Recipe for the Master

Introduction

One of the most important parts of a recipe is the exacts of the ingredients and mixing it the right way. It’s always interesting that we can have all the ingredients but if they aren’t mixed properly or cooked for the right amount of time it will not come out the right way. One scholar professes the fact that the Letter to the Hebrews is one of the most profound and enigmatic books in the New Testament. Truth be told the Book of Hebrews can be quite difficult to understand or even mysterious in some regard. Even down to the author. There are some assumptions but in spite of the uncertainty of the authorship it’s said to be one of the most relevant books of the Bible. It’s very rare that a book of the bible is both doctrinal and practical, theological and pastoral. This letter builds a compelling case that in effort for us to reach our potential as the church and as Christians there are many things in this letter that we must apply individually and collectively. The grace of God, the mercy of His glory, the sacrifice of His son is reason enough to hold fast to word of God in every instance of our life.

Granted the anonymity of the letter is reason for questions, nonetheless it’s clear that this letter indicates that the writer was discipled by an eyewitness of the Lord. Hebrews 2:3 “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,”

Be mindful of the fact that the Hebrew writer exclaims that the people of God are under a severe amount of persecution, even to the point that many Jewish converts were living in dispersion. Many were harassed for their faith, and the perfect response for oppression and persecution is ministering to one another. Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Understand that persecution was so devastating that many would there was a threat that some Christians may revert back to their old ways so much so that this letter of exhortation was very necessary. Hebrews 13:22 “And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.”

One of the solutions to the traumas of life is fellowship and surrounding ourselves with the community of Christ. Fellowship is more that just spending time with each other, it is a shared experience that enhances the love and service we show to one another.

Hebrews 10:19–25 “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

This priestly tone of this pericope brings about a sense of boldness as it pertains how we enter this space curated by Christ Jesus. If I know what Jesus can do in my life I have no choice but to be bold. How bold are we when we know the outcome? We know the outcome of this world, we know the outcome as it pertains to the power of Jesus. Nonetheless it is by the blood of Jesus that we even have this sense of boldness. The sacrifice of Jesus as finality attached to it. His sacrifice is final, it is the power in his crucifixion and Resurrection.

The sacrifice that Jesus made was a consecration or inauguration for us. Salvation went into effect or was established by Jesus sacrificing His blood for us. Essentially Jesus made life new for us. I want us to understand how important and how rare it is for us to see a word with such power. The only other place we see this word is in Hebrews 9:18 “Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood.”

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus and the authority of Him being our High Priest let us draw near to Him. Don’t just draw near to Jesus but draw near with a true or sincere heart. I should have no doubt as it pertains to the power of Jesus Christ, in full assurance of faith! That leads to me dedicated my life to Jesus by walking away from the sin that had me in bondage yesterday through baptism.

This is not something we should be unsure about, this is something that I have full assurance about. I have an expectation in Jesus and I also have the expectation that as a church we can overcome anything this world throws at us. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering”. Typically we think of confession as admitting to something we did wrong but lets break this word down. “Homologia” is to openly express one’s allegiance. The root word lego or to “tell” and homo which comes from the Greek word “homos” which means equal or the same. So we are holding fast to the fact that we are saying the same thing. We are unified in our hope! What is our hope? We have the same expectation, we are all looking forward to the same thing. The expectation of salvation, the expectation of eternity, the expectation that God has a remedy for our most troubling problems.

The Recipe of Each Other

Listen if we are going to be productive and impacting as a church we need each other. Christians should be concerned with one another.

Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,”

Concern leads to positive efforts of love and good works. As your brother, as your sister we should be concerned with each other. Concern should lead me to helping you or helping others which in turn leads us to helping those who are struggling, marginalized or oppressed. Concerned doesn’t just mean being nosy, concern in regard to very careful consideration.

When we have a culture of genuine concern for one another it should prompt us to want to fellowship with one another. We have to SEE each other! Not just viewing people but truly seeing what is going on with each other, what is challenging me in life and how we can help each other get through life.

When we have concern, when we fellowship with each other it stirs some things up. Understand that this idea of stirring is to stimulate a change in motivation or attitude — to cause encouragement! I should be filled up by the word of God and the presence of brothers and sisters should not be a draining experience.

Understand that just like today the nature of some was to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. This was a habit of some. We have to change the way we ask questions, when people are absent it isn’t just them sometimes we are not as welcoming as we say we are. I need us to understand that we need each other! If you are staying away, why are you staying away and how can we support you to a place that you feel eager to fellowship with one another. Listen, we need each other.

Illustration of mixed ingredients

Conclusion

The same Savior who died on the cross for us invites us to come into his presence and share our needs with Him and with each other. Under the old law the high priest could only go behind the veil once a year, but praise God that we can come into His presence at anytime. God has shown himself faithful to us, when will we begin to show ourselves faithful to HIM!