TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 16:1-8
You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. - Mark 16:6
TODAY IN THE WORD

The most triumphant day in history began as anything but that for the eleven apostles hiding in a locked room somewhere in Jerusalem. As far as they were concerned, Jesus was gone forever and their hopes were in shambles.

It wasn't as if Jesus hadn't given His apostles reason for hope. On at least two occasions during His ministry, Jesus had prophesied His own resurrection. Even in the Upper Room, following His prediction that all of the disciples would forsake Him, Jesus added, ""But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee"" (Matt. 26:32).

However, all of these prophecies seem to have been forgotten as the eleven remaining apostles hid for fear of suffering the same fate as Jesus. But God used, for His purposes, even their reluctance to believe the resurrection.

Christian apologists tell us that one of the best evidences for the truth of the resurrection is the disciples' utter surprise at the news and their slowness to accept the truth. If this had all been a carefully planned hoax on their part, they would not have reacted this way.

There was a conspiracy on resurrection day, to be sure. But it was made between the guards at Jesus' tomb and the chief priests (Matt. 28:11-15).

The glorious news of Jesus' resurrection was in fact true. And since the disciples still had some important lessons to learn about faith, God chose Mary Magdalene and other faithful women to be the recipients of the angel's announcement. Even then, the disciples were slow to believe the women's report (Luke 24:11).

Peter and John finally believed when they ran to the tomb and saw the evidence for themselves. Being the careful eyewitness that he was, John described the exact condition and location of Jesus' burial clothes (John 20:6-7).

Clearly, the resurrection was about doubt versus belief. Later that day, Jesus said to the two Emmaus road disciples: ""How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!"" (Luke 24:25). Let this not be said of us!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

It would be easy to shake our heads at the disciples' slowness to believe--except that we are so often like them.

For some reason, human nature seems to gravitate toward doubt and worry rather than toward faith. So as we draw to the close of our Holy Week studies, we want to suggest a simple prayer that should be on all of our lips today: ""I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"" (Mark 9:24). We're not talking about saving faith here, but the kind of believing heart that accepts God at His Word and acts on that belief. Doubt may be natural, but it's not normal for the Christian!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 1:6-11
This same Jesus...will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. - Acts 1:11
TODAY IN THE WORD

History is filled with the record of famous returns. In February, 1815, the emperor Napoleon returned from a brief exile on the island of Elba to regain control of France. On October 20, 1944, General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte in the Philippines in fulfillment of his famous promise, ""I shall return."" And on a lesser scale, we have seen politicians and other public figures revive their careers after major setbacks. Even the sports world recognizes and celebrates athletes who win ""comeback player of the year"" awards.

But all of these fade into nothingness when compared with the promise and hope of Jesus' return. Jesus had told His troubled disciples, ""I will come back and take you to be with me"" (John 14:3). He had assured His accusers in the Sanhedrin: ""In the future you will see the Son of Man...coming on the clouds of heaven"" (Matt. 26:64).

And in a final word of assurance, the angels told the watching disciples that Jesus would come back exactly as He had ascended.

The ascension of Christ is the third essential element of the gospel that Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 15. Christ ""was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures"" (v. 4). Just as Jesus' burial proved He had actually died, so His ascension testified to the reality of His resurrection.

The Gospel writers and Paul add that the risen Christ appeared to believers on a number of occasions in the forty days between His resurrection and ascension.

Paul's reference to his own experience with the resurrected Christ is unique (1 Cor. 15:. Since Paul is probably referring to his Damascus road conversion (Acts 9), this means that Jesus' appearance to Paul was not only post-resurrection, but post-ascension.

Chronologically, of course, the ascension of Christ is not part of the seven remarkable days from Palm Sunday to Easter. But our study of Holy Week would not be complete without this climactic event and the wonderful promise attached to it: Jesus will return!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

The hope and certainty of Jesus' return are as real today as they were on the day our resurrected Lord ascended back to heaven.

As believers in Jesus Christ, then, we are called to live each day in light of Christ's soon return. One thing this hope should do for us is to keep us from getting too attached to the temporary ""stuff"" we own. So today, let's do a brief ""reality check"" of our discipleship by considering these questions. Are you holding your earthly possessions with an open hand before the Lord? Is there something He cannot take without upsetting your world? Do you own anything that has become more valuable to you than the hope of Christ's return?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 8:1-56
Return home and tell how much God has done for you. - Luke 8:39
TODAY IN THE WORD
To the readers of political cartoons at the turn of the century, L. Frank Baum's Wonderful Wizard of Oz was full of familiar faces that represented politicians, farmers, and factory workers. But the book's detailed allegory about the politics of the 1890s was widely ignored until Henry M. Littlefield's essay labeled Baum's book a “Parable on Populism,” more than sixty years after the book was published.

Most Wizard of Oz fans today never associate the Yellow Brick Road with the gold standard, and conversely, most believers can hardly imagine that Jesus' parables were actually intended to hide the truth. But the stories Jesus told had the power to conceal their true meaning and suppress the reactions of the opposition (v. 10). Jesus didn't intend to hide the truth from His followers; rather, His wording in verse 16, “come in,” conveys the image of a welcome guest entering from spiritual darkness into a home lit by the lamp of the Word of God.

And those who loved His Word, Jesus considered as His family (v. 21). His statement here wasn't so much a dismissal of His blood relatives as it was an expression of His deep love for and connec- tion to people who responded to this message from God.

It's fitting, then, that Luke describes in such detail the various people Jesus rescued from sin and suffering. The abject fear of the disciples on the boat is tangible. The torment that afflicted the demon-possessed man and the violent departure of the militant legion of spirits is graphic and moving. The hope in the woman who touched His garment grabs our hearts. The smug laughter of doubters is contrasted with the astonished joy of parents whose daughter was revived from the dead. The people Jesus touched were not miraculous statistics—they were real people, and anyone can identify with the emotion, the pain, and the wonder that they felt.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Over the next several days, our daily readings include extended passages that are packed with more information than we can possibly cover in detail, but they are well worth your extra time of personal study and reflection. Jesus displays His power with acts that, when thoughtfully considered, can bring you to tears and challenge your heart if you can invest an extra moment to dwell on it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 9:1-62
Anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. - Deuteronomy 21:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Romans used crucifixion as a punishment for non-Romans or slaves, and part of the degrading ritual involved the carrying of the crossbeam. The prisoner was subject to mocking, scourging, and complete ridicule, and the Jews of that day would have been particularly horrified by the process because of the stigma that accompanied hanging on a tree (Gal. 3:13).

But even before dying on the cross, Jesus used the image of carrying a cross to describe following Him on a daily basis; let's be honest—this is not exactly a motivational speech. But the crux of today's reading is the almost irreconcilable contrast between the glorious identity of Jesus and the horrible path He would have to walk to fulfill His mission.

As the theories of who Jesus was began to crystallize in the minds of kings (vv. 7-8) and commoners (v. 19), the Apostles realized that He was the Christ. Jesus didn't want that fact popularized, because no one, not even the Twelve, was prepared for the reality of what had to happen. The coming of the Christ meant the coming of the kingdom, so the imminent death of the Christ just didn't compute in the Jewish mentality. Their struggle to understand is illustrated by Peter's desire to celebrate at the Transfiguration (v. 33) and the comparison and competition for spots of greatness in the kingdom (vv. 46-50).

It's no coincidence that the dispute over kingdom greatness came shortly after Jesus confirmed that He was the Christ. The Twelve preferred to focus on their own reward rather than the penalty that Jesus had just announced He would suffer (v. 45). But to be fair, no one but Jesus could have understood what awaited Him, much less the idea that His followers would suffer as well. As He discussed at the end of this chapter, the expectation for a follower of Christ is complete, uncompromising allegiance, even if doing so requires unthinkable suffering.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you ever tell Jesus, “I will follow you, but . . .” and place some condition on your obedience? Sometimes we wait for finances or confidence or a resolution to a particular conflict. But postponed obedience is disobedience. Whatever God asks you to do, do it without hesitation. He can tie up the loose ends better than we can. If you wait for the time to be just right, you could spend the rest of your life avoiding God's will for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 1:1-4
- Hebrews 1:3
TODAY IN THE WORD

Moody Bible Institute president, Dr. Joseph Stowell, has written concerning today's text: ""God has always had spokesmen ready to speak for Him. When He wanted to announce the birth of His Son, He sent an angel with a message too significant to trust to a human being."" The same was true for the news of Christ's resurrection. But god's greatest spokesman was neither a patriarch nor a prophet nor an angel. According to the author of Hebrews, when God wanted to reveal Himself fully, He spoke ""by his Son"" (Heb. 1:2).

There's a very good reason that God spoke fully, and finally, through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only Person of whom it can be said, ""He is exactly like god."" That's because Jesus is God--He is therefore both perfect and superior to anyone who has come before or since.

In a nutshell, that's the thesis of the letter to the Hebrews: Christ is superior in every way. This wonderful, and sometimes hard to understand, book is the focus of our study this month. We believe you'll be richly repaid for the time you spend in God's Word over the next thirty days. Hebrews will remind you of the incredible provisions and privileges you have in Christ.

Our study of Hebrews will follow this basic outline: the superiority of Christ's Person (1:1-4:11), the superiority of Christ's priesthood (4:12-10:18), and the superiority of Christ's power (10:19-13:25).

Since the book is anonymous, we don't know who the author of Hebrews was. It could have been Apollos, Barnabas, Silas, or Paul. It was probably written before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, since it refers to the Mosaic sacrifical system as if it were still in practice.

What we don't know about the book of Hebrews is not nearly so significant as what the content of the book itself makes clear. In Jesus Christ, we have a Savior and a High Priest who is superior to the Old Testament prophets (vv. 1-2), superior to the Old Testament priests and their sacrifices (v. 3), and superior to the angels (v. 4). Jesus alone can claim the title ""Son of God.""
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

If it's been awhile since you have thought about the provisions and privileges you have in Christ, Hebrews is the right book for you!

Here are three privileges you can praise God for today, as you prepare your heart for this study. First, since Jesus is God's finale ""spokesman,"" we have God's complete Word in our hands. Second, since Jesus offered the final sacrifice on the Cross, you don't have to bring an animal to church to sacrifice next Sunday--He paid the price of sin once and for all! And third, because Jesus is superior to the angels, you don't have to go through any other human or heavenly being to gain direct access to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 1:5-14
Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. - Hebrews 1:8
TODAY IN THE WORD

When George Vanderbilt opened his new home for a family dinner on Christmas Eve, 1895, it was more than just a family get-together. The home, though still not completed, was the fulfillment of Vanderbilt's dream: a 250-room mansion majestically nestled in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. Young Vanderbilt felt he had a name and a family reputation to uphold. His grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt, had been the most powerful and successful business baron in America in his day.

Jesus Christ also has a name to uphold, but that's where the comparison ends. Jesus is the Son of God--eternal and exalted far above any other name, title, or created being in heaven or on earth.

The author of Hebrews wanted to be sure his readers understood the superiority of Christ over everything they had ever known. The writer had a good reason for demonstrating Christ's greatness. The evidence from the book suggests that the Hebrews were a group of Christians who had come to faith out of Judaism.

As we will see later, these believers had undergone persecution for their faith and may have been facing trials again. Such persecution seems to have caused them to waver in their commitment to Christ. They may have even thought about returning to Judaism.

Yet the writer wanted them to see that they had no reason to go back, for, in Christ, they had Someone who was superior--even to the angels.

Why the comparison of Christ to angels? There is evidence that first-century Judaism gave extra prominence to the ministry of angels. So the Hebrews author begins his case for Christ's superiority by demonstrating how much higher He is than angels.

While angels are ""ministering spirits"" (v. 14), Jesus bears the exalted title of ""Son of God."" The Father has bestowed this title on Jesus in much the same way God declared the Davidic king as His Son (see Ps. 2:7, which the writer quotes in v. 5).

But Jesus did not just become the Son of God one day. He is the Son, the eternal Second Person of the Trinity. The following verses clearly demonstrate His eternal nature as God. Jesus was active in creation (v. 10), and He will never change (v. 12), being ""the same yesterday and today and forever"" (Heb. 13:.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

There are lots of famous family names in history, but no one bears a higher name than Jesus.

We also bear His name, because we are His children. Part of our calling as believers is to bring Jesus Christ honor by the way we conduct our lives. Today, let's pray that the people who are watching our lives will get a favorable picture of what Jesus is like.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 2:1-9
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. - Hebrews 2:1
TODAY IN THE WORD

According to the Campus Journal, a major university recently removed a popular line of study notes from its bookstore. These notes summarize the plots, themes, and characters of well-known books so students can pass an exam without having to read the required book. The university wants its students to wrestle with the message of great books rather than to opt for the easy way out.

The writer of Hebrews did not want his ""students"" to take the easy way out and turn away from their commitment to Christ. Because he wanted them to wrestle with the great truths of their faith, he wrote them a letter that has become one of the great books of history.

The Hebrews were not simply students trying to make the Dean's List. Defection from Christ would result in more serious consequences than a failing grade. Today's verses offer the first of five warnings in the book. Here, the recipients of the letter are pictured as being in danger of ""drifting away"" from Christ--much like an inattentive child in a crowded mall who refuses to heed his parents' warning to stay close and who consequently gets lost.

The author reminded his readers that just as violators of the Mosaic Law received punishment, they also could not expect to drift away from the new covenant in Christ without receiving discipline.

The text does not spell out the discipline the Hebrews could expect if they pulled away from Christ. Perhaps the writer did not define it because he was ""confident of better things"" from them (Heb. 6:9).

One of the blessings the Hebrews might have forfeited is suggested in the first chapter of Hebrews. In verses 1, 5, and 13, the picture is of God enthroning His king and giving Him absolute triumph over His enemies. The king would then share His joy with ""His companions"" (Heb. 1:9).

This is a picture of Christ on His millennial throne, a reign in which His followers will share. The writer was looking at the ""world to come"" (Heb. 2:5), showing that even though humankind had lost dominion through sin, the Son regained it through His sacrificial death.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Obviously, the Hebrews weren't the only believers in danger of drifting spiritually.

We've all known times of lethargy and lack of attention to our ""great salvation"" (v. 3). One way you can guard against drifting is to promise the Lord you'll be faithful in prayer and Bible study this month. It may help to write out your commitment, sign and date it, and put it in a prominent place in your kitchen, bedroom, or office.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 2:10-18
[Jesus] had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest. - HEBREWS 2:17
TODAY IN THE WORD

Seeking the Democratic presidential nomination in 1960, John F. Kennedy visited a coal mine in West Virginia, where a miner asked him, ""Is it true that you're the son of one of our wealthiest men?"" Kennedy said it was so.

The miner continued, ""Is it true you've never done a day's work with your hands all your life?"" Kennedy nodded.

""Well, let me tell you this,"" the miner replied, ""you haven't missed a thing.""

So much for a presidential candidate trying to identify with his constituents! One of the problems of finite human beings is that we can't possibly identify with others perfectly and understand exactly what they are going through.

But we have a Savior who can! This great section of Hebrews holds more blessing and encouragement than we can absorb in one setting. It's worth several days of study. Consider what these verses tell us about our great salvation, and our great Savior.

First, although the Hebrews were looking back to Judaism, the writer was pointing them forward to Christ's glorious reign. It was God's purpose to bring His children to glory by giving them a ""leader"" or ""captain"" of salvation who could identify with them in every way (v. 10). In fact, so close is the relationship between Christ and His people that He is not ashamed to call us family (v. 11)!

But why did the sinless, eternal, perfect Son of God have to come to earth to identify with humanity in His suffering? He came so that He might render the devil powerless, freeing those held captive by him in the slavery of sin and the fear of death (vv. 14, 15).

Think of it. Jesus is not some distant deity, far above and aloof from our pain. He took on human flesh so that He might live a sinless life and die a sacrificial death--all to pay the debt for our sins! No wonder the author of Hebrews set Christ before his readers and said, in effect, ""Take a good look at Jesus before you decide to slip away.""

This is also the first mention of Jesus' priesthood, a theme we will meet again. Unlike human priests, Jesus did not have to pay for His sins before offering atonement for the sins of the people. Because He was tempted, He understands what we face. But He never yielded, so He can help us in our need (vv. 17, 18).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

God said we would be tempted, but that we do not have to yield.

Although the devil is still in business for now, Jesus has disarmed Satan (Col. 2:15). We can have victory in Christ over temptation, but we also need to make sure we aren't helping the enemy gain a foothold by our actions. Why not do a ""temptation checkup"" this weekend to eliminate anything that may be giving Satan an opening into your life?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 3:1-6
Fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. - Hebrews 3:1
TODAY IN THE WORD

As the procession wound its way down the west side of the Mount of Olives and the city of Jerusalem loomed ahead, the band of disciples became increasingly excited. Their leader, Jesus, was riding triumphantly into Jerusalem in recognition of His rightful claim to be the Messiah. Just as the prophets had written, the Messiah was coming to the nation of Israel on a lowly donkey (Zech. 9:9). The joyful disciples could not help but shout praise to God and throw palm branches in Jesus' path.

On the day we now celebrate as Palm Sunday, the thoughts of Jesus' followers were fixed on Him. The author of Hebrews would have applauded that focus. We need to fix both our thoughts and our eyes (Heb. 12:2) on Jesus.

Earlier in this book, Jesus had been compared to the prophets and to angels and was found to be superior to both. His salvation was also shown to be greater than the system of law handed down to Moses. It is not surprising that the author would again introduce Moses into his argument here in chapter 3.

The mention of Jesus as our high priest brings to mind the sacrificial system instituted under Moses. The Law even specified the ""house"" that Moses was to build, which was the tabernacle in the wilderness, so that sacrifices could be offered. Moses was faithful to build the Israelites' place of worship just as God commanded.

But Moses was still just a servant in God's house. Jesus, on the other hand, was the ""builder of everything"" because He is God (vv. 5-6). The ministry of Moses pointed forward to Jesus and was a testimony to His coming. Jesus was the fulfillment of this testimony. Moses was ""in"" God's house, but Jesus is ""over"" God's house; the Son is greater than a servant is.

This passage of Hebrews ends with a wonderfully encouraging reminder that we, too, are part of God's house--the body of believers of which Jesus is the Head.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

It's impossible to overstate the importance of keeping our focus fixed on Jesus.

But to do that effectively, we need to ""unplug"" our minds and hearts from things that distract us and keep us from focusing on Christ. Perhaps a problem area for you is the temptation that you brought before the Lord yesterday. Try to identify the activity that occupies most of your time and attention. Then evaluate whether the time being spent on this activity is proportionate to the importance of the activity.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 3:7-19
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. - Hebrews 3:7-8
TODAY IN THE WORD

What one national park worker calls ""a false sense of security"" continues to lead visitors of national parks to ignore warnings and to take dangerous chances. Despite clear warnings, for example, people still try to pose with the bears, to get too close to other wild animals, or to enter waters that are not safe for swimming. This park worker suggests that perhaps the word ""park"" itself helps to lull people into feeling safe when they are actually in a potentially dangerous environment.

It seems to be part of our human nature to ignore warning signs. The recipients of the letter to the Hebrews had a very clear warning posted before them of the tragic consequences of allowing their hearts to be hardened through unbelief. But the writer was afraid these believers were about to crash through the warning sign and commit the same error that a previous generation of God's people had committed.

These verses are part of an ongoing series of warnings directed at a group of people who were wavering in their commitment to Christ. They were reminded that the generation of Israelites that came out of Egypt under Moses never reached God's promised rest in Canaan, although it was waiting to be claimed.

The problem was the people's hardness of heart, which led them to test God, to doubt His provision, and to rebel against His will for them. These Israelites provoked God to anger, and He ""declared on oath"" (v. 11) that their bones would bleach in the desert until the entire generation died out (v. 17).

We also need to take this warning to heart. Unbelief always displeases God. The solution to this problem is to keep our hearts tender toward Him, something believers need to help one another do every day (v. 13).

The urgency of doing this today is obvious from the fact that sin is very deceitful. If we ignore it, sin will harden our spirits as surely as cement hardens once it has been poured. We need the same kind of faithfulness the writer of Hebrews urged his readers to maintain (v. 14).

Just to make sure the point wasn't missed, the writer returned to the example of Moses' unbelieving generation (vv. 15- 19). It's a warning we can't hear too often. God honors faith, whereas unbelief invites His judgment.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

This very day is one of the ""todays"" that the author of Hebrews urges us to take advantage of as we encourage one another.

Through today's study, we have attempted to encourage you to walk faithfully with Christ. Do you know someone you can encourage in his or her walk? It might be a family member or a friend who is experiencing doubt or a trial. Ask God to lead you to someone who needs an encouraging word this week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 4:1-11
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. - Hebrews 4:9
TODAY IN THE WORD

If you saw a notice in the newspaper listing you among potential heirs being sought for a great inheritance, would you make contact with the people placing the ad? Probably so. And if you checked things out and discovered you were a legitimate heir, would you be motivated to show up at the time and place designated to claim your inheritance? You'd be foolish not to go!

That's similar to the situation facing the readers of Hebrews--and us as believers today. God has a promised inheritance for His people called His rest. This rest was offered to the generation that Moses led out of Egypt, but they failed to claim it because they lacked the one prerequisite: faith.

The opening verses of Hebrews 4 continue the writer's train of thought. Having previously described the generation that angered God by its unbelief, he now applies the lessons of that generation to the believers of his day. And, as always, believers in every generation need to learn the same lessons.

The good news of this passage is that God's offer of a rest, a Sabbath rest, still stands. Even though Moses' generation missed it, God's promise remains. His rest has been available since the dawn of creation. God rested from His work (Gen. 2:2) and decided it was such a good idea that He commanded a rest for His creatures.

Notice that God's rest includes the cessation of work (v. 10). In God's case, He rested because He was finished with creation--His was a rest of completion and satisfaction.

If we are to enter God's rest today, what work must we cease doing? Part of the answer is that we are to rest from or give up our own efforts to save ourselves, since God's rest includes our salvation. The ""rest"" of salvation is entered only by faith.

The writer urges the Hebrews, ""Make every effort to enter that rest"" (v. 11). So the rest must go beyond salvation, since they were already believers. It seems clear that God's rest extends to the entirety of our lives, as we give up our attempts to live the Christian life in our own strength and rest in His promises.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

The principle of Sabbath rest--one day in seven set aside for rest and worship--stands out in this passage.

This is a rest God wants us to enjoy today. For us as Christians this special day is the Lord's day. But sadly, for many of us, this day is as hectic and noisy as the rest of the week. If your day of worship seems like every other day, except for church services, make a commitment to turn off the noise, unplug some of the activities, and spend more time in contemplation of God's goodness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 4:12-16
In [Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. - Ephesians 3:12
TODAY IN THE WORD

The British pastor Charles Spurgeon once made this observation about our need for the application of the Scriptures: ""When a soldier is wounded in battle, it is of little use for him to know that there are those at the hospital who can bind his wounds and medicines there to ease all the pains which he now suffers. What he needs is to be taken there and the remedies applied. It is thus with our souls. To meet this need there is one, the Spirit of truth, who takes of the things of Jesus and applies them to us.""

Although the writer of Hebrews may not specifically have had the comforting power of God's Word in mind here, Spurgeon's point is helpful. Only the Word of God, applied with surgical precision by the Spirit of God, can meet the needs of the human heart.

Why did the author mention the Scriptures at this point (v. 12)? Because sin is so deceitful (Heb. 3:13) and the danger of drifting away so real that our only safe guide is the Word of God.

The Word is so potent that it can expose the deepest motives of our hearts. We need this penetrating work desperately, as did the Hebrews, because ""the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"" (Jer. 17:9). God's Word can reveal our tendency toward waywardness and help keep us on the path of faithfulness to Christ.

We have another source of help and strength in our struggle. In addition to the living written Word, we have the living incarnate Word in the Person of Jesus Christ.

In verse 14, Jesus is presented in His ministering role as our great High Priest. Jesus took the blood of His sacrifice into the heavenly sanctuary, just as Israel's high priest took the blood of animal sacrifices into the inner sanctuary of the temple to make atonement for sin.

We are encouraged to approach Jesus in our weakness because He was tempted in every way that we are tempted (v. 15). The difference, of course, is that Jesus never succumbed to temptation. He never sinned.

Instead of Jesus' sinlessness being a barrier between Him and us, we are encouraged to come to Him for mercy and grace in our time of need (v. 16).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

With today's passage we begin the second section of our study, the superiority of Christ's priesthood (see the April 1 study for our brief outline of the book of Hebrews).

We're in for several weeks of encouragement and blessing as we consider Christ's priestly work on our behalf. That ministry is available to you today, especially if you are facing a time of need. Bring your burden, problem, or sin to the Lord right now and thank Him for His mercy and grace to deal with it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 5:1-10
He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. - Hebrews 5:9
TODAY IN THE WORD

More than a century ago, a young English preacher of great promise suddenly lost confidence in the Bible. The liberal thought of the late-nineteenth century left him confused and questioning the Scriptures. So 21-year-old G. Campbell Morgan locked all of his books about the Bible in a cupboard and sat down to study the Bible itself. Morgan came away so convinced of the truth of God's Word that he spent the next sixty years preaching and teaching it on both sides of the Atlantic.

We can be sure that given his experience, Campbell Morgan would have been sympathetic to any sincere doubter he met. We tend to be more patient and understanding with those who have our weaknesses.

In the same way, Israel's high priests were able to ""deal gently"" with struggling sinners (v. 2). Why? Because the high priest was a redeemed sinner himself. The sacrifices he offered for the people's sins were necessary to cover his sins as well.

Clearly, the Spirit-inspired writer of Hebrews was appreciative of the office the high priest held. After all, these priests were called by God, just as Aaron was called to be Israel's first high priest and the model for priestly ministry.

But as honored as the office of high priest was, the men who occupied that post could not help but pale in comparison to Jesus Christ--God's perfect, sinless, eternal High Priest.

We said at the beginning of the month that the author of Hebrews is concerned with demonstrating Christ's superiority. Today's passage is a perfect example of this emphasis. Just as earthly high priests had to meet certain qualifications, so Jesus met, and far exceeded, those qualifications.

For instance, Jesus was also appointed to His priestly post by God. And He offered a sacrifice for the people's sins.

But that's where the comparison ends. Jesus is the Son of God, He holds His priesthood forever, He Himself was the sacrifice for sin, and He is the source of salvation ""for all who obey Him"" (v. 9). And Jesus' priesthood is not after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchizedek, a mysterious figure we will meet again.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

The ""loud cries and tears"" of Jesus were most evident in His prayer in Gethse-mane just before His crucifixion.

Gethsemane takes on added significance for us during this special week, as we see a Savior who can sympathize with our human limitations. It was in the garden that Jesus ""learned obedience"" by submitting Himself to His Father's will--and it was on behalf of us, to take the burden of our sins upon Himself! For Him, it would mean suffering and death on the Cross. Today, let's worship, praise, and adore the Savior, our permanent High Priest who offered Himself up for us!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 5:11-6:3
Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. - Hebrews 5:14
TODAY IN THE WORD

Well-known devotional author Oswald Chambers has said, ""If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in smooth waters just inside the harbor, full of delight but always moored. You have to get out into the great deeps of God and begin to know for yourself, begin to have spiritual discernment...Beware of harking back to what you were once when God wants you to be something you've never been.""

You won't find a better description of the people to whom the book of Hebrews was written. They were like adolescents stuck in kindergarten, or college students struggling with their ABCs. We could shake our heads at these spiritually stunted saints--except when we look in the mirror and realize how often we fail to act on the truth we know.

The writer of Hebrews was in the middle of some important teaching about the priestly ministry of Jesus when he looked up, as it were, and saw that he was losing his class. The Hebrews had become slow spiritual learners. This was not an indictment of their mental abilities, but of their shaky commitment to Christ and their growth in the knowledge of Him.

Spiritual dullness is a serious problem for any believer. But its effects ripple outward from individual Christians to the body of Christ. By the time this letter was written, the author felt these Hebrew believers should have been ready to teach others. Instead, they were in need of teaching so basic that the writer pictured them as infants still on the bottle.

That's a painful assessment, but it fit the Hebrews. There's nothing wrong with ""pure spiritual milk"" (1 Pet. 2:2), the basics of the Christian faith. Peter tells us to crave this truth--but not for the rest of our Christian lives. The purpose of milk is to help babies grow into maturity so that they can eventually digest solid food.

Just in case his readers didn't get the point fully, the writer laid out his challenge explicitly in verses 1-3. In the words of Oswald Chambers, it was time for the Hebrews to leave the ""smooth waters"" of spiritual immaturity and ""get out into the great deeps of God.""
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

This Good Friday, as we remember the suffering of Jesus Christ on our behalf, would be a great day to take a new step of Christian growth.

Maybe you can name an area of your spiritual life where you want to see growth: prayer, stewardship, love, obedience, faith, or patience. One tangible step you can take this weekend is to get out your Bible concordance and see what the Word has to say about your topic. Most important, decide that you will obey the truth as God reveals it to you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 6:4-20
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. - Hebrews 6:11
TODAY IN THE WORD

Isabel Smith was a happy young nursing student when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1928. Her family sent her to a nursing home for what they thought was a few months of treatment, but Isabel wound up spending the next twenty-one years in bed. She refused to give up, however. She read widely and wrote letters and taught other patients to read and write. She even met a young man, a fellow tuberculosis patient, and dreamed of marriage. Although Isabel came close to death several times, she eventually married the man she loved. She then went on to write a book, Wish I Might, about all the good things life had brought her.

In several ways, the remarkable life of Isabel Smith pictures what the epistle writer hoped for in the lives of the Hebrews. They had been afflicted with a debilitating spiritual disease that was severely stunting their growth in Christ. So serious was the problem that dire warnings were called for.

Verses 4-6 are difficult to interpret, and at least four different scenarios are suggested. It seems best to understand these words as a warning to true believers against being disqualified for God's service by failing to remain faithful to the truth they know (see 1 Cor. 9:24-27, which describes a similar problem).

The fire in this text, then, is not the fire of hell, but the scorching of an unproductive field so that it could be replanted in hopes of a fruitful crop. The danger for the Hebrews was not losing their salvation, but living such unproductive lives that everything they did would be burned up in the end (1 Cor. 3:10-15).

Verse 10 shows that these believers had known better days, having logged faithful service in the past. They needed to continue on this path (v. 11), the end of which is a secure hope.

The Hebrews had a great example of faithfulness in Abraham, a man who believed God and received His unchangeable promise. Even more encouraging is the truth that a believer's hope is secure because it is anchored in heaven, where Jesus Christ now serves as our ever-faithful High Priest.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

The day before Easter gives us a great reminder of the faithfulness that our Lord showed, even in the face of death.

With Jesus as our model of perseverance and faithfulness, as well as the One who paid for our sins on the Cross, how can we fail to be faithful to the God who has called us? Paul told the Galatians they were running a good race--until someone ""cut in on"" them and tripped them up (Gal. 5:7). How is your Christian race today?