Hebrews 1:1-4 (2)
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Introduction
Introduction
Why preach through the Book of Hebrews?
The Book of Hebrews was written to predominately Jewish assemblies belonging to Jesus. Yet, within these assemblies there were potentially two groups of people: Jewish converts; Jewish false professors “who had nothing but an outward veneer of Christianity.” Within both groups would have been a natural propensity to merge the corrupt Jewish system they grew up with which eroded the supremacy of Jesus with Christianity. The pillars of Judaism had no parallel within the New Testament. “In place of the temple to which all Jews looked as the centre of worship, Christians met in different homes without even a central meeting-place. They had no altar, no priests, no sacrifices.” Attempting to merge the two systems into one would effectively squeeze Jesus out of the equation by reducing His value to something below what He is being replaced by.
The basis of this statement is Jesus is non-comparable. Desiring to compare Him with anything reduces Him to something that is mere mortal and comparable. We would not dare compare the beauty of a rose to cow manure; yet, it is even worse to compare Jesus with anything down here-no matter how religious.
Donald Guthrie, Hebrews: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1983), 35.
The writer gives reasons for Jewish Christians not to give up fighting for the Biblical Jesus even though their lives are difficult and the battle painful. Note only did they have to deal with persecution from the Gentiles over paganism but they received much persecution from the Jews over the absoluteness of Jesus.
Therefore, writer of this Book Exhorts (Hebrews 13:22) his audience to reject the enemies assault on the Superiority of Jesus with Judaism's pillars.
The application for us is American culture has squeezed Jesus out of the equation of life. His insignificance rivals out of date fax machines and dial up internet. He is viewed as poisonous as led gas or paint to society decency. We have done the same to Jesus what the Jews did to God during Jeremiah’s time: Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” We have devalued Jesus for more than worthless concepts and ideas; or, philosophies that separate us from our true purpose as people (Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” ). Our society has deemed many movements, events, people or philosophies as greater than Jesus. Regrettably, this trend has seeped within Christianity and has shaped many of the Lord’s churches. The Book of Hebrews stands at a cross-road in our culture to declare the incomparable Jesus is the one we should stedfastly follow without competition.
The Book of Hebrews is a book of exhortation. Hebrews 13:22 “And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.” Hebrews reads more like a sermon with additions than an epistle. I pray that God uses this sermon (the Book of Hebrews) to challenge our fidelity to Jesus by removing the garbage that we have lifted up that competes with our devotion to Jesus!