 Introduction If you have ever stood next to an eighty-thousand-ton cargo or bulk ship and seen the anchor hanging from the bow, it looks incredibly small against the massive wall of steel. I have often wondered how something so small can truly hold all that weight. In Hebrews 6, the writer addresses believers weighed down by spiritual weariness, drift, and subtle doubt. We know that quiet tension. As years accumulate, careers shift, and the house grows quiet, we easily wonder whether our most meaningful days are behind us or whether life's mounting uncertainties will capsize us. Yet in maritime reality, an anchor holds not by its own bulk but by the solid ground it grips. When the storm surges, the tension drives the flukes deeper into the seabed, keeping the ship secure. When life does not go as we planned or hoped, rather than struggling to fix the issues we face and work our way to God, or carrying the anxiety of life's uncertainties, what if we could rest securely in God's promise, anchored in Jesus Christ? That is the opportunity for us today. Listen this morning not to another religious checklist or self-help advice, but to God's voice, speaking an oath into our weariness and inviting us to discover the rest of being held by Christ. Hebrews 6:13–20 When the author of Hebrews points us to the certainty of God’s covenant, he takes us back to Abraham. In verses 13 through 15, we are reminded that when God made His promise, He swore by Himself because no one was greater. In ancient times, people sealed their agreements with solemn oaths, invoking a higher authority to guarantee their word. Unfortunately, sometimes when a person took an oath, they would look for loopholes when they realized they either couldn’t or didn’t keep it. It was the ultimate sin to take an oath in the name of God and not keep it (Exodus 20: the real meaning of taking the Lord’s name in vain). But God did not look for an escape. He bound Himself to His own holy character. His oath rests entirely on who He is, and because His nature is unchanging, His promise cannot fail. Abraham discovered this over decades of waiting. In the long seasons of silence, when every biological and human circumstance declared the promise impossible, God remained faithful. Abraham waited patiently, and in God's perfect timing, he received what was promised. His faith journey was not a cakewalk. At times, he tried to “help” God when he felt God wasn’t moving fast enough or that God wasn’t going to fulfill the promise. The fulfillment did not depend on Abraham’s ability to orchestrate the outcome; it rested entirely on the God who keeps His word. The Rest of Spiritual Maturity As we mature in our faith, as the author of Hebrews encourages, our perspective begins to shift. In earlier seasons of life, unexpected trials can feel completely consuming. As you navigate the shifting realities of this season, whether that means adjusting to an empty nest, facing sudden health transitions, walking through the uncertainties of retirement, or carrying silent family heartaches, those burdens can easily feel massive and debilitating. Yet spiritual maturity enables us to look past the sheer scale of the mountain before us and fix our eyes on God's faithfulness. We begin to realize that no matter how big our problems, worries, and anxieties may be, God is infinitely bigger. We are free to rest in the truth that God keeps His promise. You do not have to carry the exhausting pressure of trying to control the outcome; instead, you can rest secure in the keeping power of the One who holds you securely. The Problem: Our unbelief causes us to doubt God's promise. The Drift of Weary Hearts The original recipients of Hebrews were spiritually exhausted and, in some cases, simply lazy. Under the slow burn of hardship and delayed deliverance, spiritual sluggishness set in. Because God’s timing did not align with their expectations, they began to drift. Unbelief quietly convinced them that it was safer to retreat into familiar religious rituals than to continue relying on God’s promise. The Urge to "Help God Out" We face that exact temptation today. As seasons shift, whether navigating health scares, caring for aging parents, or watching grown children struggle, the illusion of control slips through our fingers. While we declare that God is faithful, we often live as practical atheists. We act as though God needs our help. We hide behind masks of religious busyness while actively manipulating people and outcomes. Beneath this anxiety lies the root idol of self-reliance, the craving to remain the master of our own domain. It is an inner pride that whispers that our problems are uniquely difficult or that God cannot be trusted to handle them with the urgency we desire. Attempting to govern our lives yields bitter fruit. It leads to chronic worry, emotional fatigue, and friction in our relationships as we try to control those around us. We are left with a quiet dread that our self-fashioned anchors cannot bear the weight of our lives. The world offers two hollow escapes from this anxiety. The Secular Narrative: Culture tells us to rely entirely on personal grit: "You are the captain of your own fate; take charge." Yet when an unexpected diagnosis or market drop occurs, the illusion of self-determination shatters. The Moralist Narrative: Religious legalism whispers that we can bargain with God: "Serve harder, pray longer, and put God in your debt." Yet when trials linger, performance either crushes us with false guilt or breeds bitter resentment toward God. Neither self-reliance nor religious bargaining can anchor a soul. They merely reveal how quickly our unbelief leads us to doubt God's promise. Conclusion Throughout the Bible, we read time and again about God making promises and remaining faithful to fulfill them. A Bible teacher at my college used to say, “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.” This quote has been a core belief in my life since I entered the ministry 30-plus years ago, and it still rings true in my heart today. It’s not always easy, but I am assured that God’s Word is true and that He is faithful to keep His promises. For many of us, our experiences may not always be easy to face or endure, but when God is with us, His will is accomplished and His promises are fulfilled. As I read this passage, I developed three observations in Hebrews 6 about God’s faithfulness.
There will be moments when life feels anything but secure. Circumstances shift. Plans fall apart. People disappoint us. The future grows uncertain. Yet our hope was never meant to be anchored in our circumstances; it is anchored in the unchanging character of God.
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 Psalm 34:17–18
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Over the past two sessions, we’ve examined two important aspects of grief. Last week, we defined grief and set the purpose of this course: to look honestly at the realities of grief and learn how to walk through it together in a healthy way—what we are calling Good Grief. Last week, we discussed the words we use with people who are grieving and how even well-intentioned words can sometimes cause more pain than comfort. Today, I want us to look at something a little bigger: Why are we, as a culture, so bad at grief? Let me start with a question. If a friend, family member, or loved one expressed concern that someone seemed “stuck” in their grief, how would you respond? How long is too long to grieve? And maybe an even more important question: What would “not being stuck” look like? For many people, “not being stuck” means the grieving person has returned to work, started going out again, seems happy, socializes with friends, stops talking about their loss, and no longer cries in public. In other words, they look like their old selves again. We often equate happiness with health. If someone looks happy, we assume they must be doing well. If they are still sad, still crying, still talking about the person they lost, or still struggling months later, we begin to wonder whether something is wrong. That is because our culture often treats grief as an interruption. It is seen as something that gets in the way of happiness and normal life. Sadness, grief, and pain become problems to be solved rather than experiences to be lived through. We want grief to be temporary, short-term, and manageable. We want a finish line. There are certainly situations in which grief becomes so debilitating that someone needs additional professional help and support. But we need to be careful not to assume that ongoing grief means someone is grieving incorrectly. Even the idea that our deepest losses must eventually become something positive can become another burden for grieving people. We hear stories about people who take their pain and use it to help others. That can be beautiful and meaningful, and many people choose to do exactly that. But helping others is not the purpose of grief. Your pain does not have to become a ministry, a book, a nonprofit, a testimony, or an inspirational story for your grief to have been handled well. Sometimes, surviving today is enough. Is it possible to sit in church for ten, twenty, thirty, or forty years, know all the familiar answers, and still be living on spiritual baby food? Have you ever honestly examined your walk with God and wondered whether you have quietly shifted from actively growing in Christ to coasting on spiritual autopilot? In our culture of low accountability and easy shortcuts, it's easy to show up on Sundays, be fed, go home, and not be challenged or spiritually moved.
Think of the milk versus solid food analogy that we will look at in a moment. Milk is for infants; it is pre-digested, easy, and requires zero effort to swallow. That is a wonderful gift when you are just a spiritual infant. But solid food is for grown-ups. It takes time, intentional chewing, and a real appetite that builds genuine spiritual strength. The tragedy is never starting on milk; it is remaining content with milk when God has set a banquet before us. Rather than floating through our faith on spiritual autopilot, what if you invested in your spiritual formation and stepped into the rich maturity of knowing Christ deeply? That is the life-giving opportunity before us today. Hebrews 5:11 - 14 The Expectation of Growth When we look at Hebrews 5, God reveals a design for our walk with Him: spiritual life is meant to grow. In verse 12, the author writes, "You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others." Notice the clear expectation. Just as a child is naturally born to grow into healthy adulthood, longstanding faith is meant to yield spiritual wisdom, maturity, and the capacity to nourish others. In verse 14, the author describes who the mature truly are. They are not people who have memorized facts or spent decades sitting in church pews. The mature are those who, through obedience and discipline, have trained their spirituality to discern good from evil. Maturity in Christ is an ongoing spiritual workout; it is a steady, intentional exercise of the heart that sharpens our discernment as we walk closely with the Lord and feast on His Word. When we actively pursue maturity, the impact is never limited to a Sunday morning service. It affects every single area of our daily lives. Spiritual maturity transforms how we live. It changes how we treat one another in our homes, workplaces, and church community. Instead of reacting with frustration, doubt, or self-protection, a maturing believer is empowered to engage others with patience, love, and humility. Even in moments of conflict or mistreatment, maturity gives us the freedom to respond to our enemies with the very grace, mercy, and forgiveness we have received in Christ. Spiritual maturity is never an abstract concept reserved for textbooks. It is a practical, living reality. As we digest solid spiritual food, our spiritual senses sharpen, and our lives begin to bear the unmistakable fruit of Jesus. Problem: Our flesh desires complacency and superficial allegiance, resisting genuine maturity in Christ and pursuing our own desires. Look at how the author of Hebrews diagnoses his readers. They were not brand-new believers struggling to grasp basic concepts; they were believers who had heard the truth for years. Yet the author pauses to deliver a sobering diagnosis: "You are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen." Their dullness was not an intellectual deficit. It was a conscious choice. They deliberately tuned out the deeper things of God, choosing spiritual infancy because real hearing required more work than they were willing to give. We face the same pull today. In a world saturated with quick fixes, life hacks, and easy shortcuts, we often resist the hard work of due diligence in God's Word. We want the benefits of spiritual maturity, but when confronted with the patient disciplines of deep study, reflection, and personal application, our flesh seeks an easy out. We settle for superficial allegiance, content to show up, be fed, and return home without letting truth reshape our daily lives. Beneath this drift lies the quiet idol of ease and laziness. After decades of church life, our hearts are tempted to believe we have already put in our time. We want the standing and respect of seasoned believers without the ongoing investment of sitting humbly at Jesus’ feet. We trade Christ’s vitality for the comfort of coasting. When we choose spiritual laziness, the consequences can be painful. We slowly drift into isolation from authentic Christian fellowship, grow distant from God, and face the temptation to compromise. Our culture tries to soothe us by shifting the blame outward, suggesting that spiritual dryness is simply the fault of the church, our busyness, or our environment. But shifting blame only keeps us trapped on a diet of baby food, starving our souls of the genuine maturity God desires. When the author of Hebrews diagnoses sluggishness, he delivers a hard truth wrapped in hope. He tells us they have become dull of hearing, yet notice what he does not say. He does not say they were spiritually deaf, nor does he say God has abandoned them to their inactivity. Dullness of hearing can mean the line of communication is still open. God has not written them off because they have coasted on spiritual autopilot. In our spiritual dullness, we may have sought shortcuts and settled for spiritual baby food; Jesus refused every shortcut. In our place, He walked a life of wholehearted, attentive obedience to the Father. Where our ears grew sluggish, Jesus listened and obeyed, submitting to the way of sacrifice so that we could be reconciled to God. Because of His extraordinary grace, we are never trapped in our spiritual sluggishness. Christ meets us in our dullness, calling us back into vibrant communion with Himself. Right before pausing to confront their spiritual drift, the author anchors them in the reality of Jesus as the Great High Priest. Under the old covenant, priests offered repeated, temporary sacrifices that could never permanently secure the heart. But Jesus did something far greater: He did not merely offer an external sacrifice on an altar; He became our sin offering and our ultimate sacrifice once for all. On the cross, Jesus offered Himself to fully atone for sins, taking upon Himself humanity's complacency, superficial allegiance, and self-absorbed drift. Through His death, resurrection, and ascension, He has granted us permanent, direct access to the Father. We do not have to perform, earn our way, or project an image of having it all together to draw near to God. Jesus has already secured our standing, opening the door for us to enter God's presence with bold confidence. When this substitutionary grace takes root in our hearts, it completely reorients why we pursue spiritual maturity. Immature religion is always transactional; it pursues Jesus merely to get something from Him. It treats God as a means to an end, showing up only for comfort, relief, or spiritual respectability. Spiritual maturity transforms our motivation. Because Jesus has secured our standing and granted us direct access to the Father, we no longer relate to God to bargain for blessings; we pursue Him simply to know Him. We are free from the exhausting pressure of religious duty. Resting in the finished work of Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and empowers us to leave spiritual infancy behind and cultivate deep, lasting maturity in Him. Response In light of this extraordinary grace, we have a life-giving opportunity. Rather than drifting through our faith on spiritual autopilot or settling for the bare minimum, what if we stepped into the rich maturity of knowing Christ deeply? The Old Way of the flesh tells seasoned believers that decades of church attendance are enough, that we can quietly retire into spiritual retirement and survive on prepackaged baby food. But the New Way of the Spirit invites us into something far more rewarding: because Christ has secured our standing and granted us direct access to the Father, we are now free to take active, joyful responsibility for our spiritual formation. We see this practical life in verse 14: "Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong." Spiritual maturity is a living capacity exercised through daily communion with God. By grace, we get to train our spiritual senses. We have the privilege of opening the Scriptures with an appetite for solid food, allowing the Spirit to sharpen our discernment so we can navigate our families, workplaces, and relationships with Christlike wisdom. Mature believers are free to live in daily devotion and obedience simply because we desire to know God more. We do not engage with God’s Word to earn His affection; we engage with His Word because we want to know Him more. Growth is no longer an exhausting obligation we must fulfill; it is a life-giving relationship we get to enjoy. Resting in Grace over Self-Reliance The world insists that growth comes through exhausting willpower, rigid self-help techniques, and the drive to prove our worth. Religious moralism adds the crushing weight of having to earn God's favor through our own performance. The gospel shatters both narratives. Our spiritual growth is rooted solely in grace, not in our self-made works. Because Jesus has accomplished everything on our behalf, we are invited to rest in God's peace. Anchored in that secure love, we are now fully empowered to move beyond spiritual stagnation and actively pursue the deeper things of God. Conclusion We began today with an honest question: is it possible to sit in church for decades and still be living on spiritual baby food? Jesus, our great High Priest, did not offer Himself and tear open the veil just so we could remain in the nursery on spiritual autopilot. He gives us direct access to the Father. Overcoming spiritual laziness or dullness is never about self-generated willpower, nor is it about earning God's approval. You are not left to grow in your own strength. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice, securing our permanent standing before the Father and giving us His Holy Spirit. Because of His finished work, we are fully empowered by grace to leave complacency behind, step into the deeper things of God, and walk with spiritual senses trained to discern right from wrong. Today, accept the challenge to take active ownership of your faith. Step away from the bare minimum. In Christ, you are free to feast on God’s Word, deepen your walk, and pursue genuine maturity in Him. Nobody is immune to grief; we all experience it, and it sucks. When we see someone grieving, our natural inclination is to help or “comfort” them. Nobody likes to see someone they love in pain, suffering, and grief. So, we try our best to help. We stumble and fumble, but in our desire to help, we can sometimes make things worse. Unfortunately, our culture is not very good at dealing with or working through grief. In fact, saying modern culture is the only society that has not handled grief well would be a misnomer. We can go all the way back to the book of Job, which many think is the oldest book of the Bible, and see how ineffective people were at supporting others in grief. Job 1 & 2 Overview of Job. In the first few chapters of Job, we read that he was a righteous, wealthy, and blessed man. He had it all… a large family, resources and wealth far beyond measure, and was considered the greatest man of his time. Job had everything going for him: comfort, a daily routine, and a relationship with the Lord. One day, in response to the accuser’s challenge before God (we will talk more about that later), Job lost his children and his livestock in one fell swoop. In Job 1:20–22, we see Job as a broken and grieving individual as he tore his garments, fell down, and worshiped God. This was an unusual way to grieve, and it is by no means the template for grief, but it was his grief, and he did it in the manner he felt he should. If that wasn’t enough, Job was afflicted with painful boils and sores. To ease his discomfort, he would scrape his scabs and boils with pieces of a broken clay pot. His wife, who offered him no solace, told Job to “curse God and die!” What follows in the next thirty-plus chapters is that Job’s friends come and try to support him during this dark part of his life. As we see, their words were far from supportive; in fact, they made matters worse. Maybe his friends thought they were helping with their counsel, but were actually harmful and hurtful. More Than Words It is extremely difficult to see our loved ones in pain. Those who love us, or we love, struggle to find the right words to comfort our grieving loved ones. Words like “You will feel better one day,” “It won’t always be this difficult,” or the optimistic ones say, “Hey, look to the future; things will only get better.” Whether we like it or not, everyone has an opinion on grief and feels the need to make things better somehow. This is a natural response. Of course, we want our grieving loved ones to “get better” or not hurt so much. But the reality is there is no “fix” for grief. One-way people try to console or “fix” grief is through words, and often those words, even when intended as comfort, can make the grieving individual feel worse. Let’s be honest, grief makes people feel uncomfortable. Plus, people often think grief is bad because it causes pain. So, we try to say things to make things better. In the process, the one “supporting” those grieving usually feels helpless, awkward, and ridiculous, while the person they are trying to support ends up feeling dismissed and patronized. In the end, people may say unhelpful things like…
Author Megan Devine, in IT’S OK THAT YOU’RE NOT OK, writes about the “everything happens for a reason” response, “The unspoken second half of the sentence in this case says you needed this somehow. It says that you weren’t aware of what was important in life before this happened.” She continues, “You didn’t need this. You don’t have to grow from it, and you don’t have to put it behind you.” In our grief, the words we use, and the words spoken to us matter. The Epistle of James has some wise words to offer to us when it comes to speaking. James 1:19 says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” Slow to speak and quick to listen. Sometimes those grieving just need someone to listen to them and not try to “fix” anything. Sometimes silence and affirmation are the best responses. James 3 James describes the tongue as a fire, capable of great harm. This warning extends beyond teachers to all believers. Our words, like fire, can cause destruction when used irresponsibly. Many of us have experienced the pain of harsh words spoken to us. Proverbs 18:21 states, "The tongue has the power of life and death." Our words can uplift or tear down, bring healing or inflict wounds. Evangelist Leonard Ravenhill once said, "Our words reflect what’s in our hearts." What we talk about often reveals our true priorities. How quickly can you tell what someone values by listening to them? James emphasizes that our speech should reflect the God we serve. Conclusion The greatest gift we can give someone who is grieving is permission, the permission to hurt, to cry, to be angry, to ask questions, to tell the same story over and over again, and even to sit in silence. We don’t have to explain their pain or find some spiritual lesson hidden inside of it. We simply need to be willing to enter into that uncomfortable space with them and stay there for a while. Sometimes loving someone well means saying less, listening more, and reminding them through our presence that they don’t have to carry their grief alone.
Introduction
Why is it that on our hardest, loneliest days, when grief feels heaviest, physical pain lingers, or our hearts ache in quiet isolation, our first instinct is to pull away and hide from God rather than run straight to Him? When weakness overtakes us, we often feel like an unwashed traveler standing outside a grand estate in the freezing rain. We see the warm fire through the windows, longing for comfort, yet we hesitate even to knock on the door. We whisper to ourselves that we are a burden, that our insecurity, tears, or failures make us unworthy to enter. The original recipients of Hebrews knew that exact weariness. Under mounting pressure, they were tempted to retreat into old, comfortable habits and religious self-reliance. We do the same when we suffer in silence. Yet when we feel most vulnerable, Scripture reveals that Jesus, the Son of the house, meets us at the door, hands us His key, and welcomes us inside. Rather than shrinking back like insecure outsiders in our weakness and grief, what if we approached God's throne with boldness? Today, you are invited to set down the exhausting weight of trying to be strong enough and to listen expectantly to the voice of our Great High Priest. Hebrews 4:14–16 Our Christian confidence does not rest solely on our feelings, our energy, or how well our week went. It rests on the reality of who Jesus is and where Jesus is right now. Look at how verse 14 opens: "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe." In the Old Testament, the high priest was a mortal man who had to offer sacrifices for his own sins before he could represent the people. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, he slipped behind a thick curtain into the earthly Holy of Holies, in holy fear. The author of Hebrews declares a magnificent title here: Jesus is our Great High Priest. He did not enter an earthly tent built by human hands. He "passed through the heavens," ascending directly into the Father's presence on our behalf. His sacrifice was complete, His atonement finished, and He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Because our High Priest is seated in God's presence, our invitation to draw near is settled and permanent. Our boldness is anchored not in our performance but in His finished work. This truth offers great comfort in our everyday lives. When facing physical hardships, declining health, or the heavy ache of grief and loss, it is easy to wonder whether God feels distant or whether our struggles go unnoticed. Verse 14 reminds us that our Great High Priest is not an untouchable figure. Jesus is actively at work in our lives today, advocating for us before the Father and speaking to us through His Holy Spirit. We have an eternal Savior who has walked in our shoes, endured our griefs, and understands our vulnerabilities. In every quiet room, at every doctor's appointment, and in every season of sorrow, we are free to rest in the truth that we are represented by a living, sympathetic Savior who invites us near. The original recipients of this letter knew the weight of hardship. As early Jewish believers facing trial and persecution, they were growing weary. When life became difficult and painful, their instinct was to retreat to the familiar, slipping back into old religious habits and routines where they felt safe and in control. That is why the author urgently warned them not to drift away, pleading with them to hold fast to their faith. Hardship has a way of tempting each of us to retreat from God rather than run to Him. We wrestle with that same pull today. When seasons of frailty, chronic illness, or the deep sorrow of losing a spouse press in, our default reflex is rarely to draw near. Instead, we tend to react in one of two ways. Some of us fall into the trap of collapsing in despair, wondering if God has forgotten us, and quietly pull away from prayer because we feel our grief is too heavy. Others default to suppressing their tears, putting on a brave face, and pretending everything is fine. We focus on religious self-reliance, trying to manage our pain in our own strength because we think admitting weakness isn't what strong Christians do. Underlying both reactions is a quiet heart idol: stubborn self-reliance and the paralyzing fear of being a burden. We tell ourselves that we must stay self-sufficient or that God and the people around us are tired of hearing our cries. Living under that lie has painful consequences. It breeds loneliness, anxiety, and isolation. When we hide our needs, we miss out on the rich comfort and blessings God wants to pour into our lives through His people. Our culture only worsens this pain by preaching a gospel of self-made strength: "Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps; never show weakness." But self-reliance is an empty promise. It knows nothing of grace or real community, leaving us exhausted and isolated when our hearts need mercy most. If our access to God depended on our goodness, emotional strength, or ability to carry our grief, the doors of heaven would remain closed. We cannot reach God by our own strength. In our brokenness and sin, we have no merit to plead before a holy God. This is why the author of Hebrews lifts our eyes away from our frailties and anchors them on Jesus. Look at verse 15: He is not an unreachable, distant figure looking down on us with detachment. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He entered our world, took on human flesh, and walked through the very temptations, sorrows, and vulnerabilities we face. He knew what it was to weep, to feel physical pain, and to bear loss. Yet in all of this, He lived in obedience; He did not sin. Where we stumble, Jesus remained faithful. He went to the cross as our willing, unblemished sacrifice, bearing our sin to atone for our rebellion. He broke death’s power in His resurrection and ascended into the heavens to reign at the Father’s right hand as our eternal mediator. Because of His finished sacrifice, the seat of holy judgment has become a welcoming throne of grace. This divine substitution changes everything about how we relate to God. Recognizing that Jesus took our place is deeply humbling. It strips away all pretense of self-reliance, reminding us that no amount of effort or religious grit could ever earn us an audience with the Father. Yet at the very same moment, this truth brings relief and liberation. Because Jesus is your Great High Priest, you are free from the exhausting pressure to prove your worth to God. You do not need to hide your tears, mask your physical frailty, or apologize for bringing Him your daily aches and loneliness. You are not an unwelcome burden knocking at the gate; you are a cherished son or daughter brought straight into the house by the Son Himself. When you rest in what Christ has accomplished, your heart is freed from fear of inadequacy. Jesus lived the sinless life you could not, bore the judgment you could not, and now covers you with His perfect righteousness. In Him, you have received unshakable boldness to enter God's presence at any moment, confident that you will meet only mercy and grace. We cannot bridge the gap to God by our own strength. In our fallen state, self-reliance leaves us exhausted, and our failures leave us unworthy to draw near. Yet the gospel declares that God did not leave us outside the gate. Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, entered our human experience. He took on flesh, walked our roads, and tasted our grief, vulnerability, and tears. As verse 15 reminds us, He faced the same tests and trials we do, yet He did not sin. Where we stumble, Jesus walked in obedience. Where we give in to self-protection or despair, He trusted the Father completely. Because He lived the spotless life we could not, He became the perfect, willing sacrifice on the cross for our sins. He bore the penalty for our rebellion, atoned for our failures, and dismantled every wall of guilt that kept us separated from God. Jesus did not remain in the grave. He rose bodily in victory, conquered death, and ascended into heaven, where He reigns at the right hand of the Father. He is our Great High Priest, having passed through the heavens on our behalf. Because His atoning work is finished and forever accepted, the place of divine judgment has become a throne of grace for all who belong to Him. Jesus is not an unreachable or untouchable ruler who looks down on our aging bodies, loneliness, or sorrow with cold detachment. He is our living Mediator, who knows our pain from the inside out and continually advocates for us. Our entrance into God's presence does not depend on our fluctuating feelings or spiritual performance; it is anchored in the living presence of Jesus, who stands in heaven for us. This substitutionary exchange rewires our hearts from the inside out. Realizing that our standing before God is entirely unearned is deeply humbling—it strips away our stubborn independence and reveals that we bring nothing to the table. Yet this same truth is infinitely liberating. If our acceptance before God does not rest on our efforts, our weaknesses, physical limitations, and seasons of grief cannot disqualify us. We are freed from the exhausting grind of trying to prove our worth or to maintain a facade of self-sufficiency. Because Jesus has secured our standing once and for all, we are released from shame and invited to rest securely in His finished work, receiving boldness to approach the Father at all times. Because of what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf, we are new creations, fully welcomed into God's family. We no longer live in fear, hesitation, or doubt about our standing before Him. The invitation in Hebrews 4:16 stands wide open: we are invited to come boldly to the throne of our gracious God, where we receive mercy and find grace to help us in our exact moment of need. We do not have to wonder whether we are welcome; we get to draw near with the joyful confidence of beloved sons and daughters. This grace completely reorients how we live day to day. The old way of the flesh tempts us to withdraw, carry our grief in silence, and cling to stubborn self-reliance because we dread being a burden to others. But in view of God's grace, we are empowered to lay down that exhausting weight of independence. When a brother or sister in Christ offers to bring a warm meal, give a ride to an appointment, or sit with you during an hour of loneliness, you are free to receive that care with an open heart. Letting our church family serve us is not a defeat; it is a beautiful opportunity to experience the tangible love of Jesus. The world constantly preaches a hollow gospel of self-sufficiency: pull yourself up by your bootstraps, put on a brave face, and never let anyone see you struggle. The Gospel offers a far better way. In Christ, you do not have to pretend to be strong in seasons of weakness or force a smile in moments of sorrow. You are free to be entirely authentic. Because our Great High Priest understands every ache and tear, we can bring our honest, unfiltered hearts to Him, resting securely in His welcoming grace. Conclusion If you are in Christ, you can truly rest. You never have to hustle to prove your worth, hide your physical frailty, or carry your grief in silence. Jesus is your Great High Priest, who lived, died, rose, and ascended for you. He knows every ache of your heart and remains intimately near through every season—in your quiet moments of joy and in your deepest valleys of sickness, loneliness, or sorrow. Whatever burdens, weights, struggles, or quiet grief you carry today, you are invited to lay them freely at God's throne of grace. You do not have to pretend to be strong on your own. Step forward with boldness and confidence into your Savior's tender, empathetic embrace, who understands you completely and welcomes you home. Introduction The first two chapters of Hebrews establish the truth that Jesus is the greatest in all creation. The author highlights Jesus’ humanity and divinity. In our last time together, we discussed how he warns his recipients about the real danger of drifting and falling away from Jesus. He encourages his readers to stay grounded in Jesus, who is the firm foundation of our faith. Now, the author turns the attention from the angels to Moses. This is deliberate, since Moses was revered in Judaism as the greatest of all men. The author does not belittle or speak ill of Moses in any way but shows that even though he was the greatest among all men of Israel, Jesus is still far greater. Hebrews 3:1 - 6 Vs 1: “Therefore” – Since Jesus destroyed death and is far superior to the angels, he became human, made propitiation for sins, was tempted, and suffered so that he could help those who were tempted and suffering. The author now gives the readers three identities. First, they are identified as siblings, “Dear brothers and sisters” – people who are members of the body of Christ and have been consecrated to service to God through Jesus. Second, they are recipients of God’s work… Those who are “called to heaven” they are the holy and anointed ones, believers and followers of Christ. Thirdly, they are sharers, those who are joined and participate together in something. The people the author is addressing are all connected in Christ. “Think carefully about this” – Consider, direct, or fix your mind on Jesus, who is an “Apostle,” “a messenger,” or “sent one.” He, the sent one, was sent by the Father to earth to accomplish his purposes. He is also our “High Priest,” signifying a sacrificial mission to humanity. As High Priest, he is sent to deal with the problems of humanity’s sins. Jewish sources indicate that the high priest was regarded as the fully accredited representative of God before the people on the solemn Day of Atonement. Although Moses is never designated as an apostle, the conception of him as one called, appointed, and sent by God underlies the term. The title “apostle or messenger and high priest” in Heb 3:1 points to the comparison that will be developed between Jesus and Moses in their office as appointed representatives of God. Vs 2: “He was faithful to God” - Jesus has always been, is, and will be faithful to God. Moses is also described as faithful. One could argue that Moses was not as faithful as he could have been at times. Yet the writer does not criticize the man honored so highly by the Jews. Thus, he prefers to accept and declare Moses “faithful.” Yet he sees Jesus’ faithfulness as complete. Vs 3 – 5: Moses was highly revered. He was considered great; as stated before, he was deemed the greatest man of Israel. However, as great as Moses was, Jesus is greater. Moses’ glory did not measure up to Jesus’ glory. How so? Moses was a faithful servant in the House of God, but Jesus was the builder of the house. Jesus, the one who makes the house, is worthy of more honor than the house, no matter how glorious the house may be. Moses was always a member of the people of God (Israel), and nothing more. He was great and honorable among his people, but there was no way he could be anything other than one of them. This is not the case with Jesus! He was more. We have read in previous chapters that Jesus became a true man and could truly call humanity “brothers and sisters.” But we would be mistaken if we stopped at calling him a mere man. Christ is more than man. He is the founder of the church, and the church was continuous with the OT people of God. The official title “servant” appears only here in the NT and is used to contrast with Jesus; Moses is a servant, and Jesus is the Son of God. In context, it conveys dignity and respect, describing a relationship of affection and trust between Moses and God. Vs 6: Jesus is superior in the fact that he is the Son and is appointed to exercise his rule and authority over the house of God. In 1 Sam 2:35, God promised that he would raise up a faithful priest and he would build a faithful house. This latter promise is taken up in v 6b. The undeniable position of “we are” emphasizes the collective understanding that the church is the “house of God.” We are the church, and Christ is over us. Because Jesus is a faithful high priest in the service of God, Christians have the right and ability to draw near to God (cf. 4:15–16), and we can openly confess our faith, which is the source of our unshakeable hope. Hebrews 3:12 - 19 Unbelief: Unbelief is not a lack of faith or trust. It is the refusal to believe God. It leads inevitably to turning away from God in a deliberate act of rejection. This refusal to believe and disobedience is what kept the Israelites out of the Promised Land. Unbelieving hearts lead to falling away from God. Vs 13: The admonition “You must warn each other every day” may assume a daily gathering of the house church, which would provide the occasion for mutual encouragement. Christian fellowship is extremely important because it builds others up in faith and strengthens the body against falling into sin, rebellion, and apostasy. This encouragement was a daily discipline and was a habitual act. Vs 16 - 18: The author poses and answers three questions
God has given the promise of rest. Those who believe will enter into rest. Rest Commandment 4 Sabbath: Exodus 20:8 We do not live under OT rule and law. Jesus fulfilled the law. So, what should the Sabbath look like for us today? I believe, first and foremost, we should continue to take a day of rest from our usual work and activity, and that rest should involve worship. Gathering today to worship is participation in Sabbath rest. The point of the Sabbath is to “stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another.” Resting in the Lord's presence through worship, fellowship, prayer, and communion is what the Sabbath should look like. The truth is that we don’t stop working on the Sabbath… Things still need to be done at home and in the church. Meals need to be cooked, dishes washed, lawns mowed… Children need to be led during the Sunday School hour, babies need to be watched in the Nursery, music needs to be played, etc. These shouldn’t be burdens, and I get that sometimes they do become burdensome, and when they do, we are to cast that burden onto God, and he will give you the strength and joy you need to complete it for his glory. Late author and Pastor Tim Keller sums up quite nicely what Sabbath means to us today, where he writes, “Only Jesus offers you a 'finished work' to rest in. In fact, the very definition of a Christian is not just someone who admires Jesus, emulates Jesus, or obeys Jesus. A Christian is someone who ‘rests in his finished work’ instead of your own. Remember, God was only able to rest in Gen 2:1-3 because his work was finished. A Christian is someone who knows that it would be quite all right if he or she died tonight. You've already finished your work--everything that has to happen within your lifetime has happened. The rest is gravy, icing. Gravy and icing is quite tasty, of course--but not absolutely necessary.” Because of Jesus, essentially our work is finished. Yes, we labor and toil day after day, but our final rest… our eternal rest is found in Jesus, and I can rest in that. Vs 12 - 13: “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” This weapon is not only for defense but also for striking back. The Word of God is powerful; when Jesus was tempted in the desert, he used it to fend off the devil, and it was sufficient. It is living, active, and transformational. Everything about the Word of God points to Jesus, and Jesus is the fulfillment of the Word of God (I John 1:1). If you are a believer, you must cling to the Word of God; you must know it and love it, for in it is power, salvation, and truth. The Word of God… It is LIVING –meaning that it gives and contains life. God’s Word still speaks to the hearts of individuals today. It is ACTIVE and has power. As I stated already, the Word of God has the power to transform and change individuals for God's glory. It is PIERCING, which means it has the power to convict and correct.  Good Grief Purpose: To talk to one another about grief. Whether you are going through grief or have a loved one going through grief, it is important to know that grief is real and it is ever present. Modern society may see grief as something to fix, but in fact it is something you carry and that stays with you. In this course, we will look at the realities of grief and how we can walk in and through it together in a healthy way... Good grief. This does not mean it will be all puppy dogs and flowers; I can guarantee you this is not the case. It is a course that will bring up strong emotions, tears, anger, regret, sorrow, doubt, and much more. Healthy does not mean happy. Good grief means you are going through the pain in a way that does not paralyze you and keep you in a place of continual desperation and despair. Introduction I’m not an expert on grief. I’m just someone learning to live in a life of grief I never planned for. A textbook definition of grief: The natural psychological and physiological response to loss, particularly the death of a significant person, involving emotional, cognitive, behavioral, social, and physical reactions as a person adapts to the reality of the loss. A simple definition: What happens to us when someone or something we love is no longer there. C.S. Lewis writes, “Grief felt so like fear… The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep on swallowing. At other times it feels like being mildly drunk, or concussed.”[i] Until I lost Carrie, I was unaware of the large grieving community that exists. I was too self-focused to fully comprehend that so many others were hurting and grieving. Although I showed empathy whenever I heard of a tragedy, I was also guilty of passively saying the very things I don't like to hear today… “God’s got a plan in all this.” “This tragedy may have surprised you, but it didn’t surprise God.” “She/He is in a better place now,” and the list goes on. In my self-focused world, I don’t think I was trying to be insensitive, but I was. Words… they can really bite. Even the way I viewed death was shallow. I knew death was real, but death was certainly not something I needed to focus on. The death of my wife was certainly a foreign concept. Because we both knew, I was supposed to be the one who died first, and that reality was way down the road. Besides, we had plans; we were going to have grandbabies, see our children get married or pursue lifelong careers, we were going to travel together, and we lived our lives as regular normal people do: we argued, we cried together, we loved, we worshiped together, we criticized, we lovingly rebuked, we experienced job loss together, and we supported each other. Ultimately, we had each other, and even though we knew one day death would come, that was in the future… waaay in the future. Then death came. In one quick moment, death snatched away the one I had spent over 30 years of my life with. I had known her longer than I had not known her. And one moment she was with me, talking, asking what we wanted for dinner, and the next moment she was gone… unresponsive. I used to think death wasn’t so scary because the Bible tells us not to fear it, but death is scary. I have a new understanding and respect for death because it has knocked on my door and it has taken the one I loved most in this life. Death used to feel far away; now, death doesn’t feel so distant, and I am aware that life is fragile and death can be a real punch to the gut, and it brings the hardest things I have ever had to bear… grief. Oh. Good ole grief. We are Getting it Wrong The Reality of Grief Mark Nepo writes in the forward to the book IT’S OK THAT YOU’RE NOT OK, “In living our (lives), we are here to love and lose. No one knows why. It is just so. If we commit to loving, we will inevitably know loss and grief. If we try to avoid loss and grief, we will never truly love.”[ii] We can learn from one another. Those who suffer carry a wisdom the rest of us need. We live in a society afraid to feel or to express feelings; this is why it is important to experience love and loss together and authentically. The way we deal with grief in our culture is broken. The reality is that we all experience grief in some capacity, and the way the world around us views it is not helpful or healthy. When tragedy hits you, your life is forever changed, and how you respond shapes who you are today. Until recently, I can honestly say I did not know how to grieve or how to support and love someone who was grieving. I look back at those loved ones who lost a spouse, and I shudder when I think about how I “cared” for them. When Carrie died, I realized how insensitive I was and how bad a friend and support I was during the darkest days of their lives. I was so convicted by my insensitivity that I apologized to both for not being a good friend or support. Both graciously accepted my apology. From that point, I vowed to grieve well and to support those who are grieving. Grief is not unique. How we grieve is. We have all experienced grief and loss. We’ve also felt misunderstood in our grief and loss. We’ve also been on the other side of grief as we stood by, helpless in the face of someone else’s pain. We say things to try to make people feel better, knowing full well that words can never make anything right. There is no victor in grief. It is common for grieving individuals to feel misunderstood, and for those who love us to feel helpless in the face of grief. Those of us grieving know that we need help and support, but we really don’t know how or what to ask for. We all want to feel loved and supported in our grief, and we want to help those we love. Unfortunately, we either don’t know how or what to do, or we were just plain taught wrong. Many of you were probably told at one point, in some capacity or another, to not trust your feelings, suppress them, and get on with life. This is essentially what most of us are taught… maybe not literally, but certainly implied. Many people see grief as something to be fixed, overcome, or defeated. We are not taught to see grief as something we should support. Unfortunately, this keeps us from caring for ourselves in our grief and hinders us from supporting those we love. Our culture has not taught us how to navigate grief with the skills needed to be truly helpful. If we want to work through grief effectively, we must talk about it. We must understand that it is a natural process, not something to suppress, rush, or deny. So many people who are grieving don’t talk about their pain and grief. Sometimes it’s easier to put on a happy face and pretend all is well rather than be honest about our true emotions. In the weeks to come, my hope is that we can look at the reality of loss, pain, and grief and learn together how to work and walk through grief. To see grief as something that is shouldered throughout life and not something to be fixed. Questions
[i] C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed (New York: HarperOne, 2001), 3. [ii] Megan Devine, It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand (Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 2017), xi. Introduction
An L.A. Times article titled "A sea cruise on a boat made of kiddie pools and buckets — what could go wrong?" dated May 9, 2021, recounts this story. Two college students in a homemade boat made from plastic kiddie wading pools, plywood, 20 5-gallon buckets, and duct tape were rescued off the coast of Santa Barbara early Saturday. The two male college students in their 20s set off from Isla Vista near UC Santa Barbara sometime Friday evening or early Saturday. Fire personnel received an emergency call at 2 a.m. from someone on shore who saw strobe lights they carried on board. They appeared to be drifting out to sea, said Mike Eliason, the Santa Barbara County fire spokesman. Fire personnel rescued them about 300 yards from the shore at 2:37 a.m. The students did not explain why they were out at sea at that hour. Eliason said alcohol was not involved and that the voyage may have been part of a school project. Their school was not identified. “If this is happening at 1 p.m., I’m not sure there’s much commotion,” Eliason said. “When you’re going out in the middle of the night in a pitch-black environment, the timing is odd.” The students were not wearing wetsuits in mid-50-degree weather. In photos, one student wore only swim trunks, while the other wore shorts and a shirt. They were in separate wading pools attached to a single large piece of plywood and appeared to be paddling out to sea. Eliason said the natural course and strength of the tides pulled the duo south, despite their efforts to head north. “They didn’t seem to be in any distress, but they were just floating out there,” Eliason said. “We managed to bring them back to shore, and they were grateful. I just wish they had planned whatever they were doing a little better.” Hebrews 2: 1 - 4 Hebrews chapter 2 states the purpose of this letter. The author saw the great difficulty the readers were facing and that many were crumbling under pressure. He writes to encourage, or exhort, the recipients to stay grounded and anchored in their faith in Jesus Christ. Verse one contains a warning to his readers. The writer states that since Jesus is the creator, the radiance of God’s glory, the exact imprint of God, and the sustainer of the universe, he sits at the right hand of the Father. His name is more excellent than the angels and superior to them. Thus, they need to pay attention to the message they received. They are to pay attention so that they do not “drift away” or lose sight of their salvation. The phrase “drift away” implies drifting off course. The overtones suggest holding a ship toward port or being anchored or fastened to the seabed, so it remains grounded and immovable. The implication is that the recipients must keep a firm grasp on the truth, so they do not drift away from the faith out of carelessness or apathy. Drifting is subtle. You only need to go to the beach, get in the Gulf, and sit in an inner tube or other floating device. If you do not pay attention or take measures to stay close to the shore, you are in danger of slowly drifting further from it. If you are not fully careful, you could drift to a point where you are too far out and need rescuing. This is the picture the writer of Hebrews is painting. Be proactive in your pursuit, understanding, and planting yourself in the firm foundation of the truth. Vs 2 – 3: “the message God delivered through angels…” is another way of saying the word of God was spoken through prophets. This message is reliable and legally valid because God spoke it. There is no indication that Angels were present at the giving of the Law; however, Deut. 33:2 does declare that “God came with ten thousand holy ones. Holy ones can be defined from the Hebrew word that means “Set apart ones.” This critical demand to pay attention to what we have heard in verse 1 anticipates the warning that the message of salvation can be ignored, resulting in devastating consequences or just retribution. A lack of concern and care for God’s word invites “just retribution.” Just retribution is a fair payment proportional to the offense or crime, according to God’s judgment. “This great salvation” means that they are faced with greater responsibility and greater consequence. The question of how to escape is rhetorical, and the answer is that no escape is possible. Hebrews 2:5 – 9 Vs 5: ‘the future world’ is the main subject of both this passage and the letter to the recipients; this is why hope is a recurring theme throughout this epistle. A good deal of the argument in Hebrews is that, in Jesus the Messiah, hope has already come into the world and is giving signs of the new world that will eventually come to be. The continuing theme of the previous two passages is that God, from the beginning, appointed his Son to be superior to the angels. This time, though, he speaks of this superiority in terms of the future role given to the Son. In the coming world, God intends that the original order of creation should finally be realized: the world is to be ruled, wisely and creatively, by human beings who live in trusting obedience to God himself. V6: Quotes Psalm 8:4–6 In this Psalm, David recognizes the “smallness” of humanity in comparison to the expanse of the universe. He is in awe that, in our “smallness,” God still remembers us. He is not a distant God who is far off. God doesn’t merely acknowledge humanity; we are on His mind, and He thinks about us. No branch of science proclaims God’s greatness and man’s insignificance more eloquently than astronomy. The simple fact that distances must be measured in light-years (the distance light travels in a year) illustrates the point. Light travels 186,000 miles per second, and there are 31.5 million seconds in a year, so it covers roughly six trillion miles in a single year! Yet some stars are billions of light-years from Earth. One might almost think God is too busy running the universe to take any part in our lives. Sometimes we think of Him as a busy, distant father so involved in his work that he neglects his family (children). David knows better, though; God is not too busy for us. We are always on his mind. “Son of man” emphasizes humanity's frail mortality. David’s question is, “Why does an infinite God even care about mortal man?” The answer is found in Jesus… Jesus often referred to himself as the Son of Man. “Son of man” is Jesus' favorite self-designation, indicating the true meaning of his identity and ministry:
“care for him” means to pay attention, to visit, to look after. God cares so much for humanity that he became human, the lowest of humans, and gave his life as a ransom so we could forever be in fellowship with our loving Creator. Vs 5: “You have made him…” We are created by God. We are not an afterthought or an accident of nature but a beautifully crafted creation of God. “a little lower” … in the created order, we are created a little lower than the divine beings (some translations imply angels, while others suggest we are lower than God). This is a position of distinction and honor. God has placed humanity in the highest position of honor among any earthly creatures. We are a little lower than the heavenly beings, but God has put us in a place of honor. If we are not in awe that God cares for humanity, then it is certainly awe-inspiring to know that we are exalted to a place of honor. “crowned them with glory and honor” … God has placed on our heads the right to be his Kingly representatives. We have the honor of bearing the image of God, since we are made in his likeness. We represent God… Let that sink in a bit. Maybe that will help you determine how you live your life. What responsibilities come with being kingly representatives? Vs 6: “You gave them authority over all things…” God has appointed humanity to have authority and rule over His creation. This does not mean an abusive, careless, or dictatorial authority, but rather one who lovingly and carefully tends to someone else’s belongings. If it wasn’t enough to be thought of and cared for by God, and placed in a position of honor, we are also given charge to care for His creation. He has entrusted us with all He has created. Hebrews 2:8 - 9 Vs 8: This clearly hasn’t happened yet. Humans are not ruling the world, bringing God’s order and justice to bear on the whole of creation. Everything is still in a state of semi-chaos. Vs 9: Jesus is humanity’s representative. His exaltation as Lord after his earthly ministry, suffering, and death has placed him in the role set out for humanity from the beginning. He has gone ahead of the rest of us into God’s future, the future in which order and justice will come to the world. In the second half of verse 9, the author of Hebrews sums up: in his suffering of death, Jesus has, by God’s grace, been enabled “to taste death for everyone.” A good deal of the remainder of this letter will now be devoted to describing how this comes about and what it means. Until then, we need to rejoice that in Jesus, God has already conquered death on our behalf and is already ruling the world as its just and rightful Lord. Hebrews 2:10 - 16 Since Jesus tasted death for everyone, it is fitting that he would bring salvation to the “many sons.” God’s purpose is to bring people to glory, and this happens through Jesus. Jesus was morally perfect, but through his suffering, temptation, death, and exaltation to the right hand of the Father, he is now adequate, complete, and fully qualified to carry out salvation and be proclaimed Savior or champion. Hearers familiar with the Hellenistic world knew that the legendary hero Hercules was designated ‘champion’ and ‘savior.’ They would almost certainly interpret the word savior in v 10 in light of the allusion to Jesus as the hero who came to the aid of the oppressed people of God. This representation of Jesus’s achievement was intended to recall one of the more famous labors of Hercules, his wrestling with Death, “the dark-robed lord of the dead.” The designation of Jesus as champion/savior in a context depicting him as a hero suggests that the writer intended to present Jesus to his hearers in language that drew freely upon the Hercules tradition in popular Hellenism. Vs 11 - 13: As the perfected and complete savior Jesus “sanctifies” and makes humanity holy. Sanctify means to consecrate, make holy, or purify. to Jesus’ dependence on the Father in carrying out his earthly ministry. Vs 14 – 16: The purpose of Jesus becoming human. Jesus needed to become human so humanity could be saved. Salvation is attained through Jesus’ death on the cross. What Jesus accomplished on the cross.
Vs 16: The author continues his comparison of Christ to the angels, showing that Jesus did not come to save or aid the angels but extends his salvation and help to God’s children. Conclusion The warning of Hebrews 2 is not that we suddenly decide to walk away from Christ. The danger is that people slowly drift. They become distracted, careless, or simply stop paying attention. Before they realize it, they are farther from where they intended to be. But the good news is that Jesus has not drifted. He has come to us, suffered for us, defeated death, and opened the way to God. So the answer is not to try harder to keep ourselves from drifting in our own strength. The answer is to keep our eyes fixed on Christ. The question for each of us is simple: Are we holding firmly to Jesus, or are we slowly drifting away? Introduction Hebrews is a mysterious book in the New Testament. Its mystery stems from its unknowns. The author’s identity is unknown. The location of the church or community to which this epistle is addressed is unknown. The date it was written is also unknown. The reasons behind why the letter was written remain uncertain. The nature of the crisis that prompted the letter is also unclear. It is believed the letter is addressed to men and women who realize they can be threatened by adversity, and that there is a cost to discipleship. Some have called it a pastoral response to people who are tired, overwhelmed, and seriously considering abandoning their Christian commitment. The writer aims to encourage the recipients of this letter to stand firm in their faith in Christ. As stated earlier, the author of Hebrews is anonymous. It is believed that the author is within the Pauline circle. The author mentions in Hebrews 13:23 that he expects to travel with Timothy, “our brother.” It is widely believed and accepted that the author is not Paul, but someone who considers himself among those to whom “the immediate hearers of the Lord had delivered the gospel.” It is probable that the author was a Hellenist Jewish Christian, a Greek-speaking Jew who was influenced by Greek culture. It was also written by an inspired theologian who was well-trained and understood the exposition of the Greek Scriptures. Hebrews was most likely written for a house church in an unspecified city. Christians typically gathered in simple rooms within private homes. It was undoubtedly a small group, including household members and some of their close friends and associates. According to the World Biblical Commentary on Hebrews, “The cumulative weight of the evidence points to men and women who participate in a small house fellowship, loosely related to other house churches in an urban setting, whose theological vocabulary and conceptions were informed by the rich legacy of Hellenistic Judaism.” Hebrews Outline Introduction (Chapter 1:1–4) First Theme: Jesus is Superior to the Angels (Chapters 1:5–2:18) Second Theme: Jesus is a Compassionate and Faithful High Priest (Chapters 3:1–5:10)
1: Faith (Chapters 11:1–12:2) O.T. examples of faith 2: Perseverance (Chapter 12:3–13) Persevere in faith Fifth Theme: The Need to be Holy (Chapters 12:14–13:21) Conclusion: Final Recommendations (Chapter 13:22–25) Unfortunately, we will not be exhaustive in our look at Hebrews, but I will do my best to give a Hebrews 1:1 - 4 Vs 1: The author gives some examples of ways God spoke to Biblical prophets and to Israel's ancestors.
Vs 2: God has spoken to us through Jesus Christ. To know Jesus is to know God. He is the “Heir of all things.” This title of dignity shows that Jesus has the rightful and supreme place in all the universe. His exaltation to the highest place in heaven after completing his work here on earth did not mark a new position but his return to his rightful place in heaven. Vs 3: Jesus radiates God’s glory… What does this mean? According to theologian N.T. Wright, “The word used for ‘radiates’ is the Greek word character, the origin of our apparently identical English word… The word character in ancient Greek was widely used to mean just that: the accurate impression left by the stamp on the coin. And this is what the writer is saying about Jesus. It is as though He is the exact imprint of the Father’s very nature and glory has been precisely reproduced in the soft metal of the Son’s human nature. Now it is there for all the world to see.” Jesus is also the sustainer of all things. What does it mean to sustain? How does Jesus sustain? Jesus actively holds everything together through the power of his word. Just as the universe was created by spoken words, all of creation is maintained by God's spoken word. Once Jesus gave His life on the cross of Calvary, He was resurrected and ascended back to the Father. After He ascended to the Father, He sat at the right hand of God. The right hand is a position of honor and authority. Vs 4: Jesus is greater than the angels because God has declared him greater. In the next section, we see specifically why He is greater than the angels. Hebrews 1:5 - 9 Jesus Name is Superior Vs 5: Jesus is superior to the angels because of his inherited excellent name. The author establishes this truth by citing two OT passages.
Superior Honor Vs 6: Jesus is the firstborn. In Jewish culture, the firstborn is considered prestigious and honorable. The firstborn receives twice the inheritance of their siblings. Jesus was neither created nor born, but the title 'firstborn' is a title of honor indicating priority in rank. Deuteronomy 32:43: “Rejoice with him, you heavens, and let all of God’s angels worship him. Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles, and let all the angels be strengthened in him. For he will avenge the blood of his children; he will take revenge against his enemies. He will repay those who hate him and cleanse his people’s land.” This verse is not in the Hebrew OT, but in the Greek OT. This seems to be a reference to the Nativity. When Jesus was born, the angels came and worshiped Him. Angels do not worship angels; they only worship the one who is greater than they. Jesus was worshiped in the past and will be worshiped in the future… Rev. 5:11 – 13: "Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” Superior Status Vs 7: Quote of Psalm 104:4 Angels are servants, and Jesus is sovereign. Wind and fire – The meaning of this is not all clear, but the writer of Hebrews emphasizes that angels sometimes inhabit the wind and fire to do God’s bidding. Vs 8–9: Quote Psalm 45:6–7 Points to Jesus’ sovereignty · Throne – He will reign forever. · Scepter – His authority is supreme · Anointing – A heavenly joy in recognizing he is the sovereign king. Hebrews 1:10 - 14 Supreme Existence Vs 10 -12: Quote of Psalm 102:25 – 27 Jesus is eternal… The heavens will perish, but Jesus remains forever. The heavens will be rolled up like a cloak, and it will change, but Jesus remains unchanging for all eternity. Vs 13 – 14: No angel has ever had the privilege of sitting at the right hand of God. Angels’ positions are not for ruling or supremacy. Their role is to serve and minister to those who are saved and will inherit eternal salvation. Jesus’ role is to rule supremely. Conclusion Why Jesus is Superior
 Politics and religion have always been controversial topics. If you ever want to spark a heated discussion or start an argument, just bring up God or the government. Some believe these two are like water and oil and avoid discussing either, while others thrive on heated debates and will talk for hours about both. In today’s text, Jesus enters the scene as he tackles the topics of religion and politics head-on.
The passage for today, Mark 12:13–17, like many others we've examined in this series, has been misunderstood by many for a long time. I have heard several sermons that misrepresent Jesus’ point in his response to the religious leaders. Too often, people quickly interpret Jesus’ answer as a call to carefully balance the sacred and secular in our lives. However, the response Jesus gives never fully addresses the question the religious leaders ask because they were trying to trick him. They didn't genuinely care about the answer; they just wanted to catch Jesus responding incorrectly, which, in the eyes of the Pharisees, no answer would have been acceptable. Their question was, “Can one still pay taxes to Caesar and still have allegiance to God?” As we will see shortly, this is a well-crafted and loaded question. So, heated debates over religion and politics are not new; in Jesus’ day, they were also intense, perhaps even more so than today. Background Before we begin, let's get some context to better understand what’s happening as the Pharisees and Herodians attempt to trap Jesus. To start, paying taxes to Rome was a controversial topic in Jesus’ time. It was controversial because of what the taxes symbolized to the Jewish people. They weren’t opposed to paying taxes in general, since they already paid the Temple tax, local taxes, and taxes to Herod. The idea of paying taxes to Rome, however, was a different matter altogether, as it reminded the Jews of their loss of freedom. It’s easy to imagine how anyone would feel if they had to give a portion of their hard-earned money to a nation that violently and forcibly overthrew their government and country. We pride ourselves on freedom, God, and human rights, and now we’re oppressed by a nation that treats us poorly and imposes taxes to enrich itself. I bet this would be a sore spot for anyone in this room. This tax symbolized Rome’s dominant rule over Israel. Historically, the Jews celebrated that they were God’s chosen people, yet they struggled with the fact that they were not truly living as God’s people. Instead, they suffered under oppression and fear. This is why tax collectors were so despised among the Jews. These were Jews who worked for the Roman government, allowed to collect a large amount of money from the people, keep some for themselves, and give the rest to the Romans. Even worse, they were protected by the Roman authorities, so they could charge whatever they wanted. Not only did the Jews despise what the tax represented, but the coin itself also went against their law against possessing carved or graven images. Possessing the coin would be considered a form of idolatry for the Jews since it featured a carved image of Caesar. N.T. Wright explains, “(I)mages of human beings were out of the question, and here is Tiberius (Caesar), staring coldly out at the world from every small Roman coin. And writing! Around the head, the words say in Latin, ‘August Tiberius, son of the divine Augustus.’ On the other side, it says: ‘High Priest’ (the emperors were mainly high priests of the main Roman cult). If the Romans had gone out of their way to offend the Jews, they could hardly have done it better.” Mark 12:13 -17 Before asking Jesus the question, the Pharisees and Herodians decided to flatter Jesus a bit by praising his uprightness and acknowledging that his concerns aligned with God's interests. They commended him for seeking God’s approval rather than men. By presenting him as a moral man of God, they plotted their strategy to set him up with a trick question intended to make him look bad. The Pharisees and Herodians said, “Jesus, you are a religious man, and you have no regard for what men think of you. Certainly, you are a man of great wisdom. Is it right or even okay to pay taxes to Caesar?” This is a trick question because whatever Jesus’ response was, it would get him in trouble. Yet, Jesus is not fooled; he does not fall for their flattery and sees right through them. His dilemma is how he answers their question. If he tells them it is right to pay taxes, he would clearly go against popular opinion. In fact, a yes answer would call his claims to be the Messiah into question because, according to the Jews, the Messiah was supposed to come and set Israel free from injustice and tyranny. Ultimately, he would be seen as a sympathizer to the Roman government, placing him in the same category as tax collectors and sinners. If he said no to paying taxes, then the Pharisees could go and tell the Roman officials that Jesus was a rebel trying to stir up rebellion. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. What I respect about Jesus here is that he does not answer the question because he knows they do not really want to hear what he thinks. He surprises the religious leaders by asking them for a coin. This was a strategic move because Jesus responds to the question by exposing their hypocrisy. When they produce the coin (the one with Caesar’s face on it), they reveal to everyone that they handle and own the same coin that was hated by the Israelites. By possessing the coin, they show their support for Caesar because the coin belonged to Caesar. Then he takes this coin and asks them whose face is on it. They responded, “Caesars.” By their admission, this coin belonged to Caesar since it bears his image, so he could have it back. Thus, Jesus’ response “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to Him” takes on a new perspective. His response does not suggest that Jesus divides life into two realms: the sacred and the secular. Many believe Jesus is saying to have earthly leaders for everyday life and God as our leader in spiritual matters, but this could not be farther from the truth. “Giving to Caesar the things belonging to Caesar” does not mean humanity has control or even ownership over the earthly and political sphere, and “Give to God what is His” does not mean God only takes care of the spiritual. God and Caesar are not equals or counterparts. Jesus says the coin belongs to Caesar because it bears his image. It is in some ways his idol. Jesus was saying to pay the taxes, but not to submit to the Romans as your true authorities. The hypocrisy arises when we see that the Pharisees had no problem doing business with or accepting Caesar's money; therefore, they should pay taxes. Jesus takes it a step further by saying that if the Romans demand their tax money, you should pay them. However, if we adopt that attitude in life, then we must also give to God what belongs to Him. We bear the image of God, so we belong to Him. Because we bear His image as children of God, we owe Him our very lives and our whole being. People often see life as divided into two parts: the sacred and the secular. They may set aside Sundays, and maybe another day, for God, since that’s when they go to church or attend Bible study. However, the rest of the days, they choose to live for themselves. Jesus doesn’t promote this double life. He isn’t saying, "I want to be your God only when you face death, tragedy, difficulty, or spiritual issues," and then let you fend for yourself during the good and prosperous times. He doesn’t suggest that spiritual matters belong solely to him while everything else, like governments, financial institutions, or us, belongs to humanity. The Bible reminds us that when absolute faith and trust are placed in anything other than Him, it is idolatry. We are not meant to put our trust and happiness in government, wealth, or social status. The point that many often miss in this passage is Jesus saying, “God does not want you for a few hours just on Sundays and Wednesdays. He wants what is rightfully his… YOU! All of you all the time!” I believe this passage indicates that God wants to be the Lord of our finances, marriages, work, security, and every part of our lives. However, I also want to clarify that I do not think Jesus is telling us to avoid involvement with government or secular institutions. We are citizens of this world; therefore, we must not reject the world or the responsibilities we have toward it. As Christians, we are free from the spiritual law, but we are not exempt from civil law that aims to maintain order. Yes, we do owe the government money if we choose to use roads, sewers, Social Security, Medicare, public services, etc. We are obligated to contribute to or render to the government what bears its image. However, we do not owe allegiance to governments, and we are not to submit to them when asked to do something that contradicts God’s command. As followers of Christ, our allegiance belongs to God. We are children of God who bear His likeness. We are created in His image, and we belong to Him and Him alone. Conclusion Every day, we are asked to dedicate our loyalty to something. Sometimes it is our work. Sometimes it is money. Sometimes it is politics, comfort, or even ourselves. None of those things are worthy of the place that belongs to God alone. The question Jesus asks us is simple: Have I given God all of me in every area of life? You bear His image. Your life is His. Your worship is His. Your future is His. He is not asking for a part of your life or your attention only when it’s convenient. He calls us to trust Him and follow Him with our whole selves. May we leave here today remembering that our greatest identity is not in our nationality, our political views, or our accomplishments. It is in the God whose image we bear and the Savior who has redeemed us. Let us gladly give Him what has always belonged to Him—our hearts, our lives, and our loyalty. |
Jeff has been in full-time ministry for thirty years. He currently serves as Executive Director at Anchor House Ministry at SeaPort Manatee in Palmetto, FL and he is a part-time Campus Pastor at West Bradenton Southside in Bradenton, Florida.
Jeff Has authored recently published (Nov. 2025) his commentary on Revelation titled Revelation for My Friends, A Lent Devotional (A Spiritual Journey to Lent), an Advent Devotional (The Advent of Jesus), and a devotional on the book of James (James: Where Faith and Life Meet). All four are available on Amazon. He is married to Carrie and they have four children, Micaiah, Gabe, Simon, and Berea. Preview or purchase Jeff's Books
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