Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Scripture

Outline

Hebrews 1-2 - Jesus is Greater Than the Angels

Hebrews 1:1-4 - God has Spoken

Hebrews 1:5-14 - The Son is Superior to the Angels

Hebrews 2:1-4 - A Warning

Hebrews 2:5-9 - Lowliness to Crowning Glory

Hebrews 2:10-18 - Jesus has Delivered His Brothers

Hebrews 3:1-4:13 - Jesus is a Greater Rest

Hebrews 3:1-6 - Jesus is Worthy of More Glory Than Moses

Hebrews 3:7-19 - Disobedience After the Exodus

Hebrews 4:1-13 - A Sabbath Rest for God’s People

Hebrews 4:14-7:26 - Jesus is Greater than Melchizedek

Hebrews 4:14-16 - Jesus is the Great High Priest

Hebrews 5:1-10 - Jesus is the High Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

Hebrews 5:11-6:20 - Warning and Exhortation

Hebrews 5:11-14 - Failure to Mature

Hebrews 6:1-8 - Pursue Maturity

Hebrews 6:9-12 - Loving Motivation

Hebrews 6:13-20 - The Promise of God’s Word and God’s Oath

Hebrews 7:1-10 - The Greatness of Melchizedek

Hebrews 7:11-19 - Jesus’ Priesthood is Needed

Hebrews 7:20-28 - Jesus Guarantees a Better Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-10:18 - Jesus is the Greater Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-6 - Jesus Mediates a Better Covenant

Hebrews 8:7-13 - The Promise of the New Covenant

Hebrews 9:1-10 - The Earthly Tabernacle Points to What Would Come

Hebrews 9:11-14 - Christ is The Mercy Seat

Hebrews 9:15-22 - Blood is Necessary for Forgiveness

Hebrews 9:23-28 - Christ’s Sacrifice Permanently Removes Sin

Hebrews 10:1-10 - Christ’s Sacrifice Replaces the Law

Hebrews 10:11-18 - Christ's Sacrifice Fully Forgives Sin

Hebrews 10:19-12:29 - Assurance of Faith

Hebrews 10:19-25 - Because of Christ's Sacrifice Let us...

Hebrews 10:26-31 - A Warning Against Apostasy

Hebrews 10:32-39 - A Warm Encouragement

Hebrews 11:1-11:40 - Faith

Hebrews 11:1-7 - Faith Before the Patriarchs

Hebrews 11:8-22 - The Faith of the Patriarchs

Hebrews 11:23-31 - Faith in the Midst of Danger

Hebrews 11:32-40 - The Faith of the Future Hope

Hebrews 12:1-3 - Jesus our Great Example

Hebrews 12:4-11 - The Discipline of the Lord

Hebrews 12:12-17 - Run the Race and Be Wary of Counterfeits

Hebrews 12:12-13 - Run Encouraged

Hebrews 12:14-17 - Strive for Peace and Holiness

Purpose of Book

Christ, who has accomplished salvation through His atoning sacrifice, is greater than all things; therefore, persevere in true faith and encourage others to do likewise

Main Point

Though exhausted from the race, the author encourages the congregation to continue running and to be on guard against sinful people who lead others away from Christ

Hebrews 12:12-13 - Run Encouraged

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

Therefore

Jesus as the great example

God as the loving Father using persecution to train/correct for holiness - discipline is GOOD

Now, here’s how to live this out with joy

Lift your drooping hands and strengthen your week knees

Imagery of a person who is exhausted - tired, exhausted, beaten, DO NOT GIVE UP THE FIGHT AGAINST A HOSTILE WORLD BECAUSE THE HEAVENLY ZION IS COMING

Isaiah is not condemning the Israelites, but reminding them of the coming of the Lord their divine warrior as they return to Zion from exile

Remember the eschatological theme

When the Lord comes He will both judge and deliver

This signifies both strengthening and straightening

Make straight paths for your feet

Slight revision - you -> plural

Communal effort - help one another end the race as they journey towards Zion in faithfulness

Level

Removed from sin and anything that could hinder holiness

Straight

Run towards the finish line and not to be distracted by things that could lead you astray from the end goal

So that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed

A runner who was lamed could incur greater injury if they did not take care of themselves

A Christ-follower who is running lame is running contrary to sound biblical truth (apostasy) can cause further damage to themselves or others

Healing these individuals is calling them to repentance/restoration so they run the race with faithfulness

Hebrews 12:14-17 - Strive for Peace and Holiness

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Strive for peace with everyone

Strive (peace & holiness) - command that is the main point for vss.

14-16 revealing how to run the straight path of endurance

Peace with EVERYONE

For the holiness without which no one will see the Lord

Holy living reveals a holy status where the community/individual is being transformed by God

Secular living reveals a secular life and those individuals will not have a relationship with the Lord

God will have you Christ-like or not have you at all - Alan Hirsch

A holy life is the center of a Christ-follower

A peaceful and holy life should be the reflection of the church to a world that is unbelieving

Striving for peace and holiness is the opposite of those who shrink back

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

***Three threats are given against striving for peace and holiness***

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God

See to it

The church as a community exercises oversight over one another ensuring everyone strives for peace and holiness

Three types of sinful people the congregation needs to be aware of, confront, and ultimately remove if there is lack of repentance

These sinful people are not weak hands and knees needing encouragement, but covenant breakers threatening the very survival of the congregation

Fails to obtain the grace of God

This sinful person falls short of God’s grace and will face judgment on the Day of the Lord

That no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble and by it many become defiled

This sinful person defiles others

This individual is arrogant and is in rebellion against God Himself

This person believes that since they are “in the covenant” they can sin and will incur no judgment against God, but in reality they have rejected the core of the covenant