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WELCOME: eMember Reflections Group Thursdays @ 7:30 pm
Reflections Church Service
February 13th, 2022
“The Love Boat”
“Fix This Ship” Series: Pt. 7
14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
RELATIONSHIPS:
Compatibility is wrapped around spirituality
The Bible does not speak on dating, most marriages were arranged
Most people like to live in fantasies which is why we get suck on social media, and have unrealistic expectations
Sex is from God, but is designed for marriage
Things happen in life and you need to learn to have self control
If a relationship is built on sex then you have problems because it’s easy for some to jump ship
Introduction: Hebrews 5: In the previous chapter Christ being our high priest was mentioned, here in this chapter the subject is explored more fully.
Opening Question: What role, if any, did a priest play in your life?
1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
The call of Aaron to the priesthood Exodus 28:1-5
[God takes the role of the priest very seriously. He wants a relationship with His creation because He made us and knows our intended purpose. However, like our natural relationships, He wants us to choose to honor and service Him from a place of love, and respect.]
Question #1: Has the role of priest shifted in your mind after reading this chapter and understanding that Christ is our High Priest?
The reference here to Jesus as high priest (Hebrews 4:15-15) opens the door to further discussion later in this letter (7:1 - 10:18).
Israel’s high priest stood between God and the people. He entered the tabernacle/temple to offer gifts and sacrifices on their behalf to make atonement for sins (5:1). He was their go-between, and mediator. But, given that he was clothed with weakness, he could deal gently with those who were going astray (5:2). Since he himself was a sinner, and had to offer sacrifices for himself, he has a level of compassion for the people.
A person did not apply for the job of priest. You had to be called by God, just as Aaron was (5:4).
Exodus 28:1-5
1 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. 4 These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. 5 They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.
In the same way Christ did not exalt Himself, but the Father appointed the Son to his role as high priest (5:5). The author verifies this by quoting Psalm 110:4. Jesus Christ , then was not appointed to the priesthood of Aaron but to the priesthood of Melchizedek. Which we will further examine in chapter 7.
Hebrews 5 :7-10
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Question #2: What are some ways you have benefitted from having Jesus as the intercessor between you and God? How should we understand the word “perfected” in verse 9?
Application: As the Son of God, He was perfectly obedient; but as the Son of Man, He had to learn obedience. To be humanity’s high priest, Jesus had to experience what we do. He had to learn to obey God when it hurts. Jesus did what the author tells us to do in 4:14-16 - He drew near to God when He was struggling (5:7-8). As a result He became the source of eternal salvation...(5:9-10).
Having become our great high priest who endured suffering and remained faithful to God, Jesus is the source of deliverance for all believers who obey Him. How do you receive deliverance? The same way Jesus did: by crying out to God and obeying Him.
Hebrews 5:11-12
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
The Greek word translated “lazy” can mean “dull” or “stubborn”. So, in other words, they had become mule-headed and refused to grow spiritually. And even though they should have been teachers be time this letter was written, they needed someone to teach them the basic principles of God’s revelation again (5:12). Sadly, they were not experiencing Christ’s deliverance because they were still in elementary school.
Something is wrong of a thirty-five year old is still eating baby food. Knowing the ABC’s and 123’s of the Bible is crucial, but there comes a time to build on this foundation with further understanding and growth. Any believer who fails to move on from mile to solid food (5:12) - “milk” being the content of God’s Word, while the “solid food” is the spiritual application and use of God’s Word to live - has some developmental issues and becomes stagnant in spiritual growth and progress.
Hebrews 5:13-14
13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Application: The only way you grow in most things is through training, through practice. It’s true in sports, it’s true in education, it’s true in our careers, and it’s true in spiritual growth. You may have experienced listening to and even memorizing the Word, but that is not sufficient. Look if you chew your food but never swallow, and have it become part of you, and give you energy to move, you will starve.
James 1:21-25
21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Conclusion: You have to internalize and put God’s Word into practice. Only then will you be equipped to make Word-driven decisions rather than circumstance-driven decisions. The recipients of this letter were becoming stagnant, and refusing to grow. The warning to them stands for us today. Let’s heed the Word of the Lord apply it to our lives, and grow, so we can impact this world for His kingdom.