Rsbc 7/13/03
The Book of Hebrews
Sermon # 1
Text: Hebrews 1:1-2
Intro: The authorship as far as a man is concerned has been disputed since the days of the early church fathers. Even in our day you can find as many speculation as to the author of this book is, but it still remains a mystery as to wrote it.
The internal evidence gives little or no evidence as to wrote it. The external evidence gives no evidence as to wrote it. Some of the names that have been attached to this book as the author, Paul, Apollos, Barnabas, Clement of Rome, Titus, Luke the list goes on.
I have read that the first four centuries of Christianity gave the following concerning the authorship of this book...(1.) Some scholars believed that Paul had no connection with the epistle. (2.) Some believed that Paul was the indirect author. (3.) This group believed that Paul was the direct author.
One of the things that I wish to share with at this point, it does not matter what human author wrote this book, it is the word of GOD. God in all reality is the author of the BIBLE ALL OF IT...
I... " NOTE HOW IT BEGINS"...VS -2 "GOD"
This book opens with the defense for his Son’s teachings, it declares a number of things..
1st. That God had spoken in the past:
When we speak of God speaking there is three ways in which God spoke specifically. A. He spoke directly..
Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. He spoke directly to Adam, Genesis 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou?B. He spoke through the prophets: To Moses he said: Exodus 9:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
C. He spoke through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ: Heb 1: 2 Every word that Christ spoke was the Father’s word through the Son to us his people. He my friends is through speaking today except through his word which is what Christ spoke while on earth and while he was having his word written.
II... " WHAT IS THE OCCASION OF THIS BOOK?
The readers were facing a renewed Roman persecution because they were Christains. Some believe that in order to escape persecution, they were considering returning to the Old Covenant of Judaism.
This was a legal and it was not a persecuted religion. Some of those that is being addressed in this book had already left the faith. I am reminded of what John said about people who go back:
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Likewise I am reminded of what Jesus said: Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
True saints of God will not quit, even though they may considered it. Real saints will persevere because he that hath begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Real saints want quit or go back because they are seeking a better world to come...
In this book there are three things I want to share at this point:
1st. It is a warning against those who considered leaving Christ.
Some of the wording in the book that clearly shows that it is a book of warning. Listen to a few of them:
a. We ought to give more earnest heed ... Heb 2:1
b. Take heed brethren.. Heb 3:12
c. Let us therefore fear: Heb 4:1
2nd. It is a book that encourage it’s readers:
a. He tells the readers and likewise us too, that we are partakers of a heavenly calling Heb 3:1 The book is filled with words that indicate he intends to encourage the readers of this great epistle..
b. He tells them and us to be steadfast...Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; The Lord is not making this a condition of salvation but rather an evidence of salvation... those that keep believing and refuse to give up means there is something in them...
c. He encourages by using the word "better" He uses this word better 12 times in this book to encourage these saints of God..
Let us read them together...and you be the judge, do they encourage you? They do me... through out this book the word once is used, the word eternal is used, the word perfect is used all this is to encourage his people.3rd. He Strengtheneth’s them against attach’s..
He does this by teaching them the greatest of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. This my friends is the greatest thing about this book... Christ is superior to any and all that hath ever came before him...
Better than angels, better than Moses and Aaron’s priesthood, the doctrine of the grace of God is better than the law, Christ is better.. don’t forget it.
4th. The Theme you might say of this book is the Perseverance of the Saints in the true Faith of Christ..
This seen in greater force when he comes to the 11th chapter and list the great hero’s of faith and how they persevered through it all. I would like to read the latter part of that chapter with you to show you what I mean..
Heb 11: 32-39
III... " THERE ARE TWO MAIN QUESTIONS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH THE STUDY OF THIS BOOK...
1ST. Who is this book addressed to?
It may be safely said that it is addressed to Jewish Christians who are considering leaving the faith. The warnings are clear through out the book as we shall note as we come to them in our study.
The warning of Apostasy are not confined to this book alone in the Bible it is through out the Bible.. Paul said: 1 Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
2nd. The Old Covenant is it over ?
Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away.
3rd. Is the New Covenant God’s last covenant with man and is it in force? Yes to both questions...
Darby’s say’s the church has not relationship to the new covenant, what this emply’s is that this book and it’s teaching only are for the Jews...that goes against the teaching of the whole new testament..
Many believe that the Lord’s people of today enjoy the blessings of the New Covenant and that in the future the Israelites will receive the blessings of the New covenant after the church is taken out of the world... My friends that destroys the whole teaching of the book...
Turn to Hebrews 8:8-13
What is this new covenant? It is what Christ did on Calvary, it is what GOD the Holy Spirit does in a sinners heart, It is what you and I have in our souls.. It is about how Christ died for sinner according to the scriptures and how that he was buried and rose from the dead according to scriptures and that he arose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of GOD the Father...and that he intercedes for us and that he is coming back for us one day...
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