This weekend we’ll explore how the author of Hebrews compares Jesus and Moses. In this epistle’s first few verses, Jesus is shown to be supreme over the entire cosmos, and then the scope of comparison narrows to celestial beings, humanity, and to Moses himself. Touting Jesus as worthier of greater honor than Moses was a bold claim in the first century. Moses had always been revered as God’s chief representative. A larger-than-life figure administered the divine law and led the entire nation out of its centuries-long bondage in Egypt. Even Israel’s neighbors acknowledged that God had worked powerfully through Moses to…

In case you haven't noticed, Jesus is pretty amazing. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews seems to think so, too, since he has much to say about who Jesus is. As we have seen in the last few weeks, Hebrews exuberantly proclaims that Jesus is supreme over everything. That implies, of course, that He is supreme over all of humanity. However, as we'll discover in Hebrews 2, Jesus is not only supreme over humanity. He is supreme in humanity. In other words, He is the supreme human. This week we will discover why that is astoundingly Good News. I invite you to…

What is the purpose of a level? It’s a tool filled with a liquid and an air bubble where the bubble's position reveals whether a surface is perfectly “level” or “plumb.” From carpenters to engineers to weekend warriors hanging pictures, we use them to ensure the work is straight (or level). Interestingly, although we may be off a fraction of a degree initially and not notice, we would be vastly far from the plumb line if that line were carried out a great distance. Hebrews 2:1 says, “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so…

In C.S. Lewis’ work Mere Christianity, he uses a word that we don’t often use in modern English yet is often heard in Christian circles: “beget.” He says, “To beget is to become the father of, to create is to make. And the difference is this. When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself. A man begets human babies, a beaver begets little beavers, and a bird begets eggs which turn into little birds. But when you make, you make something of a different kind from yourself. A bird makes a nest, a beaver builds a dam,…

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…” Hebrews 1:1-2 I believe that we human beings long to hear the voice of God. We hear the voices of the world around us, but we long for something more. Deep in our souls, we ache for assurance that God is real, and we want to hear from Him. But it can often seem like hearing from God is beyond our reach. The author of Hebrews calls our attention to…

During the past several weeks, our worship and study of Scripture have focused on God's call for us to live in harmony with one another. As we have seen, God has a lot to say about this in His Word. His desire is that we will live more and more as a people who are united in Christ, who love one another, and who forgive each other. Yet, in order to do this, we first need to be brought into unity with God through His Son Jesus Christ. As we complete our "Living Together in Harmony" sermon series this Sunday, we…

“When he came to his senses, he said…“I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” So he got up and went to his father.”  Matthew 15:17-20 Have you ever had one of those moments where you jumped to a faulty conclusion and yelled at your spouse or children for something they didn’t do? Hopefully, you also realize that you need to apologize when you realize that you hurt them. It can be an awkward moment (especially with our children), but it helps to establish trust that…

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?’” Matthew 18:21 The story in this parable seems almost impossible to imagine. Why would anyone who has just been forgiven a million-dollar debt refuse to forgive a debt of a few dollars? It doesn’t make sense. Consider, though, how hard it can be to forgive others. How long have we held a grudge against someone, even for a simple mistake? Or how about refusing to forgive someone for saying something that hurt you—perhaps so long ago that you can’t…

“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me, and I will give you rest.”  -Matthew 11:28 Because of the size of our family, flying to destinations and renting a car isn’t always an option for us. Our default is usually to hop in the car and make a road trip out of it. Sometimes we’ll drive straight through the night. Other times we’ll get a hotel. And, occasionally, we’ll pull into a rest stop to sleep for an hour or two. While there is some debate about the introduction of the first rest stop, “safety rest areas” were…