No better place in the world for encouragement than Hebrews… a master piece.. so well put together… well org nothing like it on all the Bible… finest Greek in NT

Wasn’t his purpose to be a great literary effort = just shows his training.

Written to a group of people who really need his teaching and he gave it to them.

Logical place to begin is….. Chptr 13 (not 1) Doesn’t begin like one, but it ends like a letter.

5: 20 exhort against dullness 10:19- end exhort positively

Two C’s Context. Common Sense.

13:9 Grace. I teach it everyday. Not food. We have an alter (?) Not for those who serve the Tabernacle (tent). Those who hold on to levical priesthood don’t have the right. Jesus is our sacrifice.

Purpose: Heb 13:12, 13 Out out out Camp stands for Judiaism. They must decide between Jesus and Moses. Would they give up the pageantry, ceremony, beauty of the Temple? Go back and not be persecuted…. With Moses, just a string of zeroes!

13:14 We have a lasting city. Enduring. We seek the city of God. Nothing lasting here.

C 1 Son of God C 2 Son of Man

"Fairest Lord Jesus" v 4 right out of Hebrews 1 & 2 Beautiful Saviour Son of God, Son of Man Glory and Honor .

C 1 = characteristics of the Son & quotations from OT. Readers have problem w/ worship of Angels. 2:2 What’s going to happen to those who violate the law of Christ? C 2 Salvation for Man Psa 8 grand passage God’s Glory in creation

Midrash – highlighting words in quotation many = all 2:9 glory not apart from suffering (not what we want today) The pathway of Glory = The Pathway of Suffering. 2:10 key words mark off sketches [re: 10 – 18 suffer first & last.]

Lev 21:10 Sept perfected to wear the garments. Brother, Liberator 2:17 High Priest

Chapter 3:1-6 Faithful 2,2,5,6 Not only first, but faithful as a Son, not just faithful as servant (Moses). Audience (cong.) needs to be like faithful Christ, not like unfaithful Israel.

Psa 95 (Beginning - Invite to worship, Ends – Obedience) they go together! Often opening psalm of their worship. They were familiar with this psalm. 3:7 As the H.S. says (not said past tense)… still saying today. Hear His voice! For 40 years God was displeased with His people. Can He be that way today? Of course! 3:11 They’ll never enter My rest. Are you going to be like them or F. Christ?

3:12 12:25 2 BEWARES in Hebrews Each is a warning: Listen to God! Lest there be an evil heart, apostatize from the living God. Antidotes – exhorting each other every day! May be writing to a house church., together often thru week (Alaska). Highlighted words from Psalms = TODAY. Sin deceives us; hardened by sin. We share in Christ IF we hold on. 3:16 + Rhetorical Questions – 2^nd Q answers the first. Repeated process.

Chapter 4 – God is still there w/ His open arms – all invited to His rest. 4:9 remains a Sabbatizomos (may have coined the phrase) Sabbath-keeping what is it in context? 10 it is a rest still to be attained

4 Lettuces 4:1, fear 4:11 try to make it, strive, 4:14 great H.P. hold on to our confession 4:16 draw near to God ("throne of Grace" = who’s on the throne?) to receive Mercy.

4:12 Psa 95 has a msg. living and active! God’s Word 4:13 God is close to His Word. Bare, uncovered Open-throat. Chptr 4 concludes with throne of Grace.

Chapter 5 Merciful H.P. we want a merciful judge when we appear! 5:2 gently

5:7 beautiful sentence His weakest point was not on the cross, but when praying in Gethsemane. Qualified Him to be sympathetic, understanding H.P. for us. 5:8 He was obedient even to worst kind of death. In prayer we receive mercy, grace, and help!

5:11 I want to talk to you about the priesthood of Mel (introduced in v 10) but they had become dull, uninterested. Stereos = solid food. Something to chew on, stereo food…. Christ, a Priest like Mel, not A,B,Cs After basics, we build a superstructure. Let’s go on to perfection…. Be mature. 6:1 go on to more mature things.

6:4 Important Matter Hebrews = book of warnings. 1^st word in v.4 is key – "Impossible" NASB good - they have already fallen away (brought them to edge of a cliff to see debris below of those who failed to heed the warning… you leaders can end up there too!

Impossible Passages: 6 10:4 10:26 11:6

[The Assembly is a place of Encouraging. Worship leaders need to realize this.]

10:31 somber warning – it’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Lord.

Favorite psg? 6:19 anchor is thrown up there, not down below. Last word is forever. Rearranged from earlier statement. Forever is preview of Chapter 7.

The Forever-ness of Christ. 7:3 (Mel is just an example) 7:15 former commandment (v. 18) = Levitical worship it could not make anyone perfect… this legal requirement couldn’t bring anyone near to God, like Christ can.

Chapter 8 Wm. Manson "The Crown of the Argument" what he wanted to develope all along.

v.2 ministry not ordinary ministry, but work of priests. This work in a better place – not in Jerusalem, but in Heaven. Forgiveness takes place in Heaven! C 9 He intercedes for us.

**Better Promises Psa 40 axiomatic – Christians act in such a way because it is written on their hearts… v.10 King who couldn’t sleep would call in his chronicler. God has a Chronicle of deed.

Chapter 9 Regulations…. V.1-10 Until… 9:9 time of reformations of the body 11- Christ (1^st time He uses the name Christ) things had to be chgd, reformed not baby being born, but Christ appearing as H.P.

9:12-14 **The heart of Hebrews** Christ entered into Heaven! Returned Home! Been gone 30 years. Angels waiting to welcome Him.. First thing He did (so to speak) He offered His blood as a High Priest – attonement of His Blood, not bulls & goats, v. 14 How much more!! will His blood cleanse us? Will cover all of our ugliness… dead works of sin so we may worship = serve! Better translation.