Hebrews

Word of Boldness: Jesus Hears Us

July 28, 2019

I was never the risk-taker. I’ve never been the guy riding motorcycles or pulling daring stunts. Although, when I was a kid in South Florida, we used to sneak onto a nearby golf course. It was a part of a local senior living community, so if the security guards saw us, they’d chase us down and escort us off the premises. We weren’t trying to cause trouble. We were good kids. It was summer time, and we had nowhere to be. If the clubhouse was open, we might go in to play a game of pool. Maybe we’d pick up a stray golf ball along the way, but what we were really after – was a dip in the canal.

Word of Salvation: Jesus for Us

July 21, 2019

The author of Hebrews writes to explain that because Jesus knows us, is one of us, and is for us, He is the one able to liberate us from the pain and suffering we live in every day. “[Jesus became] like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17). Karoline Lewis writes that “Through Jesus’ death, death itself, even the fear of death, will be destroyed.” Death itself destroyed. What then do we have? Life. Abundant life.

Word of Glory: Jesus is Greater

July 14, 2019

Through all those teachers, parents, pastors, grandparents, and friends, God was speaking. God spoke directly Abraham, to Noah, to Moses and through Aaron, through silence, and even a donkey, through prophets like Jonah, Jeremiah, Micah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and others. God is still speaking, and like so many before us, we fail to listen. We can get discouraged and shut our ears and our hearts. We struggle to focus on anything but our own feelings, the pain we see in the world, or the hatred and division in our communities. We distract ourselves by any means necessary in order to survive. We can’t see Jesus. Here in this place, we get to meet Him every week.