Hebrews 7 & 8

This week, instead of listing all our notes, we decided to take the cream of the crop, and post those.  Also, since we had two activities this week that were rather time consuming, we posted an explanation (and pictures, too) and let it go with that.  That being said, I present to you "Romans 7 and 8...Jael style!"

7:1-10  There once was a man named Melchizedek who no one had ever heard of... Just kidding.  Melchizedek is a minor Bible character who plays a disproportionately large role in the book of Hebrews.  Who was he, and how does he come to bear in this chapter and the last?  

In Genesis 14, Abraham is returning from rescuing his nephew Lot from some people who had captured him.  As he travels, Melchizedek "the King of Salem" appears and gives him bread and wine.  This Melchizedek is described as "priest of God most high" (which is very surprising, considering that Abraham is, like, the only "Yaweh-fearer" in the land up until this point), and he blesses Abraham.  Then, Abraham gives Melchizedek 1/10 of the plunder he has recovered.  And that's that end of the story.  Kinda small, until you read Hebrews 7.

Hebrews 7 starts out by describing Melchizedek and his interaction with Abraham.  But then it describes his name as "King of Righteousness" coming from Salem (which means "peace").  So the king of righteousness is coming from peace.  Then we're told that Melchizedek has no genealogy, and no beginning or end.  If you think about it, that is true.  Most people in the Old Testament have a full genealogy written out for them.  Abraham did.  Lot did.  But Melchizedek doesn't.  Hmm.  

Then it goes on to say that Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder.  If you know your Old Testament history, you know that it was every Israelites bound duty to give a tenth of all their crop to the Levites once a year.  But Abraham was the grandfather of Levi, and yet he gave a tenth to Melchizedek, which says that Melchizedek was a higher order of priest than even Levi.  

Furthermore, Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and it's generally understood that the greater person blesses the lesser.  (Aka, your dad blesses you, not you blessing your dad)  So Melchizedek was above Abraham who was the grandfather of Levi, which means that Melchizedek blessed Levi.  

Basically, this whole section is there to explain logically why Melchizedek's priesthood is about Levi's.  Okay.  End of my big, long explanation.  :-)

7:23  Levidic priests died, so there were many of them.  (Does that mean that the Levidic priesthood will die?)

7:24  Jesus lives forever, so his priesthood will never go away.

7:26  We need a high priest who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens, innocent, harmless, and undefiled.  The Bible describes exactly what we need!  Now, I want you to look a this big beautiful bag of marshmallows.  I'm leaving them in the bag so they don't touch me.  You see, these big white innocent-looking...fluffs...are deadly!  They clog your arteries, slow your heart, and ultimately give death!  *mock shudder*  So these represent sin.  Now Cecily here is obsessed with marshmallows.  I mean, everything she does or things about is connected with marshmallows.  Everyone that knows her KNOWS that marshmallows are her life.  Now Maddie also adores marshmallows, except she hides her obsession.  All her marshmallows are hidden in her closet, and if someone were to mention marshmallows to her, she'd be like, "Oh, marshmallows are terrible things!  They clog your arteries!"  Then she goes home and stuffs herself with them.  Now I want to shift to the difference between purity and innocence.  I know there's all this hoopla about purity, and so I wanted to explain it in a simple way.  Callie is innocent of marshmallows.  She has never heard or seen of a marshmallow.  Her parents have carefully checked to make sure all movies she watches are "marshmallow free."  So she doesn't want a marshmallow.  But she isn't really pure of marshmallows.  She is INNOCENT of them.  But let's take Sophi now.  She has heard of marshmallows, and seen them.  She's also heard how DELICIOUS they are!  Yet she doesn't eat them.  Is she innocent of marshmallows?  No.  But she is PURE of them.  In the same way, Jesus was pure of sin.  He was in the world.  He was tempted by them.  Yet no marshmallows were found in him!  I mean, the devil even offered him, "Turn these stones into marshmallows!"  :-P  Yet even though Jesus was surrounded by a marshmallow-prone world, he didn't give in.  He was pure of marshmallows.  And we are called to be like him.  

7:27  Jesus is different from the Levidic priests.  He doesn't have to offer sacrifices day after day.  The Levidic priest had to offer sacrifices for themselves and for the people every day.  Jesus didn't have to atone for his signs, so he, as priest, offered himself once to atone for the people forever.

7:28  The Levidic law appoints as priests imperfect men, because that's the only type available.  Jesus, however, is perfect.

8:1  All of chapter 7 was describing the perfect priest lived out in the person of Jesus.  The good news is, we get Jesus as our high priest!  :-D

8:2 Jesus serves in the tabernacle set up by God.

8:3  To be a good high priest, you have to have gifts and sacrifices to offer.  So, Jesus had to have them too.  What did he offer?  :-P

8:4  If Jesus have been from this world, he could not have been a priest, given his ancestry.  

8:5  The Levidic priestly order reflects the heavenly order.  That's why they were instructed to obey the law given to Moses on Sinai SO carefully!  Let me illustrate.  Here are 6 pieces of paper with six idioms: "Bring down the house", "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink", "You look like something the cat dragged in", "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade", "Put the right foot forward", and "Kill two birds with one stone".  Take them and act them out.  :-)

8:6  Jesus has the spirit of the law, so his law is much better.  :-P

8:6  Jesus's ministry is reconciliation, so that ministry has better promises.  (We live by faith)

8:7-12  Now, nothing was "unrighteous", per say, in the Levidic law.  But it wasn't perfectly "God's law", if you know what I mean.  Think about the skits earlier.  It was the letter of the law, instead of the spirit of the law.  But Christ's law is the spirit of the law.  (1 Corinthians 9:20 & 21)

8:13  Explain about abrogation.

8:13  Jesus lives forever!  

Random thought to consider: 

Do we have to obey the 10 commandments in order to be saved?

Hebrews 5 & 6

This week, we sent out an email, asking the girls to go over three questions with their parents, in order to encourage more discussion.  It worked.  :-)  The three questions were 

1. What is God like, according to Scripture?
2. What does the Christian experience once becoming a Christian?  (Hebrews 6:1-3)
3. Scripturally, can a Christian be saved after falling away?   Why or why not?  (Hebrews 6:4-6)

At the beginning of the lesson, I started out by showing a cross stitch project I was working on.  I showed them the underside 

 and the "normal" side.

 I attempted to explain that, even though many denominations are represented in the room, we were going to try to attack all the "sticky" issues from the Bible viewpoint, putting aside any "previous convictions" in an attempt to study the Bible fairly.  We encouraged the girls to talk over stuff with their parents, too, so that the parents can raise the daughters as they see fit.  We just want to dig in the word.  :-) 

Jael's Thoughts 

5:1 All high priests are selected by men. All are men. (Can you think of any civilization where that wasn't the case?) Ours was selected by God. Ours is God.

5:1 It's common sense to have a high priest represent you. That's how it's always been done. O can you think of any culture that DIDN'T have a high priest?

5:2 He is able to represent the people because He IS a person. If you want to represent someone, you have to understand what they're going through.

5:2 The human high priest isn't sinless.

5:3 All worldly high priests have to offer sacrifices for themselves, too.

5:4 No one can truly crown himself high priest. He must be called.

5:5 Jesus was called.

5:5 The high priest represent the people. He is closest to God. So, Jesus represents us by being closest to God. Logic: Jesus died and rose up to the right hand of God. We are in Christ. Therefore, we are at the right hand of God, through Jesus.

5:5 Our high priest was called to be high priest by his father.

5:7 There's a difference between prayers and petitions. What is it?

5:7 How did Jesus pray? "Loud cries and tears"

5:7 He prayed to the one who could save him from death. We do the same thing.

5:7 He was heard because of his reverent submission. What IS reverent submission? Well, what's submission? What's reverence? Reverent submission is what one does who submits reverently. :-P But I looked it up in the Greek. Eulabeia NIG. Eulabeia means "reverence and reverent submission." The word translated "submission" isn't in the Greek. I it was added so that it would make sense in English. Some translations call it "piety".

5:8 Sons are not exempts from learning from trials.

5:8 "Although he was a son..." Sometimes, kids think they can get away with stuff, or they rebel against discipline. Jesus did it the right way!

5:9 Perfect. What would you call perfect? Before Jesus came to earth, wasn't he perfect already? How could God become more perfect? The word translated "perfect" is "teleioō." It means "to perfect, complete, finish, to reach a goal, be fulfilled, completed, made perfect." But how can God be made perfect!?

5:9 Our salvation is eternal if we follow Jesus.

5:10 ...and we're back to the beginning of the chapter. God made Jesus high priest.

5:11 Learning is important. I could tell you a lot about a stove, but if you persist in sticking your finger on the burner, we can't get very far.

5:12 How many churches do you know that are beyond "the basics"? How many churches are focusing on stuff that WASN'T being argued over 2,000 years ago?

5:12 Think celery versus milk. One requires teeth. The other doesn't. :-)

5:13 What is righteousness? The Greek word is "Dikainosynē." It means "righteousness, what is right, Justice, the act of being in agreement with God's standards, the state of being in proper relationship with God." Thoughts God wants to know us. He wants us to know him. Anyone can quibble about rules. But only a very few can worship him in spirit and in truth. Those who quibble about laws and rules haven't grown up yet. They are still in the milk phase. They need rules and regulations to keep them in line.

5:14 That mature can tell good from evil. They are so familiar with what is good that they can see the evil right away. Take, for example, these two glasses of milk that each of you have. One is cows. The other goats. Can you tell them apart by taste? Why? Because you are more familiar with cows milk! If we are familiar with what is good, then we can easily spot the bad.

6:1 God is calling us to maturity. He doesn't want us stuck in the same rut as before.

6:1-2 we have to build on a firm foundation. The very basics of Christianity are "repentance of acts that lead to death, faith in God, baptism(s!?), laying on of hands, resurrection, and eternal judgment." But you aren't supposed to stay on the basic teachings! You're supposed to move past them!

6:3 God is the one who matures. "I have never been so wise as in my 13th year!" :-P

6:4-5 Even though this passage is describing those who fall away, it is a good description of the Christian. We have been enlightened. We have tasted the heavenly gift. We've shared in the Holy Spirit. We have tasted the goodness of the word of God (:-P "Taste and see that The Lord is good.") and the powers of God. How can we see those fruits? A fig tree has to bear fruit in order to be a fig tree. Otherwise, it's just a tree with big leaves. So, a Christian that doesn't live like the Bible says isn't a Christian, because they aren't bearing Christian fruit.

6:6 Does that mean that Christians who fall away can't come back?

6:6 Someone who walks away from the faith stabs Jesus in the back. Imagine your best friend leaving you and going over to your worst enemy, and telling her all of your confidences. :-/ Would you like that? Why not?

6:7 Land has a job. It is supposed to bear fruit. God gives it rain so it can do its job. Good land will bear fruit, and God will bless it.

6:8 Land that is given good stuff but produces weeds and thorns will be cursed and burned.

6:7-8 How does this apply to us?

6:9 Paul was warning about falling away in the previous passage. Falling away isn't a certainty.

6:9 Salvation has fruit.

6:10 God remembers everything you've done for the kingdom. For example, this past week, I was going over the score sheet of a team I lead. I was able to see everything that everyone on my team has ever done for the team, and commend them for that. God is the same way.

6:10 God wants you in heaven, so he will fight for your soul!

6:11 You know when your Dad tells you, "Keep up the good work!"? It' sane encouragement to do the good thing you are currently doing.

6:12 Life is a battle. A soldier in the middle of a battle doesn't take a nap! He keeps on fighting until the battle is over.

6:12 Follow those who have done well. Can you think of anyone YOU want to follow?

6:13 Have you ever seen movies where the characters swear an oath? ("I swear by the sun and the moon to remain true to my friend, Diana Berry...") Those oaths always call on someone bigger than them to witness their oath. But the biggest guy in the universe has to call on himself!

6:15 Abraham had to wait. Is there anything you're waiting for?

6:15 What's the difference between waiting and waiting patiently? I'm gonna have you guys split into two groups and one will do a skit on "waiting", and the other will do a skit on "waiting patiently." [This was done with very amusing results. :-)]

6:16 An oath is a binding contract. If you swear you'll do something, you're giving your word, just as if you were signing a legal document. You can't challenge a signed legal document. Think deed or marriage license.

6:17 God swore an oath. When he gives his word, it's gonna happen. It won't change. He keeps his promises.

6:18 Which two unchangeable things?

6:18 God swears only on really special and important things.

6:18 If it is impossible for God to lie, then anything he says he will do, will happen.

6:18 If we know that God has sworn something, we can have confidence in that.

6:19 This hope is out anchor. Imagine that God COULD lie. What would happen to your faith?

6:19 In the Greek, "secure" means "un-tottered."

6:19 What is "it" referring to?

6:19 That hope is our way to the father. Faith!

6:20 Jesus went before us. He went behind the curtain. He is the anchor!!!

Memory verse: 5:8-10  Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizadek.

Sylvia's Thoughts
5:1: In ancient Israel, the people couldn’t give their offerings directly to God; they had to have a “go-between”; a high priest who would offer sacrifices for them. Jesus is the one who, once and for all, bridged the gap between God and us so that we can speak to God the Father directly. Jesus acted on our behalf when He offered Himself as the final sacrifice.

5:2: Like we talked about before, Jesus understand the difficulties we go through because He Himself went through the same things. He became weak so that we could be made strong.

5:3: An earthly high priest has sins of his own that need to be atoned for, which is why earthly high priests could never take away sins; they could only cover them over.

5:4: High priests must be called by God, or they have no authority or power.

5:5: ^Jesus got his authority directly from God.

5:6: Who was Melchizedek?

5:7: Discussion about prayer.

5:8: How did Jesus learn obedience? Wasn’t he already obedient? Or was this more of a testing of His obedience than a new lesson; a way to prove how obedient he was?

5:9: I think that by “being made perfect,” it means that he was made perfect in our eyes… he was always perfect, but his time on earth proved it. He was tested by fire and found to be pure.

5:11: What does it mean by “dull of hearing?” (Stubborn; maybe not willing to think about important/difficult topics or try to understand them)

5:12: Those who have been Christians for a long time are not progressing in their faith… and since they’re not progressing, they’re slipping backwards. You can never be stationary in your walk with God! Either you go forward or you fall back, but you don’t just stay the same. If you think you’re staying the same, you’re probably falling back!

5:13: Leify (my baby brother) has started to eat solid food... and if we attacked spiritual food with the gusto that he attacks his solid food, it would be a VERY good thing! He has a fervor for the solid food that we need to have for our spiritual “solid food.”

5:14: We have to be firmly grounded in the basic principles of the faith before it’s beneficial for us to argue the more difficult doctrinal issues. (Jael’s “milk” object lesson)


6:1: A firm foundation is important, but if you stay with the foundation and don’t build the walls, you’re not going to have a very good house! We need to go on to “maturity” and keep progressing in our faith.

6:6: (Discussion about 4-6; Jael’s notes)

6:7: We have received many blessings from God, so our purpose is to produce a crop that pleases Him.

6:8: If you have a garden that you tend and water, and it bears nothing but weeds, are you going to be very pleased with your garden? Or will you just burn (or mow) the weeds down and start over?

6:10: Even though we’re not near perfect… even though we don’t do nearly enough or nearly as much as we should… even though we constantly fail… God still sees our efforts and praises them, unworthy as they may be to Him. He appreciates every little act of service and will reward it abundantly.

Memory verse: 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

Group picture!

Silly group picture...

And "epic" group picture. ;)

Thank you all so much for coming tonight!  We look forward to seeing you back in two weeks.  Remember to read Hebrews 7-8, write down some thoughts for discussion, and choose at least one verse to memorize! 

Have a great week! :)