JESUS IS GREATER THAN

Transcription

1 JESUS IS GREATER THAN THE HIGH PRIEST CHAPTER 5 FACILITATOR S NOTE Chapter five is a cntinuatin f the discussin f High Priest in chapter 4. Yet, the authr breaks his discussin t ffer a warning against ceasing t grw in spiritual maturity. Many Bibles call this a warning against apstasy, which is a renunciatin f faith. Hwever, while there may be sme f that, it is mre a descriptin f stagnancy in faith. It appears that the Hebrews were staying in a place f spiritual infancy rather than grwing int spiritual adults and beynd. This message rings true t us tday. As we recgnize wh Christ is, what He has dne fr us, and what He is and will cntinue t d, we shuld be drawn t spiritual grwth and maturity ut f lve and respect fr ur Lrd and Savir. T remain as we are in ur faith and actin is nt the sign f true discipleship. Disciples are cntinually being transfrmed day-byday. IMPORTANT: As always, we encurage yu t begin preparing fr each lessn by cmmitting the class and the teaching t Gd in prayer. After this, we encurage yu t dig int nt nly the specific chapter in Hebrews fr this week (Chapter 5), but als the bk f Hebrews as a whle and the Scriptures at large. As yu mve thrugh yur readings, jt dwn any thughts that cme t yu and particular passages that stand ut and speak t yu. We assure yu that these will cme int play as yu facilitate this discussin. It is ONLY AFTER DOING THESE THINGS that yu shuld apprach this lessn plan and perhaps use it as a guide. Yur grup is different than all the rest and s yur lessns shuld be adapted accrdingly. PRAYER Begin yur time with a prayer thanking Gd fr prviding us a High Priest wh acts n ur behalf. Pray t Gd that we d nt fall int a stagnant faith, but instead are grwing mre and mre in ur faith, lve, and actin fr Him.

2 FOCUS Jesus is mre than qualified t be ur High Priest. WARNING: D nt becme stagnant in yur faith. Recgnize that JESUS IS GREATER THAN any earthly High Priest. LESSON Discussin Starters (OPTIONAL) What wuld yu equate the cncept f priest with in prtestant churches tday and why? Is having smene in church leadership wh has gne thrugh struggles cmfrting r discncerting t yu? Explain. Hw wuld yu define spiritual maturity? D we struggle even tday with finding individuals t teach Gd s Wrd even thugh they have been Christ fllwers fr years? Why d we still struggle with this? FROM GOD S WORD 4:14-16 (Frm last week in review) Key Pints The authr tells his readers t hld fast t their cnfessin f Jesus Christ as the Sn f Gd since Jesus is als ur great High Priest (v. 14). The authr s discurse n the High Priest in cnnectin with Jesus extends frm 4:14-5:10 thrugh chapters 7-10). This is the same High Priest wh sees us fr wh we really are and t whm we must give accunt, but wh als has passed thrugh the heavens and has been tempted in everyway n ur accunt. This Jesus (Sn f Gd, Judge, High Priest), is able t sympathize with us in ur weakness and understands temptatin (thugh is sinless) (v. 15). Hw des this make yu feel? It is nly by this High Priest that we can have cnfidence and draw near t Gd s presence withut any barrier (namely ur sin) standing in ur way. It is by grace and mercy that we can stand befre Gd and enter int relatinship with Him (v. 16). THAT IS GOOD NEWS!!! 5:1-4 Key Pints The Hebrews authr cntinues his discussin f the High Priest and Jesus by listing sme f the characteristics and qualities f the High Priest. What des the authr list as the qualificatins f a High Priest (nt a cmplete list, but nly in relatin t Christ s rle as High Priest)? Chsen frm amng men

3 Acts n behalf f the peple in relatin t Gd Deals gently with thers as a fellw sinner Is called by Gd fr the rle It is imprtant t nte here the emphasis n the human nature f the High Priests f ld. They were but men wh understd weakness. They ffered up sacrifices fr sins fr bth the peple AND themselves. Why d yu think the authr stresses this pint here? It is als highlighted here that the Old Testament High Priest was called by Gd. S, Gd appinted High Priests thrugh the lineage f Aarn (see Ex. 28:1; 29:1-46). N ne culd assume this rle (as ften happened with kings), but it had t cme by divine appintment thrugh Gd. Fr Discussin Hw d the qualificatin and characteristics relate t mdern day ministers and elders? D they? Hw? Have yu fund church leaders wh have dealt harshly with church members rather than gently as fellw sinners? Why d yu think that is? Hw did Jesus fulfill each f the qualificatins? Which qualificatins did He nt fulfill and why? He did nt need t ffer a sacrifice fr Himself as He was perfect and became the sacrifice Himself. 5:5-10 Key Pints In the same way that earthly High Priests did nt appint themselves, s als Jesus Christ did nt appint Himself but was instead made a High Priest by His Father. The authr qutes Psalm 2:7 and 110:4 t substantiate his claim. Here, Jesus as High Priest is cmbined with His status as the Sn f Gd. In Psalm 110, David als calls this High Priest Lrd wh sits at the right hand f Gd and reigns as High Priest frever. Obviusly, David was talking abut n rdinary human High Priest. The authr demnstrates here hw Jesus was being spken f in ways that the peple did nt understand r recgnize at the mment, but are nw fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The big pint here is that Christ did nt exalt Himself, but was appinted this rle by His Father. Read Philippians 2:5-11 and discuss its cnnectin here. Jesus Prayed a lt. In Luke s narrative, prayer ccurs at every majr pint in Jesus life: At his baptism (3:21) At his selectin f the Twelve (6:12) At Peter s cnfessin (9:18)

4 At Jesus transfiguratin (9:28-29) In his teaching the Lrd s Prayer (11:1-4) In teaching n prayer (18:1-14) Befre Peter s denial (22:32) Befre His crucifixin (22:39-46). The pint here is that Jesus reverently apprached His Father with heartfelt (tears) and earnest (cries) prayers and requests regularly. He leaned n the Father and nly did what the Father tld Him. Jesus submitted t the Father and waited in expectatin fr His answer. Jesus reverence t the Father is why His prayers were answered. Jesus nw stands t intercede fr us and help us talk t the Father (Rmans 8:34). Jesus, Gd s Sn, learned bedience. Thugh He was fully divine, He was als fully human. In His human state He remained sinless (4:15; 7:26) and therefre was always bedient t the Father. As a human, He gained knwledge and wisdm (Luke 2:40, 52) and knew firsthand what the cst f bedience was thrugh His suffering. Jesus learned bedience as He grew in wisdm and stature thrugh the temptatins and suffering He endured. Therefre, He knws are struggles persnally. What a great Gd we serve!!! As Christ was made perfect thrugh bedience t the Father (as He lived as a child thrugh adulthd withut sin), s we t will be made perfect thrugh bedience t the Sn as the surce/authr f ur salvatin (He tk ur sin as it was impssible fr us t remain sinless) and High Priest (ur intercessr and mediatr t the Father, He brings us int Gd s presence). Meditate n this fr a mment in silence (read it again if yu have t r put it int different wrds). Jesus learned bedience t the Father was demnstrated thrugh His life withut sin thrugh temptatin and suffering. Our bedience as sinners is t give ur lives ver t the ne wh made us perfect, hly. This is smething we COULD NEVER DO!!! Our life shuld be lived in praise and thankfulness (nt bligatin) fr the salvatin given t us that is free, but wasn t cheap! Pause fr a prayer f thankfulness and praise. Fr Discussin D we ever exalt urselves t psitins f authrity? D we truly allw Gd t call us r appint us t rles r d we ever help Him alng in the decisin? Explain. Hw is Jesus prayer life an example t us? D we pray enugh? Why r why nt?

5 Jesus bedience thrugh temptatin and suffering had t happen because f ur lack f bedience. He therefre brught us life (an undeserved gift) instead f death (a deserved punishment) thrugh His death and resurrectin. Hw des this make yu feel? 5:11-14 (cntinued next week ) Key Pints Chapter 5:11-6:20 is an interruptin in the discussin f Jesus as High Priest. The authr is cmpelled t tell his readers t nt becme stagnant in their faith and hpe, but instead t endure and grw in their faith. In verses 5:11-14, the readers are rebuked fr their lack f spiritual maturity. This is very strng wrding here as he tells them they are still babies in their faith when they shuld be spiritual adults. He is essentially sclding them. He tells them they are dull f hearing which means they are sluggish (6:12) and cntent with where they are. It appears they have lst the reverence and awe f wh Christ is, what He has dne fr them, and hw they shuld live and mature in that faith and hpe. T drive the pint even mre, the authr uses the metaphr f fd and hw it nurishes and helps us grw. The fd we eat changes as we grw lder. It is the same with ur spiritual grwth prcess. As we grw, ur spiritual fd is suppsed t becme mre substantial, which ultimately helps us discern between gd and evil. OBJECT LESSON: Bring in sme jars f baby fd t class and sme spns fr everyne. Have everyne taste the baby fd (pick sme gd nes!) and ask them if they wuld be satisfied eating that (and nly that) fr the rest f their lives. Then ask them Why are we ften kay eating spiritual baby fd? Fr Discussin D we struggle in the church tday with spiritual immaturity? Hw and Why? What wuld be indicatins f being dull f hearing r spiritually immature? Dn t read ur Bible cnstantly t knw Gd deeper. Dn t pray regularly t build ur relatinship with Christ. Dn t have Gd cnversatins with brthers and sisters regularly and give up meeting tgether (10:24-25). Dn t serve r share r faith regularly. Accept Gd s grace but d nt live a transfrmed life.

6 Expect thers t tell us what the Bible says rather than discver it urselves. REFLECTION Des knwing Christ as ur great High Priest mtivate yu tward spiritual grwth? Explain. Why d we ften grw stagnant in ur faith? D yu feel yu are in a time f spiritual grwth r spiritual stagnancy? Hw can we, as a class and brthers and sisters, encurage each ther tward grwth and transfrmatin? PRAYER LESSON OUTLINE Here are the lessns we will be studying the weeks t cme. INTRODUCTION (January 5) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Angelic Beings Chapter 1 (January 12) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Angelic Beings Chapter 1 (January 19) JESUS IS GREATER THAN But Still Human Chapter 2 (January 26) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Mses Chapter 3 (February 2) JESUS IS GREATER THAN The High Priest Chapter 4 (February 9) JESUS IS GREATER THAN The High Priest Chapter 5 (February 16) THEREFORE, Dn t Fall Away Chapter 6 (February 23) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Melchizedek Chapter 7 (March 2) JESUS IS GREATER THAN The Law Chapter 8 (March 9) JESUS IS GREATER THAN The Tabernacle Chapter 9 (March 16) JESUS IS GREATER THAN Sacrifices Chapter 10 (March 23) THEREFORE, Have Faith Chapter 11 (March 30) THEREFORE, Stand Firm Chapter 12 (April 6) THEREFORE, Offer Acceptable Sacrifices Chapter 13 (April 13) CONCLUSION (April 27)