection point from our study of Hebrews…

  1. Faith is the right response

Throughout the letter, the author has warned his people repeatedly NOT to drift away from the faith! Remember, there were some in their gathering who were in danger of rejecting the faith. Some were tempted to return to the old ways of Judaism or perhaps the carnality of the culture around them.

The author issues repeated dire warnings about such rejection of the faith and calls them instead to persevering faith! Let’s consider again the warnings he issued:

Hebrews 2:1–4 (ESV)

2 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

We repeatedly hear such lesser to greater arguments to help us understand how dire it is to ignore the BETTER revelation of Jesus Christ. He has a message of GREAT salvation that we MUST NOT reject. To reject the ONLY way of salvation is to damn oneself to eternal hell. There could be no worse outcome!

Pay MUCH CLOSER attention to what you have heard! Do NOT drift away from it. Draw near to it! Believe! Confess your sin and believe in Jesus Christ for salvation!

Of course, from our study of Hebrews, we know that faith is a lifelong journey or race. It is a race that requires endurance and perseverance. It is a race that is beset with trials and temptations, which is why we need one another to remain faithful!

Hebrews 3:12–14 (ESV)

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

Firm to the end… that is what we want our faith to be. And the path to get there is to be in authentic Christian community in the church. This community is where we can exhort one another EVERY DAY to protect each other from the deceitfulness of sin. Do you have God’s view of Christian community? Do you desire to engage with your brothers/sisters DAILY for your eternal benefit and theirs? If not, why not? What lie are you believing about God’s plan for cultivating enduring faith?

Just this week I was confronted with multiple people pulling away from the community of faith rather than leaning into it. When things get hard or sin’s deceitfulness ensnares us, it is OH SO TEMPTING to draw away from community rather than to lean into it. BUT THIS IS A LIE OF THE DEVIL. We need one another if we’re going to endure to the end!

Do not believe that you can hang around the periphery of the church community and remain faithful to the end. You are playing a dangerous game that God specifically warns you against in his word! He gave us the church community for a reason! Together we are Christ’s bride and together we fight the fight of holiness. Let us run the race of faith together!

Beware what happens when we drift away from one another and when we fail to DIG INTO God’s word…

Hebrews 5:11–14 (ESV)

11 About this we have much to say, and it is 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 basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

God intends for you to grow in maturity of faith! This happens as you study God’s Word; yes, as an individual, but also as the church. The preaching of God’s Word is intended for your growth. The ongoing study of God’s Word in your daily life produces discernment to choose righteousness.

It is no surprise that those who forsake the regular study of God’s Word drift away from the church community and the faith. Rather than drawing near to God and having a growing understanding of what it means to live by faith, they are prone to self-indulgence and living by what seems right in their own eyes. “What do I want to do today? What will bring me pleasure/joy? What seems best to me?” rather than “What would please Jesus? What would be for my eternal good?”

MAY THIS NOT BE FOR ANY OF US. Rather, may we agree with the author of Hebrews…

Hebrews 6:1a (ESV)

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity…

Hebrews 6:11–12 (ESV)

11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Believe in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and then devote your life to knowing and obeying Him! This is best done through a regular study of his Word. (Share the church Bible reading plans) It is also best done in community. (Encourage them to commit to church via next steps; get into SG)

Lest you think I am being overly dogmatic about this, hear God’s own word on the matter:

Hebrews 10:26–27 (ESV)

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

Sin is a big deal. And choosing to remain in sin and neglect the call of God for your life has eternal consequences. I am seeking to love those who are in danger of spiritual apathy and apostasy.

For those who are excited to endure and desire the type of community laid out here, it is my delight to run this race of faith with you. Let’s persevere together! One of the ways we do this is by reflecting on this third incredible theme of Hebrews…

  1. God is working out his grand redemption plan

An incredible benefit to studying Hebrews is that we gain a greater understanding of how the entire Bible fits together. The author of Hebrews connects God’s grand redemption plan from the Old to New Covenants (Testaments). He demonstrates that God has always had a plan to make a people for himself and that he is preparing these people for entering his rest/presence for all eternity. This is an incredible source of hope to us! Consider what we heard…

Hebrews 7:23–28 (ESV)

23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Jesus is the better high priest who has secured an eternal salvation/redemption for us because he is an eternal priest. His perfection enables him to offer this security to redeemed sinners like us. This is the fulfillment of God’s plan as we heard in in chapter 8…

Hebrews 8:6–7 (ESV)

6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

Jesus presides over a better, New Covenant that writes the commands of God on our hearts and transforms us from the inside out. It was always God’s plan to replace the Old Covenant with the New.

Hebrews 9:24–28 (ESV)

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Through his own blood, Jesus entered into heaven as a once-for-all, one-for-many sacrifice. This sacrifice removes our sin and God’s wrath from us. The beautiful outcome of this is that we no longer fear death or judgment. For Christians, when Christ returns it will be to fulfill our salvation and bring us to him in heaven. God’s grand redemption plan will be complete.

Until then, we press on in confidence. Not confidence in and of ourselves, but confidence in Christ. This is what it means to live by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Not blind optimism or a leap in the dark. Faith is not contrary to the facts and that you just have to trust things will work out. Those are false definitions of faith. Faith is a confidence or settled certainty! Faith is an active trust in God. And this is what we seek to persevere in until the day Christ returns or calls us home. Which brings us to our final reflection point for this morning…

  1. Perseverance is necessary and possible

You’ve heard this message over and over again in our study of Hebrews! Endure! Persevere! Run the race of faith to the end! This is our necessary and possible calling as Christians.

Why would the author take so much time to reiterate this message? Could it be that there are daily distractions and hindrances to the race of faith? We already heard about the deceitfulness of sin that seeks to harden our hearts earlier in Hebrews 3…

Of course, we know the answer is yes, there are many trials and temptations in our lives that necessitate persevering faith. And thankfully this perseverance is possible, as we hear in Hebrews 4:

Hebrews 4:9–11 (ESV)

9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

The author holds out entering into God’s rest as a future hope for those who persevere. He encourages them to have a godly fear that motivates them to exert effort in the race of faith. They are not to be disobedient and unfaithful like the wilderness generation of Israel. Instead, they must actively pursue and persevere!

The beauty of this call to action is that it is secured not by our efforts but by Christ’s finished work.

Hebrews 6:19–20 (ESV)

19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

This highlights one of the tensions of Scripture. Jesus has paid it all and he has secured eternal redemption for his people. And he also calls his people to respond to that finished work by actively pursuing him day by day. Because Jesus is our sure and steadfast hope, we can persevere in the faith no matter what comes our way. It is as we look to Christ that we endure!

Hebrews 12:1–2 (ESV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 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.

The enduring, victorious race of Christ encourages and challenges us to persevere in our own race of faith. The joy set before him empowered him to endure and the same can be true for us. We have a joy set before us that cannot be taken or shaken.

Hebrews 12:22–24 (ESV)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

As we consider these eternal realities, let us persevere and endure. Let us not lose heart when trials and temptations come. Let us run the race together, protecting one another from sin and temptation, and spurring one another on to love and good works.

The beautiful promise of the Lord is that he is at work in the midst of our trials, temptations, and discipline. He does not leave or forsake us. These are all opportunities for growth in endurance and holiness.

Hebrews 12:10–11 (ESV)

10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Do you want the peaceful fruit of righteousness? Then endure the Lord’s discipline in your life! Allow him to refine your faith through the variety of scenarios he allows into your life. He knows how to produce holiness in us, and he loves us enough to take us on that journey, no matter how hard or painful it might seem in the moment.

Hope and healing and the peaceful fruit of righteousness are only found as we endure through the discipline, through the trial, through the suffering, trusting God to accomplish his good work through it in us.

In his sovereignty, nothing is ever wasted or useless. God is able to force all things to do good to his people. In the Father’s hands, even our suffering has redemptive value. Do you believe that God knows what is needed to produce righteousness in you? Do you trust him to do what it takes to produce it?  *pause*

Remember our call is to pursue holiness together. This is a corporate calling wherein we represent God well on his earth.

Hebrews 12:14–15 (ESV)

14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

This is not just about me persevering to the end on my own. “Whoo hoo I made it! Where is everyone else?!” We are in this together.

See to it that NO ONE fails to obtain the grace of God… Contrary to the selfish thinking of Cain, I AM MY BROTHER’S KEEPER. We are here to help others know Jesus, love Jesus, and follow Jesus! It MUST be my concern that my spouse, my children, all of you, my neighbor, my co-worker, not fail to obtain the grace of God. I ought to do everything I can to share this grace with them and to protect them from the deceitfulness of sin! This is the Christlike way to live! Persevering faith is not just about me, it is also about you!

I want you to write down these questions to reflect on your spiritual condition. These were the same questions we asked at the start of the series on January 15th. How have things changed in my life over these past 5 months of studying Hebrews?

  • What is the state of my relationship with God?
  • Have I entered into a relationship with Him and am I living obediently to his word?
  • Am I in a condition of spiritual fatigue and apathy or spiritual rest and growth?

These next questions relate to the current direction you’re heading:

  • What path have my decisions put me on? Is the destination of this path nearness to God or drifting further away from Him?
  • How have I sought to draw near to God in 2023?

My hope is that we have a lot of rejoicing to do over the growth these past 5 months. That you could see tangible ways God has been at work in and through you! But, if that is not your situation, then please reach out for help. (SG leaders/Pastor Team/Counseling)

Finally, as we wrap up our recap of Hebrews, I leave us with the encouraging and challenging words of…

Hebrews 10:35–39 (ESV)

35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,

       “Yet a little while,

and the coming one will come and will not delay;

38    but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

       my soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

This is my prayer for us as we move forward. In fact, it will be how I close out our sermon in prayer in just a few moments. That we would persevere to the end. That each one of us would stand before Jesus on Judgment Day and hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.”

Let’s pray.

Pray (through Hebrews 10:35-39)